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What SSD is used with Studio XSP currently?

post #1 of 19
5/20/10 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 
And what are the benchmarks?

Anybody know?

Thanks.
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post #2 of 19
5/20/10 at 8:23pm
Dell has been using Samsung SSD drives

They benchmark about 200 mb/sec
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post #3 of 19
5/21/10 at 2:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
Dell has been using Samsung SSD drives

They benchmark about 200 mb/sec
Do they still become useless and irreparable after they've been filled up once?
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post #4 of 19
5/21/10 at 1:19pm
some have come with the lastest firmware which supports TRIM, others do not.


Some can be flashed although a tedious task at times,

it really depends which firmware rev you get.

I know some have been able to get Dell to replace degraded ones with new ones, which did support TRIM.

I believe they all support GC

I have 2 and flashed both (took several different computers to find one which worked)

Don't know why Dell has been holding back releasing the firmware update utility, they have the updated firmware since Nov 2009
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post #5 of 19
5/21/10 at 2:08pm
Thread Starter 
Where can I find more info on that? I have one of the early ones. Probably can't flash it but I'd rather try before starting the fight with Dell.
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post #6 of 19
5/21/10 at 3:53pm
If you really want to know, you could open it up and look. Samsung SSDs have their name on the controller and the flash chips. For more info regarding firmware, etc. if it is Samsung (which is likely), you can go to their SSD info site.
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post #7 of 19
5/21/10 at 3:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Djembe View Post
If you really want to know, you could open it up and look. Samsung SSDs have their name on the controller and the flash chips. For more info regarding firmware, etc. if it is Samsung (which is likely), you can go to their SSD info site.
What would that accomplish, besides voiding the warranty and possibly making it completely inoperable? The firmware version is printed on the outside. Thanks for the link. I'll give it a whirl tonite.
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post #8 of 19
5/21/10 at 4:15pm
which firmware version do you have ?
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post #9 of 19
5/21/10 at 4:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
which firmware version do you have ?
I don't have the drive with me right now, but it came with a Studio XPS I bought last March. A 256GB one. I remember reading last year that that one wasn't flashable, but I didn't know if maybe things had changed. Back when I looked I don't think Samsung had released a firmware update. Hardware, software, firmware? how do you update hardware in a cloud? vaporware?
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post #10 of 19
5/21/10 at 9:52pm
some versions of the Dell SSD can be flashed, If you can get the firmware version I can let you know if it is possible.

What has been done is a force flash with a Sumsung OEM firmware with trim support.

The challange has been it only works on some laptops or desktop computers, so trying the flash utility on different computers until you find one that works is a time consuming effort.

The flash utility would not work on any of my laptops and did how ever work on my desktop once I removed all other Sata devices, setup the SSD on Sata Port 0, and booted off my Floppy Drive which also had the flash utility installed on it.
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post #11 of 19
5/21/10 at 11:52pm
Thread Starter 
On the back it says:

REV 0
F/W VBM15D1Q
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post #12 of 19
5/22/10 at 7:01am
You'd need to get the firmware version updated to VBM19C1Q. Dell should have the tool to update the drive to this version.

cheers ...
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post #13 of 19
5/22/10 at 12:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonicwind View Post
On the back it says:

REV 0
F/W VBM15D1Q

From what I have seen, that firmware can not be upgraded

You would have to call Dell tell them the drive performace sucks, and request a replacement drive.

And tell them you want one that supports TRIM
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post #14 of 19
5/22/10 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
From what I have seen, that firmware can not be upgraded

You would have to call Dell tell them the drive performace sucks, and request a replacement drive.

And tell them you want one that supports TRIM
Not even using Samsung tool and put the drive in another machine in order to recognize and to upgrade it?

cheers ...
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post #15 of 19
5/22/10 at 4:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by qhn View Post
Not even using Samsung tool and put the drive in another machine in order to recognize and to upgrade it?

cheers ...

Not this version, its a locked drive, even samsung can't do it, its a Dell Custom job that will not flash upgrade.

Also have to be careful some newer Samsung drives have a new controller chip that when you try to flash will brick the drive as well.
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post #16 of 19
5/22/10 at 5:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
Not this version, its a locked drive, even samsung can't do it, its a Dell Custom job that will not flash upgrade.

Also have to be careful some newer Samsung drives have a new controller chip that when you try to flash will brick the drive as well.
Thanks, Dave. I won't waste my time. Give Dell a call shortly.
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post #17 of 19
5/22/10 at 5:10pm
Thread Starter 
Of course my original question was regarding the version they are shipping in new notebooks now. I wanted to know if the current version is top notch, or if I should install my own aftermarket. I ended up buying a Vertex II. Not sure if that was a good idea now.

I think pretty much every SSD manufacturer has criminally abused its customers. There is know way they never tested their drives through the point of writing one completely and didn't know about the inherent slow down. Yet they sold these drives with the like new specs for exorbitant prices. Even Intel. I wonder if anyone has ever considered a class action suit.
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post #18 of 19
5/22/10 at 7:00pm
part of the issue as i understand it, is TRIM was only supported in Win7, so SSD drives have features like garbage Collection (GC) to clean the drive, but they were waiting for Win 7 to be relased and then the firmware for TRIM came along.

Manufacters had variious plans like GC and Manual TRIM commands which all worked to varying degrees. but Dell has been the difficult one, holding back the new firmware where everyone else has released the updated firmware and flash utility
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post #19 of 19
5/23/10 at 4:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
Not this version, its a locked drive, even samsung can't do it, its a Dell Custom job that will not flash upgrade.

Also have to be careful some newer Samsung drives have a new controller chip that when you try to flash will brick the drive as well.
Noted. What a pain just to use a good drive

cheers ...
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