Simple SSD firmware update for Linux system
Simple SSD firmware update for Linux system
Most of my SSDs are from Samsung, and they likely will be in the future. They offer a tool called "Magician" that runs on Windows. This lets you quickly see if a firmware update is available and apply it easily. That’s why the Samsung option feels worthwhile. On Linux, things seem trickier. The usual suggestion is to try upgrading on a Windows machine first, then switch back to Linux—something like this guide: https://blog.quindorian.org/2021/05/firm...inux.html/. My approach might be simpler: stick with Linux for older hardware. After a few years, critical updates probably stop coming. Still, a new SSD might be needed for an older PC. Is there a better way to manage this? I understand it’s not a Linux issue, but as a user it doesn’t bother me. If it’s too complicated, most people probably never tackle firmware updates.
Save the firmware ISO from the provided link to a USB drive. Boot the device from that USB and perform the update. An older method might work too—consider using Ventoy instead of UNetbootin.
Simple instructions require precise steps. On Ubuntu systems use 'fwupdmgr update'. On Arch-based distributions, first install fwupd with pacman, then run fwupd get-updates for updates, and finally execute fwupdmgr update.
It's much simpler than using a USB stick, setting up Ventoy or a similar tool, going online, downloading the update, and finally getting the machine to start Windows before applying the fix. I just completed it in roughly the same time as reading the original message.
You're exploring options to check your firmware version on Debian 13 and MX Linux without a GUI. Since you already have "fwupd" installed, you can run terminal commands directly. There are ways to view the current firmware without modifying it, such as using system tools or third-party utilities. Downloading the ISO remains a reliable backup method.
Not all gadgets are compatible with fwupd and not every patch reaches your device. For example, my Samsung 980 never got an update even though Samsung is listed on LVFS. If you're using KDE, supported devices should appear in Discover updates. Samsung provides Linux ISO files along with their firmware, available at their site. https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consum...ort/tools/ Their ISO doesn’t work for my 980, so I extracted everything and ran it manually. https://blog.quindorian.org/2021/05/firm...inux.html/ Another case shows a black screen after booting, requiring Legacy Boot and an extra step to flash the firmware using msecli. The issue is limited to installing msecli on Ubuntu LTS; I use an Arch AUR package that uses a custom installer. It’s unclear why they don’t offer a ready-made tool or service for everyone.
Oof. Not only is this more cumbersome than I hoped. But there also is a chance for something to go wrong and brick the SSD. Maybe the plan to use SSD in Windows for a few years before deploying them to a Linux PC isn't that bad. My current Linux PCs have PCIe 3.0 SSD. So they sure don't get updates anymore.
To check the firmware version, use: sudo hwinfo --bios | less in your terminal. This should function across different distributions. Results may differ.