http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/ Engadget Comments for Indilinx firmware cleans dirty SSDs, restores performance while idle http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 2:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/ clean -> data written", it's "clean when nothing is going on -> write -> data written". since nothing is going on during the idle time, to the end user it looks like the drive is pretty fast most of the time.]]>Aug 10th 2009 2:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/i imagine even plain ol sd cards would do as well. like say i have like 10 10gb sd cards laying around, why isnt there some sort of card to handle this?

dont tell me it cant be done because i have a psp with a 8gb and a 2 gb plugged into a duo adapter (like both cards fit into one memory stick duo) and it gives me te combined storage space.

make me think the whole state of ssd is cash in on the hype.]]>Aug 10th 2009 4:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Here you are, though it's only in a 3.5" flavor:
http://www.geekstuff4u.com/accessories/storage/3-5-diy-ssd.html

Of course, true SSDs aren't merely just hype. Even the fastest SD cards peak around 30MB/s (more than enough for digicams, but paltry compared to even traditional 2.5" laptop HDDs) and are only really put through sequential writing commands -- and factors like access time aren't very critical. Proper SSDs that use Intel, Samsung, or Indilinx controllers will simply wipe the floor with just about any other non-volatile storage solution. Booting a modern OS off of a collection of SD cards simply is not an attractive idea -- unless all you want is a LiveCD in your favorite flavor of linux.]]>Aug 10th 2009 4:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
SSDs are essentially soldered flash cards. Each card might peak at 30 MB/s or so, but they are RAIDed together as one drive, thus greately improving their read/write performance. You can even purchase cards like this with chassis for CF or Micro SD cards.]]>Aug 10th 2009 10:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
SLC SSDs are absurd, they are not just "raided SD cards", they are fast, blindingly so, there is NO platter based drive that can keep up with the fastest SLC SSDs, and there are no MLC SSDs that have as high a MTBF.


You'll kill an SD card in a very short time (months) using it as a primary boot drive, assuming you don't shoot it first from slowness. Platter based drives are 3-5 times faster. Seagate Barricuda 7200.12 drives pump at 150Mb/s. ]]>Sep 1st 2009 9:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 2:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 10:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 10:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
With adblock plus turned on there's nothing to interfere and its almost instant.]]>Aug 10th 2009 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 1:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
I wonder how many OEMs will license and implement.

Thanks for the heads up.

Cheers]]>Aug 10th 2009 2:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
OCZ drives with the Indilinx controller like the Vertex are excellent drives, but they have been somewhat hindered by the fact you had to run a manual TRIM application to wipe the "dirty" blocks. Obviously this has changed now, but the newer Samsung-controller drives have been doing this type of idle cleanup already.

Also, NONE of these pseudo-TRIM replacements will matter when Windows 7 ships (assuming you are going to upgrade), since it will natively support the TRIM function and drives will not build up "dirty" blocks. And I assume with the other SSD and multi-core enhancments, most people with a fast SSD will be upgrading to 7. (or OSX Snow Leopard for the Mac people)]]>Aug 10th 2009 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 12:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 2:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=760&type=expert&pid=1
]]>Aug 10th 2009 6:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=750
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=733
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=691]]>Aug 10th 2009 10:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 3:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 10:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 3:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 7:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 8:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
"Then ull reAlize how ignorant u were"

pot --> kettle.]]>Aug 10th 2009 8:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
Depends on your perspective. If you just need mass storage (e.g. home media server) it's like we went back a few years. But, yes, I agree they are the future even if right now they are small and absurdly priced.]]>Aug 10th 2009 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
"absurdly priced" is very relative. Just a few years ago, people were paying $1200 for a SLOW 64GB drive from Samsung (~$18/GB) Now you can get one of the fastest drives on the market (OCZ Vertex) with 4x the storage for one-half the price (~$2.5/GB)

OCZ Vertex 256GB
MSRP $600

Likewise, The 128GB version is MSRP $290, and the new 34nm Intel X25M 160GB is $450]]>Aug 10th 2009 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 12:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
I understand, but its pointless to talk about SSDs from a mass-storage perspective since that is not their intended usage. They are clearly meant as fast boot drives for PCs and replacements for laptop harddrives.]]>Aug 11th 2009 3:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 8:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 8:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/Aug 10th 2009 4:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531&p=10]]>Aug 10th 2009 5:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
Next year features like this one (probably refined a bit) and TRIM should be standard on all drives and operating systems, removing the last remaining gotchas that early adopters have faced. Then we'll just be left with, yeah the drive costs a bit more and you get a much smaller capacity, but it's hugely faster - an easy decision for most people who either don't need a massive media-storage disk, or will use a second HD for that anyhow - and with none of the fears of slightly weird behaviour, odd tools you have to run periodically, etc.]]>Aug 10th 2009 6:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
You are a moron, and don't have a clue to what you are talking about. First of all, this posting has nothing to do with "degradation"; it is concerning data blocks that have been written to that are no longer in use by the operating system (i.e. a file has been deleted). As far as this "dirty blocks" issue goes, it is already permanently solved in Windows 7 with it's native TRIM support that wipes the data blocks when a file is deleted.

Regarding degradation of NAND flash, there are all kinds of misconceptions.

- The mean-time-between-failure of a modern MLC SSD is an order of magnitude higher than a consumer harddrive.

- a brand new MLC SSD can replace it's entire data contents each day for years with no problems. With average use, where only a small fraction of the drive is written to each day, they will easily last longer than the machine it is in (>10 yrs)

- Compared to (frequent) catastrophic harddrive failures with all data lost (or a $1000 recovery effort), when a NAND SSD is fully "degraded", it essentially turns into a read-only disk with little or no data loss occurring.]]>Aug 11th 2009 3:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/06/photofast-gmonster-ssd-gets-wrestled-open-found-to-contain-comp/]]>Aug 11th 2009 7:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/indilinx-firmware-cleans-dirty-ssds-restores-performance-while/http://maseven.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/neue-firmware-1571-mushkin-ssd/]]>Aug 28th 2009 11:36AM