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Clock Bug Takes Sony's PlayStation Network Offline, Corrupts Data

Bart Salisbury — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:09:37 -0600

What’s up is not yet clear, but there’s something nasty afoot that PlayStation 3 (PS3) owners definitely want to be attentive to. It’s being reported that a “bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system” is causing problems in older PS3s (PS3 Phats--slims aren’t affected). Being dumped from the PlayStation Network looks to be the least of owner worries.

Griffin McElroy, of Joystiq, is reporting that the problems being experienced trace back to a 8001050F error code. Besides being unable to join PSN, users are having their trophy information corrupted, most likely due to the system clock resetting to “1/1/2000”. Phat owners are reporting even with their system offline the problem is occurring, leading McElroy to surmise the problem may be firmware related.

Latest word from Sony, reports McElroy, is to keep your PS3 off until the issue can be fixed. Sony hopes to have things sorted out in the next 24-hours.

Image Credit: Sony

Intel Fixes Busted TRIM Support with New Firmware Release

Paul Lilly — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:00:13 -0600

Intel X25-M G2 SSD owners should be lauded for their patience. Don't believe it? See here, here, and, here. We won't fault anyone who takes this next bit of news with guarded optimism, but Intel's newly released 02HD firmware purports to restore TRIM support, and do so without bricking the previously problematic drives.

So far at least, user response in Intel's support forums have been fairly positive. Nobody yet has reported any major problems in the firmware's main support thread, which is a positive sign given the SSD's past problems.

The 02HD firmware applies to both 80GB and 160GB Intel X25-M G2 SSDs built on a 34nm manufacturing process, and in addition to restoring TRIM support, Intel says it also contains "several continuous improvement optimizations intended to provide the best possible user experience."

Intel Update Tool

Image Credit: HotHardware

Intel Confirms Bricked SSD Bug, Starts Working on a Fix

Paul Lilly — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:15:04 -0600

Late last month, several owners of Intel's X25-M G2 solid state drives cried foul when a firmware update promising a 40 percent performance boost ended up bricking their drives instead. Oops! That marked the latest in a what's becoming a string of problems plaguing the 34nm SSDs, and once again, Intel says a fix is on the way.

"Intel has replicated the issue on 34nm SSDs -- X25-M -- and is working a fix," wrote Alan Frost of Intel's NAND Solutions Group. "Intel is pursuing the resolution of this as a high priority. Intel is seeking direct feedback on this issue from members of the [Intel Support Community]... asking them to send their drives directly to Intel to expedite the analysis of the issues. This action will enable us to more quickly generate a resolution for this issue."

Frost added that there have been no reports of related issues by users who were able to successfully upgrade to the 02ha firmware via the firmware upgrade tool, which would suggest the problem isn't the firmware itself, but a bug in the loader software.

TRIM Firmware Problems Continue to Plague Intel's 34nm SSDs

Paul Lilly — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:45:59 -0500

Like Wile E. Coyote after failing to catch the Road Runner for the umpteenth time, it's back to the drawing board for Intel, who must figure out what the heck is going on with its 34nm solid state drives (SSDs). Allow us to elaborate.

Earlier this summer, the chip maker halted shipments of its X25-M G2 drives when it was discovered that a BIOS bug could lead to data corruption. More recently, Intel released its new TRIM firmware, which was supposed to inject a 40 percent boost to sequential write speeds, but just one day after its release, Intel has pulled the update due to corruption issues in Windows 7. Apparently, the firmware has been doing more harm than good and managed to brick a few drives.

"Yes, we have been contacted by users with issues with the firmware upgrade for our 34nm SSDs and we are investigating. We take all sightings and issues seriously and are working toward resolution. We have temporarily taken down the firmware link while we investigate," Intel said in a statement to Engadget.

When Intel will have a new update is anyone's guess. In the meantime, there's a 6 page (and growing) discussion taking place on Intel's support form where you can keep up with the latest developments.

