Help - Samsung 980 Pro 2TB SSD issues

[golfgirlgolf]

I've started getting a lot of errors and issues trying to make backups of my primary boot external 980 Pro (in an ACASIS enclosure).

First noticed in Chronosync (corrupt files and other errors - most of which I manually deleted and replaced with good versions) and also Super Duper didn't like it (ended up using Smart Update instead of bootable)
Ultimately I looked closer at it in Drive DX - and it shows it's on the road to "Failing".

Samsung has a utility app called - "samsung magician" - but it cannot run diagnostic on the 980 Pro SSD = "this drive is not supported" - which is truly weird because their own checklist of drive features says IT IS SUPPORTED! Maybe only on Windows?

There are download ISO firmware updates - but no where to run them in the Samsung Magician. And no clear place to download package installers (if that's how it's done).

Anyone have any experience dealing with the convoluted world of Samsung for firmware updates etc?
I'm ready to reformat the SSD - but a FW update along with it would be great.

 

[zgagato]

I'm using this exact drive inside my 2015 15" retina for well over a year now. No issues. Maybe it is a problem with the case and/or its bridge?

 

[MacCheetah3]

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Good grief. A couple years ago I had an issue with a 970 Evo 2TB SATA as an internal inside a 5,3 MBP.

Any reports of similar failures with the 990 PRO 2TB NVMe? Was looking at them for specific use with Super Duper?

 

[IG88]

I've started getting a lot of errors and issues trying to make backups of my primary boot external 980 Pro (in an ACASIS enclosure).

First noticed in Chronosync (corrupt files and other errors - most of which I manually deleted and replaced with good versions) and also Super Duper didn't like it (ended up using Smart Update instead of bootable)
Ultimately I looked closer at it in Drive DX - and it shows it's on the road to "Failing".

Samsung has a utility app called - "samsung magician" - but it cannot run diagnostic on the 980 Pro SSD = "this drive is not supported" - which is truly weird because their own checklist of drive features says IT IS SUPPORTED! Maybe only on Windows?

There are download ISO firmware updates - but no where to run them in the Samsung Magician. And no clear place to download package installers (if that's how it's done).

Anyone have any experience dealing with the convoluted world of Samsung for firmware updates etc?
I'm ready to reformat the SSD - but a FW update along with it would be great.

Hmm. Not sure how Mac OS Disk Utility provisions a new drive.

In Win Disk Mgmt, I always made sure to leave 10% unpartitioned so the SSD flash controller could use that space to shuffle bad cells.
Pretty sure that Samsung Magician can do the same, essentially. But you'd need to get all of the data offloaded then perhaps wipe / re-provision the SSD in Magician.

Not what you wanna hear, but at that point, might as well get a new SSD.

Also makes me wonder if part of the issue is external boot using a NVMe SSD in a USB to M.2 enclosure?

 

[IG88]

I'm ready to reformat the SSD - but a FW update along with it would be great.

Can you try the Win version of Magician?

 

[ovbacon]

I've started getting a lot of errors and issues trying to make backups of my primary boot external 980 Pro (in an ACASIS enclosure).

First noticed in Chronosync (corrupt files and other errors - most of which I manually deleted and replaced with good versions) and also Super Duper didn't like it (ended up using Smart Update instead of bootable)
Ultimately I looked closer at it in Drive DX - and it shows it's on the road to "Failing".

Samsung has a utility app called - "samsung magician" - but it cannot run diagnostic on the 980 Pro SSD = "this drive is not supported" - which is truly weird because their own checklist of drive features says IT IS SUPPORTED! Maybe only on Windows?

There are download ISO firmware updates - but no where to run them in the Samsung Magician. And no clear place to download package installers (if that's how it's done).

Anyone have any experience dealing with the convoluted world of Samsung for firmware updates etc?
I'm ready to reformat the SSD - but a FW update along with it would be great.

SamsungMagician isn't very useful on mac but as far as your firmware goes, there isn't any easy way to update firmware.... you kinda need a pc.

I know that the firmware prior to ISO 5B2QGXA7 causes failures and so the new one is needed to run the ssd safer from failure. It would be best if you can use a win machine even if a friend can just help out to update it. You can contact samsung and I know that they do allow people to send their ssd in and they will update it for you but that's kinda a hassle.

