Puget Systems: Critical Samsung SSD Firmware Update

[EHW Ai]

Critical Samsung SSD Firmware Update | Puget Systems

WWW.PUGETSYSTEMS.COM

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What is Happening Despite historically being some of our most reliable parts, we have received a surprising number of reports of failing Samsung drives,

 

I suspect a number of us out there use these drives, the 2TB Pro versions of the 980/990 drives...

 

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What is Happening

Despite historically being some of our most reliable parts, we have received a surprising number of reports of failing Samsung drives, specifically with the 2TB version of the 980 Pro. We have been working with Samsung to investigate these failures, and they have recently confirmed that there is an issue affecting the older firmware that some 980 Pro drives were shipped with.

 

The most common failure mode that we have found is that the drives are suddenly locked into read-only mode, rendering the drive unusable. If the failed drive is the primary drive, then the system becomes unbootable until the drive is replaced and the OS is reinstalled.

 

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Source.

Edited February 10, 2023 by iamjanco
Updated intro

[J7SC_Orion]

  On 09/02/2023 at 01:07, iamjanco said:

Critical Samsung SSD Firmware Update | Puget Systems

WWW.PUGETSYSTEMS.COM

---

What is Happening Despite historically being some of our most reliable parts, we have received a surprising number of reports of failing Samsung drives,

 

I suspect a number of us out there use these drives, especially the 2TB version...

 

 

Source.

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The new 990 Pro are apparently affected as well (2 TB again); firmware update still a question for the 990s:

 

[schuck6566]

  On 09/02/2023 at 01:07, iamjanco said:

Critical Samsung SSD Firmware Update | Puget Systems

WWW.PUGETSYSTEMS.COM

---

What is Happening Despite historically being some of our most reliable parts, we have received a surprising number of reports of failing Samsung drives,

 

I suspect a number of us out there use these drives, especially the 2TB version...

 

 

Source.

Expand  

Has anyone read the comments where some working 980's with the old firmware are locking up after getting the new firmware installed? It's like they're chasing their tail.

[Kaz]

I have 2 980s, a 2 tb and 1tb, fortunately I have the later firmware, but it does raise questions about their longevity.  That'll teach me to buy Samsung...

[ENTERPRISE]

  On 09/02/2023 at 06:35, Kaz said:

I have 2 980s, a 2 tb and 1tb, fortunately I have the later firmware, but it does raise questions about their longevity.  That'll teach me to buy Samsung...

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To be fair to Samsung, there storage is still some of the most reliable and best performing out there, I would still buy Samsung in a heartbeat despite the fact this likely affects one of my drives. Looks like I will be pulling it out of my TrueNas system to give it an update.

[schuck6566]

  On 09/02/2023 at 06:35, Kaz said:

I have 2 980s, a 2 tb and 1tb, fortunately I have the later firmware, but it does raise questions about their longevity.  That'll teach me to buy Samsung...

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I'm hoping my son's 980 has the later ver software already on it(it's in a ps5) we were kinda glad he had that when I told him about the 990's and he ck'd but now THIS stuff happening. He should be all good 'Cause he bought them after the ps5 so it wasn't when the 980 first came out.

[J7SC_Orion]

I have a few 1 TB 980 Pros which seem ok (just checked), but it is in the back of my mind. My other system has bigger drives but not by Samsung. My fav PCIe 4 NVME is the 2TB WD SN850 - a bit faster than the 980 Pro and runs a few degrees cooler.

[ENTERPRISE]

Just realised, the article really focuses on the 980 PRO, I am not seeing mention of the standard 980 drives, I have 2x 980 non Pro drives...perhaps unaffected.

[J7SC_Orion]

  On 09/02/2023 at 20:07, ENTERPRISE said:

Just realised, the article really focuses on the 980 PRO, I am not seeing mention of the standard 980 drives, I have 2x 980 non Pro drives...perhaps unaffected.

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From what i have read so far, it seems specific to the 2 TB  980/990 Pro models.

[Sir Beregond]

I opted for 2TB 970 Evo Plus's when I bought mine, didn't see a reason to pay double for gen 4 at the time. Are these good then, just seems to be 980's and 990's?

[EHW Ai]

Updated the OP to state: "I suspect a number of us out there use these drives, the 2TB Pro versions of the 980 drives..."  It was a bit too ambiguous given the ensuing questions from readers. 

 

  On 10/02/2023 at 16:39, Sir Beregond said:

I opted for 2TB 970 Evo Plus's when I bought mine, didn't see a reason to pay double for gen 4 at the time. Are these good then, just seems to be 980's and 990's?

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Given what I've read, I don't think you'll have an issue. That said, it's my understanding that a fix for the issue is still in a state of flux.