DEV Community: Miftahul Rizki

How to Spot a Fake External SSD: 7 Red Flags and How to Test Its Real Capacity

Miftahul Rizki — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:47:30 +0000

A fake external SSD is a drive whose firmware has been modified to report more capacity than its actual chip holds — for example, a 64GB chip that shows up as 2TB. Anything written past the real capacity gets discarded or overwrites older data. The files still look present in the folder, but their contents are corrupt. That is why the most important test happens right after delivery, before you trust the drive with anything important.

Before you buy

Price far below market: treat anything under about 50% of the official price of a comparable drive as a warning, not a bargain.
Suspicious seller: brand-new store, generic repeated reviews, bombastic claims with no official model number or warranty.
Impossible specs: a matchbox-sized "16TB" or "32TB" drive for pennies, or speed claims that exceed the port itself (e.g. 1,000 MB/s over USB 2.0).
Sloppy packaging: blurry print, spelling errors, tilted logos, re-glued hologram seals, no serial number.

After you have it

Speed collapses after the first few gigabytes: fast at first, then falls off a cliff once the real capacity is exceeded.
Files corrupt shortly after copying: photos that will not open, videos that stop midway, ZIP files that fail to extract.
Official software does not recognize it: Samsung Magician, WD Dashboard, or CrystalDiskInfo shows a different model or firmware than the label. Check the serial number on the manufacturer's site too.

Test the real capacity

A quick Properties check proves nothing — Windows only shows what the controller reports. Use ValiDrive (free, Windows) for a fast random spot-check across the claimed range: green means verified, red means fake or damaged areas. For a definitive answer, run H2testw (Windows) or f3 (Linux/macOS), which write to the full claimed capacity and read everything back. It is slow on large drives, but pass means genuine and fail means fake or faulty.

I simulated this failure mode myself on my computer: I wrote 100 numbered 1MB blocks, as if to a 100MB drive, onto a 20MB image file with writes wrapping back to the start the way a fake controller does. Only 20 of the 100 blocks read back correctly — the first block even read back as block 80, overwritten. That is exactly how data dies on a fake SSD. (This was a simulation on an image file, not a test of a physical SSD.)

Also check health with CrystalDiskInfo (model, firmware, SMART Percentage Used) and speed with CrystalDiskMark using a large test size. Note: about 7% less displayed capacity than the box is normal — 1TB advertised shows as about 931 GiB — because manufacturers count in decimal and operating systems in binary. A huge gap, like a "2TB" drive showing 64GB, is the real red flag.

If you already bought one

Stop using it, copy out whatever still reads (verifying each file), screenshot your test results, and file a return/refund with the marketplace using the test evidence — not just "item not as described".

Read the full Indonesian guide with the complete checklist and step-by-step recovery plan: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/ciri-ciri-ssd-eksternal-palsu-7-tanda.html

How to Reduce System Data on iPhone: 7 Safe Steps That Actually Work

Miftahul Rizki — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 01:40:46 +0000

If you have ever opened iPhone Storage and been shocked by a huge grey "System Data" bar, you are not alone. System Data — formerly called "Other" — holds caches, logs, Spotlight indexes, Siri voices, fonts, and other temporary files iOS uses to run smoothly. Apple says much of it is managed automatically, so there is no single button to delete it. What you can do is shrink its sources, one by one.

Start by checking the real numbers: Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Wait for the list to finish calculating, then look at System Data and your three largest apps. On a 128 GB iPhone, 20 GB of System Data is about 15.6% of total capacity; on a 64 GB model, 15 GB is already 23.4%. That is why smaller iPhones feel full so much faster.

Then work through the steps in order. First, clear Safari's history and website data (Settings > Apps > Safari). You may need to sign in to some sites again, but your photos and messages are untouched. Second, tidy up Messages: check Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Messages for the biggest conversations and attachments, save anything you want to keep, and set messages to auto-delete after 30 days or one year instead of forever.

