Crash Causes SSD to Disappear

Joker41NAM

Reputable
Jul 5, 2015
45
0
4,530
I'm having troubles with my new system. Every week or two, it crashes, and when it does it "loses" the SSD (shows up in EUFI as "unknown") until I unplug the system for a minute and then go in and re-designate the SSD as a bootable drive.

So far, I haven't been able to find any logs to indicate why it's crashing, and I haven't been at the system to see if there's any indication of what's happening.

So, I guess I have two issues I'd like help figuring out:

1) how can I ID why my system is crashing
2) why is the SSD not detected properly afterwards

System specs:

  • Win 10 Home x64
    Core i5-6600K (stock clock)
    Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 motherboard, BIOS version F7 (problem first occurred with F5, updating BIOS didn't help)
    Mushkin Reactor 1TB SSD on SATA0
    Western Digital 4TB HD on SATA1
    Seagate 1TB HD on SATA2
    Blu-Ray Drive on SATA3
    DVD Burner on SATA6
    Gigabyte GC-USB3.1 front-bay USB adapter on SATA 4&5
    Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming in PCIe x16
    Hauppauge Colossus 2 (HD TV Capture card) in PCIe x1_3
    Creative Zx in PCIe x4
Any other info needed, please ask.

Appreciate any assistance.
 
Solution
weird.

I'm guessing either:
a) SSD, or
b) motherboard

Since the BIOS' boot order is being affected it shouldn't have anything to do with Windows. I'm not sure what would both cause it to crash and ALSO change the boot order.

So at this point I'm suspecting a bad SSD but since you can apparently re-designate it then it's going to be hard to TROUBLESHOOT this.

If stumped, then I suggest you:

1) Buy a Samsung 850 EVO 256GB SSD
2) Clean install W10
- make sure same W10 version (not sure how you installed... such as W10 Home 64-bit)
- do NOT enter a key

3) Test

There are other things I'd suggest but again if it only crashes every week or so I'm not sure how easy that is.

Other:
You can MOVE the entire Steamapps folder if you have a...
weird.

I'm guessing either:
a) SSD, or
b) motherboard

Since the BIOS' boot order is being affected it shouldn't have anything to do with Windows. I'm not sure what would both cause it to crash and ALSO change the boot order.

So at this point I'm suspecting a bad SSD but since you can apparently re-designate it then it's going to be hard to TROUBLESHOOT this.

If stumped, then I suggest you:

1) Buy a Samsung 850 EVO 256GB SSD
2) Clean install W10
- make sure same W10 version (not sure how you installed... such as W10 Home 64-bit)
- do NOT enter a key

3) Test

There are other things I'd suggest but again if it only crashes every week or so I'm not sure how easy that is.

Other:
You can MOVE the entire Steamapps folder if you have a library on that SSD so that you don't have to download it again.
 
Solution
I doubt this matters, but should run anyway:
1) Memtest86 for full pass www.memtest86.comm

2) CPU diagnostic https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool

3) update mobo BIOS if newer exists
UPDATE - only BETA versions exist for DDR4 compatibility. If Memtest86 is passing I'd ignore this.

4) *UNHOOK other drives*
- a failure in one of the other drives might crash the system and affect the boot order (I highly doubt it, but thought I should mention it.)

5) Mushkin SSD firmware update?

6) BlueScreen View is useful-> http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

A lot of crashes suggest memory issues (i.e. DDR4) when they aren't. More often though OTHER errors are due to memory (probably not YOURS though).
 
Found the same error here: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/247290-system-freezes-causing-boot-order-magically-change.html

"I'm not sure which did it, but I swapped my RAM into the other two bays and did a firmware update on my SSD."

I suspect a failing SSD, but contact Mushkin tech support.

Here's some more info: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226596

"..Not reconized anymore from the motherboard"
and
"bought 2, one started failing already, intermittently locks up and won't read anymore"
and
"Broke down after exactly 1 month of use. No longer can initialize."
and
"Dead in exactly one month. SSD randomly disappears in windows"
and

"Only showed up in BIOS every 3rd reboot or so"

Sound familiar?
 

AndroidEx05

Commendable
Jul 12, 2016
5
0
1,520
You do have not used a pirated version of Windows OS, right?
And also just go test this SSD with CHKDSK to see whether it is damaged due to the OS issues.
Is it workable on another computer?
If not, go contact the sellers when it is still in warranty.