990 Pro 2TB: Failed to update firmware on the selected drive

[hiya-whats-up]

I got a 990 Pro 2TB on two different machines and on both they refuse to update the firmware - since day one. The log files states this:

24-03-2025 09:45:26 INFO UIMP UpdateThread::UpdateFirmwareThread 384 Firmware update start requested [DISK 1]
24-03-2025 09:45:27 INFO BVM VersionManager::DownloadFirmwareFromServer 83 Begin download firmware from server
24-03-2025 09:45:27 ERROR BVM FunctionManager::FirmwareDownloadAndUnzipExecute183 Failed to check directory exist with error:2
24-03-2025 09:45:27 ERROR BVM FunctionManager::FirmwareDownloadAndUnzipExecute216 Failed to clear the cache on URL, error: 0x2
24-03-2025 09:45:28 INFO BVM FunctionManager::SignCheck 602 Sign checker start
24-03-2025 09:45:28 INFO BVM FunctionManager::SignCheck 630 Sign checker end : success
24-03-2025 09:45:28 INFO BVM VersionManager::DownloadFirmwareFromServer 92 End download firmware from server
24-03-2025 09:45:28 INFO BVM VersionManager::SetUpdateStatusComplete 411 Begin set complete update
24-03-2025 09:45:28 INFO BVM VersionManager::SetUpdateStatusComplete 413 End set complete update
24-03-2025 09:45:28 ERROR SILCommands NVMeInboxQueryProperty::GetIdentifyController41 QueryProperty failed, err: 6
24-03-2025 09:45:28 ERROR SILN00 SILDevFWUpdateInbox::Execute 47 NVMe command exception, code: -1, err: 1117, system err: 1117
24-03-2025 09:45:28 ERROR BMBFWU BMBFWU::UpdateFirmware 58 FW Download Failed : 6
24-03-2025 09:45:28 ERROR FWUM FWUpdateManager::DownloadFirmware 335 Failed to update the firmware
24-03-2025 09:45:28 INFO BVM VersionManager::SendT3 1382 Begin send result data to server
24-03-2025 09:45:29 ERROR BCOM Communicator::RequestAndResponse 312 Decryption error 4
24-03-2025 09:45:29 INFO BVM VersionManager::SendT3 1386 End send result data to server
24-03-2025 09:45:29 INFO UIMP UpdateThread::_SendFITDataImmediately 705 FIT Sent Immediately.
24-03-2025 09:45:29 INFO UIMP UpdateThread::UpdateFirmwareThread 493 Firmware update completed, code: 10
24-03-2025 09:45:29 INFO BFIT COL::ReadFeatureUsageFromFile 1645 Successfully read data from file
24-03-2025 09:45:30 ERROR SILCommands SNTSecurityProtocolOut::_SendMagicianCMD_Send338 Status is not ok, sense key: 5response code:112
24-03-2025 09:45:30 ERROR SILN09 SILDevTelemetrySNT::Execute 55 NVMe command exception, code: 1, err: 0, system err: 0

I do wonder why Magician writes that the NVMe driver is unknown, but I am unsure if the issue is related. Samsung does not have a NVMe driver available for download for the 990 Pro as far as I can see.

Any ideas?

[ddaniel51]

The 990 Pro uses the  Microsoft Windows NVME driver and Magician will not work properly without it.  Samsung has not provided a driver since the 960 Pro.

I currently have 6 990 Pro and 1 9100 Pro all on the Microsoft driver.

[hiya-whats-up]

Via device manager I can see it is using the Microsoft Windows NVMe driver  - but how do I update the firmware which is clearly much out of date?

[ddaniel51]

What computer and Windows version?  How are the drives installed?  Magician version?  Latest is 8.3.

[hiya-whats-up]

I have two identical drive in two different machines:

1) HP Z2 Tower G9 - Windows 11 Pro

2) Dell Precision 3440 - Windows 10 Pro For Workstations

Both Windows OS are fully patched.

In both cases the drives are installed on the motherboard next to the drive that each machine was delivered with. Both running latest Samsung Magician - 8.3.0

[ddaniel51]

Given what info you have given the only thing I can think of is to swap the M.2 slots in an attempt to change drive priority.

Unfortunately 8.3 refuses to run (crashes on start) on my Asus Xeon Win 11 Pro work station so I'm forced to use 7.3 so I can't compare notes...  Sorry

It looks like 7.3 can update your 990's though the 9100 Pro is too new..  Do a web search for samsung Magician 7.3.

[hiya-whats-up]

Thanks for the suggestion, I tried upgrading the firmware via 7.3 but same error. Its really weird its happening on two different machine from two different manufacturers.

[hiya-whats-up]

According to Magician I need to ensure I am using latest Microsoft or Samsung drivers:

But there are no Samsung drivers for 990 Pro and according to device manager I am already using Microsoft drivers. So what to do?

[ddaniel51]

Microsoft Driver listed as 6/21/2006 ver 10.0.26100.1150.

Try uninstalling the driver in Device Manager and restart to let it find and reinstall  them.

Worth a shot.

[hiya-whats-up]

You mean uninstall the device? I tried no luck.

I kind of give up, instead I have now ordered a ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 card and will try move the drive to one of those slots - and then I am ready to buy a 9100 Pro as well 😄