How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware?

#1 | How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:59 am

Hi,

You may all know Samsung had released buggy firmware version 3B6QCXP7 for it NVMe drives, and has not been fixed the problem yet. As everybody, including Samsung official says it is not possible to revert firmware to old one, I wonder if is there a way?
As they all say its impossible, I know at this forum we love "impossibilities" :)

Asus Z97-PRO(Wi-Fi ac)/USB 3.1, Samsung 960 Pro 512Gb + 2x2 TB Seagate as RAID1 + 256Gb Samsung 850 Pro for acceleration, Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1275 v3, 4x4Gb 1866Mhz CAS9, Windows 10 Pro Workstation x64

reply

#2 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:19 am

@saglamtimur
I know the problem and don't succeed to revert to the previous firmware version (via ISO file method the previous firmware version is ignored).
Does the temporary workaround is to use MS native driver instead of Samsung driver ?
Another question also is we ignore if using the new firmware the SSD does destroy progressivily (but definitiveley) ?

ASUS Sabertooth X99/USB 3.1, W10 x64 21H2 NVMe i750, BIOS v4101, CPU Intel i7 5930K, 32GB DDR4, Asus GTX 1660TI 6GB DDR6
ASUS PRIME Z390M-Plus W11 x64 21H2 22000.194 NVMe 970 , BIOS v3004, 16GB DDR4, CPUs: Intel i3-8100 (4 cores) +UHD 630, i5-9400F (6 cores) +GTX 980.

reply

#3 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:46 pm (Last edited: Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:47 pm)

@saglamtimur:
Your bad experience verifies, that each flashing of a BIOS or Firmware is a risky procedure and should only be done, if there is a need for it or the expected benefits of an update are worth the risks.
Due to the fact, that it is impossible to reflash the previously used SSD Firmware, it is always a good idea to wait some days with the update after the SSD manufacturer has released a new Firmware. This way the user may be able to avoid the flash of a badly compiled and not enough tested Firmware.
I know, that this advice doesn't help you personally, but it may help users, who always want to get instantly the just released new BIOS/Firmware version, although their system is currently running fine.

@100PIER:
The Firmware of an SSD has not much to do with the in-use Storage Controller driver.
So I doubt, that it is possible to "repair" an SSD Firmware problem by changing the related SATA/NVMe Controller driver.

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

reply

#4 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 1:22 pm

@Fernando,
I agree with you that driver controller can't fix a firmware bug, but on the net some 960 users do observe less agressive problems when running MS NVMe driver instead of Samsung driver.

The major worry is to know if using the SSD with the buggy firmware will 'biodegrade' definitively the SSD or not ?
Is it more reasonable to stop using it waiting a fix from Samsung ?

Currently Samsung is totally absent on this major critical situation...

ASUS Sabertooth X99/USB 3.1, W10 x64 21H2 NVMe i750, BIOS v4101, CPU Intel i7 5930K, 32GB DDR4, Asus GTX 1660TI 6GB DDR6
ASUS PRIME Z390M-Plus W11 x64 21H2 22000.194 NVMe 970 , BIOS v3004, 16GB DDR4, CPUs: Intel i3-8100 (4 cores) +UHD 630, i5-9400F (6 cores) +GTX 980.

reply

#5 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:17 pm

@Fernando ,

I totally agree with you. I usually wait not days but weeks to update firmwares. But, mine is brand new and when Magician informed there is a new firmware, I did not check and have immediately updated with excitement :)

Asus Z97-PRO(Wi-Fi ac)/USB 3.1, Samsung 960 Pro 512Gb + 2x2 TB Seagate as RAID1 + 256Gb Samsung 850 Pro for acceleration, Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1275 v3, 4x4Gb 1866Mhz CAS9, Windows 10 Pro Workstation x64

reply

#6 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:39 pm

@saglamtimur,
some users buyed recently 960 PRO devices delivered with the buggy firmware "fresh from factory" !!

ASUS Sabertooth X99/USB 3.1, W10 x64 21H2 NVMe i750, BIOS v4101, CPU Intel i7 5930K, 32GB DDR4, Asus GTX 1660TI 6GB DDR6
ASUS PRIME Z390M-Plus W11 x64 21H2 22000.194 NVMe 970 , BIOS v3004, 16GB DDR4, CPUs: Intel i3-8100 (4 cores) +UHD 630, i5-9400F (6 cores) +GTX 980.

reply

#7 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:52 pm (Last edited: Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:55 pm)

@100PIER
Even I have weird firmware on 850 evo with FW EMT21xxx whreas Samusng site lists only EMT02xxx as latest.

reply

#8 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:27 am

@Vasudez
You do a confusion beetween 2 different variants of 850 EVO SATA 6G SSD format devices:
1st variant: Format 2,5 " ==> Firmware: EMT02B6Q (or EMT03B6Q)
2nd variant: Format M.2 ==> Firmware: EMT21B6Q
Yes, Samsung site does offer EMT02B6Q only for 850 EVO 2,5 " format and no firmware update for 850 EVO M.2 format.
All 850 EVO M.2 format on the planet where manufactured with EMT21B6Q firmware and never new firmware was released for these M.2 devices.

Nota: I have bought recently a 850 EVO SATA6G 500GB 2,5" format device and the manufactured Firmware version is EMT03B6Q.

