Samsung "SSD PM830 FDE" MZ7PC256HAFU Possible Counterfeit/What is it ?

[Curtispsf]

I purchased and installed what was represented to be a new Samsung 256GB SSD MZ-7PC256D/KR which was "not in package", but sealed in a static free bag. It did NOT have the SAMSUNG metal plate and appeared to be unbranded. The only thing I am certain of at this point is that is a NEW 256gb SSD.
There is a possibility that it "might" be a Samsung PM830 FDE Enterprise chip in another drive package OR it may be counterfeit...I'm not sure.

Here are the facts: The drive was purchaed on eBay (I know...alarms..ding, ding,ding) and represented to be a new "not in original package" MZ-7PC256D/KR 256gb 830. No metal Samsung plate. The label looked remarkably like a typical Samsung SSD label, except, right below the left hand blue Samsung oval it has a" made in China" UPC? Square code thing to be read obviously by a machine. No idea what this is called. It has CN-0FMDYD-74235-320-00H6-A01. I see others like this on sale on eBay.

It has the green planet first emblem.m It is represented as a 256GB SSD (SATA 6.0GPS)

The P/N is MZ-7PC256HAFU-00007 Model is MZ7PC256D. Also has FDE, 1308 and REV 0.

There is a rectangular box at top with SATA SSD, 256GB F/WCXM76010.

S/N = S0X0NSAD212849
\Here's where it get's interesting. I use Trim Enabler on MAC OS X 10.8.5. Trim Enabler Trim Enabler identifies it in blue as a Samsung SSD PM830 FDE 2. Underneath, it identifies the drive as "Manufactured by Western" with Firmware CXM76D1Q (which is samsung firmware). Now I do believe that non-Samsung SSDs can be ugraded with SAMSUNG firmware.

So WHAT is this drive. Real/Counterfeit/Samsung chip in a "Western" drive enclosure? And what is the MZ-7PC256DHAFU reserved for? Thanks!!

 

[USAFRet]

How much did you pay for this?

 

[Curtispsf]

Under $200...Did more research and wondering if it might be a Dell branded Samsung Laptop drive? Why did u ask how much I paid as a first question?

 

[USAFRet]

Price is often an indicator of scam or NotScam.

But for an 'under $200' for an 830...you could get an 840 PRO for $200, or an 840 EVO for $140. From a known souce, knowing it is not a scam part.

Depending on where you are, of course. Above prices from Amazon US.

 

[Curtispsf]

Price is often an indicator of scam or NotScam.

But for an 'under $200' for an 830...you could get an 840 PRO for $200, or an 840 EVO for $140. From a known souce, knowing it is not a scam part. I realize price may be indicative, but I'm more interested in what the facts suggest, particularly a well-respected app TE indicating this is a PM 830 which is way better than a consumer 830.

Depending on where you are, of course. Above prices from Amazon US.

 

[Palorim12]

The unit is OEM, like you said, from a DELL, which also means Samsung won't provide warranty service for it.

 

[Curtispsf]

Price is often an indicator of scam or NotScam.

But for an 'under $200' for an 830...you could get an 840 PRO for $200, or an 840 EVO for $140. From a known souce, knowing it is not a scam part.

Depending on where you are, of course. Above prices from Amazon US.

The unit is OEM, like you said, from a DELL, which also means Samsung won't provide warranty service for it.

Price is often an indicator of scam or NotScam.

But for an 'under $200' for an 830...you could get an 840 PRO for $200, or an 840 EVO for $140. From a known souce, knowing it is not a scam part.

Depending on where you are, of course. Above prices from Amazon US.

I posted the "under $200" figure because I didn't want price, alone, to be determinative of whether the drive was real or counterfeit. I paid $135 for it. I DO wonder about Trim Enabler's read that this is a Samsung PM830 FDE which makes it better than a commercial Samsung 830. The manufactured by "Western IN China" is confusing.

 

[popatim]

I have two 830's in a raid 0 on my system. I'll see what the raid controller says about them. I don't recall seeing a 'manufactured by' but I wouldn't have looked for one either.

 

[cryan]

I don't think the PM830 will work with the Samsung Magician Toolbox, but it has a function to report whether a Samsung SSD is genuine or counterfeit. This leads me to conclude that (A) Samsung has had issue with counterfeit SSDs in the past and (B) if you can test it on a PC and Samsung Magician, your questions will be answered. But offhand I know that most Samsung SSDs (every one I've seen) has been made in Korea. It's possible the OEM version was ASSEMBLED in China, though. I don't think Samsung made many FDE versions, and they were all OEM.

