Samsung Magician 5.0 SSD software released!

I don’t know, either Samsung actually listened to my complaint on 19th November or it’s all just a pure coincidence 🙂 Because here it is, a major overhaul of the Samsung Magician software. This time in version 5.0 which comes with fixed SATA and AHCI detection as well as entirely new interface (which looks absolutely amazing I have to add) and new tray icon.

New Samsung Magician 5.0 interface

This has to be by far the best interface design I’ve seen in years. It’s super minimalistic, looks really nice and is very responsive. And as you can see, very informative as well. But not too cluttered. Asian companies used to be famous for their botched interface designs, but this thing, this defies old stereotypes and puts many western designs to shame. Really nice job Samsung!

Download

Download latest Samsung Magician

Samsung, fix broken Magician SSD software SATA detection!

I don’t know when it happened, I’ve spotted it few days ago when I made a Windows 10 refresh and had to reinstall software, including Samsung Magician. And spotted this nonsense where it fails to detect SATA interface as well as its mode (AHCI). I have no clue if this affects anything (like RAPID Mode), but it sure is silly. And from the looks of it, it has been around for a while after Googling about it. Apparently since Anniversary update, I just somehow haven’t noticed this.

Seriously Samsung, if it’s really since Anniversary update for Windows 10, that’s several months already. Don’t be lazy and fix this crap!

Getting rid of mechanical disk altogether

Some probably remember my post from few months ago when I bought my new high end PC. I basically replaced everything except one thing that I just transplanted from the old one. The HDD. I’ve been using HDD+SSD hybrid array for quite some time, and even though performance was incredibly higher for fraction of a SSD price, the system had several smaller flaws that were getting on my nerves a bit. So, one day I just said, enough.

You may also remember some whiners who just couldn’t accept the fact I was still using HDD (with SSD) combo. Well, this should shut them up…

Notice the capacity in the top right corner? Yeah, that 🙂 And no, this isn’t April Fools 😛

From now on, only thing spinning in my system will be cooling fans. Now I’m off to re-install the whole thing clean.

Samsung – Hardware Id Missing problem

In a typical Samsung tradition, they managed to break things again. Samsung Galaxy S2 with Android 4.0.4 and latest Samsung Kies throw out the “Hardware id Missing Error” when you connect the device in Windows.
Kies will also refuse to recognize device in this case.

To solve this idiotic problem, do the following:

1. Make sure your phone is NOT connected with USB cable
2. Go to Settings -> More… (under Data usage) -> USB utilities -> Connect storage to PC
3. Connect the phone to PC using USB cable
4. Turn on USB storage and click Ok
5. Windows should now properly detect the device without any “Hardware Id Missing” Messages
6. Turn off USB storage
7. Disconnect USB cable

Now you can run Kies and connect the phone again using the USB cable. Wait for a while and voila, Kies should detect the phone and “pair” with it no problem.

Same method should also work for other phones like Galaxy S3, but since I don’t have one, I can’t actually test this.

SAMSUNG LCD monitor driver messes up photo colors

If Windows Update offers you a Samsung driver for your monitor, don’t even try to install it. I also don’t recommend installing any of the SAMSUNG garbage that comes with their LCD monitors. This piece of crap always fucked up my color space. All the images viewed in Windows Photo Gallery looked like someone pasted a yellow filter over them. White was not white anymore but some ugly mix of pink and yellow. Awful. Skin tone also looked like someone run a bad sepia filter over.

How to get normal colors back?
It’s quite simple. Go to folder:
C:\Windows\system32\spool\drivers\color

Look for file named smXXXx.icm. Since I’m using SAMSUNG SyncMaster 931c, the file is named “sm931c.icm” (without quotes). If you have some other monitor model, just fit in your model number instead those XXXx. Once you locate the file, delete it. Here you go. White should again look as white in Windows Photo Gallery. Colors should also be vibrant and natural again.

This crap took me a while to fix, so I hope this guide will help all the users with SAMSUNG LCD monitors that are having the same problem.

Onavo Extend not working on Android 4.1.2 ?

Due to my low mobile phone data plan I have to use technologies like Opera Turbo/Off-road and of course Onavo Extend to save bandwidth, which unlike Opera technologies works system wide in most Android apps. Or so it did, when I still had Android 4.0.3 and 4.0.4 on my Galaxy S2. But ever since I’ve updated to 4.1.2 (official Samsung OTA update, firmware i9100BULS1), Onavo Extend stopped saving bandwidth. Everything seems to function, VPN service is working, data within it is counted, but it doesn’t save me anything at all. It’s always 0KB saved in the stats page no matter what I browse or view through 3G.

I have also contacted Onavo support, explained them situation, sent some data to them and then silence. Few days have passed and I haven’t got any answer. Searching the net also yields zero results. Only thing that I find is info on how Onavo Extend saves bandwidth, no matter what I search for.

Is anyone successfully using Onavo Extend on Android 4.1.2 or later? If yes, are you using Samsung device with stock firmware? Or is it some other device vendor? I’d really like to get it working again, but apparently I’m left on my own with it, as there just aren’t any resources on why it’s not compressing the data…