Windows 11 SSD Issues Linked to Early Firmware, Microsoft Says
▼ Summary
– Reports linked recent Windows 11 updates to SSD failures in drives with Phison controllers, but Phison attributes the issue to early firmware and BIOS versions.
– Phison’s president stated that many reports involved performance preview drives with outdated firmware, not those sold to consumers through official channels.
– YouTuber JayzTwoCents demonstrated a Crucial T500 SSD failing after Windows updates, though it’s unclear if pre-release firmware or BIOS was used.
– Phison replicated issues using engineering preview firmware in testing but found no crashes or failures in consumer SSDs with final firmware.
– Microsoft denied any connection between its security updates and the reported SSD failures, despite widespread blame from social media and influencers.
Recent Windows 11 updates have been at the center of controversy after users reported solid-state drive failures, but new information suggests the root cause may lie with early firmware and BIOS versions rather than Microsoft’s software. While social media influencers and tech enthusiasts quickly pointed fingers at the tech giant, hardware manufacturer Phison has stepped forward with a different explanation.
According to Michael Wu, General Manager and President of Phison US, many of the problematic drives were running pre-release firmware not intended for general consumer use. In a public statement, Wu clarified that performance preview drives used by reviewers often differ from those sold through official channels. He emphasized that outdated or engineering-grade firmware can lead to instability, especially when paired with newer system updates.
Prominent tech YouTuber JayzTwoCents recently highlighted the severity of the issue, demonstrating a Crucial T500 SSD with a Phison controller failing after installing Windows 11 security patches. The drive required a power cycle to resume functioning, though it remains unclear whether the unit in question was running final production firmware.
Phison conducted its own investigation and successfully reproduced the errors using engineering preview firmware. However, when the company tested consumer-grade SSDs with up-to-date firmware, no crashes or failures occurred. This supports the argument that the instability is tied to pre-release hardware configurations rather than a fundamental flaw in Windows updates.
Microsoft previously stated it found no evidence linking its security updates to the widely reported SSD malfunctions. Despite this, many users continued to blame the company, a reaction influenced in part by Microsoft’s uneven history with Windows updates. The situation underscores the importance of using finalized firmware and keeping hardware drivers current to avoid compatibility problems.
(Source: The Verge)
