New Crucial M4 Firmware (11/4/2012) Version 000F (newer than 0309)

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Changes

Firmware for the m4 SSD is being updated from version 0309 to 000F. The m4 is updatable to this new firmware starting from versions 0001, 0002, 0009, or 0309 in a single step. If updating from an early version directly to 000F, all interim improvements will also be included (please see Release Notes for version 0002, 0009 and 0309 for details).
Changes between version 0309 and 000F include the following changes:

Improved compatibility with certain SAS expanders and peripheral RAID cards.
Improved throughput stability under extremely heavy workloads.
Improved data protection in the event of unexpected, asynchronous power loss.

This firmware update is recommended for all drives currently in the field if the end user is experiencing any of these symptoms.

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Three ways to install it..

Click here, choose the Crucial M4 from the dropdown


I used the Windows 7 application to do it.

Windows 7 Updater Application


For this method, click the 'Windows® 7 Updater Application' link, extract the EXE from the ZIP file and Copy the file to your Desktop, run the EXE and follow the simple instructions, then it will restart the pc it will do it for you. (close other applications beforehand as they will auto-close otherwise)

No need to mess around with USB/CD's now, it runs from Windows and adds a temporary new boot entry. Auto-boots into that and runs the upgrade, then restarts the PC and you're back in Windows.

Quite a painless procedure!

Here's how to do it the manual way..

USB
This is what I used to flash via USB (I don't have a DVD drive)

Download the 'Manual Boot File' from Crucial on the link above and extract the ZIP file to a folder, which will give you the ISO file

Then get this tool

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

Step 1 Scroll down to the bottom. Select 'Try Unlisted Linux ISO (New Syslinux)'
Step 2 Extract the Crucial ISO file from the zip file, point the program at the ISO file
Step 3 Select the USB drive letter.

Reboot and boot from the USB stick
Create

CD-R

Same as above, but burn the ISO file with IMGBurn onto a blank CD

 

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I have been advised to get one of these and i am just wondering what the write speed is now. My main concern is on the ocuk site, i see the write speed is much slower than comparable drives. The read spead looks to be among the best.

Take a read of this..

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18368624

If you're copying big files to the drive then you'll notice the lower write speed. Since Windows generally just saves small files, you're unlikely to notice the lower write speeds.

That thread is a good roundup of many SSD's.

 

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Hadn't seen this update!

I also thought it was safer to do the update from the CD/USB rather than through Windows? Anyone had issues with the Windows updater?

The Windows updater, what it does is writes a new boot entry on your PC, restarts and then runs the updater in a 'Dos mode' environment. Which is the same update process as the USB/CD method.

I guess if you had a really strange boot method the Windows updater could break it. But I'm just speculating

 

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I used the Windows 7 updater, on my Vista 64 system, and it seemed to work!?

I'd upgrade to 7 or 8 if you're using a SSD

 

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The GUI is terrible on Vista compared to 7 too, but that's for another thread.