Is a 16gb USB Flash Drive a good alternative?

Is a 16gb USB Flash Drive a good alternative? ....to an external hard drive?

#1 wildcat2000

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 12:54 AM

I was planning on getting a 500gig External Hard Drive so I ca backup some files. Ive had some computer problems recently and had to get its internal hard drive replaced. I just dont wanna loose everything a second time in case it crashes again.

I dont really need 500 extra gigs but the one I had planned on getting was a Western Digital and only $80. Its good price but I dont have alot of money to spend so I was wondering if a 16gb flash drive would be just good for backing up video files, music and whatnot.

#2 tg1911

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 01:11 AM

If you have less than 16GB of files to backup, that should work fine.
If you have less than 9GB, you could use a couple of DVDs (4.7GB per DVD).

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#3 wildcat2000

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 01:35 AM

I have alot of stuff saved on my computer but I only wanted to backup a few select files that were pretty hard to obtain. Im thinking its less or around 15gigs. My CD Rom drive doesnt really work and last time I burned to a disc it was all messed up so I cant go that way.

Thanks for the reply. Just wanted to make sure it was still good way to keep things backedup on since its just a flash drive. I was thinking it might actually be better since flash drives dont fail like normal hard drives since its not one big spinning disc. I dont know, could be wrong.

This post has been edited by wildcat2000: 09 October 2009 - 01:35 AM

#4 hamluis

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 02:33 PM

I don't know about you...but I keep several dated backups, I don't just keep the most recent.

Things go wrong every day and I just employ the System Restore principle (multiple dated opportunities) when I back up.

If you go that route, a hard drive is better (due to storage capacity, today and in the future).

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#5 wildcat2000

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 01:29 AM

hamluis, on Oct 9 2009, 02:33 PM, said:

Well if I would definitely like to backup everything I have. What I meant was that I was only planning on backing up certain files that could no longer be found or dont really work anymore. Stuff Ive found on the internet and since I dont have alot of money to spend I was thinking maybe a low cost alternative so I could save some of my bigger files would be good for now.

#6 brooksey!!!

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Posted 04 November 2009 - 10:32 AM

USB - No contest. I have had too many external HDD issues in the past. I posted earlier on another topic almost advertising these things: Corsair Flash Voyager USB flash drive - 32 GB for £56. Bargain. Not sure what that is is USD (i'm sure its roughly the same at the moment!) You can get the next step up which is double the space, but also double the price.