Primary SSD failed on my computer at 4 years

[Cobra9777]

I haven't tried an SSD yet. My current desktop, which I built several years ago, has three internal 1TB HDDs. The first contains only the OS (Win7) and programs. The second is for data and files. And the third is for a daily automated backup of the second. I don't bother backing up the OS or programs, as those are easily replaced. Additionally, the data and files are backed up weekly to the cloud, except for highly sensitive files like tax returns, which are manually backed up to a flashdrive and kept in our fireproof box.

For my next build, I'll probably use a small SSD in place of the first HDD to hold the OS and programs. Last I checked, SSDs are still way too expensive for mass data storage and long-term reliability is still a question mark. I've had my share of HDD failures over the years and it's never fun. But if you set-up an automated backup routine, it should be fairly painless. I tend to reinstall the OS every couple years anyway just to clean out the registry and other gunk. So, it's about the same effort as that.

 

[gauss]

Is there a noticeable slowdown when writing and reading files from encrypted drives?


Does anyone know of free or affordable options for windows computers that encrypt a drive?

I have used TrueCrypt in the past. Note there have been changes since I started using it (ie original developer's no longer recommending using it for some reason...)

 

[mpeirce]

I have used TrueCrypt in the past. Note there have been changes since I started using it (ie original developer's no longer recommending using it for some reason...)

The rumor mill scuttlebutt was that the product was compromised. The original developer walked away from it and some people think it's because the government got involved and he received a National Security letter which would have forced him to do something he was unwilling to do (basically leave open a vulnerability or something similar) if he had remained involved with the project. Note that you are not allowed to discuss NSLs you receive.

It's hard to say for sure, but that's what a lot of people think.

 

[Sunset]

Is there a noticeable slowdown when writing and reading files from encrypted drives?

Does anyone know of free or affordable options for windows computers that encrypt a drive?

I use an SSD, the entire drive is encrypted by the OS, Ubuntu, and I cannot tell any speed issues.

The external drives I have usb 3.0 which have a veracrypt file (large spot to put in files), is a little slower, but not by much. These files veracrypt files are 60 Gig to 500 Gig in size.
I plug in the external drive.
open veracrypt, and decrypt the external drive file (container).
Then transfer files like normal.
Then unmount (close) the external veracrypt file.
then unmount (eject) the external drive.

 

[Ian S]

I haven't tried an SSD yet. My current desktop, which I built several years ago, has three internal 1TB HDDs. The first contains only the OS (Win7) and programs. The second is for data and files. And the third is for a daily automated backup of the second. I don't bother backing up the OS or programs, as those are easily replaced. Additionally, the data and files are backed up weekly to the cloud, except for highly sensitive files like tax returns, which are manually backed up to a flashdrive and kept in our fireproof box.

For my next build, I'll probably use a small SSD in place of the first HDD to hold the OS and programs. Last I checked, SSDs are still way too expensive for mass data storage and long-term reliability is still a question mark. I've had my share of HDD failures over the years and it's never fun. But if you set-up an automated backup routine, it should be fairly painless. I tend to reinstall the OS every couple years anyway just to clean out the registry and other gunk. So, it's about the same effort as that.

I also have three drives in my desktop for the same purposes as you describe but my OS drive is an SSD. I have used Hard Drive Sentinel for a number of years and it seems to provide enough information that I will be warned before my drives start to experience serious degradation. Currently my SSD has been on for more than 1200 days and has a health rating of 91%, and total lifetime writes of just under 38 TB. It is a 250 GB Samsung SSD and contains dual-boot WIN7 and WIN10. About 2/3 of the SSD is used between the two systems which reside in separate partitions.

I use Acronis True Image for regular backups and that has allowed me to recover at least once from a serious crash. I am evaluating various cloud options for storage of important files. I like drop box and may just pay for an upgrade to more than I get for free currently.

 

[CaptTom]

One thing to remember is there are two kinds of backup; archival and disaster-recovery.

The DR backup is the one most people think about, and it's good to have. Keep a copy of all your important stuff somewhere different from your "production" copy.

Archival is what a lot of people forget. If you screw up your production copy, and then back it up, you may have erased the "last good" copy. Or you may need to go back to see how things were at an earlier point in time.

There are ways to automate this, but one thing you can do is just use versioning. Some applications will do this for you, or you can simply save a duplicate, renamed with the current date in the file name, whenever you make substantial changes.

 

[plex]

Yea, a SSD used as the main drive only is going to die after 4-5 years of fairly significant usage. SSD's are more limited on how many read/writes they can do.

Like some others have mentioned, I use a SSD for my OS drive, and a HDD for my data. Since I don't reboot very often, that means the SSD is getting accessed only 1% of the time. I also occasionally backup important files on an external, since HDD's are that much better for reliability, just relatively better. Either way, this setup generally lets you get to your next system/hard drive upgrade by sharing the load, unless you wait 8+ years.

I've had this setup for about 5 years, and am getting really close to needing to upgrade my 8-year old HDD due to low space+age.

