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USB Flash Drive Life Varies Up To 10 Times

Posted by timothy on from the that's-worse-then-the-spread-for-people dept.

Lucas123 writes "Differences in the type of memory and I/O controllers used in USB drives can make one device perform two or three times faster and last 10 times longer than another, even if both sport the USB 2.0 logo, according to a Computerworld story. While a slow USB drive may be fine for moving a few dozen megabytes of files around, when you get into larger data transfers, that's when bandwidth contrictions become noticeable. In 2009, controller manufacturers are expected to begin shipping drives with dual- and even four-channel controllers, which will increase speeds even for slower drives."

10 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Holy crap! by tedrlord · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, wait. Are you telling me that better quality products will perform better and last longer? You've blown my mind here! My whole worldview will need to be adjusted.

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    [insert witty quote here]
    1. Re: Holy crap! by CDMA_Demo · · Score: 1, Funny

      so, what GP is saying is, a circle is round because its a circle.

  2. Re:Flimsy construction by FooAtWFU · · Score: 5, Funny

    My biggest beef with flash drives thus far is with the flimsy construction. I have owned three flash drives. The first was a 64 byte drive back in the day when that was sizeable. Umm, when was that exactly? 1955? :)
    --
    The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
  3. Re:FS by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    here's exFAT, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExFAT , but there's no free software implementation as of yet. It comes with Vista SP1, which is a free download.

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    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  4. Re:Flimsy construction by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    a 1GB retail plus (walmart brand. casing split, but a little electrical tape has held it fine for the past 2 years). Yeah, but women won't fuck you if they see you have a thumb drive like that. I have an Ferrari brand drive. Cost $800 duty free but boy it's got me some tail.
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    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  5. That's easy by Moraelin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, that's easy. See, if you have a painfully slow drive, you use it less. So it'll last you for decades ;)

    --
    A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
    1. Re:That's easy by beav007 · · Score: 2, Funny
      I was using my USB drive last night, and noticed that it went fast for a while, slowed down for a stretch, and then sped up again. I'm guessing that this means it will only happen 9 more times and I'll be set. Is there a market for USB drives that have been pre run in?

      For sale: 4GB USB flash drive. Run in on linux - no viruses! Full logs of run in period, including all of the 10 variances.

      Careful! Some sellers sell flash devices as run in when they have only had 5 or 6 variances! We give you the logs to prove it!

      Our flash drives are guaranteed not to vary in speed for the life of the drive!

      Brand: Generic
      Capacity: 2Gb
      Condition: As new

      ZOMG HUMOURSPLOSION! &#$73(*&$#PC9LOAD4LETTER@#*&$ No Carrier
  6. Re:Flimsy construction by g0dsp33d · · Score: 2, Funny

    They would tell us that we were wrong and 640k is enough.

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    lol: You see no door there!
  7. Re:Flimsy construction by frehe · · Score: 2, Funny

    This does remind me of what a geek I am though. I think I must be the only person in the world who often daydreams (when I have the time and inclination to daydream) that I've gone back in time and taken some piece of modern computer equipment to shock and amaze people from the early days of computing.

    I have those fantasies too. I also figure that if you went far enough back in time, they would build a bridge out of you, or burn you, in about two seconds after you announce: "Behold filthy peasants; the calculator from the future!" ;-D Recommended reading on the subject:

    Ghost Of Christmas Future Taunts Children With Visions Of PlayStation 5
    The Onion
    December 18, 2002 Issue 38-47


    http://www.theonion.com/content/node/27607
  8. Re:First Comment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I don't waste mod points... I will sell them though, see my auction on ebay.