Pros and Cons of USB Flash Drives

The Advantages

Noted below are the unique advantages of using a USB flash drive.

A pen drive has from 32 MB to 64 GB (not yet in circulation in the domestic market) of storage capacity. This is not only more than the floppy ever had, but has also surpassed the average CD or DVD.

The USB drive can run on all commonly used OSs circulating in the market such as MS Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac and AMD.

The flash drive does not need a separate programme to be installed, nor is there any need to reboot the computer after it is plugged in. In other words, we don’t need to interrupt other activities to use a pen drive.

The USB drive is easy to carry and is small, compact and lightweight. Unlike the CD, which directly exposes the surface of the disc on which data has been written, the pen drive is encased in a protective hard plastic case, making it much more resilient.

Its design makes it less prone to exposure to dust and getting scratched. Some manufacturers have claimed that their casing is even waterproof (but it may not be a good idea to dip your drive in water and find out).

Given the lightweight compact structure, attached chain or string to wear it around the neck, and adaptability to any system, data sharing is easier, faster and more handy with the flash drives.

The USB drive is also compatible for all file types, and can save and read all data, including audio visuals.

High capacity USB drives can even accommodate certain OSs. This has made it an easy to use installation drive for loading software into a system anywhere.

Disadvantages and Data Loss

Nothing is perfect, and the USB drive too has imperfections that lead to data loss from it.

We have to remember that the USB is a compact flash drive. The most common cause of data erasure from any device with CF memory is removing it while it is still being used. Does this sound like remote jargon? We keep pulling out USB drives everyday from various systems while the programmes are still running, because our immediate work is over. Taking it out without using the safe removal option will cause the data in it to be corrupted, or even worse, not saved at all.

The propensity to use zip files and store data such as worksheets, photographs, and other large files in the form of archives, has become extremely popular for transporting large chunks of information in a tiny device. Unfortunately, accidental deletion of one archival file results in deletion of the matter in it equally fast.

USB drives are not suited for the purpose they are used by SMEs that substitute them for hard disks. We need to remember that flash memory can generically support only a certain number of read-write cycles before its capability to function in the given area of the memory expires. In other words, if you are a businessman, do not expect your data to sit around beyond five years in a USB drive that you use frequently.

Like all digital devices, virus infection can wipe data from a USB flash drive. Unfortunately, measures such as using write protection or encryption systems or even simply scanning the drive before plugging it into a system are not part of most USB user’s habits. This has made this device a boon for virus makers.
Overwriting can erase data in all media, and fragmentation is a graver problem with the flash memory, mainly because of its usually smaller size.

The advantages of using the flash drive can be its disadvantages too. Thanks to its ‘compact’ shape, the USB drive is very handy – and therefore very easy to lose or steal. Instances of physical theft of data devices have gone up dramatically thanks to the USB drive. After the cell phone, the flash drive is the next most easily forgotten digital device. Everyday, owners are plugging in their drives, and then walking away blissfully.

Like all digital goods, USB drives can suffer data loss from heat, humidity, pressure and impact. The disadvantage is that we are more careless thanks to the false sense of security generated by the plastic cover.