[SOLVED] SSD usage - did I overuse this SSD?

[Mon12]

Hi all - I have the Samsung PM981 SSD (I think this is an OEM SSD, Samsung MZVLB1T0HALR-000L2), size 1 TB, TLC nand, NVMe M.2 form factor in my Lenovo laptop and it died after 3 years and 2 months... I am trying to understand if I used it too much or something. How many TBs were written to it, how can I estimate that based on my usage patterns? Windows 10 ran from it and the laptop has 16 GB RAM and a fast i7 cpu.

Here is how I've used that laptop.

I used it virtually every day, 6 or 7 days a week, for 6-8-10 hours on average per day. I did my work on it for the first 2 years, that involved opening lots of browser tabs quickly to research information as quick as I could. So I often had Chrome open with many, many tabs, 100, 500, 1000 tabs. The laptop has 16 GB RAM, and it was maybe at 60% RAM use when I worked like that. My work otherwise just involved using Microsoft Word and at times Adobe PDF (some editing in there but not like professional editing). I believe the 60% RAM usage was okay for the SSD.

(I did have to buy this laptop to replace my old PC because my old PC could not take that type of load anymore, though the HDDs in the old PC did take the load fine, as in they did not die, but it was all too slow with RAM usage regularly at 95%). This is to emphasise that I am aware that this is not how most home users use their computer.

For the last 1 years, I no longer did that kind of work, I mean thankfully my work no longer required me to do so much research, but I still had Chrome open with many tabs, probably something like 1000 tabs, and I didn't close them, and then over time because of that the RAM usage regularly went up to 70% and 80%. I didn't allow it to be over 85% often because I was not sure if that would use too much paging (I'm not a pro user so I am not totally sure if that was a problem).

But for the last 6-12 (or maybe up to 18) months my RAM (of the 16 GB RAM) usage was usually at 75-80-85%. A few hours every day, say 6 or 8 or 10 hours on average. I'm not sure, but at least 6 hours on average, yes.

I did not really run many other programs though, I did not do a lot on the laptop, I just browsed a few pages, really light browsing other than so many previous tabs being open. I maybe visited 50 webpages a day on average, and I used Microsoft Word for editing things for work, and I never felt the laptop would be slow, it was always working pretty fast for me.

I am not aware how much Windows paging writes to the SSD and if this is dependent on RAM usage, so that is my main question, how would you estimate how many TBs I might have written to this drive over the 3 years?

I also did not dare to use the Hibernation feature initially, I'd just put the laptop into Sleep but then I was talked into using Hibernation eventually. I was told it should not cause a problem with the SSD. I estimate this could not have written more than 20 TB data over 2 years to the disk though. Maybe 30 TB tops. I did start using Hibernation a few times a day near the end because it was more comfortable for me that way.

The last problem is that I did get to fill up the 1 TB space on the SSD pretty fast, after 2 years it was above 90% filled up with data. 95%-98% for quite a few months or a whole year maybe. That bothered me so then I managed to buy another SSD and had that installed by the Lenovo service centre as a secondary SSD (on SATA). But I got that installed only a few months ago, last autumn. My first step then was to move some of the data from the original SSD, but I was busy, tired, did not have much time to deal with it, I only moved some of the data, so the original SSD was only 80-90% full afterwards. It was 80-90% full (probably about 85%) for the last few months before it died. As far as I am aware, if this number is below 90% it should be OK but maybe I'm wrong about that.

I wanted to move more data and did want to backup data to it too (so that I could have the data both on the original SSD and the new big SSD). But I never got to that before it died.

Can you help me estimate how many TBs were written to this SSD overall? And if this usage pattern caused an earlier death? I am so shocked I don't want this to happen again. The data recovery company says there is no decryption algorithm available yet for PM981.

Thank you so much for any input!!

 

[USAFRet]

Hi all - I have the Samsung PM981 SSD (I think this is an OEM SSD, Samsung MZVLB1T0HALR-000L2), size 1 TB, TLC nand, NVMe M.2 form factor in my Lenovo laptop and it died after 3 years and 2 months... I am trying to understand if I used it too much or something. How many TB's were written to it, how can I estimate that based on my usage patterns? Windows 10 ran from it and the laptop has 16 GB RAM and a fast i7 cpu.

You cannot estimate TBW of a failed drive based on your usage.

These two things....
"So I often had Chrome open with many, many tabs, 100, 500, 1000 tabs. "
" after 2 years it was above 90% filled up with data. 95%-98% for quite a few months or a whole year maybe. "

Filling up an SSD can have major impacts on lifespan. 98% full for a year? Yeah, that might do it.

Was this still under warranty when it died?

 

[USAFRet]

I wanted to move more data and did want to backup data to it too (so that I have the data both on the original SSD and the new big SSD). But I never got to that before it died.

