SSD error, how to proceed?

[razel]

It maybe time to restart Muse. With your prior issue of a bad RAM and now this, you could have had a power surge, power issue or motherboard capacitor issue. It could even be a bad SATA cable. With bad RAM even your install could be goofy.

I'd start with a clean environment, but since that SSD is 180GB and $70-80 gets you 240GB these days. I'd just prove that your Intel is still ok by re-running the Intel SMART short/long test then throw it up on ebay. Then continue on with life.

 

[tweakboy]

Try another port. gl

 

[Muse]

It maybe time to restart Muse. With your prior issue of a bad RAM and now this, you could have had a power surge, power issue or motherboard capacitor issue. It could even be a bad SATA cable. With bad RAM even your install could be goofy.

I'd start with a clean environment, but since that SSD is 180GB and $70-80 gets you 240GB these days. I'd just prove that your Intel is still ok by re-running the Intel SMART short/long test then throw it up on ebay. Then continue on with life.

When I replaced the bad RAM stick I restored a version of the OS from before the stick went bad (or so I thought). So, I figured I was covered on that score.

I actually have another Intel SSD, a 120GB that I bought new off ebay and have never installed. It's been sitting around almost 3 years. I think I could probably put it in the machine and restore the backup to it, probably after partitioning it maybe 50GB/105GB. I don't need to store much data on it, the data I have on the 180GB would easily fit on the 120GB SSD. If that solves the problems, I can blame the 180GB SSD. If not, I figure I can assume something (or somethings) else is to blame. I do have a backup of the OS from way back when it was fledgling, over a year ago that I can restore too.

Right now I'm unable to install Windows Updates. Of the 17 important updates that I tried more than once to install, all failed except the MSE update. I ran MS's tool to fix Windows Update and got a message that it was unable to fix Windows Update. What to do next, I'm not sure. There were links concerning what to do if the Windows Update repair tool failed to fix things, and I guess I'm going to have to follow them.

Edit Sept. 11, 2015: I managed to get Windows Updates working. At the moment, all important updates have been installed successfully.

 

[Muse]

Intel SSD Toolbox can check for firmware updates and so eliminate doubt.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology package includes a GUI where the LPM option can be toggled without manual registry editing.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/

I installed the driver update utility but the only thing it came up with was a driver for my Intel Graphics chip 950 for Windows 7. I downloaded and ran its installer but the installation failed.

I don't see a way to get Intel Rapid Storage Technology running on this. Hints? I downloaded an installation file but got a message that my platform isn't supported. The file is SetupRST.exe, 11.7MB.

 

[LTC8K6]

Isn't GMA950 ancient?

How old is this mobo? You may need an earlier version for that (945?) chipset?

 

[Muse]

Isn't GMA950 ancient?

How old is this mobo? You may need an earlier version for that (945?) chipset?

I bought the laptop (new, Lenovo T60) tail end of 2006, just about when Vista was about to hit. I had a coupon to upgrade to Vista for free from XP, but I didn't attempt to redeem it in time. Eventually (March 2014 or so), I installed Windows 7 32bit Premium on it. It supports 64bit but I have at least two apps that I use frequently that work better on 32bit, so I went with that.

This thread would suggest that a lot of people with this Intel 330 180GB SSD have experienced freezes that sound like what I've been getting for several months now, all the time.

 

[Fred B]

That could be the problem what is see with my laptop from the same period with XM-25 is sectors being relocated .. The laptop could be shutting down to fast or not supporting sleep and cause damage to file structure .Could try to extend the shutdown time in reg edit, but i think the old hardware can give sometimes problems with ssd .

 

[LTC8K6]

You would need the Intel Matrix Storage driver, I think?

Not sure if that has anything to do with anything, though.

 

[Muse]

You would need the Intel Matrix Storage driver, I think?

Not sure if that has anything to do with anything, though.

For what?

Well, I am about to install it. What will that do?

 

[Auric]

The LPM option may be from more recent versions than is compatible with your controller then.

Matrix Storage Manager is the equivalent to Rapid Storage Technology for previous controllers.

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-020644.htm
(note this is not current since missing recent 8/9/10 series chipsets but the information still applies)

 

[Muse]

The LPM option may be from more recent versions than is compatible with your controller then.

Matrix Storage Manager is the equivalent to Rapid Storage Technology for previous controllers.

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-020644.htm
(note this is not current since missing recent 8/9/10 series chipsets but the information still applies)

I poked around in Device Manager, and it declares that I have the best version for the two storage controller modules in there, having pointed it to the folder where the IMSM installed its drivers, \DRIVERS\WIN\IMSM.

I just looked and the last iastor timeout error was yesterday just before noon. Maybe I should try the registry LPM hack shown in that video I linked.

I'm considering a few things, among them:

1. partitioning the 120GB Intel 520 SSD that I've had for almost 3 years, unused. Then restoring the backup of this laptop to it and see if I get any freezes.

2. installing Win7 from scratch either on this 180GB or the 120GB SSD. I don't really need the extra storage of the 180GB, I store what I care about on my NAS. I don't leave anything locally that's not on the NAS that I care about.

Before doing any of that I think I should open up the laptop and make sure that the cooling is in order, that the fan isn't encrusted with dust and such.

I still have the major issue that this box is unable to install updates. So far, I haven't cracked that nut. Maybe I should just install Win7 from scratch. I do have a pretty virgin backup from over a year ago I could try, and one a few weeks later, but maybe they're not really OK.

Edit Sept. 11, 2015: I managed to get Windows Updates working. At the moment, all important updates have been installed successfully.

 

[LTC8K6]

For what?

Well, I am about to install it. What will that do?

Sorry, I meant what Auric said. Matrix was the predecessor to RST.

