Windows 11 suddenly showing external SSD as HDD

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Darkstar One
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:46 am

Windows 11 suddenly showing external SSD as HDD

Post by Darkstar One »

I've had the system and external SSD for about 10 days.

This morning, when I went to TRIM the external SSD, Windows was showing it as a HDD and wanted to defrag it. I know that's bad for a SSD.

I tried a couple of solutions I found online, using the winsat formal and winsat diskformal commands. No luck.

Anyone know how I can get Windows to recognize my external SSD as a SSD again? Thanks?

Also, as a side question, how important IS it to run TRIM? I've seen conflicting advice.
Darkstar One
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:46 am

Re: Windows 11 suddenly showing external SSD as HDD

Post by Darkstar One »

BUMP. Anyone?
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gilraen
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Re: Windows 11 suddenly showing external SSD as HDD

Post by gilraen »

When you ran the winsat commands, did you run them as administrator?

If it's an external drive, I'd start by unplugging it and plugging back in, to rule out a physical issue with the connector.

I don't know why you run TRIM manually, it should just be set to run automatically. It literally doesn't hurt anything to run it when it doesn't have anything to retrim but Windows manages it just fine on its own.
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Victoria Raverna
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Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 2:23 am
Location: Jakarta

Re: Windows 11 suddenly showing external SSD as HDD

Post by Victoria Raverna »

gilraen wrote: Sat Oct 21, 2023 2:33 pm When you ran the winsat commands, did you run them as administrator?

If it's an external drive, I'd start by unplugging it and plugging back in, to rule out a physical issue with the connector.

I don't know why you run TRIM manually, it should just be set to run automatically. It literally doesn't hurt anything to run it when it doesn't have anything to retrim but Windows manages it just fine on its own.
If Windows can detect SSD as HDD then enabling automatic TRIM/defrag can be bad for your SSD, right? Instead of automatically TRIM, Windows can defrag your SSD if it thinks it is a HDD.
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