 

[SecondCor521]

Yea, a SSD used as the main drive only is going to die after 4-5 years of fairly significant usage. SSD's are more limited on how many read/writes they can do.

I disagree. A quick glance at a basic product (https://www.micron.com/products/solid-state-drives/product-lines/1100) says that it is guaranteed to write 400 terabytes.

Assuming 2 gigabytes of writes per day, that works out to 400,000 / 2 = 200,000 days, which is 547 years.

Assuming 20 gigabytes of writes per day, that is only about 55 years.

And that's writes only; reads (except for some extraordinarily rare circumstances that don't happen in practice but that SSD engineers still manage for in firmware - google "read disturb" if you're interested) are effectively infinite and don't wear out the drive at all.

20 gigabytes of writes a day is a lot. For perspective, I have about 112 gigabytes of data on my drive, so I'd have to rewrite about a fifth of my entire drive's contents daily.

The above also ignores that some people (like me) who have about 11% of my drive full can factor that in...I'll get 100%/11% = 9 times the above life because the drive wear levels the data across the entire drive.

For those who are worried about drive life, there is usually a SMART attribute that tells the total number of bytes (or maybe it's in blocks; refer to the datasheet) written over the life of the drive. You can compare that amount to the drives' endurance on the datasheet to see how much of the drive's NAND life you've used up.

 

[Lsbcal]

I could not log in this morning to my PC. Picture beads of sweat. After multiple attempts and a few reboots got on it. But then it said I had a drive error. After a reboot it was fixed.

This never has happened before. So I took advantage of a newish feature of Windows 10 and (1) updated my PW, (2) added face ID, (3) added a PIN. So 3 ways to login now. I also backed up again just in case.

Then I went to revise my password file on a flash drive with the new password for my PC. It failed to read the file!!! Lost the damn file. Again, this has never happened to me. Luckily found I had a spare on another flash drive. Now I have redundancy with the same file on 3 flash drives. Plus will update it on my offsite flash drive.

Don't trust just one source of hardware.

 

[ncbill]

The rumor mill scuttlebutt was that the product was compromised. The original developer walked away from it and some people think it's because the government got involved and he received a National Security letter which would have forced him to do something he was unwilling to do (basically leave open a vulnerability or something similar) if he had remained involved with the project. Note that you are not allowed to discuss NSLs you receive.

It's hard to say for sure, but that's what a lot of people think.

Plenty of alternatives, including two successors to Truecrypt:

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/in...-is-discoutinued-try-these-free-alternatives/

 

[jim584672]

MicroSD cards are so small that they can easily fit in a wallet. Backup docs to one and have you have another form of off site storage. And always encrypt your info.

 

[Cat-tirement]

Yikes! Sorry you are having troubles. I don't have SSD on my home computer (and it has a robust backup system), but my laptop does have an SSD. I keep all my data on the cloud for the laptop. Maybe I should be doing a backup to a physical drive as well. It's a MacBook so maybe a time machine backup will do.

Time Machine backups can occasionally get corrupted. You might want to consider having two Time Machine drives. If both are connected, TM will alternate between them. You can also just connect the second one occasionally, and even use it for an offsite backup.

 

[Cat-tirement]

I’m a borderline power user of Macs (using them since 87). But my conservative/skeptical nature won’t let me rely totally on their reliability. I have Time Machine running all the time for constant incremental backup but I also have the whole thing backed up every night to two separate drives, one using SuperDuper and the other using Carbon Copy Cloner. Call me paranoid but I feel pretty safe. There is still another backup in the fireproof safe that is updated monthly.

Sounds similar to my level of paranoia, maybe a bit worse. I don't like having TM running all the time, so I have its automatic backups turned off and manually kick it off at least daily, unless I'm only doing stuff like web browsing and email, which don't save anything critical on the local drive. I run QRecall occasionally to provide an alternative source of versioned backups to TM. I also make periodic CCC clones, particularly before doing any OS update. I have 3-4 backup sets each for my Mac and DW's, with one always offsite in a safe deposit box.

 

[steelyman]

Time Machine backups can occasionally get corrupted.

I'm wondering how you discovered this. Did you restore a file that appeared damaged? I'm not quite a year into moving from Windows to Mac so haven't got tons of personal experience that others do.

 

[corn18]

I'm wondering how you discovered this. Did you restore a file that appeared damaged? I'm not quite a year into moving from Windows to Mac so haven't got tons of personal experience that others do.

Curious about this as well. Been using Time Machine for 10 years but have never needed it, so not sure if it gets corrupted or not.

My backup scheme is robust as we lost everything in 1996. My iMac has a 1TB hybrid drive that runs only the OS. Data is on a 1+1 Thunderbolt Raid array. That is backed up daily via Chronosync to another 1+1 raid array. It is also backed up daily to a Time Machine drive. I also backup monthly to an external USB drive that lives in the safe. I also backup semi annually to a USB drive that my MIL keeps in her safe. In addition, all my data sans photos/videos is held on One Drive on the web. I don't keep the photo/video library on the web as it is over 1TB of data.