Image Credit: HotHardware

Intel Introduces Tools to Optimize 34nm SSD Performance in Windows 7

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:44:13 -0500

Intel today announced the availability of a couple of new tools and a new firmware for its 34nm X25-M SATA SSDs. The Intel SSD Optimizer and the new firmware, both of which leverage the Windows* 7 ATA Data Set Management Command (known as Trim), are designed to preserve the out-of-box performance of Intel SSDs, while the Intel Solid-State Drive (SSD) Toolbox contains applications to better monitor the health of SSDs.

According to Intel, the Trim attribute of the ATA Data Set Management Command "synchs the operating system's view of deleted files with those that are deleted, but not erased on the drive."

Trim helps the SSD identify unused blocks of data, thereby lending stability to the health and performance of the SSD. Intel said in the press release that 34nm X25-M 160GB owners can expect an improvement of around 40 percent in sequenstial write speeds with the firmware update, which amounts to write speeds of up to 100MB per second.

"Not only will Windows 7 users receive the performance enhancements of the Trim command, but so will our Windows XP and Vista users," said Pete Hazen, director of marketing, Intel NAND Solutions Group.

Image Credit: Intel

Murphy's Law: Do You Really Want an Open-Source Router?

David Murphy — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0500

I'll admit, I was a little bit excited when I read earlier this week that Netgear was launching a quote-unquote open-source router. It's not very often--well, hardly ever--that one sees a larger corporate manufacturer of computer hardware so brazenly embrace the ideals (and code) of the open-source enthusiasts. If anything, it seems that companies in the networking space tend to go a little out of their way to ensure that one can't add or tweak a store-bought device with unofficial firmware. I think they'd much prefer to up-sell you additional features than watch you unlock them yourself, but that's just me.

And yet, here we are! An open-source router! Just the kind of thing you want to bring home, install into your network, and begin updating with the best DD-WRT, OpenWRT, or Tomato firmware you can get your hands on. Imagine the possibilities! Imagine the new features you might be able to play around with! Imagine the joy in your family's eyes when you tell 'em how you've transformed your Jekyll of a local area network into an beastly, unrestrained Hyde. They'll talk about this day for the next five family gatherings at least!

I exaggerate, but only because it seems that the marketing team for Netgear's WNR3500L gigabit router is probably benefiting the most from this "switch" to open-source. I can't see average consumers using this device to its fullest potential, if that's even possible to begin with. The WNR3500L isn't actually open-source all the way. By incorporating closed-source drivers into the product--and triumphing third-party firmware that may or may not run afoul of the GPL itself--Netgear could actually be costing consumers valuable security and functionality.

Consumers Don't Care

I'm sorry, I just have to state the obvious: Average consumers do not care about open-source. Or, rather, they don't care about open source unless it's packaged into a product such that they don't have to lift a finger to reap its benefits. The Chumby is a perfect example of a device that's full of easy-to-use, open-source goodness; Netgear's WNR3500L is not.

It's a simple equation. When a typical router-purchaser picks up the product, he or she will find a fully working, factory-default installation of Netgear's usual configuration back-end. Said person might even jump into the configuration screen and forward some ports or and rename the wireless network to something witty/profane.

Beyond that, there's no impetus on Netgear's part to guide the user to a third-party, open-source firmware package, nor any reasoning or comparisons to suggest what benefits could come from the switch. Few users typically update the firmware of their devices when the manufacturer offers a change or fix. Fewer still go out into the wide world of the Internet hunting for unofficial replacements to use in place of official firmware.

Let's face it: an average person simply isn't going to explore an open-source route no matter how big and bold the phrase was on the box copy. To these people, a product working as expected out of the box is enough of a reward. Why mess with it?

Enthusiasts Remain Unrewarded

I would expect Maximum PC readers to want to take the plunge into third-party firmware more than most. Kudos to you. Only, by doing so, you run the risk that comes from working with software that's technically unsupported and untested on a wide scale. But let's ignore the potential device-breaking implications and assume that your third-party firmware installs flawlessly. Here's the problem: The underlying code of the WNR3500L's modules--especially those related to the core functionality of its Broadcom chipsets--is proprietary. That includes its ethernet and wireless drivers.