Third, offload apps you rarely open. Offloading removes the app but keeps its data, so reinstalling restores it — unlike deleting, which removes both. Fourth, clean streaming-app caches one app at a time. iPhones have no "clear all cache" button, so use each app's own clear-cache setting where available, or delete and reinstall the app (after making sure playlists and downloads are synced to your account).

Fifth, restart the phone and update iOS if space allows; a restart lets iOS recalculate storage and drop temporary files, and syncing with a Mac or PC can trigger further cleanup of old logs. Only as a last resort, back up the phone, verify the backup is complete, erase all content, and restore. Never erase without a verified backup — the space you gain is never worth lost photos and chats.

Finally, skip the viral tricks. No third-party "cleaner" app can reach iOS system files by design, so those apps cannot truly clean System Data. Build the habits instead: automatic offloading, limited message retention, and moving old photos off the phone before it fills up. The full step-by-step guide with the complete checklist is on my blog: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-mengurangi-penyimpanan-sistem-di.html — and if your iCloud storage is also full, this iCloud cleanup guide pairs with it: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-mengatasi-penyimpanan-icloud-penuh.html

How to Fix an External Hard Drive That Asks to Be Formatted: Save Your Data First

Miftahul Rizki — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 01:33:02 +0000

When you plug in an external hard drive and Windows says "You need to format the disk before you can use it", do not click Format. That message usually means Windows cannot read the filesystem, not that your data is gone. In many cases the files are still intact inside the drive. The full Indonesian guide is here: How to Fix an External Hard Drive That Asks to Be Formatted (https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-memperbaiki-hardisk-eksternal-yang.html).

First, close the dialog and check the simple things: try another USB port (preferably a direct USB 3.0 port, not a cheap hub), try another cable, and try another computer. If the drive works elsewhere, the problem is your computer, not the drive. Then open Disk Management (Win + X) and note the status: RAW, Unallocated, or missing drive letter.

Second, and most important: save your data before any repair. Tools like CHKDSK are designed to make a filesystem consistent, not to save your files, and they can overwrite the very structures recovery depends on. Scan the drive with a recovery tool such as Recuva or PhotoRec, install it on your system drive (never on the drive you are recovering), and save recovered files to a different healthy drive. I tested this principle directly: on a 64 MB FAT32 test image, I zeroed the 512-byte boot sector so the filesystem became unreadable, yet all 300 lines of a sample text file were still readable from the raw bytes, and TestDisk still detected the partition. An unreadable filesystem is not the same as lost data.

Third, only after your data is safe, repair the filesystem with CHKDSK. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run: chkdsk X: /f /r (replace X with your drive letter). The /f flag fixes errors, /r finds bad sectors and recovers readable information. For large drives this takes a while, so do not unplug the drive mid-process. If CHKDSK says it is not available for RAW drives, move to TestDisk: this free, open-source tool can find a lost partition and rewrite its boot sector. Only press Write once you are sure the partition it found is the right one.

Finally, reformat only after your data is safe elsewhere. Use NTFS for Windows-only use, or exFAT if the drive moves between Windows and Mac. After formatting, test it: copy a large file, eject properly, reconnect, and confirm the file opens. If the drive asks to be formatted again soon after, suspect the hardware: cable, enclosure, or the drive itself.

Stop and get professional help if the drive clicks, grinds, smells burnt, or is not detected on any computer. Physical damage cannot be fixed by software, and every extra power cycle can make it worse. For the complete step-by-step version with prevention tips, read the original guide: How to Fix an External Hard Drive That Asks to Be Formatted (https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-memperbaiki-hardisk-eksternal-yang.html).

How to Fix a Slow External Hard Drive: 8 Steps That Actually Work

Miftahul Rizki — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 02:46:39 +0000

Is your external hard drive suddenly crawling when copying files? A healthy USB 3.0 HDD should hit 80–130 MB/s on large sequential transfers. If yours drops to 5–10 MB/s, something is wrong — and most causes are fixable without a repair shop.

