Microsoft has acknowledged reports of SSD failures and data corruption issues on Windows 11 systems following recent security updates.
Why it matters: The problem appears to affect various SSD models and controllers, potentially putting user data at risk during heavy write operations.
The details:
- A Japanese PC enthusiast discovered that SSDs with Phison NAND controllers were disappearing from the OS during large file transfers after installing the KB5063878 and KB5062660 updates.
- Some drives were restored after a system reboot, while others remained inaccessible.
- The issue is believed to be related to a drive cache problem caused by a memory leak in the OS-buffered region.
- Affected drives include models from SanDisk, Corsair, Maxio, KIOXIA, and others using Phison PS5012-E12 and InnoGrit controllers.
Microsoft and Phison are working together to investigate and resolve the problem.
What they’re saying:
- “Microsoft is aware of these reports and is investigating with our partners,” a Microsoft spokesperson stated.
- “Phison has recently been made aware of the industry-wide effects of the ‘KB5063878’ and ‘KB5062660’ updates on Windows 11, potentially impacting several storage devices,” a Phison spokesperson said. “The controllers potentially affected are under review, and we are working with partners to address the issue.”
What’s next: Until a fix is released, users are advised to avoid writing large files or multiple large files in quick succession, instead opting for smaller batches over time. When extracting large compressed files, it is recommended to perform the operation in several steps.