This becomes a real issue for third-party creators that want to update the WNR3500L based on a newer version of the Linux kernel. Without the source code, there's no easy way to compile updated modules that work with later kernels--save for reverse engineering code that's found in completely different routers. Updated Linux kernels aren't backwards-compatible, after all: a module coded for kernel version 2.4 just won't function in kernel version 2.6.

As an open-source enthusiast, you lose the security upgrades and functionality that a newer kernel would bring to the table. And even then, life isn't peachy for third-party firmware that's stuck with the closed Broadcom drivers for kernel version 2.4. Just look at the small list of issues found in the OpenWRT drivers Netgear is hosting and promoting:

WPA and WPA2 are not working.
SAMBA support is not present.
NAS can be accessed only through command line using utilities such as ftp
No GUI support to access NAS is available till now.

Is the Firmware Truly Open?

I won't hit this point too hard, as I feel like each week of Murphy's Law is another look into some alleged violation or misinterpretation of the GPL. Suffice, controversy exists over whether firmware like DD-WRT and Tomato--which, again, Netgear promotes--violates GPL licensing. Or, at the very least, that either firmware options violate the spirit of open-source.

The charges back and forth, especially with DD-WRT, are a festering nest of he-said she-said. Suffice, there's been enough squabble over elements like DD-WRT's locked-down UI (a closed feature in an open-source architecture) to give thought that the application might not be playing by the full set of rules required by the GPL. It's conjecturing and controversy rolled into one, and it's not exactly helped by what developer "Brainslayer" states the following on the DD-WRT wiki:

"WARNING: Due to abuse by those re-branding DD-WRT and selling it, or pre-flashed routers with it on eBay, builds dated later than 08/04/2006 have some protections against re-branding the web UI."

So...

As it stands, I see Netgear's WNR3500L as more a product of hype than a legitimate push for a truly open-source networking device. And even then, is the consumer world ready for such a product, especially when said open-source router is clocking in at a $140 price tag? (Admittedly, it includes some extra hardware beyond its non-open-source-themed cousin.) When I think "open-source" from a consumer standpoint, I think, "Wow, this device will probably be less expensive because the software was in all likelihood free of charge."

With the WNR3500L, it's a different question: "Where'd my wireless security go?"

David Murphy (@ Acererak) is a technology journalist and former Maximum PC editor. He writes weekly columns about the wide world of open-source as well as weekly roundups of awesome, freebie software. Befriend him on Twitter, especially if you have an awesome app or game you're dying to recommend!

Murphy's Law: Behold the Open Power of Chumby!

David Murphy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:30:40 -0500

At first, I just didn't get it--the Chumby, that is. This little LCD display wrapped in a hug of padding looked like a bizarre cross between my car's antiquated GPS device, the throw-up of an OSX dashboard, and a big plushy hunk of love. To its genius, that's exactly what the Chumby is... and so much more. And did I mention that it's open-source as well?

Contrary to most of the open-source hardware projects I've mentioned on Maximum PC, the Chumby is ready for your attention the moment you pop it out of the box. But that doesn't mean that you can't tweak and tinker beyond its simplistic exterior. Although cracking open the soft, loveable digital toy will violate your warranty, the official Chumby site is more than happy to give you a listing of the device's full hardware and accompanying schematics. From there, only your conscience toward ripping open friendly, plush, communication devices stands in your way of complete hardware transcendence.

If hardware hacking isn't your thing, however, the second best part of the Chumby is the comprehensive list of software widgets that you can display and interact with on the device. To find these, you can go the official route and download apps directly off of Chumby's main site or you can scour the internet for custom, USB-deployable software to stick into your device.

Is the Chumby ultimately fun to use? Well... yes and no. I must confess, I gave solid thought to replacing my standing alarm clock with a Chumby. But the more I downloaded apps, the more I realized that the Chumby was inherently giving me much of the functionality that's already ingrained into my daily routine.

