Question HDD Aliexpress

classicaran88

On Aliexpress they sell used HDDS as if they were new they show good health and few hours of use on Crystal Disk Info what do they change to show this?

Do they also remove or change important 2.5" HDD functions like power management and other "features"?

oleksandr-lukashyn

Hi, classicaran88 , look, I’ve never bought these types of drives, and I wouldn’t recommend it to you either—but of course, you’re free to do as you wish.

Regarding these drives, I can say for sure that it’s possible to modify SMART parameters and total power-on hours using specialized software.
There’s no guarantee that the CrystalDiskInfo screenshots shown in the listing actually belong to the drive you’ll receive.

Because of this, buying such a drive carries significant risk. You might get lucky, or you might end up with a disk that won’t last even six months. Right now, HDD prices are fairly reasonable, so I’d personally go for a new drive from a reputable manufacturer to ensure reliable long-term use.