MP 1,1-5,1 Samsung M.2 970 EVO Plus firmware upgrade problem solved

[kazaka]

OK, I still did not installed my SSD 970 EVO PLUS in my iMac 27" mid 2015, because it will take a lot of time and I still do not have all the tools to open the iMac and dig all the way to the logic board where the PCI slot is located. I will need to remove all components to reach the PCI slot.

I am still thinking if I will use it as an internal or external SSD drive. I know that internally the speeds will be much faster, however an Apple tech guy told me that in the long run a non apple SSD will have problems as their adapters that fit in the iMac PCI slot. He told me to choose only apple SSDs. The other factor is that no one knows for sure that the Samsung EVO PLUS will work internally properly without those reported kernel issues... Imagine so much hard work to disassemble and assemble the hole iMac to discover that the Samsung SSD drive is not compatible...

The Samsung SSD, at the moment, is in an external NVMe enclosure named "Plugable" that is connected to the iMac via USB port 3.0.

When i plug it in into the iMac, the system dont recognize the name of the SSD, shows "Untitled", but shows that it haves 1TB space.

In Windows when I plug the SSD via USB 3.0 windows recognises the drive but Samsung Magicians display only that info i wrote in a previous post and nothing more.

I was wondering if I could try to install the firmware via Imac with the protocol that was shown in previous messages in this thread with Unetbootin. Like that I would know the firmware of this drive.

 

[MIKX]

If you start "About This Mac" in your iMac and then "System Report" . .and then select "NVMEExpress. You will see the current Firmware version installed.

Warning : Do not format your 970 EVO Plus in any version of Mac OS until you have identified it's current Firmware version as Samsung Magician will not be able to see the NVMe drive at all.

I suggest reading this again https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...m-solved.2220069/?post=28416455#post-28416455

 

[kazaka]

Here is a screenshot of my system report for the USB devices. I do not have yet any SSD NVMe attached to the logic board.

The SSD EVO Plus seems to be formatted by the previous owner. Its not new as I bought it from an eBay seller.


HI

 

[MIKX]

Install the 970 EVO Plus .. .and . . look at the pic in my previous post.

 

[kazaka]

Iam trying to see the serial number now following your method:


1. Downloaded "UNetbootin " https://unetbootin.github.io/

2. The latest Samsung 970 EVO Plus firmware ISO
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/
scroll down to FIRMWARE then to “Samsung SSD Firmware(24).

Downloaded the " Samsung_SSD_970_EVO_2B2QEXE7.iso ".
( The latest firmware for the 970 EVO Plus is 2B2QEXM7 )

3. Inserted a brand new 8gb USB stick ( note : Don't change the original format the format of the USB stick.)

4. Started up UNetbootin by using the mouse RIGHT BUTTON & selecting OPEN. Just clicking the app won't open it.
Pointed the App to the ISO & the USB stick
Hit "OK" .. then UNetbootin formatted the USB stick bootable.

5. NOTE : At this point an EFI flashed GPU is required- I shutdown & installed my flashed XFX HD 5770.

6. Booted up holding down the OPTION key for the pre-boot selection screen ..

. . there it was ! My USB stick shown as " efi boot.


I do not understand if in point 4 in UNetbootin i have to choose the samsung firmware iso file.

What do you mean at point 5?

 

[MIKX]

Select EFI Boot

If your 970 EVO Pro "NEEDS" a firmware update you will be informed after EFI Boot loads.

I will be busy all day from now.


I have given you enough information to proceed.

 

[MIKX]

I though that my firmware upgrade thread was pretty easy but obviously not.

Homework for you.

( Google is your friend . .. ? )

I'm still very busy all day today.

 

[kazaka]

Hey good News!!!

I got a way to check the Firmware version of the SSD Evo Plus with the drive connected to USB 3.0 (and not internally)!

You actually do not need to perform all those steps if you just want to check if your SSD has the latest firmware... you need to follow the steps if you need upgrade the SSD.

Before I was so down because i could not see nothing about my SSD EVO PLUS... i did all the steps given in the videos and in the posts and got no information because i needed to place the SSD internally and I couldnt do it because I needed to disassemble the iMac in order to place the SSD in the PCI slot of the motherboard.

I was going to return the SSD but then i recall the Crystaldiskinfo software and gave it a last go and BANG.. all the information I needed just appeared in the screen!

Got the Windows program and run it with the EVO PLUS connected via USB 3.0.

