Don’t let your SSD die on you: 5 warning signs

August 2, 2024

By Kim Komando

Nine times out of 10, if you’re having issues with your computer, you or an IT expert can find a way to recover your files. That 10th time? It’s an SSD issue. Translation: You’re screwed.

🤓 Nerdy fact: Today’s solid-state drives (SSDs) run on silicon chips versus the old magnetic disks in hard disk drives (HDDs). They don’t have any moving parts, so they’re faster, quieter and have a longer lifespan than HDDs.

But solid-state drives don’t last forever. About one in every 100 SSDs fails by year four. If yours goes kaput, so do your files.

5 signs the end is near

1. Random crashes: If your computer regularly freezes or shuts down, it might be a failing SSD. Bonus red flags: Crashes happen while you’re saving or opening files.
2. Bad data: You get popups notifying you that your files are corrupted or can’t be opened like normal. Your SSD’s ability to save and read data is going wonky on you.
3. Slow motion: If it takes a super long time to save files or launch apps, or if your OS is sluggish in general, you should be concerned.
4. Startup woes: If you can eat breakfast in the time it takes your computer to start up, it might mean your software can’t pull data from the drive quickly enough.
5. No support: If you can’t run the latest OS, your SSD might not be long for this world. Check if your Mac or PC is still getting updates here. Pro tip: Even if your computer is technically supported, if it’s right on the edge, your old SSD might struggle to keep up with a newer OS.

The scariest part? Unlike hard drives that click and whirr when they’re on the fritz, SSDs often fail with no warning at all.

You need to act quickly

If your drive is on the way out (even if you’re not sure!), take a few steps you won’t regret:

• If you have an external drive: Connect it and turn on Windows Backup (search from the Start menu) or macOS Time Machine (search in Spotlight) to set your backup.

Alternatively, you can sync your apps and files to the cloud using iCloud, OneDrive or Google Drive.

• Apple iCloud: Your best bet if you’re on a Mac.
  • On Macs with macOS Ventura or later, go to System Preferences, click your profile icon in the top left, and then click iCloud. Under Apps Using iCloud, toggle on all the apps you want to sync.
  • To back up your files and folders, toggle on iCloud Drive in the Apps Using iCloud list > Sync this Mac > Desktop and Documents.
• Microsoft OneDrive: The simplest option for Windows PCs.
  • Click the OneDrive icon in your system tray > Help & Settings > Settings. From here, click the Backup tab > Manage Backup > Choose the folders you want to sync > Start Backup.
• Google Drive: Got a Chromebook? Google Drive is built in! You can access your files online at drive.google.com.

Once everything is backed up, make sure you can reinstall your apps from the web. If you’re using an old app you can’t find online, convert the format of any files it handles so a newer app can open them (how-to here).

Start working on a replacement

If you like DIY tech projects: Swap out the internal drives yourself. Your first step should be to see what kind of disk you have.

• On a Mac: Click Menu > About This Mac > Overview > System Report > Storage, and look for a line called “Medium Type.”
• On a PC: Head to Start > Run, then type dfrgui in the Run Command window and click OK. Your drive will be listed under Media Type.

More than likely, though, you’ll need a new laptop — especially if your computer is more than five years old. Here’s a solid MacBook choice, and our IT Genius, John, likes this Windows laptop.

🪵 I had a sculptor carve me a beautiful SSD out of mahogany … but it was all bark and no bytes. Ba-dum-tss!

Don’t get left behind – Stay tech ahead

Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

• National radio show: Find your location station or listen as a podcast
• Daily newsletter: Join 550,000 people who read the Current (free!)
• Watch: On Kim’s YouTube channel
• Podcast: “Kim Komando Today” – Listen wherever you get podcasts

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.