Microsoft's latest Windows 11 24H2 update breaks SSDs/HDDs, may corrupt data

Headline, Evidence, and Scope

• Several commenters say the article’s headline overstates things: it’s based largely on a single Twitter thread, with no broad corroboration yet.
• Others note the article itself speculates about a Windows cache/memory-leak issue and mentions specific controller families (e.g., Phison, WD SN770) but is light on concrete technical detail, especially for “enterprise” drives.
• One commenter links Phison’s public statement; others reference earlier coverage of WD firmware bugs, implying this may be part of a pattern rather than a single clear-cut Windows defect.
• Overall scope is viewed as unclear: some see a rare edge case; others report first-hand corruption.

Root Cause Debate: Firmware vs Windows

• One camp argues it’s “crappy SSDs/HDDs”: devices that brick or corrupt data under heavy, but spec‑compliant, write loads — something an OS is entitled to generate.
• Another camp points to the fact that failures surfaced only after a Windows 11 24H2 update and that a patch is involved, arguing Microsoft bears significant responsibility.
• Several note similar SSD issues on Linux and ZFS with the same models, suggesting device‑firmware flaws exposed by heavier or different IO patterns.
• Some propose driver-level blacklists or throttling as workarounds, but maintain that defective hardware/firmware is the underlying problem.

Microsoft QA, Updates, and “Enshittification”

• Many criticize Microsoft’s QA, citing removal of dedicated test teams, reliance on “Insiders” as unpaid testers, and forced/opaque update flows.
• Frustration is high about Windows 11’s perceived bloat (e.g., Defender or UI components generating heavy IO) and general instability of 24H2, including unrelated driver issues.
• There’s a broader sentiment that Windows has shifted from being a product to a funnel for services, with quality and reliability suffering.

User Impact and Responses

• At least one user reports a 24H2 update corrupting a long‑stable HDD; another says an SN770’s partition table was damaged during update.
• Recommended reactions vary: stay on older stable builds (e.g., 23H2), delay 24H2, ensure backups, update SSD firmware, or avoid very low‑end drives.
• Some advocate switching to Linux/BSD or sticking with Windows 10; others counter that Linux has its own hardware issues and won’t magically fix bad SSDs.