Slower than expected HyperX SSD write speed in Lenovo ThinkPad W520...
Hi there.
I finally made it work installing my new Kingston HyperX SSD in my also new Lenovo ThinkPad W520 (with SATA3 interface). The problem was to enable AHCI on a preinstalled Windows XP... tricky!!!! But I made it work. :-)
Anyway... I'm not all happy yet. When I use ATTO Disk Benchmark, I almost get the expected read-speed (545MB/s), but the write-speed is only far lower than 400MB/s. It should be up around 520MB/s.
I upgraded to the latest firmware (version 5.01), and I have the latest Intel chipset drivers.
I read about disabling some C3/C6 settings and so on in the BIOS? I just can't find anything like that in the Lenovo ThinkPad BIOS. I disabled some power management, but that didn't make much of a difference. I attached a screenprint of the ATTO result.
Any suggestion what I can do to make the disk race on full speed? :-)
Best regards
Ullenulle
HyperX.jpg
I finally made it work installing my new Kingston HyperX SSD in my also new Lenovo ThinkPad W520 (with SATA3 interface). The problem was to enable AHCI on a preinstalled Windows XP... tricky!!!! But I made it work. :-)
Anyway... I'm not all happy yet. When I use ATTO Disk Benchmark, I almost get the expected read-speed (545MB/s), but the write-speed is only far lower than 400MB/s. It should be up around 520MB/s.
I upgraded to the latest firmware (version 5.01), and I have the latest Intel chipset drivers.
I read about disabling some C3/C6 settings and so on in the BIOS? I just can't find anything like that in the Lenovo ThinkPad BIOS. I disabled some power management, but that didn't make much of a difference. I attached a screenprint of the ATTO result.
Any suggestion what I can do to make the disk race on full speed? :-)
Best regards
Ullenulle
HyperX.jpg
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Hi Callandor.
Thank you for your screenshot of your SSD. Yes, I want mine to look kinda the same! :-) Does your SSD have an OS installed? If yes, then what version? How much space is used on your SSD? And what chipset does your computer have? Mine is the Intel QM67 Express/6 Series/C200, and I still have Windows XP Pro SP3 32-bit. I'm bound to that... yet... It's my work-laptop, and we're still far behind. :-(
I added an updated ATTO test with the same settings as you (Callandor) used. A slightly better result, but far from as good as yours.... The READ is actually pretty much like yours, but the WRITE still lacks from 4-4096 KB Transfer Size. 0,5-2 and 8192 is around the same as yours or actually a little better.
Unfortunately I haven't got another SATA3-port on any computer to test the SSD on. :-( As I see it, it may be either the chipset, driver or SSD that isn't working optimal. What do you guys say? I like to know if I have a good case complaning to Kingston.
Best regards
Ullenulle
HyperX-256length.jpg
Thank you for your screenshot of your SSD. Yes, I want mine to look kinda the same! :-) Does your SSD have an OS installed? If yes, then what version? How much space is used on your SSD? And what chipset does your computer have? Mine is the Intel QM67 Express/6 Series/C200, and I still have Windows XP Pro SP3 32-bit. I'm bound to that... yet... It's my work-laptop, and we're still far behind. :-(
I added an updated ATTO test with the same settings as you (Callandor) used. A slightly better result, but far from as good as yours.... The READ is actually pretty much like yours, but the WRITE still lacks from 4-4096 KB Transfer Size. 0,5-2 and 8192 is around the same as yours or actually a little better.
Unfortunately I haven't got another SATA3-port on any computer to test the SSD on. :-( As I see it, it may be either the chipset, driver or SSD that isn't working optimal. What do you guys say? I like to know if I have a good case complaning to Kingston.
Best regards
Ullenulle
HyperX-256length.jpg
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Thanks for your info, Callandor!
Our chipsets looks pretty much alike (http://getsmart.intel.com/uk/technology/single-view/article/sandy-bridge-technology-sockets-and-chipsets/). They're both Intels 2nd generation chipset. Mine is just the mobile edition. I only use less than 30% of my 120GB SSD. So our SSD's ought to perform at the same level... Since I didn't use more space, than I did, the lack of TRIM in Win XP shouldn't matter... or what? I don't know either, if Win 7 64-bit vs. Win XP 32-bit can make a difference? Is Win 7 using NTFS as my Win XP? Can that make a difference?
