Opinions Please! :thumbsup:
What are your opinions on Thumb Drives better known as safer and reliable storages for ALL types of Windows programs and various power and/or other utilities.
Simple light-weight plug-in to your USB desktop or laptop port and you have instant transfer available to and from the PC.
Personally, i have scrapped ALL dvd, CD's, and of course floppy's are out of the picture now that these technological little MARVELS make those tasks not only convenient but reliable beyond belief.
Any thoughts?
(Edit Note: Added "(On Thumb Drives)" to better define this active topic. Corrine)
I love them dont leave home without them!!
Indeed these lil doovies are a modern marvel. I quite enjoy the portability and rewriteability (is that even a word!!!) of them, just the way floppies were used.
Of course, being man-made, there will be some that don't work, and some that will stop working well before they should. I have experienced this as the stationery purchaser/reseller for the educational institution where I work - thankfully one student realised they are for transport or backup and shouldn't be used to hold the sole copy of a file. Unfortunately, another child didn't realise this and so many tears ensued. :hysterical: oooh, I mean :hug:
Even tho a flash drive/flash stick/thumb drive/jump drive is very convenient, I still like the idea of keeping CDs for more permanent storage.
The most amazing part of this piece of technology is the phenomenal price decrease over the last 2 years - 128Mb might as well have cost a million dollars (over A$1 per Mb for me to purchase, let alone resell) and now I don't even bother with 128s and am almost to the point where I won't need to consider 256s which I can now sell
for less than 15c per Mb including tax.
So my thoughts are in agreeance with you both that they are a worthwhile investment :)
cheers, dears
M. :D
I have a SanDisk cruzermini 512MB. My brother gave it to me and I HAVE NOT A CLUE WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO WITH IT...but it does look nice sitting here on my desk, makes visitors think I know something about computers...So I would have to say: In my opinion they are a great addition if you wish to look like you have some computer knowledge. (no, I am not blonde)
JDC
they are handy!
just plug it into your usb port
then click on "my computer" and you will see a thumb drive there ;-)
the old days of trying to stuff to a floppy are history , i find it a pain to burn a cd for a 10 meg file
but i can just copy to the drive
you can treat it as a drive and itself is the removable disk ;-)
just copy some pics, files or whatever to it and if you plug it into another computer ..they are there
i have two computers and dialup so i use a "mitch's thumb drive" to swap media and files ;-)
mitch's smart drive= media card for a camera and i just swap it between two card readers ;-D
Quote from: JDC on July 15, 2006, 11:34:59 PM
(no, I am not blonde)
I am...
M. :| :mrgreen:
ps - don't worry, I needed someone to explain to me how they worked, too. I hope you love it as much as we do :)
I have 150 MB of music so I can store it on this thumb drive I'm guessing. This sound great!
Thanks mitch!!
Quotejust plug it into your usb port
I'll have to get out the book that came with this computer to figure out how to do that LOL
Take a look at these Google images of USB Ports. You'll recognize the USB on your PC and see where to plug the drive.
http://images.google.com/images?q=USB+Port&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images
EASTER,
Never leave home without one.
But I not in any hurry to get rid of my DVD's just yet as my pen drive will not work in the DVD recorder in the lounge by the TV (https://www.landzdown.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmilies.sofrayt.com%2Ffsc%2Fwink2.gif&hash=026d7c7f666300aa5560f32f726a9d4a87a10844)
GR@PH;<'S (https://www.landzdown.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg1.yoxio.com%2Fimg%2F206729.gif&hash=34fa7986f842d5e3599b41a166ea64ed75579410)
QuoteTake a look at these Google images of USB Ports. You'll recognize the USB on your PC and see where to plug the drive.
Thanks Corrine, I did take a look and found information. This comp. it totally different from my Compaq Presario. There is a Digital Media Manager on the front of the box. On the Left is the port that looks to be where the thumbdrive would go. In the Middle is SD/MMC/SM/MS/MS-PRO slot and on the Right is: CF/MICRODRIVE :hysterical: and there are two(I think) on the back of the box also. Even the keyboard is different! It's a great big digital media key board. I haven't a clue what some of these buttons do! it's a riot :hysterical:I think it would be a good idea to get out the book. My brother and his friend just dashed in slapped the computer together on my desk and left..they were in a hurry for a beer and some fun LOL.
Most efficient method of portability for storage and transfer to come along. I made tons of money for pc services while up north recenty by simply plugging into the USB receptors on clients pc's and laptops to diagnose and make instant and accurate determinations for repair and improvments.
How much can one store on this thumb drive?
JDC... just about any computer will have at least 2 usb sockets and they are usually side by side on the back
the fancier the computer the more and will be in the front too ;-)
Bryan.........................................
