question about USB flash drives

Post by **Oldfriend** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:18 pm

is there anythign I should look for or is it a pretty straight forward purchase?

do they all work as plug and play or do some systems with USB ports require drivers? I'm kinda clueless on this subject

Post by **bork[e]** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:24 pm

I've never had a problem on Windows 2k or Xp. Anything earlier than that will more than likely require you to download and install the driver...I'm sure ME is also plug and play.

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:35 pm

other than bork(e)'s missing pic, he's right. usually <98 will require a driver install, while ME> will not.

*shudders at the fact that people use anything less than 2k*

Post by **DiscoDave** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:18 pm

And whenever you're finished with the flash drive, always use the safly eject hardware tool that will appear as soon as you connect it.

Post by **andyman** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:34 pm

DiscoDave wrote:And whenever you're finished with the flash drive, always use the safly eject hardware tool that will appear as soon as you connect it.

Post by **PhoeniX** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:40 pm

Make sure it's USB 2.0 unless you want to wait years to copy things.

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:47 pm

PhoeniX wrote:Make sure it's USB 2.0 unless you want to wait years to copy things.

of course, if you don't have 2.0, it's a moot point. but we know what you meant.

pastry?

Post by **PhoeniX** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:48 pm

Yea but 90% of people have usb 2 now

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:49 pm

PhoeniX wrote:Yea but 90% of people have usb 2 now

+JuggerNaut+ wrote:but we know what you meant.

:icon6:

Post by **PhoeniX** » Fri May 20, 2005 7:51 pm

Post by **andyman** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:01 pm

and don't get a usb drive that is montrous in size. get the small kind unless you want to be labeled as 'overcompensating'

Post by **bork[e]** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:04 pm

I would lose that before leaving the store!

Post by **Deathshroud** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:13 pm

Here's a review on a bunch of the most recent USB flash drives...

http://www.tomshardware.com/storage/20050520/index.html

Post by **bitWISE** » Fri May 20, 2005 9:38 pm

DiscoDave wrote:And whenever you're finished with the flash drive, always use the safly eject hardware tool that will appear as soon as you connect it.

You don't need to with Windows XP

Post by **Foo** » Fri May 20, 2005 9:46 pm

What makes you think that?

Post by **bitWISE** » Fri May 20, 2005 9:50 pm

Foo wrote:What makes you think that?

I'm going to do it right now....watch me...

edit: seriously, every XP computer I have ever used my drive with lets me pull it right out...

Just plugged it back in because the printer was out of toner...still works...

Post by **DiscoDave** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:09 pm

ME, 2K, XP etc will all allow you to forcefully remove it, its just wise to safly eject it

If you keep pulling it out, it will damage it. I would know, at my old sixth form we couldn't access the eject hardware thing so we have to just pull them out. 4 months later me and 2 friends had dead usb flash sticks, all diffrent makes.

Post by **Tormentius** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:11 pm

bitWISE wrote: You don't need to with Windows XP

Exactly. I've never seen an issue with data loss by just pulling the drive. Hell, I use a Lexar jumpdrive and an iPod shuffle every day and never click that eject icon (and months later there still is no problem)

Post by **Tormentius** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:12 pm

DiscoDave wrote:
If you keep pulling it out, it will damage it.

No, it won't.

Post by **DiscoDave** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:15 pm

Tormentius wrote:
DiscoDave wrote:
If you keep pulling it out, it will damage it.
No, it won't.

Well it did to my pen drive aswell as my friends. Maybe it was because they were brand new then and unmatured. But look at it this way, if they wouldn't need it, why is it on there? and why does windows tell you to eject it before you finish with it

Post by **Tormentius** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:32 pm

DiscoDave wrote:
Well it did to my pen drive aswell as my friends. Maybe it was because they were brand new then and unmatured. But look at it this way, if they wouldn't need it, why is it on there? and why does windows tell you to eject it before you finish with it

The feature was created for devices which had write caching enabled by default (usually external hard drives, SCSI components, etc). The risk of corruption for a USB device is miniscule and really not worth being concerned over.

Post by **dzjepp** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:52 pm

And get this:

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Po ... 00800989/1

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Po ... 00801198/1

Post by **Oldfriend** » Sat May 21, 2005 6:55 am

PhoeniX wrote:Yea but 90% of people have usb 2 now

I have USB 1

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Sat May 21, 2005 7:59 am

Oldfriend wrote:
PhoeniX wrote:Yea but 90% of people have usb 2 now
I have USB 1

doesn't matter - 2.0 is compatible with 1.1, you just don't see 2.0 speeds.

Post by **bitWISE** » Sat May 21, 2005 1:55 pm

dzjepp wrote:And get this:

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Po ... 00800989/1

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Po ... 00801198/1

neat