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Intel Gen2 SSD firmware released and upgraded

How did you configure your system for the upgrade? The instructions say that you should not use a RAID configuration and that some AHCI modes may not be supported.
 
I read that too, but I discovered it was just for Windows systems (imho), so I just burned the iso to a disk, powered down, restarted holding the option key, ran throught the process automatically twice pressing y where necessary and both drives are showing success and the new firmware in profiler, same for both except location, no problems at all

INTEL SSDSA2M080G2GC:

Capacity: 80.03 GB (80,026,361,856 bytes)
Model: INTEL SSDSA2M080G2GC
Revision: 2CV102HD
Serial Number: CVPOXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Native Command Queuing: Yes
Queue Depth: 32
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk2
Bay Name: Bay 1
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified
Volumes:
Boot OSX:
Capacity: 134.2 MB (134,217,728 bytes)
Writable: Yes
BSD Name: disk2s3
 
So I understand you have the SSDs on a SW RAID0 connected to the SATA ports of the Mac Pro?

I actually have them on an ARC-1210 Raid card.
 
yes I have them on the software raid 0 bay 1 and bay 2, using icy dock adaptors.

Could you swap around to do the FW update?
 
So the latest Firmware won't work on the '09 Mac Pro? If so, how? I have thee G2 160... For whatever reason, today I'm noticing it is slow to write... How can that be?
 
When installing the firmware update is it advisable to remove all other HDDs in the system. Also as far as the installation goes, one must.

1. Download Firmware Update
2. Burn an iso image file of the updated firmware onto a disk
3. Restart the Mac Pro holding down the option key and select the ISO disk
4. Follow onscreen instructions.
 
ildondeigiocchi said:
When installing the firmware update is it advisable to remove all other HDDs in the system. Also as far as the installation goes, one must.

1. Download Firmware Update
2. Burn an iso image file of the updated firmware onto a disk
3. Restart the Mac Pro holding down the option key and select the ISO disk
4. Follow onscreen instructions.
Click to expand...

So you were able to do it on you '09 Mac Pro without any issues? Does it erase the drive at all? Could you "feel" an improvement? What is the latest firmware version? Which versions will this update? Can you confirm the link to the update?

I would greatly appreciate it... Thank you.
 
ildondeigiocchi said:
When installing the firmware update is it advisable to remove all other HDDs in the system. Also as far as the installation goes, one must.

1. Download Firmware Update
2. Burn an iso image file of the updated firmware onto a disk
3. Restart the Mac Pro holding down the option key and select the ISO disk
4. Follow onscreen instructions.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't you be able to boot from the updater by holding down the "C" key?

3587 said:
So you were able to do it on you '09 Mac Pro without any issues? Does it erase the drive at all? Could you "feel" an improvement? What is the latest firmware version? Which versions will this update? Can you confirm the link to the update?

I would greatly appreciate it... Thank you.
Click to expand...

This link should have all the info you would need...

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18363
 
I have a 80GB G2 in a 2008 2x2.8 Mac Pro. Done the update a few days ago without taking out any of the other 3 drives and all worked like a charm.

Cant say i have noticed any performance improvement but must say that my SSD is only a few weeks old ;)
 
Updated it. Worked pretty slick. The whole removing the CD, powering down, waiting 10 secs, restart didn't work so hot... No way of removing the CD before powering down... Unless there is some kind of trick command? I just held the power button down and restarted with the CD in it... Worked like a charm. Says I'm updated. So far so good.
 
Updated too

Hello,

I also updated my X25 M Postville 80 GB in my Mac Pro 1,1.
No problems - everything works.
 
Do we know exactly what this update brings all of us? I still can't believe it actually worked...
 
I got two 80GB intel drives yesterday and got them in a RAID 0 setup. Firmware shipped was 2cv102ha, updated to 2cv102hd today and lost significant speed. overall score on Xbench 1.3 running only a disk test before was in the 360s, now after the update it doesn't even break 290.

I'm zero'ing out the drives now to see if that helps...

Here's a before:
Code: 
Results	373.57	
	System Info		
		Xbench Version		1.3
		System Version		10.6 (10A432)
		Physical RAM		4096 MB
		Model		MacBookPro5,5
		Drive Type		SSD
	Disk Test	373.57	
		Sequential	238.33	
			Uncached Write	225.63	138.54 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Write	246.69	139.57 MB/sec [256K blocks]
			Uncached Read	145.70	42.64 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Read	697.20	350.41 MB/sec [256K blocks]
		Random	863.70	
			Uncached Write	748.90	79.28 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Write	497.06	159.13 MB/sec [256K blocks]
			Uncached Read	1695.36	12.01 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Read	1440.41	267.28 MB/sec [256K blocks]

I forgot to save the results after the firmware update but will post it as soon as the erase is done and SL reinstalled.

Looks like zero'ing out the drives really help. Back up in the 360s again.

Code: 
Results	362.64	
	System Info		
		Xbench Version		1.3
		System Version		10.6 (10A432)
		Physical RAM		4096 MB
		Model		MacBookPro5,5
		Drive Type		SSD
	Disk Test	362.64	
		Sequential	227.40	
			Uncached Write	246.36	151.26 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Write	254.65	144.08 MB/sec [256K blocks]
			Uncached Read	125.07	36.60 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Read	621.59	312.41 MB/sec [256K blocks]
		Random	894.88	
			Uncached Write	1160.76	122.88 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Write	464.70	148.77 MB/sec [256K blocks]
			Uncached Read	1343.58	9.52 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Read	1404.12	260.54 MB/sec [256K blocks]
 
updating with wireless keyboard

Anyone been able to update with the Apple wireless keyboard? I've got a 2009 Mac Pro and it boots up the ISO image but the keyboard doesn't connect so I can't press "y" to continue with firmware upgrade.
 
gugucom said:
So I understand you have the SSDs on a SW RAID0 connected to the SATA ports of the Mac Pro?

I actually have them on an ARC-1210 Raid card.
Click to expand...

I heard using software RAID0 for SSDs doesnt give greater speeds than 240mb/s (approx) using two or more drives.

I was at a shop today and was advised to just buy ONE SSD drive since the performance gain will be marginal, not doubled, using RAID0 (about 20% gain, no more).

The dude said theres some kind of bottleneck in the SATA port. Apparently to get by this is to use a RAID card which gives greater performance than 240mbs.

Is this true?
 
ungraphic said:
I heard using software RAID0 for SSDs doesnt give greater speeds than 240mb/s (approx) using two or more drives.

I was at a shop today and was advised to just buy ONE SSD drive since the performance gain will be marginal, not doubled, using RAID0 (about 20% gain, no more).

The dude said theres some kind of bottleneck in the SATA port. Apparently to get by this is to use a RAID card which gives greater performance than 240mbs.

Is this true?
Click to expand...

Uhm, yes. It's the Serial ATA specification that gives a maximum transfer speed of 300MB/seconds. Something a Solid State Drive RAID system easily exceed.

However, write operations will be doubled. It is only read operations that will be limited to 300MB/seconds.
 
For the 2009 model there is a limitation in the ICH10R south bridge controller which restricts the SW RAID0 speeds. This does not apply to fast RAID cards. They have other complications like the need to boot their firmware into the Mac Pro firmware and log out. This takes additional time whenever you start and shut down. It does not matter much for servers which were the first machines RAID cards were developed for. For workstations it is a bit of a PITA when you boot frequently.
 
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