Has anyone actually got OCZ SSD hard drive to work?

gsport george · 28 Nov 2008 at 12:16

Picked up one of the small OCZ SSD drives when they were on offer the other day for a new build...
I phoned Overclockers before ordering to check if it would "work" OK with an Intel p45 chipset MB and they assured me it would be OK...

Well it isnt.

Once installed and with Windows (XP X64 Pro) on, it seemed very sluggish installing subsequent software, but I assumed that driver updates etc would fix it...

It didnt.

I have now spent what seems like days trying to get this thing to work at anything like a decent speed. In the end I registered on the OCZ forums and asked for help there... but the attitude seems to be that this is "normal" (ie. for it not to work) and although there is a list of seemingly random and in some cases conflicting "tweaks" for Windows to try, I couldnt get anywhere with it... I was offered a refund, but the cost of the drive is trivial compared to the time I have wasted on this thing, so before giving up and ordering a non-ssd drive to replace it I thought I would ask here...

I have it is a very simple configuration as a single drive for the OS and programs which I thought would be a good idea...

If anyone else is thinking of buying one of these things I would strongly recommend looking for success stories on the OS you use before buying... All I can find is horror stoeries..

bledd · 28 Nov 2008 at 12:29

cheap ssd, that's what you get

i'm not getting one until they're mature, like those newer intel ones, they look tasty

this_is_gav · 28 Nov 2008 at 12:36

Most problems stem from the JMicron controller built into most MLC SSDs. Apparently to get them to work well you need a dedicated hardware controller card (not software based, like the onboard controllers). Something like the Adaptec 3405. It's not gonna be cheap.

Gunda · 28 Nov 2008 at 12:39

i have 2 of the OCZ v2 30Gb drives in raid 0. they are super fast getting 260MB/s sustained read speeds.

As far as a single ssd goes i belive there is a known stuttering issue when writting a lot of small files, best thing to do it move your pagefile off that drive onto a normal hd. Also make sure to turn off indexing and defrag. Also writeback cache turn it ON, this is off by default makes a HUGE difference.

jbloggs · 28 Nov 2008 at 13:08

this_is_gav said:
Most problems stem from the JMicron controller built into most MLC SSDs. Apparently to get them to work well you need a dedicated hardware controller card (not software based, like the onboard controllers). Something like the Adaptec 3405. It's not gonna be cheap.

It would appear this is the problem, from all that I have read on this subject, also have a look Here

doc · 28 Nov 2008 at 13:42

My company has had about 20 v2 drives to test for clients and servers to investigate the technology. My concise experience is as follows:

The short story is that when using a single drive for the operating system, you are always going to have some sort of problem either minor and annoying or major and forcing a system rebuild.

If you add in a third party program to a single drive like MFT or RAM Cache then all of the problems go away. You obviously shouldn't have to do this, but it is a solution for some.

Where these drives fly are when you add a good RAID card and set two of them up in RAID0 and then there are almost no problems at all. Two of them can produce over 300mb/s in the right system and half a dozen have topped 800mb/s, one review even managed 1000mb/s!!!

So basically, if you can only afford one drive, dont buy these ones!

John24 · 28 Nov 2008 at 13:59

If I was you I`d return it and get an SLC based drive, a 16GB Mtron can be had for £94 now.

gsport george · 28 Nov 2008 at 15:22

Thanks for the help.

So my options are:-

1. Install a controller card. Would this one do the trick:-
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...PCI Express x1 2-Port SATA-II RAID Controller
Any other recommendations? Obviously I am kind of reluctant to buy it off overclockers after they missled me on this drive in the firstplace though. I have bought all my stuff here in the past because they seemed reasonable but this has put me off a lot..
If I go this route, will I simply be able to install the card and drivers, then unplug the drive from the MB and plug it into this card?

2. Buy a new conventional drive and clone the old one accross? THEN try and get my money back? Or will I have no choice but to do a full re-install (which will take even more of my time.

bledd · 28 Nov 2008 at 15:31

which controller did you run it off, a jmicron one, or an intel one?

try from an intel one..

ocuk didn't mislead you..

for heavens sake, don't buy that!

Slackworth · 28 Nov 2008 at 15:36

gsport george said:
Thanks for the help.

So my options are:-

1. Install a controller card. Would this one do the trick:-
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...PCI Express x1 2-Port SATA-II RAID Controller
Any other recommendations? Obviously I am kind of reluctant to buy it off overclockers after they missled me on this drive in the firstplace though. I have bought all my stuff here in the past because they seemed reasonable but this has put me off a lot..
If I go this route, will I simply be able to install the card and drivers, then unplug the drive from the MB and plug it into this card?

2. Buy a new conventional drive and clone the old one accross? THEN try and get my money back? Or will I have no choice but to do a full re-install (which will take even more of my time.

You were not told by us wrong. The drive will work but the OCZ drives seem to vary quite a bit between various controllers. Make sure you are using the Intel controller.

cavemanoc · 28 Nov 2008 at 16:28

Sorry for the Hijack - but Slacksworth, how many posts have you got !!!!!

gsport george · 28 Nov 2008 at 16:42

See this is where I get confussed.

