Intel Confirms SSD Data Corruption Issue, Suspends Shipments Pending Firmware Update

[antiacid]

According to The Register who took the news from DailyTech, it seems that the 2nd generation 34nm products have a critical firmware bug where if you change the BIOS password once it has been set, you are locked out of the drive.

However, Intel has confirmed that it is delaying shipments of its new SSDs due to a data corruption issue affecting all of the new drives.

The problem occurs when a user sets a BIOS drive password on the new SSDs and then disables or changes the password. If the user powers off the computer, the drive will become inoperable and the data stored on it will remain inaccessible.

However, the problem will not occur if the user has not set a BIOS drive password. This erratum does not apply to computer, network or operating system passwords. Intel claims that the root cause has been identified and a new fix is currently under validation. The company expects to post an end user firmware update to fix this erratum in the next two weeks. It is not yet clear whether the new fix will be able to restore access to data on those drives, or if the firmware update would overwrite that data.

Intel is advising their SSD customers to not disable or change their BIOS drive password if they have already created a BIOS drive password.


Data that has been locked out will not be recoverable, according to a email from a representative of Intel.

I guess I'll wait a bit more before getting one of those then

[Sliced Cheese]

Anyone know when these are coming back to shelves?

[antiacid]

If the fix is already in testing phase and will be validated in the next 2 weeks, you are looking at a 2.5-4weeks for e-tailers to sell again, I would assume. Then again, something could go horribly wrong

[CrimInalA]

The eta on my ordered x25M G2 is 7th of august .
I don't care if it has the new firmware , if it hasn't i'll just download and update the SSD when the fix comes available .
I actually don't use bios passwords anyway

[saaya]

this is old news... and im not buying it, there must be something else wrong, they wouldnt belay the launch for a bug like this, something that wont affect 99% of the users and can be updated with a firmware patch anyhow...

something else is wrong with those drives...

[iboomalot]

newegg today "Temporary out of stock, please use N82E16820167005" referring to the G1 product. WTF ????

[lowfat]

The eta on my ordered x25M G2 is 7th of august .
I don't care if it has the new firmware , if it hasn't i'll just download and update the SSD when the fix comes available .
I actually don't use bios passwords anyway

You won't get it by then I am afraid. Intel recalled all the drives and until they have them fixed there won't be any in retails more than likely.

[saaya]

this is old news... and im not buying it, there must be something else wrong, they wouldnt belay the launch for a bug like this, something that wont affect 99% of the users and can be updated with a firmware patch anyhow...

something else is wrong with those drives...

[The-Fox]

saaya is Copy Pasting himself hehe.
Indeed old news, don't know what is up with Intel these days...

[Oberon]

I think it's as simple as this: People just stopped buying G1 drives when the G2s came around.

So many G1s just sitting in warehouses costs retailers AND Intel money. The firmware issue may well have been real, but pulling all stock of G2 drives because of this minor issue and then dropping the price of the G1 drives to G2 levels points toward a financial move.

[msull]

I want to see prices drop on the G2's due to uncertainty of a reliable product. $2/gb here we come?

[labs23]

I'll have to agree with Oberon.

Intel needs to make sure their stocks on G1 are depleted first(insert much more profitable) before selling G2s because they can't recall G1 right now when its everywhere with re, e-tailers. Its pretty much sure ppl will stop buying G1s when there's a faster and cheaper G2 around.

And what happens to the stocks on the old G1 drives? Well, Intel can't put it on a new, shiny, gray housing.

[sonofander]

With the minimal performance differences between the drives, I don't think they would have a problem selling off the G1s if they would just come out and say they will support trim. Who in their right mind would buy a drive that didn't at this point?

WTF is Intel thinking???

[saaya]

saaya is Copy Pasting himself hehe.
Indeed old news, don't know what is up with Intel these days...

no its the damn xs server being so slow and buggy, i keep getting database errors and time outs, so i have to try again and again to post... then i find out i posted several times lol... weird

i agree with oberon...
probably a move to clear old stock... or maybe they have mfc problems...
but its def not cause of this weird bug...

[Bo_Fox]

Bottom line: Data gets corrupted on SSD's! :P

[Zaskar]

Hard drive password huh, how does that work with raid? Do you get asked the password for each drive 1 after another?

[r0lfi]

Intel to Correct Issues with Latest Solid-State Drives by Week’s End.

source

[labs23]

So we might be seeing the G2s back on stores next week? Hmmm... Possible but unlikely. Hope I'm wrong.

[SAE]

saaya is Copy Pasting himself hehe.

That's how he made it to such an impressive post count.

no its the damn xs server being so slow and buggy, i keep getting database errors and time outs, so i have to try again and again to post... then i find out i posted several times lol... weird

Jaajaaaaa....

/edit.
The G2s were looking good. I was seriously thinking about getting one for my OS... may have to let them mature a bit.