SSD error, how to proceed?

[Muse]

Not heavily used, I installed this Intel 330 180GB SSD in March 2014, has less than 1500 usage hours on it according to WD Datalifeguard Diagnostics, around 1500 on/off cycles. I put the laptop in suspend by closing the lid.

The SSD has two partitions, 65GB for the C boot partition, the remainder as D for data, which is lightly used, most data for my systems is on my NAS.

However, yesterday I noticed that some emails were missing from my email client which IS installed on the D data partition. Today, suddenly that email app isn't working right, some data looks to be missing and after running WD Datalifeguard Diag. against the SSD I can't access the D partition. Got an error in running the Quick Test:

-------------------------------------------------------------
DLGDIAG for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------

X Quick Test::Read Verify Sector Ext error!


OK
-------------------------------------------------------------

Is the SSD toast? I'm using the machine right now! That uses the C partition, where the OS is, obviously. See if I can get Intel to replace it? :$

 

[LTC8K6]

There is an Intel utility:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/18455/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Toolbox

 

[Muse]

Looking, I see I bought the drive from Tigerdirect in Nov. 2012, didn't install it until April 2014. The warranty is evidently for 36 months, parts and labor, so should still be in warranty. Guess I'll be calling Intel!

page with warranty info

 

[Muse]

There is an Intel utility:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/18455/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Toolbox

Thanks, I'll download and run it now...

 

[Muse]

Both partitions passed the Quick Test. I'm running the full test using Intel's SSD Toolbox, just installed, first on the obviously-critical (but seemingly OK) OS partition, which it may pass, then on the evidently bad D data partition, which I expect to fail.

The machine started having BSOD's around a month ago and memtest86 revealed a bad stick of RAM. I got Crucial to replace it. Now this!

 

[Muse]

Full diagnostic (as well as quick) completed "successfully" on the D data partition, to my surprise. There's still missing data on the one app that I have running from there. I can restore that but wonder what's causing the problems. I'm going to rerun WD Datalifeguard Diag. and see if it throws errors again...

Yes, I get the same error as in the OP.

-------------------------------------------------------------
DLGDIAG for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------

X Quick Test::Read Verify Sector Ext error!


OK
------------------------------------------------------------

Is it possible that WDDLG can't deal with an SSD? This is the quick test. Should I run the extended test on it? WDDLG just runs on the whole SSD, don't see how I can run it on individual partitions.

 

[Muse]

Ah, when I click on the D partition in Win7's Explorer it says it's not accessible, access is denied. I have to think the SSD is faulty now, guess I should contact Intel for RMA.

After a reboot, the partition is accessible, however my largest email folders appear to be empty even though their files are quite large. I can restore the data, however I have to think the drive is faulty.

 

[LTC8K6]

I suppose it could have lost the data without being faulty, possibly from sitting too long?

But I'd go with the RMA idea anyway.

 

[Muse]

I suppose it could have lost the data without being faulty, possibly from sitting too long?

But I'd go with the RMA idea anyway.

Sitting too long? How you mean? Well, I figure to pursue the RMA idea. And why would WDDLD throw that error if there wasn't something wrong with the SSD?

Edit: Oh, you mean the new drive sitting in the box from when I bought it Nov. 2012 until installation in May 2014? Well, it would still be a fault of the drive and grounds for RMA, I figure.

Edit2: I have a backup of the email client to flash drive from May 24. This email client is nice and tidy in that it can run from there! You can just plop an installation of it anywhere and it will run, registry settings, etc. aren't necessary (Forte Agent 1.93). So, I'm running it right now from the flash drive, I initiated an email download and it's sucking down ~1100 emails! I can copy that installation to my new drive when I get it. The email client is the most important data I have on the machine, none of the other data AFAIK is crucial. Anything important to me is elsewhere, on my NAS in all probability. Even the email client isn't so very important because I have installations on 2 other machines. The basic difference is the outgoing mail box... nice to have sometimes. Anyway, I can likely restore the outgoing mail box from the munged installation on the SSD, I can see it whereas several of my large folders appear to be empty. The SSD installation right now refuses to download new mail, says it can't access a certain file.

 

[sm625]

Why would you run western digital's utility on an Intel SSD?

 

[myocardia]

Why would you run western digital's utility on an Intel SSD?

Because Seagate's utility wouldn't run on it, obviously.

 

[Muse]

Because Seagate's utility wouldn't run on it, obviously.

I have some Seagate 3TB Backup Plus USB HDs and I could attach one to this laptop. Maybe Seatools will evaluate the SSD. Is this a reasonable thing to do?

 

[fixbsod]

FYI -- good luck with the RMA. I had an intel SSD fail on me some years back after only like 18-20 months. It was a 20gb mSATA drive with SLC chips being used as an SSD cache drive (intel z68 srt option), took FOREVER to deal with intel. They actually fully dropped the ball on my ticket and I had to hammer them again only for intel to cut me $75 check or so for the $120+ drive I bought. When I inquired why they shorted me on the refund they gave me some bs like it was a prorated warranty so they were accounting for the use of the drive (it's not a car battery its an enterprise level SSD with slc chips that still failed!!). Was one of the worst return experiences I have ever dealt with sucking up something like 10-15 hours of my time. They made me photograph the drive, send pictures, send the drive back, send e-mails, etc etc etc for like $75.

