Intel SSD 520 dropped dead

Hi, we recently got our BMCC and bought an Intel SSD 520 Series 240GB (model number SSDSC2CW240A3)
First it worked fine with the camera, both ExFAT and HFS+.

But after a month or so the drive started to act dodgy, not being initially read by the camera (the No SSD message). A couple of times it just didn't want to mount in either the camera or with a computer, but most of the time it worked fine.

So the other day after a successful day of gentle shooting, the drive gave up shortly after the material was transferred to the computer. It just didn't want to mount again. Tried different computers, both external and internal connections. Did not show up in the camera as well. It just won't show up anywhere, and it seems to be basically dead.

The question is, why have this drive given up after a mere month of quite non-intensive use?
It has certainly not been roughly handled by anyone. No visible damage can be seen to the pins whatsoever.

What is even more disturbing is that this particular drive is certified by Black Magic themselves. One would expect certified stuff to be reliable. But dodgy storage devices like this feel quite unsettling as you never know when the drive will fail and ruin everything on it.

What more can be said about this? Has anyone else experienced something similar? Is there something one should try and avoid, such as leaving the drive mounted in the camera during camera charging? Why did the drive fail to quickly? I'm basically clueless.

Am a fan of Intel but this doesn't sound great :-

http://communities.intel.com/thread/33953

By the way, I don't have a BMC but do have a couple Intel 520's which I use with my Thunderbolt GoFlex and as yet I havn't had any issues, although they do run super hot.

It could be dead because of a static shock.. Even a small one. Because these drives are meant for internal computer use, they probably don't have the protection needed for constant handling.

But I would send this drive back to Intel. I bought the 520 series too because of the 5 year warranty. I have 2 one for each camera but plan on getting another just in case anything like this happens.

A word of warning to other Intel 520 users! I've just experienced the same problem !!! Stay away from these drives. We luckily had just copied our content onto the RAID and left the drive connected via USB to a laptop which went to sleep mode. When I woke up the laptop the drive was no longer recognized!

[CaptainHook]

Hmmmm... I have 4x intel 520 240GB drives. Not what i want to hear. Guess i need to look into replacing them.

I had the same problem. Bought one of these from B&H and it failed after 3 uses, returned for a new one and the new one failed after the first use. These drives do not appear to be compatible with the BMCC

Are u guys sure your not doing something to them? They are static sensitive like all ssd's.

I use the two of mine multiple times every week for the last month or so and they are still running fine, no problems! I take them in and out a lot, but leave them in the camera when transporting them. Now I got an anti static case for cheap from a computer shop so I can take them without the camera. If there comes up anything then these ssd are covered by 5 year warranty.. Not sure if other companies even offer that..

I have been using this same drive on quite a few shoots. They have been rock steady.

I am aware of the static issue and it does seem sketchy having the contacts so exposed.

I was only deleting the clips and not re-formatting the drive each time until a DIT pointed out to me that the best practice was to re-format the SSD with each use.

N

If there comes up anything then these ssd are covered by 5 year warranty.. Not sure if other companies even offer that..

A warranty on a $200 SSD isn't going to do you much good if you lose all your footage or a client's footage...

Yeah, that's why it needs to be handled carefully to protect against static. That's the only thing I could think of that would cause this SSD to die like that.

[CaptainHook]

I have my 4 520's in the blackmagic SSD cases for transport etc. Hopefully it's not a reliability issue but being reported so much you have to wonder.

Just an update. Second drive also died after copying again. We are using anti static cases and foils. We reformatted after every use and copy. Intel offered to RMA and blackmagic thinks it's a macbook pro power management issue during after copying.

We are using a Macbook Pro 15" Retina with the Seagate Thunderbolt SSD dock. We've also used a simple USB 3.0 sata to USB adapter to copy. One drive failed after being in the SSD dock and other in the USB connector. If anyone is using a similar workflow maybe we can try to pinpoint the issue to one of the devices.

Also having a similar problem with similar equipment although different SSD.

SanDisk Extreme 480 SSD
Seagate thunderbolt SSD dock
Macbook Pro

After one days use the SSD will not mount nor be read in the BMCC. (No SSD)

Formatted the drive upon arrival on my mac: "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". Put into camera and worked (Ready). Shot some test footage. Both ProRes and RAW. Was able to mount and transfer footage. Reformatted SSD once again before another use in camera. SSD ready in camera. Shot one shot in ProRes and upon cutting the camera reported (No SSD). Retuned to mac to see if the footage actually recorded and the SSD did not mount on computer.

At this point my Macbook Pro nor the BMCC recognize any sign of the SSD.

With so much success of others with the SanDisk I doubt it's the problem. And only having the SSD for a few hours which I was real carful with I can't imagine it was static shock. Have read others having trouble with Seagate dock, Macbook Pro, and BMCC. At a loss as to where the root of the problem lies.

