I Hate Flash Drives and the feeling is mutual...

Clair Dickson · Oct 17, 2009

I give up. Flash drives are just not a long term option for my storage needs.

For those of you who recall, last year, my flash drive died, taking with it a short story and a few other docs. (That was when I learned to back up more regularly.)

Shortly after that drive died, another of my drives crapped out (file loss-none. I learned.)

So, I bought a new happy flash drive. This one let me run my internet browser off it, so I could take my many bookmarks and passwords with me whichever computer I was on. Happy happy... for about a year.

The "new" flash drive died. Tried to eat a story I was saving at the time. Managed to find a program that recovered said story.

So I give up. I'm going to off-site storage only. Well, I'm also making much greater use of the laptop, which isn't always convenient-- nothing like working off two computers at one because one has my personal files and the other has the programs for school. Woot!.

Just griping. And providing a public service announcement to back up your flash drives. They can eat files if they suffer from heavy use. File crumbs makes writers cry.

CACTUSWENDY · Oct 17, 2009

Am real sorry to hear of your bad drives. I have had mine for several years now....two of them....and I love them.

I'm not sure what causes them to die out. I would be interested to hear that.

stormie · Oct 17, 2009

I have heard that, but I have three that are about two years old. I use them a lot. No problem.

But I'm glad you posted this thread. It's important to back up your work in several ways. Each week. (Every day, if you can.) Email it to two different addresses of yours. Use CDs. Flash drives (also known as thumb drives). Etc, etc.

So sorry Clair that you've had such problems!

Matera the Mad · Oct 17, 2009

They just don't have in infinite life span. A flash drive can be written to only so many times before it craps out. There is probably a quality factor, but most likely it's a total crapshoot.

I use mine for short-term backup and for things that I need to take to work with me. I never save onto a flash, only copy to it, and I never defrag or allow Windows to do any other stupid things -- like indexing, that's pure drive-thrashing. I sometimes run programs from a flash drive, but only if I have to. They are not allowed to create temporary files on it (more drive thrashing).

I rely more on CDs and DVDs for periodic big backups.

So far (knock knock) I've never had any drive fail on me.

Clair Dickson · Oct 17, 2009

I think it's because I use them... a LOT! Three to five times a day, at minimum, every day for a year. They're only rated for so many cycles of data.

If you only use them once in a while, you'll probably have better luck. If you overuse them, like anything, they die.

BTW, MSWord has a setting under Options to Save Remote Files Locally (or some similar thing.) This will make the temporary file ON the computer, helping with file recovery if needed. Though, it's really best not to work off the flash drive anyway, I never listened to my own advice in that regard. ;-)

Chumplet · Oct 17, 2009

I've had the same Kensington drive hanging off my keyring for a couple of years. The cap cracked so I just cover the end with a little silicon cover. I regularly put my WIPs on it and a few short stories I have kicking around.

I don't count on it to be my final line of defense so I also email my WIP to myself after every writing session, thus it sits on my webmail if needed.

I hope you have better luck with flash drives! They're so convenient.

Matera the Mad · Oct 17, 2009

Save locally might work, but a removable drive is not a remote (network) drive, so Word might not understand the need. I wouldn't trust it. Save on the hard drive. It is so easy to find a file right click on it, and "Send to" whatever is stuck in at the moment.

ATP · Oct 19, 2009

Clair Dickson said:
Flash drives are just not a long term option for my storage needs.
<snip>
So I give up. I'm going to off-site storage only. Well, I'm also making much greater use of the laptop, which isn't always convenient-- nothing like working off two computers at one because one has my personal files and the other has the programs for school.

Yes, flash drives or USB sticks are not a long term solution, and I think were never designed with this idea in mind.

As to relying exclusively on off-site or remote backup (& storage, there is a difference), I would very strongly recommend against it.

I have been investigating this for my own security (including backup & storage) strategy, and my research indicates that this consumer market solution encompasses high risk.

Yet, the major point underlying all backup--hard disks, flash drives/USB sticks, backup media (CDs, DVDs)-- is that every backup & storage device will fail, though some are built to last longer than others.

You need a comprehensive solution, encompassing as your first line of defense that which Matera has recommended--CDs or DVDs.

