update firmware

[allen1979]

hi everyone. I would like to know if i should update the firmware on my ssd. It is not brand new, maybe 3 yrs old. ocz technology. I have neve done this. So i need to know how to figure out exactyly what i have and if i even need to.

any help would be much appreciated

 

[wanchoo]

I don't see any harm in updating firmware. But please identify the firmware that you would like to update and what exactly are your doubts about doing it.

 

[allen1979]

well, i have heard some people say to update a version at a time- like say 1.2 then 1.3 and so on.So i am not sure if that is true or not. Secondly, i am not sure where to look for the version i have on my computer, or the exact model of the ssd either. Is there a spot that i can look (bring up my display, not open case) to find the exact model of the ssd? which screen? the best i got was ocz-vertex v1.1 ata device. What does the v.1.1 stand for? series one? and it doesn't tell me which firmware i have either. So basically i am asking where to find info and pull it up on my screen and is it ok to update my firmware to the most current update?

sorry if that was long, and i appreciate the help

 

[rvbfan]

You should only update firmware
if you are having problems that
will be fixed or new feature that
you need will be added. Other
wise most times it is not
recomended.

 

[wanchoo]

You might find information about your SSD at OCZ Vertex Series SATA II 2.5" SSD *EOL - OCZ.

As for Firmware that is installed, you will find almost all of them in Program Files. There version is generally located in About in the Help Menu when the Program Window is open. Otherwise you may be able to see it on one of the Tabs if you open the Property Sheet of an .exe file.

But I think I am still unsure about the doubts that you are having.

 

[pparks1]

I'm conservative. I tend to not update firmware unless there is a known issue. I say why risk potential issues if there are just additional features that I might not use.

 

[wanchoo]

I do just the opposite. I always update as soon as an upgrade appears if my pocket permits. If the upgrade causes problems I get rid of it by reverting back to the immediately previous image.

I'm conservative. I tend to not update firmware unless there is a known issue. I say why risk potential issues if there are just additional features that I might not use.

 

[karlsnooks]

hi everyone. I would like to know if i should update the firmware on my ssd. It is not brand new, maybe 3 yrs old. ocz technology. I have neve done this. So i need to know how to figure out exactyly what i have and if i even need to.

any help would be much appreciated

If there is a firmware update, then definitely update.

 

[wanchoo]

Quite right. I fully and wholeheartedly agree. If we were not doing that then we should still be fiddling around with DOS. DOS was an excellent OS and Command Prompt, a gift from DOS, is still used extensively even today.

Always update whenever you can.

hi everyone. I would like to know if i should update the firmware on my ssd. It is not brand new, maybe 3 yrs old. ocz technology. I have neve done this. So i need to know how to figure out exactyly what i have and if i even need to.

any help would be much appreciated

If there is a firmware update, then definitely update.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

So i need to know how to figure out exactyly what i have and if i even need to.

Need to? Probably not.

Firmware updating is not without its risks, just like BIOS flashing. If it goes bad for whatever reason, you may have major problems with the drive.

 

[karlsnooks]

I repeat:
If there is a firmware update, then apply the update.

There is a very good reason why a mfg will release a firmware update, DESPITE the high costs associated with development, documentation, release and distribution of a firmware update.

 

[wanchoo]

And I agree to the fullest extent. In nearly 99.5% of the time no issue is created and upgrading is quite safe. Same as for BIOS. If an updated version of BIOS is available then the BIOS must be flashed. But if the flashing of BIOS misfires then there could be a major problem.

If updating the firmware does cause some problem on a very rare occasion then restore the immediately previous image and you are again back in business.

I repeat:
If there is a firmware update, then apply the update.

There is a very good reason why a mfg will release a firmware update, DESPITE the high costs associated with development, documentation, release and distribution of a firmware update.

 

[stormy13]

I do just the opposite. I always update as soon as an upgrade appears if my pocket permits. If the upgrade causes problems I get rid of it by reverting back to the immediately previous image.

I'm conservative. I tend to not update firmware unless there is a known issue. I say why risk potential issues if there are just additional features that I might not use.

wanchoo you're confusing firmware with drivers. Firmware is in the hardware itself and has nothing to do with Windows what so ever. You cannot just reload an image to recover from a bad firmware update like you can from a bad driver update.

 

[wanchoo]

May be you are right, stormy. But because the OP originally posted this message in the Software Forum I think it is best that he clarifies what he meant by Firmware.

Incidentally Wikipedia say this, "In electronic systems and computing, firmware is the combination of read-only memory and program code and data stored in it. Typical examples of devices containing firmware are embedded systems, computers, computer peripherals, mobile phones, and digital cameras . The firmware contained in these devices provides the control program for the device."

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Wikipedia has it about right.

Firmware refers to code written to a chip on the hardware device in question.

Not to a directory somewhere within C:\

 

[pparks1]

A firmware update, like a BIOS update, is often perfectly safe and fine. However, anybody who has ever "bricked" a device when doing a firmware upgrade is likely to be "once bitten, twice shy". This is why I only perform them when there is a problem experienced by me, that requires this update. For example, my mobo doesn't recognize my CPU. However, a BIOS update for "floppy drive" performance will be skipped as I haven't owned a floppy drive in years.

On some equipment, if you update the firmware and it doesn't work right, you can reapply another firmware version and get back to where you were. On other equipment though, like a bad mobo flash, you might have a machine that doesn't boot up or power on at all. And you won't have the luxury of simply pushing over an older image as the system doesn't run enough to load a new image.

At work, I often update firmware without a concern...as they aren't my boxes. At home, I'll less likely to apply them as it's my own personal equipment.