ASUS Sabertooth X99/USB 3.1, W10 x64 21H2 NVMe i750, BIOS v4101, CPU Intel i7 5930K, 32GB DDR4, Asus GTX 1660TI 6GB DDR6
ASUS PRIME Z390M-Plus W11 x64 21H2 22000.194 NVMe 970 , BIOS v3004, 16GB DDR4, CPUs: Intel i3-8100 (4 cores) +UHD 630, i5-9400F (6 cores) +GTX 980.

reply

#9 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:21 am (Last edited: Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:28 am)

Official Samsung update:

***12/11/2017 Update***

Samsung has been verifying the cause of this issue under the various user conditions we received, and we are doing our best to release the fixed firmware by January 2018.

Official Statement

Asus Z97-PRO(Wi-Fi ac)/USB 3.1, Samsung 960 Pro 512Gb + 2x2 TB Seagate as RAID1 + 256Gb Samsung 850 Pro for acceleration, Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1275 v3, 4x4Gb 1866Mhz CAS9, Windows 10 Pro Workstation x64

reply

#10 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:28 pm

Zitat von 100PIER im Beitrag #8
@Vasudez
You do a confusion beetween 2 different variants of 850 EVO SATA 6G SSD format devices:
1st variant: Format 2,5 " ==> Firmware: EMT02B6Q (or EMT03B6Q)
2nd variant: Format M.2 ==> Firmware: EMT21B6Q
Yes, Samsung site does offer EMT02B6Q only for 850 EVO 2,5 " format and no firmware update for 850 EVO M.2 format.
All 850 EVO M.2 format on the planet where manufactured with EMT21B6Q firmware and never new firmware was released for these M.2 devices.

Nota: I have bought recently a 850 EVO SATA6G 500GB 2,5" format device and the manufactured Firmware version is EMT03B6Q.

You've got my name wrong, that's why I didn't get any notifications.
Thank you for your response.
Well that explains it. Spec sheet from Samsung shows similar hardware used.
Any idea how to distinguish 64 layer V NAND vs 32 layer V NAND. I'm in the process of buying some SSDs in bulk this holiday season.
I'm thinking of Crucial MX300 or Samsung 850 EVO.

reply

#11 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:27 pm (Last edited: Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:27 pm)

@Vasudev
Thanks for your reply. SSD SATA6G solutions such as Samsung 850 EVO , Crucial MX500 are competitive products (5 years warranty).
have a look on thessdreviews : here

ASUS Sabertooth X99/USB 3.1, W10 x64 21H2 NVMe i750, BIOS v4101, CPU Intel i7 5930K, 32GB DDR4, Asus GTX 1660TI 6GB DDR6
ASUS PRIME Z390M-Plus W11 x64 21H2 22000.194 NVMe 970 , BIOS v3004, 16GB DDR4, CPUs: Intel i3-8100 (4 cores) +UHD 630, i5-9400F (6 cores) +GTX 980.

reply

#12 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:59 pm

Zitat von 100PIER im Beitrag #11
@Vasudev
Thanks for your reply. SSD SATA6G solutions such as Samsung 850 EVO , Crucial MX500 are competitive products (5 years warranty).
have a look on thessdreviews : here

MX500 isn't available in 500GB/1TB in India, so I'm leaning towards Crucial to speed up Haswell and Broadwell laptops.
Well, any idea how to distinguish between 850 EVO 1 and EVO 2 in amazon or similar sites?

reply

#13 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:47 pm

@Vasudev
64 layers vs 32 layers for a Samsung 850 EVO should be identified with different Serial number (it is my assumption).
I have observed for two 850 EVO 500GB units manufactured on 2017/08/15 the structure of S/N: S3R...
and for a 850 EVO 1TB manufactured on 2017/04/11 the structure of S/N: S2R...

ASUS Sabertooth X99/USB 3.1, W10 x64 21H2 NVMe i750, BIOS v4101, CPU Intel i7 5930K, 32GB DDR4, Asus GTX 1660TI 6GB DDR6
ASUS PRIME Z390M-Plus W11 x64 21H2 22000.194 NVMe 970 , BIOS v3004, 16GB DDR4, CPUs: Intel i3-8100 (4 cores) +UHD 630, i5-9400F (6 cores) +GTX 980.

reply

#14 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Mon Dec 25, 2017 8:11 am (Last edited: Mon Dec 25, 2017 8:16 am)

There lies the issue, we can't check Serial No through Amazon.
I'm thinking of buying crucial SSD since the FW is same for all 2.5" and M.2 form factors. Best feature is Momentum Cache is supported on Non Crucial Disks as well, so a win-win situation. Samsung's RAPID Mode only works on Consumer SSDs and not on OEM drives.

reply

#15 | RE: How to revert to old Samsung NVMe firmware? datum

Sat Jan 20, 2018 12:05 am

19/01/2018 Update from Samsung

Asus Z97-PRO(Wi-Fi ac)/USB 3.1, Samsung 960 Pro 512Gb + 2x2 TB Seagate as RAID1 + 256Gb Samsung 850 Pro for acceleration, Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1275 v3, 4x4Gb 1866Mhz CAS9, Windows 10 Pro Workstation x64

reply

Please enter a reason for warning.