 

[wildbilly]

Cheap SSD's

Cheap Kingston SSD's with no cache at Walmart and Amazon ……

http://t.email.slickdeals.net/r/?id...5=12766378&p6=da_newreg_curated_v2&p7=5044185

 

[2177V]

SSD and HD are relatively inexpensive.

I have two 500GB SSD by Crucial (currently $68 each on Amazon) which holds my operating system and two 4TB HD (currently $86 each on Amazon) which holds my data. They are exact clones of each other so one set of SSD/HD (primary) are in use in the PC and the other set of SSD /HD (backup) are in a box unconnected to the PC and the dangerous internet. It is like having a second PC on standby.

My best investment are two Kingwin Universal Mobile Hot Swap ($14 each on Amazon). This allows me to swap out the SSD or HD without opening the PC. It makes the SSD and HD function like a memory stick !!!

I transfer new data or files on a SanDisk 128 GB USB memory stick and then swap out the SSD and HD to transfer the new data or files to the backup. I then remove the backup SSD and HD from the PC and install the primary SSD and HD.

In the past, I used Acronis True Image to create image files but having a backup SSD and HD are more faster, more convenient and Acronis True Image software can be buggy.

If the primary SSD and HD goes bad for any reason, the backup SSD and HD saves the day with a simple swap. It used to take me hours to recover for a hardware failure or a virus but not any more! If it is a virus, I format the SSD or HD and then clone it using the backup. If it is a hardware failure, I simply buy new hardware and clone it. Not perfect but it works for me.

 

[JoeWras]

Nice. I haven't done a build in 8 years. I'll want to include something like this.

 

[2177V]

JoeWras

Make sure you have enough 5.25 inch bays in your new build since you probably need one for a DVD drive, and 2 for my recommended Kingwin Hot swaps. I suggest four or five 5.25 bays since you may need one empty for the future.

For example, I did not like the idea that the Kingwin Hot swap would leave the HD partial outside where moisture and dust can get to it so I got another Kingwin Hot Swap that allows the HD to be completely hidden inside the PC and protected.

However, it only works for HD and not the smaller SSD. But I need at least 2 hot swaps for both SSD and HD to cloning via SATA cables and not USB As a result, I have 3 Kingwin hot swaps installed and I do not have an extra 5.25 bay.

As you can tell, I hate opening the PC just to install a new SSD or HD when the Kingwin hot swaps devices makes life so much easier.

Victor

 

[gooddog]

".....mostly so people can add responses about how diligent they are in backup and shame the rest of us into backing up better. "

Yup. Everyone should have a second SSD and make an image of their primary to the secondary. If your system crashes, just buy another SSD and get your system back up with the image. Another way to do it is to do a RAID array where you have a duplicate drive, just puts a little extra stress on your computer. Another way is when you start seeing your SSD do weird things....don't ignore it. OF NOTE: If your SSD dies all at once, it is often recoverable - see youtube for this. If it is dying a slow death and giving you all kinds of hints, you are more than likely SOL.

 

[JoeWras]

If it is dying a slow death and giving you all kinds of hints, you are more than likely SOL.

I can vouch for this.

 

[WWDog]

I store critical files on a usb drive. Make sure you do it on more than one drive as Windows 10 does not give a Safe to Remove flag with the new updates and you can corrupt a usb drive easily with this default.

 

[jollystomper]

My best investment are two Kingwin Universal Mobile Hot Swap ($14 each on Amazon). This allows me to swap out the SSD or HD without opening the PC. It makes the SSD and HD function like a memory stick !!!

Darn you, you've stirred up the "build/upgrade servers" cells in my brain... I will look to include these on my next build adventure .

 

[gooddog]

Darn you, you've stirred up the "build/upgrade servers" cells in my brain... I will look to include these on my next build adventure .

Those things sound like a good idea, but are flaky. Easier and a lot more dependable solution is to buy another SSD. A good setup is to do something like the following:

SSD 1: Two partitions (C & D): (C)WINDOWS & (D)Factory Recovery
SSD 2: Two partitions (F & G): (F)BACKUP (ICO OF WINDOWS & D) & (G)MEDIA

Skipped E drive because it is typically optical.

As an example my C drive has 267GB on it now. To create an image on the F drive takes less than 10 minutes. If the C drive crashes, unpacking the image from F to C takes less than 15 minutes. Make an image weekly, and the drive life will be in the thousands of years from the read/write standpoint. There is always a chance of a mechanical failure of course, but there isn't a lot of 'mechanics' to a SSD. The best way to keep any component in PC from failing is to have an UPS system to keep voltage correct, and prevent surges. Every PC should have an UPS, without fail.

 

[mountainsoft]

If the primary SSD and HD goes bad for any reason, the backup SSD and HD saves the day with a simple swap.

You should keep at least one of your SSD/HD combo's at another location in case your house is destroyed by fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc.