Windows10 / Samsung 512GB M.2 SSD / Samsung Magician

[Ship69]

Hello

I have recently started to get some odd windows errors:
1. Windows sometimes takes a VERY long time to reboot (i.e. about 5-10 minutes)
2. Windows sometimes has failed to display the normal screen after a reboot (whole screen goes dark blue, with just a couple of icons bottom right)
3. Today Windows took a long time to reboot and then came back saying that Samsung Magician couldn't start due to a "Serios Error"
4. My X1 Search application suffered a serious error and completely failed to open
5. There as some disk utility that you installed that always used to come up after a reboot, but just now it didn't appear!
Clue: It is something that gives me a %age of quality of my hard disk, and can't be closed for about 15 seconds.

My system:
CPU: Intel Core i5-7600K Kaby Lake CPU, 4 Cores, @3.80GHz SKU CM8067702868219S [Replaced: 01-04-2019]
Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z270-A Motherboard (Rev 1.02 / "PCIEX16 2" / 32Gb/s M.2 X4 - SKU PRIME Z270-A
RAM: 16GB DDR4 3000MHz Memory (2 x 8GB Sticks) - CORSAIR - SKU 16GBDDR42133MHZ2X8
Graphics: NVIDIA - Quadro RTX 4000 8GB - S/N 1321819021260 - Made in China
BIOS Version: 90.04.62.00.03 699-5G160-050-800 S - 900-5G160-0350-000 X
Operating System: Windows 10 (x64)
Drive: 512GB Samsung 960 M.2 SSD "NVMe Samsung SSD 960 SCSI Disk Device" says Windows

Are there any disk repair utilities that I should run?
Should I be worried about Samsung Magician – what does it do? Do I need it?

With thanks

J

 

[bassfisher6522]

Have a look at this......that should explain it for you. As for ...should you get it and use it. In this case I would say yes.

Samsung Magician Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Samsung Magician software is designed to help you manage your Samsung SSD with a simple, intuitive user interface. Download files & find supported models.

www.samsung.com

 

[Ship69]

Thanks. OK I have re-installed Samsung Magician.

From what I can see though, it does't seem to have much in the way of repairing capabilities.

Is there anything Windows itself can do to repair itself?

Cheers

J

 

[bassfisher6522]

Look at the Samsung website for the Magician Software to see what drives it does support. It seems like to me that it would support all their SSDs.

If that checks out.....you may be one of the unfortunate owners of a Samsung SSD going bad. If that is the case...I would look into submitting a warranty claim for a replacement.


The Magician SSD management utility is designed to work with all Samsung SSD products including 470 Series, 750 Series, 830 Series, 840 Series, 850 Series, 860 Series, 950 Series, 960 Series and 970 Series.
This software is not compatible with other manufacturers' SSDs.

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

www.samsung.com

 

[Ship69]

Well Samsung Magician says "Disk Health = Good".

Also my Hard Disk Sentinal seems to agree that my "Disk performance is 100% excellent" and my disk's "Health is 95% Excellent".

But every other time I reboot Windows it gets stuck on a blank screen with almost no way to reboot.

How can I repair my Windows 10?

J

 

[Ship69]

UPDATE:
OK, largely out of desperation - and gradually deteriorating symptoms! - I have now started to execute what is in this video:


"How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Data"

I just hope it won't do any damage(!) but I just can't wait any longer. Fingers crossed...

J

 

[bassfisher6522]

I would use the reset windows with Keeping my data. Although you will lose apps and software that doesn't come with the OS, you can re-download them and reinstall them. But the key is that it keeps all your personal data.....doc's, pictures, videos and so on. The OS is returned to a factory or first install state.

So if you have anything installed and use the method in that video.....what ever it is installed my be part of the issue and you'll have the same issue as you do now.

Personally, I would save any data you deem that needs to be saved and save it to a thumb drive and then just do a clean install.....2nd option in the reset. This way you'd get a clean fresh start.

 

[Ship69]

I would use the reset windows with Keeping my data. Although you will lose apps and software that doesn't come with the OS, you can re-download them and reinstall them. But the key is that it keeps all your personal data.....doc's, pictures, videos and so on. The OS is returned to a factory or first install state.

