What is the risk to an external SSD drive connected to a Mac Mini M4 Pro when the Mac mini Pro loses power and shuts down abnormally?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: SSD drive risks
Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024)
Hardware risk:
🟢 Very low — SSDs handle sudden power loss well.
Data risk:
🟡 Moderate — files being written may be corrupted.
Filesystem risk:
🟡 Low to moderate — APFS usually recovers, but external enclosures matter.
Long-term SSD health:
🟢 Minimal risk — sudden power loss does NOT normally degrade SSD lifespan.
Worst-case:
🔴 Extremely rare firmware corruption if power loss occurs during an internal SSD housekeeping cycle.
Hardware risk:
🟢 Very low — SSDs handle sudden power loss well.
Data risk:
🟡 Moderate — files being written may be corrupted.
Filesystem risk:
🟡 Low to moderate — APFS usually recovers, but external enclosures matter.
Long-term SSD health:
🟢 Minimal risk — sudden power loss does NOT normally degrade SSD lifespan.
Worst-case:
🔴 Extremely rare firmware corruption if power loss occurs during an internal SSD housekeeping cycle.
What happens to an external SSD drive when a Mac mini M4 Pro shuts down abnormally?
