slow SSD or other reasons

[banko]

Hi Mark.

on my ZG5 the ssd seems to take time to work, I think this is normal as they wear out after a time, but when I log on to 'this' site I get messages such as 'waiting for cache' which seems fine but also I get the message 'waiting for facebook.com'
As I'm not on facebook, any ideas why this should be, as this can take ages for the page to load,

also is there any way of knowing if my SSD is in need of replacing?

thanks

Keith

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

"Waiting for facebook" will be where it's having to get info from the facebook servers because of the "like" button plugin that people requested.

You might want to try clearing your browsers cache, and see if that helps.

No way to know if the SSD is wearing out that I'm aware of beyond the SMART data.

Code: [Select]

sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda

(the above assumes your SSD ia /dev/sda)

[Mad Penguin]

(Warning :: smartctl depends on a features database that contains drive information for "known" drives .. quite often SSD's do not feature in this database ... so if this gives completely wild numbers, it probably means that your SSD isn't in the DB .. )

[banko]

thanks for the replies
they clear up why the facebook thing comes up,

the smartctl shows nothing.

I think its definite that the SSD giving up the ghost, so I'll look at buying a new one and get my son to install it.

again thanks

Keith

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

(Warning :: smartctl depends on a features database that contains drive information for "known" drives .. quite often SSD's do not feature in this database ... so if this gives completely wild numbers, it probably means that your SSD isn't in the DB .. )

Yup, mine mentions not being in the database in the smartctl output .. but mine's not the standard SSD for an AA1

[EDIT]

The AA1's SSD doesn't even support TRIM/discard .. so I doubt if it's going to give any real info on it's state .. though hdparm does suggest it supports SMART.

Code: [Select]

mark@AA1-Blue ~ $ sudo hdparm -I /dev/sda
[sudo] password for mark: 

/dev/sda:

CompactFlash ATA device
	Model Number:       STT_FEM16GF13M                          
	Serial Number:      P756867-PRR4-921C013
	Firmware Revision:  Ver6.P1C
Standards:
	Supported: 5 4 
	Likely used: 6
Configuration:
	Logical		max	current
	cylinders	16383	16383
	heads		16	16
	sectors/track	63	63
	--
	CHS current addressable sectors:   30146256
	LBA    user addressable sectors:   30146256
	LBA48  user addressable sectors:   30146256
	Logical/Physical Sector size:           512 bytes
	device size with M = 1024*1024:       14719 MBytes
	device size with M = 1000*1000:       15434 MBytes (15 GB)
	cache/buffer size  = 1 KBytes (type=DualPort)
	Nominal Media Rotation Rate: Solid State Device
Capabilities:
	LBA, IORDY(cannot be disabled)
	Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, no device specific minimum
	R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 1	Current = 1
	Advanced power management level: 254
	DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 udma6 
	     Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
	PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
	     Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
	Enabled	Supported:
	   *	SMART feature set
	    	Security Mode feature set
	   *	Power Management feature set
	    	Write cache
	   *	Host Protected Area feature set
	   *	WRITE_BUFFER command
	   *	READ_BUFFER command
	   *	NOP cmd
	   *	CFA feature set
	   *	Advanced Power Management feature set
	    	SET_MAX security extension
	   *	48-bit Address feature set
	   *	Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
Security: 
	Master password revision code = 65534
		supported
	not	enabled
	not	locked
	not	frozen
	not	expired: security count
		supported: enhanced erase
	60min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 60min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 
Checksum: correct

[chemicalfan]

I think I'm correct in saying that the standard SSD in the AA1 was actually slower than the HDD version in some tests, it was that poor. It was basically just a USB flash drive soldered into a drive case! I always thought it was quite reliable though...?

I kinda miss my AA1, it was a neat little machine that taught me the ins-and-outs of Linux well. The BIOS died on it (apparently) - I thought it was toast, so I gave it away to a friend who said that he Googled the symptoms, flashed the BIOS, and it was fully functional, doh!! 

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Yeah I've covered the BIOS recovery procedure on here somewhere .. kinda freaks you out the first time it goes all blank on ya 

Yeah the stock SSD isn't quick and it isn't pretty, reliable as they are like any other solid state drive they will eventually die, and most AA1's are now pretty old, so depends how often it's used and what for.

That said, the SSD doesn't usually "slow down" as much as one day just won't work at all.

[chemicalfan]

Yeah, I'd assumed the motherboard had died, as it didn't even give a POST beep and no HDD access (so not dead GPU or screen)

Mine was a good three years old when it died (mine was one of the first), and I don't do laptop hardware repairs (well, at least until I found this website - http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/ - now I'm like "let me at it!"). A friend fancied having a go, and fixed it without even opening the case! If only I'd known!! Hindsight is 20:20 

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Handy site .. cheers

I'm now a master at stripping down AA1's .. to tell the truth, other than keyboard removal which is a bit tricky the first time you do it (and easily broken) they're pretty simple to strip, damn site easier than the MSI Wind (who's plastics break just undoing screws) that's for sure 

[banko]

Any recommendations on SSD's, makes etc, I've had a look and there's loads.
I'm not looking for a large capacity, only 16 or 32 gig and not too expensive .

thanks

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

There's NOT loads .. the one for the AA1 is VERY specific .. it's a ZIF 1.3" PATA (IDE) SSD

I have one of these 16GB SSD's:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Talent-miniPCIe-Solid-Aspire/dp/B002HRE1H2

or 32gig version:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Talent-Aspire-Solid-State/dp/B001H14G4M

[banko]

thanks Mark, i didn't know they were specific ones for certain computers

the 16 gig one seems reasonable, so I think I will give it a try,

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Here's a link to the service manual with strip down instructions:
http://tim.id.au/laptops/acer/aspire%20one.pdf

Thank chemicalfan for that

There's also a video on this forum somewhere

[chemicalfan]

How about replacing it with an HDD? Or is that a specific one too? Or is the chassis different between the SSD & HDD AA1 (A110 vs A150)? Wiki mentions a Samsung P-SSD 1800 as a faster alternative SSD that came with later AA1s, might be worth searching for.

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

The chassis IS different, but it''s still possible to fit (hack in) an HDD .. though YES it has to be a specific one (60 GB Samsung HS06THB.), any 1.8" ZIF IDE HDD should work, but you may need to get a different cable for say the Toshiba drives.

See here (and other places):
http://tnkgrl.com/2008/08/16/modding-the-acer-aspire-one-hard-drive/

BTW, the SuperTalent SSD's I linked to are supposed to be faster than the stock ones too .. but I reckon there's not much in it between any of them, probably as much of a "bus" limit as a limit of the SSD's'