"Claude Hopper (11) 5. ?" <boobooililililil@roadrunner.com> wrote in message
news:48341e24$0$7040$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> This is my second USB stick failure. I have stuff on it and no computer
> can access it anymore. These are seeming not to be reliable to me.
>
>
> --
> Claude Hopper
>
> ? ? ¥
Claude Hopper (11) 5. ? wrote:
> This is my second USB stick failure. I have stuff on it and no
> computer can access it anymore. These are seeming not to be reliable
> to me.
You buying these from the same sort of place where you buy your PSU's?
If you are, and they're the same sort of cheapo rubbish, I'm hardly
surprised
--
SteveH
Ed Cregger wrote:
> "Claude Hopper (11) 5. ?" <boobooililililil@roadrunner.com> wrote in message
> news:48341e24$0$7040$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>> This is my second USB stick failure. I have stuff on it and no computer
>> can access it anymore. These are seeming not to be reliable to me.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Claude Hopper
>>
>> ? ? ¥
>
>
> ------------
>
>
> Which brand, model and size? TIA
>
> Ed Cregger
>
>
This one was a PNY 1G. Last failed was a 256k, forgot what brand.
SteveH wrote:
> Claude Hopper (11) 5. ? wrote:
>> This is my second USB stick failure. I have stuff on it and no
>> computer can access it anymore. These are seeming not to be reliable
>> to me.
>
> You buying these from the same sort of place where you buy your PSU's?
> If you are, and they're the same sort of cheapo rubbish, I'm hardly
> surprised
My PSU's are still working. This PNY 1g stick is ****ed.
> This is my second USB stick failure. I have stuff on it and no computer
> can access it anymore. These are seeming not to be reliable to me.
You may want to ask in the forums at www.USBman.com and www.EverythingUSB.com.
And some data recovery companies, like OnTrack, can retrieve files
from flash drives, for lots of $$$.
USB ports are supposed to be rated to withstand at least 12,000 volts
of static, but it turns out it's not hard to exceed that in regular
use, so just before I plug in a USB device, I touch the outer metal
body of its plug to some bare metal on the computer case (doesn't have
to be direct -- you can put a finger on the metal body of the USB plug
while touching the case with your other hand).
USB stuff can also be damaged by the surge of current that occurs when
a device is plugged in. It's supposed to be protected for that, too,
but the protection relies in part on a capacitor between +5V and
ground, and apparently many companies cut corners by using an
undersized or cheap capacitor. I learned this when my NEC-based I/O
Gear card blew the very LM3526 chip that was supposed to protect it
against such damage. I don't know know of any practical ways to get
around current surges.
I've had USB ports blow, but so far all my USB sticks have been OK --
PNY, Emprex (both with NEC-based bridges), Lexar, MicroAdvantage, and
Patriot.
USB sticks unreliable 
Linear Mode
