SSD became slow, any fixes?

I am almost certain my SSD has gotten a bit slower since I have bought it. I have a 30 GB OCZ Vertex drive with firmware 1.4. It is a second generation drive. I am running Windows 7 x64.

File transfers between hard drives used to be 100 MB/s, now they are around 75 MB/s. That is the only thing I can go on. Windows start up time hasn't changed. Program loads might be slower, but I can't be too sure.

It there anything kind of maintenance I can run? With traditional HDDs I used to defrag but that is not needed for SSDs. I want my SSD to be running in top shape without doing anything too extreme. I already Disable Superfetch/Disable Defrag scheduler/Disable drive Indexing. What about this wiper.exe program? I downloaded it and tried to run it but it won't let me...And I right Windows 7 automatically takes care of SSDs, how can I be sure that?

I first installed Windows 7x64 on my 1500GB WD drive, then I reinstalled Windows on my SSD however I later realized that I left the boot files on the 1500GB drive and then I had to run a windows repair to sever the link between the SSD and the 1500 GB drive.

Suggest you run HD Tune to see whether it is really slower. Maybe there is another problem. The wiper only helps with write operations.
But since you played with your MBR, the alignment could be out of wack. Check that in msinfo32 > Components > storage > disks > partition starting offset (should be 1MB).

1) Goto the OCZ forums for SSD help!
2) I use these SSD's in a RAID array. Just redid the puter and flashed everything. FW 1.4 provides Trim support for SSD. FW 1.41 provides for "GC", Garbage Collection. (agressive disk maintenance) FW 1.5 is the latest and greatest version, provides Trim and GC. GC is what you want, IMO. I was using FW 1.3, with same puter layout, and had a performance drop off as well. Using FW 1.5 has kept the performance level consistant. You want to flash to FW 1.5, IMO.
You want OS on the SSD, IMO.
You should start again with the SSD. You should flash them/it to FW 1.5, use "SE", Sanitary Erase on it/them and do a clean install of W7. There is an approach to doing this so do the research, and I am willing to impart whatever I know from my experience. I am not a professional but my SSD puter has worked from day 1.
You need to use the spin HD with a windows OS, to use SE.
I suggest using the cd method for SSD flash. You can get FW 1.5 download at OCZ forums site. There are many gudes available as well.
Get all software ready to go on disks before you begin process.

ps: there is a technique called "Tony Trim", if you do not want to flash, this might help. Flashing to FW 1.5 should not damage SSD data, you do not need to re-install OS because of flash. But you said there was some issues above and if your prepared right, its worth the effort to begin anew.
SE'ing the SSD is primary importance if you go full route!

Yep as Spy suggested, get the FW 1.5.
Vertex, Agility, Turbo, Solid V2, Summit, Colossus and Z-Drive with Microsoft OS.

OCZ forums is too big for me to take, not gonna spend hours reading thru that mess. I just want to flash to 1.5 and be done with it, how do I do it?

Goto OCZ site and read. If it does not work out for you, you'll be mad at the advisor!
The info is all there, FW 1.5 zip file is there. SE zip file is there. When you have a specific question, I'll try and answer it, but read the info dern it!

ps: 30secs to navigate to where the info is.

spyknee said:

Goto OCZ site and read. If it does not work out for you, you'll be mad at the advisor!
The info is all there, FW 1.5 zip file is there. SE zip file is there. When you have a specific question, I'll try and answer it, but read the info dern it!

ps: 30secs to navigate to where the info is.

Click to expand...

As a little service to the OP and others, could you post the links, please.

Here is the FW guide and at bottom includes FW zipfile:
This thread has the 1.5 FW update for Agility and Vertex drives

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I still have two questions for those who are familiar with SSDs and Windows 7.

"What about this wiper.exe program? I downloaded it and tried to run it but it won't let me...And I right Windows 7 automatically takes care of SSDs, how can I be sure that?"

Hi exia!
I would have gotten a link for you quicker, but I just got home from work a bit ago.

If you install Windows 7 as a fresh install on a ssd, it will align the partitions correctly, xp you have to jump thru some hoops.

