Unused SSDs Slowly Lose Data

XDA Developers reminds us that using solid-state drives (SSDs) for long-term archival storage carries significant risk. SSDs left unpowered for years can experience data corruption or complete data loss.

Unlike HDDs, which store data on magnetized platters, SSDs record information by altering the electrical charge in NAND flash memory cells. While flash memory is classified as non-volatile—meaning data persists after power removal—the duration an SSD can reliably retain data without power is finite.

Data Retention Without Power

Per JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) specifications, even budget-friendly QLC NAND drives can retain data without power for approximately one year. Higher-quality TLC NAND extends this window to three years, MLC to five years, and premium SLC NAND to ten years.

The challenge is that most consumer SSDs use TLC or QLC NAND, meaning users who store drives without power for more than a year risk information loss. Journalists note that QLC memory reliability has improved in recent years, pushing the realistic data retention limit to 2-3 years without power. Beyond this timeframe, the charge in NAND cells gradually dissipates, leading to data loss or complete drive failure.

Not a Universal Archive Solution

Standard consumer-grade SSDs cannot be considered reliable for long-term archives—a particular concern for photographers, videographers, and researchers who need multi-year data preservation. HDDs also degrade over time, but they demonstrate greater resilience during extended periods without power.

This scenario doesn't apply to all users. Those running SSDs in active workstations have minimal concern—their systems aren't powered off for extended periods. In these cases, data loss more commonly results from power surges or manufacturing defects rather than charge dissipation.

XDA Developers also emphasizes that SSDs have finite lifespans regardless of usage patterns. The limited number of write-erase cycles in NAND flash will eventually cause drive failure, though most users replace drives before reaching end-of-life limits.

The Backup Solution

The publication reiterates the necessity of backups as the simplest insurance against storage media failures. The well-known 3-2-1 rule recommends maintaining three copies of data across at least two different media types, with one copy stored off-site. This is typically implemented using a primary PC, a NAS, and cloud storage—a straightforward approach that protects against SSD charge dissipation, HDD mechanical failure, and localized disasters.

For M&A due diligence teams and legal professionals handling long-term evidence preservation, this limitation of SSDs has practical implications: archived investigation data stored on unpowered SSDs may not survive the multi-year timelines common in litigation or regulatory proceedings.