So if you have anything installed and use the method in that video.....what ever it is installed my be part of the issue and you'll have the same issue as you do now.

Personally, I would save any data you deem that needs to be saved and save it to a thumb drive and then just do a clean install.....2nd option in the reset. This way you'd get a clean fresh start.

Yikes - that's an extreme option!

If I really have to, somwhere I do have a copy of the disk that I made after I installed basically everything when I last rebuilt my hard disk - but was about 1.5 years ago. I'm thinking that would be a better option... but only if I REALLY have to do so, as I have spent quite a lot of time installing SolidWORKS (a 15GB download) and I am keen not to have to go through all that again.

Meanwhile, my antivirus software (F-Secure) just come up with about 5 messages like this:

Do you think that is a bad as it sounds!?

J

 

[Clintlgm]

Have you run a deep scan with Defender? Also you could download Malwarebytes free and run a scan. That should clear up an malware or make it clear that you do have a malware issue.
You can do an upgrade/Repair install and not lose any programs or data. Just download the Install media from Media Creation Tool run the iso from your desktop and select upgrade and keep data.
You can also try to repair your Windows with DISM tools
type cmd
right-click cmd.exe and select run in administrator mode.
copy and paste each tool they will take some time
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
SFC /scannow
chkdsk C: /f "This is the same chkdsk that we have always used and works the same."

As for checking up on your SSD Magician is pretty basic and should run on your m.2 nvme 960 pros is does on mine although I never use it.
Crystal Diskinfo and diskmark can give you some insight into your SSD condition. HD tune Pro also is a reliable disk health program the lastest version work well with SSD's

 

[Ship69]

> Have you run a deep scan with Defender?
Sorry, what is "Defender"??
I have done some manual scanning using my "F-Secure SAFE" software.

> Also you could download Malwarebytes free and run a scan
I was offered a free copy of Malwarebytes Premium (by my bank, as I recall) which is already running. I have done a manual scan with that too.

Yes, I have followed the instructions in the "How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Data" youtube video which seemed to involve downloading the Media Creation Tool etc.

I shall now do the Dism stuff


UPDATE 01: I have just run all the Dism commands you list, but "No component store corrupton detected".

Btw, what is the difference between SFC and chkdsk ? I was vaguely under the impression:
A) that SFC is the updated/preferred version of chkdsk
B) that neither chkdsk and SFC should be used on Solid State Drives... no?


UPDATE 02: SFC ==> "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

UPDATE 03: Yes, chkdsk ran. It was disconcertingly fast though. Whole thing only took a few seconds.

UPDATE 04: OK, I have discovered Windows Defender and I got it to run a deep online scan. However I have no idea what if anything it found, because there is no message from it after it rebooted itself.

Now what?

 

[Ship69]

UPDATE: OK I have discovered that Windows Defender doesn't like the x64tools applications. My understanding is that they generate false positives. I have now deleted all the .EXE files that are located within C:\Program Files\x64tools except FileTypesMan.exe which is extremely useful!

Is there a chance that x64tools have genuinely installed some nasty viruses/malware onto my PC?

 

[bassfisher6522]

With all the issues you're having....I would really consider doing a clean install.

FYI: Windows 10 doesn't place nice with 3rd party AV's.

 

[Ship69]

> With all the issues you're having....I would really consider doing a clean install.
I am pretty busy just now at work and it would involve days and days of labour to get my PC set up again.
So I am pretty reluctant to do this.

> FYI: Windows 10 doesn't place nice with 3rd party AV's.
What does this sentence mean?

Are you saying that Windows does not need anti-viral / anti-malware software?

Do you work for Microsoft?

J

 

[Clintlgm]

> With all the issues you're having....I would really consider doing a clean install.
I am pretty busy just now at work and it would involve days and days of labour to get my PC set up again.
So I am pretty reluctant to do this.

> FYI: Windows 10 doesn't place nice with 3rd party AV's.
What does this sentence mean?

Are you saying that Windows does not need anti-viral / anti-malware software?

Do you work for Microsoft?

