What programs to use to check health of an SSD?

@blindmelonball Try CrystalDiskInfo: https://crystalmark.info/en/

I could be wrong but I believe the OP's Western Digital SSD is an OEM drive. Sometimes manufacturers' software is only meant for retail drives and will not work for OEM drives. The only way to find out is to try the software since Western Digital does not indicate whether the software is only meant for retail drives. However, Western Digital does state that retail firmware updates and OEM updates are very different. 

@Vic384 

Well, that screen capture is from my XPS8940 with a WD 520GB SSD supplied in the system from WD. Program worked fine as you can see.

If it wouldn't work on the 'Dashboard', then it probably wouldn't work on Crystal Marks program either. I'm sure the data access points (Life, S.M.A.R.T, etc.) are standard points so all programs that report those would work.

All I know, it works for me. By the way, the Dashboard also sees my USB drive and reports on it. It does NOT see my Internal drive made by Seagate however.

By the way, I did fire up Crystal's DiskInfo and it does have the same data as the Dashboard as far as Life is concerned. So both do work.

I do use CrystalDisk for my HDs on my Win7 machine.  I didn't know it works with SSDs.  I'll download the new version and try it out.

Thanks.

Yep.  I also just installed the WD Dashboard.  It reports the same data as CrystalDisk Info.  The Dashboard is a cool program.  It also reported on my WD MyPassport 2 GB external drive, as did CrystalDisk  I'm going to use them both.

I just installed it, and it does recognize the WD SSD.  Thanks.

I use Crystal Disk-Info, but Passmark has a free SMART-status reader also.

Both will read any disk-make.

@ispalten Thanks for testing WD 'Dashboard'. Good to know it works with WD OEM drives.

@Vic384 

I think you are confusing OEM with Stock.

OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturer... and so is Stock.

Dell uses Proprietary, OEM, and Stock parts.

Dell in its FAQ's lists some manufacturer's whom they buy parts from, most notably RAM, Video cards, Removable drives, etc,

Some, like CPU's and Hard disks are the same as you can purchase almost in any 'electronics' store or on-line.

Proprietary parts of course, like the motherboard, cables, and PSU, are not available in stores usually.

The Video cards are using the same naming models, but do differ from what you can buy over the counter from the Dell Supplier. For instance, my RTX2060 is made for Dell by MSI. If you looked and mine and what MSI sells retail, they clearly are not the same card. Retail ones have 2 Fans, while the Dell one has a Single fan. Some say this is how the Power draw on the card is lower than the MSI card.

Bottom line, that SSD from WDC is the same one can buy Retail.

As for what to use to 'measure' the SSD, any should work as the data out is standard, Retail or special build for a PC vendor. It would have to be in this case as Windows also relies on that data. One could 'argue' the internals work differently, but that has nothing to do with a utility reading performance data on the device I'd think?

@Vic384 

I hear you.

Actually, at least for my WD the Support Page (which is a MESS) shows that Support will be via Sandisk (who makes the flash RAM I think?). I can't get anything showing for that drive I have, the SN530 NVMe 512GB SSD. searching that page.

Still, for my XPS 8940 Dell DOES have a F/W update:

According to the Device Manager for the SSD, I did INSTALL it last year, shortly after getting the 8940.

Now, I can't find any remnant of me installing it?

Interestingly, the SanDisk Support page for the SSD (https://www.westerndigital.com/products/internal-drives/ix-sn530-nvme-ssd#SDBPNPZ-512G-XIhttps://www.westerndigital.com/products/internal-drives/ix-sn530-nvme-ssd#SDBPNPZ-512G-XI ) has NO D/L for it?

I either did it via Dell Update or it was on the XPS when I got it?

Have no idea what was included with the update though?

BTW, searching for the version of the F/W it seems Dell had it a few months before posting it for the 8940? Found it on the page with a June 2021 date:

Good chance it was installed on my XPS that was built in late Aug. 2021?

@ispalten The interesting thing about the WD PC  SN810 is that I could not find any support for it on the Western Digital website, only the specs and that lead me to my concern about using WD Dashboard. While it has been determined that Dashboard works to determine SSD status, I am still concerned that someone may use it to update the SSD's firmware. In WD Dashboard FAQs, found here, it states that "drives installed in OEM machines such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc." should use the manufacturer's own distribution platform (i.e. Dell Updates) for firmware updates and that "OEM updates are very different".  In the FAQ, Western Digital seems to make a clear distinction between retail and OEM drives. While Dashboard works for checking SSD status, I would not use it to update firmware if that is even possible.

@ispalten Western Digital acquired SanDisk in 2016. I think it was to help WD in the SSD business.  

I think you are doing the right thing by going to Dell Updates for F/W updates.

The situation with WD Dashboard is different than that for Samsung Magician. Samsung Magician is like WD Dashboard but only for Samsung retail drives, One of the SSDs used in the XPS 8950 is made by Samsung but that drive is not listed as supported by Samsung Magician software, so something like CrystalDiskInfo has to be used for status and F/W has to come from Dell Updates.