Samsung 256GB SSD Benchmark Results **UPDATED**

Write Zeroes?

How can I get my drive back to a factory-fresh state? Can I:
- Erasing and write zeroes with Disk Utility
- Use Disk Utility to "Erase Free Space" or
- Do I need to flash with new firmware (which, as far as I can tell, is not available)

I've been moving around a lot of files to account for the smaller capacity (256GB vs. 320GB) and my drive is slower than a month ago when I installed it. I'd like to get it back to it's normal speedy self.

Thanks!

I ordered the Corsair 256GB and overnighted for tomorrow delivery to use for work. I have a non-unibody 15" mbp 2.6ghz... with only SATA I, but will post xbench if anyone is interested.

krypttic said:

How can I get my drive back to a factory-fresh state? Can I:
- Erasing and write zeroes with Disk Utility
- Use Disk Utility to "Erase Free Space" or
- Do I need to flash with new firmware (which, as far as I can tell, is not available)

I've been moving around a lot of files to account for the smaller capacity (256GB vs. 320GB) and my drive is slower than a month ago when I installed it. I'd like to get it back to it's normal speedy self.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Don't ever write zeros to an SSD. Once all cells have been written, drive will slow down. Just format if needed.

cp2222 said:

I ordered the Corsair 256GB and overnighted for tomorrow delivery to use for work. I have a non-unibody 15" mbp 2.6ghz... with only SATA I, but will post xbench if anyone is interested.

Click to expand...

Please let us know how the Corsair works for you! You're the first one here receiving one (I think) so I'm curious to see if you are plagued by the same problems that seem to be affecting the Samsung 256B SSDs (i.e. - random hangs, spinning beach balls, etc.) It is basically the exact same SSD, with a different label.

Let us know and good luck!

Industro said:

Please let us know how the Corsair works for you! You're the first one here receiving one (I think) so I'm curious to see if you are plagued by the same problems that seem to be affecting the Samsung 256B SSDs (i.e. - random hangs, spinning beach balls, etc.) It is basically the exact same SSD, with a different label.

Let us know and good luck!

Click to expand...

Is there an easy way to test the drive? Sounds like people feel like they were getting bad hardware and sending it back? Are you just using xbench to test for bad drives and what test do you guys run?

Also, could this just be a problem of the way the data gets on the SSD? SuperDuper vs CCC vs a fresh install? I was just going to use SuperDuper. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

cp2222 said:

Is there an easy way to test the drive? Sounds like people feel like they were getting bad hardware and sending it back? Are you just using xbench to test for bad drives and what test do you guys run?

Also, could this just be a problem of the way the data gets on the SSD? SuperDuper vs CCC vs a fresh install? I was just going to use SuperDuper. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I just went through the process or returning two of the Samsung 256 drives. Both had the exact same problem. My problems were constant system hangs with the spinning beach ball. This happened in all applications and was very irritating. My xBench scores were horrible for random read/write. The second drives scores were not much better than my stock drive that came with my laptop on random read/write. In fact the last xBench score was 76.

I also had tons of CRC errors with both. Like 2,000 in 10 hours of use etc. I used Super Duper both times to clone the drive and also tried a fresh install the last time and nothing seemed to work. I too was wondering if cloning the data caused issue's with the SSD.

Both of my drives were purchased from eBay. I to will be curious how the Corsair performs for you.

jb56 said:

I just went through the process or returning two of the Samsung 256 drives. Both had the exact same problem. My problems were constant system hangs with the spinning beach ball. This happened in all applications and was very irritating. My xBench scores were horrible for random read/write. The second drives scores were not much better than my stock drive that came with my laptop on random read/write. In fact the last xBench score was 76.

I also had tons of CRC errors with both. Like 2,000 in 10 hours of use etc. I used Super Duper both times to clone the drive and also tried a fresh install the last time and nothing seemed to work. I too was wondering if cloning the data caused issue's with the SSD.

Both of my drives were purchased from eBay. I to will be curious how the Corsair performs for you.

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for the info and fast reply. How did you see the CRC errors? Is there a tool or something that gives you those stats?

It sounds like I'll know right away if there are problems because apps will hang and my xbench scores will be not good?

