The very Useful USB flash drive...

[Globalwarmer]

I read this article a while back, was glad I could find again. Anyone ever try something like this?

http://dmitrybrant.com/2009/08/27/make-your-usb-flash-drive-indestructible

[Diesel]

I don't believe modern day USB / Flash drives using NAND technology have any sort of battery or require any power to perm store their data, feel free to research this

[fuzygrub]

Thanks for this post...I saw on other threads where people said the carried them but had no idea why. I have been enlightened.

[Visinedrops]

i was talking to my brother and he was telling me that usb are for temp files only. he said that files go corrupt after about 1-2 yrs. and you can no longer access the contents if they sit on the usb for to long told him he was full of s***. i couldn't find anything to back this so here i am asking you guys if im right or is he. PLEASE HELP?

Flash drives have an internal memory system, powered by a very small onboard "battery". If a flash drive is allowed to sit for a lengthened period of time, the power source inside of it will slowly diminish, and can corrupt files.

This is similar to having a 9v battery inside of a clock that is usually powered by AC current. Unplug the clock, and the time remains, you just can't see it. Leave it unplugged, and the battery will eventually die.

Flash drives themselves will NEVER corrupt any file stored on it, as long as it is used fairly regularly. When you plug your FD into a USB port, it not only gets power to operate, but also allows some of that power to charge the internal power source.

[Palex223]

I'm using the SanDisk U3 "Cruisers" with my BO mini notebook (HP 2140) with no problems.

[kgram]

Macs and Linux

I have two Mac laptops and an Asus eee which is linux. The macs (both) eat flash drives. I get a message saying I have disconnected improperly. This when the flash drive is sitting in the usb port and NOTHING at all has happened. Most often, the data is lost, too. Nobody but me seems to have this problem, though. At least I haven't found any complaints (or solutions) online.

The eee (which is my bug out laptop since it weighs nothing and works fine) often doesn't recognize a flash drive's contents. This would be annoying at the wrong time.

I think I'll stick with hard copies of the really important stuff.

[Red Diamond Ranch]

I like these Flash drives. I have some with OS's on them as well as "how to" files and they work fine. To just surf the net I have some OS's on them and small CD's. I use them on a computer that has no hard drive. They can not be written to which means no Virus's or Trojans. If you go to a friends house you can use them there and their hard drive will not be accessed. My sister let her idiot Kid on her computer and he screwed it up for her. So I made her a small CD with an OS that she uses and does not tell the Idiot about. There's all kinds of neat stuff out there and much of it is free.
If your files are on a DVD you can access them on your TV if you don't have access to a computer at some time.
Simply use a search engine to find these cute items and learn how to use them, that's what search engines are for. :D

[denvernative321]

usb shelf life

i was talking to my brother and he was telling me that usb are for temp files only. he said that files go corrupt after about 1-2 yrs. and you can no longer access the contents if they sit on the usb for to long told him he was full of s***. i couldn't find anything to back this so here i am asking you guys if im right or is he. PLEASE HELP?

[Zombie Axe]

Very True hazenoff, that is why I like multi copies in different formats :)

[hazenoff]

Yeah, AltaVista and Hackin9 magazine feature BackTrack, and it is LOADED with goodies. As far as usb drives, I like the Hardened version of the Corsair, for a survivalist standpoint, the law is the relatively low capacity. Most of my USB flash drives are in the 32 and 64 gig variety. The Ironkey is great for security, till you lose your password, then POOF it is gone. LOL... I do like the fact that someone recommended and used True Crypt... use it on my Mac's and PC's, works great, and the multitiered layers of encryption, as well as the encrypted drive in a encrypted virtual drive is a very nice feature...and the price is right, FREE. Personally, I have over 200 gigs of *information* on various subjects, that would be well suited to being on USB flash media... only problems I have had with them, is reliability... and hopefully as they progress their lifetimes will extend.

[AlphaWolf]

There are also some OS that will fit on it and u can run them form it. One of the good ones is called BackTrack (it is Free Where / Open sorce) it also has all the pen testing programs bileted into it ;) with these programs u can test networks and see where the breaches are. i run this on my main computer and also from a flash drive bothe have all my programs and i am never with out a network i can hop on to :p

[Zombie Axe]

Think of it as a CD/DVD that is rewritable, editable and portable that works any XP/vista machine with a USB port...

IOW it is your data to go...

[RossA]

It's posts like this that make me realize how totally un-technological I am.:(

[Zombie Axe]

Cool, just scored a pair of 4GB Iron Keys :D They are in HIGH demand and hard to find :eek:

[KY_Longrifle]

Very cool, I especially like the corsair cased one. I have a program you may interested in that our computer guy at work loaded onto my flash that is fairly useful, PM me if you are interested.