A free tool to quickly detect counterfeit flash (2017)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Prevalence of Counterfeit and Bad Flash

  • Many anecdotes of “large” cheap SSDs/SD/microSD/USB drives (e.g., 64 GB, 580 GB, 10 TB, multi‑TB USB sticks) turning out to be much smaller devices with spoofed firmware.
  • Typical failure modes: writes succeed up to real capacity, then silently fail, corrupt, or discard further data.
  • Some fakes even embed a small microSD card inside a 2.5" SSD shell, sometimes with added weight to feel “real.”
  • Counterfeits are seen on AliExpress, Amazon (including “no‑name” brands and counterfeit big brands), eBay, and even via local resellers.

Testing & Diagnostic Tools

  • f3 (including f3probe --destructive and capacity‑correcting features) is praised for quickly revealing true capacity.
  • Other tools mentioned: H2testW, Validrive (Windows GUI, non‑destructive), badblocks, SMART tests, memtest86, prime95, OCCT, iperf3.
  • Some note that very “clever” scam firmware can evade superficial quick tests; full write‑and‑verify beyond claimed capacity is considered more reliable.

Marketplace Behavior, Refunds, and Chargebacks

  • AliExpress: reports of easy refunds for obvious fakes (sometimes without returns) if video or measurement proof is supplied.
  • Amazon: some users report refunds but complain that fraudulent listings remain live; co‑mingling of stock is seen as a major risk.
  • Debate over chargebacks: one side views them as a last‑resort refund mechanism; another stresses they also pressure merchants but are unnecessary if sellers already refund.
  • Some argue large marketplaces knowingly tolerate a “controlled” level of counterfeit trade because it remains profitable.

Buying Strategies and Brand Trust

  • Strong advice to avoid “too good to be true” capacities/prices and to buy name‑brand storage from reputable or physical retailers.
  • Others point out even brand‑name products can be counterfeited or downgraded, especially via third‑party sellers.
  • Suggestions: buy surplus hardware from data centers, universities, or government surplus auctions; verify sellers are official or “quasi‑official.”

Usefulness and Limits of Capacity Correction

  • Some view f3’s capacity‑correction feature as unsafe and would discard any proven fake.
  • Others deliberately buy cheap “oversized” cards expecting them to be smaller (e.g., ~50–60 GB real) and then cap partitions to that size for low‑risk, read‑mostly uses.