SSD Problem - Keep losing storage space & failing.

[Rhark]

So recently my SSD for my OS has been failing. I mean, it's always had problems on boot where it would sometimes say that theres a disk read error but I just left it as it is.

Now I'm having a serious problem: The C: drive now states that there is hardly any space (can range from 0kb to 20gb). I accessed my Virtual Memory options to see if it was my pagefile.sys that was taking up the space but it says it is not even enabled and that there is no pagefile.sys on my C: drive.

This is strange because I have a 21gb file that I can locate in my Windows folder. What is also strange is the fact that in the Virtual Memory options it states that there is 23gb free in my C: drive yet on "Computer" it states that the C: drive (currently) has 2gb free, but as I said above this changes all the time without me downloading or putting anything onto that drive.

About an hour ago the C: drive went to 0kb and I only noticed because my system told me that I had low space, I tried to chat on Skype to someone and Skype gave me a message saying that it could not work because of an I/O error or something.

I am absolutely baffled at what is happening, I would really appreciate any/all help that can be given.

My assumption is that the SSD isn't installed into my computer properly or something like that, but I am not entirely sure as I'm not the best with regards to hardware knowledge.

Thanks for reading, hope you can help!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Have you reseated both ends of both cables attached to the SSD?

Have you attached the SSD to any other port on the motherboard to see if the problem persists?

Do you have another cable you can use for the motherboard connection in case the current one is defective?

Have you attempted to run the SSD manufacturer's (Sandisk's) tools on the drive?

Do you show any yellow exclamation points in Windows Device Manager?

A screen shot of Windows Disk Management is always helpful.

Have you waded through this:

http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8167/~/ssd-drive-is-not-detected-by-the-system

 

[Rhark]

1. I have not even attempted to do anything with the hardware side of the SSD as I am not 100% on what I am doing (I did not build my PC - someone else does it for me).

2. Same here.

3. I may have another cable at home but I'm living at University at the moment and will not be able to check, or retrieve it for at least a month.

4. I wasn't aware there was an SSD toolkit - I have just downloaded it.

5. There are no yellow exclamation points.

6. http://i.imgur.com/lPZJMcC.jpg - Disk Management screenshot

 

[ignatzatsonic]

There's a few oddball things in that picture, but I'm not sure they are directly connected to your current problem.

So, run the Sandisk tools from the toolbox and report any problems it finds.

The odd things in that screenshot are:

1: Dynamic disk 0. Dynamic disks are generally to be avoided at all costs and I'm not sure why the builder did this.

2: Two partitions with the same drive letter (F), both labeled as page file

3: A partition called "nothing", apparently containing almost nothing. What is its purpose?

4: Your boot drive (the SSD) shown as disk 1, when disk 0 is the standard.

Again, not sure any of those 4 things relate to your current issue.

To the best of your knowledge, do you have a page file and on what partition is it found?

 

[Rhark]

1. I have no idea what it even means.

2. I have no idea why there are two partitions with the same letter (nor what page file even means)

3. I literally just renamed it earlier and I don't know what it's for, it was put there when I installed the OS onto my SSD. It has nothing inside of it (that is visible anyway).

4. I haven't a clue what you mean (or what that means).

I have a pagefile on my C: drive (SSD). It showed up on TreeSize as ~21GB. - About two weeks ago it was only around 13GB (if I recall correctly).

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Your first mistake was installing Windows on the SSD while the other drive was still connected. That's why you have the "nothing" partition.

Continue with the toolbox and run any scans or reports it can provide.

Tell us the results.

How long ago did you install Windows to the SSD and would it ruin your day to start over with a clean install if you had to?

I'd guess your PC will not boot if you disconnect the other drive, leaving just the SSD connected.

 

[Rhark]

This is what I downloaded: http://i.imgur.com/iOlrpIz.png - http://i.imgur.com/Nh8ReHE.jpg

Not entirely sure if that's the correct tool.

It would ruin my day as I have a lot of programs for my University course on here, but if it's the best option then I guess it'll have to be done.

I installed Windows to the SSD more or less 10 months ago.

Also, I'm sure the other HDD was disconnected whilst the OS was being installed, it was last time the OS was installed on the SSD, because I had to reinstall Windows at some point a few months ago.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If you downloaded that tool from Sandisk, it looks like the right thing to me.

Post a screenshot of what is shown on the "SMART attributes" tab and run any tests or analysis that is available.

In a post above you say about the "nothing" partition: "it was put there when I installed the OS onto my SSD."

If that is true, then it was obviously connected at the time. If a drive is disconnected, nothing can be put on it. That's why that is the recommended method.

