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AMD released a software update on Thursday to resolve a driver issue that triggered excessive and continuous data writes to solid-state drives across its Radeon graphics card lineup.
The Cause of the SSD Bug
As reported by CNET based on findings from sites like Tom’s Hardware and Neowin, the bug originated from two software components: the AMD External Events Client Module and Utility, which appear as atieclxx.exe or atiesrxx.exe under Windows processes. While this background service manages monitoring tasks, Neowin noted that it was writing massive amounts of data to SSDs—reaching up to 432GB within a 24-hour period.
The optional update is accessible on the AMD website as Adrenalin Edition 26.11.1. According to the update release notes, the new software resolves excessive system-drive writes that occurred while systems remained idle on Radeon RX 7000 series products and newer, as well as during the movement or resizing of application windows.
Impact on Hardware Lifespan
This heavy data writing raises concerns because it accelerates wear and tear on solid-state drives, potentially reducing their overall lifespan. PC Gamer reported that this could translate to a 1% loss in drive health in a single month. A Reddit poster highlighted that the issue is not recent and may have caused SSD degradation for nearly a year and a half in some instances. Company representatives previously indicated on Reddit that a correction was in development. Given that SSD prices surged significantly over the past couple of years, severe hardware wear could prove costly to replace.
How to Check and Temporary Fixes
Reddit users who helped identify and publicize the problem suggested methods to prevent the issue for users unable to install the new software immediately. Users can open the Windows Resource Monitor by pressing the Windows key plus R, typing “resmon,” and checking the Disk tab to see if atieclxx.exe or atiesrxx.exe processes are writing excessively to the drive.
Some affected users chose to disable the External Events software completely. This is done in Windows by pressing the Windows key plus R, entering “services.msc,” locating the AMD External Events Utility, opening its Properties, and changing the Startup Type to Disabled. Users can also stop the running process for the current session from that menu and must restart the computer afterward.
Disabling the software may impact certain display functions and game performance. Alternative workarounds attempted by users include disabling a Resizable Bar (ReBAR)—a PCI Express process used to access video card memory—or switching to alternative AMD drivers compatible exclusively with AMD chipsets rather than Intel or other motherboard chipsets.
These alternatives serve as temporary solutions if installing the new software is not possible, though utilizing them carries the risk of disrupting other machine functions. Users are advised to ensure their system has a recent restore point before making any adjustments.