Any luck since your last post? Ideas?

- Jeff

Also having a similar problem with similar equipment although different SSD.

SanDisk Extreme 480 SSD
Seagate thunderbolt SSD dock
Macbook Pro

After one days use the SSD will not mount nor be read in the BMCC. (No SSD)

Formatted the drive upon arrival on my mac: "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". Put into camera and worked (Ready). Shot some test footage. Both ProRes and RAW. Was able to mount and transfer footage. Reformatted SSD once again before another use in camera. SSD ready in camera. Shot one shot in ProRes and upon cutting the camera reported (No SSD). Retuned to mac to see if the footage actually recorded and the SSD did not mount on computer.

At this point my Macbook Pro nor the BMCC recognize any sign of the SSD.

With so much success of others with the SanDisk I doubt it's the problem. And only having the SSD for a few hours which I was real carful with I can't imagine it was static shock. Have read others having trouble with Seagate dock, Macbook Pro, and BMCC. At a loss as to where the root of the problem lies.

Any luck since your last post? Ideas?

- Jeff

hmm Jeff I am also using the same combination of the SeaGate Thunderbolt SSD dock + Apple Thunderbolt cable and a new Macbook Pro 15" Retina. It could be possible that the power management operations of the Thunderbolt port + Seagate SSD dock are at fault. Now I ordered Sandisk Extreme Drives instead of the Intel and I will be using a USB 3.0 dock in the future and see if the same thing happens again.

Also having a similar problem with similar equipment although different SSD.

SanDisk Extreme 480 SSD
Seagate thunderbolt SSD dock
Macbook Pro

After one days use the SSD will not mount nor be read in the BMCC. (No SSD)

Formatted the drive upon arrival on my mac: "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". Put into camera and worked (Ready). Shot some test footage. Both ProRes and RAW. Was able to mount and transfer footage. Reformatted SSD once again before another use in camera. SSD ready in camera. Shot one shot in ProRes and upon cutting the camera reported (No SSD). Retuned to mac to see if the footage actually recorded and the SSD did not mount on computer.

At this point my Macbook Pro nor the BMCC recognize any sign of the SSD.

With so much success of others with the SanDisk I doubt it's the problem. And only having the SSD for a few hours which I was real carful with I can't imagine it was static shock. Have read others having trouble with Seagate dock, Macbook Pro, and BMCC. At a loss as to where the root of the problem lies.

Any luck since your last post? Ideas?

- Jeff

I just had the SAME EXACT problem. Using the same gear. Does anyone know the cause of issue!?

Not sure if it applies in this case, but I heard about some issues with "sleep mode" of Apple computers and that they don't see the SSD anymore after "fell asleep".

Also having a similar problem with similar equipment although different SSD.

SanDisk Extreme 480 SSD
Seagate thunderbolt SSD dock
Macbook Pro

After one days use the SSD will not mount nor be read in the BMCC. (No SSD)

Formatted the drive upon arrival on my mac: "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". Put into camera and worked (Ready). Shot some test footage. Both ProRes and RAW. Was able to mount and transfer footage. Reformatted SSD once again before another use in camera. SSD ready in camera. Shot one shot in ProRes and upon cutting the camera reported (No SSD). Retuned to mac to see if the footage actually recorded and the SSD did not mount on computer.

At this point my Macbook Pro nor the BMCC recognize any sign of the SSD.

With so much success of others with the SanDisk I doubt it's the problem. And only having the SSD for a few hours which I was real carful with I can't imagine it was static shock. Have read others having trouble with Seagate dock, Macbook Pro, and BMCC. At a loss as to where the root of the problem lies.

Any luck since your last post? Ideas?

- Jeff

I just had the SAME EXACT problem. Using the same gear. Does anyone know the cause of issue!?

I'm thinking either the dock or the laptop's way of handling the dock is the issue. We had problems with multiple Intel 520s, not the Sandisk but also using the Seagate dock + Retina MBP.

Also having a similar problem with similar equipment although different SSD.

SanDisk Extreme 480 SSD
Seagate thunderbolt SSD dock
Macbook Pro

After one days use the SSD will not mount nor be read in the BMCC. (No SSD)

Formatted the drive upon arrival on my mac: "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". Put into camera and worked (Ready). Shot some test footage. Both ProRes and RAW. Was able to mount and transfer footage. Reformatted SSD once again before another use in camera. SSD ready in camera. Shot one shot in ProRes and upon cutting the camera reported (No SSD). Retuned to mac to see if the footage actually recorded and the SSD did not mount on computer.

At this point my Macbook Pro nor the BMCC recognize any sign of the SSD.

