SOLVED OCZ released firmware updates for all ssd's today

[brkkab123]

This morning OCZ Technologies released firmware updates for all it's ssd lines. Here's the link to get them. http://www.ocztechnology.com/ssd_tools/

 

[clifford_cooley]

Thanks brkkab123.

Just in time for my first SSD. I've got one coming in the mail today.

OCZ Agility 3 AGT3-25SAT3-60G 2.5" 60GB


.

 

[brkkab123]

Your welcome Clifford. The 3rd generation ssd's went from 2.12 pre-today to 2.22 today.Not sure on what the 1st, 2nd or 4th generation ssd's numbers are.

 

[clifford_cooley]

For some reason the Windows firmware update utility didn't work so I didn't bother updating my OCZ Agility 3. I plugged the Agility 3 into my Thermaltake Dokker for installation of windows 7. I was going to update it before installing the OS but for some reason it failed the update process. The process was doing good until it reached sector 800, then failed shortly afterward. I was anxious to install Windows 7 and didn't even bother fighting the firmware updater. I did however try the process three times before I decided to give up and move on.

P.S.
I did notice my SSD came with version 2.15

 

[Digerati]

Do note it generally is NOT a good idea to update firmware simply because a new update is out there. My advice is to leave your SSD firmware alone, unless you are experiencing problems addressed by the update. The exception is with new builds where no data is in jeopardy.

I note on that link above the following warning (their red):

Please do not update firmware unless absolutely necessary. Firmware updates may result in loss of user data and we recommend you back up your data before updating the firmware.

 

[brkkab123]

OCZ's firmware update will fail if you have Windows already installed on the ssd and your in Windows using the ssd. Do yourself a favor and on your old mechanical hard drive, make a partition big enough to hold Windows 7 or 8 anthen install 7 on it and leave the other Windows partition as is for future firmware updates.d install either one their. Then run OCZ's utility from there as an Administrator.

 

[Digerati]

OCZ's firmware update will fail if you have Windows already installed on the ssd and your in Windows using the ssd.

That depends on the model number. When you select your drive, the description box appears where many, but not all make it clear, again, their red,

Updating the firmware from the toolbox is not supported when Windows is running off the drive you are trying to update.

And some also say,

WARNING: This is a Destructive Flash, back up all data on SSD. Proceeding with this update will result in complete loss of data on the SSD.


So back to the first warning in my previous post, if the firmware update does not address a problem you are having, then don't run it.

If you must, another solution may be to pull the SSD and temporarily install it as a secondary drive in another machine, then update it from there and hope it boots when you return it the original system. And regardless, if it contains any data you don't want to lose, back it up first.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I was going to update it before installing the OS but for some reason it failed the update process.

There was not even a partition on the SSD drive when I was trying to update.

Thats fine though, I don't have to have the latest firmware. I don't understand why it was failing though.

 

[brkkab123]

Clifford OCZ's kind of backwards in the firmware updating process. That's exactly why I recommended making a partition on your old mechanical drive and putting Windows 7 or 8 on it. You need to be in thAT OS THAR'S NOT ON THE SSD FOR OCZ's firmware updates to work. This timr updating the firmware was a piece of cake for me. I've got Windows 8 CP on a partition on one of my WD Cavair Black drives and did a erase of the ssd and the firmware update inside Windows 8 and then restored a system image from the prvious night to the ssd. It all took under half an hour. Digerati this current firmware update provided alot of performance improvement's, plus he just received the ssd, so more than likely it's firmware was a few versions old.

 

[clifford_cooley]

That's exactly why I recommended making a partition on your old mechanical drive and putting Windows 7 or 8 on it.

How else do I need to say it. I'm not booted to the SSD. I'm still in Windows 7 with my mechanical drive. There is absolutely nothing on the SSD (there is now but not when I tried the firmware update) and it still fails. You are telling me to do it the same way I explained I did it above.

 

[brkkab123]

OK. Right-click on OCZToolbox.exe and select Run As Administrator. Make sure your antivirus/spyware is disabled. Click on your ssd in the OCZ Toolbox then click on Tools, reclick on your ssd on the left. now click on Update Bios. When that's done running, click on Update Firmware. When it's through re-enable your security software. Also, make sure your hard drive is set to not go to sleep in Power Options. Set your hard drives to AHCI in the bios. Make your dvd/Blu-ray drive the first boot device and the ssd the 2nd and install Windows. Then make the ssd 1st boot device. Update Windows and yor drivers, then run WEI so trim gets enabled. Then download SSD Tweaker free from this link http://elpamsoft.com/Downloads.aspx?Name=SSD Tweaker . Right-click on SSD Tweaker and set it to run as administrator. Open up SSD Tweaker and click on Auto Tweak Settings. Close it and disregard it asking if you want to upgrade to SSD Tweaker Pro and restart your pc.

 

[Nibiru2012]

I don't know about the current OCZ Toolbox software, but previous versions would not work if Intel RST drivers v10 are installed. You have to go back to v9 RST drivers in order for the firmware to function properly. At least that is the way it was when I was updating my OCZ Vertex 2. They recommend using Microsoft AHCI drivers for the toolbox to be recognized.

Now I have no issues because I am using a Samsung 830 SSD 128 GB. The Samsung SSD Magician software has no issues with Intel RST drivers.

Got a great deal on it at Newegg. Priced at $159.99 then a 15% Newegg Promo discount applied and then a $15 Newegg gift card I received for purchasing my Intel i7 2600k CPU. Paid $129.99 for a 128 GB SSD

 

[clifford_cooley]

Thanks guys.

As soon as I finish tweaking my Windows install and get a backup made, I will look into updating the SSD again.

 

[brkkab123]

That's worked perfectly for me C firmware update and then restoring th System image made a few hours prior. It only too maybe 10 minutes and everything was perfect. Then if there were any software updates since the image was made. You just reapply those and everything is how it was, except the firmware is updated now.