Intel releases SSD Toolbox 3.0 to optimize drive performance

27.10.2011
Intel on Thursday released the third generation of its solid-state drive monitoring and management firmware SSD Toolbox 3.0, which offers many of the same tools as previous versions but with a simpler interface.

The SSD Toolbox, which is available on , has a simpler graphical user interface (GUI) for 's Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) technology. SMART can perform diagnostic scans of SSDs, providing drive information such as the amount of free capacity and the estimated life remaining. It also has a health scale, illustrating whether the drive is functioning optimally.

In 2009, was focused on optimizing the performance of its X25-M consumer-class solid state disk (SSD) drive with the operating system.

Intel's SSD Toolbox 3.0 interface

Like the first iteration, Toolbox 3.0 allows firmware updates to SSDs under Windows instead of DOS. The new firmware also uses a simpler GUI and offers a "System Information" icon to help guide users to tech-support troubleshooting.

Toolbox 3.0 can also perform secure erase of a secondary Intel SSD, ensuring all data is cleaned from the drive before it is installed in a secondary system. The utility also allows users to set up automatic TRIM function, which cleans up all data already marked for deletion, putting the capacity back into play.