How to Check SSD Health on Windows 11

Understanding how to check the health of your SSD on Windows 11 has become increasingly crucial for both PC performance and data protection. As Solid State Drives (SSDs) continue to replace traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) due to their enhanced speed, reliability, and rapid technological advancements, it’s essential to acknowledge that SSDs are not impervious to physical damage or corruption.

This article delves into the process of checking SSD health on Windows 11. You’ll also gain insights into optimizing your SSD’s health and performance.

What Is SSD Health Check?

An SSD health check on Windows 11 primarily involves monitoring the status of a Solid State Drive (SSD). This helps in identifying issues like damage or corruption that require attention. Unlike Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), SSDs perform optimally when new but experience performance degradation as data accumulates. For instance, when an SSD reaches approximately 70% storage capacity, its performance starts to decline, impacting overall PC speed. Conducting regular SSD health checks is vital to comprehending the SSD’s state and maintaining optimal PC performance.

Why Maintain Your SSD’s Health?

Regularly performing SSD health checks in Windows 11 offers several advantages:

Check SSD Health Status: An SSD health check provides insights into the SSD’s health status. It offers a clear understanding of the SSD’s overall health and identifies any bad sectors. This assessment distinguishes between a healthy SSD and one that might have issues.

Prevent SSD Failure: SSDs encounter challenges similar to HDDs that can lead to failure. These challenges encompass physical damage (caused by impact or water), faulty firmware updates, data corruption, short circuits, and manufacturing defects. SSD failure manifests in various symptoms, including an inability to write, unexpected PC crashes, frequent bad block errors, file system failures, and Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors.

Optimize SSD Performance: Through an SSD health check, you can optimize the drive’s performance via ‘garbage collection.’ This process involves removing unnecessary data that may hinder performance under varying workloads.

Test SSD Speed (Transfer Speed): The SSD health check process often reveals the SSD’s transfer speed. Conducting an SSD health check assists in determining whether the manufacturer-specified transfer speeds (write/read data) are accurate and operational. This evaluation also offers insights into the SSD’s overall performance level and speed.

How to Check SSD in Windows 11?

You can perform an SDD health check in Windows 11 using different methods:

1. Use Command Prompt to Check SSD Health:

The Command Prompt (CMD) is a built-in tool in Windows that can help you assess the health of your SSD. You’ll utilize the Windows Management Instrumentation Command (WMIC) to check the SSD’s health using CMD. WMIC can access the SSD’s SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) functions, which provide insights into various aspects of the drive’s health, such as read-write errors, temperature, wear leveling, and more. SMART features enable your PC to self-monitor the SSD’s condition and warn you of potential data loss.

Here’s how to use the WMIC tool to check SSD health:

1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type “cmd” and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type “WMIC” and press Enter.
4. Allow the WMIC interface to initialize, then type “diskdrive get status” and press Enter.
5. The Command Prompt will display the status of each drive. The statuses are typically either “OK” (indicating a healthy SSD) or “Pred Fail” (indicating an unhealthy SSD that may fail soon).

Note: If your SSD’s health status is “Pred Fail,” it’s advisable to back up your data immediately to avoid potential data loss due to drive failure.

2. Use Third-Party Applications to Fix Disk Errors:

Utilizing third-party applications can help you check and address SSD health issues. Applications like EaseUS Partition offer comprehensive tools to manage and prepare HDD/SSD partitions. These applications are compatible with Windows 11 and can aid in diagnosing and resolving disk errors.

3. Run “Defragment and Optimize Drives”:

Defragmenting and optimizing drives in Windows 11 can enhance the speed and performance of your PC by organizing data on the SSD. This optimization process leads to faster read and write operations, quicker boot times, and overall smoother performance.

To defragment and optimize drives:

1. Press the Windows Key to open the Start menu.
2. Search for “defrag” and select the “Defragment and Optimize Drives” app.
3. In the app, choose the disk drive you want to optimize.
4. Click the “Optimize” button to initiate the process.

4. Use SeaTools to Monitor SSD (Seagate) – Third-Party Tool:

If you have a Seagate SSD, you can use the SeaTools application to monitor its health. After downloading and installing SeaTools, follow these steps:

1. Close all running applications before starting the diagnostic test.
2. Ensure your PC is fully powered and connected to a power source, as diagnostics can be power-intensive.
3. Launch SeaTools from the desktop shortcut or program menu.
4. Select the drives you want to test from the list of available storage devices.
5. Choose the diagnostic test you want to run (e.g., Short Drive Self Test, Long Generic Test).
6. Allow the tests to run and complete.

After the tests are done, you can view the results by clicking on “Help” and selecting “View Log File”. The results will indicate whether the tests passed, failed, or were aborted.

Improving SSD Health:

To maintain and improve your SSD’s health, consider the following actions:

• Avoid exposing the SSD to extreme temperatures.
• Prevent power shocks and outages to protect the SSD.
• Keep some storage space free on the SSD.
• Protect the SSD from physical damage.
• Regularly update your SSD’s firmware.
• Enable AHCI for faster data transfer.
• Consider disabling hibernation to reduce wear on the SSD.

By implementing these practices, you can ensure the longevity and optimal performance of your SSD on Windows 11.

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