docs(tech): correct firmware target GXA7801Q (non-SED) and update status

- Key discovery: GXA7802Q is SED-only (00B07), our drive needs GXA7801Q (00B00) - Updated all references from GXA7802Q to GXA7801Q - Added firmware naming convention table (1Q=non-SED, 2Q=SED) - Updated procedure with correct GitHub source and slot-based update - Marked firmware update as applied (reboot pending) - Added SHA256 checksum for GXA7801Q.bin
docs(tech): pre-firmware benchmark + GXA7801Q update applied
2026-04-02 10:57:12 +02:00 · 2026-04-02 10:53:54 +02:00 · 2026-04-02 10:40:10 +02:00 · 2026-04-02 10:15:50 +02:00 · 2026-04-02 10:02:15 +02:00 · 2026-04-02 09:49:00 +02:00
5 changed files with 617 additions and 2 deletions
@@ -0,0 +1,298 @@
+---
+description: >-
+  Firmware/BIOS update research for all workstation components.
+  Current vs latest versions, update methods, and risk assessment.
+tags: [firmware, bios, update, research, tech, workstation]
+last_updated: '2026-04-02'
+---
+
+# Firmware Update Research: mw-pfeddersheim-workstation
+
+**Date**: 2026-04-02
+**Purpose**: Research latest firmware/BIOS versions for all components and assess update needs.
+
+## Summary
+
+| Component | Current Version | Latest Version | Update? | Risk |
+|-----------|----------------|----------------|---------|------|
+| Motherboard BIOS | F53 (2025-10-28) | F53 | **No** | - |
+| NVMe SSD (PM9A1) | GXA7401Q | **GXA7801Q** | **Yes (applied)** | Medium |
+| SATA SSD (840 EVO) | EXT0BB6Q | EXT0BB6Q (EOL) | **No** | - |
+| GPU VBIOS (GTX 1050 Ti) | 86.07.39.00.50 | 86.07.39.00.50 (EOL) | **No** | - |
+| NIC (RTL8111) | rev 0c, r8168 driver | Kernel-integrated | Via kernel | Low |
+| CPU Microcode | Kernel-integrated | Kernel-integrated | Via kernel | Low |
+| USB Peripherals | Various | Various | **No** (no LVFS) | - |
+
+**Actionable updates**: 1 (NVMe SSD firmware)
+
+---
+
+## Detailed Findings
+
+### 1. Motherboard BIOS: Gigabyte AX370M-DS3H-CF
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Current | F53, dated 2025-10-28 |
+| Latest | F53 (no newer version found) |
+| Source | [Gigabyte Support](https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/GA-AX370M-DS3H-rev-1x/support) |
+
+**Status**: **Up to date.** F53 from October 2025 is the latest available. The AX370M-DS3H (rev 1.x) is an AM4 board from 2017 - F53 represents a remarkably long support timeline (8+ years). No further updates expected.
+
+**Update method** (if future versions appear): Q-Flash (BIOS) or @BIOS (Windows/Linux utility).
+
+---
+
+### 2. NVMe SSD: Samsung PM9A1 (MZVL2512HCJQ-00B00)
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Current | GXA7401Q |
+| **Latest** | **GXA7801Q** (non-SED, `00B00`) |
+| Source | [GitHub: samsung-nvme-firmware](https://github.com/lolyinseo/samsung-nvme-firmware) |
+
+**Status**: **Update applied 2026-04-02.** GXA7801Q is the correct firmware for non-SED PM9A1 drives (model `00B00`). Reboot pending to activate.
+
+> **Important**: GXA7802Q is for SED drives (model `00B07`) only. Our non-SED drive (MZVL2512HCJQ-**00B00**) requires GXA7801Q.
+> The OVHCloud mirror only hosts GXA7802Q, which was rejected as "Invalid Firmware Image".