Drive arrived but will be later today before I can install.

pprior said:

Don't ever write zeros to an SSD. Once all cells have been written, drive will slow down. Just format if needed.

Click to expand...

How do I get it back to the factory-fresh state? Doesn't writing zeroes put it back the way it was when I got it?

cp2222 said:

Thanks a lot for the info and fast reply. How did you see the CRC errors? Is there a tool or something that gives you those stats?

It sounds like I'll know right away if there are problems because apps will hang and my xbench scores will be not good?

Drive arrived but will be later today before I can install.

Click to expand...

Use SMART utility program. Just google it and you'll find what you need.

Corsair 256GB SSD INSTALLED from Newegg!

First, remember that I'm using 1.5gbps controller in my non-unibody macbook pro. Hopefully I'll have this upgraded in the next few weeks, which was my assumption in buying this SSD.

Using SMART utility, drive came with 4 hours use time on it. Firmware is VBM1801Q, as was expected due to repackaged Samsung SSD.

Drive I was swapping out was Hitachi 200gig 7200RPM from Apple. This drive in Xbench, just before removing performed with 24gig free space, as follows:

Hitachi HTS722020K9SA00 (200gig 7200RPM)
Disk Test/Results: 36.42
Sequential: 68.43
--Uncached Write: 58.38 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Write: 53.16 MB/sec [256K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 10.44 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 54.32 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random: 24.81
--Uncached Write: 0.89 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Write: 21.42 MB/sec [256K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 0.41 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 17.87 MB/sec [256K blocks]

I installed the Corsair and immediately ran Xbench with the following results:

CORSAIR CMFSSD-256GBG2D (256gig SSD) RUN 1
Disk Test/Results: 99.55
Sequential: 89.44
--Uncached Write: 61.10 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Write: 49.14 MB/sec [256K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 16.23 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 97.99 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random: 112.23
--Uncached Write: 4.50 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Write: 38.56 MB/sec [256K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 10.08 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 60.15 MB/sec [256K blocks]

Then I noticed spotlight was reindexing and decided to leave machine for an hour. After an hour I ran Xbench twice more. The result was much better:

CORSAIR CMFSSD-256GBG2D (256gig SSD) RUN 2
Disk Test/Results: 152.44
Sequential: 108.52
--Uncached Write: 76.20 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Write: 74.52 MB/sec [256K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 17.38 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 114.85 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random: 256.08
--Uncached Write: 12.78 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Write: 76.34 MB/sec [256K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 9.42 MB/sec [4K blocks]
--Uncached Read: 77.52 MB/sec [256K blocks]

I guess after the machine settled a bit, post the SuperDuper cloning and all that, it really sped up. Overall I am very happy with these results and have seen no CRC errors. In addition, it would be really interesting to pull the Corsair out and put it right into a machine with a 3gbps controller vs this old 1.5gbps.

How do these results look to you guys though? Should be faster? Anything surprising here?

cp2222 said:

How do these results look to you guys though? Should be faster? Anything surprising here?

Click to expand...

Just keep an eye open for CRC errors (check SMART Utility after heavy usage, like installing programs, encoding video, etc.) and watch for strange random hangs that freeze everything (except for the mouse) for 30 seconds to a minute or more. Sometimes this is accompanied by the spinning beach ball, sometimes not.

Let us know if you experience any of these. If not, you may be one of the lucky ones like poppap!

If people are having good luck with these Corsairs, I may try one. I just requested a refund from Dell. I'm done with Samsung.

I'm currently looking into either the OCZ Vertex or the Corsair P256. Whichever proves to be more stable on a MacBook Pro will earn my business.

Industro said:

Just keep an eye open for CRC errors (check SMART Utility after heavy usage, like installing programs, encoding video, etc.) and watch for strange random hangs that freeze everything (except for the mouse) for 30 seconds to a minute or more. Sometimes this is accompanied by the spinning beach ball, sometimes not.

Let us know if you experience any of these. If not, you may be one of the lucky ones like poppap!

If people are having good luck with these Corsairs, I may try one. I just requested a refund from Dell. I'm done with Samsung.

I'm currently looking into either the OCZ Vertex or the Corsair P256. Whichever proves to be more stable on a MacBook Pro will earn my business.

Click to expand...

