Media Wearout Indicator - WD Blue SSD - incorrect value - firmware error

WD Internal SSD WD_BLACK | Blue | Red | Green | Gold SSD
1

Is there someone from WD who is able finally to confirm why the WD Blue SSD counts Wearout differently than all producers?

Evidence:

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     WD Blue / Red / Green SSDs
Device Model:     WDC  WDS400T2B0A-00SM50
Serial Number:    1926D7420114
LU WWN Device Id: 5 001b44 4a8e02f24
Firmware Version: 411030WD

the drive firmware counts it in the opposite way:

  • wrong (as is): value 001 means 1% of the wearing, then it remains 99% of the lifespan.
  • correct: value 001 means 99% of the wearing, then it remains 1% of the lifespan.

This causes problems for systems that control health checks via smartctl, including ID-230, which is about the Media Wearout Indicator. Especially for almost new drives, which status is perfect (rest of indicators), except Media Wearout Indicator = 001 = what is wrong. The correct value should be 099.

Is it possible to change it by a firmware upgrade/downgrade?
Thx

2

Hi @jeyare,

Have you opened a Support Case? If not opened, for more information, please contact the WD Technical Support team for the best assistance and troubleshooting:
https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask

3

the ticket is already opened

4

Have a look at the SMART attribute: Data Units Written

Data Units Written: Contains the number of 512 byte data units the host has written to the controller;
this value does not include metadata. This value is reported in thousands (i.e., a value of 1 corresponds to 1000 units of 512 bytes written) and is rounded up. When the LBA size is a value other than 512 bytes, then the controller shall convert the amount of data written to 512 byte units.

Now compare this number to the TBW (terabytes written) value that is specified for your drive.

If you divide the calculated Data Units Written by the TBW number, then you get a real sense of your drive’s wear.

Example calculation:
Data Units Written = 6382017 (decimal number)
TBW = 300 (from spec sheet)

TBW calculation into TB
6382017 x 1000 x 512B = 3,267592704×10¹² ~ 3,27 TB

hence:
300 / 3,27 → 0,989133333
~ 98,9 % wear left

5

useful for devices that contain this ID (DUW)
not for WD SSDs

this (my & thousand of users) case is already solved:
WD firmware contains a bug, which counts the MWI upside down.
They (WD) know about it, but they don’t care. sad cat and mouse game from WD support.
Confirmed also from Smartmontools providers.