A newly released Windows 11 security update may be causing serious issues for some solid-state drives (SSDs), according to user reports. The problem appears when transferring large amounts of data, potentially leaving drives unusable.
The issue was first flagged by a user on X (formerly Twitter) who noticed their SSD stopped working after installing the KB5063878 update while updating Cyberpunk 2077. Further testing suggests that writing roughly 50GB or more of data in one go can trigger the failure. Once affected, the SSD becomes unrecognizable by Windows, and restarting the computer does not restore access to the drive.
A report from NichePCGamer indicate that SSDs using Phison controllers are most vulnerable, though other models may also be impacted. Known affected drives include:
- Corsair Force MP600
- KIOXIA EXCERIA PLUS G4
- Fikwot FN955
- KIOXIA M.2 SSD
- Phison PS5012-E12 controller-equipped SSD
- SanDisk Extreme PRO M.2 NVMe 3D SSD
- Maxio SSD
SSD with InnoGrit controller
Experts suspect the issue stems from a software conflict introduced in the latest Windows update, possibly related to how the system manages extended write operations. This could cause the SSD’s controller to freeze, making the drive disappear from the system.
Since Microsoft has not yet officially acknowledged the problem, cautious users may want to delay installing the KB5063878 update, if possible, avoid large file transfers until a fix is confirmed or check for firmware updates from SSD manufacturers.
Source: Wccftech