Can't Update Firmware on Kingston V300 SSD

Meecha · Apr 1, 2014

Hi all,

After scouring the internet for an answer that I hoped was already there, I'm now resorting to hoping that someone can give me some specific advice regarding my issue.

I recently bought a Kingston V300 SSD 60gb, which was all well and good at first, but then my PC would freeze and a black screen would be appear stating 'please insert hard drive' or something to that effect, at first assuming the connection was faulty. After that happening a few times and a search online to discover it is not a cable issue, I found out that updating the firmware could cure the problem.

I downloaded the Kingston toolbox, but everytime I attempt to update the firmare, it gets in to a perpetual cycle of downloading firmware, downloading the sectors and back to downloading firmware etc and will never complete the cycle.

Has anyone any ideas as to what it could be? Or should I just return the SSD for a replacement?

kingstonhq · Apr 1, 2014

Hello, I'm Jewel with Kingston Technical Support and would like to offer our assistance. If you just downloaded the Toolbox and not the firmware update the update does not work properly as the plain toolbox is not linked to the firmware file to be downloaded. Please download the firmware from this location: http://www.kingston.com/us/support/technical/downloads?product=sv300s3&filename=V300_525fw_Win
After the download is complete unzip the folder and run the Toolbox from that folder. The update should work properly at that point. It is recommended to reboot the computer after running the update if the firmware version does not change on the initial section of the Toolbox. For any further assistance, please call us at 1-800-435-0640 (USA and Canada only) M - F 6am - 6pm PT and I or another available Technician will assist you. Please be sure to have the part in question on hand when you call.

Thank you for selecting Kingston as your upgrade partner.

Meecha · Apr 2, 2014

Hi,

Thank you for replying so quickly.

Yeah, that's the one I have downloaded and used, it features a .dll file, 2 pdf's and a folder named '525' with .vic files in.

Once I have run this, and restarted, I open the toolbox, select my drive and the firmare number still starts with 505, not 525 like I assumed it would.

I really don't want to call the US from my mobile, as i'm a UK resident, so it would cost me a fortune.

explosion123 · May 6, 2014

Hi everyone, I have the same problem and it would be nice, if there is any solution to our problem

cknox80 · May 8, 2014

Ok everyone, i had the same issue for over a week now and after some serious Googling, i solved the problem and successfully updated my v300. The culprit is a bios setting on your mobo for integrated peripherals. The Kingston drive that you are trying to update MUST be running in AHCI mode for the firmware push to work, not IDE. That said, there's another issue. AHCI has to be initialized at the time of the OS install. There is a workaround(what i wound up doing), but you should be comfortable with editing a couple registry entries before attempting it. The tutorial for that can be found here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html. Once those registry changes are made, reboot the machine and enter your mobo's bios configuration(every manufacturer is different, so you'll have to look up the instructions for your specific brand) and look for "Power Managment" or "Peripherals". From there you should see a choice for SATA mode, change that from IDE to AHCI. Reboot, let windows install the necessary AHCI drivers, reboot again, and run the Kingston toolbox as administrator. VOILA! The updater will do its thing as intended in just under 30 seconds. A little involved, but I hope this helps you guys!

Shredmeijster · Jul 13, 2014

Meecha :

Still not fixed? Having this problem...

3ogdy · Apr 9, 2015

Dont' care about the date it was originally posted, but I should mention the Kingston SSD Toolbox doesn't work. I downloaded the latest version and even though I'm the only user on the computer and the Administrator, the setup requires me to run it as administrator...which I did...and it still requires that. I extracted the contents from the archive hoping I would get it to work but then some Java-related error popped up. I should mention both the x86 and the x64 version of Java are installed (first tried with the x64 alone) - the latest versions. Still no go. I don't see why it has to be such a problematic process. Samsung's Magician worked like a charm every time i installed it for my previous SSD830.

kingstonhq · Apr 10, 2015

Hi there,
We apologize for the difficulty experienced trying to install and use the new Kingston SSD Toolbox. The installation process should be fairly straight forward and the file currently available for download can be ran directly to begin the installation. Depending on your computer settings with the User Access Control you may be prompted to allow the application to run. It is available here: http://www.kingston.com/us/support/technical/kingston-ssd-toolbox.aspx

If this is the same file that you used, please contact our support so we will be able to get more information about what is happening and get the toolbox installed.

The firmware update package actually uses the older toolbox which does not require installation. That package is found here: http://www.kingston.com/us/support/technical/downloads?product=sv300s3&filename=V300_525fw_Win

If your V300 was purchased recently, it may have a newer firmware than what is posted on our website.

If there is something unusual occurring with the SSD, please contact us in technical support so we can work with you and find a resolution for you.

Find our contact information for you region here: http://www.kingston.com/company/contacts#tech

g0d · Apr 14, 2015

dont upgrade the firmware! i was on 505 and the new firmware SIGNIFICANTLY lowered my read/write speeds on all 4 of my v300 120gb drives! and I can not downgrade to 505! kingston was supposed to call me back a week ago regarding this issue and I have not heard back from them!

forrely · Jul 10, 2015

cknox80 :

Ok everyone, i had the same issue for over a week now and after some serious Googling, i solved the problem and successfully updated my v300. The culprit is a bios setting on your mobo for integrated peripherals. The Kingston drive that you are trying to update MUST be running in AHCI mode for the firmware push to work, not IDE. That said, there's another issue. AHCI has to be initialized at the time of the OS install. There is a workaround(what i wound up doing), but you should be comfortable with editing a couple registry entries before attempting it. The tutorial for that can be found here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html. Once those registry changes are made, reboot the machine and enter your mobo's bios configuration(every manufacturer is different, so you'll have to look up the instructions for your specific brand) and look for "Power Managment" or "Peripherals". From there you should see a choice for SATA mode, change that from IDE to AHCI. Reboot, let windows install the necessary AHCI drivers, reboot again, and run the Kingston toolbox as administrator. VOILA! The updater will do its thing as intended in just under 30 seconds. A little involved, but I hope this helps you guys!

yes, this was my problem as well. fixed my issue

chris2u · Jul 27, 2019

It can be the drivers for the IDE controller that can prevent the firmware update.
It can also cause problems with Trim not working.
This post mentions it happening with Nvidia controllers, but in my case it was an AMD controller.
Anyhow, putting in the good old 2006 Microsoft drivers solved the problem

.
Read on..

"For those with nForce boards, this method was worked out by Everlong and credit for that goes to him, thanks mate!

Just to put in here for nForce users, nForce boards do not support AHCI (with the exception of nForce boards that include onboard graphic cards), and also don't send the TRIM command for SSDs. It can do NCQ through its controller though. The JMicron SATA ports do support AHCI, but you'd get worse performance running a HDD through these, than on the normal SATA ports.

You can uninstall the Nvidia controller though in Device Manager and install Microsoft's IDE Controller, which can send TRIM commands for SSDs.

Head to Device Manager (Open Start menu, type Device Manager), and click "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers", and you will see 3 Nvidia Serial ATA Controllers. Right click one of them and click "Properties" and go to the "Driver" tab. Click "Update Driver". Click "Browse my Computer", and then "Let me pick". You will see the option to choose "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller". Click this and click "Next" and let it install.

Do the same for the other two Nvidia Controllers in Device Manager and restart your system. After the controllers have installed, you will be asked to reboot again.

SSDs will now have a slight performance boost with the TRIM command, and also regular HDDs also have a slight increase as well. :

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Can't Update Firmware on Kingston V300 SSD

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