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The Samsung 840/840 Pro SSD thread

Hey guys,

Need some advice...

I have a 2009 13" MBP / A1278 November 2009

Original hard drive failed so I thought this would be a good time to put a SSD in..

Bought a 250GB Samsung 840, put it in (the hdd bay) and it isn't recognized in Disk Utility.
I can hook it up to the MBP via the included USB adapter and it sees it. So I formatted it GUID / Journaled and thought that would get it recognized.

NOPE.

After multiple times unhooking it reseating the cable..yadaydayda still nothing.

I tried a Intel 120GB 520 Series SSD, the MBP sees it instantly...

What am I missing? Why won't it see the 250gb Samsung? It is making contact on the sata connector, I can see where it marks up the pins. The 250gb drive I also tested on my PC and it works fine.

I've seen alot of different things about getting them recognized but nothing seemed to work. I'm sure I am not the only one with this issue.

Help a brother out. Thanks

I am using a USB drive to boot off with 10.8 Mountain Lion on it, which works fine, I used it on a MacBook Air a few days ago.
 
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Thinking of picking up the Samsung Pro 840 256GB for my early 2011 15" MBP.

I'm unclear on the process of updating firmware, and enabling TRIM support or not.

Will I need to update the firmware when I get it? If I do, can I do that by installing the drive in a USB enclosure and plugging it into my Windows 7 laptop and do it that way? Or is updating the firmware even necessary?

Also, TRIM support. My understanding is this drive does not need you to enable TRIM support, but I'm double checking this. I know about the TRIM Enabler software and I know where to get it, but I'm wondering if I even need it.

Thanks!
 
skiltrip said:
Thinking of picking up the Samsung Pro 840 256GB for my early 2011 15" MBP.

I'm unclear on the process of updating firmware, and enabling TRIM support or not.

Will I need to update the firmware when I get it? If I do, can I do that by installing the drive in a USB enclosure and plugging it into my Windows 7 laptop and do it that way? Or is updating the firmware even necessary?

Also, TRIM support. My understanding is this drive does not need you to enable TRIM support, but I'm double checking this. I know about the TRIM Enabler software and I know where to get it, but I'm wondering if I even need it.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Chances are that it will ship with the latest firmware already installed. But if not, you can download the ISO for OS X here.

You should also enable TRIM too, to keep it running cleanly. You can get the Chameleon SSD Optimizer here.
 
kcrossley said:
So let me make sure I understand this correctly. The ONLY way I can upgrade the firmware on my Samsung SSD is by using Bootcamp. I can't use Parallels?
Click to expand...

Right. You must use an optical drive on the main SATA bus if you update it from the ISO for OS X. Or you can BootCamp Windows and use the Samsung Magician software that way.
 
SandboxGeneral said:
Right. You must use an optical drive on the main SATA bus if you update it from the ISO for OS X. Or you can BootCamp Windows and use the Samsung Magician software that way.
Click to expand...

Crap. That sucks. I have an OWC Data Doubler so my optical drive is no longer on the main bus and I'm using Parallels, not BootCamp.

If I copied the SSD to an external drive using CCC, then pulled the SSD and put it in a NetStor dock attached to a Windows 7 PC, could I update it that way, or is it easier to install Bootcamp?

BTW, can Bootcamp and Parallels coexist?
 
kcrossley said:
Crap. That sucks. I have an OWC Data Doubler so my optical drive is no longer on the main bus and I'm using Parallels, not BootCamp.

If I copied the SSD to an external drive using CCC, then pulled the SSD and put it in a NetStor dock attached to a Windows 7 PC, could I update it that way, or is it easier to install Bootcamp?

BTW, can Bootcamp and Parallels coexist?
Click to expand...

Yes, BootCamp and Parallels can coexist and if done right, I think they can each use the same Windows installation - or so I've heard. I've not used Parallels before. But either way, I think installing BootCamp and updating that way would be easier and when you're done you can delete it.
 
SandboxGeneral said:
Yes, BootCamp and Parallels can coexist and if done right, I think they can each use the same Windows installation - or so I've heard. I've not used Parallels before. But either way, I think installing BootCamp and updating that way would be easier and when you're done you can delete it.
Click to expand...

