Most reliable flash storage?

I've just been reading of horror stories of people's USB flash drives dying all of a sudden, without any warning whatsoever, happened to my brother's 1gb generic MicroCenter brand USB drive.

I bought the 8gb version of it and its been working for the few months I've had it until my brother took it and used it and now it won't detect unless I bend the drive a bit, I just posted a thread about that.

It seems like HDDs at least give some warning before failing whereas flash memory can just die suddenly. I'd just like to have some storage that is worry-free, that is reliable, have full peace of mind. Is that too much to ask?

Are memory cards like memory sticks and SD cards more reliable than USB flash drives?

I know not all flash memory is made the same but does the no-brand, generic cheap flash memory really can die within a short period of time or are they just slower than the faster drives?

I always though flash memory would be very reliable and worry-free but it doesn't seem that way. I feel like they are ticking time-bombs, or maybe I'm being paranoid. I know sometimes storage can just die, we lose data and its part of life but still.....

 

Well, there's some benefits to purchasing particular brands, and particular models do matter. For example, the SanDisk Cruzer Titanium does have better protection than say your average flash drive. OCZ flash drives come with a lifetime warranty, so if there are any reliability issues you can get it refunded. Etc. etc.

 

I'm not sure if this will be helpful, but my Sandisk Cruzier Titanium has lasted through tons of punishment for 5, close to 6 years. When I talk about punishment, I mean it being flung hard into a wall, steel pipe, stepped on, and sat on. From my experiences it's been the most reliable flash drive I've ever seen. I've even heard of it surviving being washed in a washer. I'm hoping they kept the same quality in the new ones because I'm looking to get one. The only problem I have with it is that some desktop towers have recessed usb ports on front which won't fit it because it's wide.

Edit: By the way, people have run over this flash drive with their cars and it's come out fine.

Here's a link to a website with a clip: http://www.everythingusb.com/sandisk_cruzer_titanium_2gb.html

 

my u3 drive died on me as well quite suddenly... really annoyed me cos all my coursework was on it... try and get a slc usb drive, they should theoretically last much longer.

 

+1 for the reliability of the SanDisk Cruzer Titanium....I have one myself, and it hasn't shown any signs of dying....!!

 

I assume you say Sandisk USB drives are reliable because they use Sandisk made flash chips? Do you know this for a fact?

 

Well whatever chips they use is good.

+1 with Sandisk Cruzer range

Wait, didnt you ask this exact same thing before?.. keep backups

 

Do you know what may have caused it to die suddenly?

I'm wondering how some of these drives, flash and HDDs, can die suddenly without any warning, its quite unnerving.

If it was from blunt force, I understand, but not when I have used it normally and it dies after a couple of months. I'd like my drives to at least give warning before dying so I can get the data off. It died right after my brother took it and used it, what on Earth did he do to it? At least he now paid me for the cost of the drive.

But I still worry about these things dying. Guess I'd better backup more often and maybe on DVD-RAM......

 

Guess he didn't do the 'safely remove hardware' thing in windows. That icon near the clock you supposed to right click on...

 

I know that is recommended but I've never done that as well and they've worked.

I didn't know that not doing that could physically damage the drive, I thought maybe you would only lose data on the drive if it was being accessed.

 

Doesn't make a difference.. At most the data might be corrupted, if something is being written when you pull out the drive..

I never have had a pen drive going bust on me.. and i dont treat them well at all... I lose them sooner than them going bad..
Although i must admit that i have never used brands other than san-disk or corsair.. Only my latest 16GB is transcend..

Your problem seems to be a faulty connector.. Maybe the contacts have deteriorated...

 

Sesshomaru, how old are your drives?

How long can I expect a flash drive to last with occasional usage? Its not right at all mine died after three months. I bought it from my local Microcenter, with its brand on the drive but it was a rebranded A-Data drive. Even if I bought the cheapest, no-name brand, it shouldn't die after three months. I understand if the transfer speeds were slower than a more expensive drive but should still last me a while before dying.

For flash storage, what would be better, a USB flash drive or a memory card like SDHC? I think the USB drive would be faster no?

 

I've had a OCZ 1 GB flash drive for over two years now. It has a lifetime warranty which is nice, but if your drive dies that isn't going to magically bring it back. I use mine mostly for transporting data and backing up a few things.

 

I've had my Cruzer for about 23 years now, hasnt died and still works.
My newer(a year old) 4GB model hasn't died either.

 

23, really?

 

I still use a 256 MB corsair... Bought it when 512 MB was the max capacity available in the market...Been a few years... I guess at least 6 or 7...

Three months in indeed too less.... I guess it used some generic chinese memory module... A memory card would be faster(if you get one of those 133x or 166x high speed cards..), but I'd rather use a USB drive..

23 years.. My,my! Wanna auction it to a museum?

 

oops...lol
I meant 3....

 

Super Talent is a good maker of Flash drives. I have a 256MB drive from them that I use as hardware encryption dongle. Very solid drive.

 

rahulnirmal I might have an answer for you.

I think your brother, or whoever borrowed it, must of bumped into it when it was still connected to the computer and bent the usb connector slightly. This would probably be the reason why you have to bend it slightly so it would detect.

I know this because I was spinning around in my desk chair and ran into my tower that was sitting on the ground and hit my usb and bent it. lol. And now I have to bend it slightly for it to detect. This was a sandisk cruzer titanium 512mb that I got for $40. So its pretty old.

I now own the 4gb titanium, which was $20 on sale and has been working great.