Chrome Extension for Crypto Wallets Consumes SSD Storage Excessively - MetaMask Acknowledges Daily Data Writing Bug, Estimated at Hundreds of Gigabytes per User's Solid-State Drive
MetaMask, a popular cryptocurrency wallet, has been facing an issue that has been causing excessive data writing on users' solid-state drives (SSDs). The issue, which has been ongoing since at least May, has prompted Consensys, the company that owns MetaMask, to take action.
The problem, as reported by a user named "ripper31337" on GitHub, has resulted in MetaMask writing up to 25 Terabytes in three months. Other users have reported similar issues, with CrystalDiskInfo data showing a total host write of 26517 GB on one affected SSD.
The issue seems to particularly affect users with unusually large state files. Consensys is addressing this by exploring strategies to reduce the size of each write operation and decrease the frequency of background data fetching, especially when the extension is not actively used.
According to Consensys, their fix aims to optimize disk usage by minimizing the volume of state data written to the solid-state drives and limiting excessive write frequency that leads to premature SSD wear. They have already rolled out a fix that significantly reduces disk usage when the extension is closed and are continuing to investigate optimizations for when the extension is open.
In addition to reducing state file size and limiting write frequency, Consensys is also deploying incremental fixes addressing data persistence behavior to minimize continuous writes that cause SSD strain.
Until the full fix is delivered, users are advised to disable or uninstall the MetaMask extension if they are concerned about SSD health. The excessive writing caused by the bug can drastically reduce SSD lifespan, potentially leading to cloud backup requirements for affected users due to the large amount of data written.
MetaMask is a versatile cryptocurrency wallet that allows users to buy, sell, swap, send, receive, collect Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and connect to thousands of decentralized applications (dApps). Despite its functionality, the current issue underscores the importance of ensuring software does not unnecessarily strain hardware components.
[1] GitHub Issue: https://github.com/MetaMask/metamask-extension/issues/13169 [2] Consensys Blog Post: https://blog.consensys.net/addressing-the-metamask-ssd-data-writing-bug-6c2e35426f40 [4] Consensys Medium Post: https://medium.com/consensys-dapp-development/metamask-ssd-data-writing-bug-update-e8794c4edf1f [5] Consensys Tweet: https://twitter.com/consensys/status/1547156842739779584
- The issue with MetaMask, a data-and-cloud-computing problem, is causing excessive data writing on users' solid-state drives, leading to potential premature SSD wear and cloud backup requirements.
- Consensys, the company that owns MetaMask, is addressing this issue through technology improvements aimed at optimizing disk usage, reducing the size of write operations, and limiting excessive write frequency to minimize strain on solid-state drives.
