Firmware Upgrade Complexities
The
first thing to do with your shiny new Indilinx-based SSD is to ensure
your firmware is up to date. I checked out each manufacturers web
site.

Super Talent firmware download page .

OCZ firmware download page (a single zip file contains directories for each model capacity).
Indilinx
|
OCZ | Super Talent
|
Flash Mode
|
Jumper?
|
0112
|
0112
|
|
Windows
|
Y
|
1199
|
1199 |
|
Windows
|
Y
|
1275
|
1275 |
|
Windows
|
Y
|
1370
|
1.10 | 1370
|
Dos
|
N
|
1571
|
1.30 | 1571
|
Dos
|
N
|
Allow
me to decrypt the above table. Indilinx actually makes *all* firmwares
for these drives. OCZ, Super Talent, and anyone else using their
controllers simply pass their firmware releases and tools onto their
user base. Early firmwares did not support the ability to upgrade
without making an additional connection to place the Indilinx
controller into engineering mode. Since OCZ was first to adopt the
tech, they added a jumper adjacent to the SATA connector on their
Vertex drives. Super Talent started later in the game, and since their
drives come with at least 1370 pre-installed, there is no need for such
a jumper.
Here’s the rub. OCZ only supplies the newest firmware on their site, and 1.10 and newer require at least 1275 to be installed. If you were an early adopter or haven’t flashed your firmware in a while, you are forced to dig through their forum to find 1275. A few weeks ago it was only available by finding the post and sending a PM to one of their head members (requires creating a forum account and waiting for a reply). They soon changed their post to include a link to the 1275 firmware, but stated they would “leave it up for a week or so“. This does not seem that forward thinking to me, as plenty of people may be using the first few versions of firmware. There is an obvious hesitation to flash from the early versions, as doing so completely wipes the drive. Since flashing must be done under windows, it is impossible to do so on a single-drive laptop. Another issue is flashing from old to new requires the first steps to take place under windows and the final steps to take place under DOS.
The old 1275 (and prior) flasher under Windows (note the flash being cleared).
The new flash utility under DOS, flashing a Vertex.
Since the utility is supplied by Indilinx, Super Talent flashing is identical, save the device model.
Now that we are up to date we can get on with the testing… well, sort of.
Here’s the rub. OCZ only supplies the newest firmware on their site, and 1.10 and newer require at least 1275 to be installed. If you were an early adopter or haven’t flashed your firmware in a while, you are forced to dig through their forum to find 1275. A few weeks ago it was only available by finding the post and sending a PM to one of their head members (requires creating a forum account and waiting for a reply). They soon changed their post to include a link to the 1275 firmware, but stated they would “leave it up for a week or so“. This does not seem that forward thinking to me, as plenty of people may be using the first few versions of firmware. There is an obvious hesitation to flash from the early versions, as doing so completely wipes the drive. Since flashing must be done under windows, it is impossible to do so on a single-drive laptop. Another issue is flashing from old to new requires the first steps to take place under windows and the final steps to take place under DOS.

The old 1275 (and prior) flasher under Windows (note the flash being cleared).

The new flash utility under DOS, flashing a Vertex.

Since the utility is supplied by Indilinx, Super Talent flashing is identical, save the device model.
Now that we are up to date we can get on with the testing… well, sort of.