Flash Drives???

[darkangel]

Ok I need to make a copy of Windows 7 off my laptop cuz it didn't come with a disk. It says insert flash drive as optimal choice. SO I was looking ath these 2 flash drives and 1 is a 32 gb and one is only and 8 gb. Made by the same manufacturer and for the same price. Which would you get? There's are links to Walamrt.com.

8 gb Flash Drive...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Wintec-FileMate-8GB-SWIVEL-USB-Flash-Drive-Black/15074239

OR...

The 32 gb Flash Drive?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Wintec-FileMate-Pro-32GB-USB-Flash-Drive-Silver/15074240#rr

They look like identical but in size! Which would you get? Thanks!

 

[edgray]

no matter how much disk space you've got, you'll always manage to fill it eventually. I'd go for the 32. And at that price you can't go wrong!

 

[Tuffdisc]

Not really, it is good for storing documents on the move, not for long term storage and storage of important files for short term storage.

32gb may fail one day leaving 32gb of loss data which is a lot more than 8gb. You have always have hard drives to put your stuff back on

 

[edgray]

yes really. It would be insane to choose the 8gb over the 32gb. Insane. Even if it's just for docs on the move.

 

[darkangel]

My computer is prompting me to use a flash drive to copy Windows 7 on and I just need to know which Flash Drive I should get. DO I go with the 8gb or the 32gb?

 

[Tim]

That 32GB drive has an average write speed of 3MB/s
That means it would take just under 3 hours to fill that stick of memory...

 

[Tim]

8GB would be more than enough room to transfer Windows 7. So either stick will work.

 

[darkangel]

8GB would be more than enough room to transfer Windows 7. So either stick will work.

Ok Tim thanks! I'll get the 8GB. I appreicate your help!!!

 

[Francis]

8GB would be more than enough room to transfer Windows 7. So either stick will work.

Right both will work and both are rated at 4.3 MB /s on write.. If both have 5 year warranted I think the best investment is by far the 32 GB drive at the same price as the 8 GB drive..

8 GB
http://www.wintecind.com/spec/FileMate/USBFlashDrives/Swivel.html

32 GB
http://www.wintecind.com/spec/FileMate/USBFlashDrives/Pro.html

 

[The Man]

Right both will work and both are rated at 4.3 MB /s on write.. If both have 5 year warranted I think the best investment is by far the 32 GB drive at the same price as the 8 GB drive..

8 GB
http://www.wintecind.com/spec/FileMate/USBFlashDrives/Swivel.html

32 GB
http://www.wintecind.com/spec/FileMate/USBFlashDrives/Pro.html

8 GB
32 GB
Same price... I know which one I am getting.

I would use a DVD disk to make my disks though..I am amazed no one has mentioned this.
A flash drive can corrupt at anytime.
A DVD once written will not corrupt later unless it is scratched or has been written to again.

 

[edgray]

8 GB
32 GB
Same price... I know which one I am getting.

I would use a DVD disk to make my disks though..I am amazed no one has mentioned this.
A flash drive can corrupt at anytime.
A DVD once written will not corrupt later unless it is scratched or has been written to again.

DVDs aren't half as reliable as you'd think.

When I was the Creative Director for a magazine a few years back, we backed everything up to DVD. Each issue was normally around 5 disks, give or take. Anyway, a year later disaster struck and out server drives crashed and were unrecoverable. So we dived into the DVDs to rescue what we needed only to find that 1 out of 5 DVDs worked - the rest had corroded and couldn't be read.

Admittedly, our office was close to the sea, but you get the idea. I wouldn't trust a DVD beyond 5 years maximum.

 

[The Man]

DVDs aren't half as reliable as you'd think.

When I was the Creative Director for a magazine a few years back, we backed everything up to DVD. Each issue was normally around 5 disks, give or take. Anyway, a year later disaster struck and out server drives crashed and were unrecoverable. So we dived into the DVDs to rescue what we needed only to find that 1 out of 5 DVDs worked - the rest had corroded and couldn't be read.