+
+### Firmware Naming Convention
+
+| Suffix | Type | Model Suffix |
+|--------|------|-------------|
+| `GXA***1Q` | Non-SED (standard) | `00B00` |
+| `GXA***2Q` | SED (Self-Encrypting) | `00B07` |
+
+### Firmware Changelog (GXA7401Q → GXA7801Q)
+
+| Version | Key Changes |
+|---------|-------------|
+| **GXA7401Q** (current) | Fixed Pyrite spec violation (prevented user data erase during TCG revert). Improved write performance drop beyond 70% capacity usage via foreground GC in SSB area. |
+| **GXA7602Q** | Changed LPN per Unmap Range from total device LPN to 1000. Improved free block generation, reduced unnecessary migrations and TLC writes. |
+| **GXA7702Q** | Increased LPN per Unmap Range to 10,000. Introduced **side effects**: lengthened FW time for Unmap operations, slower free block generation, increased unnecessary migrations. Samsung recommended **holding** this version. |
+| **GXA7801Q** (latest, applied) | **Fixes all GXA7702Q side effects.** Non-SED variant. Corrects unmap handling, restores free block generation performance. Released ~Nov 2022 after internal qualification. Overall stability and performance improvements. |
+
+**Key benefit for workstation**: The GXA7401Q → GXA7801Q jump fixes unmap/TRIM performance regression chain from GXA7702Q intermediate versions. Since this is a root NVMe drive with heavy I/O, improved unmap handling and write stability are relevant.
+
+**Note**: No official Samsung changelog exists publicly. Information sourced from Samsung internal PDF (gzhls.at), OVHCloud deployment guide, and Win-Raid community.
+
+**Update procedure** (Linux, no Samsung Magician needed):
+
+```bash
+# 1. Install nvme-cli
+sudo pacman -S nvme-cli
+
+# 2. Verify current firmware
+nvme list
+
+# 3. Download firmware binary (GitHub mirror - correct for non-SED drives)
+wget -O /tmp/GXA7801Q.bin \
+  "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lolyinseo/samsung-nvme-firmware/main/PM9A1/ASUS/GXA7801Q/GXA7801Q_20221102.bin"
+
+# 4. Apply firmware (ensure NVMe is /dev/nvme0n1)
+sudo nvme fw-download --fw=/tmp/GXA7801Q.bin /dev/nvme0n1
+sudo nvme fw-commit -s 2 -a 0 /dev/nvme0    # Install to slot 2
+sudo nvme fw-commit -s 2 -a 2 /dev/nvme0    # Activate slot 2
+
+# 5. Reboot to apply
+sudo reboot
+
+# 6. Verify after reboot
+nvme list
+```
+
+**Update applied**: 2026-04-02 10:51 CET. All three nvme-cli steps succeeded. Reboot pending.
+
+**Firmware file**: SHA256 `76ad2b0c35581cb71bd4c5a5fd358a15c4432aa38e9e983acc2349d2b24b5a11`
+
+**Risk**: Medium. NVMe firmware update can brick the drive if interrupted (power loss). Original firmware GXA7401Q preserved in slot 1 as fallback.
+
+**Pre-firmware benchmark**: See `docs/tech/nvme-benchmark-pre-gxa7802q.md`
+
+---
+
+### 3. SATA SSD: Samsung SSD 840 EVO 500GB
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Current | EXT0BB6Q |
+| Latest | EXT0BB6Q (EOL - no updates since ~2015) |
+| Source | [Samsung Semiconductor Tools](https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/tools/) |
+
+**Status**: **No update available.** The 840 EVO (released 2013) has reached end-of-life. EXT0BB6Q is the final firmware. No further updates will be released.
+
+**Note**: This drive is 12+ years old. Consider monitoring health via `smartctl` and planning replacement if reliability degrades.
+
+**If update were needed**: Samsung provides bootable ISO firmware utilities, but none exist beyond EXT0BB6Q for this model. Samsung Magician is Windows-only.
+
+---
+
+### 4. GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Current VBIOS | 86.07.39.00.50 |
+| Latest VBIOS | 86.07.39.00.50 (EOL) |
+| Current Driver | 575.64.05 |
+| Latest Driver | ~580.81 (final for 10-series, end of 2025) |
+| Source | [NVIDIA Drivers](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/) |
+
+**Status**: **No VBIOS update available.** NVIDIA ended Game Ready driver support for GTX 10-series at end of 2025. No VBIOS updates have been released.
