The SATA SSD failed, and it was running Windows 11.
The SATA SSD failed, and it was running Windows 11.
I recently started using Linux and installed it on my 1TB NVMe SSD, while keeping Windows 11 on a 250GB SATA drive. I often needed to run only Windows-compatible software quickly. I also performed a fresh Windows reinstall. The Linux partition appeared first during startup, and I could switch back to Windows from the GRUB menu occasionally. Recently, Windows would sometimes fail to boot properly, prompting me to restart it. This happened a few times, but I didn’t investigate further.
Recently, I tried a game on Linux that kept crashing. I decided not to fix it right away and booted Windows instead. After the fresh install, everything worked smoothly—no issues with drivers or updates.
About a week ago, my PC froze at the BIOS prompt screen, showing which key initiates the boot process. Neither the BIOS nor the boot menu responded. However, if I unplugged the SATA SSD before powering on or left it in that state, the system would recover and boot normally.
Once I switched to Linux, I tested things out. I hotplugged the SATA drive (enabled hotplug) and used terminal commands to gather information. The drive recognized itself but failed to initialize repeatedly until the kernel disabled it. It seems the firmware might be corrupted, making software recovery impossible.
I’m not concerned about losing data since this was just a fresh Windows install. My goal is to understand if this issue relates to recent Windows 11 SSD bricking attempts. The drive is around five years old, and I haven’t stored large amounts of data on it recently—it was always the Windows partition.
System details:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Motherboard: Gigabyte Aorus B550m PRO G.Skill Aegis 2x8GB RAM
- GPU: Sapphire Pulse RX 5600 XT
- Power Supply: Seasonic FOCUS-GX-550
- SSD: Samsung 860 EVO 250 GB (MZ-76E250, PN MZ7LH250HAHQ 2020.08)
- OS: Linux (first boot) → Windows (recently)
This claim remains entirely unconfirmed, lacking any proof that Windows is involved in these rare problems. The issue escalated rapidly, with many assuming Windows was responsible. The origin traces back to a single Japanese Twitter post from years ago, which had no solid backing. It appears people have struggled to analyze the situation logically.
Have you ever connected the Windows storage while running Linux? If it wasn’t fully unmounted, Windows might recognize it and attempt to check for issues. Regarding the failure to boot, that’s unusual. I wouldn’t assume Windows 11 caused it outright.
It doesn’t seem related to a Windows 11 update problem. There are no widespread reports of SATA SSDs bricking. Your Samsung 860 evo is about five years old, and issues like SATA NAND wear or controller failure can appear unexpectedly, even with normal usage. The system only restores when the SATA drive is removed, suggesting the SSD itself failed at the firmware controller level, not due to Windows. To confirm, try connecting the 860 evo to another machine using a SATA USB adapter and check if it’s recognized—most likely, the drive has reached end of life.
You're noticing that newer, larger drives are breaking down sooner than expected. This could be due to various factors like quality differences or environmental stress. It's interesting how older storage still works well for your needs.
You can verify the drive using GSmartControl to ensure it’s recognized by Windows or Linux and determine if it’s due for maintenance. Ideally, avoid any critical data on the drive.
This operation uses a Samsung controller and isn't listed among the suspected failing controllers in Windows 11. Another observation (shown by JayZTwoCents) is that the Windows 11 issue arises when the drive is active. If you power off Windows without problems but the drive still won't boot, it differs from the Windows 11 bug. For a Samsung device, you might want to try Samsung Magician, which is available on their site. Possible causes for failure include a failed NAND chip or corrupted EEPROM firmware. It might be time to replace the drive; otherwise, no major solutions exist. Good luck!
I experienced two failures where a capacitor on the PCB shorted. If your SSD is affecting the 5V rail due to a shorted capacitor, it can lead to various issues. Try opening it while it's active and look for any heat sources. If you spot something, take a photo and share it.
The issue stemmed from an outdated firmware version. By the time the problem was identified, I had already used three versions that were not suitable. The lesson here is to verify the firmware on your NVMe drive as well. I also use Pro Samsung drives since they offer significantly more write cycles.