USB stick fail

ttf_Whitbey · Post by **ttf_Whitbey** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 1:36 pm

I bought a 256 gig memory stick. I have files of my parents different systems all together on my drive and I am putting them on this stick. Long story.

It takes forever to copy stuff. I have 225 gig of files to copy to this stick. So I have to pause the copy. Do the remove stick thing and standby the laptop to go to work and return home.

Got half way through and the stick errored like it was just pulled out. Now all the folders look like unknown files in file explorer. I tried the auto repair and it failed.

Can I save the files on the stick or do I need to reformat this thing?

Then maybe there is a better process of copying?

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 1:42 pm

I think pausing the copy was the problem. In copy, the system sets aside the directory information for all the data files before it begins copying them. If you pause the process, the relationship between directory and files can be corrupted.

You may have to erase the entire stick ans start again. This time do the copy in short sessions you won't have to pause.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 3:00 pm

Sounds corrupted. What file format was it?

ttf_SilverBone · Post by **ttf_SilverBone** » Wed Oct 25, 2017 3:11 am

You're hosed. Sorry.

After you reformat, copy the files in small batches.

(Your systems sounds quite slow. Is it an old computer with old USB? If it's a newer computer, maybe you just need a USB 3 stick.)

ttf_Torobone · Post by **ttf_Torobone** » Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:06 am

I have used memory sticks for about 12 years. Via purchases, vendor freebies and other gifts, I have had about 200 sticks.

Occasionally, I get a bad one. This can mean I have trouble using it, or the stick works fine in one machine and not in another. Once, I had files on a trusted stick that I passed to a friend and it crashed his computer.

Anything worth saving is worth having more than one copy.

ttf_M.R.Tenor · Post by **ttf_M.R.Tenor** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 11:38 am

If it wasn't a reputable brand stick purchased from a trusted source, the higher capacity USB sticks are often complete fakes. I've seen ones that tested as 8-12 gig advertised as much larger capacities. They hack the firmware on the drive so that it'll show up as genuine, but if you try to copy more than 8 gb to it, the whole thing corrupts and all the data is gone.

Check it with this. It'll also tell you if the drive has an issues. http://download.cnet.com/USB-Flash-Drive-Tester/3000-2086_4-10810585.html

It's best to do large copies in smaller steps.

ttf_Andrew Meronek · Post by **ttf_Andrew Meronek** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:43 am

Due to the type of memory used in USB thumb drives, it's also a good idea to always do a Windows request to eject a USB drive before removing it. If you happen to remove it in the middle of a background cleanup, you can end up corrupting parts of the drive.

ttf_Whitbey · Post by **ttf_Whitbey** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:39 am

I reformatted the disk. It is now 250 meg rather then 256 gig.

Speed is an issue. It is going at 50 to 300kb a second. But in addition to speed files are missing in the copy process. Several folders are just plain empty. Re copying the set does seem to fill those folders but something is wrong.

My machine is older. 4 years. But it was super fast in it's day and is still faster then most every computer in out office. This is the only slow thing I have seen.

The idea that the stick is defective or less than right is an idea that is making a lot of sense. This link is the stick I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0725B2L1G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I like the dual size thing on this stick. That way my elderly Mother can stick the thing in her IPad and look at the files and pics. Any recommendations on a similar stick that might be better?

ttf_Andrew Meronek · Post by **ttf_Andrew Meronek** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:33 am

Why not just go buy a terabyte hard drive? In terms of how much $$$ you pay for each GB, a hard drive looks like a better deal, unless you really care about being able to put in on your keyring.

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:15 am

I have something from Monster Digital that also has the two sizes. Mine is 32 GB and has been working well for me for at least 3 years.

Four years old is newer than most of the computers I use. I don't buy USB-3 because most of my boxes don't support it.

Having spent a few years in counterfeit components, I would recommend contacting Amazon. Yours may just be bad. Won't be the first time.

ttf_Todd Jonz · Post by **ttf_Todd Jonz** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:16 am

Whitbey writes:

> This link is the stick I bought...

Since it doesn't mention what version of the USB spec it supports I suspect it's a USB 2.0 device. That's the explanation for your speed problem; you're moving a *lot* of data to a very slow device. If your computer supports USB 3.0 get a USB 3.0 stick next time, or better yet get a USB 3.0 external SSD, otherwise you'll just have to wait for the copy to complete. Just for sake of comparison, it took me eight minutes recently to move two movie files to my media server over WiFi but only six seconds to copy them to a USB 3.0 Samsung T-3 backup drive.

As you discovered, you can't put a computer to sleep while copying files to external media, remove the media, and expect the copy process to continue later where it left off. On Unix systems (including Macs) the 'rsync' utillity facilitates syncing two file systems, including recovery from an interrupted sync process. I don't "do" Windows, but there appear to be a number of 'rsync' work-alikes available for Windows. Perhaps a savvy Windows user can recommend one.

ttf_Whitbey · Post by **ttf_Whitbey** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:26 pm

Quote from: Andrew Meronek on Oct 29, 2017, 06:33AMWhy not just go buy a terabyte hard drive? In terms of how much $$$ you pay for each GB, a hard drive looks like a better deal, unless you really care about being able to put in on your keyring.

I need something my Mother can use with her tablet or one of her old computers. For Mom if does not plug, it does not play.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:40 pm

I prefer Toucan for that. No need to install, you can even put the application on the thumbdrive itself, although it runs a little slower if its usb 2.0 using that method.

The newer external hard drives actually do plug and play, much of the time they are better than the thumb drives. I do prefer the very small thumbdries if I use them though because they have a less of a chance of breaking the port they are in. Something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00FJRS6QY/ref=twister_B00JO6RO8C?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Alternatively, you can get Google Drive or other cloud service for $10 a month. Unless you're sharing very secure pictures, you don't have to use it for everything and you can backup up to 1TB of information on them. THen if you want to share something with your mother, all you have to do is send her an e-mail with a link she can click on.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:40 pm

I prefer Toucan for that. No need to install, you can even put the application on the thumbdrive itself, although it runs a little slower if its usb 2.0 using that method.

The newer external hard drives actually do plug and play, much of the time they are better than the thumb drives. I do prefer the very small thumbdries if I use them though because they have a less of a chance of breaking the port they are in. Something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00FJRS6QY/ref=twister_B00JO6RO8C?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Alternatively, you can get Google Drive or other cloud service for $10 a month. Unless you're sharing very secure pictures, you don't have to use it for everything and you can backup up to 1TB of information on them. THen if you want to share something with your mother, all you have to do is send her an e-mail with a link she can click on.