Here are 8 steps, ordered from easiest to most drastic:

1. Swap the cable and use a USB 3.0 port. A worn cable can tank transfer speeds. Plug into a blue USB 3.0 port — on desktops, use the rear ports, which have more stable power than front-panel ones.

2. Scan for malware. Viruses can keep the drive busy in the background. Run a full scan with Windows Security, targeting the external drive.

3. Run chkdsk. Open an admin Command Prompt and run chkdsk E: /f /r (replace E: with your drive letter). /f fixes filesystem errors, /r hunts bad sectors. A 1 TB drive can take 1–3 hours — don't unplug it mid-scan.

4. Defragment (HDD only, never SSD). Fragmentation forces the drive head to jump around to assemble one file. Use Windows' built-in "Defragment and Optimize Drives" tool and hit Optimize. I tested the principle myself on a Linux VM: an 80 MB file written to a hole-riddled filesystem split into 10 extents, vs only 2 extents on a fresh filesystem — identical md5, so the data was fine, just scattered. Same physics applies to your HDD.

5. Enable write caching. In Device Manager > Disk drives > your drive > Properties > Policies, switch to "Better performance". Warning: you must use "Safely Remove Hardware" every time afterward.

6. Update or reinstall the driver. Device Manager > Disk drives > right-click > Update driver. If that fails, uninstall the device, replug, and let Windows reinstall.

7. Free up space. Below ~10% free space, the drive struggles to find contiguous room for new writes and fragmentation snowballs. Delete duplicates and junk.

8. Reformat as a last resort. Back up everything first — formatting wipes the drive and rebuilds a clean filesystem. NTFS for Windows-only use, exFAT if you share with Mac.

When to replace instead: clicking/grinding noises, bad sectors that keep growing in chkdsk, or slowness that survives a reformat mean physical wear. Check SMART status with CrystalDiskInfo — "Caution" or "Bad" means migrate your data now.

Full Indonesian version with screenshots: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-mengatasi-hardisk-eksternal-lemot.html

iCloud Storage Full? 7 Steps to Audit, Clean Up, and Decide on an Upgrade

Miftahul Rizki — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 04:06:04 +0000

Apple gives every account just 5 GB of free iCloud storage, shared across photos, device backups, Messages, iCloud Drive, and app data. One iPhone backup alone runs 2–6 GB, so the free tier fills up fast. When it does, backups stall, new photos stop syncing, and the "iCloud Storage Full" alert won't go away.

Here is the order that actually works — audit first, delete second.

1. Audit before you delete. Open Settings > [your name] > iCloud and check the storage breakdown. The usual suspects: device backups (biggest), photos and videos, Messages attachments, then app data. Note that I don't own an iPhone, so the steps below come from Apple's official docs — the only thing I computed myself is how fast 5 GB fills: roughly 1,707 HEIF photos, or under 13 minutes of 4K video.

2. Delete old device backups. Upgraded phones leave full backups behind. Removing one stale backup can free 2–6 GB in minutes. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups.

3. Tame Photos. Turn on Optimize iPhone Storage (Settings > Photos), merge duplicates via the Duplicates folder, and move old videos to external storage. Moving iPhone photos to a flash drive is straightforward with the right adapter — I covered the methods in detail in my guide to fixing full iCloud storage.

4. Shrink WhatsApp backup. On iPhone, WhatsApp backs up to iCloud, and including videos balloons it. Exclude videos in WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, and turn off iCloud backup for apps you don't care about.

5. Clean Messages attachments. Years-old iMessage threads quietly hoard photos and videos — a single busy thread can exceed 1 GB. Delete from Manage Account Storage > Messages > Top Conversations.

6. Empty iCloud Drive trash. Deleted files sit in Recently Deleted for 30 days and still count against your quota. Empty it manually if you need space now.

