Microsoft's latest Windows 11 24H2 update breaks SSDs/HDDs, may corrupt data
Reports that the Windows 11 24H2 update can corrupt or even “brick” some SSDs and HDDs have raised concerns about data safety and Microsoft’s quality assurance practices. Commenters are split over whether the root cause is flawed storage hardware and firmware being pushed to their limits, a bug in Windows’ caching or Defender behavior, or a mix of both, noting parallels with known issues on certain WD and Phison-based drives. Many argue that even if the drives are at fault, an OS update that can trigger widespread data loss on in-spec consumer hardware undermines trust in forced updates and pushes risk-averse users toward staying on older releases or switching platforms.
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.