[chirp_users] FTDI Chipset driver bricking fake FTDI chips
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well.
Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP).
I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips.
Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver.
Sources: - http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-ki... - http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/ - http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0
Thanks for the information. I'm sure many users are going to find this useful.
Sent from my Black and Decker Toaster Oven On Oct 22, 2014 1:33 PM, "Aubrey Turner" aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com wrote:
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well.
Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP).
I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips.
Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver.
Sources:
http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-ki...
- http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/
- http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
and it changes.....
/. FTDI Removes Driver From Windows Update That Bricked Cloned Chips
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/14/10/24/1330252/ftdi-removes-driver-from...
On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Aubrey Turner aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com wrote:
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well.
Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP).
I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips.
Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver.
Sources:
http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-ki...
- http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/
- http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
I wondered how long that would last.
Lots of people were very angry with FTDI on this one. I can understand them not wanting their driver to work with counterfeit chips, but they went too far.
As I understand it, they are going to do the same thing as Prolific and prevent the driver from working with counterfeit chips going forward. In the interim, MS has rolled back the FTDI driver on the Windows auto-update service (so no one will get the "bad" driver going forward) while FTDI is preparing a new version of the driver to go out soon that will simply error out when it detects a fake chip (no more bricking).
On 10/24/2014 02:17 PM, n4lbl wrote:
and it changes.....
/. FTDI Removes Driver >From Windows Update That Bricked Cloned Chips
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/14/10/24/1330252/ftdi-removes-driver-from...
On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Aubrey Turner <aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com mailto:aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com> wrote:
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well. Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP). I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips. Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver. Sources: - http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-killing-fake-chips/ - http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/ - http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0 _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com <mailto:chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com> http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
No chips were "bricked". "Bricked" implies that the chip will no longer function, period. They can be restored and there are videos appearing that show how to do it.
Jim KC9HI
On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 3:29 PM, Aubrey Turner aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com wrote:
I wondered how long that would last.
Lots of people were very angry with FTDI on this one. I can understand them not wanting their driver to work with counterfeit chips, but they went too far.
As I understand it, they are going to do the same thing as Prolific and prevent the driver from working with counterfeit chips going forward. In the interim, MS has rolled back the FTDI driver on the Windows auto-update service (so no one will get the "bad" driver going forward) while FTDI is preparing a new version of the driver to go out soon that will simply error out when it detects a fake chip (no more bricking).
On 10/24/2014 02:17 PM, n4lbl wrote:
and it changes.....
/. FTDI Removes Driver >From Windows Update That Bricked Cloned Chips
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/14/10/24/1330252/ftdi-removes-driver-from...
On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Aubrey Turner aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com wrote:
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well.
Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP).
I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips.
Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver.
Sources:
http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-ki...
- http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/
- http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0
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Technically no chips were bricked. That is correct. But for the average consumer the point is meaningless. The driver rendered their device unusable. Hams are a bit different as far as handling technical issues, but think about your hypothetical Aunt Millie. She'd plug in whatever device she'd been using after the upgrade and it wouldn't work. As far as Aunt Millie is concern it is bricked.
Cheers, Jim
Jim McCorison Orcas Island, WA
On Oct 24, 2014, at 12:34 PM, Jim Unroe rock.unroe@gmail.com wrote:
No chips were "bricked". "Bricked" implies that the chip will no longer function, period. They can be restored and there are videos appearing that show how to do it.
Jim KC9HI
In my computer hobby, "bricked" has typically meant that the device has been rendered in a non-functional state. This term is used even if the device might be salvageable, but typically it will take expert knowledge or significant bother to get it working again. That is indeed the case here.
Jim VE5EIS
-----Original Message----- From: chirp_users-bounces@intrepid.danplanet.com [mailto:chirp_users-bounces@intrepid.danplanet.com] On Behalf Of Jim Unroe Sent: October-24-14 1:34 PM To: Discussion of CHIRP Subject: Re: [chirp_users] FTDI Chipset driver bricking fake FTDI chips
No chips were "bricked". "Bricked" implies that the chip will no longer function, period. They can be restored and there are videos appearing that show how to do it.
"Soft bricked" - bricked from a functional perspective, but recoverable using software methods and common household interfaces.
"Hard bricked" - toast. replacement of parts, offboard programming of EEPROM devices or use of JTAG ports required to recover.
The FTDI driver issue was a soft brick.
On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 3:40 PM, Jim MacKenzie jim@photojim.ca wrote:
In my computer hobby, "bricked" has typically meant that the device has been rendered in a non-functional state. This term is used even if the device might be salvageable, but typically it will take expert knowledge or significant bother to get it working again. That is indeed the case here.
Jim VE5EIS
-----Original Message----- From: chirp_users-bounces@intrepid.danplanet.com [mailto:chirp_users-bounces@intrepid.danplanet.com] On Behalf Of Jim Unroe Sent: October-24-14 1:34 PM To: Discussion of CHIRP Subject: Re: [chirp_users] FTDI Chipset driver bricking fake FTDI chips
No chips were "bricked". "Bricked" implies that the chip will no longer function, period. They can be restored and there are videos appearing that show how to do it.
