| Solid State Drives Q&A |
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| Q1: Why can't I transfer 4GB or larger files to storage media? Why do I receive a “destination disk drive is full” message when I know there is still space available on the destination disk? |
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| A: The Windows FAT32 file system supports maximum single file of 4GB only. To resolve this, storage media can be formatted to NTFS. |
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| Q2: Why is my actual capacity of the product less than what is marked on the packaging? How much less capacity is reasonable? |
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| A: Differences in size shown are mainly due to differences in computer operating systems, the calculation method for an SSD capacity, and the Controller IC's operations result in different ways. Generally, SSD manufacturers usually calculate capacity based on the decimal system, and computer systems are actually binary. SSD manufacturer:
1KB = 1000 Bytes, 1MB = 1000KB, 1GB = 1000MB, 1TB = 1000GB
Operating system:
1KB = 1024 Bytes, 1MB = 1024KB, 1GB = 1024MB, 1TB = 1024GB
So for example, a hard disk marked as 500GB capacity is
500GB = 500 x 1,000MB x 1,000KB x 1,000Bytes = 500,000,000,000 Bytes, but in binary the capacity is calculated as 500,000,000,000 Bytes / 1024KB / 1024MB / 1024GB, approximately 465GB.
Fastest method of calculation: the SSD capacity x 0.93 = the approximate actual SSD capacity
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| Q3: Why can’t my computer detect the SDD? |
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| A: There are two general possibilities:
‧Lack of power: Some models of SSD can be attached to the USB power cable connector into the USB slot on the back of the computer. Make sure your computer supplies enough power for the SSD to run. Do not use a USB Hub, extension cord, or other USB devices together, because doing so may cause power undersupply, resulting in the SSD being unable to be read.
‧Volume has not been added: In Windows XP/Vista/7 operating systems, go to Disk Management to confirm that the SSD is installed. |
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| Q4: When I connect the SSD, the system asks me if I want to format it! |
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| A: For the first installation, the system requirement for formatting is normal. But if you receive this message when the SSD is already formatted and contains data, then you should confirm that the SSD is properly installed. If this does not clarify the problem, contact the customer service staff directly for analysis and repair. |
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| Q5: What should I do if the data transfer speed seems abnormally slow? |
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| A: SSDs employ built-in wear leveling technology to guarantee the life span of the drive. Slow data transmission may be due to ongoing internal restructuring from this function. But this situation is uncommon, especially if it is recurring. If that is that case, contact the customer service staff directly for assistance. |
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| Q6: When I restart my computer, my remaining capacity shown on the SSD is greater or less than before. Does this indicate a problem with the SSD? |
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| A: When the operating system boots up, data will be written to various temporary files. These temporary files have various usages and sizes depending on the situation, and thus you will see the remaining capacity shown as slightly larger or smaller. This is a normal situation. |
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| Q7: How long is the expected lifespan of an SSD? How should I use an SSD to ensure the longest life expectancy? (How to properly use the SSD to minimize loss.) |
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| A: Currently the average SSD has a built-in erase function and error correction mechanism to increase the lifespan. But in general, SSD lifespan is determined by the frequency of usage and the working environment. The greater the number of data writes to the drive, and the higher the ambient temperature, the lower the useful lifespan of the SSD. |
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| Q8: How should I back up important data for secure storage? How long can it be stored? |
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| A: Of the current varieties of storage media, including CD-ROM, hard drive, & SSD, none can offer secure permanent storage of data. Therefore, it is recommended that critical data be backed up on several different devices to spread the risk. |
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| Q9: What are the differences between SSD & HDD? |
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| A: Solid State Drives (SSD) are storage devices like hard drives, but with much better performance, especially as regards random access speeds. But because of their higher price, they are often more suitable to be used as the drive from which the operating system is run. The slower speeds of HDDs mean they are likely to be used as data backup media, and for data archives.
