Have OCZ fixed the Sandforce issues yet?

Jordan97 · 15 Oct 2011 at 17:22

I haven't seen many people complaining lately, so am I right in thinking that it has all been sorted?

Wucked · 16 Oct 2011 at 15:45

Actually there are still allot of failures occurring, and allot of complaints. I think OCZ's customer support / RMA teams are probably over stretched atm because from most accounts they are giving a poor service.

I wanted a vertex 3 until I started reading up on them, changed my mind now, getting an M4 instead.

Vimes · 16 Oct 2011 at 16:32

Pop over to the OCZ forums and have a read of those people who are having issues with their SSD drive dying after a S3 sleep. There are many of them

Mine was running perfectly and then I updated the firmware to 1.35. It still worked fine for a few days and now it is dead due to the S3 sleep problem.

Thankfully it is within a few days of the twelve months warranty and so I will take it to the retailer and let them send it off to OCZ.

If I was to buy one again I would try one based on the Marvell controller like the M4 or, if available, something other than the Sandforce type.

Also have a read of this...

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news...ate-drives-cause-problems-with-sleep-mode.ars

Jordan97 · 16 Oct 2011 at 16:38

Aah, OK, thanks for the read Vimes.

It's a real shame, it being one of the fastest drives and all. :rolleyes:

Vimes · 16 Oct 2011 at 16:46

It is a real problem as it is like playing Russian roulette when you use S3 sleep. Will it or won't it wake. Well after almost 1 year of mine working it has decided to no longer wake up. I was greeted by a BSOD about a kernel page and basically the firmware of the drive seems to go into some sort of panic mode and freeze up.
Corsair also use, IIRC, the Sandforce controller.

Then again for some people it has also happened when they have just switched the PC off and then tried to start it up.

manjuice · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:00

My OCZ Vertex 2E has died after just over a year so now I have to RMA it to Netherlands :mad:

I've been using it on Windows 7 and I always put it to sleep so I don't know why it has decided to die now. It still boots but after a couple of minutes in Windows, it would freeze and then a BSOD shows.

Vimes · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:06

Why not take it to your retailer to sort out...?
That is what I'm doing tomorrow. I do know that the retailer I used still advertises on their webpage that the warranty with OCZ is with them after one year but done through the retailer.

Jordan97 · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:11

tchan_4 said:
My OCZ Vertex 2E has died after just over a year so now I have to RMA it to Netherlands

I've been using it on Windows 7 and I always put it to sleep so I don't know why it has decided to die now. It still boots but after a couple of minutes in Windows, it would freeze and then a BSOD shows.

That could have happened with any drive. The Vertex 2E's don't use the Sandforce controller and so that is a completely different issue altogether.

Vimes · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:17

Jordan97 said:
That could have happened with any drive. The Vertex 2E's don't use the Sandforce controller and so that is a completely different issue altogether.

Yes they do they use the Sandforce 1222 controller. Just the same as the Vertex 2.

Jordan97 · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:39

Vimes said:
Yes they do they use the Sandforce 1222 controller. Just the same as the Vertex 2.

But it is not the same one that is affected.

There are no problems that are specifically related to the controller.

Vimes · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:42

Jordan97 said:
But it is not the same one that is affected.

There are no problems that are specifically related to the controller.

I never said that the problem was related to the controller or not. It was you who noted that the Vertex 2E doesn't use the Sandforce controller and I corrected you on that point as it uses the exact same controller.

Jordan97 · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:46

Vimes said:
I never said that the problem was related to the controller or not. It was you who noted that the Vertex 2E doesn't use the Sandforce controller and I corrected you on that point as it uses the exact same controller.

But it doesn't.

The Vertex 2 and 2E use Sandforce-1200

The Sandforce controller that is faulty is Sandforce-2281

Vimes · 16 Oct 2011 at 18:57

Jordan97 said:
But it doesn't.

The Vertex 2 and 2E use Sandforce-1200

The Sandforce controller that is faulty is Sandforce-2281

From OCZ themselves...

Vertex 2 full specs...

http://www.ocztechnology.com/res/manuals/OCZ_Vertex2_Product_sheet_6.pdf

Vertex 2 E full specs...

http://www.ocztechnology.com/res/manuals/OCZ_Vertex2_E_Product_sheet_2.pdf

Even the Agility 2 specs...

http://www.ocztechnology.com/res/manuals/OCZ_Agility2_Product_sheet_3.pdf

and they all share in common...

...I think that we are at cross purposes here as I and tchan_4 are referring to the Vertex 2 type issues and you are noting the current range with the different controller revision.

Either way I would still prefer a Plextor or a Crucial with a Marvell controller.

Jordan97 · 16 Oct 2011 at 19:09

Vimes said:
...I think that we are at cross purposes here as I and tchan_4 are referring to the Vertex 2 type issues and you are noting the current range with the different controller revision.

I was talking about the Vertex 3 and Agility 3.

I think you are the only person that is talking about the Vertex 2.

marc1024 · 16 Oct 2011 at 19:55

I have a vertex 2 50gb. I waited so long for these to come down to £45 and bought one. I hope im not at risk of failure?

Jordan97 · 16 Oct 2011 at 20:06

marc1024 said:
I have a vertex 2 50gb. I waited so long for these to come down to £45 and bought one. I hope im not at risk of failure?

No you are not.

Vertex 2's do not use the same controller that is buggy.

Vimes · 17 Oct 2011 at 10:37

marc1024 said:
I have a vertex 2 50gb. I waited so long for these to come down to £45 and bought one. I hope im not at risk of failure?

If you read the OCZ support forum you will note that there are many posts from people with those drives who are having them fail on them. The 2 and the 2E is noted, amongst others.

The common problem seems to be failure to wake from S3 sleep and perhaps flashing the latest 1.35 firmware.

My Vertex 2E drive used to fail to wake from sleep and it was then fixed in a later firmware but I flashed it with the latest 1.35, it might be coincidence, and within in a week the firmware went into "panic" mode (as it is said within the forum) and the drive is now totally locked and dead. Usually the read and green lights stay on or the red only.

Some suggest not using the S3 sleep but use S1.

Read that article that I linked above and you will then understand some of the issues.
Just make sure that you make regular backups of the drive.

Here is the support forum and even on the first page you will see the type of issue I have noted...

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/f...6-Vertex2-and-Agility2-support-and-discussion

lez · 17 Oct 2011 at 10:55

omg and I was looking to buy a 64gb sized one thniking the issues were by now over..

its for working on my old desktop which I use for development, is anything safe in the 64gb arena for day to day use IE op system + a vm or to?

other brands even? (not wanting to diverge the thread, but I had found some OCZ 64gbs at less than 64ukp so was fnally under my 1/1 price barrier)

Vimes · 17 Oct 2011 at 11:50

I would suggest anything other than a SSD with a Sandforce controller. For example both the Crucial (their M4) and Plextor SSD drives come with the Marvell type. The M4 does seem to get rated well by those who own them and my Plextor SSD in my HTPC has been perfect with no issues using the S3 sleep.