The program collects full SSD information and displays data about the SSD including the health status of the SSD, counts, serial number and firmware and other details!!

I now know that my SSD EVO PLUS is already upgraded to 2B2QEXM7!!

So the program I use to check Samsung SSD drive full details is: CrystalDiskInfo

Here is the output of my SSD EVO Plus:

 

[MIKX]

Hey good News!!!

I got a way to check the Firmware version of the SSD Evo Plus!

You actually do not need to perform all those steps...

If one installs a NEW Samsung 970 EVO Plus . . it SHOULD NOT BE Mac OS formatted yet . .. .

. . . . . because the Firmware version will always be shown in "About This Mac / NVMExpress/"

You could have checked the Firmware in mac OK from the very start .. I posted this info to you about this in Posts #27 & #29
but you checked USB instead of NVMExpress/

If the Firmware is up to date . .. THEN . . .it can be Mac OS formatted.

No need to run Windows at all if the Firmware is indeed the latest.

Actually I updated my 970 EVO Plus using the UNetbootin method. It took a total of 15 minutes to upgrade the firmware & finish.

 

[kazaka]

To be honest I am really happy that the SSD I bought on eBay is with good health and already upgraded... really thought it was fake or somehow damaged. I can now plug it inside of my iMac with the right adapter. The SSD was in a showroom in a shop and was sold as an ex-display.

Many thanks to you MIKX for your help and knowledge!

 

[MIKX]

No problem, I had the same sinking feeling/problem when when I discovered that my 970 EVO Plus's firmware was the old problematic one but where there is a will .. there is a way.

You have learned some valuable information so expect that your "newbie" status will soon be elevated. ?

You should put a 'tiny' sticker either on the blade or on the original box showing the currently installed Firmware.

The motto here is to check any new Samsung blade in Mac OS FIRST Under "About This Mac/ system Report/NVMExpress/" . . . THEN if the firmware is indeed up to date .. . go ahead & format the blade to Mac OS.


If you give a man a fish, he can eat for a day. If you teach a man how to fish . . . . . .

 

[kazaka]

MIKX I have run a speed test on the SSD while connectd to USB3.0 and got results:

WRITE: 410 MB/s
READ: 418

Is this normal for a NVMe? I thought it would be superior speeds... but i guess its because is connected through USB 3.0.

My other M.2 Sata SSD inj the same iMAC reports this:

And my external 2.5" SSD boot disk reports:

And my original Apple HDD 5400 rpm (the only drive connected internally):

So the NVMe is considerably better in this benchmarks. All SSD drives connected via USB 3.0.

I will try to check the speeds over Thunderbolt 2.0 next week when i receive a Thunderbolt 2 dock.

Internally they will should I think some better results?

 

[MIKX]

kazaka

You need to go to your Macrumors member account page and select SIGNATURE

Like this . . . .

=======================================

My SIGNATURE is at the end of this text.

I have a 2009 4,1 Mac Pro.

What is your Mac ? an iMac ? I have no idea which Mac you have. This forum is for Mac Pros.

You absolutely have to describe WHICH Mac you have installed your Samsung 970 EVO Plus to.

===================

Put the following information in your SIGNATURE then. SAVE it in your www.macrumors " member/ account " settings
Your SIGNATURE will then appear in every Macrumors.com post you make.

====================================

SIGNATURE Information.

1. Which Mac do you have. ( you seem to have an iMac ) Which model number ?

2. Which Mac OS is installed

3. What is your Bootrom version ( my Mac Pro's Bootrom version is " 144.0.0.0.0 )

4. When you have finished making your SIGNATURE make a new post to this thread so that I can see it / read it

=====================================

=================================

This is my Mac Pro's HARDWARE setup which appears in my SIGNATURE.
You need to put YOUR Mac's equivalent information in YOUR SIGNATURE.

Do you understand ?
EG : If you, for example have an iMac then you will have to OPEN your iMac's case to install your Samsung 970 EVO Plus.
Mac Pros and iMacs connect NVME blades in an absolutely. totally different way.

If you are installing your Samsung 970 EVO Plus to an Imac you need to tell me which model iMac you have.
Now!
Which year ? Which MODEL ?

EDIT : I just noticed in your POST #26 that you do appear to have an iMac. The 970 evO plus should be installed INTERNALLY


My 970 EVO Plus is installed internally to a PCIe NVME adapter.

This is the speed I am getting from my 970 EVO Plus installed to the above
PCIe NVME adapter above.