ETA: found a relevant earlier thread from this section....
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3710948#post3710948

Stargazer · Oct 19, 2009

Crikey. I didn;t realise they were so prone to failure.

My two have been going around with me for about four or five years now, frequent usage and never had a problem. I'm all paranoid now.

I think mine are ultra rare though. I know that one of them for sure has gone through the washing machine and the tumble dryer at least six times. A result of me not checking ym trouser pockets before stuffing them int he washing.

Still, they've been holding up with no sings of giving in. Here's hoping for a few more years.

ATP · Oct 19, 2009

I certainly wouldn't recommend relying on any _one_ method, given what I said earlier.

You really need a programme that incorporates anywhere between 2-4 methods that are employed simultaneously, and performed religiously. It really is a form of insurance, and so think of it as "risk management".

Collectively, backup media & technology (most certainly at the consumer level),is where Murphy's law "rules".

blacbird · Oct 19, 2009

ATP said:
I certainly wouldn't recommend relying on any _one_ method,

This. The major advantage flash drives have is that they're cheap. Get two or three small ones rather than one big one, and save multiple copies. And then use off-site storage; but don't only use off-site storage.

My experience echoes those of several other commenters here. I've never had one die on me. I have had two external hard drives die on me, both after less than six months of use, so I'm not to hot on those. But the major thing is not to trust solely in any single device.

caw

Clair Dickson · Oct 20, 2009

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I'm using the off-site storage as my method for working on the same file/ story in the multiple locations I work. I have back up CDs every four to six months of my entire HD (well, sometimes DVDs.)

Not only that, the off-site storage program I use stores the files in three locations (or at least that's how I have it set up.) It stores one FULL copy on the laptop, one FULL copy on the desktop, and one FULL copy in the password protected online account. All of them work without the other being accessible. So if my desktop went south, I'd have TWO other copies that were recent.

I just have had enough of failing flash drives. When I'm in a hurry, I'm more prone to forget to copy files off the drive onto the computer, etc. And this is where my failure point is.

Anyone else get paranoid about those back up CDs sitting next to the computer? I mean, what if the unthinkable happened and my house burned down (or suffered some other disaster.) All my CDs are sitting next to it and would be turned into a lovely mess of melted plastic.

Matera the Mad · Oct 20, 2009

Hole in back yard
Fireproof safe
Friends in distant places
Neighbors with basements (especially those with old cisterns)
Deep caverns
Lots and lots of foil

cptwentworth · Oct 20, 2009

Print it out? Old-fashioned paper. I love my thumb drive and haven't had a problem yet. But I hate saying that because now it will crap out on me. You could email it to a hotmail account you keep just for that purpose.

Matera the Mad · Oct 20, 2009

Printouts burn so pretty

cptwentworth · Oct 20, 2009

Matera the Mad said:
Printouts burn so pretty

Sometimes that's the best place for them, is fire kindling

. At least that's speaking for myself. I should amend: print out and relocate, last resort.

Brutal Mustang · Oct 20, 2009

Clair, you are disconnecting it properly, aren't you? You know, clicking on the "safely remove hardware" icon? Because if not, static electricity can blank out your drive.

Serious Desi · Oct 20, 2009

My flash drive is very picky, some computers it won't work, some it will, it'll save this but not that. Sometimes it disconnects itself.
I ran it through the washer and dryer once 0.o ( back when I had no computer of my own, it had 200 pages on it, I almost cried.)

It still "works".

Matera the Mad · Oct 20, 2009

My flash drives have personalities too, and their relationsips with different computers vary. My oldest one ran away from home several months ago. I hope it's happy, wherever it is. I still think it's lurking in the bathroom....

Deleted member 42 · Oct 20, 2009

cptwentworth said:
Print it out? Old-fashioned paper. I love my thumb drive and haven't had a problem yet. But I hate saying that because now it will crap out on me. You could email it to a hotmail account you keep just for that purpose.

Noooooo!

Not Hotmail.

Hotmail is training ground for script kiddies.

Seriously, Yahoo or Gmail; just not, please, hotmail. It's right up with AOL for automatic blocks at the server for an awful lot of ISPs and anti-spam services.