 

[golfgirlgolf]

Thanks all - I've started down the road to a warranty return - others have reported a refurb/replacement was sent back. It is one the 2021 early self-destructing firmware batch (see the video linked in this thread). I don't have easy access to a PC to try to update firmware (thus my post) I was hoping someone knew a Mac work around.

Meanwhile I've already bought a Nextorage Series G replacement (Nextorage was created by Sony and now run by Phison). So if the 980 gets replaced I'll use it as a backup.

 

[OldMike]

Any reports of similar failures with the 990 PRO 2TB NVMe?

I have two 990 Pro 2TB NVMe drives in my Thinkpad and they are both showing great health.

If I remember correctly, the 990 Pro might have had an initial firmware issue that was immediately corrected. I don't think it was as serious as the 980 issue - but I can't remember for sure. When I purchased both 990 Pros earlier this year the firmware had already been updated on my drive out of the box.

I just ordered another 2TB 990 Pro to use as a boot drive for an older Mac. I was going to get the 4TB 990 Pro for $279 on Amazon, but figured that was overkill since I still make extensive use of larger hard disk drives for things that do not require a speedy SSD.

This is the SMART status for both of the 990 Pros from my ThinkPad P1. The second drive is showing low power on hours, but has actually been installed and running as long as the first - it just gets a lot less use which might be what is reflected on with the low power on hours.

smartctl -a /dev/sda
smartctl 7.3 2022-02-28 r5338 [x86_64-w64-mingw32-w11-b22621] (sf-7.3-1)
Copyright (C) 2002-22, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org


=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Number:                       Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB
Serial Number:                      S73WNJXXXXXXXXXX
Firmware Version:                   1B2QJXD7
PCI Vendor/Subsystem ID:            0x144d
IEEE OUI Identifier:                0x002538
Total NVM Capacity:                 2,000,398,934,016 [2.00 TB]
Unallocated NVM Capacity:           0
Controller ID:                      1
NVMe Version:                       2.0
Number of Namespaces:               1
Namespace 1 Size/Capacity:          2,000,398,934,016 [2.00 TB]
Namespace 1 Utilization:            548,010,864,640 [548 GB]
Namespace 1 Formatted LBA Size:     512
Namespace 1 IEEE EUI-64:            002538 423141876c
Local Time is:                      Wed Nov 08 22:03:07 2023 CST
Firmware Updates (0x16):            3 Slots, no Reset required
Optional Admin Commands (0x0017):   Security Format Frmw_DL Self_Test
Optional NVM Commands (0x0055):     Comp DS_Mngmt Sav/Sel_Feat Timestmp
Log Page Attributes (0x2f):         S/H_per_NS Cmd_Eff_Lg Ext_Get_Lg Telmtry_Lg *Other*
Maximum Data Transfer Size:         512 Pages
Warning  Comp. Temp. Threshold:     82 Celsius
Critical Comp. Temp. Threshold:     85 Celsius


Supported Power States
St Op     Max   Active     Idle   RL RT WL WT  Ent_Lat  Ex_Lat
 0 +     9.39W       -        -    0  0  0  0        0       0
 1 +     9.39W       -        -    1  1  1  1        0     200
 2 +     9.39W       -        -    2  2  2  2        0    1000
 3 -   0.0400W       -        -    3  3  3  3     2000    1200
 4 -   0.0050W       -        -    4  4  4  4      500    9500


Supported LBA Sizes (NSID 0x1)
Id Fmt  Data  Metadt  Rel_Perf
 0 +     512       0         0


=== START OF SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED


SMART/Health Information (NVMe Log 0x02)
Critical Warning:                   0x00
Temperature:                        38 Celsius
Available Spare:                    100%
Available Spare Threshold:          10%
Percentage Used:                    1%
Data Units Read:                    21,004,275 [10.7 TB]
Data Units Written:                 23,703,903 [12.1 TB]
Host Read Commands:                 130,487,042
Host Write Commands:                381,799,651
Controller Busy Time:               3,535
Power Cycles:                       84
Power On Hours:                     1,563
Unsafe Shutdowns:                   5
Media and Data Integrity Errors:    0
Error Information Log Entries:      0
Warning  Comp. Temperature Time:    0
Critical Comp. Temperature Time:    0
Temperature Sensor 1:               38 Celsius
Temperature Sensor 2:               43 Celsius


