Data Loss Debacle: Users Report File System Failures with SanDisk Extreme and Extreme Pro Portable SSDs

In recent times, an increasing number of SanDisk customers have been voicing their frustrations over the SanDisk Extreme and Extreme Pro portable SSDs. User reports indicate file system corruption under certain circumstances, leading to irrecoverable data loss.

The earliest instances of this issue can be traced back to January this year. Since then, the number of customers encountering similar problems has been steadily increasing. Western Digital, the parent company of SanDisk, only confirmed the issue this week and announced plans to release firmware updates for rectification.

One user's post of distress highlighted the severity of the situation. The user, a video editor, experienced the issue on their SanDisk Extreme Pro 4TB edition. Initially, the SSD's file system would encounter errors after continuous data writing but was recoverable. As time went on, the SSD frequently failed to be recognized, though it was still visible in Windows Disk Management.

Collectively, user feedback suggests that the SanDisk Extreme / Pro series 2TB / 4TB SSDs are prone to these problems. After writing files exceeding half of the drive's capacity, these SSDs face read/write failures. Each time the SSD is reconnected, it shows as unformatted. Despite users' painful attempts to format the SSD and rebuild the file system, the same issue recurs.

Currently, Western Digital has only confirmed the issue with the 4TB version and promised a firmware update. The 2TB version's status remains uncertain, despite numerous users reporting similar problems. Thus, whether a firmware update for the 2TB version will be released is still unknown.

Given these circumstances, it's advisable for users of these portable SSDs to back up their data elsewhere, avoiding irrecoverable data loss should the SSD fail. As of now, customers are eagerly awaiting more detailed responses and concrete solutions from Western Digital.