Damaged SSD's?

[coolcheat]

Hello,
a few months ago i purchased a new intel X25-M 80gb SSD.
about a few weeks after i purchased the product, i began having errors and S.M.A.R.T. warnings, specifically an end-to-end error.

I took the drive and replaced it, though after a month of use with the new, replaced drive i am, again having issues with it (S.M.A.R.T., and windows 7 wouldn't boot up rom the SSD).

I'm starting to think that twice in a row is a little too much for chance, could my system (hardware, software) somehow be damaging my drive(s)? maybe a malfunctioning PSU?

I am using windows 7 pro, with an ASUS P5N-D motherboard (nForce 750i chipset, no AHCI suppurt) and an intel Q9550S CPU.

[bigBonehead]

What PSU?

[coolcheat]

Am using a Seasonic PSU, 650 (model is SS-650HT).

The only reason that i'm mentioning it is because i noticed it behaving strangely.

Whenever i turn off the power switch (behind the computer case, on the PSU itself) i noticed that the motherboard's power LED turns off, and then flickers to life for a brief second every 10 or so seconds...

I'm not sure if that's a sign for anything, but ever since i noticed it, and whenever i needed to do any modifications in the computer, i'd just take out the power cord...

[Taxmancometh]

Looks like your gonna need a new PSU! In order to really find out for sure you would need something like this. Amazon.com: Hantek DSO 2090 PC Based USB Digital Storage Oscilloscope 100MS/s: Industrial & Scientific

[coolcheat]

Ok, but the computer is still working, and the price of that device is like the price of the PSU.

So, it is possible that the PSU could be damaging the SSD's in some fashion?

[stroyal]

I have my doubts that it is the power supply, but I can't completely rule it out.
If it was messed up enough to damage a SSD, why wouldn't it cause other problems?

If all your voltages are steady, and in the right place, there is not a lot more to it.
You need to check them under load, with a multi-meter.
If a component draws more amps than it should, that could drive the voltage down.

I wouldn't think low voltage would damage a drive, it might make it not work, while the voltage is low.

The failure rate, could be still a factor, although they are getting pretty reliable.
SSDs vs. Disks: Which Are More Reliable? « Data Center Knowledge.

Google SSD failure rates, I can't read them all.


The light on the motherboard, I believe, is only 12v standby power, the12v+ 0.5 amp line.
Also there is a 5v+ standby power @ 3amps, or there about.

[coolcheat]

Well, as far as the PSU goes, the best i can do is use software to figure out the voltages, under heavy load, the voltages are:

Voltage 0 1.33 Volts [0x53] (CPU VCORE)
Voltage 1 3.34 Volts [0xD1] (VIN1)
Voltage 3 5.16 Volts [0xC0] (+5V)
Voltage 4 12.29 Volts [0xC0] (+12V)
Voltage 6 -4.48 Volts [0x46] (-5V)
Voltage 7 5.05 Volts [0xBC] (+5V VCCH)
Voltage 8 3.34 Volts [0xD1] (VBAT)

I'm not sure if that stands for anything...

As for the SSD failure rates, i did read around for it a bit, but keep in mind that the first SSD i had lasted for a little over a week and the second one i received lasted about a month, i'm pretty sure that's not normal for an SSD...

Also, everything else seems to work just fine, i've got a Geforce 450 GTS and three other drives that have been stable for years.

Could i just be cursed? or could it be something else like incompatible hardware instead of malfunctioning hardware?

[stroyal]

All your voltages look in specs, but if it is from the motherboard, they are most likely off by some.
The -5v looks a little low, BUT it wouldn't surprise me if your power supply doesn't have -5 volt, most new ones don't. The motherboard monitor, always seem to have reading though.

You should check with a multi-meter, with the system loaded.

If you read the Google hard drive, test, for thousands of mechanical drives, in their system, there is an initial failure rate.

If drives make it through the first month or so, without a failure, the next spike in failures is a few years in the future.

I don't know exactly about SSDs, but mechanical hard drives have a higher failure rate, in the first, few weeks, than than do for the next 2 years. Then it starts, to go up again.


Google’s Disk Failure Experience


I just don't see how the power supply, can run a high performance video card, and be bad.
Nor can I think of how it can damage the drive.
Especially one of high quality, that has circuit protection built in. (although the protection is not absolute, it usually protects the components, from a power supply failure).

From what I have read Intel will sacrifice speed for reliability, where a company like OCZ may go for speed. (not that OCZ is unreliable)

The controller is said to be the weak point, of a SSD, and they tend to use the highest quality chips, as opposed to pen drives, that can use lesser quality RAM.

If you don't get another answer, bump you thread, once a day, as there are a couple of members, that are very knowledgeable, on power supplies.

[stroyal]

The tolerances for voltage are 5% for positive, and 10% for negative.
Voltage is about all you can check.
Amps are controlled by demand, not the power supply. The power supply will give the computer what ever amps it calls for.
That's why a power supply that is too small, will just burn up, or at least fail quietly.