[Technology] Tech question.

1066familyman

Radio User

Jan 15, 2008

15,246

• Dec 1, 2024

• #1

I'm thinking of buying a job lot of 10 used micro sd cards from Ebay.

They'll go straight into a Linux laptop, via the memory card slot, and formatted to FAT32 for use in a DAP.

I fully accept they may have varying shelf lifes, and some might be no good, but if just half of them work then it's been a good buy.

Only audio files, already backed up in multiple places, will go on them.

My question is:

What's the likelihood of getting a virus from any of the cards, that then infect my laptop?

 

Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!

Helpful Moderator

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Apr 30, 2013

14,163

Herts

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• #2

Pretty high.

 

1066familyman

Radio User

Jan 15, 2008

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• #3

Goldstone1976 said:

Pretty high.

Click to expand...

Thanks.

On what basis?

Is this a known thing that people do on Ebay for example?

 

AmexRuislip

Retired Spy 🕵️‍♂️

Feb 2, 2014

34,983

Ruislip

• Dec 1, 2024

• #4

1066familyman said:

Thanks.

On what basis?

Is this a known thing that people do on Ebay for example?

Click to expand...

It's been Black Friday all bloody weekend and all of the shyster scam artists are on the ball to bugger up some poor sods life for a $$$

Better off buying from a reputable source IMO

 

Last edited: Dec 1, 2024

G

Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull

May 22, 2012

16,293

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• #5

Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again?

 

1066familyman

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Jan 15, 2008

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• #6

AmexRuislip said:

It's been Black Friday all bloody weekend and all of the shyster scam artists are on the ball to bugger up some doors sods life for a $$$

Better off buying from a reputable source IMO

Click to expand...

Yeah, I have always bought from mymemory, or Argos. I won't go near Ebay, or even Amazon, for new cards.

It's just that I'm after 10 on the cheap for a DAP project.

 

M

maffew

Well-known member

Dec 10, 2003

9,070

Worcester England

• Dec 1, 2024

• #7

1066familyman said:

Yeah, I have always bought from mymemory, or Argos. I won't go near Ebay, or even Amazon, for new cards.

It's just that I'm after 10 on the cheap for a DAP project.

Click to expand...

You won't go near ebay for new cards but you will for used ones, even if they don't all work? That makes no sense to me, I personally wouldn't get 2nd hand storage. Reliability/risk aside it's dirt cheap nowadays anyway.

Whats DAP out of interest? How cheap are you after, I mean you can by 10 branded ones on Amazon new for sub 50 quid with thousands of 4x reviews.

 

Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!

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Apr 30, 2013

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• #8

1066familyman said:

Thanks.

On what basis?

Is this a known thing that people do on Ebay for example?

Click to expand...

Putting malware on a SD card is a known way of spreading viruses, yes. EBay is a well known market for 2nd hand stuff; it’s also well known for sometimes being used by unscrupulous sellers. You’re seeking to purchase 10 items. Putting those three things together makes the risk of you putting a virus on your device ‘pretty high’ imo.

 

F

Fungus

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May 21, 2004

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• Dec 1, 2024

• #9

1066familyman said:

I'm thinking of buying a job lot of 10 used micro sd cards from Ebay.

They'll go straight into a Linux laptop, via the memory card slot, and formatted to FAT32 for use in a DAP.

I fully accept they may have varying shelf lifes, and some might be no good, but if just half of them work then it's been a good buy.

Only audio files, already backed up in multiple places, will go on them.

My question is:

What's the likelihood of getting a virus from any of the cards, that then infect my laptop?

Click to expand...

On a Linux laptop? Pretty low, I would have thought.

 

1066familyman

Radio User

Jan 15, 2008

15,246

• Dec 1, 2024

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• #10

Fungus said:

On a Linux laptop? Pretty low, I would have thought.

Click to expand...

And I could do it all on my older Linux laptop that's only used for storage, rather than let them go near my main laptop (also on Linux).

Although I would have to access other external hard drives, via the old laptop too.
Any chance of anything jumping on to those?

 

1066familyman

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Jan 15, 2008

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• #11

maffew said:

You won't go near ebay for new cards but you will for used ones, even if they don't all work? That makes no sense to me, I personally wouldn't get 2nd hand storage. Reliability/risk aside it's dirt cheap nowadays anyway.

Whats DAP out of interest? How cheap are you after, I mean you can by 10 branded ones on Amazon new for sub 50 quid with thousands of 4x reviews.

Click to expand...

Sorry, a DAP is a digital audio player.

I have an old Cowon that has a file limit, and so effectively can only use a 128gb card. My plan then is to split my music across multiple cards for this DAP.

My main DAP has no file limit and can take a card up to 2tb no problem.

I have a few 512gb cards at the mo that I wouldn't have dreamt of buying secondhand, or from Ebay or Amazon. Those are cards that go in my main DAP or phones, and I wouldn't risk those going tits up.

Currently, new 128gb cards are about a tenner from reputable sources.
I could get 10 x 128gb used cards from Ebay for less than £15.

 

BNthree

Plastic JCL

Sep 14, 2016

11,505

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• Dec 1, 2024

• #12

If you’re on an up to date Linux laptop and just putting the cards in to format there’s minimal risk.