X61 Crucial SSD Problems

[GRTMan]

I purchased a couple of Crucial M4 SSD drives from Amazon in December 2012 to boost the boot speed on my X61's. They are both vanilla 7673-H7G's.

My first impressions - great, brilliant speed increase, feeling very quick. But the first install developed some subtle faults with install programs starting but then exiting. So I put that down to some other problem, and put that unit to one side.

I then loaded up my second unit with a full factory install from OEM disks on the second SSD, added SP3 and all the updates, including Lenovo System Update. This went fine and fast as before. But then I started getting problems with downloads over the WiFi link (Intel 4965AG). The downloads would complete fine, but the Windows Installer would report invalid signature. Soemtimes I'd get a clean download, and then the execution would just hang. Downloads of the same file over Ethernet were repeatedly just fine. A weird fault.

So I switched the SSD back into another 7673-H7G chassis, and you've guessed it, tha fault followed th SSD. Just to make sure I put a regular hard disk back into the chassis and tha fault disappeared.

So I'm convinced there is a problem or incompatibility with the Crucial M4 128GB SSD drive replacement and the Lenovo X61 7673-H7G chassis.

I've gone back to hard disks for the moment but if anyone else has the problem or any ideas would like to hear them.

GRTMan

[emtee3511]

I've not used Crucial, but I've used Samsung, Kingston and Intel 128 and 160gb SSD's in the X6x machines in my signature -- none have caused any issues, and all are working with excellent speed. I wonder if "invalid signature" could just be a matter of changing a security setting in Windows?

Another "just a shot in the dark" -- I have have had to use an elevated command prompt of 'netsh winsock reset' on several occasions after my iTunes software updated itself -- as well as change an advanced security setting in Internet Explorer -- both of which resolve iTunes hanging on opening and downloading iTunes Store -- not the same issue as yours, but still a software issue 'hanging' due to various Windows settings.

[ajkula66]

Since you're mentioning SP3 I presume that you're running XP.

Partitions must be properly aligned for SSD use and XP doesn't do this...

You can still do this after the OS has been installed although it's better to do it prior to the actual install, using Vista or W7 disk.

Updating Crucial's firmware to the latest one should also be on your "to do" list.

Good luck.

[pianowizard]

They are both vanilla 7673-H7G's.

Product description: T8100(2.10GHz), 1GB RAM, 80GB 5400rpm HD, 12.1in 1024x768 LCD, Intel X3100, Intel 802.11agn wireless(n-disabled), Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 4c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32

Why run XP when you are entitled to Vista which is better than XP in virtually every single way, including proper SSD alignment? Downgrading from XP to Vista made sense when the latter was full of bugs back in 2007 but that's not the case any more. Wipe the disc clean and start over by installing Vista. If you don't have the Vista setup disc, make one for free as explained here: http://en.community.dell.com/support-fo ... river.aspx. With Microsoft support for XP expiring in only about 16 months, it's time to move on to a more recent OS.

[GRTMan]

Thanks for the very useful suggestions.

I had problems with other programs and operations, e.g. CCleaner would intermittently download correctly/incorrectly. So not a problem specific to any software/operation.

I will try the re-alignment of the SSD partitions first. But I note the comments re using Windows Vista, so will do that afterwards. Will post the outcome.