SanDisk accused of covering up Macs killing 4TB Extreme Pro SSDs to not upset Apple

[AlTech]

Notes: Whilst Louis Rossmann discussed this topic in this video, he cites various sources of his own which helped him make the video. He's not the original/primary source.

 

Summary

Sandisk is accused of covering up unexpected drive failures of their 4TB Extreme Pro portable SSDs and refusing to publicly discuss the drive failure issues despite applying new firmware to fix the issue in new store bought devices and not fixing the issue (yet) in existing devices.

 

When asked at NAB 2023 if Sandisk would advise their customers to update their firmware, SanDisk said they would not. They do not want their customers knowing about new firmware if new firmware even comes to prevent existing drives from dying.

 

Symptoms of Drive Issue: Sustained write leads to drive failure. Data only sometimes recoverable.

 

Affected Models: SanDisk 4TB Extreme Pro Portable SSD

 

Error: A Mac only (doesn't affect Windows or Linux) firmware Encryption Bit flip error.

 

It is believed that using the device on a Mac, because of a Mac only (doesn't affect Windows or Linux) firmware Encryption Bit Flip error, causes the drive issues and ultimately the drive failure.

 

Quote

This brings us to the conversation I had in NAB show 2023 in Las Vegas last month. I got to speak with the Western Digital and SanDisk reps at their booth. I explained how I was very disappointed that the company had not acknowledge the 4TB drive issues and that I had sworn off purchasing any further products until this issue had been acknowledge and rectified. The lead male rep then proceeded to explain the issue, breaking the issue down into 4 main points:

1) The 4TB drive error had to be identified before any fixes could be generated - The error was identified and determined to be a Mac only firmware/controller encryption bit flip error

 

2) The error as described to me constantly run some kind of encryption check even when the computer is in sleep mode - This constant encryption query request stream was found to be over stressing the SSD controller chips and causing random bit flips. - I can't remember if this only applies to newer M1 or M2 Macs or all current Macs

 

3) Bit flip error was found to be an Encyrption flip which result in catastrophic failure loss - The bit flip causes the drive to become encrypted with no resulting encryption key being available - This is why no data can be recovered from drives that have experienced this error

 

4) Error resolution will be a firmware update for the affected SSD models which to my knowledge are only 4TB models - Supposedly they have applied this fix to new drives manufactured currently but to my knowledge they have not acknowledged publicly yet

 

5) I asked if this would be acknowledged publicly and was told EMPHATICALLY NO - They will only publish the firmware quietly. As per the rep, the company will not acknowledge or discuss publicly their findings or reasons for the firmware update

 

6) I asked if the error drives could be fixed with the firmware update and was told yes - But of course there's no recovering any drive data due to the encryption bit flip. Firmware will only make the drive usable again and no longer susceptible to the encryption bit flip error.

 

Quote

I can only assume that SanDisk does not want to antagonize Apple by publicly highlighting that Mac devices were the cause of the 4TB drive failures. I also assume that by only releasing the firmware update quietly they are attempting to avoid recall or refund of these drives.

 

My thoughts:

What a scumback thing to do. SanDisk should publicly explain the cause of these issues even if it causes embarrasment or upsets Apple. Covering this up in the hopes of sweeping this under the rug should never be allowed to work in this day and age with the internet.

 

Source:

 

[sub68]

4 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

SanDisk should publicly explain the cause of these issues even if it causes embarrasment or upsets Apple.

Its not that, in corporate work these companies going at each others throats over this isnt good to public eye.

Or its becuase sandisk (western digital) doesn't want apple to lawsuit or B loose a business part.

[AlTech]

21 minutes ago, sub68 said:

Its not that, in corporate work these companies going at each others throats over this isnt good to public eye.

Or its becuase sandisk (western digital) doesn't want apple to lawsuit or B loose a business part.

They could just as easily face lawsuits from customers for not issuing a recall or not advising them to update their firmware.

[DrMacintosh]

Even newer Macs do not encrypt whatever external drives are connected to them. I find it odd that this issue is only allegedly coming from Macs when other drives connected to the same models of Mac do not seem to be affected at all. Where are all the other external drives blowing up? As such it does not seem like blaming Apple would be a good idea and it seems more likely that SanDisk shipped bad firmware and their engineers don't want to admit they missed something that every other OEM figured out. 

[AlTech]

3 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Even newer Macs do not encrypt whatever external drives are connected to them. I find it odd that this issue is only allegedly coming from Macs when other drives connected to the same models of Mac do not seem to be affected at all. Where are all the other external drives blowing up? As such it does not seem like blaming Apple would be a good idea and it seems more likely that SanDisk shipped bad firmware and their engineers don't want to admit they missed something that every other OEM figured out. 

It sounds like the controller SanDisk put on the 4TB Extreme Pro SSD can't handle what macOS is doing to it.

[sub68]

On 5/19/2023 at 2:55 PM, AluminiumTech said:

They could just as easily face lawsuits from customers for not issuing a recall or not advising them to update their firmware.

True, I bet there is something more crazy...

I will just still use samsung t7 and t5.

I still use and trust sandisk sd cards.