7. Decide on an upgrade. If cleanup isn't enough, iCloud+ 50 GB is the cheapest fix. For reference, in Indonesia (after Apple's July 2026 price hike) iCloud+ 200 GB costs Rp59,000/month while Google One 200 GB is Rp43,000/month — but only iCloud+ can hold iPhone device backups. My full breakdown with the Indonesia price table is in the complete Indonesian guide.

The pattern: audit, kill stale backups, clean photos — those two steps alone free gigabytes for most people without spending anything.

What to Do With a Swollen Power Bank: Emergency Steps and Safe Disposal

Miftahul Rizki — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:59:47 +0000

If your power bank suddenly looks thicker than usual — the casing bulging, the seams splitting, the body no longer sitting flat on a table — that's a swollen power bank. Here's the honest truth, based on safety guidance from Samsung, CNN, and battery experts: a swollen power bank cannot be fixed. The correct response is to stop using it and dispose of it safely.

Why does it swell?

Most power banks use lithium-ion or lithium-polymer cells. When a cell ages, overheats, gets overcharged, suffers physical damage, or was built with cheap cells lacking proper protection circuits, the electrolyte inside breaks down (electrolyte decomposition) and releases gas. That gas gets trapped inside the sealed cell, pressure builds, and the pack expands. Heat is the biggest accelerator — a power bank left in a hot car or charged overnight for years is a classic candidate.

Emergency steps (do these now)

Stop using and stop charging it. Charging generates more heat and gas — the exact opposite of what you need. Unplug everything.
Don't press, puncture, or try to "deflate" it. Pressing can tear the layers inside the cell and cause an internal short. Puncturing is far worse: lithium electrolyte is flammable.
Move it to a fire-safe surface. A ceramic tile floor, a baking tray, or a ceramic plate — somewhere away from fabric, wood, and paper. Keep kids and pets away.
Don't wrap it tightly or tape its vents shut. The gas needs somewhere to go; sealing it raises internal pressure.
Watch for escalation signs. If it feels hot, hisses, smokes, or smells strongly of chemicals, take it outside immediately and call local emergency services. Don't use water.

One thing people forget: never fly with a swollen power bank. Aviation rules treat power banks as spare lithium batteries (cabin only), and damaged or swollen units are banned from flights entirely.

The freezer myth

You've probably seen the advice to put a swollen battery in the freezer to "shrink" it. It's a myth. Samsung explicitly advises against putting electronic devices or their components in a fridge or freezer. Cold doesn't remove the trapped gas, so the swelling won't deflate — and once the battery warms back up, the pressure is right back. As CNN reported, the only real fix for a swollen battery is replacing it. Swelling can be prevented, not cured.

How to dispose of it safely

Drain it fully — use it until dead or leave it until it dies on its own. A charged pack can short during transport.
Tape the terminals — cover all USB ports and exposed metal with electrical tape to prevent accidental short circuits.
Bag it in non-conductive packaging and label it as a swollen lithium battery so handlers know to use special procedures.
Take it to an e-waste collection point — never household trash, never burn it, never toss it in a river. In Indonesia, used batteries are classified as B3 hazardous waste; check your local environmental agency (Dinas Lingkungan Hidup) or e-waste drop boxes in major cities.
Transport carefully — don't stack heavy items on it or let it get crushed.

Preventing it next time

When you replace it, prioritize listed safety protections — overcharge, short-circuit, over-current, and temperature protection — over the biggest mAh number. Buy from official channels with a real warranty; no-name packs without protection circuits are the most common swelling cases. And build better habits: unplug when full, keep it out of heat, and use quality cables and chargers.

I wrote a longer Indonesian version of this safety guide with the full step-by-step and prevention tips here: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/cara-mengatasi-powerbank-kembung.html. Stay safe out there.