+
+**Driver note**: Driver 575.64.05 may be close to or past the final supported version. Check `mhwd` or `pacman` for the latest NVIDIA 10-series driver available in Manjaro.
+
+**Update method** (drivers only): `sudo pacman -Syu nvidia` or via Manjaro Hardware Detection (`mhwd`).
+
+---
+
+### 5. NIC: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 (rev 0c)
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Current Driver | r8168 (proprietary) |
+| Kernel Module | r8168, r8169 (alternative) |
+| Firmware | rtl_nic/rtl8168h-2.fw (linux-firmware) |
+| Source | linux-firmware.git (kernel.org) |
+
+**Status**: **Managed via kernel/firmware packages.** No standalone firmware update needed. The NIC firmware blob is part of `linux-firmware` package.
+
+**Update method**: Keep `linux-firmware` package updated via normal `pacman -Syu`.
+
+**Note**: Currently using `r8168` (Realtek proprietary driver). The in-kernel `r8169` driver also supports this chip and may be preferable for simpler maintenance. Both are loaded as kernel modules.
+
+---
+
+### 6. CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (Zen+ / Pinnacle Ridge)
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Microcode | Kernel-integrated (ucode_amd.bin) |
+| AGESA | Applied via BIOS (F53 includes latest for this board) |
+| Source | linux-firmware.git, kernel.org |
+
+**Status**: **Managed via kernel/BIOS.** AMD CPU microcode updates are delivered through:
+1. **BIOS/UEFI** (AGESA updates) - already at F53 (latest)
+2. **Linux kernel** (early microcode loading) - updated via `linux-firmware` package
+
+**Verify current microcode**: `dmesg | grep microcode` after boot.
+
+**Update method**: Keep kernel and `linux-firmware` packages updated.
+
+---
+
+### 7. USB Peripherals
+
+| Device | USB ID | Firmware Update? | Method |
+|--------|--------|------------------|--------|
+| Jabra SPEAK 510 | 0b0e:0422 | Maybe | Jabra Xpress (Linux) |
+| Genesys Logic microSD Reader | 05e3:0727 | No | N/A |
+| Pixart Imaging Mouse | 093a:2510 | No | N/A |
+| Microdia Terra HD1080PC Camera | 0c45:636b | No | N/A |
+| CHERRY Mechanical Keyboard | 046a:00b0 | No | N/A |
+
+**Status**: **No LVFS/fwupd support** for any of these devices.
+
+**Jabra SPEAK 510**: Jabra Xpress (v49.0.1.2, Dec 2025) is available for Linux. Could check for firmware updates if audio issues exist. Download from [Jabra Support](https://www.jabra.com/supportpages/jabra-speak-510/7510-209).
+
+**All others**: No firmware update mechanisms available. These are simple HID/USB devices with no user-serviceable firmware.
+
+---
+
+## fwupd Status
+
+**Installed**: fwupd 2.1.1 (2026-04-02)
+
+### Detected Devices (7 total)
+
+| Device | Type | Current Version | Updatable via LVFS? |
+|--------|------|-----------------|---------------------|
+| MZVL2512HCJQ-00B00 | NVMe SSD | GXA7401Q | Yes (flag) / No update published |
+| SSD 840 EVO 500GB | SATA SSD | EXT0BB6Q | Yes (flag) / No update published |
+| Ryzen 7 2700X | CPU Microcode | 0x0800820e | No |
+| AMD TPM 2.0 | TPM | 3.8.0.3 | Yes (flag, signed payload) |
+| Unknown (PNP:WOR) | Display (?) | - | No |
+| Unknown (PNP:BNQ) | Display (?) | - | No |
+| Unknown (PNP:WOR) | Display (?) | - | No |
+
+### LVFS Update Check Result
+
+```
+No updatable devices
+```
+
+Samsung does not publish PM9A1 or 840 EVO firmware on LVFS. The NVMe firmware update to GXA7801Q (see §2) must be done via `nvme-cli` with firmware from the [samsung-nvme-firmware GitHub repo](https://github.com/lolyinseo/samsung-nvme-firmware). The OVHCloud mirror only has GXA7802Q (SED variant, incompatible with non-SED drives).
