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
    2015-02-03T23:37:11+00:00

    Hello all

    I would like to expand on what Don Zaf has posted. 

    We want to thank you for your continued feedback regarding the read rates of the Samsung drives in some Surface Pro 3 devices.  Samsung has released a firmware update to address this scenario.  If your Surface Pro 3 has a Samsung SSD, please see **Samsung's Site** for more information and installation instructions should you opt to implement Samsung's update.

    Please follow these steps to identify the manufacturer of the SSD in your Surface Pro 3:

    1. On the Start screen, Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap or click Settings
    2. Tap or click Change PC Settings, tap or click Control Panel
    3. Tap or click Hardware and Sound, tap or click Device Manager
    4. Tap or click the arrow next to Disk Drives, look at the first 3 letters of the device listed here:
    • If the first 3 letters are "MZM" your Surface Pro 3 uses a Samsung SSD
    • If any other letters are listed, your Surface Pro 3 does not use a Samsung SSD

    Best regards

    Here is my SSD before Samsung's update

    and the below is after

    I'm impressed with the result.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-02-03T18:09:00+00:00

    Samsung just released a firmware update for SP3 using Samsung SSD! Hell yeah!

    http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/html/product/flash-solution/ssd/ms.html

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-02-03T17:49:42+00:00

    Hello all

    I would like to expand on what Don Zaf has posted. 

    We want to thank you for your continued feedback regarding the read rates of the Samsung drives in some Surface Pro 3 devices.  Samsung has released a firmware update to address this scenario.  If your Surface Pro 3 has a Samsung SSD, please see **Samsung's Site** for more information and installation instructions should you opt to implement Samsung's update.

    Please follow these steps to identify the manufacturer of the SSD in your Surface Pro 3:

    1. On the Start screen, Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap or click Settings
    2. Tap or click Change PC Settings, tap or click Control Panel
    3. Tap or click Hardware and Sound, tap or click Device Manager
    4. Tap or click the arrow next to Disk Drives, look at the first 3 letters of the device listed here:
    • If the first 3 letters are "MZM" your Surface Pro 3 uses a Samsung SSD
    • If any other letters are listed, your Surface Pro 3 does not use a Samsung SSD

    Best regards

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-02-03T16:24:53+00:00

    The frist pic is a benchmark after the last fw update.

    the second one was before the fw update.

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