Talk:USB flash drive/Archive 1

message: In the list of differing names for these devices, why are other languages listed? There is not confusion just because different languages use different names for things. 4.242.147.147 02:57, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Foreign names 

message: "Most flash drives feature the standard type-A USB connection allowing them to be connected directly to the port. Some small drives have been made with a thin plug designed to mate with a standard usb port[1] but these are very rare."
These two sentences seem to describe the same thing.  A drive that connects to a standard USB port, and a drive that connects to a standard USB port.  The only difference seems to be in the wording - "connect" vs "mate", etc.  This is very confusing as it's clearly intended to describe two different things.
:one describes a standard USB type A plug, the other describes a plug that still mates with a standard socket but looks nothing like a standard plug. Plugwash 09:39, 1 August 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Confusing text 

message: I removed one of the references to the memory stick name under the Naming Confusion section, as it was listed twice.Ynos 17:32, 2 August 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Names 

message: The flash drive was first invented in 1998 at IBM as a floppy drive replacement for the ThinkPad line of products. Although there is an IBM disclosure, they did not patent it. IBM later contracted M-Systems to develop and manufacture it non-exclusively. M-Systems holds the patent to this device, as well as a few other related patents.
If IBM had publically disclosed this idea and contracted someone to make it non-exclusively how exactly can that other company have a patent on it? Plugwash 19:20, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: A "disclosure" is a legal submission which says "I/we have or may have some intellectual property in this or that field"; it doesn't actually mean to disclose anything substantive about that invention (doing that, publically, would invalidate any unfiled patent applications).  Disclosures are most commonly filed with standards bodies (although they're found in all kinds of inter-company agreements).  Say, for example, you're on the ANSI Exploding Weasel subcommitee. ANSI will require you to disclose that you have some pending intellectual property in the field of mustela detonation, but you don't have to disclose what it is.  In this case it's likely that IBM tranferred (sold/gave/swapped) the revelant IP to M-Systems, having previously disclosed that they were working on something sorta kinda link that, in some public agreement or filing. -- Finlay McWalter |  Talk 23:40, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: ok so if there is a patent what number is is it? what exactly does it cover? is it likely to stand up in court? and are other manufacturers generally licenseing it or ignoring it? Plugwash 00:20, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Looks like patent #  6,148,354. Bloodshedder 05:37, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: Clarification needed

message: Does anyone know how to activate autostart with a usb drive? (not a boot drive)
:Like you might with any other drive, such as a CD drive: autorun.inf. Unfortunately, no Windows OS has autorunning for removable disk drives enabled by default. There's this, but it has to be installed on any PC you want it to work with. Bloodshedder 06:22, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: For Windows XP: Phase 1: Download the latest version of "TweakUI" (see Google), open it and use the tree to the left to get to "Types" nested under "Autoplay" (which is nested under "My Computer"), click "Enable Autoplay for removable devices."  Phase 2: (Safely) Remove your USB Flash Drive, put it in again and you should be prompted with the autoplay menu, choose your pleasure ("Open folder to view files using Internet Explorer") and check "Always do the selected action."  Arbitrary arbiter 14:29, 4 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Autostart?

message: Never heard of it and no matches on google. I've reverted the first addition in the intro and may revert it from naming confusion if noone comes forward to concur with its use. Garglebutt / (talk) 07:15, 19 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Suicide drive? 

message: The article says that USB flash drives are incompatible with Windows 2000, but on my box it works.. 82.92.116.122 18:41, 7 February 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Where does it say that? Bloodshedder 19:06, 7 February 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Compatibility with Windows

message: I removed *AppOnKey.com - The Portable Environments Applications Freeware because the site has no software on it, looks like you would have to pay. However if later it has the software it is talking about and has it free it should be put back --Adam1213 Talk + 23:57, 11 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Removal of external link 

message: This article needs wikifying. A lot of the words are abbreviated before having their expanded form. People that are not computer savvy will be confused. 71.250.15.252 22:24, 14 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Terminology 

message: I don't think this meets the WP:WIAGA criteria in its current state, mainly due to the quality of the prose.  The enormous list under etymology adds very little to the article, and the bullet pointed lists under components should be made into prose.  In addition, trivia sections are bad - if a fact is notable in the context of the article it should be included in the text rather than isolated in a section whose title implies it's not really very interesting or relevant.  Worldtraveller 10:56, 25 April 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Not to mention horrid syntax like this (from the lead para): Microsoft Windows XP (not some early versions though), 2000 and ME shipped with native support for USB Mass Storage devices, but any previous Windows version requires a driver that is usually available from the manufacturer. 207.69.137.22 05:58, 26 April 2006 (UTC)
replies: text:  I think the article is mostly ok, except that the lead section is quite bad. Titoxd(?!? - help us) 23:09, 27 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: [[WP:GA|Good article]] nomination

message: Can anyone add something about U3 technology?--Mutley 10:49, 8 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: U3

message: Reads: "in order to use a USB flash drive in these versions of Windows, a driver from the manufacturer had to be installed."
Windows 95/98 are not 'gone', merely less popular.  It should read: "a driver from the manufacturer **has** to be installed" (plus other minor edits to pull that paragraph into the present tense.)
UPDATE:
No objections, article was altered as above. Mark76uk 22:01, 2 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Windows 95/98 in the past tense?

