This new SSD tends to ignore files without any obvious cause
This new SSD tends to ignore files without any obvious cause
I understand if this sounds quite urgent. It’s because I’m genuinely struggling right now. About four months ago, when I transferred games from Steam to a new SSD, I encountered frequent "Disk Write Errors." Downloads would halt, and even after restarting, they sometimes resumed but would crash later due to corrupt files. Checking the Steam site showed that some files were missing during the transfer.
I also noticed similar problems when downloading directly to the SSD—like with zipped games from Itch or apps such as Xbox Game Pass, EA Play, and Ubisoft Connect. They’d download, then crash, only to work fine once a file was reinstalled. This pattern repeated across many applications I’ve tested.
I ran diagnostics using *chkdsk* and *CrystalDiskInfo*, but both came up empty. I left it on standby until today when playing *FF14* and the game crashed during a crucial story moment. I tried reinstalling the game via the built-in option, but it kept failing after a restart.
Later, I reformatted my PC with Windows 10’s “Reset PC” tool and rebuilt the SSD partition. The issues persisted. I recalled reading about similar problems with disks that claimed incorrect sizes. I checked the product ID on the packaging and cross-verified online, thinking it might be the culprit.
Then I used *h2testw* to test the disk, but after reading 7,406 MB it reported an error code I didn’t recognize. The situation was overwhelming—no guidance seemed to help. I reached out to forums, Reddit, Discord, and others, but everyone said nothing concrete.
I’m not very tech-savvy, so any advice or clarification would be deeply appreciated. I’m open to further checks if needed.
PC specs: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, Intel Core i5-6500, 2 CPUs, 8 GB RAM, 2133 MHz DDR4, Kingston RAM sticks, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, MSI H110M PRO-VH 3, with a WD Green 2.5 TB SSD (games drive).
Have you thought about a possible broken SATA cable? Are there any CRC errors displayed? What does the SMART status indicate? Is it possible to scan the drives using Hard Disk Sentinel?
WD uses tools to inspect drives by reading their SMART data. It seems like the problem might be a failing disk, a faulty cable, or an incorrect SATA controller/adapter. The software indicates whether the drive has any SMART errors and if it’s functioning properly. If the drive is still under warranty, WD would process a return merchandise authorization (RMA) based on those findings.
No errors detected, and according to Hard Disk Sentinel the SMART status shows all OK. The report for the problematic disk is attached. I didn't think about a faulty SATA cable; I'll try replacing it to check if that resolves the issue. After reviewing, the software is Western Digital Dashboard, which only checks drive health via SMART. I ran the test anyway and got these results. There appears to be an extended test I might run for completeness. However, since I bought it from a third party in a region where WD warranty isn't valid, replacement isn't cost-effective. The data or SATA cable could be the problem, so I'll verify once they're replaced. Meanwhile, is there a way to run a test for the cables? Disk report WD Green 25.txt
The dashboard indicates your firmware is current. I completed a PassMark Memtest86 with no issues and confirmed RAM health. My estimate points to the SATA cable as the likely cause. Even without CRC errors, damage would have surfaced during testing. I plan to test different cables between drives tomorrow to determine the fix.
These storage devices are known to have issues. Smart technology doesn't always detect every problem, for instance I used a budget Kingston SSD that failed after only a few months. It didn’t completely fail—read/write speeds were around 2MB/s—and installing it slowed down my entire system. This suggests possible faulty memory and maybe a CrystalDisk issue. Usually, the memory controllers on cheaper drives are the culprits, which can be tricky to identify. If you're lucky, it might just be a loose cable, but I wouldn’t bet on that.
It seems you're facing an issue that hasn't been widely reported online. You've already checked previous searches without finding others discussing it for WD Drives.
I changed the SATA cable connection on the drive to a different port on the motherboard. Another SATA cable was swapped around, which seemed to resolve the issue. Running h2testw on the problematic drive showed no problems, skipped files, or errors. Downloading large games worked fine on both the original and the newly connected drive. It appears the issue wasn't with the cable itself but with the connector on the motherboard. Alternatively, tapping the SSD just right during the cable swap resolved the problem. Thanks for suggesting I check the SATA cable!