Samsung NVME firmware via USB3 enclosure (and max transfer speed issues)

[godzfire]

I have a SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus SSD 1TB, M.2 NVMe (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MFZY2F2/) that I bought in Nov 2020 that I want to check and update the firmware. However I have a Mac Mini 2018, and use this Plugable USB C to M.2 NVMe USB C and Thunderbolt 3 Compatible USB enclosure with it (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N48N5GR/). Trying to run the USB stick firmware installer on Samsung's website hasn't worked thus far.

I read somewhere that it's potentially impossible to do a firmware update via USB enclosure and it can only be done if it's directly plugged into a machine with a native slot. Is this still true?

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who has a computer that I could stick my NVME stick and update.

 

[joevt]

Is this still true?

It most likely can't be done using USB.

It should be doable with a Thunderbolt enclosure, but the Plugable is a USB enclosure, not a Thunderbolt enclosure.

What USB stick firmware installer are you referring to? Post a URL.

 

[godzfire]

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

semiconductor.samsung.com

NVMe SSD-970 EVO Plus Firmware
ISO 4B2QEXM7

Unfortunately I don't even know of a way to check what my current firmware is on the SSD either.


I just ordered this OWC Envoy Express Thunderbolt 3 Enclosure for NVMe M.2 SSD (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LYQPRPJ/) which seems to allow for much higher transfer speeds and is a true TB enclosure (I hope).

 

[joevt]

I just ordered this OWC Envoy Express Thunderbolt 3 Enclosure for NVMe M.2 SSD (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LYQPRPJ/) which seems to allow for much higher transfer speeds and is a true TB enclosure (I hope).

Usual Thunderbolt NVMe enclosures have a max speed of ≈2800 MB/s.
The Envoy Express is a Thunderbolt NVMe enclosure with a max speed of 1533 MB/s but it should allow PCIe access to the NVMe which might allow a firmware update but I'm not 100% sure.

According to this video

, you're supposed to create a bootable USB from .iso, and boot into the USB's "EFI Boot". This runs a EFI utility that does the firmware update. This can only work if the NVMe in the Thunderbolt enclosure is detected at boot. I think it should be as Macs allow booting from Thunderbolt.

 

[godzfire]

Usual Thunderbolt NVMe enclosures have a max speed of ≈2800 MB/s.
The Envoy Express is a Thunderbolt NVMe enclosure with a max speed of 1533 MB/s but it should allow PCIe access to the NVMe which might allow a firmware update but I'm not 100% sure.

According to this video

, you're supposed to create a bootable USB from .iso, and boot into the USB's "EFI Boot". This runs a EFI utility that does the firmware update. This can only work if the NVMe in the Thunderbolt enclosure is detected at boot. I think it should be as Macs allow booting from Thunderbolt.

Really? Where are some examples of those because I would have definitely bought one of those if that was that the case with double the speed, but didn't see anything like that on Amazon.

I tried running the firmware update off the USB stick in macOS, and I saw it at boot and selected it, but as soon as it changed to start to boot it wouldn't go any further. Doing the same process via Parallels Desktop Windows, it booted exactly like the video shows, except it didn't see any drives, which I'm guessing is because of Parallels somewhere. So I know the USB stick works, but apparently not for a Mac boot.

 

[joevt]

Really? Where are some examples of those because I would have definitely bought one of those if that was that the case with double the speed, but didn't see anything like that on Amazon.

Any Thunderbolt NVMe enclosure that is not the Envoy Express.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P7L6SDD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QY9V2KM
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N67P39W

 

[godzfire]

Any Thunderbolt NVMe enclosure that is not the Envoy Express.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P7L6SDD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QY9V2KM
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N67P39W

I wonder why OWC would make an enclosure that's so inferior to the other ones?

Has anyone had experience with any of those three Brands?

 

[joevt]

I wonder why OWC would make an enclosure that's so inferior to the other ones?

The OWC Envoy Express is Thunderbolt certified. Maybe they couldn't get certification with 4 lanes of PCIe (too much power)? Which would mean every other bus-powered NVMe enclosure is not Thunderbolt certified? But does it matter if they work?
Find products at https://www.thunderbolttechnology.net/products That's an Intel website so maybe all the products listed there are all certified.

Found this weird one with 8 Thunderbolt ports: https://www.thunderbolttechnology.net/product/iodyne-pro-data
The only Thunderbolt 4 storage device is this: https://www.thunderbolttechnology.net/product/owc-ministack-stx
This one has 4 lanes: https://www.thunderbolttechnology.net/product/yottamaster-thunderbolt-3-ssd-tb1-t3
Other listed products have 4 lanes but I didn't check all of them to see if they are empty or have replaceable NVMe.