External SSDs for iPhone: What Actually Works for ProRes Recording

Miftahul Rizki — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:03:17 +0000

Since the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple lets you record ProRes video straight to external storage over USB-C — and for ProRes 4K at 60fps or higher, an external SSD isn't optional, it's required. Here's the practical guide I put together (full version with my own cost calculations: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/ssd-eksternal-untuk-iphone-panduan.html).

Which iPhones support it?

Only USB-C iPhones (15 and newer) can read external SSDs, and only Pro models can record ProRes directly to one. iPhone 14 and older with Lightning are out entirely — no adapter changes that. The SSD must be formatted exFAT or APFS, and your cable must be rated USB 3 at 10 Gbps minimum. The cable in the iPhone box is USB 2 only, and it's the single most common point of failure.

The speed math

Apple requires sustained write speeds around 220 MB/s for ProRes 4K60 and 440 MB/s for 4K120. I ran the numbers from Apple's official ProRes 422 HQ bitrates (4K30 = 734 Mbps, 4K60 = 1468 Mbps, 4K120 = 2937 Mbps): a 1TB SSD holds roughly 182 minutes at 4K30, 91 minutes at 4K60, and 45 minutes at 4K120. That lines up with real-world reviews measuring about 72 minutes of ProRes Log 4K60 per terabyte (Log runs heavier than HQ).

SSD vs iCloud: the 3-year cost

A portable 1TB SSD costs around $120–130 once. iCloud+ 2TB in Indonesia is now Rp199,000/month (~$12). Over three years that's roughly $120 vs $430 — the SSD breaks even around month 11. SSD wins for big video files and offline access; iCloud wins for automatic sync and backup across devices. Many creators use both: SSD for footage, iCloud for photos.

Three picks worth considering

SanDisk Creator Phone SSD — MagSafe magnetic back, 1000/950 MB/s, IP65 dust/water resistance, 54g. The most iPhone-native option.
Lexar Professional Go — 1050/1000 MB/s, plugs straight in with no cable, ships with a 4-port USB-C hub. Built for creator rigs.
Any generic 10 Gbps USB-C portable SSD — cheapest path if you just need extra storage; verify the 10 Gbps rating in the official specs, not just the "USB-C" label.

Mistakes to avoid

Don't use the iPhone's bundled cable (USB 2). Don't leave the drive formatted NTFS (iPhone can't write to it). Don't buy a drive whose sustained write speed is under 220 MB/s if you plan to shoot ProRes 4K60. And never unplug the SSD mid-recording — the file will be corrupt.

If you want the full breakdown — step-by-step connection guide, the complete recording workflow, and my full calculation tables — it's on the main blog: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/ssd-eksternal-untuk-iphone-panduan.html

7 Best Flash Drives for iPhone in 2026 (Lightning & USB-C)

Miftahul Rizki — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:31:10 +0000

Moving photos and videos off an iPhone shouldn't require a cloud subscription. But pick the wrong flash drive and it won't even fit — iPhones split into two port generations: Lightning (iPhone 14 and older) and USB-C (iPhone 15 and newer). Here's a practical shortlist based on official Apple and SanDisk documentation plus current Indonesian market pricing (October 2026).

Match the connector to your iPhone first

This is the one rule that matters. Lightning iPhones need a Lightning-connector drive — ideally MFi-certified — and note that Lightning drives don't appear in the Files app; they need the manufacturer's companion app. USB-C iPhones (15 and up) are far easier: any USB-C drive shows up directly in Files under Locations. Dual-connector drives (Lightning + USB-C, or USB-C + USB-A) cover every device you own.

Also know your formats: iOS reads exFAT and FAT32, not NTFS. FAT32 caps single files at 4 GB, so pick exFAT if you move large 4K videos.

The shortlist

1. SanDisk iXpand Luxe — best overall. Lightning + USB-C, USB 3.1 Gen 1, swiveling metal body, automatic photo/video backup via the companion app. The safest single purchase (~Rp1.2–1.3M for 128 GB in Indonesia).

