SanDisk Extreme SSDs keep abruptly failing—firmware fix for only some promised

SanDisk prospects have been complaining in regards to the firm’s Extreme and Extreme Pro moveable SSDs abruptly wiping information and, in some circumstances, turning into unreadable. Complaints return a minimum of 4 months, and SanDisk instructed Ars at the moment {that a} firmware fix is coming “soon.” However, SanDisk only confirmed a firmware replace for the 4TB fashions, regardless of an Ars staffer and on-line customers reporting points with 2TB drives.

An Ars reader tipped us (thanks!) to on-line discussions crammed with panicked and upset customers detailing experiences with just lately bought Extreme V2 and Extreme Pro V2 moveable SSDs. Most customers appeared to be utilizing a 4TB mannequin, however there have been additionally complaints from house owners of 2TB drives.

In a thread about 4TB Extreme Pro drives in a movie and video editors subreddit, a Reddit person referred to as ian__ wrote:

Multiple DITs/Loaders/ACs on each coasts have skilled the very same failure with these drives during the last month.The symptom appears to be that after a sustained write they’ll fully lose their filesystem and it is a complete crap shoot [whether] you possibly can get well it or not. The main manner you will note that is that the drive will unmount and also you won’t be able to get it to mount once more, regardless of displaying up in Disk Utility. You can generally get well it utilizing DiskDrill’s filesystem rebuild, however often that does nothing. It persists with any filesystem kind.

The thread, in addition to different threads on Reddit (right here, right here, and right here), present the issue extending to the non-Pro 4TB drive, in addition to the 2TB Pro drive (it is unclear if the 2TB non-Pro Extreme is affected).

Ars Technica’s Lee Hutchinson confirmed struggling not one, however two 2TB Extreme Pros dying. After filling about midway, every drive met a slew of learn and write errors. When he disconnected and reconnected the SSD, it confirmed it was unformatted with the drive fully wiped, together with its file system. Wiping and reformatting did not assist, and this occurred with two totally different items.

Lee’s story is echoed by many individuals, together with these on SanDisk’s boards, who purchased one of many exterior SSDs inside the previous few months. The drawback appears to only have an effect on a latest batch of drives, with one person claiming they had been instructed through a Japanese distributor that “this problem is causing a fuss and is only for those manufactured after November 2022” (Ars could not affirm this). The Reddit person ian__, who claimed to be amassing error studies to share with SanDisk, agreed that the difficulty only impacts latest batches. And some customers mentioned they used a number of Extreme and Extreme Pros through the years however only noticed ones bought just lately fail.

SanDisk’s response

Until now, there’s been little public response from SanDisk, which has principally referred on-line customers to open a help ticket with SanDisk’s technical help staff. Questions about refunds have been left unanswered.

When Ars contacted SanDisk in regards to the challenge, an organization consultant mentioned:

Western Digital is conscious of studies indicating some prospects have skilled a difficulty with 4TB SanDisk Extreme and/or Extreme Pro moveable SSDs (SDSSDE61-4T00 and SDSSDE81-4T00 respectively). We have resolved the difficulty and can publish a firmware replace to our web site quickly. Customers with questions or who’re experiencing points ought to contact our Customer Support staff for help.

SanDisk did not reply our questions on refunds, whether or not or not the firmware would handle points with the 2TB fashions, what triggered the difficulty, or when precisely this firmware fix will come.

Some Reddit customers have instructed that SanDisk has dragged its toes on the monthlong saga, with ian__ claiming they wanted to gather “data to prove to SanDisk that it actually is more than a fluke.” SanDisk’s transient response to Ars’ questions fails to make clear what’s been occurring behind the scenes.