Windows 11 Update Causing SSD Performance Issues (July 6, 2023 Update)

In our previous March 2023 article discussing a bug found in Microsoft's latest Moment 2 (2H22/KB5023706) update, we noted that this bug has resulted in slower read and write speeds, OS loading times, game loading times and overall game performance for NVMe SSDs. Previously, we had discussed solutions on fixing this, including uninstalling the Moment 2 (KB5023706) update.

However, since our article, there have been multiple Windows updates unable to correct this issue that have still resulted in dramatically slower SSD read and write speeds, reportedly including the upcoming July 2023 update. To date, this includes all of the following:

Upcoming July 2023 update(s)

KB5027303 – June 2023 update (optional)

KB5027231 – June 2023 update (mandatory)

KB5026372 – May 2023 update (mandatory)

KB5025239 – April 2023 (mandatory)

KB5023778 – March 2023 (mandatory)

KB5023706 - March 2023 (Moment 2 update); first reports of SSD speed drops

Most recently, Patriot technical support has investigated the bug and found that this bug causes performance issues for all types of SSDs, regardless of controller or brands (both Viper and otherwise).

As a result, based on technical support investigation, there are two main solutions our technical support staff can recommend for users experiencing SSD speed issues:

1. Uninstalling all updates released from March 2023 onward

Though this method can be more tedious due to the process of uninstalling multiple updates, this is one solution to revert back to older updates prior to March 2023.

For information on how to uninstall updates, please visit our original guide on the issue from March 2023.

2. Uninstalling and reinstalling Windows 11

Currently, uninstalling and reinstalling Windows 11 appears to be the most surefire method proven by our Patriot Viper team. Doing a clean install has shown to help SSDs revert to their normal speed when troubleshooting direct issues and can be recommended until Microsoft announces an official patch to this bug. 

For more information about how to delete and reinstall Windows 11, please visit this reinstall guide recommended by Patriot technical support and follow its instructions. 

With both solutions, Patriot technical support has found that SSD speeds have returned to their normal levels and have not experienced further issues. Therefore, this can be a solution as Microsoft works to remedy the issue. Once Microsoft has found and announced a solution, Patriot staff will make an announcement regarding this. 

For any further questions, concerns or suggestions about SSD issues, please visit Patriot Memory's technical support page.