SSD 850 Pro Boot Problem

[jarez10]

Hi,

I have been using my 850 Pro SSD, it has been absolutely fine until I was notified from Samsung magician this morning that an update was available for the drive, so I carried out the update and then it said update failed, I didn't think much of it until I restarted my computer.

Major problem, it failed to recognize the drive at all its label was just random letters!
I am an experienced computer user however I don't like to mess around with Bios settings, so I didn't. Instead I took to computer repair shop and then he told me that it was completely corrupted, he said it was beyond repair.

Does anyone know of anything else I can do/try which may recover the data or restore the drive back to its normal operation? Even though this may be unlikely I would greatly value any opinions and advice anyone could offer.

I am very desperate to recover the data and save all the hassle of dealing with retailers, Samsung and the sleepless nights reinstalling all my programs.

Thank you

 

[Palorim12]

For drives that had the FW update fail and then upon rebooting the drive shows up as gibberish. I seem to have figured a fix.

Just gonna let you know, it does require a second 850 Pro, of the exact same capacity that has not had the FW updated. Also, you need the ISO of the new FW, which is no longer available on Samsung's site.

1. Create Bootable CD out of the ISO

2. Have just the old FW working 850 Pro connected and boot to the ISO

3. When you get to the point where it asks if you are sure you want to do the FW update, do not press anything

4. Swap the good 850 Pro with the bad one

5. Continue with FW update

6. After it completes updating, it may say read error mismatch

7. exit FW update

8. reboot computer to previously broken drive

9. everything is as it was before FW update error

10. drive has new FW on it

11. ???

12. Profit!

Tried it on all my 850's Pros that stopped working after the FW update failed through Magician. All are up and running again.

 

[RealBeast]

Read this thread that Doograham wrote up today on his fix to see if it applies to your situation:

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2551781/samsung-850-pro-ssd-corrupted-firmware-fix-read.html

 

[jarez10]

Hi Palorim,

You have given me hope.

Small problem though, I don't have another SSD of an exact same capacity, and if the ISO with the new update is not available anymore how can I obtain it?

Would you recommend that I just wait for Samsung to release something official to fix this?
Bearing in mind I don't like the fact that this solution is "unofficial" and therefore risky, although you have said that in all cases it has worked for you.

Thank you.

 

[Palorim12]

Hi Palorim,

You have given me hope.

Small problem though, I don't have another SSD of an exact same capacity, and if the ISO with the new update is not available anymore how can I obtain it?

Would you recommend that I just wait for Samsung to release something official to fix this?
Bearing in mind I don't like the fact that this solution is "unofficial" and therefore risky, although you have said that in all cases it has worked for you.

Thank you.

re-uploaded the ISO image to dropbox. Had an issue with the first link i made: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qfobypndq4wxsex/Samsung_SSD_850_PRO_EXM02B6Q_Win_Mac.iso?dl=0

 

[jarez10]

Thank you Palorim12,

I have informed Samsung of your procedure,

Unfortunately I dont have a spare SSD lying around therefore I will be unable to perform this. Im just waiting for Samsung to release a Fix.
It cant be that hard, all they need to do is release an ISO which will perform an update on any 850 pro as long as it is in the machine. Essentially removing the SSD verification procedure as it is clear the update can be performed on a drive which it cannot explicitly see.

Im so desperate for this to get fixed.

 

[jarez10]

*********************************************Solution************************************************
Ok so Problem solved thanks to this fantastic man!

Solution: http://www.hardwareluxx.de/community/f227/samsung-850-pro-nach-fehlgeschlagenem-firmware-update-reparieren-1062799.html

ISO found here: http://www11.zippyshare.com/v/4xeycSKg/file.html

Note NO other SSD is required for this to work. Just the broken SSD and a CD or bootable USB stick is required with the ISO mounted.

