[SOLVED] Dying Samsung SSD 970 EVO PLUS nvme m.2 1Tb after 4 years of use? CrystalDiskInfo says health is 98%

[Chrisvro]

So recently, it seems like this started ever since i installed the source code for an Unreal Engine 4 game onto the SSD (this is just a point, the issue is not with that game as it's only the source code). In ANY game, usually when trying to load something up such as a cut scene, the game will freeze, SSD usage will go to 100% and never go down. Cannot force quit the game, and windows 11 will somewhat play up, not allowing me to restart, certain apps will stop responding, (but technically the system is still working, so it's not a RAM issue as this RAM is only 3 months old and have had no issues) and, (only twice this happened) the entire system freezes. (Windows is installed on a totally different SSD, but i know that sometimes if one SSD goes out, it can freeze the other. Either way, i have to hard restart the PC. Anyway, i figured maybe it was time to clean the SSD, so i formatted the SSD, reinstalled games, but they would still freeze as soon as i tried to load anything up in game. Some games would run for a couple of minuets, until trying to load a new map in etc . Please note: this issue is not intermittent, and could be recreated at the exact same place in a game, for example trying to interact with something that triggers the loading of a cut scene, it would freeze instantly. (Some games would very very rarely freeze, but most will within 2 minuets, and it only seems to be games, which is the only thing i use on that SSD anyway, but installing things on the SSD would be fine). I then reinstalled the games on my windows 11 SSD, and bam. No freezes. So it's obviously that SSD. How does a Samsung SSD die so quickly? Or is there something else that could be causing it? Because i thought for sure formatting it would do the trick. Is it possible that the source code SOMEHOW wrecked my drive? (I know 110% it contained no malware). Or is it just a coincidence that it started happening right after installing it? It seems like the issue got worse over a few days, it was exactly a week ago i installed it. Thought i'd mention that this SSD has been used in a previous system, but has worked great in this one the past year i have had it. Also, i forgot to add, that whilst these in game issues were present, i had none of these issues whilst working in Unreal Engine 4 which you would think would set it off instantly.

 

[Colif]

25 lines without a break. That is a lot to read in one hit.

Have you run Magician on the drive?

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

semiconductor.samsung.com

 

[Chrisvro]

25 lines without a break. That is a lot to read in one hit.

Have you run Magician on the drive?

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

semiconductor.samsung.com

Yes i know sorry, i was in a rush and quickly wrote it before i left my home. And I am running Magician now.

 

[Chrisvro]

25 lines without a break. That is a lot to read in one hit.

Have you run Magician on the drive?

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

semiconductor.samsung.com

just ran it, came back all good saying the drive is in good condition.

 

[mdd1963]

There is always the possibility of mainboard port/ connection issues, driver or OS corruption/glitches, etc...

You'd not really know for sure until swapping it , which would rule out the drive if issues persisted.

As your games hung at the same point even after a fresh games install to the SSD would seem way too consistent to be just some random SSD corruption.

Even a 970 Evo Plus can fail, we must assume...(Have they even been out 4 years? I only see the earliest review occurring in APril of 2019...; might want to double check on your warranty, maybe you are under 3 years and can get a replacement?)

 

[Chrisvro]

There is always the possibility of mainboard port/ connection issues, driver or OS corruption/glitches, etc...

You'd not really know for sure until swapping it , which would rule out the drive if issues persisted.

As your games hung at the same point even after a fresh games install to the SSD would seem way too consistent to be just some random SSD corruption.

Even a 970 Evo Plus can fail, we must assume...(Have they even been out 4 years? I only see the earliest review occurring in APril of 2019...; might want to double check on your warranty, maybe you are under 3 years and can get a replacement?)

I did get the drive in 2019, not exactly 4 years, but close. And like i said, i have no issues in games when they are installed on my main OS drive. So it pretty much rules out the chances of it being literally anything else when you think about it... whether the drive is dying, or it's some driver or OS corruption is a moot point, it's that drive that is failing somehow. Also i have done an OS reinstall, that did nothing.

 

[Bob.B]

I did get the drive in 2019, not exactly 4 years, but close. And like i said, i have no issues in games when they are installed on my main OS drive. So it pretty much rules out the chances of it being literally anything else when you think about it... whether the drive is dying, or it's some driver or OS corruption is a moot point, it's that drive that is failing somehow. Also i have done an OS reinstall, that did nothing.

Got the proper bios and mobo drivers?
Got the proper firmware for the ssd?

If you have convinced yourself that the disk is bad buy a new one.
That will fix it.

 

[Colif]

if its under 5 years old, you could return to Samsung for an rma. They might send you a new one.

 

[Chrisvro]

if its under 5 years old, you could return to Samsung for an rma. They might send you a new one.

Is it normal for these "Drive health checkers" to sometimes not detect a real fault? Or do they just determine their health based on the total number of GBs written and read etc, so if the number was insanely high, it could say the drive is due for replacement or unhealthy, but in reality it might be totally fine, or vice versa? Because unless it is somehow a software sided issue, i can't understand why it would say my clearly faulty SSD is "healthy".

 

[Lafong]

Have you run more than one "drive health checker"?

Or just Magician?

The remaining life figures they might show are largely useless, but overall health is another issue. I'd probably run more than 1 test application and pay specific attention to the SMART report.

Not sure what troubleshooting you may have done to eliminate problems not directly related to the drive.

 

[Chrisvro]

Have you run more than one "drive health checker"?

Or just Magician?

The remaining life figures they might show are largely useless, but overall health is another issue. I'd probably run more than 1 test application and pay specific attention to the SMART report.

Not sure what troubleshooting you may have done to eliminate problems not directly related to the drive.

SMART report indicated everything is ay okay, i have run magician and crystaldiskinfo, all coming back with 0 issues.