I went to the OCZ boards expecting to be told that I needed certain drivers for the Intel P45 chipset on the MB to work correctly with it... instead the overwhelming advice seems to be that the issues are inherant to Windows... they fairly precipitously closed my thread and offered me a refund if I send the drive to Holland... which is not really much help. There was never any suggestion that the drive could be made to work with Windows without modification or that the issues could be related to hardware rather than software..

My MB is a Gigabyte GA EP-45 UD3R and has two lots of SATA sockets on it... tried hooking the drive up to both of these and it doesnt seem to make much difference....

At this point I am far more interested in getting a useable computer than I am in getting refunds or apportioning blame...

HEADRAT · 28 Nov 2008 at 16:54

Read between the lines, if OCZ are offering you a refund and closing threads it's pretty obvious really, it just don't work!

The product sounds completely flawed

HEADRAT

Slackworth · 28 Nov 2008 at 17:05

I'm getting OCZ to look at this thread now.

ocztony · 28 Nov 2008 at 17:35

headrat...It does work...we offered George a refund as he was unwilling to work with us on solving his issues.

Sometimes you have to cut a customer lose as you will never win...this is one of those cases.

We are working on solutions for 64bit OS's, at this time we have a good solution for 32bit OS's and a ton of tweaks that actually do work if you spend time applying them.

So to finish here, we offered George a refund as he was unwilling to work with us, his post on our forum reflected his general attitude. It was not worth arguing with him when his mind was made up regarding the product.

If you go to our forum you will see many now have good experiences with our mid level drives. if you are willing to take time tweaking the OS a little you would see there is performance to be gained.

HEADRAT · 28 Nov 2008 at 17:52

Sorry SSD is supposed to be a straight replacement for spinning disc, it should just work out of the box, the fact that you say your "working" on solutions for 64 bit OS's is shocking!

Maybe these products should come with some kinda disclamer!

There seems to be concensus all over the NET that these OCZ products are problematic to say the least, I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole and I'm a geek and early adopter.

I don't own the product (for obvious reasons) so all I can go on is what I've read on this forum and others, from what I've read it would seem that the JMicron JMF602 based SSD's are basically junk!

Frankly I'm pretty fed up with the industry beta testing it's products on consumers!

Thanks

HEADRAT

gsport george · 28 Nov 2008 at 19:38

Hey Tony,

To say that I was "unwilling to work with" you is pretty unreasonable. I spent a considerable amount of time looking through the threads of "fixes" and trying ones that seemed like they might have a chance of working, and were compatible with my OS (even some of the contradictory ones). When this failed to yield results I made a thread and very politely asked for more specific assistance. I posted an admittedly short summary of my hardware and software environment thinking that something might "jump out" as being the cause.
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46820
I am CLEARLY still actively seeking solutions to this problem and prepared to try things INCLUDING buying extra kit to make it work. Rather than suggest that I TRY installing the 32bit "steady state" application on my 64 bit OS (on the computer I use to earn my living) how about YOU as the manufacturer TRY it on a test machine which is less critical and let us all know the outcome?

However ALL the responses I got suggested that it was simply a conflict between this particular piece of hardware and Windows OS's. At no time was it even CONSIDERED that the drive might be faulty or incompatible with a certain piece of hard or software.

I was then PMed asking me to provide more specific details of the hardware and software environment and driver versions etc, as well as to provide comparitive test results between this drive and a conventional drive. As I was working on a response to this I was PMed AGAIN to say that the thread was being closed and I should do a return to Holland at my expense.

I have now made a thread here (as Overclockers is where I bought the kit) to ask if anyone had been successful with this drive in the hope that they might have pointers.

The lack of responses from satisfied customers is somewhat glaring.

Doing searches on Google and following the link kindly provided by Jbloggs I was seeing one possible solution that might allow me to keep the drive, realise some of it's speed potential and keep a nice quiet low power solution. Though it seems that using a seperate card with some cache will probably slow my graphics card down.

If the new OCZ drives that Overclockers are stocking are not prone to this issue then that is great news. But if they are then SURELY it would be sensible for EVERYONE to make this clear?

It DOES rather seem that these things simply dont work without serious massaging of the OS, and you (OCZ) are piddling away any reputation you may have by not making this clear up front.

KeizzerSoze · 29 Nov 2008 at 15:09

Im so glad i read this, i was going to dash out £140 on two of these ssd's this week. Cheers Gsport and headrat for the heads up.

Rroff · 29 Nov 2008 at 15:18

I just don't think SSD overall is at a stage yet where its really a good idea to use it as a boot disk tbh - they work well for RAID if you need to work with large files, etc. and good for places where you need low power useage or shock proofing... but as a general replacement for a HDD I think your jumping too early.

1kiwi · 29 Nov 2008 at 17:52

HEADRAT said:
Sorry SSD is supposed to be a straight replacement for spinning disc, it should just work out of the box, the fact that you say your "working" on solutions for 64 bit OS's is shocking!

Mate i totally agree with you. I was SERIOUSLY considering buying 3 30GB V2 drives but now feel that there is obviously some major issues with the OCZ cards and that perhaps as stated below it would be better to wait for the technology to mature.

I feel extremely sorry for the OP. Further, i think with the huge price outlay that the OP has made, it should not be implied that he is required to work extensivly with the manufacturer in order configure what would seem to be a pretty standard build.