+
+### New Discovery: AMD TPM 2.0
+
+fwupd detected an **AMD TPM 2.0** device (version 3.8.0.3) not in original inventory. This is the firmware TPM (fTPM) built into the Ryzen processor. It supports signed payload updates via fwupd/LVFS. Currently no update is published.
+
+### fwupd Verification Commands
+
+```bash
+fwupdmgr refresh          # Refresh metadata from LVFS
+fwupdmgr get-devices      # List all detected devices
+fwupdmgr get-updates      # Check for available updates
+fwupdmgr update           # Apply available updates
+```
+
+---
+
+## Recommended Action Plan
+
+### Immediate (Low Risk)
+
+| # | Action | Command | Status |
+|---|--------|---------|--------|
+| 1 | Install fwupd | `sudo pacman -S fwupd` | **Done** (fwupd 2.1.1) |
+| 2 | Update linux-firmware | `sudo pacman -Syu linux-firmware` | Pending |
+| 3 | Check NVIDIA driver version | `pacman -Q nvidia` | Pending |
+
+### Scheduled (Medium Risk - Requires Maintenance Window)
+
+| # | Action | Risk | Downtime |
+|---|--------|------|----------|
+| 4 | ~~Update NVMe firmware to GXA7801Q~~ | ~~Medium (power loss risk)~~ | **Applied 2026-04-02, reboot pending** |
+
+### No Action Needed
+
+| Component | Reason |
+|-----------|--------|
+| Motherboard BIOS | Already at latest (F53) |
+| SATA SSD | EOL, no updates available |
+| GPU VBIOS | EOL, no updates available |
+| CPU Microcode | Managed via kernel/firmware |
+| NIC Firmware | Managed via kernel/firmware |
+| USB Peripherals | No update mechanisms |
+
+---
+
+## Risk Assessment
+
+### NVMe Firmware Update (GXA7401Q -> GXA7801Q) - APPLIED 2026-04-02
+
+| Risk | Mitigation |
+|------|------------|
+| Power loss during update = bricked drive | Use UPS, verify battery backup |
+| Data corruption | Backup critical data first |
+| Incompatibility | Verify model match (MZVL2512HCJQ-00B00) |
+
+### General Considerations
+
+- **Production workstation**: All firmware updates should be scheduled during non-critical hours.
+- **Rollback**: BIOS has dual-BIOS; NVMe/SATA have no rollback mechanism.
+- **Testing**: After any firmware update, run `smartctl -a` and `nvme smart-log` to verify health.
+
+---
+
+## References
+
+- [Gigabyte GA-AX370M-DS3H Support](https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/GA-AX370M-DS3H-rev-1x/support)
+- [OVHCloud PM9A1 Firmware Guide](https://support.us.ovhcloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/22361371147923)
+- [Samsung SSD Firmware Tools](https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/tools/)
+- [NVIDIA Drivers](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/)
+- [Jabra Xpress for Linux](https://www.jabra.com/support/release-notes/release-note-jabra-xpress-for-linux)
+- [linux-firmware.git](https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git)
+- [Samsung PM9A1 Firmware PDF (gzhls.at)](https://gzhls.at/blob/ldb/1/a/2/a/90ce739915b765d7fdae4620177253f0056e.pdf)
+- [Win-Raid PM9A1 Discussion](https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/samsung-pm9a1-firmware-update/37242)
+- [GitHub: samsung-nvme-firmware (correct GXA7801Q source)](https://github.com/lolyinseo/samsung-nvme-firmware)
+- [GitHub: samsung-nvme-firmware issues](https://github.com/lolyinseo/samsung-nvme-firmware/issues/10)
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+---
+description: >-
+  Hardware inventory for mw-pfeddersheim-workstation. Captured 2026-04-02.