​

 

[H. Flower]

H.Flower

Did UNebootin format the USB stick properly? "Feels" like that might be the problem.

============================================

PS : You ought to go to your Macrumors member profile/SIGNATURE and enter all relevant info regarding your cMP . .

Which Mac OS & version, which cMP, what GPU, which bootrom, how much RAM. etc.

That 'signature ' will be included in your posts to threads & help us diagnose any problems

My my Macrumors 'signature ' is at the end of this post.

I did. It still didn't work. I'll try again....

 

[MIKX]

H. Flower

I don't have a 7,1 cMP. something in Catalina may be interfering.

IMPORTANT : Have you already formatted your 970 EVO PLus in Mac OS ?

Have you checked in "About This Mac/System Report/NVMExpress/ " ( look at post #2 )
( Will show the current Samsung FIRMWARE. )

 

[medisaboy1]

Hi guys after replacing the HDD my microphone stopped working. I checked the connection and it is good. Any ideas ?

 

[Tommy2603]

Hey friends,

I have a short question regarding the Evo 970 Plus.
Every time I put my Mac in sleep mode, something is happening and a folder with a "?" appears on the screen.
After restarting the Mac everything runs perfectly again...

Does anyone knows what's the problem and how to solve this?

Mac: A1419 (Late 2015)
macOS: Catalina 10.15.7
Modell: Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB
Version: 2B2QEXM7

Thanks a lot for your help

 

[patent10021]

Question. These SSDs are using the same PCIe lanes as the Macbook onboard WiFI lanes so it's been reported that you can get frequent 5G WiFi dropouts. These firmware upgrades do not fix this right?

 

[caxias_Brazil]

Oh glory!
My NVME Samsumg EVO PLUS 970 comes with the update!

 

[CrashZilla]

Will this work on the iMac (27-inch, Retina 5K, Late 2014) as long it has the latest OS firmware, and the blade ssd has the latest firmware while it was connected with a special adapter?

 

[Terraaustralis]

I'm having a real nightmare with my 2TB 970 Evo Plus NVMe.

I have a 2009 4,1 upgraded to 5,1 and have Mojave running on a 2.5" SSD on a Sonnet PCIe card. I'm trying to clone the OS to the new NVMe, but the process keeps crashing the computer.

Originally I formatted the NVMe as Mac OS journaled, but now after some failures to clone to it, it only gives me the APFS options.

I've done a bit of reading and I can see that:
• My Boot ROM version is: 144.0.0.0.0
• Mojave is build 18G3020
• The NVMe revision is 2B2QEXM7

So it would appear I have all the right specs, but it just fails to clone.

In my PCIe slots
• Top slot (slot 4?): An eSATA card as I have a HDD caddy to quickly insert drives like Time Machine.
• Slot 3: Sonnet Tempo Card with two 1TB Samsung 2.5" SSDs on it
• Slot 2: I/O CREST SI-PEX40129
• Slot 1: Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 580 8G GDDR5

I really need to use all these slots and it is my work computer.

This NVMe problem is holding up my photography work and I am at my wits end after jumping through numerous hoops yesterday trying to upgrade from El Capitan and all sorts of obstacles presenting themselves to me. I'm hoping this is the final hurdle, but I don't know how to solve this issue.

I would be so appreciative if someone were able to help me figure this problem out. I really need to use the computer for work in the next 24hrs so this is pretty urgent to me.

I know this is ancient history but you have used wrong firmware. 2B2QEXM7 is for Evo. 4B2QEXM7 is for Evo Plus according to Samsung Firmware list.

 

[Jumme_Cph]

I know this is ancient history but you have used wrong firmware. 2B2QEXM7 is for Evo. 4B2QEXM7 is for Evo Plus according to Samsung Firmware list.

NO, you're just late to the topic.

The 970 PLUS(!!) SSD's discussed in this thread, that you accidently revived, has a different controller than the present 970 PLUS edition, for which you found an updated firmware from Samsung.

Running the 3Bxx.. or 4Bxx.. firmware update on the older Evo Plus SSDs will yeild nothing, as the newer firmware will not allow to be written on the older controller.
The firmware update will simply not 'see' the SSD.

 

[martijnvandenboom]

EDIT : If you buy a Samsung 970 EVO M.2 blade, install it but before formatting check the FIRMWARE revision in " About this Mac/ NVMe "first.

It should be 2B2QEXM7.
​

If it is 1B2QEXM7 you will have problems with the blade.

