Freeware to identify fake USB drives

[L&LD]

New Freeware Detects Fake USB Drives with Inflated Capacity

Steve Gibson developed Windows freeware app also scans for read/write errors.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[drinkingbird]

New Freeware Detects Fake USB Drives with Inflated Capacity

Steve Gibson developed Windows freeware app also scans for read/write errors.

www.tomshardware.com

Samsung has a good one for their microSD cards and thumb drives too (I'm assuming other vendors probably do too, that's just the only one I've used).

Before there were tools available I'd either use SD card formatter and do an overwrite, or just copy like a 30 gig file. All the fakes were like 2 or 4 gig cards relabelled so would fail pretty quickly.

That's why I only buy memory direct or at least "sold by Amazon" and make sure it has no 3rd party white sticker on it (and still test them anyway as even Amazon got duped at one point and was selling fakes).

 

[Wallace_n_Gromit]

New Freeware Detects Fake USB Drives with Inflated Capacity

Steve Gibson developed Windows freeware app also scans for read/write errors.

www.tomshardware.com

Bravo to you @L&LD! I was looking to post that information but you beat me to it.

What I did do in addition is to go to all the links in the ValiDrive page to Amazon and blabbed via the [Report incorrect product information.] on every single device. Some are no longer in stock and others are still being sold.

My comment to Amazon is below:

From what i've read from a reliable software developer MOST if not ALL of these 1-2TB or higher capacity CHEAP no name devices are fraudulent. Most amazon purchasers will never find out before the very short return period is over. The newly created software called ValiDrive (which will show up as the very first item in any search engine) has been specifically developed to expose these FRAUDULENT flash drives.

EDIT:

ADDENDUM 10/30/2023:

The Power of Privilege | TWiT.TV

How fake drives continue to be sold on Amazon despite negative reviewsMicrosoft is discontinuing support for the VBScript languageThe 30-year old NTLM authentication protocol

twit.tv

3:07 minutes into the podcast introduces the subject, and continues at 12:45 minutes. Seems that even when you blab on Amazon about these FAKE drives (using/posting validrive results) Amazon will proactively remove your bad reviews.

 

[drinkingbird]

Bravo to you @L&LD! I was looking to post that information but you beat me to it.

What I did do in addition is to go to all the links in the ValiDrive page to Amazon and blabbed via the [Report incorrect product information.] on every single device. Some are no longer in stock and others are still being sold.

My comment to Amazon is below:

From what i've read from a reliable software developer MOST if not ALL of these 1-2TB or higher capacity CHEAP no name devices are fraudulent. Most amazon purchasers will never find out before the very short return period is over. The newly created software called ValiDrive (which will show up as the very first item in any search engine) has been specifically developed to expose these FRAUDULENT flash drives.

Never ever buy any sort of flash memory from a 3rd party seller on amazon. Sold and shipped by amazon is the one and only option. Then due to some comingling issues going on with amazon where they end up sending you a 3rd party item when you buy "sold by amazon", insist they replace it if it has the white 3rd party sticker on it.

Same goes for razors, batteries, toothbrush heads, and any number of other commonly counterfeited items.

 

[Wallace_n_Gromit]

Never ever buy any sort of flash memory from a 3rd party seller on amazon. Sold and shipped by amazon is the one and only option. Then due to some comingling issues going on with amazon where they end up sending you a 3rd party item when you buy "sold by amazon", insist they replace it if it has the white 3rd party sticker on it.

Same goes for razors, batteries, toothbrush heads, and any number of other commonly counterfeited items.

Thank you for that information which I did not know [white 3rd party sticker]

 

[Tech9]

Most USB drives are kind of fake lately. The reliable ones I have are 4GB and years old. The newer ones are either bad thermal design either made with low quality chips not suitable for other applications.

 

[drinkingbird]

Most USB drives are kind of fake lately. The reliable ones I have are 4GB and years old. The newer ones are either bad thermal design either made with low quality chips not suitable for other applications.

I have a 20 year old 1gb Kingston that is still going strong and can max out it's USB2 speed (which many of my USB3 drives can't rival). For microSD cards they all have endurance issues. I did get some Samsung pro endurance for security cameras, so far holding up well recording 24x7 for 6 months. They have a 5 year nonstop write warranty and at the write rate I'm using supposedly should last 16 years, but I'll be happy if I get 5.

A lot of microSD and USB (basically the same thing these days) just can't handle heavy writing, but then what do you expect for these prices.

That 1GB Kingston drive was $100 back then, probably will last forever. I have plenty of dead 16 and 32 microsd cards and USB drives from all the manufacturers, they're basically disposable commodities at this point. But I have gotten some fake ones that can only store 2GB, have to test anything you get. It is good to see more and more manufacturers providing counterfeit detection. Gillette razors, dewalt batteries, oral b brush heads, and several flash memory makers are all doing it now.

 

[Tech9]

Something fake for $10 doesn't bother me. What makes me angry is official fake. You buy a $100K Mercedes, the rear seat belts quit working on the 3rd month and you find under the seat two modules Made in China and one Made in Mexico. Perhaps the same modules are under the rear seat of a Mazda or Nissan.