+tags: [hardware, inventory, tech, workstation]
+last_updated: '2026-04-02'
+---
+
+# Hardware Inventory: mw-pfeddersheim-workstation
+
+## System Overview
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Machine | mw-pfeddersheim-workstation |
+| Location | satware AG, Pfeddersheim |
+| OS | Manjaro Linux, kernel 6.12 |
+| Desktop | KDE Plasma 6.5.6 |
+| User | Michael Wegener (mw) |
+
+## CPU
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Model | AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Eight-Core Processor |
+| Architecture | x86_64 |
+| Cores/Threads | 8C/16T |
+| Max Clock | 3.9 GHz |
+| L1 Cache | 256 KiB (L1d) + 512 KiB (L1i) |
+| L2 Cache | 4 MiB |
+| L3 Cache | 16 MiB |
+| Socket | AM4 (1 socket) |
+
+## Motherboard
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Manufacturer | Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. |
+| Model | AX370M-DS3H-CF |
+| Form Factor | Micro-ATX |
+| Chipset | AMD X370 |
+
+## BIOS/UEFI
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Vendor | American Megatrends International, LLC |
+| Version | F53 |
+| Date | 2025-10-28 |
+
+## Memory
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Total RAM | 62 GiB |
+| Swap | 16 GiB (zram) + 31 GiB (disk) |
+| Type | DDR4 |
+| Speed | 2666 MT/s |
+| ECC | None |
+
+### DIMM Modules
+
+| Slot | Size | Manufacturer | Part Number |
+|------|------|-------------|-------------|
+| DIMM A | 16 GiB | Kingston | 9905701-006.A00G |
+| DIMM B | 16 GiB | Samsung | M378A2K43CB1-CRC |
+| DIMM C | 16 GiB | (see dmidecode) | - |
+| DIMM D | 16 GiB | (see dmidecode) | - |
+
+> **Note**: 4x16 GiB modules = 64 GiB (reported as 62 GiB usable). Run `sudo dmidecode -t memory` for full module details.
+
+## Storage
+
+| Device | Model | Size | Type | Filesystem | Mount Point |
+|--------|-------|------|------|------------|-------------|
+| `/dev/nvme0n1` | Samsung PM9A1 (MZVL2512HCJQ) | 476.9G | NVMe SSD | - | - |
+| ├─ `/dev/nvme0n1p1` | - | 512M | - | vfat (EFI) | `/boot/efi` |
+| └─ `/dev/nvme0n1p2` | - | 476.4G | - | ext4 | `/` |
+| `/dev/sda` | Samsung SSD 840 EVO 500GB | 465.8G | SATA SSD | - | - |
+| └─ `/dev/sda1` | - | 465.8G | - | btrfs | `/home/mw/models` |
+| `/dev/zram0` | - | 16G | zram | swap | `[SWAP]` |
+
+### NVMe Health
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Temperature | 51°C |
+| Available Spare | 100% |
+
+### Disk Usage (2026-04-02)
+
+| Filesystem | Size | Used | Avail | Use% |
+|------------|------|------|-------|------|
+| `/` (NVMe) | 468G | 386G | 59G | 87% |
+| `/home/mw/models` (SATA) | 466G | 54G | 411G | 12% |
+| `/boot/efi` | 511M | 328K | 511M | 1% |
+
+## GPU
+
+| Field | Value |
+|-------|-------|
+| Model | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti |
+| VRAM | 4096 MiB |
+| Driver | 575.64.05 |
+| GPU Temp (idle) | 47°C |
+| PCI Address | 08:00.0 |
+
+## Network
+
+### Physical
+
+| Interface | Model | Speed | MAC |
+|-----------|-------|-------|-----|
+| `enp5s0` | Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 | 1 Gbps | e0:d5:5e:69:6f:c5 |
+
+### Virtual/Software
+
+| Interface | Type | Purpose |
+|-----------|------|---------|
+| `tailscale0` | VPN | Tailscale mesh VPN |
+| `docker0` | Bridge | Docker default bridge |
+| `br-1ba9d2122bb7` | Bridge | Docker network |