Error Information (NVMe Log 0x01, 16 of 64 entries)
No Errors Logged




smartctl -a /dev/sdb
smartctl 7.3 2022-02-28 r5338 [x86_64-w64-mingw32-w11-b22621] (sf-7.3-1)
Copyright (C) 2002-22, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org


=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Number:                       Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB
Serial Number:                      S73WNJXXXXXXXXXX
Firmware Version:                   1B2QJXD7
PCI Vendor/Subsystem ID:            0x144d
IEEE OUI Identifier:                0x002538
Total NVM Capacity:                 2,000,398,934,016 [2.00 TB]
Unallocated NVM Capacity:           0
Controller ID:                      1
NVMe Version:                       2.0
Number of Namespaces:               1
Namespace 1 Size/Capacity:          2,000,398,934,016 [2.00 TB]
Namespace 1 Utilization:            1,075,749,330,944 [1.07 TB]
Namespace 1 Formatted LBA Size:     512
Namespace 1 IEEE EUI-64:            002538 423140afe2
Local Time is:                      Wed Nov 08 22:03:10 2023 CST
Firmware Updates (0x16):            3 Slots, no Reset required
Optional Admin Commands (0x0017):   Security Format Frmw_DL Self_Test
Optional NVM Commands (0x0055):     Comp DS_Mngmt Sav/Sel_Feat Timestmp
Log Page Attributes (0x2f):         S/H_per_NS Cmd_Eff_Lg Ext_Get_Lg Telmtry_Lg *Other*
Maximum Data Transfer Size:         512 Pages
Warning  Comp. Temp. Threshold:     82 Celsius
Critical Comp. Temp. Threshold:     85 Celsius


Supported Power States
St Op     Max   Active     Idle   RL RT WL WT  Ent_Lat  Ex_Lat
 0 +     9.39W       -        -    0  0  0  0        0       0
 1 +     9.39W       -        -    1  1  1  1        0     200
 2 +     9.39W       -        -    2  2  2  2        0    1000
 3 -   0.0400W       -        -    3  3  3  3     2000    1200
 4 -   0.0050W       -        -    4  4  4  4      500    9500


Supported LBA Sizes (NSID 0x1)
Id Fmt  Data  Metadt  Rel_Perf
 0 +     512       0         0


=== START OF SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED


SMART/Health Information (NVMe Log 0x02)
Critical Warning:                   0x00
Temperature:                        36 Celsius
Available Spare:                    100%
Available Spare Threshold:          10%
Percentage Used:                    0%
Data Units Read:                    16,810,567 [8.60 TB]
Data Units Written:                 12,590,959 [6.44 TB]
Host Read Commands:                 49,609,232
Host Write Commands:                38,155,357
Controller Busy Time:               135
Power Cycles:                       87
Power On Hours:                     54
Unsafe Shutdowns:                   2
Media and Data Integrity Errors:    0
Error Information Log Entries:      0
Warning  Comp. Temperature Time:    0
Critical Comp. Temperature Time:    0
Temperature Sensor 1:               36 Celsius
Temperature Sensor 2:               37 Celsius


Error Information (NVMe Log 0x01, 16 of 64 entries)
No Errors Logged

 

[Ploki]

I got the same thing with my 980 Pro, after 4.7TBW. And it's not in an ACASIS case, and i had the same (JEYI) case for well over 6 years now and all previous drives worked fine and continue working fine in other cases - WD Blue, WD Black, 970 Pro.

I won't be buying another Samsung drive.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

I have two 990 Pro 2TB NVMe drives in my Thinkpad and they are both showing great health.

If I remember correctly, the 990 Pro might have had an initial firmware issue that was immediately corrected. I don't think it was as serious as the 980 issue - but I can't remember for sure. When I purchased both 990 Pros earlier this year the firmware had already been updated on my drive out of the box.

I just ordered another 2TB 990 Pro to use as a boot drive for an older Mac. I was going to get the 4TB 990 Pro for $279 on Amazon, but figured that was overkill since I still make extensive use of larger hard disk drives for things that do not require a speedy SSD.

This is the SMART status for both of the 990 Pros from my ThinkPad P1. The second drive is showing low power on hours, but has actually been installed and running as long as the first - it just gets a lot less use which might be what is reflected on with the low power on hours.