Backups should happen from Day 1.
"never got to that" is like "I didn't get around to buying car insurance."

 

[Mon12]

You cannot estimate TBW of a failed drive based on your usage.

These two things....
"So I often had Chrome open with many, many tabs, 100, 500, 1000 tabs. "
" after 2 years it was above 90% filled up with data. 95%-98% for quite a few months or a whole year maybe. "

Filling up an SSD can have major impacts on lifespan. 98% full for a year? Yeah, that might do it.

Was this still under warranty when it died?

How can TBW be estimated, based on what?

I cannot remember how long it was 98% full, maybe that was for just a couple of moths, but I know it was over 90% full for half a year or up to a year.

Could it also be a problem with RAM usage at 75-85%? Does Windows paging write much to the SSD in such a RAM usage case?

I am not sure about warranty, I will be able to ask the Lenovo service centre this week. The laptop itself had a 3-year warranty but that expired last year. Why do you ask about the warranty?

 

[Mon12]

Backups should happen from Day 1.
"never got to that" is like "I didn't get around to buying car insurance."

I mean I was not asking for advice on when to do backups. That is the least of my problems right now. I always do backups, but I was constantly exhausted every day (I still am) and so it simply fell out of my mind, so I am missing the last half year for some important data as the last backup of that data was half a year ago. I would like to ask you to not lecture me on how to make sure to not be so exhausted and not have things fall out of my mind like that. I've never been so exhausted before in my life, and am doing everything to keep myself together, so this is the last thing I need here. Thank you for understanding.

 

[USAFRet]

I mean I was not asking for advice on when to do backups. That is the least of my problems right now.

Yes.
And you are not the only one reading this today. Or next year.

That is advice applicable to all.


To your questions:
"Can you help me estimate how many TBs were written to this SSD overall? And if this usage pattern caused an earlier death? "

No, we cannot estimate how much TBW.
And yes, that 98% full could easily have contributed to an early death.

Or, it could have just died.
All storage dives will die. Eventually, ALL of them.
This is why backups are your friend.


The only problems you have right now are....you need to buy a new drive, and accept the fact that the data on that is gone gone gone.

 

[Mon12]

To your questions:
"Can you help me estimate how many TBs were written to this SSD overall? And if this usage pattern caused an earlier death? "

No, we cannot estimate how much TBW.

Is there any other way at all to estimate TBW if not based on usage pattern?

And yes, that 98% full could easily have contributed to an early death.

Or, it could have just died.
All storage dives will die. Eventually, ALL of them.
This is why backups are your friend.

So only the 98% full disk seems like a real risk factor, the rest I listed are not risk factors?

Before this exhausted period, I always diligently backed up all my data, I've been using computers for over 20 years. I was pretty educated on how HDDs work, but SSDs are a totally new thing to me. I was overly cautious at first with the SSD usage and then I was talked into not being so worried about it, and then my exhaustion didn't help in the end either. I did buy the new SSD to move data to it when I did think going over 90% was no good.

The only problems you have right now are....you need to buy a new drive, and accept the fact that the data on that is gone gone gone.

No. My concerns are:

• Understand how this could happen with an SSD. (With HDDs I never had this type of surprise!!!!)
• Figure out how to avoid in this future. (Regardless of making backups regularly, I don't want to have to buy new drives so soon)
• Find a data recovery option that might help me in the end. I am doing all I can to learn about that too. I've only asked one data recovery company so far.

 

[Lafong]

The biggest risk factor is chance. Sheer randomness.

The correlation between TB written and useful life is weak.

 

[Mon12]

The biggest risk factor is chance. Sheer randomness.

The correlation between TB written and useful life is weak.

Thanks, that's interesting information too. Should I just assume that all the Windows paging at high RAM usage couldn't have amounted to so many TBs written as to even get near to the TBW quoted by the manufacturer?

 

[USAFRet]

No. My concerns are:

• Understand how this could happen with an SSD. (With HDDs I never had this type of surprise!!!!)
• Figure out how to avoid in this future. (Regardless of making backups regularly, I don't want to have to buy new drives so soon)
• Find a data recovery option that might help me in the end. I am doing all I can do learn about that too. I've only asked one data recovery company so far.

1. An SSD should, in general, be used with 15-20% free space. This free space lets the TRIM function do its thing. 98% full WILL kill its lifespan.

2. See #1

3. I doubt you'll have much luck. Ask Samsung, maybe.



For the TBW thing...many many consumer level drives have been tested to run up to 10x the rated TBW number.

I've been using SSD's for over a decade in my personal systems. A couple dozen, I think.
Only one has actually died, and it was nowhere near its rated TBW number. Not even 20%.