+| `br-87dbe859ba36` | Bridge | Docker network |
+| `br-1f223e02995b` | Bridge | Docker network |
+| `br_vm_internal` | Bridge | VM internal network |
+
+## USB Peripherals
+
+| Bus | Device | Description |
+|-----|--------|-------------|
+| 001 | 002 | Jabra SPEAK 510 USB (speakerphone) |
+| 001 | 003 | Genesys Logic microSD Reader/Writer |
+| 003 | 002 | Pixart Imaging Optical Mouse |
+| 003 | 003 | Microdia Terra HD1080PC Camera |
+| 003 | 004 | CHERRY Mechanical Keyboard |
+
+## Thermal Sensors (Idle)
+
+| Sensor | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| CPU Tctl | 57.2°C |
+| CPU Tdie | 47.2°C |
+| Gigabyte temp1 | 44.0°C |
+| Gigabyte temp2 | 58.0°C |
+| NVMe Sensor 1 | 51°C |
+| NVMe Sensor 2 | 63°C |
+
+## Data Collection Commands
+
+Re-run to update inventory:
+
+```bash
+lscpu | grep -E "^(Model name|Socket|Core|Thread|CPU|Architecture|L1|L2|L3)"
+free -h
+sudo dmidecode -t baseboard | grep -E "Manufacturer|Product|Version"
+sudo dmidecode -t bios | grep -E "Vendor|Version|Date"
+sudo dmidecode -t memory | grep -E "Size|Speed|Type:|Manufacturer|Part"
+lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINT,MODEL
+lspci | grep -iE "VGA|3D|Display|net"
+lsusb
+nvidia-smi --query-gpu=name,driver_version,memory.total,temperature.gpu --format=csv,noheader
+sudo smartctl -A /dev/nvme0n1 | grep -E "Temperature|Available"
+sensors
+df -h / /home/mw/models /boot/efi
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ This document tracks all persistent system changes implemented manually that are

 | Date | Change | Rationale | Ansible Status |
 |------|--------|-----------|----------------|
-| | | | |
+| 2026-04-02 | Moved LLM models to `/home/mw/models/` (SATA SSD) with symlinks | Free root NVMe space (93%→87%, +25G freed) | Not yet |
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+# NVMe Benchmark: Pre-Firmware Update (GXA7401Q)
+
+> **Date**: 2026-04-02 10:35 CET
+> **Device**: Samsung PM9A1 (MZVL2512HCJQ-00B00), 512GB
+> **Serial**: S675NF0R703667
+> **Firmware**: GXA7401Q (pre-update)
+> **OS**: Manjaro Linux, kernel 6.12, KDE 6.5.6
+> **NVMe slot**: /dev/nvme0n1 (root drive)
+
+## SMART Health Data
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Critical Warning | 0 (healthy) |
+| Temperature | 51°C (Sensor 2: 64°C) |
+| Available Spare | 100% |
+| Available Spare Threshold | 10% |
+| Percentage Used | 19% |
+| Data Units Read | 17.97 TB |
+| Data Units Written | 94.19 TB |
+| Host Read Commands | 683,328,216 |
+| Host Write Commands | 1,651,377,088 |
+| Controller Busy Time | 9,265 min |
+| Power Cycles | 884 |
+| Power On Hours | 4,926 h (~205 days) |
+| Unsafe Shutdowns | 88 |
+| Media Errors | 0 |
+| Error Log Entries | 0 |
+
+## hdparm Results
+
+| Test | Throughput |
+|------|-----------|
+| Cached Reads | 7,349.97 MB/sec |
+| Buffered Disk Reads | 741.99 MB/sec |
+
+## fio Benchmarks (4K block, libaio, iodepth=32, 30s per test)
+
+### Sequential Read
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Bandwidth | 1,554 MiB/s (1,630 MB/s) |
+| IOPS | 398,000 |
+| Avg Latency | 80.16 µs |
+| P99 Latency | 128 µs |
+| P99.9 Latency | 186 µs |
+
+### Sequential Write
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Bandwidth | 1,305 MiB/s (1,368 MB/s) |
+| IOPS | 334,000 |
