Doubt firmware and smart

HGST Internal SSD Internal SSD
1

My brother bought an external HDD (closed case + notebook HDD) on aliexpress but he thinks this HDD is used but he opened SMART or some HDD program and it shows no badblocks, no hours of use indicating that it is a new unused HDD
When connecting the HDD to the PC, Kesu (E!)
appears

Is there any software to analyze whether the original firmware and original smart were changed by the Chinese to show that it is a new HDD?

3

I would read this Reddit thread :

https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/15ufnce/has_anyone_came_across_kesu_hard_drives/

I would also recommend not buying hard drives from Aliexpress, unless you’re happy with the extremely high chance of buying used or fake hard drives.

1 Like
4

It is possible to test with some software if the HDD had the firmware and Smart violated by the Chinese and find out the real values ​​of hours of use badblocks on/off

6

It is possible to test with some software if the HDD had the firmware and Smart violated by the Chinese and find out the real values ​​of hours of use badblocks on/off

It depends on the brand and model and what was actually done. If it’s a fake, I can often tell from the label and the PCB.

Grown defects can be pushed into the primary defect list, but there may be a backup of the original PList.

See you at HDD Guru.

7

Will this Plist backup reveal whether the notebook HDD has undergone changes in Smart and firmware?

8

The PList backup will reveal whether there are new defects in the current PList. It has nothing to do with SMART. Let’s wait for the model number.

9

what app i use verify this informations?

10

To verify if the firmware and SMART data of the HDD have been altered, use tools like HGST Drive Fitness (https://wootingdoublemovement.com/) Test, CrystalDiskInfo, and HDDScan to analyze the drive. Compare the SMART data with known values for a new drive and contact HGST support for confirmation. These steps will help determine if the HDD is genuinely new or tampered with.

1 Like
11

It sounds like your brother’s external HDD might have been tampered with, especially if it shows Kesu on connection. There’s software like CrystalDiskInfo or HWiNFO that could help check the drive’s authenticity. As for mushroom spores, they’re a lot more straightforward—just pure mycology fun, no hidden tricks!