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| Q10: Why did the computer find bad sectors on a newly purchased SSD? Does this indicate a defective product? |
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| A: Traditional hard drives detection tools are not suitable for checking SSDs. Because SSDs do not have physical disks, they cannot have bad sectors as with mechanical drives. |
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| Q11: How can the SSD be used in a RAID 0 configuration? If I use two of the same model SSDs in a RAID 0, will the performance be increased? |
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| A: To set up a RAID 0 SSD, configure the RAID 0 settings on a motherboard that supports Raid 0, and connect to the port two identical SSDs. Refer to the detailed settings of the motherboard manual for more information. In theory, a RAID 0 SSD configuration will increase performance to about twice that of a single SSD. |
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| Q12: How do I partition a SSD? |
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| A: In Windows XP, you can partition the SSD through Control Panel / administrative tools / computer management / disk management. Select the installed SSD, and press the right mouse button, and select the option to partition the drive. |
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| Q13: Do newly purchases hard drives need to be formatted? Which format is better? |
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| A: New hard drives need to be formatted in order for the system to read and write data. The NTFS file system is recommended. |
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| Q14: Why is my hard disk squawking, or making a lot of weird noise? |
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| A: If you hear any unusual or loud noise emanating from your SSD, we recommend you contact customer service for help in ascertaining the problem. |
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| Q15: I received an alert when I tested my SSD with HDtune. What should I do? |
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| A: Early SSDs do not support this feature, so it is possible that the alert may be a false alarm. However, if the product shows an alert when tested, it is recommended to contact customer service for further confirmation. |
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| Q16: When I use HDTune on my recently purchased SSD, I get the message: “(05) Reallocated sector count”. Is this normal? |
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| A: Early SSDs do not support this feature, so it is possible that the alert may be a false alarm. However, if the product shows an alert when tested, it is recommended to contact customer service for further confirmation. |
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| Q17: How do SSDs differ from hard drives? |
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| A: An SSD works entirely differently than a typical hard disk drive, though both serve the primary function of storing and accessing data. SSDs do not use a spinning disk to store data. Instead, information is stored on flash memory chips which are proven to be much faster. SSD\'s have extremely low access times, as they don\'t require the storage medium to spin up for data access. Thus, all data on an SSD can be accessed instantaneously without the delays of mechanical "seek" times. SSDs have no moving parts, resulting in many benefits over older HDD technology, including greater durability, less power requirements, less heat production and zero noise. |
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| Q18: SSDs seem to be a lot more complicated than hard drives. If I'm a PC user, can I just "set it and forget it" when using an SSD? |
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| A: Installing an SSD is not any more difficult than installing an HDD! In fact, an SSD is just as easy to configure and maintain as an HDD. With Windows 7, there is nothing you need to do to achieve optimal performance of your SSD. Windows 7 will automatically detect your SSD and enable TRIM and disable Defrag. Windows XP and Vista are not SSD-optimized and will require a small bit of adjusting upon initial installation for optimal performance to be achieved. |
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| Q19: What is the TRIM function? |
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| A: TRIM is a command integrated into Windows 7 that helps the solid state drive controller know which data blocks on an SSD can safely be deleted. This is similar to garbage correction, and enables the SSD to maintain its performance for a longer period. |
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| Q20: What is Wear-Leveling function? |
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| A: Wear leveling is a process that is designed to extend the life of solid state storage devices. SSDs are store data in blocks. Each block can tolerate a finite number of program/erase cycles before becoming unreliable. For example, MLC NAND flash is typically rated at about 3,000 program/erase cycles. Wear leveling arranges data so that write/erase cycles are distributed evenly among all of the blocks in the device. |
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| Q21: Do SSDs Require Defragmentation? |
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| A: SSD’s use wear-leveling, which is a technique for prolonging the service life of some kinds of erasable computer storage media, such as Flash memory used in solid-state drives (SSDs). Defragmenting is not required. |
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| Q22: Why do I need to update the firmware on my drive? (SandForce SSD) |
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| A: ADATA releases bug fixes, performance enhancements, and other important updates via new firmware releases that are directly available for end-users. Updating to the latest supported firmware will help ensure your ADATA SSD is able to operate at peak performance and stability. |
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| Q23: Where can I download the latest SSD firmware? |
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| A: Both the firmware and installation instructions can be downloaded here:
http://www.adata-group.com/index.php?action=product_download&cid=3&piid=171&lan=en |
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| Q24: What should I do if the firmware update results in the firmware not matching the latest version? |
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| A: It is suggested to perform firmware updates on the Intel CPU platform (AHCI mode under BIOS) or send the SSD to our distributor if needed. There is a known issue with firmware updates on the AMD platform. |
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| Q25: What is the difference between SLC and MLC flash memory chips? |
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| A: Most SSDs on the market utilize NAND flash memory which can be sub-divided into two categories, SLC and MLC.
SLC (Single Level Cell) SSDs store only one data bit per NAND flash cell which leads to faster transfer speeds, higher cell endurance and a lower power consumption. The only downside to SLC chips used in SSDs is the manufacturing cost per Megabyte and the total capacity, which is less per NAND cell than MLC. SLCs are intended for the high-end consumer and server market and they have approximately 10 times more endurance compared to MLCs.
MLC (Multi Level Cell) SSDs store two or more bits per NAND flash cell. Storing more bits per cell achieves a higher capacity and lower manufacturing cost per Megabyte. MLC SSDs are designed for the mainstream consumer market and are much faster compared to standard hard disk drives. MLC SSDs are improving with faster and more efficient technologies and are being adopted into the high-end consumer and server markets. |
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| Q26: What is the difference between SATA 3.0 & SATA 2.0 specifications? |
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| A: The Serial ATA-International Organization has launched what is often called “SATA 3”, a 6 gigabit per second (Gbps) standard. The older SATA II specification has a maximum speed of 3Gbps. |
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| Q27: What should I do if my solid state drive (SSD) suddenly becomes unavailable or is not recognized by the operating system? |
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| A: Among other causes, power supply anomalies may result in damaged SSD firmware, which will prevent the drive from operating correctly. This problem can be resolved by updating the firmware. Click the following link to download the firmware for your product. If the firmware update does not solve the problem, contact customer service directly for help. |
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| Submit a question to our technical support team |
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