Bad SSD sectors?

[K0MP4CT]

Hi, I've been trying to install a game through Steam onto my SSD. It's reached 91% of the download and now it keeps saying disk write error. I tried all the usual stuff to fix this thinking it was likely a problem with Steam but to no avail. I then tried using Windows 10 reset to reset my OS completely, since it could probably use one in all honesty. This then failed to reset at 56% progress every single time. I used CrystalDiskInfo to check my drive's health, it says "Good 97%". Really need to get my hands on a USB to fresh install but until then I was hoping there might be some other ways of fixing this issue. Thank you.

[Juular]

15 minutes ago, K0MP4CT said:

I tried all the usual stuff to fix this thinking it was likely a problem with Steam but to no avail. I then tried using Windows 10 reset to reset my OS completely

That escalated quickly.

 

No such thing as bad sectors on SSD, if it can't write some sector it will just replace it from the reserve, and SMART status reports 97%, there's still a lot of it. Did you try to check the file system ?

[K0MP4CT]

2 minutes ago, Juular said:

That escalated quickly.

 

No such thing as bad sectors on SSD, if it can't write some sector it will just replace it from the reserve, and SMART status reports 97%, there's still a lot of it. Did you try to check the file system ?

Lol, I wanted to reset Windows anyway but thought this was a better excuse to do it.

 

sfc /scannow? Yep, I did that too.

[Juular]

1 minute ago, K0MP4CT said:

Lol, I wanted to reset Windows anyway but thought this was a better excuse to do it.

 

sfc /scannow? Yep, I did that too.

nope, 'chkdsk /f /x c:' and reboot

[K0MP4CT]

1 minute ago, Juular said:

nope, 'chkdsk /f /x c:' and reboot

I'll do that now and get back to you. I imagine it'll take some time.

[K0MP4CT]

7 minutes ago, Juular said:

nope, 'chkdsk /f /x c:' and reboot

No luck. Still a disk write error.

[NewMaxx]

Probably need to secure erase that bad boy and reinstall Windows...sounds like data corruption somewhere. If by "reset" you mean like to OEM or previous configuration or something, rather than an actual wipe, it may be reading corrupted data for that. Is your system stable?

[K0MP4CT]

1 minute ago, NewMaxx said:

Probably need to secure erase that bad boy and reinstall Windows...sounds like data corruption somewhere. If by "reset" you mean like to OEM or previous configuration or something, rather than an actual wipe, it may be reading corrupted data for that. Is your system stable?

By reset I mean the Windows 10 "Reset this PC" option. The system runs fine, I've no issues with general use except this bloody disk write error that has come about seemingly out of nowhere. Although, I know the reset this PC tool is quite shit in general and rarely works properly.

[NewMaxx]

Right, so it's not a full wipe, it probably hangs on reading/copying some things over to the new install (which is basically an in-place upgrade). I mean it's possible the drive is damaged as well (certainly that is the most common reason) but the reason I ask about stability is because sudden power loss can be especially bad for a SSD if repeated. The mapping/address table on the SSD maps logical/virtual addresses to physical ones on the flash, this can also become corrupted, a secure erase effectively resets that and if the drive trims/retrims it erases everything (which must be done before anything can be written). Ergo a mismatch here, for example, could cause a block to be in an indeterminate state (e.g. it thinks it is empty but isn't and you have to erase before you rewrite, but it won't rewrite if there's data there that's marked to be kept). But that really does entail a full wipe to fix.

[K0MP4CT]

2 minutes ago, NewMaxx said:

Right, so it's not a full wipe, it probably hangs on reading/copying some things over to the new install (which is basically an in-place upgrade). I mean it's possible the drive is damaged as well (certainly that is the most common reason) but the reason I ask about stability is because sudden power loss can be especially bad for a SSD if repeated. The mapping/address table on the SSD maps logical/virtual addresses to physical ones on the flash, this can also become corrupted, a secure erase effectively resets that and if the drive trims/retrims it erases everything (which must be done before anything can be written). Ergo a mismatch here, for example, could cause a block to be in an indeterminate state (e.g. it thinks it is empty but isn't and you have to erase before you rewrite, but it won't rewrite if there's data there that's marked to be kept). But that really does entail a full wipe to fix.

When you say a full wipe, you mean formatting the SSD and installing a fresh copy of Windows?

[NewMaxx]

Yep! Preferably with a secure wipe to clean the mapping table although not 100% necessary (I hope). That would only work if the drive isn't physically damaged, of course. Like I said - if the system is unstable this can happen, otherwise there's some other issue (either hardware or something with the system configuration, e.g. power states).

[K0MP4CT]

Just now, NewMaxx said:

Yep! Preferably with a secure wipe to clean the mapping table although not 100% necessary (I hope). That would only work if the drive isn't physically damaged, of course. Like I said - if the system is unstable this can happen, otherwise there's some other issue (either hardware or something with the system configuration, e.g. power states).

When I get my hands on my USB I'm probably gonna do this. Until then, hoping fixing the game libraries will fix my install problem!

[K0MP4CT]

On 3/9/2020 at 5:39 PM, NewMaxx said:

Yep! Preferably with a secure wipe to clean the mapping table although not 100% necessary (I hope). That would only work if the drive isn't physically damaged, of course. Like I said - if the system is unstable this can happen, otherwise there's some other issue (either hardware or something with the system configuration, e.g. power states).

Right. I clean installed Windows. Installed all the usual stuff. Fresh install. Download Steam. Download Witcher 3 again, same issue at the exact same point. Is this a problem with the game download perhaps? This is insane.

 

I think I'll try installing to my hard drive and if the issue occurs, at least it's not my SSD.

 

EDIT: IT WAS ANTIVIRUS I'M IN DISBELIEF

[NewMaxx]

Always rule software out first! You can test with Safe Mode for example.

[Required]

21 hours ago, K0MP4CT said:

EDIT: IT WAS ANTIVIRUS I'M IN DISBELIEF

Which one did you use?

From time to time the Kaspersky start to suck and block all traffic until I restart the Pc that is so annoying.
Did you also check with a Tool from the SSD Company if the SSD is ok?

[K0MP4CT]

22 hours ago, Required said:

Which one did you use?

From time to time the Kaspersky start to suck and block all traffic until I restart the Pc that is so annoying.
Did you also check with a Tool from the SSD Company if the SSD is ok?

Avast was blocking it. I use it alongside Malwarebytes, cause Malwarebytes doesn't have real-time protection with the free version and Avast has always been pretty good for me. Never had compatibility issues between the two.

 

SSD seems to be fine.

[NewMaxx]

1 hour ago, K0MP4CT said:

Avast

Yikes.