{"id":609031,"date":"2025-08-31T13:24:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T11:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=609031"},"modified":"2025-08-31T13:31:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T11:31:21","slug":"windows-update-warning-after-reports-of-drive-crashes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/hardware\/609031-windows-update-warning-after-reports-of-drive-crashes.html","title":{"rendered":"Windows update warning after reports of drive crashes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Microsoft says it is unable to reproduce a problem causing solid-state drive (SSD) crashes that was linked to a recent security update, despite mounting reports that the issue is more widespread than previously believed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A video published<\/a> by YouTube computer hardware channel JayzTwoCents on 30 August showed that a computer running benchmarks in F1 2024 would crash after losing contact with the SSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initial reports about the problem originated in Japan, where users said a specific Windows 11 security update (KB5063878) had resulted in drive failure or total data loss in some cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japanese Twitter\/X user @Necoru_cat<\/a> is believed to have published the first detailed report about the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to these first reports, the problem occurs when trying to move more than 50GB on an SSD that is already 60% full. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Jason Langiven of JayzTwoCents said his experience while running the F1 2024 benchmark suggests the problem can also be triggered under more common circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The error causes specific SSD controller chips from Phison to malfunction, making Windows unable to detect affected drives. This causes Windows to show a blue screen of death and restart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some drives reappear and are usable after a system reboot, several reports state that they suffered data corruption or total drive failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft\u2019s support page for the update states that it has several fixes and quality improvements, including some from a July preview update (KB5062660) that relate to its controversial Recall feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recall is a feature of Windows 11 on PCs with CoPilot+ support that takes a screenshot of a user\u2019s desktop every few seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It then uses on-device large language models to allow users to retrieve items and information that had previously been on their screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The change logs for the updates don\u2019t specifically mention anything about SSD driver changes. However, these may have been part of the security updates included in the patches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft and Phison unable to reproduce error<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to media reports citing a service alert for business users that Microsoft updated this week, the company was unable to establish a link between the update and SSD failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter thorough investigation, Microsoft has found no connection between the August 2025 Windows security update and the types of hard drive failures reported on social media,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft had previously told business users that it had been trying to reproduce the errors with the help of storage drive partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeither internal testing nor telemetry suggested an increase in disk failure or file corruption,\u201d Microsoft previously said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMicrosoft customer support teams also haven\u2019t received reports of customers experiencing this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phison, a Taiwanese memory component producer, also couldn\u2019t reproduce the issue. The company said the root cause of the problem remained elusive after 4,500 cumulative testing hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In feedback to PCMag<\/a>, Phison also said that no partners or customers have reported that the issue impacted their drives at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Langiven said there was sufficient evidence to indicate that a number of SSD controllers and the drives that use them are affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They produced the following list based on testing by NichePCGamer and @Necoru_cat, as well as their own testing with a Phison E25-based SSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n