 

[Mon12]

1. An SSD should, in general, be used with 15-20% free space. This free space lets the TRIM function do its thing. 98% full WILL kill its lifespan.

2. See #1

3. I doubt you'll have much luck. Ask Samsung, maybe.

For the TBW thing...many many consumer level drives have been tested to run up to 10x the rated TBW number.
I've been using SSD's for over a decade in my personal systems. Only one has actually died, and it was nowhere near its rated TBW number. Not even 20%.

Thanks for the information. I shouldn't allow the used space to go over 85% or 90% even for a short time, ever?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks, that's interesting information too. Should I just assume that all the Windows paging at high RAM usage couldn't have amounted to so many TBs written as to even get near to the TBW quoted by the manufacturer?

No, that is not a safe assumption.
You have 16GB. Page file use would be pretty minimal.

 

[Lafong]

Thanks, that's interesting information too. Should I just assume that all the Windows paging at high RAM usage couldn't have amounted to so many TBs written as to even get near to the TBW quoted by the manufacturer?

Suppose it did or suppose it didn't. I wouldn't draw any inferences even if I knew the answer.

Anything on a drive is at risk at all times.

The principal use of TBW is to

1; deny your warranty claim if you have exceeded the TBW.

2; induce you to buy drive A rather than drive B due to higher TBW. A marketing tactic.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the information. I shouldn't allow the used space to go over 85% or 90% even for a short time, ever?

A "short time" is OK. Like...an afternoon.
For a year? Not OK.

 

[Mon12]

No, that is not a safe assumption.
You have 16GB. Page file use would be pretty minimal.

12-14GB of that 16GB would be in use pretty often though for the last 1 year, that's still minimal page file use? (With actively browsing just 10-20 pages at a time, and using Microsoft Word and similar programs)

 

[USAFRet]

12-14GB of that 16GB would be in use pretty often though for the last 1 year, that's still minimal page file use? (With actively browsing just 10-20 pages at a time, and using Microsoft Word and similar programs)

Your other issue may have been:
"Chrome open with many, many tabs, 100, 500, 1000 tabs. "

Possibly increase your RAM to 32GB.


Personally, though, I think this dead drive was one of two causes.

1. Running at 98% full for a year
2. Random chance

 

[Mon12]

Your other issue may have been:
"Chrome open with many, many tabs, 100, 500, 1000 tabs. "

Possibly increase your RAM to 32GB.


Personally, though, I think this dead drive was one of two causes.

1. Running at 98% full for a year
2. Random chance

OK, thanks to everyone for all the replies!

PS: It wasn't at 98% for a year, it was more like for some months or so. It was at 90% and over 90% for a year in total though.

 

[USAFRet]

PS: It wasn't at 98% for a year, it was more like for some months or so.

Close enough.

 

[Pextaxmx]

NVMe drives in laptops are usually poorly cooled and operate at high temperature if heavily used. Which can cause premature controller failure. I prefer SATA SSDs in laptops but modern laptops don't even have option for SATA so I stick to PCIE 3.0 high efficiency models like Hynix P31, then even that model goes above >60C all the time.

 

[Mon12]

NVMe drives in laptops are usually poorly cooled and operate at high temperature if heavily used. Which can cause premature controller failure. I prefer SATA SSDs in laptops but modern laptops don't even have option for SATA so I stick to PCIE 3.0 high efficiency models like Hynix P31, then even that model goes above >60C all the time.

Thank you, that could make sense too. The only one HDD I ever had die on me was also in a laptop, though I was less surprised about that one because I figured that it can get damaged in a laptop easier due to moving parts. (I had very little data loss for that one, sigh.) Funnily enough, that HDD also died after 3 years. So yeah, I'll just view all laptop drives as possibly dying faster, even if an SSD. My laptop does have a SATA SSD too by the way, but the replacement SSD will still have to be NVMe as there is only one SATA in this laptop, I will check out the model you recommend, thanks again!

Oh and I'd be interested, why or how are SATA SSDs cooled better in laptops?

 

[Pextaxmx]

Thank you, that could make sense too. The only one HDD I ever had die on me was also in a laptop, though I was less surprised about that one because I figured that it can get damaged in a laptop easier due to moving parts. (I had very little data loss for that one, sigh.) Funnily enough, that HDD also died after 3 years. So yeah, I'll just view all laptop drives as possibly dying faster, even if an SSD. My laptop does have a SATA SSD too by the way, but the replacement SSD will still have to be NVMe as there is only one SATA in this laptop, I will check out the model you recommend, thanks again!

Oh and I'd be interested, why or how are SATA SSDs cooled better in laptops?

I think SATA drives draw less wattages to begin with. Then they use their metal cases as heat sink. (some drives have plastic case though)