Do USB flash drives crash as often as portable HDD ?
- Thread starter eddy1953
- Start date
strollin
Well-Known Member
I would say yes. I assume you're using the term "crash" loosely since an HDD crash is when the heads make contact with the platters. Flash drives (and SSDs) don't have heads or platters (they're solid state) so can't crash, per se, but can still fail.
In my experience, flash drives are much more prone to failure than external HDDs. I believe it's because they are handled with a much more cavalier attitude and tossed into toolboxes, laptop bags, pockets, etc... and constantly inserted and yanked in and out of USB ports.
In my experience, flash drives are much more prone to failure than external HDDs. I believe it's because they are handled with a much more cavalier attitude and tossed into toolboxes, laptop bags, pockets, etc... and constantly inserted and yanked in and out of USB ports.
That's exactly what he is saying. Problem is he said it in a different thread. I have got external drives that are 10 or fifteen years old so they, quite obviously, don't crash that often. The only one of mine that has crashed, (packed up) was a Seagate 3 Tb which is what the OP has but, as I said, he said that in a different thread.
AlienMenace
Well-Known Member
Question?
Does he defrag the flash drive. they are just like a ssd which everyone should know not to defrag. Because it can short the life span of them. Just a thought.
Does he defrag the flash drive. they are just like a ssd which everyone should know not to defrag. Because it can short the life span of them. Just a thought.
Agent Smith
Well-Known Member
In all the years I've used USB drives and SD cards I never once had one "crash." SD cards and USB thumb drives seem to take a lot of IOs. Granted, I bet there is indeed a MTBF, but I've never seen it. I use a SD card in a Netbook that is used for FTP storage. I move files back and forth to this SD card from my phone and computers via FTP all the time and so far it hasn't died. In fact, network video records from Foscam and others have a SD card slot to store the video. Now platters on the other hand, due to their mechanical nature will fail sooner or latter depending on use and how you treat them. But I have had a very old Sandforce SSD crap out on me. I barely used the damn thing. Newer SSDs are probably made way better than they used to. Probably to the point that failure would occur well after you bought a new SSD. You can toss a USB drive around all you want. It would take MASSIVE G-force to do anything to them. After all, they are solid sate, not mechanical.
Now bear in mind the type of USB drive you use could have an impact. Buy some cheap POS on eBay and expect it to fail. Meanwhile Adata USB drives all come with a lifetime warranty.
Now bear in mind the type of USB drive you use could have an impact. Buy some cheap POS on eBay and expect it to fail. Meanwhile Adata USB drives all come with a lifetime warranty.