2. SanDisk iXpand Flip — best if your laptop still has USB-A. Lightning + USB-A with a flip cap, same auto-backup features (~Rp890K–1.1M for 128 GB).

3. SanDisk Phone Drive — the fast newcomer. Lightning + USB-C, USB 3.2 with up to 90 MB/s reads, metal design. The USB-C-only 128 GB variant runs about Rp400K — great value for USB-C iPhone owners.

4. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go — best value for iPhone 15/16/17. USB-C + USB-A, USB 3.2, appears directly in Files. Around Rp250–440K for 128 GB.

5. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe — premium metal build. Same USB-C + USB-A combo as the Go in a tougher unibody metal shell (~Rp230–510K for 128 GB).

6. Lexar JumpDrive D400 — cheapest reputable option. Metal USB-C + USB-A, USB 3.2, around Rp180K for 128 GB. USB-C iPhones only.

7. iDiskk Photo Stick 4-in-1 — best for multi-device households. Lightning, USB-C, USB-A, and micro-USB in one stick. Handy if you juggle old and new devices, though warranty support varies by seller.

How to actually use one

Plug it in, then open Files (USB-C) or the manufacturer's app (Lightning). The easiest photo transfer: Photos app → select → Share → Save to Files → pick the drive. One gotcha: some drives draw 500 mA, more than an iPhone supplies, so they won't be detected — use an adapter with a power passthrough port in that case.

Buy from a trusted seller with official warranty — counterfeit drives with fake capacities are still rampant on marketplaces. Full Indonesian guide with prices and FAQ: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/rekomendasi-flashdisk-untuk-iphone-7.html

NAS vs Google Drive: Which Is More Worth It? I Ran the 3-Year Cost Numbers

Miftahul Rizki — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 02:12:43 +0000

Running out of Google Drive storage? Since Google raised Google One prices in Indonesia in February 2025 (the 2TB plan went from IDR 135,000 to IDR 158,000/month), more people are eyeing a NAS (Network Attached Storage) — pay once, no monthly fees ever.

But is a NAS actually cheaper? I ran the 3-year total cost of ownership numbers myself in Indonesian rupiah, and the result surprised me.

The 3-year cost math

NAS setup (2-bay, ~4TB usable):

Synology DS223j unit: ~IDR 3,200,000
2x WD Red Plus 4TB NAS drives: ~IDR 4,100,000
Electricity for 3 years (16W, 24/7): ~IDR 619,000
Total: ~IDR 7,919,237

Google One 2TB: IDR 158,000/month x 36 = IDR 5,688,000

Google One wins by about IDR 2.2 million over 3 years. The break-even point only arrives at month 52 — a NAS starts paying off after 4+ years of use. (Full breakdown with my calculation script: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/nas-vs-google-drive-mana-yang-lebih.html.)

Speed: no contest on local network

A home NAS over Gigabit LAN does ~110 MB/s — roughly 44x faster than a typical home internet upload (my reference: ~2.5 MBps on a 100 Mbps plan). Moving a 50GB video file takes ~8 minutes locally vs ~6 hours to the cloud.

Privacy vs convenience

NAS wins privacy: your files live on hardware you own. Google encrypts your files but holds the keys, and its ToS allows file scanning. Google Drive wins convenience by a mile: 5-minute signup, real-time collaboration, instant link sharing.

Risks nobody mentions

NAS risks are physical: drive failure (mitigated by RAID 1), ransomware (mitigated by snapshots), power outages. You're the admin — full power, full responsibility. Drive risks are administrative: Google can lock your account, and it already raised prices unilaterally in 2025.

Verdict

Choose Google One if you need under 2TB, collaborate often, and hate tinkering. Choose NAS if you need 4TB+, care about privacy, move big files daily, or plan to use it 5+ years. Many people end up with both.

I published the full Indonesian version with detailed tables and setup steps here: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/nas-vs-google-drive-mana-yang-lebih.html.