====================================================

I bought a 500gb Samsung 970 EVO on Saturday. I realised that the firmware had to be checked as the 970 EVO's firmware in the first release from Samsung ( 1B2QEXM7 ) was causing kernel panics etc.

Sure enough looking in " About this mac / Hardware / NVME the firmware was the problomatic" 1B2QEXM7 ".

So, I fired up Win 7 and ran Samsung Magician . .but .. . I got a popup message saying that it needed Microsoft .NET v 4.6.
this had never happened before. So I ran Win 8.1 and got the same message.

View attachment 889016

Now I was starting to get worried. so I did two re-installations of Win 7 in both 32bit & 64 bit.

Got the same popup when I tried to run Samsung Magician.

After quite a while and many net searches I happened on the solution over at tonymacx86's haxckintosh forums.

Post #137

Solved > - Do the Samsung 970 EVO Plus drives work ? New Firmware Available 2B2QEXM7

Is their a way to update the firmware w/o having to boot into windows? Hi thoronthar: I don't think you need to boot to Windows the ISO for updating will be burned to USB stick. Then you boot form the usb. It seems to come with it's own "OS / Linux. After the update you can do the normal...

www.tonymacx86.com

.

I then .. .

1. Downloaded "UNetbootin " https://unetbootin.github.io/

2. The latest Samsung 970 EVO Plus firmware ISO
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/
scroll down to FIRMWARE then to “Samsung SSD Firmware(24).

Downloaded the " Samsung_SSD_970_EVO_2B2QEXE7.iso ".
( The latest firmware for the 970 EVO Plus is 2B2QEXM7 )

3. Inserted a brand new 8gb USB stick ( note : Don't change the original format the format of the USB stick.)

4. Started up UNetbootin by using the mouse RIGHT BUTTON & selecting OPEN. Just clicking the app won't open it.
Pointed the App to the ISO & the USB stick
Hit "OK" .. then UNetbootin formatted the USB stick bootable.

5. NOTE : At this point an EFI flashed GPU is required- I shutdown & installed my flashed XFX HD 5770.

6. Booted up holding down the OPTION key for the pre-boot selection screen ..

. . there it was ! My USB stick shown as " efi boot.

View attachment 889028

7. Started the "Efi Boot and then UNetbootin started up.

View attachment 889029

The rest was simple & easy. In about 10 seconds it found my 970 EVO Plus and asked me if I wanted to update it.
I typed in "Y".

Another 20 seconds and it was done.

I now have the latest ( 2B2QEXM7 ) firmware on my 970 EVO Plus.

View attachment 889031


I have since cloned Mojave 10.14.6 ( build 18G2020 ) over to the 970 EVO Plus formatted in HFS+.

Everything is running perfectly, no issues at all.

========================================

I also have a 970 EVO installed and I have noticed that the 500gb 970 EVO Plus is definitely faster and doesn't slow down as much as caches fill up.
View attachment 889032

Of course not everyone has an EFI flashed GPU ( I have three ! ) and of course Samsung Magician probably works properly for other people but it is comforting for me to know that I could successfully upgrade my 970 EVO Plus via Mac OS .. sort of.

Hope this post is useful to anyone experiencing problems with Samsung Magician.

Thanks! This article was very helpful and provides the link to the Samsung site for the firmware. I couldn't even find it with Google. So super article. What I can tell you is that the default Internet installation of OS X El Capitan doesn't detect the drive to format it. (I have an iMac late 2015 27 inch) To be able to achieve it to format the drive I used an installation USB drive of macOS Monterey.

 

[RustyVenture]

Let me add to the discussion/confusion. My Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB (MZVLB2T0HALB) was manufactured in June 2023. It apparently has the original Phoenix controller (maybe they went back to it after supply issues eased). Its firmware is 2B2QEXM7. So far, no problems running Big Sur as a boot drive (with Sintech adapter) for my late 2013 MBP 15" (macbookpro11,3).

PS: Anyone know if I'll run into problems with this SSD going OpenCore Legacy Patcher to Monterrey or Ventura? Any issues with Bootcamp?

 

[shaisnp]

Hello one question, I have bought a 970 evo PLUS for my 2015 macbook pro. I will update the firmware connecting internally the new (no OS) ssd in the mac with the samsung iso in a pendrive.
Then I will restart and insert another pendrive usb with the mac os Mojave (cmd + alt + R)
Do you think that I will get hibern or sleep mode issues if I update the macOS to Monterey after the proccess?
Are there solutions to the sleep mode issues?
Thank you!