SSD Failure Symptoms and Troubleshooting

Solid State Drives (SSDs) are more reliable than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). However, SSDs can still fail, leading to data loss and system instability. This article focuses on common symptoms of SSD failure, their causes, and step-by-step troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting SSD’s slow read and write speeds

One of the first signs of an SSD beginning to fail is a noticeable decrease in read and write speeds. If your computer takes longer to boot up or applications take longer to load, it could be a warning sign.

Why this happens

• Wear and tear over time
• Accumulation of bad blocks
• File system corruption

How to troubleshoot 

Step 1: Check read/write speeds

Use benchmarking software to compare your SSD’s performance to the manufacturer’s specifications. Tools like CrystalDiskMark for Windows and Blackmagic Disk Speed Test for macOS.

Step 2: Free up space

Ensure that at least 10% of your SSD’s storage is free. Overfilling the drive can significantly slow it down. Delete unnecessary files or move them to another storage device.

Step 3: Enable TRIM

Enabling TRIM on your SSD helps maintain its performance and prolong its lifespan by allowing the operating system to inform the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use and can be erased. 

On Windows systems

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin).” You can also type CMD in the search box.                                                                                                       
2. Type the following command: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify – and press Enter
3. If the result is DisableDeleteNotify = 0, TRIM is already enabled.
   If it’s DisableDeleteNotify = 1, TRIM is disabled.
4. If TRIM is disabled, enable it by typing the following command and pressing Enter: fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

You should see a message confirming that TRIM is now enabled.

On macOS systems

1. Click on the Apple menu and select “About This Mac”.
2. Click “System Report” and select “SATA/SATA Express” or “NVMExpress” from the list on the left, depending on your SSD type.
3. Look for “TRIM Support” in the details pane. If it says “Yes,” TRIM is already enabled.
4. If not enabled, then open Terminal from the Applications > Utilities folder.
5. Type the following command and press Enter: sudo trimforce enable
6. Enter your administrator password when prompted, then follow the on-screen instructions to enable TRIM.

Troubleshooting frequent SSD crashes

Frequent system crashes, especially during the boot process, strongly indicate a failing SSD.

Why this happens

• Bad blocks
• File system errors
• Power surges or interruptions

How to troubleshoot

Step 1: Run disk check tools

Use built-in tools like CHKDSK on Windows and Disk Utility on macOS.

On Windows systems

1. Right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”.
2. Type the following command and press Enter: chkdsk C: /f /r /x
3. Replace C: with the drive letter you want, to check if it’s different.

The parameters mean:

/f: Fixes errors on the disk.

/r: Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

/x: Forces the volume to dismount before the process starts.

4. If the drive is in use, you’ll be prompted to schedule the check for the next restart. Type Y and press Enter to schedule it, then restart your computer to allow CHKDSK to run.

On macOS systems

1. Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, or use Spotlight search to find it.
2. In the Disk Utility window, select the disk or partition you want to check from the list on the left.
3. Click the “First Aid” button in the toolbar.
4. Click “Run” to start the disk check. Disk Utility will check the disk for errors and attempt to repair them if any are found.
5. Once the process is complete, Disk Utility will display the results, indicating whether any issues were found and if they were successfully repaired.

Step 2: Update firmware

Check for and install any firmware updates available for your SSD, as manufacturers often release updates to fix known issues.

On Windows systems

1. Open “Device Manager” by pressing Win + X and selecting “Device Manager”.
2. Expand the “Disk drives” section to find your SSD model.
3. Go to the official website of your SSD’s manufacturer (e.g., Samsung, Crucial, Kingston).
4. Navigate to the support or downloads section.
5. Look for the firmware update tool specific to your SSD model and download it.
6. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer to install and run the firmware update tool.
7. If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to update the firmware.
8. Ensure your computer remains powered on and connected to a power source during the update process to avoid interruptions.

On macOS systems

1. Click on the Apple menu and select “About This Mac”.
2. Click “System Report” and go to the “Storage” section to find your SSD model.
3. Go to the official website of your SSD’s manufacturer.
4. Navigate to the support or downloads section.
5. Look for the firmware update tool or instructions specific to macOS.
6. Some manufacturers provide firmware updates via a bootable USB drive. Download the ISO file or firmware update package.
7. Use Disk Utility or a third-party tool to create a bootable USB drive with the firmware update.
8. Restart your Mac and hold down the Option key to enter the boot menu.
9. Select the USB drive with the firmware update to boot from it.
10. Follow the on-screen instructions to update the firmware.
11. Ensure your Mac remains connected to a power source during the update process.

Step 3: Monitor for bad blocks

Checking for bad blocks regularly is crucial for maintaining the SSD’s health and preventing data loss. If the number of bad blocks increases, consider replacing the SSD.

On Windows systems

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator by typing CMD in the search box
2. Type chkdsk C: /f /r and press Enter. Replace C: with the drive letter of your SSD.
3. You may be prompted to schedule the check on the next restart. Type Y and press Enter, then restart your computer to let CHKDSK run.

On macOS systems

1. Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
2. In the Disk Utility window, select your SSD from the list on the left.
3. Click on “First Aid” and then “Run” to check and repair disk errors. Disk Utility will check for issues, including bad blocks, and attempt to fix them.

Troubleshooting read-only SSD drive 

If your SSD becomes read-only, you can no longer write data but can still read existing data. This is a serious sign of impending failure.

Why this happens

• Severe degradation of NAND cells
• Firmware issues

How to troubleshoot

Step 1: Backup data immediately

Since you can still read data, back it to another drive or cloud storage as soon as possible.

Step 2: Check for firmware updates

Sometimes, a firmware update can resolve the issue and restore full functionality. Check the manufacturer’s website for updates. You can follow the steps for troubleshooting frequent crashes.

How to recover data from a failing SSD

When dealing with a failing SSD, a professional SSD data recovery service is the safest way to recover data. While data recovery software can be useful, it often fails with severely compromised drives and can potentially cause further damage.

SalvageData Canada has been a trusted provider of data recovery services since 2003. We have the necessary tools and expertise to handle various types of SSD failures and ensure the highest chances of successful data recovery.