With so much success of others with the SanDisk I doubt it's the problem. And only having the SSD for a few hours which I was real carful with I can't imagine it was static shock. Have read others having trouble with Seagate dock, Macbook Pro, and BMCC. At a loss as to where the root of the problem lies.

Any luck since your last post? Ideas?

- Jeff

I just had the SAME EXACT problem. Using the same gear. Does anyone know the cause of issue!?

I'm thinking either the dock or the laptop's way of handling the dock is the issue. We had problems with multiple Intel 520s, not the Sandisk but also using the Seagate dock + Retina MBP.

Are you using the GOFLEX adapter? The one without an external plug? That's the one I had a problem. I'm now going to try using the seagate thunderbolt home adapter. The one WITH an external plug. Rumors throughout the web say it works better. I'll let you now if the disaster happens again! Scary stuff thinking your well shot footage could be trashed at any second.

Yeah, that's why it needs to be handled carefully to protect against static. That's the only thing I could think of that would cause this SSD to die like that.

What it means to protect against static ? and what static problem mean?

and yes its soo scary to think shot footage could be trashed at any second, I'm afraid to think of it, so much we plan and shoot on the set and wat if it gets trashed, some one plz throw light on this.

I not yet bought anything, thinking of bmpc4k, So which SSD shall I go for? and what care to be kept in mind? seriously shot data is crucial ryt!

Yeah, that's why it needs to be handled carefully to protect against static. That's the only thing I could think of that would cause this SSD to die like that.

What it means to protect against static ? and what static problem mean?

and yes its soo scary to think shot footage could be trashed at any second, I'm afraid to think of it, so much we plan and shoot on the set and wat if it gets trashed, some one plz throw light on this.

I not yet bought anything, thinking of bmpc4k, So which SSD shall I go for? and what care to be kept in mind? seriously shot data is crucial ryt!

Blien refers to static electricity discharge. The little shock you get when you walk across a carpet and then touch something. Always best to touch some metal on a device like the aluminum frame of the BMCC if possible before you touch electronics such as the contacts on the SSD. May not be a problem, but an ounce of prevention...

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

As this seems to not be an isolated incident, why does BM not investigate this further before more footage and SSDs are lost?

Yeah, instant footage loss at any second doesn't give me very much confidence in a professional setting. I've been testing my 480 sandisk that was formatted on the SEAGATE home adapter with the external plug and have not had the problem happen but will see. My SSD worked fine for 3 shoots before the footage loss from the GOFLEX external plug so it's all random and freaking scary.

Yeah, instant footage loss at any second doesn't give me very much confidence in a professional setting. I've been testing my 480 sandisk that was formatted on the SEAGATE home adapter with the external plug and have not had the problem happen but will see. My SSD worked fine for 3 shoots before the footage loss from the GOFLEX external plug so it's all random and freaking scary.

We have the same setup. Very strange. I'm leaning toward the GoFlex without a plug (thunderbolt) to Mac as being the culprit here but then again many people are using these.

[CaptainHook]

I have 4x intel 520 240GB drives and (touch wood) no issues like this yet, been using the cam since January.
I have two docks i use, one is a USB3 ICYDOCK and the other is Newer Technology Voyager Q Quad. Both have a power plug that require being plugged in to work.

Recently acquired BMC, shot on a SSD supplied as a trial from the dealer and the card has failed after one transfer. Bought the Intel 520 series 480 G card, filled up and transferred 3x, this morning after having filled the card with RAW material, plugged it into the iMac, via AXAGO SATA adapter. Showed 5 hours to transfer. Went for lunch, after returning, drive was no longer visible. Now SSD will not mount on any machine, any port, after restart, zapping PRam, and is invisible to camera or Disk Utility.
I suspect the computer going to sleep has terminated the session and resulted in a corrupt drive.
Anybody from BMC has anything to say about this issue?

BM can not control how and what computer you use with what settings.

For test you could turn off sleep mode and make another run.

Recently acquired BMC, shot on a SSD supplied as a trial from the dealer and the card has failed after one transfer. Bought the Intel 520 series 480 G card, filled up and transferred 3x, this morning after having filled the card with RAW material, plugged it into the iMac, via AXAGO SATA adapter. Showed 5 hours to transfer. Went for lunch, after returning, drive was no longer visible. Now SSD will not mount on any machine, any port, after restart, zapping PRam, and is invisible to camera or Disk Utility.
I suspect the computer going to sleep has terminated the session and resulted in a corrupt drive.
Anybody from BMC has anything to say about this issue?

Were you using the Seagate Thunderbolt Adapter on a Macbook Pro? I had the same thing. Both Intel and BMC did not aknowledge this problem even though it is happening to users like you and I. We trashed all Intel drives and went with SanDisk and a cheapo IcyBox USB 3.0 plug and haven't had a problem since knock on wood.

Sandisk is the way to go