message: Roughly half of the information in this article is generic.  It would apply to flash or hard drive based media players, usb hard drives, and any other mass storage device that utilizes the USB bus.  What parts would be best to move into USB Mass Storage Device, to provide more generic coverage of the topic? MrZaiustalk 13:52, 1 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Article rewrite/move suggestion

message: I just wanted to mention that i edited some minor typos. This is not exactly exiting news, but as the article is undergoing rework, i thought i would play save and mention it :) RichiH 19:05, 4 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Mini-edit to the article

message: I've never (knock on wood) had a pen drive fail on me.  In 20+ years of data processing, I've seen plenty o' floppies, tapes, HD, optical media, etc. go bad.  Does anyone know what type of failure rate these devices have?
:I had one fail on me already.  All it takes is a couple of drops on concrete or asphault and it was gone.  Luckily mine was still under warranty (I bought it at Walmart from Lexar) and they took forever to send me a replacement. izcool 10:28, 07 July 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I've had one fail on me (corrupted all the files) but it was after going through the wash twice, and a few years. --The Human Spellchecker 10:38, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Reliability? 

message: What do you all think? By the way, the reason I removed all the stuff in parenthsees is that it's not encyclopedia-ish. It's fine for writing with a voice (it's one of my favorite things to do. See?) but it doesn't work in articles.--69.145.123.171 06:30, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Cleaned up

message: A few weeks ago I was reading about Flash, including, I think, the msystems (previously M-Systems) article. Now it is gone, assuming I remember correctly and it really was there. Is there a way to search for deleted articles? No article about msystems seems strange and unlikely. 88.155.54.167 13:02, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  msystems article gone? 

message: I think this section is getting to close to computer help. Next we'll be suggesting using duct tape on the end of drives to stop the blinking light for bothing people or perhaps a carefully placed pile of paper to prevent "drive droop". Seriously though I can't really see this being a the sort of thing that really belongs in this section, it is more a general USB problem to the extent that it exists. Perhaps a two line bit about how ports can wear out with repeated removals and insertions? - SimonLyall 11:38, 17 September 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: No, this problem is unique to flash drives, as they are heavier than the unsupported portion of a USB cable.  USB ports are designed for USB cables, not for flash drives, and this leads to a basic incompatibility.  This is a definite flaw in the design of flash drives, and deserves to be mentioned in this article.  StuRat 12:00, 17 September 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Section is too long. Should be collapsed to one line comment or an addition to existing comment on over sized packaging procluding insertion in some cases. Garglebutt / (talk) 23:57, 17 September 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Fair enough, but that's not what you did, you just deleted the entire section with a misleading comment: "(→Strengths and weaknesses - summarised weight issue into packaging section)".  I will put the section back in and reduce the size, as you suggested above. StuRat 00:42, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Nothing misleading. I added a sentence to the packaging section. The readded paragraph is far too long for this article. Garglebutt / (talk) 04:20, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Unintentional disconnections from the USB port 

message: I just re-worded the Naming section, I believe it to be more informative. If you have an objection, be sure to tell me ;)
:Rewording didn't seem to work. As soon as you list any names then everyone will want their own favorate. "of course" and "quite" are a little informal and "see link below" isn't really good language either. - SimonLyall 20:50, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Rewording of the "Naming" Section 

message: I thought I'd place that in here because I think it's important on the USB Flash Drives. If you don't agree, just say!
:I've reverted it for now. link to flash drive is a link back to here. Size discussion duplicates other pieces of the article, whole section duplicates the leading paragraph of the article. "They are flash drives because they have no moving components inside." is completely wrong (see flash memory and the bit about mp3 players didn't fit in a definition section. - SimonLyall 20:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Added Definition of Flash Drives 

message: How long do flash drives retain their memory if not connected to a USB port?
:Whether or not they are connected to a USB port does not matter. Only the amount of read-write cycles determines their longevity, and that information should already be in the article. Bloodshedder 20:43, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Longevity?

message: Any objections to these being removed? - SimonLyall 03:46, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  removal of advert and cleanup tags. 

message: In the External Links section, we can add a variety of links for Linux & MS that may provide additional information that the reader is looking for.   
Like so:
===Howtos===
*Creating a RAID array with Apple Shuffle Flash units
*Experimenting with creating a USB flash drive RAID array in Linux and Windows.
===MS Windows Howtos and Documents===
*Combining encryption and mobility howto - A guide on using Portable Firefox, Thunderbird, Instant Messenger in a secure way
*Encrypted thumb drive and autoplay howto - Open source tools and a very clear walkthrough
*Installing USB Flash Drives on Windows 98 - Generic driver download for Windows 98 SE to allow USB flash drives to work
*Portable CE Run Windows CE Emulator on a flash drive
*Day Planner On A Stick Run secure calendar/day planner entirely on a flash drive
===Linux Howtos and Documents===
*AltHack.com: How to Run Linux on a USB Drive
*Feraga.com: Creating a privacy optimized GNU/Linux installation for USB Flash drives and other removable media.
*Finix.org: Debian testing on an encrypted root partition
*Flash Linux: A 256Mb Linux distribution for USB keys (based on Gentoo).
*Gentoo Forums: Booting Linux from a USB-Pendrive
*Linux on a Stick!: Simple, easy screenshot walkthroughs showing how to put Linux distributions onto USB sticks
*Live Distro: A collection of articles about running Linux from USB Flash Drives and other removable Media.
*Pen Drive Linux: How to install boot and run Live Linux on a USB flash pen drive.
*Your Pocket OS On A Stick  Simple steps to run a Linux desktop on a flash drive
Disclaimer:  I am the webmaster and wrote most of the content on Feraga.com.  
-- Dvehrs 01:47, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Seperate Sections for OS Specific Links