1. Burn the ISO onto a CD or bootable USB
2. Put your broken SSD in the computer, ensure that the computer system is able to "see" the broken SSD, like"3h3kdhk" you know.
3. Set the CD drive as the first boot option and boot into the firmware update utility, (do not mess with any other BIOS settings unless you know what you are doing)
4. It will scan the computer for the SSD, it will appear as random letters and numbers as expected but still proceed. (For safety make sure only the SSD is inside the system and no other hard drives)
5. Press 'y' for all prompts and the firmware installation should take about a minute.
6. It will say that it has failed and will throw a mismatch error however ignore that. The firmware has been successfully installed.
7. Reboot the system and boot into the SSD, you should notice that it appears correctly, as what it is for example "Samsung 850 Pro 256GB"
8. Windows logo will appear and in windows 8 it performs a compulsory scan, let it run.
9. If it fails like mine did, restart the computer and try booting into the system again, this should only happen once.
10. Everything turned out to be fine and the procedure was a complete success & I didnt have splash out on another drive or deal with RMA's etc.

Thank you to the guy who performed this tamper and removed the SSD verification feature, all credit goes to him.

 

[youcanDUit]

if you can't see the ssd at all does it mean it's dead? i tried the swap method and it said "broken firmware!!!!" if the method jarez put up with the 10 steps doesn't work is it dead?

 

[jarez10]

if you can't see the ssd at all does it mean it's dead? i tried the swap method and it said "broken firmware!!!!" if the method jarez put up with the 10 steps doesn't work is it dead?

If the SSD is not visible or recognized by the computer then I am afraid this method is unlikely to work. Try burning the fixed ISO onto a CD and trying the above methods in the steps just to be sure. If in the update facility no drive shows up then I dont think you will be able to fix the drive by yourself.

If this is the case contact Samsung Hanaro, explain your problem and push for a data recovery RMA.

 

[gabrjel]

Hi All

1. the only fix which will work in all cases is boot with working SSD, HotSwap, flash
2. fix from german forum works only on particular chipsets (I belive Intel Z9x series, maybe some others)
3. if you copied your data thru USB-SATA - you will see that 15-20% of data is corrupted/empty (good that I have habit of making backups - even of SSD)

I finally got my RMA back after fighting with DHL idi**s...
And now writing from totaly new SSD directly from Samsung - with OLD FIRMWARE.

Going back to point 1 and 2
1. tried on my friend SSD (he has 2x 512 850pro) - we managed to get back one broken up, but unforntunatelly data on it is corrupted... maybe bcs we tried other methods already....
2. tried with ISO and firmware flash - and we broke firmware on other HDD connected to SATA (but we recovered it....)

So easiest way GET RMA from Hanaro/Samsung - it is taking roughy 1 week, due to DHL it took 2 weeks.... they directly repleacing SSD's.
So Samsung knows that he f u and least he is not denying responsability.... even FW on webpage is gone... 🙂

And for future: MAKE A F....G BACKUP (It is good that I'm IT)

 

[youcanDUit]

this is what i have so far. i'm on the z77 platform. using 128gb ssds. i think this ssd is spent.

http://i.imgur.com/4foxP9t.jpg

 

[eneam]

I can confirm that the fix worked for me. THANKS!

*********************************************Solution************************************************
Ok so Problem solved thanks to this fantastic man!

Solution: http://www.hardwareluxx.de/community/f227/samsung-850-pro-nach-fehlgeschlagenem-firmware-update-reparieren-1062799.html

ISO found here: http://www11.zippyshare.com/v/4xeycSKg/file.html

Note NO other SSD is required for this to work. Just the broken SSD and a CD or bootable USB stick is required with the ISO mounted.

1. Burn the ISO onto a CD or bootable USB
2. Put your broken SSD in the computer, ensure that the computer system is able to "see" the broken SSD, like"3h3kdhk" you know.
3. Set the CD drive as the first boot option and boot into the firmware update utility, (do not mess with any other BIOS settings unless you know what you are doing)
4. It will scan the computer for the SSD, it will appear as random letters and numbers as expected but still proceed. (For safety make sure only the SSD is inside the system and no other hard drives)
5. Press 'y' for all prompts and the firmware installation should take about a minute.
6. It will say that it has failed and will throw a mismatch error however ignore that. The firmware has been successfully installed.
7. Reboot the system and boot into the SSD, you should notice that it appears correctly, as what it is for example "Samsung 850 Pro 256GB"
8. Windows logo will appear and in windows 8 it performs a compulsory scan, let it run.
9. If it fails like mine did, restart the computer and try booting into the system again, this should only happen once.
10. Everything turned out to be fine and the procedure was a complete success & I didnt have splash out on another drive or deal with RMA's etc.

Thank you to the guy who performed this tamper and removed the SSD verification feature, all credit goes to him.