SSD Lifespan

To check drives these are software that are commonly used:

HD Tune
Sea Tools for Windows
HD Sentinel
Crystal Disk

Some end users replace drives when they start reporting problems and others may wait for the terminal event.
Unfortunately drives may not display warning signs or the end user may miss or not understand the significance of the event viewer reports.



This is from a recent thread:

Code:

The driver has detected that device \Device\Harddisk1\DR1 has predicted that it will fail. Immediately back up your data and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent.

Code:

        Windows Disk Diagnostic detected a S.M.A.R.T. fault on disk .......... (volumes E:\).  This disk might fail; back up your computer now. All data on the hard disk, including files, documents, pictures, programs, and settings might be lost if your hard disk fails.  To determine if the hard disk needs to be repaired or replaced, contact the manufacturer of your computer.  If you can't back up (for example, you have no CDs or other backup media), you should shut down your computer and restart when you have backup media available.  In the meantime, do not save any critical files to this disk.

These are test results from another recent thread:

thomaseg1 said:

SSD s are much better than Spinner HDs no moving parts, I have HDs dated 1999 and 2001
which still make the smart check and still reliable. Its likely with normal wear and tear
SSDs will outlast any HD.

My external USB HDD used for laptop backups recently failed when it dropped a few inches off the armrest on my chair losing all backup data. That would not have happened with a SSD!

jimbo45 said:

Hi there
It's amazing how things that are donkeys years old and have absolutely no validity any more are still treated as if they merit "Gospel Truth".

SSD's - even the cheap ones will last as long as or possibly longer than the average "Spinner" HDD's". The only thing you should NEVER do to them is use defrag types of programs on them -- totally unnecessary since no moving parts it doesn't make any sense to jiggle bits of file around to re-arrange on the disk -- any address takes as long (or as little) time as any other, no rotational delay to reach the data segment involved etc -- absolutely zero gain by defrag. (That said I never even since as far back as Windows 3.11 saw any noticeable benefit by even defragging a standard HDD).

Don't worry at all about SSD lifetimes. Chances are it will last longer than your computer.

@ppdemo - at 5TB a year that SSD will still be good in 50 years time -- by then if it's still working a museum might pay a fortune for it --- "an old device using electricity ----remember when electricity was still used in homes !!! that disappeared a long time ago with climate change rules " -- but as a museum we have an exemption allowing us to use electricity to demo obsolete pre 2050 machines etc".

Cheers
jimbo

Hi jimbo,
My new lenovo laptop came with a ssd, I do find it to be quite a bit faster than the older spinning disk style. As I already have a larger capacity ssd on hand, I'm seriously thinking about swapping out the hard drive.I already have Macrium Reflect installed on my laptop, so that's what I plan on using to transfer the content's of my current drive to the other one. I've never used that software, but I know a lot of member's here in the forum recommend it. I enjoyed every word of your post !!
David