Corsairs ARE Samsungs with a different label.

cp2222 said:

Corsair 256GB SSD INSTALLED from Newegg!

Using SMART utility, drive came with 4 hours use time on it. Firmware is VBM1801Q, as was expected due to repackaged Samsung SSD.

How do these results look to you guys though? Should be faster? Anything surprising here?

Click to expand...

Aha good to know, same firmware as my Samsung (pre Corsair branding), still working like a champ, no CRC errors.

Your performance is pretty much identical to mine. (unsurprising as its the same drive!)

emt1 said:

Corsairs ARE Samsungs with a different label.

Click to expand...

Yes I know, but most of the Samsung-branded SSDs in circulation are "pre-production" models (your drive will say "Rev 0" on the label).

The Corsair-branded Samsungs *may* be more refined and prepped for public consumption. If nothing else, they are newer.

So many of us have had the same problems with the Samsung drives. I'm really hoping for a solution.

Has anyone got a samsung from newegg ( ie not preproduction)?

Malcster said:

Aha good to know, same firmware as my Samsung (pre Corsair branding), still working like a champ, no CRC errors.

Your performance is pretty much identical to mine. (unsurprising as its the same drive!)

Click to expand...

That's good to hear on the performance. So far so good! I guess I need to have SMART utility running for it to detect a CRC error?

cp2222 said:

That's good to hear on the performance. So far so good! I guess I need to have SMART utility running for it to detect a CRC error?

Click to expand...

Use this:

SMART Utility

Its shareware but you get a free trial period, hit 'Show All' button next to Attributes and look at the UDMA CRC Error Count.. hopefully its zero!

edit: sorry just read your post properly, you already have SMART Utility, no it doesn't need to be running to spot the CRC errors, these are logged by the drive, SMART Utility just queries the drive itself.

Gen said:

No. Apple uses the Toshiba 256 SSD.

Click to expand...

Ewww.

Good to know that Corsair has the newer firmware.. I'm still waiting for the credit from Dell for one of the Samsung 256GB that I returned (nothing wrong with it but decided to go with Intel).

I ordered the buy.com price mistakes deal for a Kingston 160GB (Intel X25-M re-branded) for $350 on Saturday. Will see if they'll cancel it.. If not, I'll do the RAID0 with 2x 160GB X25-M and probably sell the Samsung 256GB that I have..

poppap said:

Good to know that Corsair has the newer firmware.. I'm still waiting for the credit from Dell for one of the Samsung 256GB that I returned (nothing wrong with it but decided to go with Intel).

I ordered the buy.com price mistakes deal for a Kingston 160GB (Intel X25-M re-branded) for $350 on Saturday. Will see if they'll cancel it.. If not, I'll do the RAID0 with 2x 160GB X25-M and probably sell the Samsung 256GB that I have..

Click to expand...

At a good price I hope

Hopefully... haha...
The $350 Kingston 160GB from buy.com has been shipped...

Riddle me this...Macbook Pro vs. Macbook (both Unibody)

So have a new Corsair P256. Cloned using SuperDuper from original drive in MBP. Swapped into MBP and startup time, use, etc. was ridiculously slow. On a whim, put the Corsair in my Macbook. Screaming fast, no delays, you name it. Put back in MBP - disabled second Nvidia chip, tried again...same issues. Tried PRAM resets etc - no joy. Back into Macbook - screaming fast...

Lastly - ran all hardware tests on MBP - no problems and no indications of any issues on original HDD on MBP.

Answers anyone?

m1intel said:

So have a new Corsair P256. Cloned using SuperDuper from original drive in MBP. Swapped into MBP and startup time, use, etc. was ridiculously slow. On a whim, put the Corsair in my Macbook. Screaming fast, no delays, you name it. Put back in MBP - disabled second Nvidia chip, tried again...same issues. Tried PRAM resets etc - no joy. Back into Macbook - screaming fast...

Lastly - ran all hardware tests on MBP - no problems and no indications of any issues on original HDD on MBP.

Answers anyone?

Click to expand...

Can you post XBench results from both installs so we can see where the numbers differ?

Finally got the 2nd X25-M from buy.com deal..



See RAID0 results here..

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7585111/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7585228/

Lol. XBench is so unreliable..