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Crucial m4 SSD gets major firmware update

Crucial releases firmware that improves its m4 solid-state drive's performance and compatibility.

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
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Dong Ngo
2 min read

The Crucial M4 solid-state drive
The Crucial M4 solid-state drive Dong Ngo/CNET

I reviewed the Crucial m4 solid-state drive a while ago and thought its performance could use some improvement. Crucial announced today that it has just released a firmware update to do just that.

The new version upgrades the drive's firmware from revision 0002 (used for the review) to revision 0009, which is slated to significantly improve the drive's throughput and overall performance. Crucial says that the new firmware will make the drive read and write faster. It will also help the computer boot and load applications even faster when used as the main drive that hosts the operating system. On top of that, the new firmware also improves the drive's compatibility with the latest computer chipsets, as well as different standards of the SATA interface.

Note that you can also upgrade from the initial 0001 revision to the latest firmware without first having to update to 0002.

To update the firmware, you first need to download an ISO file from Crucial's Web site, burn it onto a CD, and then use the CD to boot the computer, be it a Mac or PC, that is equipped with the drive. Note that you'll need to change the computer's BIOS to temporarily change the SATA configuration to work in the compatibility mode ("IDE" or "Legacy") for the update to go through successfully. The update won't work when SATA is set to work in AHCI, which is the mode that you want to use with the drive for normal operation.

To update the drive successfully, and find out more about the new firmware, make sure you read the release note and the firmware update guide (PDF).