M4 SSD upgrade firmware before or after OS?

markymoo · 7 Nov 2011 at 14:43

Ok so tomorrow I am building my new system (if it all arrives) and have got the M4 Crusial SSD.

I see there is an update 009 (I think) that increases read and write times. Before I install windows am I best to update the firmware?

Ie. Plug SSD out of box to my current system, upgrade the firmware and then build my new system and when it boots up windows installation will take care of rest?
OR
Install windows with new system and then update forward after?

Over to the guys in the know

also if it's the first one, updating the firmware won't alter the SSD in anyway and will be able to just build pc and install with no problems!?

shine · 7 Nov 2011 at 14:45

Do the firmware upgrade first and then install windows.

DragonQ · 7 Nov 2011 at 15:00

Doesn't really matter either way but you need to have your SATA controller in IDE mode to perform the update, whereas you want it in AHCI mode normally. So doing it before installing Windows involves slightly less hassle.

robgmun · 7 Nov 2011 at 15:10

Did mine last night and i have a full build on it and used it for a few weeks, no problems at all

markymoo · 7 Nov 2011 at 15:18

Thanks guys, will attach to my current system that is in IDE mode and update it, then will take all old parts out, install my i5 stuff and then boot it up with just SSD attached, change bios to AHCI, then put installation of windows 64 in DVD drive (inset this as first boot in bios?) and let windows install and do rest.

Do Windows Score check (heard this tweaks ya SSD and also turns off defrag etc)

Then disable Hybernate.

Then am guessing everything else will be god to go am guessing? (well then update motherboard, then graphics firmware)

That sound bout right?

robgmun · 7 Nov 2011 at 17:28

I just used an old laptop and swapped the drive, easy as pie

martynpd · 7 Nov 2011 at 18:04

my crucial m4 had 0009 already on it. check the back of the drive first to see what its got installed on it

kmetek · 7 Nov 2011 at 20:13

mine is 0002

jaybee · 7 Nov 2011 at 20:16

Guys, I bought one of the Crucial M4 64gb drives when they were quite new back in 2010 and I have still not got round to using it. It's possible it shipped with original version 1 firmware. There weren't different revisions limited to certain firmware types were there? I mean there's no possible way I can muck it up flashing to 009 firmware? What are the differences in speed between them then?

Philtor · 8 Nov 2011 at 00:01

jaybee said:
Guys, I bought one of the Crucial M4 64gb drives when they were quite new back in 2010 and I have still not got round to using it. It's possible it shipped with original version 1 firmware. There weren't different revisions limited to certain firmware types were there? I mean there's no possible way I can muck it up flashing to 009 firmware? What are the differences in speed between them then?

The new firmware provides a major increase in read speeds so it's worth doing. Easy enough to do as well given Crucial provide a bootable iso that does it for you.

El Jimben · 8 Nov 2011 at 00:10

jaybee said:
Guys, I bought one of the Crucial M4 64gb drives when they were quite new back in 2010 and I have still not got round to using it. It's possible it shipped with original version 1 firmware. There weren't different revisions limited to certain firmware types were there? I mean there's no possible way I can muck it up flashing to 009 firmware? What are the differences in speed between them then?

Sequential Read (up to): 415MB/sec (SATA 6Gb/s) - 550MB/sec with firmware 0009
Sequential Write (up to): 175MB/sec (SATA 6Gb/s) - 200MB/sec with firmware 0009