Solved Can unused ssd become unusable

vsub · Mar 14, 2026

I know it can loose data if it's not powered for a long time but that's not what I am asking

I have an old pc with ssd for the os(128gb)and a hdd for everything else
If I remember correctly, the last time I power it on was I think almost 3 years ago and it took a whole day to load the os(after few restarts,it start working as usual)
My question is,even if the data is lost,will the ssd still work normally if I just format it and install the os again

Greybeard70 · Mar 14, 2026

vsub said:
I know it can loose data if it's not powered for a long time but that's not what I am asking

I have an old pc with ssd for the os(128gb)and a hdd for everything else
If I remember correctly, the last time I power it on was I think almost 3 years ago and it took a whole day to load the os(after few restarts,it start working as usual)
My question is,even if the data is lost,will the ssd still work normally if I just format it and install the os again

Most likely it will be fine, I would copy any files you might want first, then format it.

OAT · Mar 14, 2026

vsub said:
I know it can loose data if it's not powered for a long time but that's not what I am asking

I have an old pc with ssd for the os(128gb)and a hdd for everything else
If I remember correctly, the last time I power it on was I think almost 3 years ago and it took a whole day to load the os(after few restarts,it start working as usual)
My question is,even if the data is lost,will the ssd still work normally if I just format it and install the os again

You can only know that if you evaluate the life expectancy of the drive by using CrystalDiskInfo or similar.

Buddywh · Mar 14, 2026

It depends on which type of NAND is used, SLC (enterprise grade) can last up to 10 years before data might be lost. But from what I understand just reformatting one and putting it to use should not be a problem regardless of type.

The reason it took so long might have been all the error correction going on as it tried to fix itself, and then it may just have been Windows running through a ton of updates first. I'd totally not blame you for reformatting and a fresh install after something like that happened though. Hopefully any user data was backed up.

If it's exceeded its TBW specification it might have become unreliable though.

spapakons · Mar 14, 2026

After three years there are tons of Windows updates to download and install. Probably as soon as it connected to the internet it checked for updates and started downloading them. That's why it took so long to show you the desktop. You can check the disk health with a utility such as Crystal Disk Info or Hard Disk Sentinel. I would download and install all the available updates and then see how fast it loads Windows. If it still is slow I would check disk health. I don't know about yours, but to reinstall Windows in my laptop I would have to spend enough hours to carefully backup all my data, format the disk, reinstall Windows, drivers, all my apps, configure all my apps the way I like (default settings are hardly ideal). Finally I would have to carefully restore all my data making sure I don't miss anything. This hassle is something I would rather avoid. No matter how careful one is, a fresh installation never feels the same as the original system and it takes time to get used to.

vsub · Mar 14, 2026

It's too much trouble to take out the pc from where I left it then open it and check the drive
I remember it was some samsung evo drive and I buy the drive more than 10 years ago(I tried to write to it as little as possible)

That pc is still on Win7 so there is no way there is updates to download
I was just curious what happens to an unused ssd(can it be used or it becomes damaged)

And btw I did not connect the internet cable but it took a lot of time on the windows loading screen

gunrunnerjohn · Mar 14, 2026

vsub said:
It's too much trouble to take out the pc from where I left it then open it and check the drive
I remember it was some samsung evo drive and I buy the drive more than 10 years ago(I tried to write to it as little as possible)

That pc is still on Win7 so there is no way there is updates to download
I was just curious what happens to an unused ssd(can it be used or it becomes damaged)

They will start to forget bits of data, the length of time before bit rot starts happening is dependent on the type of memory cells, the storage temperature, and the storage humidity. Other factors the age of the memory and the usage cycles it has already undergone. Finally, even cosmic radiation can affect it's storage lifetime.

However, simply reformatting from scratch will bring it back, assuming there was no actual failure of the hardware and any cells aren't totally worn out from exceeding their maximum write cycles.

Buddywh · Mar 14, 2026

vsub said:
I was just curious what happens to an unused ssd(can it be used or it becomes damaged)

It can be re-formatted and used.

If Samsung Magician is Win 7 capable it might help to run its diagnostics to give you assurance.

cheaterslick · Mar 14, 2026

Buddywh said:
If Samsung Magician is Win 7 capable it might help to run its diagnostics to give you assurance.

It used to be, but no longer is.

Bree · Mar 14, 2026

vsub said:
I remember it was some samsung evo drive ... That pc is still on Win7....