Best regards
Ullenulle
Our chipsets looks pretty much alike (http://getsmart.intel.com/uk/technology/single-view/article/sandy-bridge-technology-sockets-and-chipsets/). They're both Intels 2nd generation chipset. Mine is just the mobile edition. I only use less than 30% of my 120GB SSD. So our SSD's ought to perform at the same level... Since I didn't use more space, than I did, the lack of TRIM in Win XP shouldn't matter... or what? I don't know either, if Win 7 64-bit vs. Win XP 32-bit can make a difference? Is Win 7 using NTFS as my Win XP? Can that make a difference?
Best regards
Ullenulle
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I just wrote Kingston again about the case. I already have a case going on, because I had all the trouble to enable AHCI, which this SSD require. I'll get back in a couple of days, when I got a response. Thank you all for your help so far. Especially Callandor.
Best regards
Ullenulle
Best regards
Ullenulle
ASKER
Hi guys.
Latest news: Kingston just shipped a replacement SSD today, because they wrote me, that the problem can't be resolved on the existing SSD. I will receive it tomorrow. :-) Of course I will send the bad SSD back to them. So tomorrow or friday I will clone an image of the "old" SSD and copy it to the new one. Cross your fingers that the new one will be fine. Pretty nice service from Kingston.
Best regards
Ullenulle
Latest news: Kingston just shipped a replacement SSD today, because they wrote me, that the problem can't be resolved on the existing SSD. I will receive it tomorrow. :-) Of course I will send the bad SSD back to them. So tomorrow or friday I will clone an image of the "old" SSD and copy it to the new one. Cross your fingers that the new one will be fine. Pretty nice service from Kingston.
Best regards
Ullenulle
ASKER
Hi guys.
Ok... we reached the end of this question. I had the SSD replaced from Kingston. But it was exactly the same test-result. So I ended up concluding, that it must have been a Windows XP driver problem... Intel doesn't care to update those drivers for Win XP anymore... and who can blame them?
Anyway... I finally persuaded out IT-department to give me Win 7 Pro 64-bit! And haleluja!! Here we go with REAL SSD-speed! Take a look at the attached screenshot. The write-speed looks great compared to Windows XP. That's the way I wanted it to look in the ATTO-test on Win XP... so my conclusion is: Windows XP isn't optimal for fast computer systems because of inefficient drivers. You all agree?
And to those of you who wrote, that disabling the power management for the CPU (C3 and so on) I have to say, that my SSD under Win XP DID get faster... I have no idea why, but that's a fact! Other people experienced the same. :-)
But now I'm cruising on Win 7 and a fast laptop! Thanks for your input. I will split the points between all responses.
Best regards
Ulrich
Ok... we reached the end of this question. I had the SSD replaced from Kingston. But it was exactly the same test-result. So I ended up concluding, that it must have been a Windows XP driver problem... Intel doesn't care to update those drivers for Win XP anymore... and who can blame them?
Anyway... I finally persuaded out IT-department to give me Win 7 Pro 64-bit! And haleluja!! Here we go with REAL SSD-speed! Take a look at the attached screenshot. The write-speed looks great compared to Windows XP. That's the way I wanted it to look in the ATTO-test on Win XP... so my conclusion is: Windows XP isn't optimal for fast computer systems because of inefficient drivers. You all agree?
And to those of you who wrote, that disabling the power management for the CPU (C3 and so on) I have to say, that my SSD under Win XP DID get faster... I have no idea why, but that's a fact! Other people experienced the same. :-)
But now I'm cruising on Win 7 and a fast laptop! Thanks for your input. I will split the points between all responses.
Best regards
Ulrich
ASKER
Thanks for your attention.
ASKER
Ops... I forgot to attatch the ATTO-test... here it is. :-)
hyperx-win7-updated-drivers.jpg
hyperx-win7-updated-drivers.jpg
ASKER
Keep in mind that it's a laptop, so there's no cables to mess around with here. :-)
I know I may not feel the difference, but it's more a matter of making sure, that the product I have is working properly. AND... I hope I'm allowed to insert a link here to other tests. Here you can see, how a Kingston HyperX SSD can look like in the ATTO-test:
http://www.cdrlabs.com/Reviews/kingston-hyperx-120gb-solid-state-drive/Performance-CrystalDiskMark-HD-Tach-and-ATTO.html
A result as I hoped to see on mine... even though there may not be an OS installed on the SSD in the test above. I just want to make sure, that my SSD has got no error. There has been quite some fuzz about the SandForce controller.
Does anyone of you know what the C3/C3 setting is, as I asked in the beginning of this thread??
Best regards
Ullenulle