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How Can I Tell if My SSD is Failing?

July 31, 2025 3 answers
Asked by CreativeCoder42
I've been having some major issues with my PC lately that I suspect might be related to my SSD. A few days ago, my computer froze up completely, and when I checked Task Manager, it showed 100% disk usage with no specific program causing it—just the "system" running the show. After a frustrating reboot process, I encountered a "disk read error, press ctrl+alt+del" message, which didn't help. I even unplugged and replugged my SSD, but that didn't fix it either. The freezes keep happening, but I can usually recover after a while. I've tried a bunch of fixes like chkdsk and disabling sysmain, but nothing seems to work. My benchmarks show my SSD is performing way below what it should, and I'm worried it might be failing. I've backed up my files and ordered an NVMe SSD as a replacement, but how can I confirm if my current SSD is really failing or if something else might be wrong? Any help would be appreciated!
disk performance disk read error Hardware hardware troubleshooting Samsung 860 Evo ssd system freeze

Answers

UpgradeEnthusiast
You'll love transitioning to an NVMe SSD, but make sure your motherboard supports it—it's a different setup than regular SSDs. For a better diagnosis, can you let me know a few details? How old is your SSD? What was its capacity and how full was it when the freezes started? And have you checked other components for issues? Also, does your computer still pass POST when you boot up?
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TechGuru101
You should check your SSD's health using the Samsung Magician Tool. It gives you a detailed report on your drive's condition. Run the SMART diagnostics and pay attention to metrics like Reallocated Sector Count and Drive Health—anything marked 'Poor' or 'Failing' means it's time to replace it. If you don’t have Samsung Magician, CrystalDiskInfo is another good tool for this.
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DiskDoctor88
Sounds like your SSD is definitely acting up! When Task Manager shows 100% disk usage but can't pinpoint what's causing it, it usually means the drive is struggling. That "disk read error" makes it even clearer—it sounds like it's nearing its end. I've seen this exact scenario before, and the drive often doesn't signal properly until it’s almost gone, unfortunately.
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