For example, do I need a Chumby to tell me the latest New York Times news? No. For that, there's my iPhone, my RSS feeds, my Web browser, et cetera. Do I need the latest round of images from I Can Has Cheezburger displayed on this desk-side device? Not really, but the case gains some ammunition. Do I want to scroll through my email on my Chumby? I could, but the touchscreen functionality is just slightly quirky enough to make me want to prod at a mobile phone instead.

But then... then there are the neat community widgets. I can display a live feed of the San Diego Zoo's panda enclosure on the Chumby (Shamu the whale, too!). And, of course, there's the Chumby WiFi Sniffer--perfect for seeing what your wireless-leeching neighbors are up to on your connection. True geeks will appreciate the Server Uptime widget, which checks the status of your Linux server and sounds a large, red alarm if it can't connect to your system. Perhaps best of all, a Chumby forum user is actively testing a new widget that transforms the Chumby into a full-fledged iTunes Remote.

Users aren't just hacking the Chumby's internal components and software. Aspiring designers are creating full, artistic frameworks for the squishy Chumby to rest in (or wear). The more mad scientist-like developers are finding ways to integrate the Chumby's Wi-Fi capabilities and accelerometer as the brain of larger projects, including toy car navigation, vehicle tracking, automated home lighting... and that's about it.

One of the larger issues surrounding this community-driven device is its lack of a rabid, enthusiast (and sizeable) fan base. Just survey the message boards. There's a gap of months between the first and last posts on the primary Chumby "Widgets" forum. I realize that's the most unscientific measurement of interest one can make, but it actually holds a little more weight given that Chumby actively promotes and collects third-party widgets on the official site. In a sense, this is the Chumby App Store. And unlike Apple's variety, where one can grab an near-infinite number of applications and games on an ever-increasing basis, Chumby development--especially from hacking community--doesn't seem to be as widespread as one would assume for such an open device.

That's the biggest shame of all, because the Chumby is actually a compelling little product. Its build-in functionality is akin to an alarm clock, a miniature display, and steroids mixed with a beanbag chair. Beyond that, the possibilities for modifying its Linux-based interior (or cute-based exterior) appear endless in construction and complexity. I'd much rather hack around on a Chumby than an Arduino controller, which makes it a shame that Chumby development seems to have dropped off since its early 2008 launch. Here's hoping the new deal that puts Chumby widgets into Broadcom televisions, set-top boxes, and Blu-ray players will encourage some additional interest in this lonely little octopus. But I fear that advancements in mobile technology might have singlehanded eclipsed the need for a $200, widget-based device.

New SSD Firmware from OCZ, Indilinx Improves Idle Performance

Paul Lilly — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:16:54 -0500

We've longed bemoaned the real-world write performance of most SSDs, which often falls short of the much speedier read speeds. Even worse, surmises HotHardware, is the potential for an SSD's write performance to degrade over time.

"The flash memory used on today's SSDs is comprised of cells that usually contain 4KB pages that are arranged in blocks of 512KB," writes HotHardware. "When a cell is unused, data can be written to it relatively quickly. But if a cell already contains some data -- no matter how little, even if it fills only a single page in the block -- the entire block must be re-written. That means, whatever data is already present in the block must be read, then it must be combined or replaced, etc., with the new additional data, and the entire block is then re-written."

The good news is most manufacturers are attacking the problem head on via firmware. One such example is OCZ's implementation of the Indilinx firmware, which the company plans to include on all Vertex series drives. When the drives are idle, Indilinx and other similar SSD firmware sweep through an SSD's cells looking for and removing so-called "garbage data."

HotHardware got its hands on one of OCZ's new Vertex drives outfitted with the Indilinx firmware and the results are pretty surprising. After "dirtying" the drive with chunks of data, performance degradation became apparent while running the ATTO Disk Benchmark. But after letting the drive sit idle for 5 minutes, performance numbers were nearly restored to new condition.

See for yourself right here.

Image Credit: HotHardware