I'm convinced there is a bug in the firmware. In fact while I was researching your problem I found another, different SMART bug in a different Samsung SSD.
IIUC, you are saying that Apple's OS doesn't alert you to any problem in normal usage, in which case I suspect that there may be many Mac users who have the same problem but are blissfully unaware of it. It might be worth asking for feedback in the Mac forums.
Just FYI, I think I have worked out the meaning of attribute 169, after comparing several Samsung examples.
Code:
3874748374528 = 0x 0386 2900 1E00
| | |
| | Total Reserved Block Count (Chip) ???
| |
| Total Reserved Block Count (Used + Unused)
|
Used Reserved Block Count
This appears to be telling us that the SSD left the factory with 902 (= 0x386) bad blocks.
The total number of reserved blocks is 10496 (= 0x2900, "Total") or 7680 (= 0x1E00, "Chip").
I don't understand the distinction between "Chip" and "Total" Reserved Block Count, but that's how Samsung's documentation refers to these attributes.
Code:
178 B2 Used Reserved Block Count (Chip)
179 B3 Used Reserved Block Count (Total)
180 B4 Unused Reserved Block Count (Total)
http://web.archive.org/web/201007140712 ... _rev11.pdfThe equivalent 256GB model (SM0256F) has exactly half as many reserved blocks.