Hi RB, DT, and cmc,
Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate it. This mini discussion has enlightened me.
After reading RB's post yesterday, I decided to look into USB flash drives more deeply. It was the first time I
had done this.
It turns out that there are 3 different
types of USB flash drives: TLC, MLC, and SLC. The sub-type refers to the density of the stored data. SLC is single density. MLC is double density. And TLC is triple density.
Most USB flash drives sold today are the TLC
type, because they are economical.
According to the websites I visited, the data stored in a TLC USB flash drive is expected to last for 1-3 years. After that, the data can become unstable, and you may lose it.
The data stored in a SLC USB flash drive is expected to last for 10 years before it becomes unstable.
The data stored in a MLC USB flash drive has a lifespan in between those 2.
I have a Sandisk 32GB TLC USB flash drive. They cost about $13. I've been using it almost every day for 3 years now. Maybe it is reaching the end of its lifespan?
According to these websites, there are 2 other issues to consider when using a USB flash drive. First, every time you use it, energy flows from the laptop to the flash drive. This slowly kills it. It is basically a long, slow death. Second, the number of plug/un-plug cycles becomes a factor over time. I suspected this all along. These websites only confirmed my suspicions. According to these websites, most USB flash drives are designed to survive only about 1,500 plug/un-plug cycles before the connector breaks. According to my calculations, I've already gone through about 1,000 plug/un-plug cycles with my flash drive (3 years, almost every day). This means that the connector on my flash drive is expected to last only another 500 plug/un-plug cycles, which is a little over a year for me.
According to these websites, most external hard drives are expected to last for 3-5 years before something mechanical breaks. As I mentioned in my previous posts in this
thread, the problem with external hard drives is that they have moving parts. Apparently, the data stored in them can last for decades (maybe 50 years or more), but the moving parts tend to break. The data is
still there, but the drive is mechanically broken. And once the drive is 3-5 years old, it isn't worth it to fix it. It will cost you more
money to fix it (or even attempt to retrieve the data) than a 3-5 year old hard drive is worth. What
good is having the data there
still intact for decades if you can't access it because the drive is mechanically broken? This is the paradox.
After visiting these websites, I am now seriously considering
buying a SLC USB flash drive at some point in the near future. Since the data is expected to last for 10 years, it is an option worth looking into. The problem with SLC USB flash drives is the cost. A 32GB SLC USB flash drive costs about $53 or more. That is 4 times the cost of a 32GB TLC USB flash drive ($13). But, if the data will last for 10 years before becoming unstable, it may be worth it.
My website should be completed in about 1-2 years (I
hope). Once my website is completed, my flash drive should experience a significant reduction in the number of plug/un-plug cycles. Maybe a SLC USB flash drive will be a
good option at that point. It can also serve as a back-up to my TLC USB flash drive, which will be 5 years old at that time.
What do other
Forum members think? Should I buy a 32GB SLC USB flash drive in the near future?
Meepzorp