The following is taken directly from OCZ (Posted by Tony Offical OCZ staff):
1 I check the board is in AHCI mode, if no option is available there is nothing you can do.

2 I check if S1 and S3 sleep are supported in bios, I usually set S1 but S3 should be ok also....if they are not in bios there is nothing you can do

3 I check ACPI 2.0 is in bios and enabled, if its not in bios there is nothing you can do

4 I boot to 32bit win7 RC1 on USB which also has Sanitary Erase on the USB drive. I run SE off the USB drive using the CMD window within the win7 installer. if the drives are brand new i do not bother with this step.

5 I then power off, swap USB drives to 64bit win7 final and I Install win7 off this new USB drive ( I do this is its much faster than off DVD, but you can use DVD)

6 I let win7 installer create and format the partition, all i do is hit NEXT even though the installer sees the drive and reports the drive space is RAW. Win7 will create a primary partition and quick format all on its own.

7 I use win7 native AHCI driver for both AMD and INTEL systems.

8 Install takes 10mins tops, i then load Video and Sound drivers and any LAN driver I may need.

9 The tweaks:

Disable Superfetch

Disable Defrag scheduler

Disable drive Indexing (Drive properties uncheck last option at bottom)


I'm an Intel ssd user, but from my surfing on the OCZ site, garbage collection will happen if you let the system set at the login screen for about a few hours a week.

I just found this:
"For use within windows 7 there is absolutely no maintenance needed apart from allowing the machine to idle at the login screen for a few hours each week, this allows the garbage collection time to recover the drive and free up space TRIM has not been able to deal with. For all other windows based OS with no TRIM support...The simple answer is an application called Wiper.exe."

So it seems exia, you don't need to run wiper if you run Win7!
Another suggestion after you install Windows 7 on an ssd, is to run the WEI bench, this verify it's detected correctly. Platter drives only go as high as 5.9, ssds 7.+

I know you already have it installed, but included the extra for other folks.

Sanvean said:

Hi exia!
I would have gotten a link for you quicker, but I just got home from work a bit ago.

If you install Windows 7 as a fresh install on a ssd, it will align the partitions correctly, xp you have to jump thru some hoops.

The following is taken directly from OCZ (Posted by Tony Offical OCZ staff):
1 I check the board is in AHCI mode, if no option is available there is nothing you can do.

2 I check if S1 and S3 sleep are supported in bios, I usually set S1 but S3 should be ok also....if they are not in bios there is nothing you can do

3 I check ACPI 2.0 is in bios and enabled, if its not in bios there is nothing you can do

4 I boot to 32bit win7 RC1 on USB which also has Sanitary Erase on the USB drive. I run SE off the USB drive using the CMD window within the win7 installer. if the drives are brand new i do not bother with this step.

5 I then power off, swap USB drives to 64bit win7 final and I Install win7 off this new USB drive ( I do this is its much faster than off DVD, but you can use DVD)

6 I let win7 installer create and format the partition, all i do is hit NEXT even though the installer sees the drive and reports the drive space is RAW. Win7 will create a primary partition and quick format all on its own.

7 I use win7 native AHCI driver for both AMD and INTEL systems.

8 Install takes 10mins tops, i then load Video and Sound drivers and any LAN driver I may need.

9 The tweaks:

Disable Superfetch

Disable Defrag scheduler

Disable drive Indexing (Drive properties uncheck last option at bottom)


I'm an Intel ssd user, but from my surfing on the OCZ site, garbage collection will happen if you let the system set at the login screen for about a few hours a week.

I just found this:
"For use within windows 7 there is absolutely no maintenance needed apart from allowing the machine to idle at the login screen for a few hours each week, this allows the garbage collection time to recover the drive and free up space TRIM has not been able to deal with. For all other windows based OS with no TRIM support...The simple answer is an application called Wiper.exe."

So it seems exia, you don't need to run wiper if you run Win7!
Another suggestion after you install Windows 7 on an ssd, is to run the WEI bench, this verify it's detected correctly. Platter drives only go as high as 5.9, ssds 7.+

Click to expand...

