The SSD Review The Worlds Dedicated SSD Education and Review Resource | 
Typically we don’t post articles on SSD firmware updates but the uproar received over PNY’s being ‘late to the game’ with their SF 5.04 firmware update was something we never expected.
This was obvious in our review of the PNY Prevail Elite SSD where we praised it’s build and performance with our Editor’s Choice Award and commended PNY for being the first consumer SSD manufacturer to use eMLC memory in efforts to increase SSD endurance.
PNY has finally released their firmware update for the Prevail and XLR8 families and we just updated our SSDs, each taking a grand total of about 10 seconds to complete and no reboot necessary. The process couldn’t be easier as you select the drive and then choose the firmware version that you prefer.
We mention choosing the firmware version you want as PNY has included both versions 5.04 and 5.05 for you to update. Previously, many had spoken of the 5.05 firmware being restricted to manufacturers and maybe even providing a performance boost so we thought we might check it out for ourselves.
Our two Anvil Storage Utility charts below identify that testing had been done with F/W 5.04 and 5.05 and, it seems that we get a higher total score from 5.04. Take a look for yourself!
HIGHLY COMPRESSIBLE DATA TESTING
Where we need to understand the reasoning behind the professed performance boost comes from high sequential read and write performance, as well as the high IOPS score, all of which are definitely better. When you couple this with lower 4K-QD4 read and lower 4K write results however, we can see where the Total score drops.
For those who might be considering that this may work on other brands of LSI SandForce Driven SSDs, we are one step ahead and tried with negative results. Other brands cannot use this firmware. For those that love incompressible results…
INCOMPRESSIBLE DATA TESTING
The PNY SSD firmware zip file can be found here.
So, you’re trying to use-up the SSDs endurance? I believe you were meaning expand. Heil grammar!
Appreciated! More tasks than time this weekend before we head to Europe for Embedded World and ceBIT…
So what’s your conclusion? Go with the 5.04? Go with the 5.05?
You have two pairs of results for three categories:
1.t testing had been done with F/W 5.04 and 5.05 and, it seems that we get a higher total score from 5.04
2.couple this with lower 4K-QD4 read and lower 4K write results however, we can see where the Total score drops
3.this may work on other brands of LSI SandForce Driven SSDs, we are one step ahead and tried with negative results.
What is what?
Jim
The first two Anvil results display oFill data testing 5.04 first and 5.05 second.
The second set of Anvil results display Incompressible testing 5.04 first and 5.05 second.
Our statement said that this firmware did not work on other SSDs as we tried.
Thanks ahead and we provided the results so the reader could determine what firmware was best for him or herself.
Thanks for the clarification.
Jim
i really really hope that adata finally updates it’s drives, becouse im still stuck with buggy 5.02 fw. Damn you adata !
Well this is a good suprise that PNY released this. That said I am unable to update the firmware with the tool.
On update, it immediately shows red cross next the drive with the error: “The specified firmware package file: [..].ffp does not contain a firmware file for selected drive…” for both firmwares.
My ssd is 120gb PNY elite SSD9SC120GEDA. Current fw 334ABBF0. It is in hp probook 4330s with intel hm65 chipset. Tried both with microsoft ahci and intel one. I also followed the instructions in the doc (run as admin, etc)
Leaving it here as this is currently the only discussion I found about the fw. If anyone has the same issue please leave a reply, especially if you find a solution.
hey! I have the same problem. I can`t get the firmware updated. Did you get any solution?
Firmware updated on 4 different drives no problem whatsoever…
So…what do you think? Is my ssd corrupted? I can´t update it! Should I call the warranty? I’m sorry for my english (it is not my native lenguage)
If the SSD is not FW 5.05 and the updater doesnt work, I would check with PNY customer support.
I haven’t found a solution yet. This isn’t software or ports/hardware related issue as I have tried a clean os install, different drivers, different motherboards, it being boot drive and secondary..
Most likely it has to do with the incompatibility with the oldest fw version 334ABBF0. Did anyone succeeded updating this fw version? As far as I can see people with 502ABBF0 can update ok.
If you can get a reply back from PNY, please paste it here
I have a SSD9SC120GEDA “PNY Professional” too, with occasional BSOD’s and hangs, and can’t update. FW 334ABBF0, signature 154-1181-22800. I strongly believe it’s because of the signature difference, the update doesn’t work, Prevail Elite is 253-253-22800.
Plain SSD9SC120GEDA (without -PG or others on SSD label) seems to be an early production run Prevail Elite. We can only wait and bombard PNY with emails asking for update that works, unless someone hacks the updater sw to make it.
For Ilan and Juizzi, and those who are finding this through google and are still struggling to update the older firmware. I was today checking the pny site and they still list the updater_v1 as download, however it now is 250Mb large! and cotains 5.0.7 firmware update. This one work salso for the older firmwares like my 334ABBF0!
Hey, thank you for this! I finally got my PNY ssd updated. I hope this new FW will cure my bsod issues. It happened again two days ago, bsod+drive not found at boot. Luckily power off-on helps so far. I just fear I will eventually lose my data, like some others. Backups, I know…
I also noticed, after sleep mode my (Win7 Toshiba laptop) the ssd works only in SATA 2, instead of SATA 3 when originally powered on. Tested many times and also with the new FW. Haven’t tried hibernation.
(7-4-2013) -Just installed 120gb PNY elite. Current firmware 5.07 from factory installed windows 8 pro everything is just fine. Just thought I`d put this here to settle the fears of ssd as I am a new user of ssd. Don`t worry over all the new tweaks of these new drive its not needed. Windows 8 takes care of all of it for you.
They got an new firmware update 5.6.0
Did anyone give it a try?
I’m wondering the same thing. Got a XLR8 Pro that had 5.42 I think. Anyway it now has 5.6.0. I run Linux and using hdparm I get this from a HyperX 3k 120GB using 5.03 FW:
hdparm -I /dev/sdb | grep TRIM
* Data Set Management TRIM supported (limit 1 block)
* Deterministic read data after TRIM
This is what I get from the XLR8 Pro 240GB using 5.60 FW
hdparm -I /dev/sdd | grep TRIM
* Data Set Management TRIM supported (limit 1 block)
There is a TRIM test in Linux where you write a file and read a sector back after deleting the file. It should return all zeros. My HyperX’s do this.
But since the XLR8 Pro doesn’t have “Deterministic read data after TRIM” it will read back the exact data even though it is marked by TRIM and TRIM is working.
I assume since they both use a Sandforce controller that the difference is FW. I thought my TRIM wasn’t working when I didn’t get Zeros back but it appears it is.
I wish I’d have tested it before I updated it. This is going to give Linux people problems thinking it isn’t working.
I could update my HyperX’s to 5.60 and test it but I don’t think I will. So if any Linux users read this let me know what haparm give you on your XLR8 Pro.
I also have a OCZ Vertex 460 240GB on the way so I’ll see what it says.
I believe a Samsung 840 Pro or Sandisk Extreme doesn’t have Deterministic read data after TRIM either, just read that. They will not return zeros either on a popular Linux TRIM test.
Anyway everything seems to be ok on 5.60 for the XLR8 Pro. I have not seen a HyperX without Deterministic read data after TRIM.
no deterministic, DRAT or DZAT is being understood wrongly:
https://articles.forensicfocus.com/2014/09/23/recovering-evidence-from-ssd-drives-in-2014-understanding-trim-garbage-collection-and-exclusions/
I can’t seem to get it to work. I just get errors saying that the ffp is invalid and it can’t extract flashware. 120gb xlr8 pro on 5.41. Anyone else able to get this to load up?
Has anyone been able to up update their 120gb pny xlr8 pro with the new 5.6.0 firmware? Mine refuses to update and I get “FATAL ERROR: Unable to extract flashware image 253.253.xxxx. I’ve tried multiple times but to no avail that’s the error I get. Drive came with firmware 5.41.
Windows 7 Ultimate up to date
AMD 750K
Asus A55M-e Mobo
I’ve tried on all sata ports as both a primary (fresh install) and secondary drive.
Les, Is there anyway that I could get the firmware update tool from you? PNY no longer lists the tool nor any update files on their website and in speaking with Support they cannot be obtained. I have a SSD9SC120GCDA-PVL with v. 5.0.2 and cannot even use it because of the BSOD’s.
Help me Obi wan, you’re my only hope.
I am sorry but we don’t have that PNY software.
If you can;t legally share it thats fine. You had the tool and the firmware 6 months ago. For those who might see this site and still need the tools and firmware files you can find the .EU link here: https://chronicgeekage.blogspot.com/2014/07/pny-ssd-firmware-update-tools.html
i cant even find the firmware updater on their site.
what gives