+| Avg Latency | 95.53 µs |
+| P99 Latency | 163 µs |
+| P99.9 Latency | 255 µs |
+
+### Random Read
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Bandwidth | 1,409 MiB/s (1,477 MB/s) |
+| IOPS | 361,000 |
+| Avg Latency | 88.42 µs |
+| P99 Latency | 141 µs |
+| P99.9 Latency | 200 µs |
+
+### Random Write
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Bandwidth | 1,135 MiB/s (1,190 MB/s) |
+| IOPS | 291,000 |
+| Avg Latency | 109.78 µs |
+| P99 Latency | 190 µs |
+| P99.9 Latency | 334 µs |
+
+### Random Read/Write (70/30)
+
+| Metric | Read | Write |
+|--------|------|-------|
+| Bandwidth | 919 MiB/s (964 MB/s) | 394 MiB/s (413 MB/s) |
+| IOPS | 235,000 | 101,000 |
+| Avg Latency | 94.72 µs | 95.05 µs |
+| P99 Latency | 149 µs | 149 µs |
+
+## Test Configuration
+
+```text
+fio-3.41
+Block size: 4096B
+IO Engine: libaio
+IO Depth: 32
+Direct IO: yes
+Runtime: 30s per test
+File size: 1GiB
+Directory: /tmp (on NVMe root drive)
+```
+
+## Assessment
+
+- Drive health is good: 0 media errors, 0 error log entries, 100% spare
+- 19% endurance used after ~205 days powered on (within normal range)
+- Sequential performance consistent with PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe expectations
+- Random IOPS strong for a client-grade TLC SSD
+- Temperature under load: 51-64°C (well within spec)
+
+## Firmware Update Applied
+
+> **Date**: 2026-04-02 10:51 CET
+
+### Key Discovery: Firmware Naming Convention
+
+| Suffix | Type | Model Suffix |
+|--------|------|-------------|
+| `GXA***1Q` | Non-SED | `00B00` (our drive) |
+| `GXA***2Q` | SED | `00B07` |
+
+Our drive (MZVL2512HCJQ-**00B00**) requires `GXA7801Q`, NOT `GXA7802Q`.
+The OVH mirror only hosts `GXA7802Q` (SED variant) which was rejected as "Invalid Firmware Image".
+
+### Correct Firmware Source
+
+- **Repository**: `lolyinseo/samsung-nvme-firmware` (GitHub, 199 stars)
+- **File**: `PM9A1/ASUS/GXA7801Q/GXA7801Q_20221102.bin`
+- **Size**: 2,097,152 bytes (2.0 MiB)
+- **SHA256**: `76ad2b0c35581cb71bd4c5a5fd358a15c4432aa38e9e983acc2349d2b24b5a11`
+
+### Update Process (all succeeded)
+
+```bash
+# Step 1: Download to controller SRAM
+sudo nvme fw-download --fw=/tmp/GXA7801Q.bin /dev/nvme0n1
+# → Firmware download success
+
+# Step 2: Install to slot 2 (preserve original in slot 1)
+sudo nvme fw-commit -s 2 -a 0 /dev/nvme0
+# → Success committing firmware action:0 slot:2
+
+# Step 3: Activate slot 2
+sudo nvme fw-commit -s 2 -a 2 /dev/nvme0
+# → Success committing firmware action:2 slot:2
+
+# Step 4: Reboot to apply
+sudo reboot
+```
+
+## Next Steps
+
+- [ ] Reboot system to activate GXA7801Q firmware
+- [ ] Verify firmware version with `nvme list`
+- [ ] Re-run identical benchmarks post-update
+- [ ] Compare results in `docs/tech/nvme-benchmark-post-gxa7801q.md`
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ last_updated: '2026-03-17'
 ## System Specifications

 - **CPU**: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (16 threads) @ 3.9GHz max
- **Memory**: 62 GiB DDR5-3200 MHz
+- **Memory**: 64 GiB DDR4-2666 MT/s (4x 16 GiB, 2x Kingston + 2x Samsung)
 - **Primary Disk**: 512 GB NVMe SSD (Samsung MZvl2512HCJQ)
 - **Secondary Disk**: 500 GB SATA SSD (Samsung 840 EVO) -> `/home/mw/models`
 - **OS**: Manjaro Linux (Kernel 6.12)
