Question Write speed of 990 PRO SSD will drop to 2 MB/s after a few minutes of game installing ?

[IoanT]

After a few days of painstakingly solo troubleshooting, I turn to you guys if someone knows a solution. I have gathered all the data and I will list it bellow.

System:
Motherboard: Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO
BIOS: F66g (latest updated)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 8 3700x
GPU: 2070 Super
RAM: 16 GB
Window 11 PRO (not upgraded, fresh installed from zero, with formatted drive)
OLD SATA SSD: Samsung 860 EVO 500GB
OLD HDD: ST2000DM008-2FR102

I decided to add for the first time a SSD M2: Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2T. (it has a cooler applied)

First Issue: I know it will have a speed bottleneck due to PCIe Gen 3 of the motherboard. But I would expect a bottleneck of ~3000 read / write speed, CrystalDiskMark showed 1300 read and 800 write.

The hindering issue: As the game install proceeds, the writing speed of the SSD will have multiple sudden drops as time passes.
Test done with a 75 GB game installed with the HoYoPlay Launcher (the same behavior occurred on other games / launchers)
h22:21 - Start installation
First 3 min: Write Speed 100 - 200 MB/s
h22:24 - After three minutes the usage reaches a constant 100% from now on
-7 min : Write Speed 50 - 80 MB/s
h22:31 - Average response time starts to spike (2000 - 8000)
-24 min : Write Speed ~10 MB/s
h22:56 - 84% Installed, still needs 1 hour
-46 min : Write Speed ~2 MB/s
h23:42 - 93% Installed still needs 30 min
-35 min: Write Speed ~2 MB/s
h24:17 - Finishes the install and starts a 1h of Verifying and repairing
- 70 min:: Read Speed ~18 MB/s and a few spikes of 40-100 KB/s of Write Speed
h25:27 - The installation ended with a Download failed status after 3 hours

Already attempted fixes and other clues:
- SSD installed in first slot PCIe Gen 3 x4
- Fresh installed Windows 11 PRO, no cache
- BIOS update to latest
- Defragment disk
- Disk health 100%
- Checked for viruses (non)
- Checked for latest drives (just installed)
- Checked for errors on disk (non)
- Checked the temperature of the SSD (~40C)
- No other component has a "crispy problem", all have good temperature values
- Issue occurs at first use of the SSD, at the first install on the SSD (no problem of being to full)
- Tried a different SSD and the same issue occurred: Kingston NV2 2T
- The same issue occurred on other games installed through diverse launchers
- The issue will not occur on the Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB

 

[USAFRet]

Where is this installing from?

Online, or some other drive?

 

[USAFRet]

I decided to add for the first time a SSD M2: Samsung SSD 990 EVO PRO 2T. (it has a cooler applied)

It is either a 990 EVO or a 990 Pro.
Can't be both...

 

[IoanT]

It is either a 990 EVO or a 990 Pro.
Can't be both...

1. Yes, my mistake it is 990 Pro. (will update in the post)
2. The installation is online, I don't have internet issues. It is set to use the entire 1gb and in Task Manager it din not show that the installation is tanked by the Ethernet
To add more info, is a game installed with the HoYoPlay launcher
The issue also occurred on the RD2 installed with the Rockstar launcher.
No susch issue occurs if I install them on Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB

 

[USAFRet]

1. Yes, my mistake it is 990 Pro. (will update in the post)
2. The installation is online, I don't have internet issues. It is set to use the entire 1gb and in Task Manager it din not show that the installation is tanked by the Ethernet
To add more info, is a game installed with the HoYoPlay launcher
The issue also occurred on the RD2 installed with the Rockstar launcher.
No susch issue occurs if I install them on Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB

Installing a game from 'online' is a poor method to test.

What does Samsung Magician or CrystalDiskMark show for performance?

 

[IoanT]

Installing a game from 'online' is a poor method to test.

What does Samsung Magician or CrystalDiskMark show for performance?

The installation is still on going and I don't have a print screen from the latest speed check.
Until I run another speed check, the last one showed Read Speed 1300 and Write Speed 800.

 

[USAFRet]

The installation is still on going and I don't have a print screen from the latest speed check.
Until I run another speed check, the last one showed Read Speed 1300 and Write Speed 800.

When you can, show us the output of Samsung Magician and CDM.

 

[Bob.B]

After a few days of painstakingly solo troubleshooting, I turn to you guys if someone knows a solution. I have gathered all the data and I will list it bellow.

System:
Motherboard: Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO
BIOS: F66g (latest updated)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 8 3700x
GPU: 2070 Super
RAM: 16 GB
Window 11 PRO (not upgraded, fresh installed from zero, with formatted drive)
OLD SATA: Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB
OLD HDD: ST2000DM008-2FR102

I decided to add for the first time a SSD M2: Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2T. (it has a cooler applied)

First Issue: I know it will have a speed bottleneck due to PCIe Gen 3 of the motherboard. But I would expect a bottleneck of ~3000 read / write speed, CrystalDiskMark showed 1300 read and 800 write.

