GoKawiilAMD releases driver update fixing SSD wear-out bug in Radeon GPUs
AMD released Adrenalin Edition 26.11.1 to fix a driver flaw in its AMD External Events Client Module and Utility that caused excessive background writes to solid-state drives on Radeon RX 7000 series GPUs and newer. Reports from Neowin and Tom's Hardware found the affected processes, atieclxx.exe and atiesrxx.exe, writing as much as 432GB to disk in 24 hours even while systems were idle.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Excessive, continuous writes can accelerate SSD wear, and PC Gamer estimates the bug could cost a drive roughly 1% of its health per month, which is notable given recent SSD price increases. Reddit users say the issue may have gone undetected for as long as 18 months, suggesting some affected drives could already have reduced lifespans by the time users update their drivers.
- AMD's Adrenalin 26.11.1 update fixes excessive SSD writes tied to its External Events background service.
- The bug affected Radeon RX 7000 series GPUs and above, writing up to 432GB per day in some cases.
- Users can check Windows Resource Monitor for atieclxx.exe or atiesrxx.exe disk activity to confirm exposure before updating.
Samsung 990 Pro SSD 2TB — If you've been running a Radeon GPU with this driver bug, your SSD may have taken a durability hit from excessive writes—a high-endurance NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is a great way to refresh your storage with strong write-endurance ratings and fast performance. It's a trusted pick for gamers and power users wanting reliable long-term storage after this kind of wear-and-tear scare.
See Samsung 990 Pro SSD 2TB on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnet.com — Omar Gallaga, 2026-11-12
Published there as: “AMD Issues Fix for GPU Software Issue That Wore Down SSDs”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.