Phison, a manufacturer of SSDs, is exonerated following a panic about Windows 11 causing system bricking. After 4,500 hours of rigorous testing, not a single drive failure was reported.

In a recent development, concerns about the reliability of Solid State Drives (SSDs) related to the Windows 11 24H2 security update have been circulating among users. This all started on August 14, 2025, when user @Necoru_cat reported that the update caused issues with SSDs, including drives becoming inaccessible after large file transfers.

The issue seemed to be most common with hard drives that had file sizes larger than 50GB and were more than 60% full. User @Necoru_cat tested 21 different hard drives and found that certain drives were experiencing issues when writing large chunks of data.

This sparked widespread concern, especially involving Phison controllers. Nekorusukii, a tech enthusiast, suggested that a Phison controller could be causing the problem. However, Phison, a leading supplier of drive controllers, has since conducted an investigation into potential drive failures caused by the Windows 11 version 24H2 security update KB5063878.

Interestingly, Phison was unable to reproduce any of the drive failures reported online, suggesting that its controllers are not to blame for the Windows storage issues. The company spent 4,500 hours testing over 2,200 test cycles on 21 suspected SSDs.

However, a fake document suggesting that Phison controllers are to blame for the SSD issues has been circulated among customers. The document includes a list of Phison controller models that are allegedly affected by the Windows 11 24H2 KB5063878 and KB5062660 security updates. The origin of the fake document is unclear, leading to speculation about a potential grand conspiracy to tarnish Phison's reputation.

Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 security update KB5063878 was initially released with a different installation error related to Windows Server Update Service (WSUS), which was patched promptly by Microsoft.

Phison will continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with industry partners and has provided some best practices for its storage customers. Meanwhile, a Reddit thread highlighting the matter contains arguments for both sides, with some users reporting similar SSD issues and others warning of waiting for more information before pointing fingers.

It's important to note that one drive, the WD Blue SA510 using a non-Phison controller, failed completely with data unrecoverable. This suggests that the issue may not be strictly limited to Phison controllers.

In response to Nekorusukii's claims, Phison released an official statement to Tom's Hardware, stating that they are committed to ensuring the quality and reliability of their products. They encourage users to follow their best practices for maintaining their SSDs and to wait for an official fix from Microsoft before updating their Windows 11 with the buggy security update.

NichePCGamer also listed several more drives with which it claims users have had issues. As the investigation continues, it's crucial for users to stay informed and follow best practices for maintaining their SSDs to ensure data safety.