Serious Desi · Oct 20, 2009

Matera the Mad said:
My flash drives have personalities too, and their relationsips with different computers vary. My oldest one ran away from home several months ago. I hope it's happy, wherever it is. I still think it's lurking in the bathroom....

My oldest one past on a while back, it still haunts me with it's cap. ( When I go to throw the cap away it's gone, it only appears at odd hours of the night.)

blacbird · Oct 20, 2009

Clair Dickson said:
Anyone else get paranoid about those back up CDs sitting next to the computer? I mean, what if the unthinkable happened and my house burned down (or suffered some other disaster.) All my CDs are sitting next to it and would be turned into a lovely mess of melted plastic.

This is where digging a big hole in the farthest corner of your yard and burying the things wrapped in three or four plastic bags sealed in a tackle box inside two industrial-strength black plastic garbage bags comes in handy.

Oh, yeah, just in case, attached a mercury-switch motion activated pipe bomb to it. You never know when somebody might come snooping to steal it and dig it up.

caw

ATP · Oct 21, 2009

Clair Dickson said:
Sorry, I wasn't clear. I'm using the off-site storage as my method for working on the same file/ story in the multiple locations I work. I have back up CDs every four to six months of my entire HD (well, sometimes DVDs.)

Not only that, the off-site storage program I use stores the files in three locations (or at least that's how I have it set up.) It stores one FULL copy on the laptop, one FULL copy on the desktop, and one FULL copy in the password protected online account. All of them work without the other being accessible. So if my desktop went south, I'd have TWO other copies that were recent.

I just have had enough of failing flash drives. When I'm in a hurry, I'm more prone to forget to copy files off the drive onto the computer, etc. And this is where my failure point is.

Let's see. Your backup programme consists of:

i) offsite/remote backup? or storage? (there is a difference)
Is this provided by a service provider such as Mozy or Carbonite?;

ii) It sounds like you have your files synched or synchronised (for proper spelling) among your 2 machines-laptop, desktop;

iii) manual backup by DVD every 4 or so months.

iv) USB stick

This is, from what I can determine, better than most.However, I am advised that you ought to be backing up on DVD more frequently eg. once a week.Perhaps daily on your USB, and transfer this data to your hard disk every week.

You might also consider v) an external hard disk.

dpaterso · Oct 21, 2009

I've mentioned this before somewhere, I have 7 USB sticks (various ages and sizes), and I cycle these daily so I have 7 days' worth of backups.

I also have an external USB drive that I backup to regularly, and while I have the zipped files handy, I also email 'em to myself.

Only one USB stick has failed, everything on it just disappeared, despite faithfully using the "safely remove hardware" thing, but since I reformatted it and cautiously tested it, it hasn't failed again. Next time they're on special offer at the local supermarket I'll probably buy a few more.

My CD-ROM stopped working a while ago (seems to be a very common problem, going by Google search results) so I can't back up to CD (and if I had, I wouldn't be able to read the CDs now).

While I was typing this, I backed my files up to my external drive.

Edit: and emailed them to myself.

-Derek

Linda Adams · Oct 21, 2009

cptwentworth said:
Print it out? Old-fashioned paper. I love my thumb drive and haven't had a problem yet. But I hate saying that because now it will crap out on me. You could email it to a hotmail account you keep just for that purpose.

Then again, maybe not Hotmail after you hear this story. My brother was on a trip to another state for work and didn't tell anyone. While he was gone, someone hacked into his Hotmail account. They emailed everyone on his address list with a message saying that he was travelling in England and had lost his wallet on the way to the hotel. He said he needed about $3,000 and to send right away. On further reading, I found that the email was written in poor English, didn't mention US dollars first (it translated from one currency to another), and didn't mention my name or his, which he did in his email. Meanwhile, everyone was calling him and leaving messages, including his boss! And the entire Hotmail account was gone, as a result. So if it had been used as a backup for documents, that would have been very bad if it had been the only copy.

I use an online back (Mozy), have one copy on the hard drive, and one on the flashdrive. And each time I use the file, I save it under the new date. I do this because I one time had a 200 page Word document corrupt, and I had to go back more than a week to get a good verison. It does create lots of files, but I can recover the file if need be.

I Hate Flash Drives and the feeling is mutual...

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