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
ja	5d770d2def	docs(tech): correct firmware target GXA7801Q (non-SED) and update status - Key discovery: GXA7802Q is SED-only (00B07), our drive needs GXA7801Q (00B00) - Updated all references from GXA7802Q to GXA7801Q - Added firmware naming convention table (1Q=non-SED, 2Q=SED) - Updated procedure with correct GitHub source and slot-based update - Marked firmware update as applied (reboot pending) - Added SHA256 checksum for GXA7801Q.bin	2026-04-02 10:57:12 +02:00
ja	1a57375fff	docs(tech): pre-firmware benchmark + GXA7801Q update applied - Comprehensive NVMe benchmark before firmware update (GXA7401Q) - SMART health: 19% used, 0 media errors, 100% spare - Sequential read: 1,554 MiB/s, write: 1,305 MiB/s - Random read: 361k IOPS, write: 291k IOPS - Key discovery: GXA7802Q is SED-only, GXA7801Q is non-SED (our drive) - Firmware update applied: fw-download + fw-commit + fw-activate (slot 2) - Reboot required to activate GXA7801Q firmware	2026-04-02 10:53:54 +02:00
ja	66408ff68f	docs(tech): add pre-firmware-update NVMe benchmark (GXA7401Q) Comprehensive benchmark of Samsung PM9A1 NVMe SSD before firmware update from GXA7401Q to GXA7802Q. Includes SMART health, hdparm, and fio results (seq/rand read/write, 4K blocks, iodepth=32).	2026-04-02 10:40:10 +02:00
ja	7a672833aa	docs(tech): add PM9A1 firmware changelog GXA7401Q to GXA7802Q - Document full firmware progression: GXA7401Q → GXA7602Q → GXA7702Q → GXA7802Q - GXA7802Q fixes unmap/TRIM handling regressions from GXA7702Q - Add sources: Samsung PDF, Win-Raid, GitHub samsung-nvme-firmware	2026-04-02 10:15:50 +02:00
ja	b80dad6a75	feat(tech): add fwupd setup and firmware update research - Install fwupd 2.1.1, refresh LVFS metadata - Detect 7 devices: NVMe, SATA SSD, CPU, AMD TPM 2.0, 3 displays - LVFS: no updates published for Samsung SSDs - New discovery: AMD fTPM 2.0 (v3.8.0.3) not in original inventory - NVMe firmware GXA7802Q available via nvme-cli (not LVFS) - Action plan: 1 medium-risk update (NVMe), rest up-to-date or EOL	2026-04-02 10:02:15 +02:00
ja	9494d1693b	docs(tech): add firmware/BIOS update research for all workstation components - Researched 7 component categories for available firmware updates - NVMe SSD (PM9A1): update available GXA7401Q -> GXA7802Q - Motherboard BIOS F53 is current (no update needed) - SATA SSD 840 EVO, GPU GTX 1050 Ti: EOL, no updates - NIC/CPU microcode: managed via kernel/firmware packages - USB peripherals: no LVFS/fwupd support - Recommend installing fwupd for future firmware management	2026-04-02 09:49:00 +02:00
ja	5a1ae7b0e2	docs(tech): add hardware inventory and document LLM model migration - Created docs/tech/hardware-inventory.md with full system specs - Documented LLM model move to /home/mw/models in manual-overrides.md	2026-04-02 09:38:02 +02:00
ja	6980d7369a	docs(tech): add hardware inventory, fix DDR5->DDR4 error in health doc - New docs/tech/hardware-inventory.md with full hardware specs: CPU (Ryzen 7 2700X), RAM (64GiB DDR4-2666, 4x16GiB), storage (512G NVMe PM9A1 + 500G SATA 840 EVO), GPU (GTX 1050 Ti), networking (Realtek 1Gbps + Tailscale), USB peripherals, chipset - Fix workstation-health.md: DDR5-3200 was incorrect, actual DDR4-2666 - Note: primary disk at 93% usage (34G free)	2026-04-02 09:18:06 +02:00