1 gig and 2 gig ones are out there
and think the good price break is around 512 meg?
so if you are going to store a lot make sure your computer has usb2 ;-)
just about all computers from 2001 on have usb 2 in them
and a usb 2 is backwards compatable and will take usb1
QuoteJDC... just about any computer will have at least 2 usb sockets and they are usually side by side on the back
the fancier the computer the more and will be in the front too
Thank you Mitch...yes this is a "fancy" confuser alright but it's sort of like putting a Jaguar in the hands of a VW owner! :hysterical:
you can do it !!!!
they will only plug in one way !!!! so you can't plug it in backwards ;-)
Yes, again Mitch,thank you for the little "you can do it" shove ! LOL. After I took the CAP off of the thumbdrive I was able to match up the end to the place on the left(front) of the computer. I had no idea that the clear "thing" on the end came off!!!Therefore I was looking for a SLOT to put it into. I think I need to amend my signature to include this: :stupid: :hysterical:
a lot of folks carry them in their pocket and get junk in the pins, so that's why the cover for when not in use ;-DDDD
and this is the first time you have used it so can't be stupid !!! just learning ;-D
Well this is all just TOO COOL!!
Wow!
I have 4 usb ports, 2 in use, 2 available. And I could free up a 3rd, with the right adapter. They ARE in the back of the tower, hard to reach, so changing them in and out would be a pain. But then, I never use any other computers....just this one ;)
So can I ask a dumb question?
I was looking at the images of usb ports, to which Corrine posted a link. One of them was titled a "fire wire", but it looked just like the other usb...plugs?...oh, connectors?...the thing that goes into the port. So is a usb connector the same thing as a fire wire?
And I REALLY like the concept of using the thumb drive as a single backup media! Well, you'd probably want to backup the backup, but what I mean is no more switching out so many discs, every time you save/backup.
Good topic, thanks for posting it!
Quotejust learning ;-D
:flowers:Thank you Mitch!
QuoteGood topic, thanks for posting it!
I agree and thank you for the answers!
Brynn
nope firewire and usb are different critters !!!!
apple came out with firewire and it was fast
pc's came out with usb 1 and it was ok but slow
then a couple of years ago usb 2 came out, uses the same connectors and is fast !!!
you can interchange the two ( backwards compatable) but if you have a usb 1 device then that is the speed of the ports
so all the external drives with the usb2 are pretty quick but at usb1 speed they would be darn slow !
usb1 = 1 meg/sec
usb2 =40 meg/sec
now my usb plugs are in the back only, BUT you can get a usb extension cord ;-)
i have a 6 ft usb extension cord in the back and then i can plug in my card reader easly in front for photo edit and such ;-)
a word of caution. if you go to a office supply store for the cable they will want $30, but look around the discount stores and should be about $5 to $10
Quote"now my usb plugs are in the back only, BUT you can get a usb extension cord"
TOO,
TOO COOL!!!Is the usb "extension cord" like regular electric extension cords, so that you could have multiple receptors on the end of a cord which plugs into a single usb port?
Something tells me 'no', but I HAD to ask, lol! :smash:
nope
one end will look like the end of your thumb drive
the other end will look like what is on your computer box
they make extensions but on most devices the one end that you plug into is smaller
so if you have a camera/scanner or something you will see it is a small plug, that is not what you want
see the above for description !!
Thx for the feedback all...... :mitch:
Guys,
I am pleased to see that you are having fun with these devices and I don't want to appear to be the Prophet of Doom but a word of warning:
- These beasties can go wrong, exposure to dust, heat, strong magnetic fields - and sitting on them is not good!
- They are surprisingly easy to lose, don't use them as a primary backup of your files or store anything that you don't want the rest of the world to see!
In the days of floppies you could only lose 1.44Mb of data, now you can lose Gigabytes!
:2cents:
Quotestrong magnetic fields
Can you give me an example of where that might be? I can only think of perhaps not having it near the microwave? I have mine sitting right here by the computer :confused:...is that bad? Thanks for posting this bit of info Eric the Red!
if you have a glass monitor that is a strong magnetic field ;-) (speakers also)
as he said they are great for temp storage and data exchange between computers, but i would not use it as a backup source ;-)
I have received a query in respect of the following comment:
Quote from: Eric the Red on July 30, 2006, 06:54:34 AM
- These beasties can go wrong, exposure to dust, heat, strong magnetic fields - and sitting on them is not good!
I take full responsibility for the confusion in that I was including all forms of small, portable "memory stick" type mass storage devices with an USB connector in the generic description of "thumb drives". I should make it clear that there are two types of device here, the smaller solid state "Flash" type drives and those that contain miniature hard disk drives.
The former should be immune from the effects of strong magnetic fields whilst the latter are not and the most common damage to those is by leaving them in close proximity magnetic fields associated with audio speakers (thanks for mentioning them mitch :thumbsup:). Miniature hard drives are also prone to damage by dropping them, etc.
If you do intend to use a flash type mass storage device firstly look for those that can be password protected or have fingerprint protection rather than be taken in by the storage capacity. In particular be wary of those devices with huge capacity that are advertised on some online auction sites, there are many reports of those devices failing after a few hours use.
Caveat emptor - in this field you get what you pay for. :muahaha:
-= caution =-
when using usb flash drives, plug them into only the mother board mounted usb ports. usuall the ones on the back of the pc.
i've seen pc's reboot and or flash drives destroyed when plugging into the front usb port.
why?
it's probable that the ports are mis-wired.
the back ports are soldered at the factory to the motherboard.
the front ports have wires running to the motherboard. it's pretty easy to plug them in wrong.
remember, usb also supplies power, besides moving data.
