Firmware update for Intel 670p SSD (Asus Vivobook X1502ZA laptop)

[adriancornea52]

Greetings,

I have come to find out that for my Asus laptop's internal SSD Intel SSDPEKNU512GZ (670p) a newer firmware is available than what I have. The firmware I have is 002C, and the latest version is 003C (it was released years ago)

My laptop model is X1502ZA, and neither on the Asus Download Center nor in MyAsus is there any mention of this newer firmware and that it has to be installed. I found out about it from google and from the Solidigm (formerly Intel) website.

This SSD came pre-installed by Asus when I bought this laptop. In this case, does the new firmware work for it? Or did Asus interfere with the firmware and it cannot be updated through the Solidigm tool? In CrystalDiskInfo, the firmware appears as "002C", the same format as on the Solidigm website.

Please help me to understand if it is important to install this newer firmware.

The list of the Fixes this new version has, from the Solidigm documents:

• Fix to thermal throttling Flow
• Fix for Null pointers
• Block SID Fix
• Mitigates security vulnerability (see Solidigm Advisory SOLIDIGM-SA-00563)

I have asked chatgpt and google gemini about these fixes, so that I understand more clearly what problems I could have if I don't update. I don't use Bitlocker or hardware encryption - so I probably I won't need the 'Block SID Fix'. Also, I have read about the security vulnerabilities that this update fixes, and I feel that they won't be a problem for me because nobody else than me uses my laptop and I am very wary and knowledgeable about security in my system – from what I understand, only someone with admin privileges can take advantage of these vulnerabilities. So, from that list of fixes, what I may need is "Fix for Null Pointer", and "Fix to thermal throttling flow".

I mention that I haven't noticed any (big) issues with the drive; at least not yet.

What are the risks that come with this update? What could go wrong? Could I lose all my data, or lose access to the SSD, during or after the update process? If something wrong happens, I don't know if my warranty will help, since they don't mention this firmware on the official channels of communication (Asus website and MyAsus).

I have started using this laptop in November 2022. I have done a number of BIOS updates during this time that I've had it. Now I have the latest BIOS. Could something go wrong if I update the firmware now, after 3 years of usage?

Also, very importantly, my Windows that I use is installed on this SSD. Can I update the firmware from Windows? Or do I have to do it before Windows boots, from a bootable USB stick?

Thank you for any help!

Respectfully,

Adrian C.

[Ima_Tech_Geek]

A few things to help with your update should you decide to go that way Adrian :

**Before Updating**

Plug into stable power (no battery-only updates on laptops

As with updating bios we want no interruptions in power

Back up all data-- I use Macrium Reflect 8.0.7783 .. its free for personal use. If youre not familiar with it all you do is open it and at top left click on the "backup Windows" option. After youre done with that to restore a backup image using a  flash drive ...click on create rescue media in the menus at top. Then to restore image you boot the pc with the flash drive. Great dependable software. Been using  it for years..it has never failed me. Plus after the image is created you can click on restore image at top and then open and verify the image you made. . 

Close all apps and background processes

Don’t touch the system during the update

Use official tools only—no third-party flash tools 

Firmware updates are generally safe, but if interrupted, the SSD could become inaccessible.

Use only Solidigm Storage Tool or Synergy Toolkit

These tools support that drive and allow firmware updates from right inside WindowsNo need for bootable USB

Unless the tool fails to detect the drive, you can update directly from Windows

Warranty is unlikely to be voided

Make sure the update is from the original SSD vendor, not a third-party

If you're unsure though , contact Solidigm support They can verify your drive’s eligibility and guide you through the process

[Falcon_ASUS]

@adriancornea52 
In theory, you can update to the 003C firmware provided on the Solidigm official website. If you are seeking higher stability and security, you may follow Solidigm’s official instructions to update; if your current setup is working well, you may also choose to keep it as is.
** Please note that any firmware update carries some risk, so it is strongly recommended to back up your data completely beforehand.

[adriancornea52]

Thank you @Ima_Tech_Geek and @Falcon_ASUS for your replies.

As you can see in the screenshot of my CrystalDiskMark test, the drive does seem to have some speed problems. I am not an expert in these things though - I don't know if the results look normal.

Also, I checked Events Viewer for errors relating to the Null Pointer bug, as guided by ChatGPT, but there it seems like things are looking good.

I will post on the Solidigm forums as well about the firmware update.