Windows 11 Security Update Linked to SSD Failures During Large File Writing

Recent reports indicate that the latest update for Windows 11 may be rendering SSDs inoperable following significant data writing. This troubling issue appears to impact a variety of SSD drives.

SSDs Experiencing Malfunctions After Intensive Data Writes

Microsoft’s operating system updates have historically led to complications for PC gamers, and it appears that SSDs are now at risk due to a newly released patch. An in-depth analysis shared by X user @Necoru_cat reveals that following the deployment of security update ‘KB5063878’ just days ago, users are facing issues with their storage drives failing during large file transfers. For instance, the user identified this malfunction while updating the game Cyberpunk 2077 after applying the security patch.

Summary of storage-related issues in KB5063878 (August 15th, AM): 1. The drive is lost from the OS (SMART cannot be read).The buffered tree may be accessible, but files cannot be read.2. Occurs when writing large amounts of data to a specific storage device.3. There appears to be a problem with the drive cache…

— Nekoru-suki (@Necoru_cat) August 14, 2025

It is crucial to understand that the observations regarding this issue stem from preliminary tests and benchmarks, and neither SSD manufacturers nor Microsoft have yet confirmed these failures. Reports suggest that issues may arise after around 50GB of continuous data writing, implying that both SSDs and HDDs could be affected, indicating a broader problem rather than a single model malfunction.

Once extensive writing occurs, Windows may fail to detect the SSD, and if the system is rebooted, users might find that the drive’s partitions become inaccessible. Internal tests conducted by the reporting user indicate that SSDs featuring Phison controllers are particularly susceptible, though not all variants are impacted. A compilation from NichePCGamer lists several SSD models that have been reported to be affected by this issue following the recent updates:

Corsair Force MP600
Phison PS5012-E12 controller-equipped SSDs
KIOXIA EXCERIA PLUS G4
Fikwott FN955
SanDisk Extreme PRO M.2 NVMe 3D SSD

Currently, the problem does not appear to have reached a widespread level as there have been limited discussions on public forums. However, it is suspected that the recent security update is connected to the failures experienced by SSDs during heavy writing tasks. Preliminary assessments suggest that the underlying cause may lie within storage drivers or kernel-level regressions introduced by the update, which mishandle extended sequential writes, ultimately resulting in controller lock-ups that render the drives unrecognizable to the operating system.

We are announcing the results of our investigation into the storage issue in KB6053878. _(:3 」∠)_ Please do not read if you do not understand the meaning of the first sentence.pic.twitter.com/XBqwOv8n5B

— Nekoru-suki (@Necoru_cat) August 17, 2025

As we continue to monitor developments surrounding this issue, it is strongly advisable for users, especially those using affected SSDs or those equipped with Phison controllers, to refrain from performing extensive sequential writes.

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