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The tool to fix 840 Evo for Mac user is released

compatibility with Sonnet Tempo Pro

I am guessing there is absolutely no way I will be able to use this utility to upgrade two EVO drives that are installed on a Sonnet Tempo Pro. Two drives, four total partitions (two partitions are combined in a RAID 0 array).

I guess its probably time to back them up, break them down and install them on the backplane in order to perform this update.

I guess this might be a good opportunity to try and get my option-boot working again (4,1 Mac Pro flashed to 5,1 firmware). If anyone has any tips on this please let me know.
 
Just tested, you MUST remove the tempo card in order to get this tool to work. Otherwise, it will stuck at "scaning the 840 Evo drives" (the very begining stage).

Even empty card will cause issue.

I am not sure can you fix a RAIDed SSD. My guess is possible. After you backup the data. Simply install the Evo in the bcakplane or optical bay. Then fix it one by one.
 
h9826790 said:
Just tested, you MUST remove the tempo card in order to get this tool to work. Otherwise, it will stuck at "scaning the 840 Evo drives" (the very begining stage).

Even empty card will cause issue.

I am not sure can you fix a RAIDed SSD. My guess is possible. After you backup the data. Simply install the Evo in the bcakplane or optical bay. Then fix it one by one.
Click to expand...

so if they are connected via PCIe no matter what card, you have to hook it up to a Bay?
 
AFAIK, yes, but can't confirm. I only have the Sonnet Tempo SSD. Can't test all other PCIe cards.
 
Last edited:
My post from a thread I started in July of last year:

flowrider said:
How to Update Samsung SSD Firmware With an Apricorn Velocity x2 Card:

You can't do it with the Solo x2 Card as the interface between the drive and the MOBO.

1. Go Here for Update instructions and Firmware Update:

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/samsungssd/downloads.html

Scroll to the bottom for the Mac files.

2. Attach the SSD drive to an SATA interface connected directly to the MOBO. If the card is mounted to the Solo x2, when you restart and you use the Samsung Firmware Update CD you created, it will not recognize the disk and will never start. I used the SATA cable for the second DVD drive.

3. Complete as per instructions on the PDF.

4. Remove the drive from the MOBO SATA interface and Replace on the Solo x2.

Note: The Samsung instructions say that when the firmware updates, it will destroy the information on the SSD, but I found this not be true. All the information was still intact and I'm using it now as the StartUpDisc.

Hope this helps someone. It took me four days to figure it out.
Click to expand...

Lou
 
There is a bug in the 840 Evo, when reading an old file (e.g. 6 months old), it may give you very low reading performance (e.g. 20MB/s), this tool is to upgrade the firmware to perminently fix this issue and restore the current data's reading performance.
 
Just finish the process. It took a bit less than 1 hour.

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 01.13.44.jpg
 
Does anyone know if this works if you have FileVault turned on?

I can imagine a low level tool (essentially you boot a different OS from a USB stick) doesn't have access to the file system in case of FileVault. It might be able to flash the new firmware but the restoration tool might not work.
 
This is from the manual -> General Limitations.

3) The Performance Restoration DOS software will not work on SSDs that are locked with a user password.

4) The RAID on mode in SATA configuration is not supported by the Samsung
Performance Restoration DOS software.

5) The Securitymode (Class 0, TCG/Opal or Encrypted Drive) must be disabled
(unlocked) before removing and installing onto another PC.
 
DPUser said:
The link provided by OP is the version that is easily used on a Mac.
Click to expand...

The link they provided is just the same official link as I posted.

They talked about the Windows version performance restoration tool. Which is usable in a Mac Pro if your 840 Evo is in NTFS format. That tool only works with NTFS. And that means, that tool won't work on a SSD with OSX.

And this is the reason why they need to release another "complicated" version for Mac/Linux user.
 
I also posted this in https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=20246073#post20246073 (the other samsung 840 firmware post).

I have an iMac early 2009 with the optical drive replaced by a Samsung 840 EVO. As such i can't update via CD/DVD

I found this tutorial for creating a bootable USB stick with the firmware.
It doesn't work for me but maybe someone else might find it usefull.

Has anyone had success with this tutorial for booting the firmware from USB?
(instructions in French) google translate link below


https://medium.com/@AdamBoum/tuto-cl...o-c4d9c800c169

https://translate.google.com/transla...tml&edit-text=
 
Korican100 said:
is this only for the EVO, or for the EVO Pro also?
Click to expand...

h9826790 said:
Only for 840 Evo
Click to expand...

No. Actually my post was written before the EVO was introduced. It, at the time, applied to the Samsung Series 840 SSD. The issues is not with the SSD, but the PCIe interface card. So, IMO, it would apply across the entire Samsung line. I don't know about other brands of SSDs, but I assume they would all have the same issue.

Lou
 
flowrider said:
No. Actually my post was written before the EVO was introduced. It, at the time, applied to the Samsung Series 840 SSD. The issues is not with the SSD, but the PCIe interface card. So, IMO, it would apply across the entire Samsung line. I don't know about other brands of SSDs, but I assume they would all have the same issue.

Lou
Click to expand...

Oh~ I thought he was asking about if the bug (or this tool) is only for the Evo.
 
flowrider said:
No. Actually my post was written before the EVO was introduced. It, at the time, applied to the Samsung Series 840 SSD. The issues is not with the SSD, but the PCIe interface card. So, IMO, it would apply across the entire Samsung line. I don't know about other brands of SSDs, but I assume they would all have the same issue.

Lou
Click to expand...

I can't find anything on the Net about the Samsung 840 pro having this issue, always just the EVO. I just want to make sure before I run this on my Pro.
 
Korican100 said:
I can't find anything on the Net about the Samsung 840 pro having this issue, always just the EVO. I just want to make sure before I run this on my Pro.
Click to expand...

There is some debate about the 840 suffering from the issue, but I don't believe that Samsung has confirmed this. Note that the 840 EVO and 840 both use TLC NAND.

Your 840 Pro uses MLC, so it's a totally different animal.
 
h9826790 said:
The link they provided is just the same official link as I posted.

They talked about the Windows version performance restoration tool. Which is usable in a Mac Pro if your 840 Evo is in NTFS format. That tool only works with NTFS. And that means, that tool won't work on a SSD with OSX.

And this is the reason why they need to release another "complicated" version for Mac/Linux user.
Click to expand...

The Anandtech article explains the "why" behind the "how".

I didn't look at your link before... its the generic link to Samsung's firmware update webpage, which has a variety of downloads including the just-released DOS version of the Samsung SSD 840 EVO Performance Restoration Software that will work for Mac or Linux users.

You have to make a bootable disc (CD or USB stick) and work from that.

Here's the guide:
http://www.samsung.com/global/busin...e/Samsung_Performance_Restoration_DOS_v10.pdf
 
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