SSD freezing, PC locks up

[RahulRj]

PC locks up randomly and only a power cycle (long press power button and restart) can help.

The issue is always the SSD - Samsung 512GB - MZVLB512HAJQ-000H1.

When frozen, TaskManager shows the SSD as 100% active with no throughput.

Things I have tried (ZERO - no faults in any of the diagnostic tests):

1. Full Windows and HP update (All patches)

2. Full system refresh using the recovery partition.

3. Full Hardware diagnostics including extended tests on RAM and SSD

4. Repeated CHKDSK and SFC /scannow

5. Uninstalling Graphics driver to isolate issue

Samsung support won't help as PM981 is an OEM drive.

HP has no drivers even though the only [Solved] threads on the web for people in similar situation (100% SSD active, no throughput) are where people have replaced MS drivers with Intel/ appropriate drivers.

Am at wit's end. This is an expensive well built machine that HP is hell bent on getting a bad name for.

[RahulRj]

In things I have already tried:

6. Clean Windows reinstall with latest image from MS website.

[The_Fossette]

@RahulRj,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

I reviewed your post and I understand that the SSD is freezing and the PC locks up.

Don’t worry, I assure you I will try my best to get this sorted.

I see that you have already followed all the relevant steps and I recommend you contact support to further diagnose the issue.

Here is how you can get in touch with support.

1)Click on this link – www.hp.com/contacthp/

2)Select the product type.

3)Enter the serial number of your device or select let HP detect your product option.

4)Select the country from the drop-down.

5)You should see the HP phone support number or Chat option listed.

Let me know how it goes and you have a great day!

If you wish to show appreciation for my efforts, mark my post as Accept as Solution. Your feedback counts!

Cheers!

[RahulRj]

Hi @The_Fossette:

Thanks for taking the time to revert.

I tried various options in the past weeks, but it seems, there is no way to contact HP support if the warranty has expired. 

I am beginning to believe that this is a poor quality SSD which has failed in less than 2 years. (The drive passes all components tests so I think the tests are not designed properly for this particular SSD type).

Further,  I could not find/ no resource is available to check what is the warranty policy on internal SSD. Since this is an OEM drive, Samsung provides no support. 

I think users should avoid laptops which have such unsupported drives which the manufacturers do not support. I don't think any user would accept a warranty of 1 year on the Internal Storage. Every reputed SSD manufacturer supports for 3 to 5 years - but purchasing a flagship product from HP can cause heart burn in 18 months. (Do note that the warranty is 12 months unless you pony up and pay more for the extended warranty.)

Let me know if you have any other method to contact HP Support for additional diagnosis.

Thanks again,

Rahul

---

@The_Fossette wrote:

I see that you have already followed all the relevant steps and I recommend you contact support to further diagnose the issue.

[The_Fossette]

@RahulRj,

Let me know your country (Region) in a private message and I will send you the phone number to contact the support team.

Cheers!

[RahulRj]

Done!

Thanks again.

[RahulRj]

Hi -

An update:

I was able to get in touch with HP Support through the number provided - however the agent was unwilling to provide any drivers or support software saying that the machine is outside warranty.

I even pointed out that I have been using the HP Assistant exclusively and it should show the logs from before warranty expiry. She said that she does not have the tools to check that at that time (and I should contact later). Further she said that I should have kept logs of my interaction with HP to prove that I was facing this issue since the unit was under warranty.

I did tell her that even today, HP Diagnostic Suite says that there is nothing wrong with the drive. Either that is correct and it is a software issue, or it is a hardware issue, or both. Since clean reinstall was already done with no improvement in reliability - it does not appear to be a Microsoft issue (CHKDSK and SFC /scannow also report clean), there should be some alternate way of checking the drive for errors. - As Samsung magician is not supported for OEM drives and Samsung expects HP to support for driver and software for this drive, I was hoping that HP would share the equivalent of Magician and latest driver, but it seems to be a never ending quest.

Why is it so time taking to get simple solutions? And if this is what should be expected for flagship units, wonder what is the experience for other budget lines!

[KrazyToad]

@RahulRj

I have gone through your Post and I understand your concerns

I will escalate your concerns to the appropriate team. We will need few information

I have sent you a private message. Please reply back with the requested information

Please check your private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Forums profile.

Next to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope

Thank you
 

[RahulRj]

@KrazyToad: 

Thanks for your time. I have shared the details with you over PM.

Stay safe.

[KrazyToad]

@RahulRj

I have not received any details through PM

Would request you to send the details once again

Thank you 😊