Tuesday, August 19th 2025

Phison Responds to Windows 11 24H2 Update Crashing SSDs

by
AleksandarK
 Discuss (97 Comments)
Yesterday we reported on Windows 11 24H2 security update as part of the August 2025 Patch Tuesday cycle to counter the Lumma stealer and similar malware and exploits. The cumulative package KB5063878 included in the update caused SSDs to fail, possibly corrupting data. Community testing has since identified a reproducible pattern in which certain SSDs, when running sustained sequential writes of approximately 50 GB, become inaccessible and display unreadable SMART telemetry. Additionally, under 60% or higher controller load, most of the SSDs failed. This indicates that Microsoft's patch and some controller firmware may be disagreeing in the logic of operations. However, Phison, as one of the makers of the impacted controllers, has decided to be vocal about it and informed Tom's Hardware that the company is actively looking into the issue.
Phison for Tom's HardwarePhison has recently been made aware of the industry-wide effects of the 'KB5063878' and 'KB5062660' updates on Windows 11 that potentially impacted several storage devices, including some supported by Phison. We understand the disruption this may have caused and promptly engaged industry stakeholders. We are steadfast in our commitment to product integrity and the success of our partners and end users. At this time, the controllers that may have been affected are under review and we are working with partners. We will continue to provide updates and advisories to partners who may have been impacted to provide support and ensure any applicable remediation.
Source: Tom's Hardware

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97 Comments on Phison Responds to Windows 11 24H2 Update Crashing SSDs

#51
Hecate91
jnv11I have seen a comment on Reddit where someone complained that a Samsung 970 Evo Plus, a DRAM-less SSD, suffered this problem.

hardware/comments/1mtcgkg/comment/n9tax09
I am starting to wonder if the thing that is fouled up is whatever Windows uses to manage host memory buffers that DRAM-less SSDs depend on. I understand the need to cut power consumption and costs by not having a DRAM that requires constant refreshes, but that makes the SSD vulnerable to operating system mismanagement. With a hardware DRAM cache, the SSD can be much more self-contained and less vulnerable to operating system or hypervisor bugs.
The 970 Evo Plus has DRAM cache, according to the TPU database.
www.techpowerup.com/ssd-specs/samsung-970-evo-plus-2-tb.d992
Posted on Reply
#53
Dranzer
lol…. I become aware of this just when I finished installing 2tb straight onto my 4tb Samsung…. Been downloading and writing all day long
Posted on Reply
#54
Sora
jnv11I have seen a comment on Reddit where someone complained that a Samsung 970 Evo Plus, a DRAM-less SSD, suffered this problem.

hardware/comments/1mtcgkg/comment/n9tax09
I am starting to wonder if the thing that is fouled up is whatever Windows uses to manage host memory buffers that DRAM-less SSDs depend on. I understand the need to cut power consumption and costs by not having a DRAM that requires constant refreshes, but that makes the SSD vulnerable to operating system mismanagement. With a hardware DRAM cache, the SSD can be much more self-contained and less vulnerable to operating system or hypervisor bugs.
Random idiots on reddit are correlating any failure to the issue, on many parts which don't have HMB, nor run a driver that has actually been touched by the KB update (like HDDS)
Posted on Reply
#55
Ruru
Trepie
How I actually can see the controllers of my drives? As everyone knows, Kingston is known of changing the specs especially on their cheaper drives without notifying about that.

...not gonna pull those from under the heatsinks they're covered.
Posted on Reply
#56
Drash
RuruHow I actually can see the controllers of my drives? As everyone knows, Kingston is known of changing the specs especially on their cheaper drives without notifying about that.

...not gonna pull those from under the heatsinks they're covered.
vlo.name:3000/ssdtool/

I've used tools from here before and my pc didn't explode. CMD line stuff to interrogate actual hardware when multiple revisions. Seems more tools than last time I visited - may need to Google usage.
Posted on Reply
#57
remixedcat
SoraRandom idiots on reddit are correlating any failure to the issue, on many parts which don't have HMB, nor run a driver that has actually been touched by the KB update (like HDDS)
Why are you making excuses for Microsoft rn???

It's not drives or drivers or anything else other than that update
Posted on Reply
#58
chrcoluk
Problem now is, as soon as someone gets an issue on their SSD, and if they have the patch installed, it will get blamed.
Posted on Reply
#59
Sora
remixedcatIt's not drives or drivers or anything else other than that update
faulty presumption.

drivers fail across power and reset cycles.
Posted on Reply
#60
A Computer Guy
RuruHow I actually can see the controllers of my drives? As everyone knows, Kingston is known of changing the specs especially on their cheaper drives without notifying about that.