Quotethe front ports have wires running to the motherboard. it's pretty easy to plug them in wrong.
humm?
the pins on the motherboard has one pin cut off and the plug has a plug in that pin so it can only go in one way on the systems i have worked on
i've seen several home builts that had the front usb ports wired wrong...
i've had eough bad experiences to avoid 'em.
but that could be just me...
http://www.pctechguide.com/tutorials/MBoard_USB.htm
maybe a old or non standard mobo?
pin 9 is the guide pin on the ones i have played with
uuuhhhmmm...well everything else mentioned is waaaaay over my head but I do understand this:
Quote(speakers also)
Thanks Mitch! I'll give you one guess where I had it sitting. :hysterical:
boy...as i was reading those words...my hand was moving the little SanDisk!
I haven't put anything on it as yet...is it still ok? or did I ruin it? All I want to put on it is some music(which is already on CDs as are all my important "stuffs")...I just want to try it out, play with it, more or less.
I love these little toys! I have three, one for Support work for users so I can carry around support tools and firewall software and such to help people out, one is for games and gaming, and the last one is for miscelaneous stuff and documents and such. the first two are 512MB and the last one is 128MB as it stores only documents...
Some things to know about USB in general:
·Although they do supply power to your devices, beware that some devices may take too much power away from your system. If you have too many items plugged into the system drawing power from it, you may experience big problems with the USB drive and your system. I would suggest you use a USB Hub that has an AC adapter to help handle the power consumption of your devices. If a device takes a lot of power to run, (IE., - HDD, Backup unit, etc...) then attach it to the Hub. Things like a mouse, USB memory key and security devices are fairly small on power consumption and will not draw too much from the system.
·If what you store on the USB Key is important, then be sure you have a backup on CD, DVD, or HDD as well.
·Some USB Keys have the connection files loaded on the key itself. A really stupid idea for these devices, as my father had one and he accidentally erased the connection files and had to reformat the device in order to use it again. I suggest you get one that does not require files stored locally on the device for use. Note: I have not seen very many of these types of devices lately, and it was a rude awakening for my father and myself when he erased the files. Best bet is to open the device on first use and see if anythig is already on the device and then be sure NOT to erase them in the future, (if they exist)...
·Occasionally check the device for virii and malware as well. You never know if you (or a program) somehow transferred something to it, as the device does act just like a HDD when attached.
·If you only have USB ports on the back of your system, you may think about getting a Hub to connect to one port in back. The Hub can sit anywhere within the length of the USB cable to connect other devices more easily. I have one sitting right next to the front of my computer for easier access for my USB Key drives and external HDD devices.
·I agree with Mitch. The pin to connect the front USB hub is typically a one way plug. If you built the system yourself, then the board should be clearly labeled as to which pin is "hot", so to speak. Either by manual, or slikscreened on the board itself. Just be careful when building your own system and test the port on something you care least about if you are concerned about miswiring. ;)
Hope this helps with your USB decisions... :thumbsup:
USB Device Port: (https://www.landzdown.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.google.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3A8BMvMfqEgPSmUM%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww3.canon.de%2Fpro%2Fsca%2Flide20%2Ffoto_lide20%2F%2524f%2FLiDE_20_USB_PORT.jpg&hash=b169af3d860d6b5042702aedd4ca9304b18d1363)
2 USB Connection Ports on the left, and 1 Firewire on the right: (https://www.landzdown.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.google.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AlmQzoYgGpauLaM%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcekspert.com%2Fjpg%2Farticles%2Fantecplusview1000_slika_07.jpg&hash=25f71d04352747524545e4f73cd8809750a086f8)
Note the difference in shape of all of these. None of these port types are cross compatible, and they are impossible to mistakenly cross configure. 8)
and my latest discovery
PORTABLE APPS
wow
i have clam av , Firefox,T-bird,ABIword,Power Defragmenter,and a check sum program
all on my thumb drive !!!
not the install but the programs run from the thumb drive and when i remove the drive there is nothing on the main computer !!!
it is like having a key chain computer !!!
they will work on any windows ( OK not the powerdefragmenter)
and still have room so aaw,spybot,spywareblaster are downloaded and can be installed on a sick host computer if needed !
and they have the full Open Office program available( i used abiword cause it is a lot smaller)
my firefox and thunderbird have all the add-ons as my real programs, and all my good bookmarks are on . so if i need a link i can just use my portable ff and find it !
and when i go to another computer and want to check my real mail ( pop3) i can do it and nothing on the host system like mail ! hehe
they make no reg changes or entries! so truly a portable computer !
love my thumb drive !
Mitch, you can likey find at least 1/2 the known portable apps at GSF http://gladiator-antivirus.com/forum/index.php?showforum=227 . I gave up keeping the index updated since no one else wanted to bother.
Quote from: R3D·Occasionally check the device for virii and malware as well. You never know if you (or a program) somehow transferred something to it, as the device does act just like a HDD when attached.
Occasionally? If you are moving the drive between computers I would be paranoid and virus check on every connection. Stay safe! :)