help needed in Toronto

[mset]

I recently commissioned an SSD-based build (Vertex 2 60GB) from a guy I figured was capable of doing it. I have run into a bad problem. The rig is constantly having 'mini-hangs' where I click on this or that element of a GUI and it doesn't respond for 3-8 seconds. This happens with different programs. I see the little turquoise circle spinning and then the command executes. It always responds, eventually. There are other things going on as well which I will describe to you. I have posted threads at RFD, anandtech and at the OCZ forums and tried most fixes except flashing the mobo and the drive itself.

I have spent literally 25 hours trying to troubleshoot this problem and I am unable to do so. I'm an interested layman when it comes to computers and I enjoy Googling and doing little tweaks on my rigs when I have time. However, this is beyond me, and I have learned something. It seems to me that if a builder used to working with conventional hard drives thinks he can just throw an SSD into a rig and have it work perfectly, he has another think coming. I have spent way more time than I want to at the OCZ forums and it is clear to me that you need to be on the forums every day, literally, in order to remain caught up in terms of what is going on.

I'm looking for someone in Toronto to take this rig (specs below) and give it back to me working. Unfortunately, I will be asking a lot of questions before I pick someone, mainly about how much experience you have with SSD builds and what happens if I get the rig back and it doesn't work. The builder of this rig suddenly disappeared after I told him that I was having problems. I know all this makes me sound like a bit of a knob, but I'm actually not - I'm just not in a good frame of mind after losing about 30 hours of work that I did on this new rig over the past week.

Shoot me a PM or post here and tell me what you think.

Nik

Quadcore Intel Core i5 750, 2733 MHz (17 x 161) (yes, I know 17 x 161 is wrong)
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3P
Vertex 2 SSD with Sandforce controller
4 GB G.Skill DDR3-1600 Eco 7-8-7-24
2 x ATI HD 5450 video cards (driving 4 Dell 2005FPW)

[KaptCrunch]

GA-P55A-UD3P of what MB verson rev 1.0 or rev 2.0 ?

OS: flavour ?, 32 or 64bit ?

Ram: set to 1.35 Volts ?

SSD: using mirrored or raid setup, single drive SSD

got current firmware 1.11? for see fix for your chipset

[mset]

Originally Posted by KaptCrunch

GA-P55A-UD3P of what MB verson rev 1.0 or rev 2.0 ?

OS: flavour ?, 32 or 64bit ?

Ram: set to 1.35 Volts ?

SSD: using mirrored or raid setup, single drive SSD

got current firmware 1.11? for see fix for your chipset

Hey Kap

Was trying to figure out from Everest which Rev the mobo is - can you tell me where to look? Or do I need to restart and look at the splash page? Would the mobo ID help? It's

06/23/2010-P55-7A89RG0TC-00

OS = Win 7 Home 64 bit

Ram is set to 1.35V

Single SSD + single conventional HD for storage

Have firmware 1.1. A few guys have told me that it's almost impossible that this is an SSD firmware issue if I have 1.1, but I'm ready to listen to a second opinion.

Thanks a lot for the response.

Have you tried to run Memtest for Windows? I'd take the ram out of the equation first, very easy to do.

MemTest: RAM reliability tester for Windows

Board revision can be found on the board itself. Do you have the latest Bios flashed?

[martin_metal_88]

The revision of the mobo is on the lower left corner jsut aside the screw. I would personally try another HD with a windows on it to see if the problem is from the SSD. Many user here on HWC use SSD and are near toronto. Great people here, you should be able to find someone to fix it. Ho and using a SSD is nothing different then using a HDD. Plug, format and use. The disk ( if it

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Martin_metal_88
Colenzo : See system spec!
Odysseus : I7 860 @ 3.6Ghz || GA P55-UD5 || G.skill Ripjaws F3-16000 2000Mhz 2X2GB || Coolermaster ATCS 840 || Silverstone Strider plus 850W || WD 640 black - WD 1TB green - Samsung F3 2TB || MSI 5670 1GB Cyclone ||Coolermaster Hyper 212 + ||

You could also change Sata ports and test the rig for stability (after having run Memtest though). Could be a dying port.

[KaptCrunch]

two different things of what i asked for (Everest won't show that info, they show soft)

MB version...... its written on MB (for hardware) Rev.xxxxx usally in white

what your giving me is bios dated version/ Chipset ID/MB manu ID...... 06/23/2010-P55-7A89RG0TC-00.... (is software)

the Rev. is for bios flashing to get correct data for some times things change mid stream of building MB like a supplier up dates/switch a chip brand

Reason i asked for MB Rev, to know what bios version using if current

other whats your boot disk SSD or IDE rolling with W7 best use raid set-up on boot drive (2 identicle drives)

as to updating your SSD is a step in the right direction
if your not confidant, get someone who knows to complete firmware update

oh don't forget to back up any data you want before doing so

[mset]

Originally Posted by shaw

Have you tried to run Memtest for Windows? I'd take the ram out of the equation first, very easy to do.

Board revision can be found on the board itself. Do you have the latest Bios flashed?

Running Memtest now. The board is flashed with whatever Bios would have been available around July 25.

Also running out the door. Will open the rig and check for mobo Rev # after 8 p.m. tonight. Thanks a lot for the responses, I appreciate it.

[JD]

Sounds like all the little SSD tweaks that you can do to Windows haven't been done. SSD may need a full wipe too, hard to say how badly messed up it is right now.

Run through this guide and see if it helps: Guide The Unofficial Forum Guide to Install XP/Vista and Windows 7 Operating Systems on OCZ Solid State Drives as a Power User. Please READ carefully!

I'm curious as to your power supply, case, and cooling as well. That could very well be the issue itself.

Even though I'm in Toronto (East York), I can't really help you out. Undergoing a major kitchen reno tomorrow so I doubt I'll have much free time.

[chrisk]

Originally Posted by mset

I recently commissioned an SSD-based build (Vertex 2 60GB) from a guy I figured was capable of doing it. I have run into a bad problem. The rig is constantly having 'mini-hangs' where I click on this or that element of a GUI and it doesn't respond for 3-8 seconds. This happens with different programs. I see the little turquoise circle spinning and then the command executes. It always responds, eventually.

Quadcore Intel Core i5 750, 2733 MHz (17 x 161) (yes, I know 17 x 161 is wrong)
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3P
Vertex 2 SSD with Sandforce controller
4 GB G.Skill DDR3-1600 Eco 7-8-7-24
2 x ATI HD 5450 video cards (driving 4 Dell 2005FPW)

I am wondering if your SSD is stuttering/causing slow-downs. If trim is not enabled or working, it can cause issues.

The basic requirements for trim are:
1. Trim capable drive (you seem to have that)
2. AHCI enabled in bios
3. Using default MS drivers for your sata drives
4. Trim enabled by Windows. Try this: How can i know if TRIM command is working on windows 7 x64?

If all three are not met, your SSD may be full of crap slowing down the rig. The SSD experts on here may be able to offer a solution to fix it without having to do a full reinstall.

May not be the solution, but with the 'mini-freeze' behavior you describe it is worth the quick check.