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
If I brick a phone for example, it my still be possible to unbrick it. It doesn't mean it's not bricked at some point. FTDI has just made me buy EVEN MORE from China direct. FTDI's attitude stinks and shows nothing but greed and an attitude of contempt. I have learnt from this that there are alternatives IC's that are pin for pin compatible with there own PID and VID codes that have their own drivers. So if I find I have a suspect device, I will not be paying for a FTDI product, real or not. I will buy those and more fakes.
So far I have purchased over 200 items over the last few years from China knowing most were fakes. There were some items that I brought that work much better or more to the spec advertised than the item they were replicating. I have had a phone with better spec (measurable spec that is) than the iphone it was a copy of. I wouldn't buy an iphone myself anyway, I don't want DRM or closed source rubbish cluttering my shack. As it happens there are many chips out there that do what FTDI chips do, and I will be investigating those and if it means buying a batch of the next generation FTDI cloned chips that perhaps have different PID and VID, possibly unused by any other device? so be it. I'm not spending my money on real FTDI stuff ever again.
What FTDI has done is irresponsible and unacceptable.
Dennis Smith M1DLG
On 24 October 2014 20:40, Jim MacKenzie jim@photojim.ca wrote:
In my computer hobby, "bricked" has typically meant that the device has been rendered in a non-functional state. This term is used even if the device might be salvageable, but typically it will take expert knowledge or significant bother to get it working again. That is indeed the case here.
Jim VE5EIS
-----Original Message----- From: chirp_users-bounces@intrepid.danplanet.com [mailto:chirp_users-bounces@intrepid.danplanet.com] On Behalf Of Jim Unroe Sent: October-24-14 1:34 PM To: Discussion of CHIRP Subject: Re: [chirp_users] FTDI Chipset driver bricking fake FTDI chips
No chips were "bricked". "Bricked" implies that the chip will no longer function, period. They can be restored and there are videos appearing that show how to do it.
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
The problem is China's patent laws are so messed up and companies do not pay attention to it before shipping manufacturing there.
Basically regardless of international patent status if your patents are not on file with China's patent office it's perfectly ok for a manufacturing company to copy your device/process for their own, or at least in China's eyes. Of course if your patents are on file that only makes a tiny bit of difference and they still get copied. The solution is quit manufacturing EVERYTHING in China unless you WANT it copied.
I don't agree with China but at this point it's well known enough that if you manufacture in China then complain about it getting copied, you should really be blaming the man in the mirror.
KB9YEN Bryan McWhirt bryan@kb9yen.com
On 10/24/14 3:29 PM, Aubrey Turner wrote:
I wondered how long that would last.
Lots of people were very angry with FTDI on this one. I can understand them not wanting their driver to work with counterfeit chips, but they went too far.
As I understand it, they are going to do the same thing as Prolific and prevent the driver from working with counterfeit chips going forward. In the interim, MS has rolled back the FTDI driver on the Windows auto-update service (so no one will get the "bad" driver going forward) while FTDI is preparing a new version of the driver to go out soon that will simply error out when it detects a fake chip (no more bricking).
On 10/24/2014 02:17 PM, n4lbl wrote:
and it changes.....
/. FTDI Removes Driver >From Windows Update That Bricked Cloned Chips
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/14/10/24/1330252/ftdi-removes-driver-from...
On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Aubrey Turner <aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com mailto:aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com> wrote:
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well. Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP). I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips. Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver. Sources: - http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-killing-fake-chips/ - http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/ - http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0 _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com <mailto:chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com> http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
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This is kind of like the author of a popular CD burning software back when CDR started showing up. This software was pirated and the author knew it. He posted a new version that if you had a pirated copy, it would fill your had drive full of 1's and 0's. I thought that was going too far like FTDI is by bricking counterfeit chips.
On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 3:17 PM, n4lbl alan.schulman@gmail.com wrote:
and it changes.....
/. FTDI Removes Driver >From Windows Update That Bricked Cloned Chips
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/14/10/24/1330252/ftdi-removes-driver-from...
On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Aubrey Turner aubrey.c.turner@gmail.com wrote:
The common wisdom with regards to USB-to-serial cables seems to be that one should pick FTDI over Prolific because of all the Prolific counterfeits in circulation. It seems that this is now becoming a problem with FTDI, as well.
Up to now it was not a problem for the end-user. FTDI has decided to change that with their latest driver, which changes the configuration of a "fake" FTDI chip so that it is rendered useless (at least without a bit of fiddling with configuration tools and device IDs on Linux or XP).
I hadn't realized that FTDI had such an issue with fake chips until I read this article. Some of the comments point out that the end-user of the device has no way of knowing whether the chip is genuine or not. Further, as noted above, many in the radio programming community purchased devices touted as having FTDI chips in good faith as an effort to avoid the counterfeits Prolific chips.
Anyway, if you suddenly have issues with your FTDI USB-to-serial adapter, take a look and see if the PID has been changed to 0. If so, then you may have been affected by this new driver.
Sources:
http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-ki...
- http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/
- http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=270175.0
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participants (11)
-
Aubrey Turner -
Bryan McWhirt -
Denis Dimick -
Dennis Smith -
Jim MacKenzie -
Jim McCorison -
Jim Unroe -
Milton -
n4lbl -
simon＠mungewell.org -
Tom Morris