@kolich
Here is the current screenshot of ATTO test on PM981 NVMe SSD 512GB device on a new MSI portable GS63 Stealth RE-16FR i7_8th generation CPU.
I do observe an unexplained severe READ performance issue with this system device.
Samsung READ Specifications is 3000 MB/s sequential, here it is about 2000 MB/s max and average <1000 MB/s

I don't understand why for WRITE I get about 2000 MB/s , above 1800 MB/s specified...
So, getting 30% only READ performance is strange.
ANVIL test do confirm poor READ performance:

Is it a Firmware issue ?

Hello everyone,

I signed up so I could pass on the info I just found. I just purchased a Samsung SM961 256GB (MZVPW256HEGL-00H1) and while researching updating the firmware I found this thread. I also found a very interesting download at Lenovo support that was posted on August 5, 2018 (six days ago). The readme inside the file fwnv24.zip lists the model as MZVPW256 and the new firmware version is listed as 7L6QCXZ7. My SM961 isn't here yet and I'll be installing it in a PCIe adapter on a Asrock Z77 Extreme 4 motherboard with the Asrock Beta BIOS 2.90P that added NVMe support.

Here's the post at Lenovo. I hope this helps everyone and does update your FW! The description says it will identify the drive and flash it if necessary.

WARNING! Section B states:

B) This utility contains several executable files.
DO NOT RUN THESE PROGRAMS except FWWINSD.EXE.
Running these programs other than FWWINSD.EXE could ruin your Solid State
Drive.


The zip file contains files such as "RaidFWUpdate_V1_1_6.exe" which appears to be for flashing RAID setups.
I'm running Linux and there are Linux "Firmware Modules" in the zip file but it says it must all be ran under Windows 7/10 64 bit.
I'm still researching and I'll check back and report what I find with my system. Good luck.


https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/produ...nloads/ds119265

Lol, @Yankee

I think I seen you sharing at other locations too... Something strongly tells me that this will work on my SM961, yet something else on my other shoulder is whispering don't risk it... Damn it I want to risk it... But I won't...

Is anyone at all braver than I? Lol

I finally received by SM961. It is labeled as SAMSUNG MZVPW256HEGL-000H1
It's a 256GB model and has firmware CXZ73H0Q. The date is 11 2016.

It is installed in a JEYI SK9 Pro X4 PCIe Adapter (the model with the fan & dual voltage).
It's installed on a Asrock Z77 Extreme4 motherboard with Beta BIOS 2.90P and I didn't lose any SATA ports when I plugged it in. I understand boards with M2 slots disable some SATA ports when you use the M2 slots. I don't think I lost any video card speed either, still analyzing the hardware setup and I did have some hardware moved around a little. I run Linux and my network moved and I think a couple of drives moved.

It had under 2 hours use and after nearly wearing it out trying to clone a drive to it, I just did a fresh install and it's running great.
I used Crystal Disk Mark in Windows to get a benchmark on it because that's what everyone likes to use, so here it that result.
I'm just now starting to look at software that might update it. I'll report back what I find.


Read : 3328.925 MB/s
Write : 1517.712 MB/s

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
CrystalDiskMark 6.0.1 x64 (C) 2007-2018 hiyohiyo
Crystal Dew World : https://crystalmark.info/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
* MB/s = 1,000,000 bytes/s [SATA/600 = 600,000,000 bytes/s]
* KB = 1000 bytes, KiB = 1024 bytes

Sequential Read (Q= 32,T= 1) : 3328.925 MB/s
Sequential Write (Q= 32,T= 1) : 1517.712 MB/s
Random Read 4KiB (Q= 8,T= 8) : 899.340 MB/s [ 219565.4 IOPS]
Random Write 4KiB (Q= 8,T= 8) : 1060.259 MB/s [ 258852.3 IOPS]
Random Read 4KiB (Q= 32,T= 1) : 330.076 MB/s [ 80585.0 IOPS]
Random Write 4KiB (Q= 32,T= 1) : 246.136 MB/s [ 60091.8 IOPS]
Random Read 4KiB (Q= 1,T= 1) : 56.827 MB/s [ 13873.8 IOPS]
Random Write 4KiB (Q= 1,T= 1) : 166.878 MB/s [ 40741.7 IOPS]

Test : 1024 MiB [M: 0.0% (0.1/238.5 GiB)] (x5) [Interval=5 sec]
Date : 2018/08/20 17:59:18
OS : Windows 7 Professional SP1 [6.1 Build 7601] (x64)

Does anyone have the CXA7500Q firmware for the SM961 SSD?

There used to be one here? https://uploadfiles.io/vfvdb

My current firmware is CXA7300Q. There are problems and even vendors are suggesting getting the latest firmware. Question is how?

Zitat von bronxamigo im Beitrag #95

---

Does anyone have the CXA7500Q firmware for the SM961 SSD?

There used to be one here? https://uploadfiles.io/vfvdb

My current firmware is CXA7300Q. There are problems and even vendors are suggesting getting the latest firmware. Question is how?

---

Thank you but currently I have no idea how to dump the firmware, like everyone else!

New firmware was just released on Sept 24th, 2018 for the SM961, and a few others. This update looks to be covering many different SSD models.

https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/bg/de/produ...nloads/ds119265

EDIT: This firmware release actually updates the SM961 to firmware 7L6QCXZ7 (which was reported last month by Yankee), so long it is installed in one of the machines listed. So, if we could find one of these machines on the cheap we could provide a updating service for the SM961, lol ;)

Edit the "Machines Listed" file

I bought two SM961s in the past week (128 and 256GB) that presumably came from HP computers, and I'd like to ask if anyone knows what the latest firmware might be.
I got pretty much zero useful google results.
The models are MZVPW128HEGM-000H1 and MZVPW256HEGL-000H1, both having the same CXZ74H0Q firmware.

