SAMSUNG SM950 PRO NVMe SSD

[larryccf]

it'll be interesting to find out if the driver(s) samsung releases with the 950 PRO, if they'll make installation of the SM951 as an OS drive any simpler or user friendly

 

[Palorim12]

it'll be interesting to find out if the driver(s) samsung releases with the 950 PRO, if they'll make installation of the SM951 as an OS drive any simpler or user friendly

Seeing as the 951 is a OEM drive, not meant for consumer usage, i doubt it.

 

[Redstorm]

Installing Windows on new NVMe drives is no different today than it was installing NT 4 on newer SCSI controllers that the original NT4 media did not have drivers for.

Windows 8.1 and 10 both have NVMe drivers so you should have no issues, if you want to install windows 7 you need to slip stream the drivers into your media first as Win 7 shipped without NVMe support. Nothing difficult IMO.

 

[larryccf]

actually, i'm going to wait and see how users post about it - i am running win 7 but there will be enough "how to" tutorials on installing it - and to be frank, i'm actually thinking about going the clone route, cloning from my xp941 - i know that's probably sacriligous but a fresh install of Win 7 x64 plus all the updates, then then programs which i have currently installe (and their need to be "re-registered / activated" took me 11-12 hours last time. Then when I attempted to delete some odd empty partition (5.4 gb) that mysteriously appeared, when i hit "execute" or whatever the command was, my system crashed with a bsod and would not reboot nor repair with windows dvd. After two builds, and two attempts to remove that odd partition (one time using EaseUS Partition Manager and the 2nd using disk management, i just cloned my backup copy - in cloning back the xp941 wouldn't boot but did repair using the win 7 dvd, and booted fine after that.
I noticed this morning, doing my weekly clone, that using the latest EaseUS ToDo Backup, the program refused to backup because of the GPT partitioning, and instructed me to make a EaseUS WinPE emergency disk, and use it to create the clone. Suspect that was what corrupted the boot files on the previous clones.

I'm just hoping it ships in time for folks to be posting their impressions before Black Friday, otherwise i'll wait until after Xmas sales

i was just posting an idle remark about the 950 driver working for the sm951, but still unsure what the 951 being an OEM SSD precludes the 950's driver from working - after all, both are using the same controller.

 

[Redstorm]

I to am running Win 7 and am planning on cloning my Vertex SSD to the 950 using gparted live. Good news is they just released gparted-live-0.24.0 which includes support for NVMe drives. In the process ill also convert from MBR to GPT as well, will write up my findings as i go.

 

[larryccf]

suggestion, fwiw, you might clone it first to another ssd that's been partitioned as GPT
that's what i had done prior to cloning to the xp941

 

[Redstorm]

suggestion, fwiw, you might clone it first to another ssd that's been partitioned as GPT
that's what i had done prior to cloning to the xp941

Why double hop, cloning to another SSD is the same as cloning to the 950 SSD.

 

[larryccf]

i believe it will clone better already partitioned as GPT - am i wrong on that.

If i recall correctly, Rufus had me partition the USB flash drive as GPT, then format as NTFS - i just cued on that

Remember, i'm not much above the Fred Flintstone level of computerese

 

[Redstorm]

i believe it will clone better already partitioned as GPT - am i wrong on that.

The only difference it makes is when you do the reconfiguration of the boot files if at all, GPT to GPT cloning should require no reconfiguration but maybe require a repair...

When converting over to a GPT partition format the only partition you want to take with you is the Windows partition, you will be recreating the System and MSR partitions first then append a clone the windows partition.

To fix the boot files for UEFI booting you need to copy the contents of C:\windows\boot\EFI to \EFI\Microsoft\Boot in the 100MB system partition. Then bcdedit to create the bootstore.

Thats the manual approach, i have setup my MSDART tools to have NVME drivers so am going to see if MSDART can detect and repair the boot files for UEFI automatically, if not ill head down the manual path.

 

[larryccf]

just checked Newegg for the helluva it, and they've changed the date again, moving it to Nov 3rd

this is getting hilarious

anybody care to start a pool on how many more revised release dates we see before product ships?

 

[coolhund]

Some European shops claim to have it available already (in a few days).
I just ordered one. Should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday, if they are not lying.

 

[Anubis]

amazon charged my CC this morning, so i assume this is gonna ship very soon. Amazon is generally very good about not charging before they actually have the things ready to go

 

[Redstorm]

Date looks like the 15th for us down here. changed from the 5th and various other lies.

 

[Omar F1]

amazon charged my CC this morning, so i assume this is gonna ship very soon. Amazon is generally very good about not charging before they actually have the things ready to go

Exactly, being charged means shipping soon.

I'm holding for early users' experience reports, especially any negativities if it does exist.
I'm too close to pull the trigger on either Intel 750, Intel 730 or the newer Samsung 950.

 

[Redstorm]

The new drivers up on Samsungs site.

The software for this "950 PRO NVMe Driver Installation" only supports the Samsung NVMe SSD 950 PRO.

Manual
http://www.samsung.com/global/busin...nt/Samsung_NVMe_Driver_Installation_Guide.pdf

Only for the 950, those hoping for SM951 support miss out.

 

[Anubis]

amazon shipped mine

Should be here Tuesday

 

[Deders]

My 512GB is on its way. Found it on Novatech a few weeks ago for £275!

 

[Johnny Lucky]

I just checked newegg. The 512GB version is in stock - purchase limited to 3 per person. The 256GB model still shows tomorrow for availability.

 

[Redstorm]

Our local New Zealand online stores need to sharpen up, its ironic that i can order it from newegg in the States for $60NZD less than what the local stores are asking. and that includes shipping and import duty applied by newegg.

 

[yinan]

ExcalbiburPC order cancelled, Newegg order placed and I hope it is here tomorrow

 

[Muadib]

My current ssd is the 840 Evo. Would the 950 make a noticeable difference.

 

[Redstorm]

Probably not, unless your into video editing or large relational databases.

 

[Muadib]

Probably not, unless your into video editing or large relational databases.

Don't do much editing these days. I guess I will pass for now.

 

[larryccf]

The new drivers up on Samsungs site.



Manual
http://www.samsung.com/global/busin...nt/Samsung_NVMe_Driver_Installation_Guide.pdf

Only for the 950, those hoping for SM951 support miss out.

Redstorm - maybe i'm blind (and it is a possibility) but i don't see it on sammy's web - - i went to their "manual and software download" page for the 950 PRO but when i selected "download" i get a page with nothing to do with downloads - is it possible you're linking to a different sammy url for NZ?

 

[Redstorm]

Redstorm - maybe i'm blind (and it is a possibility) but i don't see it on sammy's web - - i went to their "manual and software download" page for the 950 PRO but when i selected "download" i get a page with nothing to do with downloads - is it possible you're linking to a different sammy url for NZ?

here is the main download page, i linked to the manual on this page.

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/support/downloads.html

About half way down you will find the NVME Driver.