J

Well, you still have to options to try to repair your windows with DISM Tools.
You also have the option to do a Repair Install this will fix windows itself however if your issue is 3rd party software it can't fix that.
For some people Windows Defender does not play well with 3rd party AV programs this is true for some people and some AV programs. I personally have Norton and Malwarebytes running with no issues at all on all 5 of my computers and 3 Android devices. I don't use Windows Defender other than to run a deep scan occasionally
If none of these options work it appears you may have to do a clean install to solve your issues, after reinstalling it would get great to start creating Disk/SSD Images so that if your run into the same issue you can Restore the image created before that particular software was installed! Macruum Reflect Free is great for making and restoring images.

 

[Ship69]

> Well, you still have to options to try to repair your windows with DISM Tools.
Sorry, I don't understand what you mean. Like I said in post#10 (above) I have now run all the DISM commands you suggested.

> You also have the option to do a Repair Install this will fix windows itself
I THINK that that is exactly what I did in post #6 (above).

> ... if your issue is 3rd party software it can't fix that.
I can find no evidence of any problems with my hard disk itself. I install no games or any other obvious junk. So I think my issue is most likely to be viruses/malware.

Is it likely to be safe to have Malwarebytes running all the time, at the same time as my AV software ("F-Secure SAFE")?

I now suspect that x64tools created all the alerts but that these are false-positives of malware/PUPs.

Rather than rebuild my entire hard disk, I have tried uninstalling and to re-installing some of my main programs. e.g. I re-installed msOffice365 and MalwareBytes. I just ran a MalwareBytes scan but it found nothing.

Anyhow, my Windows does now seems much more stable. Although I remain nervous about whether I have any viruses.

Any other suggestions?

J

 

[Ship69]

UPDATE:
My Windows10 now seems much more stable.
The only thing is that my WhatsApp text keeps going blurred and but sharp when I do a mouseover. Is this that normal?!

[PS See https://www.windows10forums.com/thr...-rtx-4000-graphics-card-with-4k-screen.21609/ ]

 

[Clintlgm]

> Well, you still have to options to try to repair your windows with DISM Tools.
Sorry, I don't understand what you mean. Like I said in post#10 (above) I have now run all the DISM commands you suggested.

> You also have the option to do a Repair Install this will fix windows itself
I THINK that that is exactly what I did in post #6 (above).

> ... if your issue is 3rd party software it can't fix that.
I can find no evidence of any problems with my hard disk itself. I install no games or any other obvious junk. So I think my issue is most likely to be viruses/malware.

Is it likely to be safe to have Malwarebytes running all the time, at the same time as my AV software ("F-Secure SAFE")?

I now suspect that x64tools created all the alerts but that these are false-positives of malware/PUPs.

Rather than rebuild my entire hard disk, I have tried uninstalling and to re-installing some of my main programs. e.g. I re-installed msOffice365 and MalwareBytes. I just ran a MalwareBytes scan but it found nothing.

Anyhow, my Windows does now seems much more stable. Although I remain nervous about whether I have any viruses.

Any other suggestions?

J

I can vouch for Norton and Malwarebytes, I haven't had good experiences with other AV Programs some were very bad experiences. I don't count on Windows Defender however, I believe the people that are using it exclusively that it is effective.
Yes DISM probably repaired multiple issues you should be running better.
And Also if you did do an Upgrade/Repair Windows 10 install, that would have solved Windows issues also.
If you can't be comfortable that your AV software is protected you?

 

[Snuffy]

Samsung SSDs have issues with Windows 10 so i usually have this done every nite, before shutdown.
chkdsk C: /F

 

[Clintlgm]

Samsung SSDs have issues with Windows 10 so i usually have this done every nite, before shutdown.
chkdsk C: /F

Really, I have Samsung SSD running on 2 win 10 Pro notebooks one Win 8.1Pro and one all in on HP and 2 Win 10Pro desktops and have never had an SSD issue since 2012, Perhaps I am missing something what are the symptoms that are causing you to run chkdsk every night?

 

[bassfisher6522]

Samsung SSDs have issues with Windows 10 so i usually have this done every nite, before shutdown.
chkdsk C: /F

That's the first I've heard of that. Not saying there's no merit to it....just I've not heard of it.