My SSD suddenly stopped working, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s a hardware or software issue. Are there any reliable methods or tools to diagnose the problem? Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Hi @jacky_sin
Have you checked our knowledge base articles?
(Get Support for Your SSDs and Flash Products | SanDisk)
Try this one.
Have you opened a Support Case?
If not, contact SanDisk Technical Support for assistance.
(Contact Support | SanDisk)
To diagnose your SSD issue, first check if it’s recognized in Device Manager. Use Disk Management to see if the drive needs a letter or formatting.
You can also run CHKDSK to fix any errors on the drive. Tools like CrystalDiskInfo can help you check the health of the SSD.
Test the SSD on another computer to see if the problem is with your system.
Finally, make sure the firmware or drivers are up to date. If nothing works, the issue may be hardware-related, and you may need professional help.
To diagnose your SSD and know whether your internal SSD issue is hardware or software related, you may take the steps as follows:
Step 1: Check if Windows detects the SSD
1)Press Win + X → select Disk Management. Do you see your SSD listed in Disk Management?
Yes, but it is unallocated: Could be partition or file system issue.
No: Could be hardware, BIOS, or driver problem.
Step 2: Check BIOS/UEFI:
Restart and enter BIOS (usually F2, Del, or Esc).
If the SSD isn’t detected here, it’s likely a hardware issue.
Step 3: Check SMART Health
I have been using the open-source CrystalDiskInfo software to check the hard drive health. If SMART shows failing status, your SSD is facing hardware problem. You may go and search for other HDD/SSD monitoring HDD/SSD utility software.
Step 4: Take out the SSD and test in another PC
If possible, connect your SSD to a different Windows PC. If it’s not detected anywhere, it is very likely hardware failure. If it is detected, it could be related to the software/driver/partition issue on your computer.
Related how-to blog post: Fix Disk Is Not Accessible in Windows 11/10/8/7
