Optane memory firmware update gives error

[Piet]

I tried to update the firmware of the Optane Memory of the SSD as is suggested by the Intel memory and storage tool  (latest version).

Sadly it returns an error without telling any error code or other information..

The update of the SSD Firmware itself worked without a problem, as you can see it is not listed with a warning sign.

How to proceed.

I tried the OS independent update tool (latest), but that just (after getting it finally start grub) boots to a green screen with white text, regardless of driver settings for the video card / tweaked Grub to boot... to no avail. Also the option of choosing the resolution does not work, it either boots and hangs on a black screen for eternity or it boots to the green linux panic screen with white text. So no luck with getting that even started.. Ps tried that tool on 4 different PC's to boot... all the same issue, legacy or UEFI no difference. 1) Used rufus to create the USB, 2) Burned the iso to DVD... no change...

Any suggestions that work?

Screenshots:

Step 1

Step 1 - check for update

Step 2

Step 2 - found new firmware

Step 3

Step 3 - start firmware update

Step 4:

Step 4 ??? failed, no error code!

[JosafathB_Intel]

Hello, Piet.

Thank you for contacting Intel® Memory and Storage support.

As we understand, you need assistance with your Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage. If we infer correctly, we will appreciate it if you can review and provide us with the following information:

1- Based on the Firmware Versions for Intel® Solid State Drives and Intel® Optane™ Memory article (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000017245/memory-and-storage.html). The recommended tools to update your Optane H10 firmware are the Intel® Memory and Storage Tool (GUI) and the Intel® Memory and Storage Tool (CLI) and not the Intel® SSD Firmware Update Tool

as stated in the following chart:

Intel® Optane™ Memory Devices	Latest Firmware Version Available in the Tools	Intel® Memory and Storage Tool (GUI) Windows Only Intel® Memory and Storage Tool (CLI) Windows, Linux & ESXi	Intel® SSD Firmware Update Tool	Intel® SSD Toolbox Version 3.5.15 Windows*
			No OS Requirement
Intel® Optane™ memory H10 with solid-state storage	G002-0440	Yes	No	Yes
Intel® Optane™ memory M10	K4110440	Yes	Yes	Yes
Intel® Optane™ memory	K3110310	Yes	Yes	Yes

2- If you want to use the Intel® SSD Firmware Update Tool to update SSDs or different hardware, we advise you to follow the How to Update the Firmware Using the Intel® SSD Firmware Update Tool article (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000056193/memory-and-storage.html).

3- Based on the screenshots you shared with us, we assume that your hardware is an HBRPEKNX0202A that is an Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage

Intel® Optane™ Memory 32GB + Intel® QLC 3D NAND SSD 512GB, M.2 80mm PCIe 3.0 (https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/189613/intel-optane-memory-h10-with-solid-state-storage-intel-optane-memory-32gb-intel-qlc-3d-nand-ssd-512gb-m-2-80mm-pcie-3-0.html) but the firmware it wants to apply seems to be different from the one on the article.

Would you mind providing us with a picture of your Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage (Serial number and SA number)?

4- We would appreciate it if you can provide us with the system details by extracting the SSU logs. The logs are a requirement to check your current configuration and provide you with technical support.

- Go to https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/ (for Windows*) and to https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26735/ (for Linux) download the software.

- When you finish downloading it, open it.

- Attach the file generated by the tool in your reply.

5- We would like to know if your Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage came preinstalled with your PC.

6- We advise you to open a ticket in parallel with your PC or motherboard manufacturer to check compatibility, BIOS settings, and the weird hardware detection you are experiencing.

We will follow up with you again on Tuesday, the 6th of April 2021, if we do not receive an answer from you. Please let me know if you would like to schedule a different date for the follow-up.

We would be looking forward to your reply including this information.

Best regards,

Josh B.

Intel® Customer Support Technician.

[Piet]

Hi Josh,

1, I used the same table.

2. tried that with another Intel SSD, that got stuck in the 8mb bug. did not manage to get the OS independent firmware update tool to boot (not on DVD nor USB)

3. You assume that correct.

4: sadly I cannot provide you with a photo of the drive because that would mean I have to open the Laptop which will invalidate my warranty.

I will download the tool and provide you with the result... but somewhere end next week..

5: see 4 ... that is an obvious yes.

6: try that one with Acer.... they simply asked if the laptop was working, which it does and that was it...

My system, see attached picture, it is in Dutch but you will get it...;P'

[JosafathB_Intel]

Hello, Piet.

Thank you for your reply.

1- Since your Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage came preinstalled with your PC, please contact Acer* to return your PC to factory defaults.

2- Take into consideration that your Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage could have an OEM firmware, and our tools will not be able to update it. Please contact Acer* to try to get an update.

3- Regarding the Intel® SSD Firmware Update Tool, we advise you to try to use the previous version of the tool to see if there is a different behavior:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29812/Intel-SSD-Firmware-Update-Tool

4-We would appreciate it if you can provide us with the system details by extracting the SSU logs. The logs are a requirement to check your current configuration.

- Go to https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/ (for Windows*) and to https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26735/ (for Linux) download the software.

- When you finish downloading it, open it.

- Attach the file generated by the tool in your reply.

Please consider this. The OEM hardware usually has custom firmware and different adjustments, or changes performed at the firmware level by the system manufacturer, to include or to limit certain features. All this said, your first point of contact should be the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

We will follow up with you again on Wednesday, the 7th of April 2021, if we do not receive an answer from you. Please let me know if you would like to schedule a different date for the follow-up.

Best regards,

Josh B.

Intel® Customer Support Technician.

[JosafathB_Intel]

Hello, Piet.

Greetings from; Intel® Memory and Storage support.

We were reviewing your community thread, which is related to your Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage. We would like to know if you need further assistance.

We will follow up with you again on Friday, the 9th of April 2021, if we do not receive an answer from you. Please let me know if you would like to schedule a different date for the follow-up.

Best regards,

Josh B.

Intel® Customer Support Technician.

[Piet]

As for the resetting the laptop to factory state, is a no go.. too much work to get everything back as it was and besides I do not need Acer for that...

For now I deleted all Intel Software to regain functionality, I restored to a previous system restore point and that solved my wifi problems I got after updating..

The reason for installing the SSD tool was to keep an eye on the health of the disk, it was basically because the tool told me to upgrade the firmware, I did so with the SSD part of the optane enhanced drive.

The Firmware is no OEM firmware, otherwise this would be noticeable in the serial or firmware revision numbers.

It is basically from a technical point of view not allowed to have OEM firmware differ from MFG (Intel) Firmware when it has the exact same firmware revision number... so... no OEM firmware.

What still could be the case why it did not work is that the Optane memory is continuously in use and for that reason was not able to update the firmware... but that would defy the tools purpose.

Basically the laptop runs ok now and de-installing the Intel driver agent and SSD tool, took the annoying messages/red icon away.

Basically what I learned here is that Intel should just stick to making awesome hardware, and leave the software part to the people that actually know what they are doing and not mess around with linux bootable iso files to update the firmware without offering the tool as a stand alone download without embedded OS... just offer the option to download the linux and dos version or a windows recovery environment version.... problem solved..

But to conclude... I still owe you the log of the diagnostic / report tool, let see if you can come up with a logical suggestion what might be the issue here...

Thanks for the effort anyway..

[JosafathB_Intel]

Hello, Piet.

Thank you for your reply.

We are glad to hear that you were able to find a solution to your issue by restoring your system to a previous point. If you experience any other problem related to your Optane, the best option, as previously advised will be to restore your PC to the out-of-the-box state.

Based on the SSU logs you shared with us:

The SSU utility is detecting your BIOS mode to be "Legacy" this affects the Optane tool and the Intel MAS. This issue is something related to the motherboard itself and needs to be check with the OEM.

Furthermore, the SSU tool is not able to extract the serial number of your Optane in the Storage section of the logs.

Regarding FUT, we tried to reproduce the behavior you reported in our lab, and we were able to boot to the tool without any issue using different PCs. We advise you to check the media you are using and if a previous version works of FUT works better with your system.

Take into consideration that FUT or Intel MAS tool should not be used with OEM drives like your Optane H10 that came preinstalled on your PC.

Since as you claimed that your issue is solved. We are going to close this community thread. If you need further assistance related to an Intel® product, please do not hesitate to contact us back by opening a new thread.

Best regards,

Jos B.

Intel® Customer Support Technician

[Piet]

Yes

Sadly this issue has no solution  and is not resolved because the Intel Optane memory firmware cannot be updated. I had no problem in the first place until I downloaded the intel driver agent and the MAS tool to check the health of my SSD.

So basically these issues only rose since I downloaded intel software. It is disturbing that a system restore to a previous moment in time was needed to resolve the issues caused by the intel software.

I cannot believe the legacy mode of the bios has anything to do with it hence the SSD part of the drive updated without issues, only the optane part not.

I guess I will have to see and switch bios to uefi mode instead and try again.

For the other issue regarding the FUT running on porky-linux, it has issues with Nvidea Video cards, it will just not run when an Nvidea card is present... whatever workarounds I have tried..

It was (attempted to be) used to update the firmware of an Intel 120GB  320 series SSD drive stuck in the 8mb bug.

I wanted to update the firmware to prevent it from happening again. However when I added it as a second drive in a windows 10 machine and used the Windows MAS tool, it said it was running on the latest firmware, however checking on the website of intel it was not the newest firmware..... there was however no other FUT available than the MAS tool I already used.

(I got it with a hirens boot cd low level format tool to work again, just hope no power outages will occur when writing to the disk to prevent the 8mb bug to return and lose all data).

So I guess both issues stay unresolved... gives me enough information for future purchases though... 

Thanks Josh, for the suggestions and the time to read up to this, sadly is did not resolve the issues.

[S0ulsurfer · Accepted solution]

Hi Piet,

i had the exactly same issues with my Drive.

Today the Driver Assistant gave me an update for the MaS Tool and i managed to update the Optane firmware.

Try to update MaS and try again...

[Piet]

@S0ulsurfer 

Thanks for the tip,

Now mine is updated too... guess my posts    might have encouraged some software engineers to fix it in a new update of the MAS tool.... hehe.