These are old models and seeing as they have like 10 hours on the record, the firmware might very well be the most recent, but I have no way of telling.

I received my PM961 today with ancient firmware (dating back to Jan 2017), so I flashed a more recent firmware onto it. A few findings (my own interpretation, only valid for PM961):

The drive I received is a MZVLW128HEGR-000L2 128GB, with stock firmware 4L1QCXB7. Looks like to be OEM'd by Lenovo. Seems like some vendors use different firmware for 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB. E.g. CXB7 indicates 128GB / 256GB FW, CXY7 indicates 512GB / 1TB.

I'm focusing on CXB7, as I own the 128GB model.

I was able to find following Lenovo 128GB PM961 firmwares:
- 1L1QCXB7
- 4L1QCXB7
- 5L1QCXB7 (latest released, build date around 16th Nov 2018, found in fwsddt03.exe)

HP:
- CXB70H1Q
- CXB73H1Q (latest released, build date around 18th May 2018, found in sp87543.exe)

Samsung Reference Firmware (couldn't find any publicly available firmware):
- CXB7001Q
- CXB7201Q
- CXB7401Q (latest release for 128GB, build date should be around Jan 2018)

Dell:
CXB72D1Q
CXB73D1Q

Cisco:
CXB70K1Q

In order to flash with "Samsung SSD DC Toolkit for Windows", you need to install Samsung NVMe drivers (e.g. by choosing .inf manually). Then, you should be able to update the firmware with following command:

"Samsung_SSD_DC_Toolkit_for_Windows.exe -d 0:c -ND -p yourfirmware.bin -a 1 -s 1 --force"
Whereas "-d 0:c" points to your NVMe device (this is fine, if you only have a single M.2 drive / slot), "-ND" stands for "NVMe download firmware", "-p yourfirmware.bin" path to your firmware, "-a 1" stands for action 1 (0: just flash firmware, don't commit, 1: commit after reset), "-s 1" stands for "firmware slot 1". Some devices might support holding more than 1 firmware - my device doesn't, so "-a 1 -s 1" is the only sane option for me. In case you have a device with more than 1 firmware slot (probably enterprise), you can switch between firmwares with the "-NC" command.

"Samsung_SSD_DC_Toolkit_for_Windows.exe --help" will list all available commands and further help you.

TL;DR: I have crossflashed my Lenovo OEM 4L1QCXB7 128GB PM961 to HP's CXB73H1Q firmware without issues. Flashing also deleted S.M.A.R.T. data (not a big deal on a new device, but fatal on years+ old device). Afaik, updating to newer firmware mainly addresses issues with Linux, where this device can suddenly disappear during energy saving and cause freezes / crashes. If you want the absolute latest, grab the 5L1QCXB7 instead.

Btw.: when trying to flash incompatible firmware, the Toolkit will report: "successful firmware download, but the storage controller itself refused to flash". So, breaking your device will need some work.

Good luck!

Update: I've added Dell and Cisco OEM firmware versions. However, I had no luck finding any publicly available binaries. Just references.

Other than that, I've noticed the HP firmware has some sort of signature verification. I can't flash back the Lenovo firmware (5L1QCXB7) - eventhough it's made for this device. Looking up the firmware update process on https://nvmexpress.org, it says on page 231:

Zitat

---

After the firmware is downloaded to the controller, the next step is for the host to submit a Firmware Commit command. The Firmware Commit command verifies that the last firmware image downloaded is valid and commits that image to the firmware slot indicated for future use. A firmware image that does not start at offset zero, contains gaps, or contains overlapping regions is considered invalid. A controller may employ additional vendor specific means (e.g., checksum, CRC, cryptographic hash or a digital signature) to determine the validity of a firmware image

---

4L1QCXB7 didn't had this verification process. So, I don't think 5L1QCXB7 has it aswell. Might be safer to update to 5L1QCXB7 instead of the HP firmware, which is also more recent. Though, other than that, I have no issues so far (Linux and Windows).

Hey guys!

I just bought a PM981 NVMe 1TB Samsung SSD (MZVLB1T0HALR-00000 || 100%/100%) and my Windows 10 occasionally freezes. The way it freezes is also strange. The sound acts strange and then the screen freezes, but I can use my mouse, I can move it and it responds, but it does not respond to anything else! Not even my keyboard.

I tried everything, checked my memory, CMOS clean (I have an ASRock Z370 PRO4 with updated BIOS), checked the SSD's integrity and everything was fine. I think I need a firmware update, could you help me find one?

Oh, and before this, I had a PM951 512GB SSD and everything was fine! I also set the "turn off hard disk" to never in the advanced power saving options!

@Fernando
Thank you! :)

I couldn't check the SSD with Samsung's Magician tool, because there is no option for that there, at least for me :(


But here is 2 other software I used to check my SSD's health
(CrystalDiskInfo)


(Hard Disk Sentinel)


It's all 100%, so yeah... :'(
Any other ideas would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance :)

------------UPDATE------------
I found 2 firmware!

the EXA74D1Q (which I think is the most recent)
and the EXA7301Q

LINKS FOR THEM: PM981 firmwares


If I try to install any of it, it says this:


What can you guys make out of this?