WEI score is 6.7 for my SSD.

GC will run at the login screen? Does it say how long I have to idle for? Seriously who leaves their computer at the login screen? 99% of users probably don't.

And what is with the long ass install guide you have posted, again 99% of users will not even bother. I think OCZ got it wrong this time, most people will not even go through such a tedious process to get their SSD to work "properly", seems like OCZ is using it's customers as guinea pigs or didn't bother making a proper SSD.

How come I can't run wiper.exe? I would really like to run it, despite having to run a maintenance program for my drive which is suppose to take care of itself if OCZ did their job properly. This is the last time I buy an OCZ drive, I should have just paid the extra cash and bought an Intel drive.

I would suggest that you just leave well enough alone. You need to make an effort in order to do it properly. Someone gave you a method and you whined about it. It takes what it takes to work with this hardware. Research what you need to do, or leave it alone.

spyknee said:

I would suggest that you just leave well enough alone. You need to make an effort in order to do it properly. Someone gave you a method and you whined about it. It takes what it takes to work with this hardware. Research what you need to do, or leave it alone.

Click to expand...

I don't understand why you are here, why don't you use Linux?

exia said:

I don't understand why you are here, why don't you use Linux?

Click to expand...

I use W7, so thats why I'm here.
Its really not that complicated, but if you do not follow the steps right, you will be disappointed. There is alot of reading to do, but until you do, you will not understand the steps I give you. I am not a professional but I built an SSD puter. You need to get FW 1.5 and burn the iso to disk. You need to get SE and install it on a windows OS disk so you can SE the one SSD you have used.
I spent two weeks at the OCZ forum filtering thru the muck to get an approach to do an upgrade from RC1 to retail. More than happy to share but you have to get yourself to a point. Spend a day at OCZ on the 1.5 and SE guides. Then I will give you a laymans way to get by and you will understand it.

C'mon guys. Don't get off track. spyknee is right. You have to go thru the motions or leave it alone and get a somewhat lesser performance.
As an alternative, you can create an OCZ service ticket and ask them whether they would flash it for you when you send it in. They once did that for me free of charge.

How can I tell if my SSD is in IDE mode? The above guide says I need to be in IDE mode, but my drive is a SATA drive obviously.

Just flashed to 1.5

Now what do I have to do to make sure my drive is up to speed? Do I still have to idle at the login screen?

FYI, if your board has an Intel chipset, the new Rapid Storage Tech drivers pass TRIM commands and may be faster for your system - YMMV

T

I ran wiper and then ran WEI and my score changed from 6.7 to 6.8. So I guess TRIM and GC does work.

I don't have any more questions for the time being so unless any of you have anything to add I will let this thread be.

FWIW, this is probably the most helpful forum I have ever been on. It has never let me down so far, keep up the good work!

exia said:

How can I tell if my SSD is in IDE mode? The above guide says I need to be in IDE mode, but my drive is a SATA drive obviously.

Click to expand...

Thats in mobo bios. Hit DELETE at boot to enter bios. Save bios profile of current bios settings. Select default bios option if available. Reboot Enter bios again and you should see the 1 drive listed under IDE. choice

FW 1.5 Flash with CD.
Unplug all drives, but the one you want to flash. Plug it into the mobos SATA 0 port. IDE mode in bios
Set CD ROM as boot device.
When CD boots, flash file, hit 1>enter>Y>enter
You should get text saying done.
Turn off, disconnect power. remove 1st SSD and add 2nd SSD and repeat.

Flash should be quick in duration and should not damage any data on the disk.
The trick here is to burn the FW 1.5 iso file properly, so it will boot and flash.

Return your system to where it was physically and load back in the bios profile you saved.
GC works on its own, all by itself. Its in the SSD itself. Go into power managment, select "all power on" scheme, tell HD to never turn off. GC will operate whenever the puter is idle, logged on/off, it works when idle is the deal, needs 60min.

Now, a new OS install requires more.
And remember drives are only as good as the cpu. No moving parts, 1ms seek time.