Flash Extractor of soft media - do you recommend?

[CrazyDoctor]

Hi All,

I am thinking about purchase of Flash Extractor for recovery data from flah cards
http://www.soft-center.ru/reader2eng/

What do you think?
Is it worth the money? if it does, should I buy any add ons in addition to the basic - 210$?
I know that I have to unsolder the chip out of the memory card in order to work with that and it is not simple..


Thanks!

[pcimage]

It's very good, but the learning curve is steep.

Worth every cent IMHO but you will need to buy most of the software licences to get the most out of it.

[CrazyDoctor]

It's very good, but the learning curve is steep.

Worth every cent IMHO but you will need to buy most of the software licences to get the most out of it.

Most of the software licences can be estimate in 2,500$ a little bit expensive.
Is the only Flash Extractor 210$ will give me a good start for most of the Flash cards or at least will be a good use for a big variety of flash cards?

I hope I explained myself well.
Thanks!

[pcimage]

You will need at least some licences.

I would recommend as a minimum:

Block Number
Mix Editor
ECC
SM32xx

[CrazyDoctor]

You will need at least some licences.

I would recommend as a minimum:

Block Number
Mix Editor
ECC
SM32xx

What are those licences? what day are good for?
Is the basic device does not give an answer to a big varity of flash cards?

[drc]

All of this information can be found on the vendor's website

[granaryloaf]

All of this information can be found on the vendor's website

The vendor's site isn't the easiest to understand if you are new to the area.

I would recommend as a minimum:

Block Number
Mix Editor
ECC
SM32xx

This would be a great start:

Block Number - This covers a lot of basic methods that controller manufacturers use to address the data, the most useful being 0000 10 01 which are used by many manufacturers.
Mix Editor - This is the name that Soft-Center give to their visual wear levelling removal utility. This far outstrips PC3K Flash's hex editor/grep method. This is a must for time saving, it also teaches you a lot about how these things work.
ECC - this corrects bit errors within a sector of data based upon special algorithms and data stored in the SA of the sector. Does not work for all controllers and lacks an auto-detect/removal option but is still invaluable.
SM32xx - This is a utility specifically designed for Silicon Motion controllers (those that do not use 0000) and will indeed be very useful to have as they will make up a good deal of any devices that you see. I personally preferred the older manual SM32xx utility to this 'automated' solution, still, you will certainly need it.

[drc]

The vendor's site isn't the easiest to understand if you are new to the area.

Manual flash recovery itself isn't the easiest to understand if you are new to the area, and IMO if you can't even figure out what you need/want to buy, there's no way you're going to be able to figure out how to actually use it.

[code_slave]

I have said this before, if you are not a serious data recovery house and you just want to fool about. then you need a bog standard Nand-Flash chip reader.

Then once you have the binary stream extracted, a simple scripting / java program/ net program / C++ ... whatever, will put you in just as much stead as the 'extractors' you can buy.(and you will learn way more)

If you do not think you are up to understanding a scripting language, then there is a good chance you will not be at a level where you can use these tools.
Because whatever you do/buy you WILL need an in-depth knowledge of Nand-Flash chips (WHY is a page not 512,1024,4096-- even with binary address decoding), ECC schemes, logical block mapping and a rudimentary understanding of electronics, and yes you can 'wing it', but it is better not to spend upwards of $500US to test you ability when you can do it for $50US.
Also, most important even after spending the cash , these kits are NOT a push button solution most of the time.

Personally i'm of the mind that scripting is the best way to describe / model the processes that are occurring in the flash controllers.

I was toying with the idea of posting a simple Nand-Flash chip image to the FQA , so all the would be alchemists could test their prowess , without spending loads of money.

Anyway to recap:
1. Don't buy an expensive tool / license until you understand the process of what you are trying to accomplish.
2. Be prepared for a shit load of research, even after spending a load of money.
3. Be prepared to 'go it alone', be a self starter , self motivated , or whatever other bull-shit management terms they use these days for DIY.
4. Being able to work as a member of a team.... is not a pre-requisit.

[drc]

3. Be prepared to 'go it alone', be a self starter , self motivated , or whatever other bull-shit management terms they use these days for DIY.

This part is what so many people are missing these days. Even if PrinceOfAbyss did muck up his drive, at least he had the nuts to think hard and do something about it afterwards... Anyone who doesn't have at least this level of interest and persistence isn't going to make it in data recovery

[utdr]

I looks like they have just increased the license prices by 2X and ended free updates as the licenses now specify a year.

[drc]

I think you are misreading it... from what I see the licenses don't expire, its just that the $1870 package only includes everything that has been released through the end of this year.

The licenses do look more expensive, but even so, you only have to buy them once. And only when you specifically need them.