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SSD problem to be solved

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  • 25-01-2011 11:49pm
    #1
    TiNcAn
    Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭


    So I got a 120gb vertex 2 only 3 weeks ago. I had done a number of tweeks and was getting very good speeds for the first two weeks.

    I then received my new 2tb samsung f4 drive and and a bit of trouble doing the cable management and that but had finally got it installed. Now the drive is getting some poor speeds.

    picture.php?albumid=1017&pictureid=8606

    I am wondering what has happened. It seems the read speed is unaffected but the write speed is gone. It use to get 220mb in 4k writes and similar for 512byte randoms. Now it seems to be a constant 85 across the board.

    I tried removing all the other drives and testing again but with no joy.

    Here is some of the settings I changed:
    AHCI mode is enabled in bios
    Superfetch and prefetch is disabled
    Updated my intel chipset and storage drivers
    Didnt bother with enable write cahcing on drive as it dosnt really make any difference
    Have not been doing many tests on the drive (once every 3-4 days) as it wears it out.
    Have trim enabled
    Defrag is also disabled


    Anything that I have overlooked that could have caused such a fall in write speeds?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Saadyst
    Registered Users Posts: 535 ✭✭✭Saadyst


    Not to make light of your problem, but are you noticing an actual impact in your day-to-day? Like can you "feel" the difference?

    Better explained by:

    http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=29731860&postcount=4


  • Options
    #3
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    Have you checked "Turn off Windows write-cache buffer flushing on the device" as apparently degrades performance within about a week on Sandforce SSDs (I haven't time to read the whole thread I am not 100% clear if it applies in general or just to 16K writes, as are predominately being discussed, but no harm messing around with your settings see if it helps).

    This is from a sticky on the OCZ forum.

    http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?73537-Windows-Write-Cache-Flushing-discussion.&highlight=write+back+cache

    Please follow these methods in Windows device manager for the SandForce SSD

    So as far as the OCZ SandForce SSD is concerned, you can safely uncheck the box for "Enable write caching on the device" this is for only single use or just go with the defualt value in device manager for the drive if you want to.

    If your OCZ SandForce SSD is in a RAID volume than please leave the defualt value. Enable the write back cache in the Application manger not in Windows.

    Please make sure you do not enable, do not check this second box "Turn off Windows write-cache buffer flushing on the device" it will slow down only the OCZ SandForce SSD based drives in about a week or less. RAID or single use.

    Failing that it would do no harm to check the drive firmware version and upgrade if needed.


  • Options
    #4
    TiNcAn
    Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭TiNcAn


    This is my second SSD now. I firstly had a 80gb intel g2 and I noticed a big difference going from a seagate barracuda 7200.12. The load times was nearly instant for light programs such as firefox, chrome, winamp etc..

    For gaming the load times was also reduced significantly and boot time has also reduced. All in all I would say it has just made everything much more smoother.

    Had a quick look over that post and didnt spot anything that relates to the problem I am having.


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    #5
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    Sorry didn't noticed you mentioned write caching was already disabled in the OP. :o


  • Options
    #6
    TiNcAn
    Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭TiNcAn


    Yeh, that seems interesting about the write caching performance degradation. I have cruised a few forms and seen many arguments over whether or not it makes a difference and kinda found out that it doesn't most of the time.

    This is because windows 7 usually wont use caching on the drive if it is an SSD in most cases. Didnt know about the second part though.

    Did you suggest updating the firmware on the ssd as I did that when I first got it. Also the chipset and storage controllers were updated and that seemed to make a difference when I first got it.

    Just another interesting point to note is that I just used a different benchmark such as ATTO I get expected speeds for a vertex 2. This is boggling me as I was getting very good speeds in crystaldiskmark and then all of a sudden they went from 220+ to 85 across the board.

    Just wondering now if it is crystalmark that is the problem and not the drive.


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