Is this SSD really about to die?

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SpartanVXL

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#3502384 12-Jun-2026 13:33

Just as a precaution, have you checked with another utility aside from windows settings page?

Personally I wouldn’t just go off Windows estimated life, I would confirm with an actual utility.

Edit: senior moment, missed hd sentinel

johno1234

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#3502386 12-Jun-2026 13:39

SpartanVXL:

Just as a precaution, have you checked with another utility aside from windows settings page?

Personally I wouldn’t just go off Windows estimated life, I would confirm with an actual utility.

As advised I installed and ran HD Sentinel which says the same thing. I think both report the same thing though - the S.M.A.R.T. diagnostic from the drive itself?

timmmay

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#3502400 12-Jun-2026 14:00

PBTech are pretty good with warranties most of the time. They replaced an SSD I had that failed with no issues, when they provided PC parts and assembled it when it wasn't working right they fixed it. The only time we've had problems is when they are basically a proxy to a firm like Samsung who were quite difficult to deal with when we had a Samsung Watch regularly failing. It took two or three times of sending it to Samsung to get it replaced, even when we had a video of the failure happening - "could not reproduce" they said. But that was Samsung, PBTech are pretty good.

johno1234

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#3502411 12-Jun-2026 14:47

OK, completed a Macrium Reflect full backup.... waiting to hear back from a human at PBT now.

johno1234

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#3503537 16-Jun-2026 14:22

PBT have issued an RMA but it it is a little hard to follow the comms. I think I have to send them the SSD, then wait while they look at it, then some time later get it back or get the replacement back or perhaps both. Difficult for me as this is my work device.

Also, it means that assuming they replace it, I'm not sure they'll give me the original back to direct clone it (I have an external enclosure to do this).

So in the worst case, I have a macrium backup and a new blank drive. How would get the backup onto the new drive?

I'm not even sure if I have the right kind of backup...

<edit>

I think I have the right kind of backup (image) but need to create a bootable USB rescue media...

xpd

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#3503539 16-Jun-2026 14:42

Send to them, they assess (usually a quick process) and go from there.

You wont get the old drive back if found faulty and they supply a new one.

Can restore backup from a USB boot, or if have another working PC, install Macrium there and plug the drive into that one and do it that way.

XPD / Gavin

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KiwiSurfer

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#3503540 16-Jun-2026 14:43

Are you able to go into store at all? They may be able to issue a replacement on the spot so you can get on with your day.

If you really need to you could ask and see if they'd do a forward replacement - i.e. send you the new drive, you deal with migrations etc, and you send back the broken drive. (I know other vendors do thus but has been a long time since I've done this).

xpd

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#3503582 16-Jun-2026 16:53

I highly doubt they'd issue one on the spot, as they'd want to test the existing one first.

XPD / Gavin

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KiwiSurfer

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#3503594 16-Jun-2026 17:47

xpd:

I highly doubt they'd issue one on the spot, as they'd want to test the existing one first.

Maybe read up -- they did that for me. I just showed them the SMART report and that was it.

SpartanVXL

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#3503689 17-Jun-2026 09:58

SSD prices have jumped massively, it would be 3x now what OP paid for back in 23. Plus Crucial have stopped their consumer arm.

To restore an image to empty disk plug it in to a machine with macrium installed and you can restore the image to it.

johno1234

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#3503702 17-Jun-2026 10:34

I'm away for a week at the end of this month so will drop it off to PBT on my way to the airport... hopefully will last until then and will be a new one ready when I get back.

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richms

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#3503708 17-Jun-2026 10:50

I thought they were now refunding SSDs instead of replacing them because of the price hikes?

Richard rich.ms

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#3510898 13-Jul-2026 10:53

Just had a refund on 6 month old ssd rather than replacement am still in discussion as i believe it should just be replaced by manufacturer

johno1234

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#3510901 13-Jul-2026 11:06

I haven't completed my RMA yet. It was simply too inconvenient to backup then remove the SSD from my laptop to return then wait around while they decided what to do. I just bought another SSD (not from PB), imaged the sick one onto it in an external enclosure then swapped them. I might put the sick one into the enclosure and exercise it by nightly backups and see if it dies completely. The 5 year warranty has until 19/12/2028.

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