Western Digital has finally addressed the persistent Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) issues plaguing certain SSD models after the Windows 11 24H2 update. The company has released a crucial firmware update to resolve the problem, urging affected users to update immediately.
The Root of the Problem
The BSODs were caused by a misconfiguration in the Host Memory Buffer (HMB) allocation on specific Western Digital and SanDisk NVMe SSDs. While a temporary fix involving a registry edit was available, the underlying firmware issue required a more permanent solution.
Affected Models
The firmware update is essential for the following SSD models:
- WD_BLACK SN770M
- WD_BLACK SN770
- WD_BLACK SN750
- WD Blue SN570
- SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD v2
- SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD v2
Update Process and Precautions
To update the firmware, users need to:
- Download and install the Western Digital Dashboard for Windows.
- Back up all important data to another drive (highly recommended).
- Use the Dashboard's Tools section to check for and apply the firmware update.
- Restart the system after the update process.
It's important to note that there is a risk of data loss during the update process. Western Digital has placed a significant disclaimer to this effect, emphasizing the critical nature of the update.
Implications for Windows 11 Users
Systems with affected SSDs may be unable to update to the latest version of Windows 11 until the firmware is updated. This underscores the importance of applying the fix promptly.
Broader Context
This isn't the first time SSD manufacturers have had to rush out critical firmware updates. Last year, Samsung users faced a similar situation where immediate firmware updates were necessary to prevent potential SSD failure.
The incident serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between hardware firmware and operating system updates in modern computing environments. It also highlights the importance of regular firmware updates and data backups for maintaining system stability and data integrity.
As always, users are advised to keep their systems and hardware up to date with the latest firmware and drivers to ensure optimal performance and reliability.