 

[Curtispsf]

I have two 830's in a raid 0 on my system. I'll see what the raid controller says about them. I don't recall seeing a 'manufactured by' but I wouldn't have looked for one either.

Did yours have the Samsung plate? Mine didn't...again it looked like an OEM Dell? Samsung. Trim Enabler identifies it as a Samsung PM830 w/FDE which is better than a standard 830....but made in China??

 

[Curtispsf]

I don't think the PM830 will work with the Samsung Magician Toolbox, but it has a function to report whether a Samsung SSD is genuine or counterfeit. This leads me to conclude that (A) Samsung has had issue with counterfeit SSDs in the past and (B) if you can test it on a PC and Samsung Magician, your questions will be answered. But offhand I know that most Samsung SSDs (every one I've seen) has been made in Korea. It's possible the OEM version was ASSEMBLED in China, though. I don't think Samsung made many FDE versions, and they were all OEM.

I'll have to find a windows machine to check it on w/ Samsung Magician Toolbox, thanks. What I find is how Trim Enabler (for Mac) identifies it as a Samsung PM830 and it properly identifies 3other interior drives. Assembled in China is definitely what throws me.

 

[cryan]

I don't think the PM830 will work with the Samsung Magician Toolbox, but it has a function to report whether a Samsung SSD is genuine or counterfeit. This leads me to conclude that (A) Samsung has had issue with counterfeit SSDs in the past and (B) if you can test it on a PC and Samsung Magician, your questions will be answered. But offhand I know that most Samsung SSDs (every one I've seen) has been made in Korea. It's possible the OEM version was ASSEMBLED in China, though. I don't think Samsung made many FDE versions, and they were all OEM.

I'll have to find a windows machine to check it on w/ Samsung Magician Toolbox, thanks. What I find is how Trim Enabler (for Mac) identifies it as a Samsung PM830 and it properly identifies 3other interior drives. Assembled in China is definitely what throws me.

I think you'll find OEM versions won't work. I don't have many here in the lab, but I used a PCIe Samsung OEM SSD recently and it did not work. But as I said, the made in China sticker could simply mean it was assembled there. I think you'll find that if you do some performance testing, it should perform similar to a "real" 830.

Regards,
Christopher Ryan

 

[Curtispsf]

I don't think the PM830 will work with the Samsung Magician Toolbox, but it has a function to report whether a Samsung SSD is genuine or counterfeit. This leads me to conclude that (A) Samsung has had issue with counterfeit SSDs in the past and (B) if you can test it on a PC and Samsung Magician, your questions will be answered. But offhand I know that most Samsung SSDs (every one I've seen) has been made in Korea. It's possible the OEM version was ASSEMBLED in China, though. I don't think Samsung made many FDE versions, and they were all OEM.

I'll have to find a windows machine to check it on w/ Samsung Magician Toolbox, thanks. What I find is how Trim Enabler (for Mac) identifies it as a Samsung PM830 and it properly identifies 3other interior drives. Assembled in China is definitely what throws me.

I think you'll find OEM versions won't work. I don't have many here in the lab, but I used a PCIe Samsung OEM SSD recently and it did not work. But as I said, the made in China sticker could simply mean it was assembled there. I think you'll find that if you do some performance testing, it should perform similar to a "real" 830.

Regards,
Christopher Ryan

hi Christopher...are you able to recommend any mac osx apps to test the drive? I don't have windows loaded but could set it up on an old machine. I tend to agree with your assessment...I think it is a PM830 perhaps assembled in China. It does show as having the same Samsung firmware. Thanks much, Curtis

 

[cryan]

I would look at the SMART data first. If the SMART data is the same as a Samsung 830/PM830, you're probably on the right track. There are several utilities -- including OSx iteslf -- that can pull smart data from the drive. If the attributes are all the same, it's probably samsung firmware running on Samsung's controller. You can definitely do it with Linux if you want to boot from a live CD. Gnome's Disk utility can show SMART data if you're down with linux, and you can cross check the attributes with published 830 SMART attributes -- it may not precisely know the name of the attribute, but the raw decimal values, the attributes, and the number of attributes should help confirm this.

Regards,
Christopher Ryan

Regards,
Christopher Ryan