I have an SSD in my computer. Can cleaning stored garbage often damage it?

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Can cleaning the SSD (removing useless files that stick around uninvited or are no longer necessary) shorten its useful life?

(Yes, it depends on how big is the SSD, how one uses the computer … I know, I know.)

Mine is a 1 TB SSD.

I use a program that does the cleaning and is part of the malware protection software, in my case “Intego”, called “Washing Machine.”

I clean with it every two weeks or so. Since I installed Intego in my Mac last August, it has cleaned some 4 GB worth of garbage files. Which I find pretty astonishing.

What is probably the shortest safe frequency of successive removals (“cleanings”) of useless stuff, such as that in caches, etc. if one has an SSD in one’s computer? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Quarterly? Annually?

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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One of the lowest promised lifespan SSDs is rated to allow 185TBW during the expected life.  TBW means terabytes (1TB) written.  If 500gb is written per week, it would last 7 years, longer than most computers are used.  Even users with the settings that waste the most drive writes – enabled page file, use of hibernation, and internet cache stored on the SSD, should not see 50gb written per day and should be fine.  It is servers and computers doing some types of crypto mining or heavy data processing that can wear out drives.

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OscarCP

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OscarCP wrote:

Can cleaning the SSD (removing useless files that stick around uninvited or are no longer necessary) shorten its useful life?

Not that you will notice.

You can run a S.M.A.R.T utility that displays health/Life span and check before/after cleaning.

https://www.macworld.com/article/334283/how-to-m1-intel-mac-ssd-health-terminal-smartmontools.html

https://www.macgasm.net/news/check-m1-macs-ssd-health/ (look at Disk Drill)

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OscarCP

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Alex, Thanks. That is good information. I have already brew, etc. installed, so installing this one could be quick.

My current concern is with the question whether cleaning the SSD often will damage it, not with finding out how damaged it already is, although it is always good to know the latter.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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This Tech Report article from 2015 may be of interest regarding SSD life expectancy.

Win 11 home - 24H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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OscarCP

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mledman: More than 1 petabyte (PB, that is a 1 followed by 15 zeroes of byes) of stuff read/written before failing is pretty staggering. And that was back in 2015, so maybe the following six years have brought that fatal limit somewhat higher?

As to how to check the status of an SSD in a Mac:

https://osxdaily.com/2018/05/31/how-check-smart-status-mac-hard-disk/

Doing that in my Mac, it tells me that the S.M.A.R.T. status is “verified”, meaning the HDD or SSD is OK. For now. Question is: for hw much longer if I keep using the machine as I have been doing until now? Answer: probably several more years, but keep checking that S.M.A.R.T. status now and then.

The current SSD status, etc. displayed in my Mac:

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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Real SMART reporting (instead of Verified/Failing) can be done with these utilities.

SMART Utility: $25
DriveDx: $25
HomeBrew with smartmontools: free
SmartReporter: free

cheers, Paul

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OscarCP

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Do you have a recommendation for a Smart utility for Windows 10 SSD and SATA drives?

As far as reliability of the SSDs and my own experience.  The first SSDs I bought many years ago only lasted about 6 months to a year.  Technology advanced.  I have two SSDs running old Windows 7 setups that are at least 10 years old.  I believe my SSDs will out last my disc HDDs.

Dana:))

HTH, Dana:))

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OscarCP

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Drcard:)) wrote:

As far as reliability of the SSDs and my own experience.  The first SSDs I bought many years ago only lasted about 6 months to a year.

I have a old 10 years Windows 7 laptop with Crucial SSD that still runs well.

Do you have a recommendation for a Smart utility for Windows 10 SSD and SATA drives?

Portable CrystalDiskInfo

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Drcard:))

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Drcard:)) wrote:

Smart utility for Windows 10 SSD and SATA drives?

I have CrystalDiskInfo installed to monitor my disks. It pops up a warning and sends me an email if anything is amiss. Free and good, what more can you ask?

cheers, Paul

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