The computer slows down and then either stops or displays a white and black screen.
The computer slows down and then either stops or displays a white and black screen.
SSD situation: Kingston 960Gb A400 Ryzen 3200G 16Gb G.Skill 3200MHz (currently set at 2400MHz). Main concern: Can I resolve the issue or would it work well as backup storage for games? The problem seems to be with the SSD itself. I’m not sure about extending its life, but I don’t want to spend money on a new drive. It’s been around a year and was only used briefly before the failure. If you’re referring to warranty, it likely expired since I didn’t replace it. I left it on the main drive for a short time after cleaning and noticed the signs again. At first, Windows and games loaded normally for about 100–200GB, but once more apps or games were added, performance slowed down—sometimes freezing, then crashes like white or black screens. I’ve tried several fixes online, but nothing seems to help. After a few attempts, I managed to clear the drive with tools like CHKDSK, boot repair, and a clean install. The disk was still functional, though. I’m considering using it as secondary storage for games, but I’m worried it might cause data loss or corruption. I understand HDDs are slower than SSDs, but I’m open to testing it. It would probably take years to upgrade completely if I wanted a new system.
I reviewed your message carefully. You mentioned that your SSD is slow because it lacks a DRAM cache chip, similar to what happens with HDDs. You also noted that high-end SSDs aren't cheap and suggested focusing on upgrading to more expensive SSDs with DRAM or TLC NAND technology.
The initial games were played on Riot Games Valorant. The HDD used is WD Blue. There are no immediate plans to purchase an SSD yet, but I’m well-informed about what to consider. The SSD was something I wanted to try out when others use the PC for ease. It’s essentially a second PC I’ve shared with friends or family. PS: This is just my second PC I’ve let anyone access.
Not always cheapest is the best. In your scenarion is oposite effect for ssd.
When we suspect a performance problem with the SSD and tools like Crystal Disk Info don’t reveal major disk issues, the results are typical. I find it interesting if you could try Intel Optane to boost a DRAM-free SSD—similar to its purpose with HDDs—but beyond that, performance tends to drop sharply as the drive fills up. This behavior isn’t exclusive to HDDs; it affects SSDs too.