USB Flash Drive Lifetime?

[pave_spectre]

Thinking about installing Linux on my 128MB flash drive, (no spare hard drives or cash. :(), and I was wondering if anyone knew what the expected lifetime of USB flash drives might be.

I have previously read about linux installed on compact flash cards, but which had to be used read only since CF cards only had an expected lifetime of 1000 writes.

I also dont know when those comments might have been made, and if it applies to current hardware, or only the original devices, and if it could equally be applied to the USB flash devices.

[PrntRhd]

Those little USB flash devices are pretty much indestructable, I have heard of them going through the laundry, dropped from considerable heights, laid next to magnets, left in the sun, and they still work.

The only thing I can think of that will stop them is the loss of the drivers if no longer available on the manufacturer's websites as they don't package them with the devices in most instances.

Five years would be a good guess.

[pave_spectre]

They even come in waterproof models now!:rolleyes:

It's not so much the physical integrity I'm concerned with, more the functional integrity of the device after constant usage. Does the data consistency degrade after a certain number of read/writes as I have read is the case with CF cards.

Since I will be installing an OS on the stick, drivers, certainly shouldnt be an issue,(drivers what are they? Don't you mean kernel modules?:p). I just don't want to install it only to have the thing die after a week through overuse.

Since my only other option is to make a custom live-CD of Slax, so I can mess with the inits, which would still requie somewhere to store and run data off anyway, which means the USB flash would get a lot of use whichever route I choose.

[PrntRhd]

I have not seen anyone who has killed one by overuse yet, and have not seen studies on it either. The flash drive 1000 rewrites limit may be due to the connectors for the drive wearing out, not the ones and zeros being sent.

[rond36]

The only thing I can think of that will stop them is the loss of the drivers if no longer available on the manufacturer's websites as they don't package them with the devices in most instances.

They don't need drivers other than the standard USB drivers. If you want to password protect the contents of the drive you will need software but it comes written on the drive and you can install it from there