Buddywh said:
If Samsung Magician is Win 7 capable it might help to run its diagnostics to give you assurance.

cheaterslick said:
It used to be, but no longer is.

Samsung dropped support for Windows 7 with Magician version 8. The last version of Magician that was compatible with Windows 7 was Samsung Magician 7.2.1.980.

It can be downloaded from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine's snapshot of Samsung's downloads page from 2023.
You want the 'Samsung Magician Software for Consumer SSD'.

Samsung Magician & SSD Tools & Software Update | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download Samsung Magician, tools & software for Samsung SSDs, Data Migration Software, Firmware, Driver, Data Center Toolkit, Activation Software.

web.archive.org

Buddywh · Mar 14, 2026

Bree said:
Samsung dropped support for Windows 7 with Magician version 8.

Kinda what I thought.

But I did remember, about a year ago I took a 256GB SSD out of a USB portable drive that had been sitting unused in a used parts box for well over 5 years. Installed it in a retro build for a system drive, formatted, installed Windows 10, later upgraded to Windows 11. It has performed flawlessly, full capacity, no SMART errors.

I know, a sample of one but it shows it's possible and worth trying if nothing else.

PerpetualCycle · Mar 15, 2026

vsub said:
I know it can loose data if it's not powered for a long time but that's not what I am asking

I have an old pc with ssd for the os(128gb)and a hdd for everything else
If I remember correctly, the last time I power it on was I think almost 3 years ago and it took a whole day to load the os(after few restarts,it start working as usual)
My question is,even if the data is lost,will the ssd still work normally if I just format it and install the os again

Yes.

PerpetualCycle · Mar 15, 2026

cheaterslick said:
It used to be, but no longer is.

Look at the SMART statistics and run a short SMART diagnostic. Doesn't matter if it Samsung, as long as the the tool can do SMART diagnostics and recognizes your drive. For example the Western Digital Data Lifeguard tool has a short diagnostic.

spapakons · Mar 15, 2026

I would upgrade to a newer Windows version without formatting. This will fix any logical errors and also get you a newer version of Windows without the hassle of reinstalling and reconfiguring everything from scratch. If that fails, then I would consider a clean installation but it's worth trying.

vsub · Mar 15, 2026

spapakons said:
I would upgrade to a newer Windows version without formatting. This will fix any logical errors and also get you a newer version of Windows without the hassle of reinstalling and reconfiguring everything from scratch. If that fails, then I would consider a clean installation but it's worth trying.

The cpu if very old i7 4771
I have a laptop in similar situation.The cpu is i7 6700hq and the last time I power it on was 1 or 2 months ago(it is using Win10)

Bree · Mar 15, 2026

vsub said:
The cpu if very old i7 4771
I have a laptop in similar situation.The cpu is i7 6700hq and the last time I power it on was 1 or 2 months ago(it is using Win10)

Not as old as some of mine

Your i7's are 4th gen and 6th gen respectively. My System Two runs 25H2 and the latest insider builds on a 1st gen i5.

DJNelson · Mar 15, 2026

vsub said:
My question is,even if the data is lost,will the ssd still work normally if I just format it and install the os again

Short answer: Yes.
If BIOS can see the SSD, that means it's working and it passed its internal tests.

Marie SWE · Mar 15, 2026

Bree said:
Not as old as some of mine
Your i7's are 4th gen and 6th gen respectively. My System Two runs 25H2 and the latest insider builds on a 1st gen i5.

Hi Bree

yeah.. it's running w11... but can you actually use it online on everyday browsing without 100% CPU usage.

I just reached the point on my intel i5 2gen laptop with 12GB ram, running Linux Debian 12 Xfce that is so lightweight that it makes win 7 look as a heavy OS.
But modern browsers and modern websites make the CPU keep my coffee warm if i put the cup next to the cpu fan vent. :lmao:

DJNelson · Mar 15, 2026

Marie SWE said:
But modern browsers and modern websites make the CPU keep my coffee warm if i put the cup next to the cpu fan vent.

Stable diffusion can turn a high-end workstation into a pretty good space heater.

Marie SWE · Mar 15, 2026

As for the SSD topic

all electronics can break when it hasn't been used for years.. but often they break on power on and if they break, then they wont work at all. (its always a few exceptions of a rule in the real world)
But 3 year is not that long.. Even SSD can get bit-rot if they are powered down for a long period, its not always so.
So if that drive starts and you dont see any blue screens in win7.. its most likely fine.. SMART is an indicator that is better then nothing. (But SMART should never be blindly trusted if it used for sensitive data)

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