 

[Muse]

FYI -- good luck with the RMA. I had an intel SSD fail on me some years back after only like 18-20 months. It was a 20gb mSATA drive with SLC chips being used as an SSD cache drive (intel z68 srt option), took FOREVER to deal with intel. They actually fully dropped the ball on my ticket and I had to hammer them again only for intel to cut me $75 check or so for the $120+ drive I bought. When I inquired why they shorted me on the refund they gave me some bs like it was a prorated warranty so they were accounting for the use of the drive (it's not a car battery its an enterprise level SSD with slc chips that still failed!!). Was one of the worst return experiences I have ever dealt with sucking up something like 10-15 hours of my time. They made me photograph the drive, send pictures, send the drive back, send e-mails, etc etc etc for like $75.

That is discouraging. I haven't done anything yet, was waiting/hoping I'd get some more guidance in this thread. I want to know, for one thing, if WDDLDiag's error on the drive means anything. Also, wonder if I can assume that my email app not seeing any posts in about 5 of my folders (including my inbox and my forums folder, where I get all emails from here and many other forums), along with the app's inability to download any emails now, is indicative of SSD failure, in spite of it passing the tests of the Intel Toolbox.

 

[Muse]

I've been getting several of these errors a day, each causing a delay of 1-3 minutes when the machine just goes catatonic, I don't even have a mouse cursor:

Error: The device, \Device\Ide\iaStor0, did not respond within the timeout period.

I think I'll probably have to try to get an RMA from Intel, huh?

 

[LTC8K6]

http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...respond-within-the-timeout-period-634560.html

 

[LTC8K6]

Also saw this:

Also the issue may be the result of Aggressive Link State Power Management (ALPM) on the PCI-Express bus negotiating a lower power state for the link between the controller and disk when there is no activity. When ALPM works, disk requests are queued, the serial link revived, and the queued requests are sent to the relevant disk; this requires a disk that supports ALPM.



Please try to modify the advanced settings of your active power management scheme in Windows to turn PCI Express Link State Power Management off.



1. Click Start button, choose Control Panel.

2. Move to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Power Options. Click Change plan setting in your current power plan.

3. Click “Change advanced power settings”, move to PCI Express-> Link State Power Management, turn off the option.

https://social.technet.microsoft.co...ithin-the-timeout-period?forum=w7itprogeneral

 

[Muse]

Also saw this:



https://social.technet.microsoft.co...ithin-the-timeout-period?forum=w7itprogeneral

I just made this adjustment and will see if it works:

1. Click Start button, choose Control Panel.

2. Move to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Power Options. Click Change plan setting in your current power plan.

3. Click “Change advanced power settings”, move to PCI Express-> Link State Power Management, turn off the option.

- - - -
Muse, launching his personal Seti Project, searching for high intelligence in the Milky Way.

 

[Auric]

There's also an LPM option specific to RST, under Performance.

 

[Muse]

There's also an LPM option specific to RST, under Performance.

Could you explain that?

I had no idea what this was about but googled it 1/2 hour ago and came up with hits. I started off with a promising looking video:

Fix SSD Hanging/Freezing/Slowdown - Disable Intel Link Power Management

The guy is glib and demos making registry entries that solved his problem, and he's optimistic it will solve your problem if you're experiencing lags with your SSD. At the end he mentions possible issue with older firmware for the SSD. I think I may be in this category because I got mine around March 2012. Poking around this morning I found what appears to be a 2014 firmware for my SSD. I prepared a bootable CD with it and I'm going to give it a go. Hopefully that will go alright and I'll monitor the situation before making the registry entries should updating firmware not resolve the problem. I was doing OK for a couple of hours today but had another shortish delay that threw an error in the event viewer, so I figure I'm not out of the woods yet. Thanks for the help!

 

[Auric]

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/

 

[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/

Thanks for these great hints. I did run the toolbox but (I guess) I misunderstood what was happening. I encountered a firmware for the drive that was dated sometime in 2014 and deduced that I needed to install it. When I pressed the [Firmware update] button in the toolbox, nothing happened. There was info to the effect that sometimes you need to install firmware outside the Toolbox functionality, again deducing I needed to do that by burning a bootable disk. I did that this evening and the updater said I already had the latest firmware! I'd gone to the trouble of backing up the entire SSD in case something went wrong.

Well, now I'll try that tool you link to toggle off the LPM without the complex registry edits. That's easily the most complex registry editing procedure I've ever seen.

 

[bradly1101]

The machine started having BSOD's around a month ago and memtest86 revealed a bad stick of RAM. I got Crucial to replace it. Now this!

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

 

[Muse]

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

Hmm. I think I should open it up and at least have a look at the fan and see if it's got gunk/dust/whatever on it. Thanks for the idea there!

 

[Muse]

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

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/

I downloaded the file, is this the right one: ???

Intel Driver Update Utility Installer.exe

I did not see "Intel Rapid Storage Technology package", at the link the bolded file above is the only thing I saw, so I downloaded it.

Well, I haven't installed that yet because I got notification that Window Update had updates to install, so I went ahead with 17 important and 3 (of 7) optional updates but wupdate failed to complete and I went through a round of repair/restore cycles and went to bed with the machine again trying to install 17 updates (I decided to skip the optional updates, thinking one of them might be "the culprit." Woke up and the machine wants to restart. Well, I thought I'd post this before attempting that restart, because it might not go well. Now, I've had sporadic problems of exactly this nature several times with this machine, Windows not starting after updates and having to go through repairs or restore.

Got things to do this morning, will come back to the machine this afternoon... Thanks for the help!