Admittedly, our office was close to the sea, but you get the idea. I wouldn't trust a DVD beyond 5 years maximum.

I have heard that before...the material starts to come off of the DVD..I have never had it happen..but I do suppose there is a difference in quality of DVDs and CDs...I still have windows 98 disks that work fine for example

I currently use external hard drives as they have become very affordable.

Something I hadnt considered is the thread starter may have a netbook and may not come with a DVD burner

 

[edgray]

I have heard that before...the material starts to come off of the DVD..I have never had it happen..but I do suppose there is a difference in quality of DVDs and CDs...I still have windows 98 disks that work fine for example

I currently use external hard drives as they have become very affordable.

Something I hadnt considered is the thread starter may have a netbook and may not come with a DVD burner

The problem appears to be worse in writable DVDs. Factory made ones don't seem to rot as quickly.

I think the format essentially is flawed. Remember the claim that CDs would supply perfect sound forever? Absolute tosh. I've got CDs less than 10 years old and if you look at the surface, they're clearly corroding and the sound quality is affected because of it. And that's treating them well. Leave them out by mistake or because you're in a hurry at your peril!

 

[darkangel]

I have to DVDR's I believe but my computer is saying the optimal choice is to put Windows 7 on a Flash Drive. That's the reason I'm opting for a Flash Drive rather than putting it on DVD.

 

[Francis]

8 GB
32 GB
Same price... I know which one I am getting.

I agree and that is what I said..

I would use a DVD disk to make my disks though..I am amazed no one has mentioned this.
A flash drive can corrupt at anytime.
A DVD once written will not corrupt later unless it is scratched or has been written to again.

Again, that is what I told her last night but she wanted to use USB..

 

[darkangel]

Again, that is what I told her last night but she wanted to use USB..

Not really I want to do it flash drive. The computer is saying thats the way It wants to do it. I have the option to change it to DVD but then how many 180 minutes DVDR's will I need to hold Windows 7? :unsure: I think I have 2 of them. Will that be enough? :unsure:

 

[dkwrtw]

Definitely go with the 32.

 

[Tim]

The problem appears to be worse in writable DVDs. Factory made ones don't seem to rot as quickly.

I think the format essentially is flawed. Remember the claim that CDs would supply perfect sound forever? Absolute tosh. I've got CDs less than 10 years old and if you look at the surface, they're clearly corroding and the sound quality is affected because of it. And that's treating them well. Leave them out by mistake or because you're in a hurry at your peril!

A CD and DVD cannot corrode but they can degrade.

If it's a stamped CD/DVD like a store bought disk, the information is physically stamped into the plastic by a metal negative and protected by another layer of plastic. Unless you physically damage these disks, they should last a very long time.
Disks that you burn do not have physical ridges like store bought/stamped ones, they have a chemical between two layers of plastic that reacts to laser light. This chemical can break down under certain circumstances and appear to be corroded. This will result in permanent data loss.

But a store bought disk is based on a completely different manufacturing process than the ones you burn.

 

[Francis]

Not really I want to do it flash drive. The computer is saying thats the way It wants to do it. I have the option to change it to DVD but then how many 180 minutes DVDR's will I need to hold Windows 7? :unsure: I think I have 2 of them. Will that be enough? :unsure:

OK mine took 3 DVDs for the Windows 7 alone and one for the actual Laptop Options separately..

Hence 4 DVD's..

If we go by what we discussed last night that's a grand total of 4 X 4.7 GB (single-sided, single-layer – common) ..

I think the 8 GB USB Drive might not do and certainly your two DVD's will not be enough if you go by what mine took for Windows 7 Home Premium Edition..

Ease wise the DVD-R's are better protection as once written they usually can be stored and are more easily used to boot up from.

That said, you do what you think best.. It's after all your decision..

 

[darkangel]

Ok since my computer is telling me that its optimal to go with a flash drive I'm going to get the 32GB just to make sure I have enough space. Thanks everyone for explaining all of that to me. I love learning new things.