How to Transfer Photos from an iPhone to a USB Flash Drive (4 Methods)

Miftahul Rizki — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 03:47:11 +0000

iPhones don't have a microSD slot, so when storage fills up, a USB flash drive is one of the most practical escape routes. Here are four reliable methods, depending on your iPhone model and what gear you have.

1. Plug directly into a USB-C iPhone (iPhone 15 and newer)

Connect a USB-C flash drive straight into the port (use a USB-C to USB-A adapter for older drives). Open the built-in Files app, check the drive shows up under Browse, then in the Photos app select your pictures, tap Share, choose Save to Files, pick the flash drive, and tap Save. Eject the drive in Files before unplugging it.

2. Use a Lightning to USB adapter (iPhone 14 and older)

Same flow, but you need Apple's Lightning to USB Camera Adapter as a bridge. Connect the adapter to the iPhone, plug the flash drive into the adapter, tap Allow if prompted, then use Files + Photos exactly as above. One caveat: some flash drives draw more power than the iPhone can supply over Lightning and won't mount. The Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter (which has an extra Lightning port for a charger) solves this.

3. A made-for-iPhone flash drive with its own app

Dual-connector drives (Lightning on one end, USB-A on the other, e.g. SanDisk iXpand) plug straight into the iPhone with no adapter. Install the companion app from the App Store, grant photo access, and use its copy/backup button. Many of these apps offer automatic backup every time the drive is connected.

4. Through a laptop (Windows or Mac)

Connect the iPhone with a cable, tap Trust on the phone. On Windows, open File Explorer: the iPhone appears as a camera device, and your photos sit in Internal Storage > DCIM. Copy them to the flash drive. On Mac, use the built-in Image Capture app to import, then copy to the drive. Best option for moving thousands of photos at once.

Three things that trip people up

Format: the drive must be FAT32 or exFAT. NTFS drives won't be recognized at all. Pick exFAT if you shoot 4K video, since FAT32 caps files at 4 GB each.
HEIC: iPhones save photos as HEIC by default. Install the free HEIC Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store on Windows, or switch the iPhone camera to "Most Compatible" (JPEG) under Settings > Camera > Formats.
Safe removal: always eject the drive in the Files app before unplugging, or you risk corrupting files.

For the full Indonesian guide with troubleshooting steps, see the original article: Cara Memindahkan Foto iPhone ke Flashdisk: 5 Metode Teruji 2026. And if you're shopping for the drive itself, this guide to choosing a good flash drive (in Indonesian) covers capacity and speed worth paying for.

What Is Mininet? A Beginner's Guide to the Open-Source Network Emulator

Miftahul Rizki — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:12:19 +0000

If you've taken a computer networking course, you've probably heard the name Mininet. In short, Mininet is a free, open-source network emulator that turns a single Linux machine into a complete virtual networking lab — virtual hosts, switches, and cables you can experiment with, no physical hardware required.

What Is Mininet, Exactly?

Mininet is a BSD-licensed open-source project (born at Stanford) that creates a realistic virtual network — running real kernel, switch, and application code — on a single machine, VM, or cloud instance, with a single command. It's the standard testbed for learning and researching Software-Defined Networking (SDN) with OpenFlow and P4.

The key phrase is "realistic": Mininet hosts aren't animations. Each virtual host is a group of Linux processes isolated in its own network namespace, links are virtual Ethernet (veth) pairs, and switching is done by Open vSwitch in the kernel. The hosts run real applications — ping, iPerf, even Wireshark.

How It Works (the 30-Second Version)

Type sudo mn and Mininet builds a default topology (2 hosts + 1 switch), then hands you an interactive mininet> prompt. Commands like pingall test connectivity across all hosts; h1 ping h2 pings between two hosts. An OpenFlow controller (POX, Ryu, ONOS) acts as the network's brain; without one, Mininet falls back to OVS bridge mode for basic topologies.