Thanks. I'm by no means a comparative standard of wear as the two 2TB 990 Pros + Acasis are for backups. I did get the 4TB 990 Pro also (backup also) but that lives in an OWC 40 gbps TB4 enclosure with longer attachment times using TM.

Not having an Intel Mac with TB ports, nor a Windows machine, I sent all the drives off to Samsung to have the Firmware updated. Interestingly the 4TB 990, the newest of them all, was replaced their end due to failing one of their tests. For this money it's good having the 5 yr warranty.

 

[Ploki]

I’m sending mine for replacement on monday. Hopefully i’ll get an updated 990 Pro back.
I had nothing but issues with Samsung drives recently.
First 970 EVO plus performed like ass, then i exchanged it (for extra cash) for 980 Pro that failed after less than 2 years.

All the while my 970 EVO from 2018 performs flawlessly with speeds as high as 980 Pro.

My WD SN850X however works great.

 

[steve123]

Stay away from Samsung NVMe SSD's with Macs. There are known incompatibilities with TRIM. There is another thread here that goes into the details.

Good news you are getting a warranty replacement.

There is a way to update the firmware using a mac. You need to download the Samsung firmware updater that boots linux and create a bootable USB stick and boot your mac with it. Then you can apply the firmware update. Unfortunately, it does not support updating the firmware when the SSD is installed in an external USB or TB enclosure. So the SSD must be installed in the internal M.2 slot. I do not know if this issue was ever fixed.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Unfortunately, it does not support updating the firmware when the SSD is installed in an external USB or TB enclosure. So the SSD must be installed in the internal M.2 slot. I do not know if this issue was ever fixed.

I don't think there's another way. I initially had a 990 installed internally in a Windows laptop, just for the firmware update. Unfortunately I don't believe Samsung Magician for Mac will ever have more capabilities beyond the read/write speed checks. It's such a shame really and I wonder why release it when it's just so gimped.

For anyone in the EU, Samsung offers a free RMA service which includes shipping to the Netherlands division for applying updates. I believe this became popular with PS consoles where there wasn't other means to push updates onto.

 

[HDFan]

There is a way to update the firmware using a mac. You need to download the Samsung firmware updater that boots linux and create a bootable USB stick and boot your mac with it.

This works with Apple Silicon?

 

[Ploki]

This works with Apple Silicon?

No since no silicon mac has an m.2 slot

 

[MacCheetah3]

No since no silicon mac has an m.2 slot

If money is of no consequence.

OWC Accelsior 8M2 PCIe SSD Available for the New Mac Pro with Apple silicon

Featured during Apple's keynote, OWC's Accelsior 8M2 PCIe SSD is the only way to unlock the performance potential of the new Mac Pro.

www.owc.com

😉😆

 

[steve123]

This works with Apple Silicon?

I wonder if you can boot Asahi Linux from a USB drive? As mentioned by someone earlier, there is the M.2 issue. I noticed that the release notes for the latest version of Magician mentions PCIe "slots" ... so, I wonder if a TB enclosure might now be supported since PCIe can be tunnelled through TB?

I downloaded v8.1.0 of the Magician software and I could see the NVMe SSD connected via the TB enclosure, there was no way to run a diagnostic or update firmware. The software said that the feature was not available. And there does not appear to be an uninstaller to get rid of it. (Update: There is an uninstall script ('CleanupAll.scpt') in the app bundle).

 

[VitoBotta]

Some batches of that drive are famous because of firmware issues that result in the death of the drive. I had to replace mine after even a firmware update didn't help.

 

[zgagato]

Recently i heard that the 980 drives are failing in macs, internal in mbp 2015 or airs, because they dont like the trimforce command as the newer oses enable it by itself. It really works like that, tested it on airs, mbps with monteray and mini 2014 with adapter for nvme and 980 drive. All of they enabled trim automatically after install. no terminal needed. it was said that the affected drive would slow down gradually and eventually die. i was looking for confirmation on mr but no luck. didn’t find anything.

 

[Ploki]

I asked if i can get 4TB as replacement and I took Lexar NM790 for 80€ extra.
Got offered 990 Pro 4TB for 190€, but frankly i don't trust Samsung anymore.

i'll probably get another WD SN850X 4TB instead.