It being put there at the time would explain why you have a "dynamic" disk also. The "nothing" partition was the 4th partition on that drive and Windows doesn't like to install more than 3 partitions on a non-dynamic disk. So it forced that drive into "dynamic" status.

I think you can probably undo some of these issues by disconnecting the non-SSD and running a repair install, BUT DON'T do that now.

Show us what that toolbox says. If you have an SSD problem, there is no point in trying to re-install to it.

 

[Rhark]

http://i.imgur.com/tayYd77.jpg - Here is the pagefile as shown in TreeSize - it is rather large, but as I said the Virtual Memory options say that it isn't even enabled. (imgur: the simple image sharer)

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Repeat: continue with the toolbox. Don't get sidetracked.

 

[Rhark]

If you downloaded that tool from Sandisk, it looks like the right thing to me.

Post a screenshot of what is shown on the "SMART attributes" tab and run any tests or analysis that is available.

In a post above you say about the "nothing" partition: "it was put there when I installed the OS onto my SSD."

If that is true, then it was obviously connected at the time. If a drive is disconnected, nothing can be put on it. That's why that is the recommended method.

It being put there at the time would explain why you have a "dynamic" disk also. The "nothing" partition was the 4th partition on that drive and Windows doesn't like to install more than 3 partitions on a non-dynamic disk. So it forced that drive into "dynamic" status.

I think you can probably undo some of these issues by disconnecting the non-SSD and running a repair install, BUT DON'T do that now.

Show us what that toolbox says. If you have an SSD problem, there is no point in trying to re-install to it.

I already posted a link to a screenshot of SMART Attributes: http://i.imgur.com/Nh8ReHE.jpg (however, it missed out two tables - http://i.imgur.com/8lsPGTb.jpg).

There are no tests or analysis' that I can see, no buttons or anything. Only thing I can do is check for Firmware updates which I have done and saved it to an ISO file.

And okay, thanks for the information about the HDD being connected and the 'dynamic' status.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Are you comfortable opening the case and maybe reconnecting some stuff, like you did when the SSD was installed. Or did you have no part in that?

Are you familiar with Device Manager or the BIOS?

Tentatively, the SSD may be OK.

 

[Rhark]

I did not install the SSD and I am not confident enough to attempt it myself, I woudn't want to damage anything.

I am familiar with what the Device Manager is (If you're talking about the one in the Control Panel). and I know what the BIOS is but wouldn't know my way around it.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

According to that Disk Management picture, the F partitions combined are 426 GB with about 116 GB unused.

To the best of your knowledge, what is on those 2 partitions?

Whatever it is, it totals around 310 GB.

When you look in Windows Explorer, do you see 1 or 2 F drives and what appears to be in them?

Is all of your personal stuff, that you care about, on C or G, nowhere else?

 

[Rhark]

There are just things such as my Music, TV shows, Movies, university work, software installation files, and many more things.

I see 1 F drive.

I care about the stuff on all my drives, I haven't wiped my F or G drives since I got them as they've contained the most important stuff that I wouldn't want to lose.

The only drive that would be easiest to replace the files is the C: drive - there are a lot of files/programs installed in my F and G drives.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

So your games are on G, Windows and other programs are on C, and your personal stuff like videos, documents, mp3s, pictures are on F?

 

[Rhark]

Yeah pretty much, apart from 2 games being on the C: drive.

But there are more than just videos, documents, mp3s and stuff on the F: drive ( but it mainly consists of those )

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do you have an ordinary Windows 7 installation disc?


Was it burned from a download or was it purchased at retail or from your school or?

Do you have any external drive to which you could temporarily move your personal stuff?

 

[Rhark]

I have a Win7 install on a USB stick which I downloaded from my University.

I don't have an external drive big enough to temporarily move my personal files.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I know what I'd do if I owned that PC and it were sitting in front of me.

I am reluctant to go very far as I understand your fear and reluctance to dig yourself into a larger hole.

It's odd that the "nothing" partition was forced onto that drive during the Windows installation. It contains something quite small, but that partition is NOT marked as system or active or boot, implying that your PC would in fact boot OK if that drive were disconnected.

That's the first thing I'd want to know: can I boot with only the SSD connected?

There are ways to disable that drive without actually disconnecting it, but your reluctance might be in the way.

If you don't need the "nothing" partition to boot, you could get rid of it, and get the non-SSD out of "dynamic" status, back to "basic" like the SSD.

But converting from dynamic to basic can put your data at risk. And you apparently have no backup of your data? Dynamics are a major no-no.

After you've got that straightened out, then attack the page file issue.

I think you can solve this without a fresh installation, but wait for other comments.

If a fresh install is what you want to do or must do eventually, you still should get rid of that dynamic status on the other drive---which means you ought to think about how you can back up your data.