I installed Mininet on Ubuntu 24.04 via sudo apt install mininet and it worked smoothly — version 2.3.0 from the universe repository. One honest caveat from my testing: sudo mn --test pingall hung at "Adding hosts" because my VM (a container) blocks network namespace creation. If that happens to you on a VPS or container, check namespace support before blaming Mininet.

What Is It Good For?

Learning networking — practice subnetting, routing, and topologies without a physical lab
SDN/OpenFlow research — test new routing algorithms before touching production
Prototyping — validate a topology design before buying switches
Teaching — one Python topology script gives every student an identical lab

I wrote a full-length guide in Indonesian covering what Mininet is, how it works, its pros and cons, and how to get started as a beginner: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/apa-itu-mininet-pengertian-fungsi-dan.html — it's the companion piece to this post with installation steps, a pros/cons table, and an FAQ. The original article (in Indonesian) is here: https://www.miftahulrizki.eu.org/2026/10/apa-itu-mininet-pengertian-fungsi-dan.html

Bottom Line

Mininet is the cheapest realistic networking lab you can get — free, lightweight, scriptable in Python, and realistic enough for research prototyping. If you're a networking student, it's worth an afternoon of experimentation.

How to Choose a Good Power Bank: 7 Things to Check Before You Buy

Miftahul Rizki — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:30:59 +0000

Buying a power bank should be simple, but the specs printed on the box can be misleading. Here is a practical checklist covering the things that actually matter before you hand over your money. A longer, Indonesian-language version of this guide with detailed calculation walkthroughs lives on my blog.

1. Read the rated capacity, not just the big mAh number

The headline mAh figure is the raw battery cell capacity measured at 3.7V. The energy figure that actually matters is watt-hours (Wh): mAh x 3.7 / 1000. So a "20,000 mAh" pack holds 74 Wh of energy. After voltage conversion up to 5V USB output at roughly 85-90% efficiency, the effective capacity you can actually use is around 17,000-18,000 mAh. Check the rated capacity printed on the unit itself to see a realistic number. One honest caveat: these figures come from calculation using the manufacturers' formulas, not from physical hardware measurement — no spec sheet can promise you the exact real-world output of your particular unit.

2. Match the fast-charging protocol to your phone

Find out which fast-charging protocols your phone supports — USB Power Delivery (PD), Quick Charge (QC), VOOC/SuperVOOC, or PPS — and buy a power bank that speaks the same language. A 65W PD power bank paired with a phone that only supports VOOC will still charge at slow speed. Mismatched protocols are the most common reason "fast charge" refuses to kick in.

3. Insist on two-way USB-C

A USB-C port that both recharges the power bank (input) and charges your devices (output) means a single cable does everything. Older packs with micro-USB input are an inconvenience you should not accept in a new purchase.

4. Know the airplane rules

Spare lithium batteries are restricted in carry-on baggage: under 100 Wh needs no approval, 100-160 Wh requires airline approval, and anything over 160 Wh is banned from passenger flights. Most 10,000-20,000 mAh packs sit at 37-74 Wh, so they fly fine — just verify before buying an oversized one.

5. Look for real safety protections

A trustworthy power bank lists protections against overcharge, over-discharge, short circuits, and overheating, ideally backed by recognized certifications. If a brand lists none of these, treat that as a red flag.

6. Learn to spot fakes

Counterfeits are everywhere. A unit that feels suspiciously light for its claimed capacity, packaging without rated-capacity printing, and sellers outside official channels are all warning signs. Buy from official stores or authorized retailers, not the cheapest random listing.

7. Size the capacity to your needs

10,000 mAh is enough for a daily top-up of one phone; 20,000 mAh fits weekend travel and multiple devices. Bigger packs weigh noticeably more, so do not overbuy.

This is a syndicated English version of my Indonesian article "Cara Memilih Powerbank yang Bagus: 7 Hal yang Wajib Dicek Sebelum Beli" — that original is the canonical version.