 

[Auric]

If the driver does not have the LPM function then manually editing the registry will be counterproductive. Depending upon the backup it may not be necessary to partition before restoring. If the manufacturer's diagnostics fails then it's best to replace it (and then install fresh software to preclude problems), but otherwise if problems persist then replace the software installation. Although if only a software issue then a bit more troubleshooting wouldn't hurt so run "SFC /Scannow", and then maybe try the Microsoft storage driver instead -although that is circa 2006 for Windows 7, and I don't know what its behaviour is regarding LPM and reporting if not responding. A software temperature monitor should show whether overheating without resorting to disassembly. Good Luck!

 

[Muse]

If the driver does not have the LPM function then manually editing the registry will be counterproductive. Depending upon the backup it may not be necessary to partition before restoring. If the manufacturer's diagnostics fails then it's best to replace it (and then install fresh software to preclude problems), but otherwise if problems persist then replace the software installation. Although if only a software issue then a bit more troubleshooting wouldn't hurt so run "SFC /Scannow", and then maybe try the Microsoft storage driver instead -although that is circa 2006 for Windows 7, and I don't know what its behaviour is regarding LPM and reporting if not responding. A software temperature monitor should show whether overheating without resorting to disassembly. Good Luck!

I installed software temp monitor a few days ago. The CPU is running hot, 65-75C. Is that enough to account for the frequent (daily or more) errors I've been getting (The device, \Device\Ide\iaStor0, did not respond within the timeout period.)? The ~1 minute delays really drive me up the wall.

I'm at the point of shutting down, opening up the machine and cleaning heat sink/CPU surfaces and applying Arctic Silver 5, also checking fan for dust. Don't know if it will fix the events but it's been recommended in any case.

 

[Jubassi]

That sucks dude, the intel utility should be able to help

 

[Muse]

That sucks dude, the intel utility should be able to help

Thanks. Maybe I'll try it again. I'm going to reread this thread before doing anything else.

Edit a few minutes later:

I just checked out the Thinkpad Forums. I had posted a thread about the problem and lost track of it somehow, didn't notice that I'd gotten a number of responses. There are several very promising suggestions there. It might take a while to go through them. Seems that there's probably an answer other than a bad SSD, some people there had a similar problem and they found solutions:

T60 sporadically goes catatonic for 1-2 minutes -- thread at forum.thinkpads.com

 

[Muse]

You know, it's odd. I waited a really long time before buying SSDs. Bought a couple, an Intel 520 120GB and an Intel 330 180GB. I'd seen myriad posts from people who said that after installing an SSD they wished they'd done it sooner, it made life better, etc. I figured I'd waited long enough where major issues would have been worked out. I finally install one of mine (the 180GB) and it's made my life miserable, well, frequently. Now, in that linked forum post above [T60 sporadically goes catatonic for 1-2 minutes -- thread at forum.thinkpads.com], a guy tells me that both the SSDs I bought have Sandforce controllers and he personally wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole. OK, the metaphor he chose was that he avoids them like the plague!

I bought Intel SSDs over other ones because I read a whole lot of good things about them, I didn't see people saying they had problems. For one thing people extolled the Intel SSD Toolbox.

Do I just have to toss mine and get something else? Go back to HDDs?

 

[corkyg]

I have a T60 - it is my backup laptop. I would not put a SSD in it because it does not have AHCI. I have mine running Win 7 Ultimate using a hybrid HDD. That's about as good as it is going to get. Closing the lid for "suspend?" I would never do that with a SSD anyway. The best action re closing the lid of the T60 is OFF. SSD in a T60? For me, that is trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

 

[Muse]

I would never impeach your prowess at working on computers, and multiple failures could indicate a system that overheats.

I was seeing CPU temps as high as 70C, so about a week ago I reseated the heatsink over the CPU and GPU using Arctic Silver 5, was careful to follow Arctic Silver's website instructions. The temps aren't a whole lot better. All I'm doing at the moment is this on the machine, although a lot of apps are open, the CPU temp is right now running 61-66C according to TPFC 6.2. My other T60 runs around 20C cooler, but my T61 has similar CPU temps. I bought the T61 used and have never reseated the heatsink.

Are these CPU temps enough to cause freezes? If so, should I reseat the heatsink again or might something else be wrong, e.g. a problematical CPU? I've had two iaStor0 freezes in the last hour.

 

[Muse]

I have a T60 - it is my backup laptop. I would not put a SSD in it because it does not have AHCI. I have mine running Win 7 Ultimate using a hybrid HDD. That's about as good as it is going to get. Closing the lid for "suspend?" I would never do that with a SSD anyway. The best action re closing the lid of the T60 is OFF. SSD in a T60? For me, that is trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

I just checked and my Type 1953 1953CTO T60 running a T5500 dual core CPU and the 2.26 BIOS does have AHCI selected as the SATA mode in the BIOS.

I have seen a lot of posts from people happy enough running Windows on SSDs in their T60s. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have decided to go that route. I certainly waited a long time for SSDs to get off the cutting edge before I leaped. However, unless I can find a cure for the freezes (I seem to get one every hour or two that lasts around a minute on average), I will revert to a HD of some kind. What's a hybrid HD?

 

[Muse]

Well, the freezes I was getting are evidently a thing of the past since I instituted daily scheduled running of Intel SSD Toolbox's Optimizer. The default when you go to schedule running of the Optimizer is Weekly. I changed that to daily since I was at the end of my rope.

Now, when the Optimizer runs I get a freeze of sorts, but I know what's happening and I can live with that, it lasts around a minute or so. I no longer get the sporadic sometimes very frequent freezes that lasted from 1-5 minutes. Many many times I thought I should maybe call Intel and ask for an RMA, but I'm past the 3 year warranty as of the end of November.