SSD monitor software.
gds1972
Posts: 6,613 Forum Member
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Hi i have just built a new PC with a SSD and would like to know can anyone here recommend any software that I can install to allow me to keep track of the drive health and give me advance warning when I need to consider replacing it.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
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TBH, it should last for years, mine is 4 years old and still works fine. But as been said before time and time again, back up, back up and back up.
any drive can just go pop from a couple of days after you buy it to years after.
If your drive is a Samsung, have a look at their magician software. Gives a some good information regarding failed blocks and re-allocation.
Aside from that, as mentioned already, any drive could fail at any time.
..........and with absolutely NO warning !
SSD software, if the SSD comes with any, will let you know when the write cycles are at a low level. I assume that's what the first poster meant when they said "when I need to consider replacing it.".
But did the tester turn the system off and then on again after each write though?
Oh yes, been there a few times.
Even USB sticks have failed for no reason what so ever.
SSD units will block bad parts of the drive and will use other parts as it starts to go downhill, that is the reason why all SSD drives are larger than what they say they are. I think a SSD unit could have a fault with the controler or power which would be the only the drive would fail all of a sudden without a bit of warning. Spinney drives are a different kettle of fish and i have known for one to stop almost dead and you want to see the mess in there when that happens. I have also seen one where the head touched the disk, that was a mess as well. thankfully it does not happen much these days if at all.
Drive reliability are so much better these days, even Seagate.
Why would they ? There is nothing moving in the drive.
Anyway the answer is that yes the drives were periodically powered down including one 3 week period while the tester went on holiday. No issues with power cycling encountered. The test is still going on, 840 Pro and one other drive have now passed the 2PB mark. New generation of stacked memory is supposed to be even more reliable as there is a less of an issue with tolerances.
I just think that testing the drive in the same way that people use their SSDs in everyday life would be a more accurate test. It would show computer users how much data could be written to their SSD in the same way that they use it, except in a much, much more stressful way.
More people are now turning to SSDs these days.
http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html
In saying that with many devices with normal use not reason it could not last 8 or even 10 years.
The other issues is the drives failing due to the other issues. Technically SSD due to the lack of moving parts should be less prone to damage but the technology is still really in the early phase. So the rating of failing works out about the same as normal drives.
Some would suggest when an SSD goes that is it. While true once a standard drive goes normally it is the same result you can overwrite the bad parts but it more prone to fail. You have little choice but to replace or live the risk you are likely to lose your data at any point.
In terms of tools their are lots on the market like SSDlife SSD Ready, I cannot say I have ever used them and it comes with all the warning about downloading software virus etc. You take your own risk with these tools. My advice not to worry it is happens to go wrong it just will no tool is going to tell you just before it breaks
Just make sure you backup all important documents to another source. Or these days a cloud service
For smaller drives yes, but SSD is still expensive for larger ones. The prices are coming down, but still got a way to go.
I have a SSD as my main drive and then a 2TB as my storage drive. I have also got a hybrid seagate which have Linux on.
I like the WD black duel drive, a 120GB SSD and a 1TB normal drive in a a 2.5inch case. A bit pricey at £150, but ideal for a laptop where you want high speed for software, but a lot of storage. I stuck one one in a laptop last year for someone. I am pretty sure no other manufacture makes anything like it. Seagate does a hybrid, which is what I have got, but the SSD acts like a large cache.
Thank you this is what I mean, as this is my first experience of using an SSD I was hoping that I will get some sort of warning when the drive is nearing the read/write limit.
I do understand that any drive can suddenly fail and I'm looking to add a second HDD to act as a back up / storage drive.
Many thanks I will check out the link.
Careful with it as it have advertising, i do not know how intergrated it is or not into the software, so be on your guard, it could be one that chucks a load of rubbish onto your machine.
Which drive do you have ?
I really wouldn't worry about write wearing unless you are using it for enterprise level applications.
Always back up data regardless of technology
I agree. You'd have to write about 89GBs a day to kill off the Crucial MX100 256GB SSD in five years. The 250GB EVO works out at about 134GBs a day for five years. There's absolutely no need to be concerned at all about modern SSDs when it comes to endurance. I said five years because that's how long I think people might have their SSDs for before replacing them. Some might replace them after three years.
I went for the Crucial M500 240gb.
Mine will be 4 years old in August, I just had a look on Scan to see when I got it, £145 it cost me for a 120GB. Apart from the firmware problems I had with it to start with, it have worked well and no doubt will last another 4 years. But I am going to get something larger and faster at some point, maybe have a look at Crucial units.
Not sure what I would do with the old one, unless I put it in the second computer once I get it back up and working.
And don't bother with any special software to monitor it.
Just enjoy the performance benefits, and get on with using your machine.
If and when it does fail, it will be years from now, and you will probably have a new computer by then anyway.
And SSDs will be available in higher capacities for less money, so replacing it won't be a big deal.
Crucial have free SSD monitoring software called Crucial Storage Executive available on their website.
Thank I have downloaded this. It's nice to know some information in this app provides.