Usb Flash Drive and Storage Online Sites

Have an asus laptop that i will be no longer using after i get my new sager laptop. I have files that are on my current laptop that i save in my documents that include important documents, then you have music files i downloaded and video files. I also have a really old usb kingston flash drive that i bought many years ago thats only 4gb. Currently theres not much space left due to me having the documents, music files and maybe just 1-2 videos. I cannot put much more music album or video like that as there wouldn't be enough space.


Thus all the videos that i have, its pretty much in my laptop only. There are videos that i downloaded and kept and i keep most of it on adrive.com. Someone mentioned thats a site where you could store up to 50gb data. They said if you wanted more, you could create another account as its not a big deal.


When i get my sager laptop, it won't have a dvd drive. So if i want to format it in the future, i cant put the dvd in it. I read here that i would have to download windows 7 64 bit iso file on a usb drive had i wanted to install windows myself but i had xoticpc do it. Well the thing is if i need to format it again, i know i need to have an iso file downloaded on flash drive. I also read that its 3.1gb and since my flash drive is only 4gb... and its smaller than that as you know.


That means im going to have to get another flash drive then right in case i need to format? If so, should i be getting a 16gb or 32gb flash drive? Or is 32gb too much? Thing is i want to have the windows 7 on my flash drive in case something comes up. Also i would need the sager drives downloaded on my usb as well right or could i just download those after i install windows 7 from the iso file on the usb? I assume just get 16gb is more than enough then any music or video/movies, you just keep it on a storage site and upload it to your computer whenever necessary? Issue with this is it isn't as convenient as plugging a usb to a computer though it still will take some time.


I had read most ppl don't need to have big usb drive b/c most don't need it and big ones are actually worst b/c they can be corrupted much easier? USB flash drive are convenient b/c if i want to transfer file from one cpu to another, its easy as you just plug it in. Curious how much gb flash drive most of you all use.

Also, do most of you use those storage sites to keep files? And if you do, do you feel its more reliable than a flash drive as backup? The thing is as long as you remember your username and password and email associated with it, then thats actually better than a usb flash drive right since you can always lose the flash drive?


Also could you download almost any file and upload it to adrive? I only done videos but i'm pretty sure word documents and any document or pdf file and music songs work there as well? If so, is there a reason why it seem like most ppl never heard of it? Because it offers 50gb of space and that is a lot. But has anyone heard of it being hacked or files get lost or corrupted? I heard about icloud and i hear its basically the same thing as adrive except its for ios and macs. Is that true?


I'm curious besides the laptop or computer you are using, whats the 2nd, 3rd etc place you back up your important documents, pictures and files? I would figure its computer 1st, then a storage site, then a flash drive in that order? Is there another option? Because there are some documents that i want to make sure is there and i won't lose it etc.


Also are those sites safe to store passwords for sites? I have lot of password for sites and i keep my username/password in my laptop and in the small usb flash drive i use. Its basically a word document and me typing username/password for each site. Obviously that isn't good in case i lose laptop or usb drive. But are those sites adrive etc safe for it? Thing why i never put my word sheet with it on there is b/c i would be worried if it gets hacked etc b/c i had read about icloud and hacked celebrity accounts. What sites are good for storing passwords?


Thanks and yes very long post.

 

There are usually deals on 32/64GB drives on slickdeals.net

I like the sandisk cruzer ones, because they're tiny, but I also picked up a 128GB USB 3 drive for like $30.

 

Drew: I didn't read all of your post. (too long) but If you are worried about storing stuff on cloud sites then just encrypt your data.prior to uploading. Dropbox says that they encrypt your data but if they do it then they can un-encryp it if Gov't asks them.

 

Relying on an outside data hosting site for passwords ... mwah ... as mentioned above; don't, unless you upload these inside an encrypted/password-protected zip-file or the like.

Now, the same thing applies to the USB drive; encrypt and password-protect. No worries about losing it then. There's another issue with (cheap) usb sticks; the MLC technology that is used (responsible for SSD's recent affordability). There exist older SLC NAND drives which have 10x the number of write-cycles (at x-times the cost). Unfortunately, this is a dying breed and whatever's left in the market is deployed for server use.

Reliability's not much of a concern for 'normal' use, but it's very nifty when you rely on portable apps such as OpenOffice and browsers (security-wise set to keep cache on usb drive instead of the internet-cafe's pc). Had an 8GB IronKey (SLC version) that's still running after ~8 years. Got too small, so donated that one and bought a 32GB Sharkoon, which is no longer being made (also still running). Would be a total disaster if I'd have to get another one; only SLC supplier that's left seems to be IronKey, but the 32GB variety's a mind-boggling $600 (which isn't the true cost of the SLC alone, to be sure ...).

 

Hi. How would i encrpty the password whether online or on usb hard drive? I heard of that word but never knew how to do this. I currently have the very small kingston usb at the moment so i like to encrypt the document that i typed my password into... its basically a word document... is thhat you mean or thats not the same? Thus i type every site i have acct on and put the password for each etc.


So you would suggest getting a 32gb usb then? I have the 4gb one and considering either 16gb or 32gb. I feel like 16gb is plenty but 32gb only cost a few more dollars and i would like to have 1 usb flash drive and not 2 of them etc.

 

Make a .zip (or .7z) of your password document with 7-Zip or the like. It uses AES-256, which should be good enough for quite some time. Of course, once you enter the chosen password and open the .doc or .txt on a pc that's not your own ... That's where portable office is useful; cache on the usb and you leave no traces behind. Preferably also use portable version of 7-Zip to open the .zip in the first place, not the program that's already installed on the host pc.

Whether 32GB is useful ... it is when you take some Blu-rays with you, or want a backup of your music collection. And, like you mentioned, price-wise there's not much difference. Make sure it supports USB 3 though, not just 2; cost for 32GB is either ~$10 or $15, which makes +$5 for 10x the speed (depending on host pc).

 

Okay. But at the moment i just want to get another usb stick. Woould you recommend the 16gb or the 32gb one? I don't need to have an external backup thats 500gb at the moment.


Also my new laptop someone told me has 3.0 usb. Does that mean i should get usb 3.0 as oppose to 2.0? Thing is i dont have much files and i dont think i really care how fast it is etc at least i dont htink.

 

Locknote is also good. Its just a plain text file that is encrypted and is stand-alone so nothing has to be installed.

https://www.steganos.com/us/products/for-free/locknote/overview/