Sounds good.

Does anyone watching this thread know if Parallels and Bootcamp can coexist and share the same Windows install? If so your guidance would be much appreciated. :)
 
kcrossley said:
Sounds complicated. How can I tell what firmware my SSD has on it with a Mac?
Click to expand...

:apple: --> About This Mac --> More Info --> System Report --> Serial-ATA --> Revision

Note, my example shows a Samsung 830

Screen%20Shot%202013-07-25%20at%206.14.59%20PM.png
 
kcrossley said:
Does the AJA software stop the test by itself? Which do you feel is more accurate?
Click to expand...
Yes, it runs a set size of data and stops when it's finished, and the largest test file is 16GB. I wish it had larger file options, like 100GB or more.

I think AJA is more accurate in a sense, because it shows how the data moves in average, with a graph. You can see how peaks and valleys affect the average speed. With the other test, you have to do the averaging in your head as you watch.
 
wonderspark said:
Yes, it runs a set size of data and stops when it's finished, and the largest test file is 16GB. I wish it had larger file options, like 100GB or more.

I think AJA is more accurate in a sense, because it shows how the data moves in average, with a graph. You can see how peaks and valleys affect the average speed. With the other test, you have to do the averaging in your head as you watch.
Click to expand...

What could you learn from a 100GB test that you couldn't learn with the 16GB test? :confused:

What's the URL to the AJA?
 
wonderspark said:
AJA System Test link, about halfway down the page.

With a larger test, I could see how a drive responds as it fills up, whereas smaller requires you to fill the drive yourself and retest to see the result.
Click to expand...

Strange, it won't allow me to select a Volume in order to start the test. I even restarted the laptop too.

Screen%20Shot%202013-07-25%20at%207.23.02%20PM.png
 
hfg said:
Using "Get Info" on the drive, make yourself the owner with R/W privileges at the bottom of the info box. Then it should work.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I just did that and restarted and still didn't change anything.
 
SandboxGeneral said:
Hmmm... I just did that and restarted and still didn't change anything.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm ... that has worked every time for me.

Although, it does let me select the volume, but it won't run the test on that volume until I unlock and add my username to the privileges box on "get info" and assign read&write status. Sometimes, I have had to pick the "gear" button and make myself the owner as well (don't select to propagate that choice to all subfolders).
 
hfg said:
Hmmmm ... that has worked every time for me.

Although, it does let me select the volume, but it won't run the test on that volume until I unlock and add my username to the privileges box on "get info" and assign read&write status. Sometimes, I have had to pick the "gear" button and make myself the owner as well (don't select to propagate that choice to all subfolders).
Click to expand...

I don't know; its being weird right now. Maybe I'll work on it more tomorrow.
 
Well, there's no way to update the firmware on my MBP without removing the OWC Data Doubler and HD and reinstalling the optical. Looks like I get to do a little surgery this weekend.

Thanks Samsung. :(
 
kcrossley said:
Well, there's no way to update the firmware on my MBP without removing the OWC Data Doubler and HD and reinstalling the optical. Looks like I get to do a little surgery this weekend.

Thanks Samsung. :(
Click to expand...

Well, before you do that did you verify the firmware version on your drive? You can check it as mentioned above. The current version is...

Model: Samsung SSD 840 PRO Series
Revision: DXM04B0Q

Which was released back in 2012. If you purchased the SSD new recently then it should have that version already installed.

EDIT: I take that back, I see a new version since I last checked. HOWEVER, if you have the version I posted and aren't having issues that are specifically called out and fixed in the new version then there's no point in upgrading.
 
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Yahooligan said:
Well, before you do that did you verify the firmware version on your drive? You can check it as mentioned above. The current version is...

Model: Samsung SSD 840 PRO Series
Revision: DXM04B0Q

Which was released back in 2012. If you purchased the SSD new recently then it should have that version already installed.
Click to expand...

Model: Samsung SSD 840 PRO Series
Revision: DXM03B0Q

----------

BTW, the latest firmware for the 840 Pro is DXM05B0Q.
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/samsungssd/downloads.html
 
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