The hindering issue: As the game install proceeds, the writing speed of the SSD will have multiple sudden drops as time passes.
Test done with a 75 GB game installed with the HoYoPlay Launcher (the same behavior occurred on other games / launchers)
h22:21 - Start installation
First 3 min: Write Speed 100 - 200 MB/s
h22:24 - After three minutes the usage reaches a constant 100% from now on
-7 min : Write Speed 50 - 80 MB/s
h22:31 - Average response time starts to spike (2000 - 8000)
-24 min : Write Speed ~10 MB/s
h22:56 - 84% Installed, still needs 1 hour
-46 min : Write Speed ~2 MB/s
h23:42 - 93% Installed still needs 30 min
-35 min: Write Speed ~2 MB/s
h24:17 - Finishes the install and starts a 1h of Verifying and repairing
- 70 min:: Read Speed ~18 MB/s and a few spikes of 40-100 KB/s of Write Speed
h25:27 - The installation ended with a Download failed status after 3 hours

Already attempted fixes and other clues:
- SSD installed in first slot PCIe Gen 3 x4
- Fresh installed Windows 11 PRO, no cache
- BIOS update to latest
- Defragment disk
- Disk health 100%
- Checked for viruses (non)
- Checked for latest drives (just installed)
- Checked for errors on disk (non)
- Checked the temperature of the SSD (~40C)
- No other component has a "crispy problem", all have good temperature values
- Issue occurs at first use of the SSD, at the first install on the SSD (no problem of being to full)
- Tried a different SSD and the same issue occurred: Kingston NV2 2T
- The same issue occurred on other games installed through diverse launchers
- The issue will not occur on the Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB

Show screenshot from crystal disk info for the 990.

 

[IoanT]

When you can, show us the output of Samsung Magician and CDM.

Show screenshot from crystal disk info for the 990.

Well ... after three hours the above mentioned install failed, I tried the CDM and Samsung Magician but ...
I've let the CDM run 20 minutes and still was "preparing"

Then tried Samsung Magician and takes hours for a benchmark test

Well as I was about to post it, it finished the Benchmark:

 

[USAFRet]

Defective drive or defective motherboard port.

 

[IoanT]

Defective drive or defective motherboard port.

That seems about right regarding my luck.
990 worked on other PC.
But other M2 did not work on my mother board.
So yeah 🙁

 

[USAFRet]

That seems about right regarding my luck.
990 worked on other PC.
But other M2 did not work on my mother board.
So yeah 🙁

All that indicates a faulty motherboard.

 

[Bob.B]

Well ... after three hours the above mentioned install failed, I tried the CDM and Samsung Magician but ...
I've let the CDM run 20 minutes and still was "preparing"

Then tried Samsung Magician and takes hours for a benchmark test

Well as I was about to post it, it finished the Benchmark:

Have you tried the other m.2 slot?

 

[cruisetung]

See if disabling write cache helps

Question - Importance of SSDs with DRAM in 2025?

Hello, I'm looking for a cheap, affordable 1TB NVME drive. I currently have a WD Blue SN550 1TB, which although is not the fastest drive ever, is speedy enough for me. However, my main issue with this drive, is that whenever I try to download something that is maybe ~30GB or more, my download...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[IoanT]

Have you tried the other m.2 slot?

Yes, I tried it with a different SSD and had the same issue.
Long story short:
First I bought a Kingston NV2 2T that was not seen by BIOS at all in the first slot and in the second slot does the same issue that I have now with 990. Returned the Kingston and bought 990 cuz it was at really good price (75 euro). Any other SSD on the market now, in my country is over 140 euro.

 

[IoanT]

See if disabling write cache helps

Question - Importance of SSDs with DRAM in 2025?

Hello, I'm looking for a cheap, affordable 1TB NVME drive. I currently have a WD Blue SN550 1TB, which although is not the fastest drive ever, is speedy enough for me. However, my main issue with this drive, is that whenever I try to download something that is maybe ~30GB or more, my download...

forums.tomshardware.com

Tried it now, the issue still occurs.

A new observation of the issue:
I formatted the SSD a few times trying to make it work. After being formatted I tried to test it with a game install or big packages transfer (~75 GB). Every time after it was reformatted, the first three minutes had decent speeds: 100 - 200 MB/s. But after three minutes the speed will tank to 60 MB/s, after 7 min to 10, and after a few more minutes to 2.
After that, any other installation or even small transfers will start directly with 2 MB/s (even after shooting down the PC and letting it rest).
I can have the 100 - 200 MB/s only after formatting again the SSD and only for three minutes.
Bonus behavior: After reaching the point having only 2 MB/s speed, multiple (not all) programs will have this error when being booted on the SSD (E Disk)

 

[cruisetung]

Post CrystalDiskInfo for the drive, someone here might be able to read / analyze the data.

==

Well, found this article.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/samsung-990-pro-firmware-update-released-ssd-health

==

Also see if 4K alignment helps

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5...g-990-pro-2-TB-slow-write-speeds/td-p/2577242

 

[IoanT]

Post CrystalDiskInfo for the drive, someone here might be able to read / analyze the data.

==

Well, found this article.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/samsung-990-pro-firmware-update-released-ssd-health

==

Also see if 4K alignment helps

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5...g-990-pro-2-TB-slow-write-speeds/td-p/2577242

1. I tried 4k alignment, it said that is already aligned.
2. Regarding the article, yeah it would suck to be that motive. My behavior is that after formatting, it would have ~ 200 MB/s writing speed only for 3 minutes then it will drop as described in the "New observation comment from above". Also the same issue occurred on a Kingston NV2 2T, not only 990 Pro.
3. Here is the CrystalDiskInfo

4. I had to set the CrystalDiskMark to perform one test with only one GB because otherwise it would take hours.
But the bellow CDM has the same readings as any game install, file transfer window, other measure apps.

 

[cruisetung]

It's brand new and that looks really bad. I'll return it if I were you and replace it with another brand/model.

 

[IoanT]

It's brand new and that looks really bad. I'll return it if I were you and replace it with another brand/model.

It is the second brand I try with the same results (first being Kingston).
Before returning it I will try one more thing, to mount it on a PCIe - m2 adapter and insert it bellow the GPU. Maybe it will work. If my PC has an allergy to m2 altogether, then I will stay on a regular sata SSD until a next gen upgrade.

 

[cruisetung]

If it's only for storage then you can try a USB enclosure too.