WD releases SDD firmware fix after Windows 11 24H2 BSODs • The Register
Microsoft says it is looking into reports that certain Western Digital SSDs are causing trouble for users of Windows 11 24H2 on some devices.
The problem was first noted by WindowsLatest.com, and a lengthy thread in the Western Digital forums documents the attempts users have made to deal with it.
A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to The Register that it was aware of the complaints and is investigating. At the time of writing, the company hasn’t added the glitch to the list of known issues with Windows 11 24H2.
It certainly appears to be something to do with Windows 11 24H2 since users have reported that perfectly running systems soon became hopelessly borked with Blue Screen of Death errors after installing the update.
Although Microsoft has remained silent on whether it will apply a block to affected hardware as the issue is probed, Western Digital has admitted that – yes – it isn’t just users’ imagination. There is a problem. And the good news is that the company has released a patch to deal with it.
The update “Addresses an issue with the HMB (Host Memory Buffer) for certain models of Western Digital and SanDisk SSDs, where the drive may cause a BSOD on Windows 11 24H2.” The affected NVMe SSDs are WD_BLACK SN770, WD_BLACK SN770M, WD Blue SN580, WD Blue SN5000, and SanDisk Extreme M.2. All are 2TB devices.
Western Digital also cautioned, “Microsoft may prevent systems with affected models from upgrading to Windows 11 24H2 until the firmware is updated.”
Things are starting to stack up a little for Windows 11 24H2. After a rollout that appeared to be going well, bugs began to crawl out of the operating system’s woodwork. Earlier this week, the company admitted it managed to introduce a reporting error into the Disk Cleanup tool, which, while not as serious as a Blue Screen of Death, rattled the confidence of some users.
Windows 11 24H2 shipped with several known hitches involving fingerprint sensors and compatibility with Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers. Since then, Microsoft has added the incorrect space reporting from the Disk Cleanup tool.
Users eying the updated operating system with some nervous would be forgiven for wondering, “What next?” ®