...not gonna pull those from under the heatsinks they're covered.
HWiNFO64 can tell you the controller at least it seems to work and provides that info for me anyway. For anything not physical chip inspection YMMV.
Posted on Reply
#62
Ruru
Trepie
A Computer GuyHWiNFO64 can tell you the controller at least it seems to work and provides that info for me anyway. For anything not physical chip inspection YMMV.
Probably a stupid question, but from where? No info here at least.

Posted on Reply
#64
Ruru
Trepie
A Computer GuyIt seems in your case HWiNFO64 can't provide you with more specific details. You might have to search the TPU database... www.techpowerup.com/ssd-specs/?q=kingston
No help there, I have two NV2 1TBs and they have different controllers between the same model. :laugh:

edit: I've bought mine in 1/2023 and 6/2023 if that gives any clue about the controllers Kingston used on these....
Posted on Reply
#65
Drash
RuruNo help there, I have two NV2 1TBs and they have different controllers between the same model. :laugh:

edit: I've bought mine in 1/2023 and 6/2023 if that gives any clue about the controllers Kingston used on these....
Have you tried the smi nvme CMD from the link I posted. Those cmds can even identify ram and flash chips, it's as low level as you can probably go.
Posted on Reply
#66
Ruru
Trepie
DrashHave you tried the smi nvme CMD from the link I posted. Those cmds can even identify ram and flash chips, it's as low level as you can probably go.
Saw your link, what to do from there? Gimme a quick tutorial, I'm a total software noob even though I've built my PCs since 2004.
Posted on Reply
#67
Drash
Just lost my instructions, 2nd attempt:
D/l smi_nvme_flash***
Open terminal in d/l dir and run by typing it's full name, may need *\ before name, no space. Find help, --help or \help I forget, but all it wants is a drive letter and you should get a txt report like this
"
Drive: 0(ATA)
OS: 10.0 build 19045
Model: CT2000MX500SSD1
Fw : M3CR046
Size : 1907729 MB [2000.4 GB]
From smart : [SM2259B47RR] [M3CR046 ]
Controller : SM2259AB
Bank00: 0x2c,0xd3,0x89,0x32,0xea,0x30,0x0,0x0 - Micron 176L(B47R) TLC 1024Gb/CE 512Gb/die
Bank01: 0x2c,0xd3,0x89,0x32,0xea,0x30,0x0,0x0 - Micron 176L(B47R) TLC 1024Gb/CE 512Gb/die
Etc"
This for sata drive, but nvme should be similar.

Sorry afk in sticks with bad internet and a busted foot on a walking holiday, so trying to keep myself busy.
Posted on Reply
#68
RJARRRPCGP
remixedcat990 pros are a lot of the complaints i think those have dram
Why did that person come out and found out that 980 Pro and 990 Pro was OK then?
Posted on Reply
#69
remixedcat
RJARRRPCGPWhy did that person come out and found out that 980 Pro and 990 Pro was OK then?
May not have tested as much i dunno
Posted on Reply
#70
RJARRRPCGP
remixedcatMay not have tested as much i dunno
As a result of this, I'm trying to get both Beam NG and Automation working on Linux! I got Nobara on an MSI Z490 Tomahawk with a Core i5 10600K, yes, the seemingly by now venerable CPU from a while before the Raptor Lake fiasco! Heck, it's before Intel started doing more re-designing with Rocket Lake.

It's got an Arc A770 8 GB My first Arc A770 that I got in April, 2023, IIRC. (ASRock PG)
Posted on Reply
#71
mechtech
yeeeesh

I have 3 drives, all Phison controllers
Posted on Reply
#72
remixedcat
mechtechyeeeesh

I have 3 drives, all Phison controllers
It's not a phison issue
Posted on Reply
#73
mechtech
remixedcatIt's not a phison issue
didn't say it was.

but does that W11 update affect the phison controllers though??
Posted on Reply
#74
remixedcat
mechtechdidn't say it was.

but does that W11 update affect the phison controllers though??
All controllers are affected
Posted on Reply
#75
Sora
I'm going to 100% call this not a windows update issue, but a thermal one.

Everyone reporting issues are in heatwave locations, and on controllers known to shit themselves at thermal
remixedcatIt's not a phison issue
it is a Phison issue.

Properly made drives with properly made firmware are fine
Posted on Reply
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