New discovery of solid state disk: use software to make exact detection of flash memory particle without removing shell

Solid state disk can’t use software to identify specific hardware parameters like CPU and graphics card, such as master control and flash particle. Although there are software known as having function like this, they are all query the database by the name of disk rather than doing detection of disk.

A foreign programmer developed the procedure for specific master Flash ID, which uses Read Flash ID to directly read ID in flash memory, then analyze type of flash memory in SSD. This article will dismantle it to verify the results from this tool are accurate or not.

TR200 belongs to original Toshiba SATA carrying SBFA15.2, which comes out at March 20th. TR200 uses 64-layer BiCS3 flash memory and Toshiba master control, TC58NC1010GSB

TC58NC1010GSB is developed on the PS3111, so it shares flash memory identify tool developed by PHISON. The result is: Toshiba 96L BiCS TLC 16k 256Gb/CE 256Gb/die 2Plane/die.

Compared with flash memory number TH58LJG9T24TA29, TR200 has updated to 96-layer stacking BiCS4 flash memory. Toshiba announced mass production of BiCS4 last year, so it is no surprising to see it in TR200. 96-layer BiCS4 upgrades to Toggle 3.0 interface with lower operating voltage, energy consumption and temperature.

How does Flash ID recognition program accurately test the type of flash memory? Originally, SSD master control actively read flash memory ID by Read ID command, however, no matter SATA or NVMe doesn’t open software interface, so the information can’t be read by ordinary tools. The string, 0x98,0x3c,0x98,0xb3,0x76,0xe3, showed in Phison flash ID window is the ID of flash memory.

Flash memory ID uses 6 bits hexadecimal codes to store information, of whom the first bit represents manufacturers. 0x98 refers to a code of flash memory developer, Toshiba. Other flash memory original manufacturers include 0xEC(Samsung), 0x45(Sandisk), 0x2C(Micron), 0x89(Intel) and 0xAD(Hynix).

The second bit of flash memory ID is per CE capacity. Firstly, calculate by programmer mode of calculator in Windows. Secondly, input 3C under HEX. Then, it’s BIN can be seen as 0011 1100:

Next, 0011 1100 corresponds to 256Gb by table lookups. The table is offered by manufacturers for master control companies, in order to adapt different master control and firmware program.

We can use the same way to analyze following numbers. The third bit refers to the 8LC flash memory type, TLC type in other words. The fourth bit shows a 16KB per page capacity. The fifth bit refers to 2Plane flash memory. The sixth bit means this flash memory belongs to the fourth generation of 3D stacking flash memory(BiCS4), which is same with Toggle synchronization type. Toshiba has placed placeholder for the eighth generation. BiCS8 may be launched four or five years later.

Of course, table lookups aren’t always on our own. The author of Flash ID tool, Ochkin Vadim, has put current flash memory ID data into the software. As a result, it will display flash memory ID and its corresponding type.

Unfortunately, only manufacturer and model information can be seen from flash memory ID, while quality level like white chip and black chip still can’t be seen. If user want to purchase original chips with high quality, original brand SSD like Toshiba is well-advised.