Are you interested in buying USBs and want to know more about flash drive sizes and storage? Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this electronic storage device.
RELATED: How To Recover Permanently Deleted Files From A Flash Drive
What You Should Know About Flash Drive Sizes
Why Do I Need a Flash Drive?
Flash drives make storage and transfer of data easier and more convenient for users, but there’s more to them than that. Here are other benefits of USB drives:
- Run a Separate OS — What’s great about using an extra storage USB is you can run a separate operating system for your computer or laptop without having to change your computer’s hard drive.
- Windows ReadyBoost — Flash drives can improve your computer’s system performance with Windows ReadyBoost, a disk caching software component for faster computer performance.
- For those who are still using Windows 7 and Vista, Windows ReadyBoost will automatically launch and ask you to speed up the computer’s performance with the software.
- Repairing and Troubleshooting Your Computer — You can also utilize removable storage USBs to help your computer repair and troubleshoot a problem.
Which USB Size Should I Get?
There are many flash drive memory sizes available on the market, from 256MB to 2TB. Choosing flash drive sizes depends on the number, type of files, and file size you will save, store, and transfer.
Large files like videos and pictures need more storage space than storing document files. It is recommended you get a higher size than what you need because having more space is better than not having enough.
How Many Files Can I Store on a Drive?
This depends on the flash storage size. To give you a better idea of these storage capacities, here’s a comparison of the 1GB and 8GB flash drives:
- A 1-GB flash drive can store up to 2,400 photos, 240 songs, and 320 minutes of videos.
- An 8-GB flash drive can store up to 19,200 photos, 1,920 songs, and 2,560 minutes of videos.
What Is the Biggest Flash Drive Size Available Right Now?
Right now, a 2TB or 2,000GB thumb drive offers the largest storage capacity on the market! To give you a better idea of how much space is in it, this is how much it can hold:
- Up to 110,000 photos
- 125,000 songs
- 500 films
Does the USB Design Affect Flash Drive Sizes and Storage?
The USB design does not affect flash drive sizes and storage. Your USB lanyards or Wallet USB Cards will have the same performance as a regular USB stick does.
However, the USB design can improve functionality – a USB pen, for example, can be a stylus, a pen, and a USB all at the same time.
Does USB Generation Affect My Storage?
No, USB generation does not affect your USB storage capacity. It only affects the transfer speed and device compatibility of your flash drive.
Your USB 1.0 1GB drive has the same storage capacity as a USB 3.0 1GB drive, only with a slower transfer rate.
How Long Can I Store My Files on a Flash Drive?
Flash drives are permanent storage devices. Unless the files are deleted or your flash drive is corrupted or gets physically damaged, your files are safely stored in your flash drive.
There are two reasons why a flash drive becomes unresponsive or corrupted: logical and physical issues. For physical issues, it might need replacement depending on how severe the damage is.
How to Recover Corrupted Data Caused by Logical Issues
You need to repair the device’s file structure, so it can be used again. If you’re using Windows, you can do the following:
- Attach the affected flash drive on the USB port of your computer.
- On your computer, navigate to My Computer and select the Removable Disk icon.
- Right click on the icon and open Properties.
- Choose the Tools tab and click on the Check Now button.
- From there, you will be given options: Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors and Automatically fix file system errors.
- Check the two checkboxes.
- Select Start to initiate scanning.
- Click Close once the scanning process finishes.
- Eject the USB drive properly.
If you’re using Windows 10 or an older Windows version, you’ll need to do the following steps:
Follow steps 1 to 4 from the following instructions to recover data, except that from the Tools tab, select the Rebuild button. Allow time for the scanning process to complete and then close it once done.
You can eject the drive from the computer after this.
If the instructions didn’t help, you might need help from a USB drive data recovery tool. In most cases, logical issues can be solved with recovery software.
You can download free programs and install them on your computer in case another similar scenario happens.
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Is Getting Bigger Flash Drive Sizes Always Ideal?
Although it’s important to get a flash drive with larger storage capacity, it’s also essential to consider its other features for its overall performance. Price, transfer speed, design, and durability are some of the major things you need to consider in choosing a USB thumb drive.
This allows you to find the best on the market. Prices, for example, for the USBs are as follows:
- 8GB (around $5)
- 16GB (around $8-$10)
- 64GB (around $18)
- 128GB (around $30)
- 64 GB with a 3.0 interface (around $23)
If you often use a flash drive, you might want to give more attention to the device’s transfer speed aside from flash drive sizes. You don’t want to delay storing and transferring data when you have other things to do.
Can I Lock My Files Stored in My Drive?
Yes, you can divide your files into two partitions: locked and unlocked. Once plugged into a computer or a device, it shows two different drives with different flash drive sizes.
Nobody will be able to delete the locked portion of the flash drive even if they format it again. On the other hand, the unlocked section is free for use.
You can even rename the locked partition so you’ll always be reminded of what it is.
Why Is There Less Space Than the Size I Bought?
You might be surprised when you plug your 8GB flash drive in your computer because it will only show 7.48 GB available space for use. Where did the rest go? Nowhere.
The difference is only due to:
- System allocation
- Difference in denominations
During manufacturing, some space in the drive is allocated for file booting and the file system, which is the difference. Also, the varying denominations between the flash drive manufacturer and RAM manufacturer gave rise to the difference.
The flash drive manufacturer uses a standard 1,000MB to create an 8GB USB flash drive, while RAM manufacturers follow the standard 1,024 denominations to create approximately 7.45GB available for use.
These are the reasons why your flash drive shows a different capacity when used.
How Can I Restore My Flash Drive to Its Original Size?
If your computer shows you only have 70MB instead of 2GB after reformatting it, you need to restore it to its original size. One way of doing it is to use DiskPart (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac).
Note that reformatting your flash drive will wipe all of its contents, so be sure to create a backup of any files you want to keep.
How Long Do Flash Drives Last?
USB flash drives don’t degrade because of age. Rather, their lifespan usually depends on usage, specifically the number of write cycles they go through.
This means the more you write new information and erase the old ones, the higher the risks of your drive degrading over time.
How you use them also contributes to its lifespan. If you don’t keep them in a secure place and put them anywhere, this increases the chances of shortening their lifespan.
Not properly ejecting them when used on computers can also contribute to its “death.” The process may affect its functionality negatively when not properly ejected.
When choosing flash drive sizes, always remember the best USB storage is one that has a slightly larger capacity, so you won’t run out of space when you need it most. It’s also important to consider the storage device’s other features if you are looking for better overall performance.
We hope this guide has answered some of your questions about flash drives and the tech behind it. If you’re looking to order promotional flash drives customized for your business or organization, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Do you have any other questions about flash drive sizes and storage? How was your experience in using USBs? Ask and tell us in the comment section below.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on October 25, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
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