A USB Flash Drive or Pen Drive is the most convenient storage device known to man today.
It is easy to use and carry around, and the current models can store multiple TBs of data if necessary.
They can be used to store and carry important files, carry our favourite apps or settings around, for troubleshooting and to run diagnostics or to launch windows in case of problems.
A USB Flash Drive offers so much functionality, versatility and convenience that millions of people all across the globe are using it.
Though the USB Flash Drive offers a number of conveniences and advantages, it doesn’t come with infinite lifespan.
Data loss is very common, and the chances of physical damage or loss are also great when using this tiny device. All pen drives are good only for a finite number of write-erase cycles.
Generally, multi-level cell drives are good for 3000-5000 write-erase cycles, and single-level cell drives are good for up to 10000 write-erase cycles, and improper use can reduce the life of a pen drive even further.
How to Take Care of the Data on the USB flash drive?
Apart from protecting the USB flash drives from physical damage and data loss due to physical factors and use, one should also take care to prevent loss of stored data from the device and data theft.
The best thing about a pen drive is the ease-of-access, but this can also become its worst feature when the pen drive falls into the wrong hands.
Additionally, it is quite easy to corrupt a USB flash drive with viruses and malware, and hence, it is important to inculcate smart and safe practices to take care of the data stored on pen drives.
#1 How to protect pendrive from virus?
Viruses and Malware are one of the top reasons for data loss and data theft, especially when it comes to USB flash drives. They not only corrupt data and freeze the drive but plugging it into a computer can result in the transfer of viruses and the malware resulting in a more substantial data loss.
Hence, installing anti-virus and checking the drive for viruses and malware before using it is a good practice that can help you avoid problems.
#2: How to protect pendrive with password and Encryption?
Encryption and password protection are two ways to protect your pen drive from data theft. These days, companies are providing encrypted pen drives, or there are a number of open-source resources which can help you with encrypting and protecting your device using a password.
Thus, good and smart practices can go a long way in enhancing the life of the USB flash drives.
Still, to ensure zero data loss, it can be advantageous to back up the data on the pen drive at regular intervals and keep track of the number of uses so that you will be able to take decisive action and save your data even in case your pen drive suddenly dies on you!
How to protect a USB flash drive and enhance its lifespan?
With a bit of care and some precautions when using a pen drive, we can protect it from physical damage and data loss and further enhance its lifespan. Here are some tips on how to protect a USB flash drive:
#1: Protect it from heat and water
The most common causes of data loss on a pen drive are extreme heat and exposure to water. Extreme heat and exposure to water can cause damage to the cells inside the pen drive, and further exposure can cause loss of the data stored inside.
Hence, it is important to keep the pen drive in the cool, ambient environment, and it is best to avoid exposing it to water/moisture.
#2: Avoid shock due to impact
Being such a handy device, people generally throw it with a number of other objects inside their pockets or in a bag, etc. But experts are of the opinion that impact is bad for the life of the USB flash drive as it can result in not only physical damage but also can lead to partial or complete loss of the data stored inside.
As such, it is strongly suggested that when carrying the drive around, it is best to not carry it with other metal objects. A great way to carry around a pen drive (for those who use it constantly throughout the day) is to invest in a lanyard.
One can either buy a USB flash drive that already comes with a lanyard or just buy a lanyard separately and attach the device to it. This way, you can conveniently carry it around your neck, and it completely reduces the chance of damage and data loss due to impact.
Additionally, it can be carried in a separate container too. Having a dedicated container also reduces the chances of impact from other objects and hence prolongs the life of the device.
#3: Avoid keeping loads on it
Another common hazard when using USB flash drive is damage and data loss due to high pressure and heavy loads.
The device is compact but fragile; heavy loads like even the load of a hard drive can damage it. Hence, keeping your pen drive with your other storage devices, in your bag or in your back pocket isn’t advisable.
If you do have to carry it around in a bag, invest in a special container for it or keep it in a special pocket rather than just throwing it in with everything else.
#4: Be gentle and careful when plugging in and USB safely remove
The USB flash drive is a tiny, fragile device. Hence it is important to be careful and gentle when plugging in and removing the device.
Look at the right way to plug it in (it is generally indicated with the common symbol for a USB drive) and do it carefully.
Avoid plugging it in in case of sparks. Electric sparks when trying to plug in the pen drive are a sign that something is wrong; these electric sparks can totally “fry” the device rendering it completely useless. Additionally, this might even damage your computer.
One should be careful while removing the USB flash drive too. The best practice for safe removal is to use the “safely remove” option. Activating safely removes and waiting for the computer to prompt you before removal increases the life of the device.
By doing this, we essentially wait for the computer to stop “writing” which is why the chances of loss of data and damage to the device are significantly reduced as compared to just pulling it out suddenly.
#5: Remove the drive when not in use and secure with a USB cap
A good practice that will enhance the life of a USB flash drive is to remove it from the USB port when not in use. This is advantageous in two ways:
Generally, most USB flash drives come with caps, the reason being dirt and dust can cause a lot of damage and the tip of the USB drive is very delicate and can easily break off. So, when the device is not in use, make it a point to secure it with a cap.
Most pen drives come with caps, but the main problem is the caps are so tiny that losing them is so easy. Hence, invest in devices with swivel caps or those that come with some means of securing the cap to the USB drive even when in use.
A bit of thought and effort right when purchasing the device will go a long way in prolonging the lifespan of the USB flash drive.
#6: Avoid defragmentation
It is common knowledge that defragmentation can help increase the life of a hard disk, but this is not at all the case with USB flash drives. Avoid defragmentation of pen drives at all costs; this not only doesn’t enhance the life of the device but in turn, can adversely affect its working and lead to a slow but sure death.
Defragmentation is a write option, and a USB flash drive has only limited write operation cycles.
Hence, defragmentation can wear down the device and cause degradation over time. The best way to enhance the life of the USB flash drives is to avoid defragmentation and disable auto-defragment option for the drive, if available.
#7: Never edit files directly on pen drives
An important point to remember, to avoid data loss, is to avoid editing files directly on the drive. A smart practice is copying the file/data to your computer before making the changes and then copying it back to the drive once the required edits have been made.