message: *AltHack.com: How to Run Linux on a USB Drive
*Feraga.com: Creating a privacy optimized GNU/Linux installation for USB Flash drives and other removable media.
*Finix.org: Debian testing on an encrypted root partition
*Flash Linux: A 256Mb Linux distribution for USB keys (based on Gentoo).
*Gentoo Forums: Booting Linux from a USB-Pendrive
*Linux on a Stick!: Simple, easy screenshot walkthroughs showing how to put Linux distributions onto USB sticks
*Live Distro: A collection of articles about running Linux from USB Flash Drives and other removable Media.
*Pen Drive Linux: How to install boot and run Live Linux on a USB flash pen drive.
*Your Pocket OS On A Stick  Simple steps to run a Linux desktop on a flash drive
</blockquote>
Disclaimer:  I am the webmaster and wrote most of the content on Feraga.com.  
-- Dvehrs 01:47, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Linux Howtos and Documents

message: There is little information on actual cost of the various-size devices in the article.  I suspect a section on this would be quite useful in an encyclopedic article like Wikipedia aims for, especially with some amount of historical data for how the prices have declined over time.  As of today's Black Friday (shopping) sales in the US, (November 24, 2006), 1 GB flash drives are selling widely (on sale) for under US$13 (last year, same sales, 1 GB drives were selling for $33 to $45).  256 MB drives have been under US$10, even when not on sale, for several months now.  Does anyone else think such verifiable info would be a beneficial section in this article?  N2e 17:54, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: trouble is its both unverifiable (how do you know the suppliers you pick are representitive of the genral world market) and rapidly changing. (btw i don't think i've ever seen them that cheap over here in the uk) Plugwash 19:37, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Cost, or History of the Cost of flash drives

message: Can anyone tell me whether they exist, and are they picking up steam in terms of adaptation by the industry? Arbiteroftruth 00:25, 27 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: They exist, but they don't seem to be too viable/practical. Bloodshedder 02:34, 27 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Do you think it merits a mention in the article? Arbiteroftruth 03:10, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

text: IIRC they do have the advantage that they can be used to sucessfully boot OSX on a powerPC mac whereas USB ones can't. Plugwash 23:06, 27 November 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  FireWire Flash Drive? 

message: It makes sense to be able to document the great variety of USB flash drives.  A first step is to have a list of the companies.  I started a list.  Someone removed it.  If you don't think it belongs here, please put it in a separate article.  I don't understand the objection to having such information, as an anchor for adding much more information about USB flash drives. (Yes, there probably are dozens of such companies -- that is why we need a list of them!) 69.87.200.138 22:25, 6 December 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I think this list wouldn't really benifit wikipedia. The actual size could be hundreds of companies rather than just dozens (depending on what exact definition you use). It would have to be maintained as companies joined and left the industry etc. I really don't think it is a big priority for an article. Certainly it will just clutter up this one. - SimonLyall 09:50, 7 December 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree. It would like having a list of companies which produce (for example) PC cases or mice - pretty pointless, and hardly something of value to an encyclopedia. If you 'have' to create such a list, it certainly shouldn't be part of this article Nuwewsco 21:26, 9 December 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: List of USB flash drive companies

message: This really is just a brand name and synonym for a USB flash drive. This article already mentions the brand, and does a much better job of covering the generic realm of disk-on-key thingies. The page JumpDrive used to be a redirect, but somehow is now a distinct article notwithstanding the Alternative names for USB flash drive article.  Comments? --Brownsteve 23:28, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Looks like a merge to me. The only extra info on that page is listing the make. Probably just a redirect. - SimonLyall 06:29, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

text: Thought this was pretty obvious, so I went ahead and merged the two.  Ping me back if you disagree... Brownsteve 00:31, 13 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Merge from [[JumpDrive]] ? 

message: I discovered that new sticks have lower read speed on yet unwritten sectors. This can make new owners think that they have been conned if they do a speed test and find lower than expected values.
I think this phenomenon should be mentioned.
For example see before-and-after pictures here.
It is a SanDisk Cruzer Titanium U3 1GB stick, with about 50 MB of preloaded software on the first picture and additional 250 MB of newly copied files on the second picture.
xerces8 --195.3.81.25 09:59, 12 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Transfer speed on virgin units