Recent investigations into the troubling phenomenon of SSD failures have pointed towards the potential role of pre-release Phison firmware. This conclusion emerged from a dedicated group of PC enthusiasts in China, known as PCDIY, led by administrator Rose Lee. Their findings suggest that the issues plaguing certain SSDs may stem from the use of engineering firmware that was not intended for consumer use.
Phison’s U.S. General Manager and President, Michael Wu, addressed these concerns in a statement to The Verge. He clarified that many of the reports regarding disappearing SSDs originated from media testing conducted on hardware running early versions of firmware and BIOS. Wu emphasized that these performance preview drives differ significantly from those distributed to end users through official channels. He noted that some SSDs still operate on outdated firmware and encouraged reviewers to utilize updated firmware available through manufacturer-provided utilities.
According to Neowin, the PCDIY group has conducted tests indicating that the SSD failures associated with the Windows 11 update were linked to the use of pre-release firmware. Lee’s translated comments reveal that the SSDs experiencing crashes were indeed running on these early versions, which are not representative of the thoroughly tested official firmware provided to consumers.
Analysis: An interesting explanation – but put caution first here
While the notion of pre-release firmware being the culprit is intriguing, it raises further questions. If these drives were indeed sent to reviewers prior to their official release, one might wonder how such firmware ended up in retail products. The prevailing theory suggests that SSD manufacturers sourced controllers from Phison that inadvertently included pre-release firmware. Following this, Phison updated the firmware and supplied it to manufacturers, who may have neglected to implement the update before shipping the drives to market. This scenario could explain why some retail SSDs are operating with beta firmware.
However, this theory remains speculative. The widespread nature of the complaints indicates that many consumers, not just reviewers, are affected. Phison’s rigorous testing likely did not uncover these faults, as they would have been using the latest release firmware during their evaluations. Furthermore, Microsoft has exonerated Windows 11 from blame in its investigation, which aligns with the possibility of firmware issues being at play.
Interestingly, the situation becomes more complex when considering SSDs not equipped with Phison controllers that have also reported problems. While most affected drives appear to be Phison-based, the presence of issues in other brands could be coincidental or indicative of a broader problem.
For consumers concerned about potential SSD failures, the best course of action is to ensure that their drives are operating on the latest firmware. While the glitch may cause the drive to temporarily vanish from the system, it often reappears after a reboot. Users can verify their firmware version in Windows’ Device Manager and compare it against the latest release available on the manufacturer’s website. However, caution is advised, as updating firmware carries inherent risks. It may be prudent to wait for official confirmation regarding these recent theories before proceeding with any updates.
Windows 11 SSD failures could be caused by glitchy drive firmware – here’s what you need to know
Recent investigations into the troubling phenomenon of SSD failures have pointed towards the potential role of pre-release Phison firmware. This conclusion emerged from a dedicated group of PC enthusiasts in China, known as PCDIY, led by administrator Rose Lee. Their findings suggest that the issues plaguing certain SSDs may stem from the use of engineering firmware that was not intended for consumer use.
Phison’s U.S. General Manager and President, Michael Wu, addressed these concerns in a statement to The Verge. He clarified that many of the reports regarding disappearing SSDs originated from media testing conducted on hardware running early versions of firmware and BIOS. Wu emphasized that these performance preview drives differ significantly from those distributed to end users through official channels. He noted that some SSDs still operate on outdated firmware and encouraged reviewers to utilize updated firmware available through manufacturer-provided utilities.
According to Neowin, the PCDIY group has conducted tests indicating that the SSD failures associated with the Windows 11 update were linked to the use of pre-release firmware. Lee’s translated comments reveal that the SSDs experiencing crashes were indeed running on these early versions, which are not representative of the thoroughly tested official firmware provided to consumers.
Analysis: An interesting explanation – but put caution first here
While the notion of pre-release firmware being the culprit is intriguing, it raises further questions. If these drives were indeed sent to reviewers prior to their official release, one might wonder how such firmware ended up in retail products. The prevailing theory suggests that SSD manufacturers sourced controllers from Phison that inadvertently included pre-release firmware. Following this, Phison updated the firmware and supplied it to manufacturers, who may have neglected to implement the update before shipping the drives to market. This scenario could explain why some retail SSDs are operating with beta firmware.
However, this theory remains speculative. The widespread nature of the complaints indicates that many consumers, not just reviewers, are affected. Phison’s rigorous testing likely did not uncover these faults, as they would have been using the latest release firmware during their evaluations. Furthermore, Microsoft has exonerated Windows 11 from blame in its investigation, which aligns with the possibility of firmware issues being at play.
Interestingly, the situation becomes more complex when considering SSDs not equipped with Phison controllers that have also reported problems. While most affected drives appear to be Phison-based, the presence of issues in other brands could be coincidental or indicative of a broader problem.
For consumers concerned about potential SSD failures, the best course of action is to ensure that their drives are operating on the latest firmware. While the glitch may cause the drive to temporarily vanish from the system, it often reappears after a reboot. Users can verify their firmware version in Windows’ Device Manager and compare it against the latest release available on the manufacturer’s website. However, caution is advised, as updating firmware carries inherent risks. It may be prudent to wait for official confirmation regarding these recent theories before proceeding with any updates.