Failing SSD - is it a hardware or software prooblem?

[martinlest]

One of my PCs is having problems. The PC is set up (with EasyBCD) to multiboot to either Windows 7x64 or Windows XP. The Windows 7 O/S is on an OCZ Vertex2 SSD and when I boot into that O/S, I can carry on working (or playing!) for several minutes, but at some stage things freeze up and I have to reset the PC in order to reboot it. When I do, the boot screens that come up show that the SSD is now missing, so I boot into Windows XP.

Once in XP, if I shut down the PC and boot again (seems I have to shut down and restart to see the SSD. If I just reboot from XP, the SSD is still not there, though I am not sure if that'd be the case every time), the SSD is back, and I can boot into Win7 with no problem - I have done this many times now and the SSD is always there after I shut down in XP and then restart from 'off'. But then it soon freezes up again and on rebooting, the same thing - no SSD shows. And so on, as above..

I ran checkdisk and it found & corrected a few odd errors, but the problem persists. I downloaded 'SSD Utility' and installed it into Windows 7 (not sure how much use that programme is?)..

SSD Utility - SSD Management Software

It shows no health issues with the drive that I can see, (but shows that I can update the drive's firmware if I make a bootable drive and do it from there. I haven't done that yet - can't see that that is the issue here).

What do you make of this? If the drive were failing, why does it always show up when I boot? The behaviour doesn't seem consistent with the SSD being on the verge of a physical failure (??). I could reinstall Windows I guess, and see if the issue remains (rather do that as a last resort) ... anyone any ideas as to how I can determine whether this is software or hardware related?

Thanks

 

[pbcopter]

I had two OCZ Vertex2 SSDs that reacted the way you describe. One, I had to RMA to OCZ and the other seemed to be okay after the last firmware update.

 

[fireberd]

From what I remember the OCZ SSD's were some of the first ones and relatively old. The first SSD I had was an OCZ Vertex 2. I would suspect the drive is failing and if you haven't made a full disc image (backup) of the drive you should for when it finally dies. You should be looking for a replacement and/or just replace it now.

 

[martinlest]

Hi. Yes, I do have an image backup and also a backup of up-to-date Outlook.pst files and stuff like that. The drive is quite old now, as you say.

I suppose I just take out the old OCZ, put in a new SSD (probably an Evo 850) and restore my Macrium image to that. I assume all aspects of the EasyBCD boot menu are independent of the O/S, so that should stay the same, with an options screen at system start. Or is it more complex?

I just booted into Win7 and left it whilst I wrote this reply (on a different PC of course). The problem PC had frozen up without me touching it and when I tried to reboot it, I got a BSOD - unfortunately the PC was set up so that it rebooted before I had a chance to see the information, and there's no minidump file created).

I updated the firmware, but that didn't help, so am restoring my image to the drive at the moment. If that makes no difference, then I shall have to fork out for a new drive. Might as well stick with an SSD I guess?

 

[pbcopter]

I have many Samsung 850 SSDs (EVOs and Pros) and am very happy with them. They are mostly 250GB or 256GB sizes.

 

[martinlest]

Yes, I have two in my main PC and they work well.

In the end, I decided to overwrite the existing C partition with my Macrium backup, made only a few weeks ago. As I knew it would, the process erased my Win7 installation, spent 40 minutes reinstalling (the backup and target showed correctly in the programme before I started) and then brought up a window saying 'Handle is Invalid'..

Well that's infuriating on more than one level. OK, I still have the Macrium backup, but it seems useless. Also, who at Macrium chose to inform customers that their partition was deleted, but that backup failed and they've now just got an unpartitioned space where their O/S used to be by giving the 'information' "Handle is Invalid". Meaningless, even after Googling. I made the backup on my local PC to a local drive with the same software with which I am trying to restore it. I have had more image restores fail in this way than succeed over the years (which is why I said I knew it would happen!).

Don't know what to do now. Bin the whole %^$"& PC is my first instinct!!! More usefully, I suppose I need to post something on macrium's forum (assuming they are still alive and kicking as a company). If anyone has any better ideas...

 

[fireberd]

I use Macrium, but I always make full drive images, not just the "C" partition. I have not had a failure (yet) with Macrium and I've used V5, 6 and now 7.

Before Macrium, I used Acronis True Image but it became "bloatware" and it failed me twice doing restores. It didn't get a third chance.

 

[martinlest]

Can't post on Macrium's forums as they say my key doesn't qualify me to participate there. I have tried so many backup/imaging programmes (Norton Ghost, Macrium, Win7's own native programme, TrueImage, Acronis.. a number of others whose names I can't recall as I write this. All have let me down, across various computers, at some stage or another over the past 20 years. Maybe I am just unlucky?

So I suppose it's a new install from the Win7 disc... Great! And this was just to test whether the SSD is OK or whether I need to buy a new one.

Probably best I start a new thread on this Handle is Invalid question.. it's a bit off-topic in this one.

Thanks!

 

[pbcopter]

My guess is the Macrium recovery failed because the SSD has a problem. I have never had an issue with Macrium.

 

[martinlest]

Yes, it could be the SSD on this occasion. Ill probably have to buy a new one and try again.

 

[Megahertz07]

As last option, try the firmware update.

 

[martinlest]

I updated the firmware, but that didn't help,

Did that (see previous post).

 

[Layback Bear]

A little history on OCZ.

OCZ - Wikipedia

Reliability history

OCZ-branded SSDs were notable for high failure rates.

Jack

 

[martinlest]

Yes, the PC had two OCZ SSDs. The first died after about three years - this second one lasted about six I think. I have two Samsung Evo 850s in my main PC, and I think that getting another to replace the failing OCZ for this second one was probably the best option.

 

[martinlest]

Installed a new SSD and tried again. This time Macrium said the image file wasn't valid (or some such thing), even though I had checked it after I made it. So I reinstalled Windows afresh and am rebuilding the programmes etc. I suppose at least I have a clean setup, but I never have put much faith in these image backups, and not for the first time I can see why.