[English]It seems to be turning into a never-ending story: SSD problems under Windows 11 24H2, presumably triggered by the cumulative security update KB5063878 from August 12, 2025. After an explanation and a fix were provided for a Japanese Windows 11 24H2 via preview update KB5064081 on August 29, 2025, I came across another explanation for possible SSD problems with SSDs with Phison controllers.
KB5063878 and reports of SSD issues
In the blog post Windows 11 24H2: Does the Aug. 2025 update KB5063878 cause SSD errors? I picked up on reports from Japan that the cumulative update KB5063878 for Windows 11 24H2 from August 12, 2025 (see Patchday: Windows 10/11 Updates (August 12, 2025)) can lead to serious SSD problems. When transferring large amounts of data, errors are said to occur reproducibly when saving to certain SSDs with certain controllers, resulting in data loss.
It was said that Phison's NAND controllers are more prone to these malfunctions. Since I picked up on these reports in the blog, there has been a lot of speculation about what is going on. Microsoft then investigated these reports and asked for feedback from those affected (Windows 11 24H2: Microsoft investigates reports of SSD issues caused by KB5063878).
Later, Microsoft and Phison gave the all-clear, saying they couldn't find any problems. I mentioned this in my blog post Windows 11 24H2: No SSD problems caused by KB5063878 after all. However, this does not seem to have been the whole truth, because with the preview update KB5064081 Windows 11 24H2 from August 29, 2025, a "silent" fix for the SSD problem in Japanese Windows 11 systems is also said to have been rolled out. I addressed this in the article Windows 11 24H2: Silent fix for (Japanese) SSD problems?
No end in sight for SSD problems
In my blog posts, I noted that I couldn't really assess the significance of the potential error. Here in the blog, there were repeated reports from readers who reported problems with SSDs. Lars wrote in this German comment that he had set up of six identical Windows 11 24H2 systems, four computers got stuck in the BIOS during reboot after two days because the NVMe with the operating system was no longer recognized by the BIOS. Samsung 990Pro 1TB SSDs were affected here.
In my German blog, there is another comment from MTechlerin, who cryptically wrote, "It affects Windows 11 24H2 .4946. After updating to 24H2 .5074, most problems with HDD and SSD are fixed." I have to leave it at that, as it remains unclear to me whether the SSD problem under Windows 11 24H2 has been solved with the preview update KB5064081 from August 29, 2025. Mario writes here that the preview update KB5064081 does not solve his SSD problem.
Bolko already pointed out in this German comment that there may be a third problem with SSDs that leads to heat-related failures under heavy load.
Further explanation of SSD problems known
Over the weekend, I came across an article on neowin.net entitled Root cause for why Windows 11 is breaking or corrupting SSDs may have been found. Aryeh Goretsky had pointed neowin.net to a Facebook post discussing another theory about SSD failure in Windows 11 24H2.
A Chinese Facebook group called PCDIY! (comprising people who build their own PCs) believes it has discovered the root cause of the SSD problem, at least as far as models with Phison controllers are concerned. In summary, the explanation is that the problem is caused by a pre-release version of the engineering firmware used in Phison controllers. This firmware appears to cause problems with Windows 11 updates. The Facebook group states (in a translated version):
Tests conducted by PCDIY! have revealed that the SSDs that crashed due to the Windows 11 update were using pre-release versions of engineering firmware.
Since all SSD manufacturers that sell products with PHISON controllers source their products from the original manufacturer and ship them in large quantities using mass production tools, the SSDs delivered to consumers already use the official firmware.
The official firmware has been thoroughly tested and verified and does not exhibit any of the anomalies that are common with engineering firmware.
PCDIY! group administrator Rose Lee is quoted as saying that the issue has been successfully verified by Phison engineers in their labs. In a follow-up article dated Sept. 8, 2025, neowin.net writes that Phison has confirmed the above facts.
The bottom line is that this is yet another "wild theory" – at least in my opinion. I don't dispute that engineering firmware can cause such problems. But how many people use SSDs with engineering firmware? And wouldn't the testers who reported SSD problems have noticed this? Especially when it is said that the SSDs that went on sale were equipped with the correct firmware.
Furthermore, the above finding does not explain reports of SSD problems from other manufacturers (e.g., Samsung) in connection with Windows 11 24H2. I think we will continue to read one theory or another on this subject in the future.
Similar articles:
Microsoft Security Update Summary (August 12, 2025)
Patchday: Windows 10/11 Updates (August 12, 2025)
Patchday: Windows Server Updates (August 12, 2025)
Patchday: Microsoft Office Updates (August 12, 2025)
Windows 10/11: Preview Updates July 22, 2025
Windows 10/11: Preview Updates August 26,/29, 2025
Windows 11 24H2: Update KB5063878 causes installation error 0x80240069
Windows 11 24H2: KIR fix for WSUS installation error 0x80240069 with update KB5063878
Windows 11 24H2: Update KB5063878 as a re-release for WSUS (August 14, 2025)
Windows 11 24H2: Does the Aug. 2025 update KB5063878 cause SSD errors?
Windows 11 24H2: Microsoft investigates reports of SSD issues caused by KB5063878
Windows 11 24H2: No SSD problems caused by KB5063878 after all
Windows 11 24H2: Silent fix for (Japanese) SSD problems?
Windows 11 24H2: Further explanation for SSD issues?
