SP3 SSD, possible firmware bug, same as just fixed in another Samsung drive.

Anonymous
2014-10-20T22:49:51+00:00

I've just had to update the firmware in another device that had a Samsung 840EVO SSD because they had a serious firmware bug with it.  Out of curiosity I tested the Samsung drive in my Surface Pro 3 and it looks like it has exactly the same issue (the SP3 drive is closely related to the 840 series I believe, but an OEM version.

The test is simple, just look at the read rate across the drive.  Older data (OS, installed apps) suffered from terrible read performance after a month or so.  Newly written data is fine.

As you can see, much of the drive is down to 50MB/s now.  It should be a fairly level line right the way across at about 350+MB/s.  This test was run with AC power connected and nothing else running.

If this is the same issue as the 840EVO, the good news is it can be corrected with a firmware update and refresh of the data.  Bad news would of course be Microsoft need to look into it first, then get the Samsung engineers looking into it.

Perhaps some other people could run the test too, and post results.  Remember the drive needs to be a month or more old, so that the data can have been sitting there only being read during that time.

Further details of the bug and the fix that Samsung released can be found here:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8617/samsung-releases-firmware-update-to-fix-the-ssd-840-evo-read-performance-bug

Surface | Surface Pro | Install and update

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Anonymous
2015-09-30T22:01:46+00:00

Hello all

We wanted to let you know that an update to resolve this is still being worked on.  Please continue to post your experiences and technical details.

Mod Edit: Samsung SSD Optimization Utility for Surface Pro 3 now available.

Best regards

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-11-09T15:02:07+00:00

    Windows does also run a full disk Optimise every week or so, as well as sending TRIM commands as files are deleted. But if you don't want to wait for Windows to get around to optimising the drive itself (which could be a week after running DiskFresh), you should do it manually.       

    But yep, this is just all part of a temporary work around for this problem. We really really need a firmware update to fix this issue permanently.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-11-09T14:27:59+00:00

    But that what's what I was showing in my screenshot. By default our C drive is set to be "optimized".

    Ah yes, you did show it.  But still the point I don't think you made was to manually trigger an 'Optimize' straight after running DiskFresh because otherwise the drive will think 100% of the space is in use even though a lot of it isn't.  That will make the filesystem driver send TRIM commands for all of the unused spaces straight away.  If you wait, after (up to ) a week (and possibly only if connected to AC), the optimize will get run anyway.  The Filesystem option you showed was to enable TRIM commands to be sent at all (optimize or individual file deletes).  You might want to be able to turn that off if you want deleted files to have a greater chance of being recovered with an undelete tool later on.

    As I said though, this is a side issue.  What we need is Microsoft+Samsung to look into this properly and provide a firmware fix (as they have done for the retail version) or an explanation of why the poor performance we are seeing is normal..

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-11-09T14:05:23+00:00

    So I too, like ctitanic, would like to learn the specific manner in which you accomplished the TRIM.

    Right click on c: drive -> Properties -> Tools tab -> Optimize and Defragment drive.

    Windows now knows about SSD's and will optimize by resending TRIM commands for all unused space on the volume.  For spinning disks it will defragment instead.  By default it does this on a regular schedule too,.

    This doesn't greatly help up with the performance issue though, since those areas that get even faster do not contain files, so won't be read in normal use. It does of course help the drive with its wear levelling.

    We still need to hear that the firmware fix from the 840EVO will be made available for these OEM versions of the drive.

    But that what's what I was showing in my screenshot. By default our C drive is set to be "optimized".

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-11-09T13:53:38+00:00

    So I too, like ctitanic, would like to learn the specific manner in which you accomplished the TRIM.

    Right click on c: drive -> Properties -> Tools tab -> Optimize and Defragment drive.

    Windows now knows about SSD's and will optimize by resending TRIM commands for all unused space on the volume.  For spinning disks it will defragment instead.  By default it does this on a regular schedule too,.

    This doesn't greatly help up with the performance issue though, since those areas that get even faster do not contain files, so won't be read in normal use. It does of course help the drive with its wear levelling.

    We still need to hear that the firmware fix from the 840EVO will be made available for these OEM versions of the drive.

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