 Free Scan: Update Your PC's Outdated Drivers to Optimize Performance 
July 14th, 2008, 08:40 PM
|
#1 (permalink)
| | Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio
Posts: 17
| Flash drives and finite # of over-writes
So I read in a different tech blog that flash drives weren't good long-term media, because flash media could only do a limited number of write/re-write/over-writes to the same addresses before failure. The writer said that cheaper flash media would fail faster, but that even the pricier/higher-quality stuff would fail eventually, after enough writes.
I'm curious about this, because I've seen solid-state hard drives start to creep into mainstream systems--particularly high-end (Sony) laptops--and I'm wondering if this issue is real, and if so, if the solid-state hard drives are made of "tougher stuff" that won't fail after multiple writes. I would hate to think what regular defragging would do...
Should I be banking on solid-state hard drives as the wave of the future, so I can achieve the Holy Grail of a laptop running for 7 hours on battery?
| 
|  | |
July 14th, 2008, 10:00 PM
|
#2 (permalink)
| | SoMuchAnime-SoLittleTime
Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Plymouth, WI
Posts: 13,708
|
Don't worry about the limited number of writes.
For average use I've heard it lasts for 20 years. It'll last far longer than the computer it is in.
__________________
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.
| |
| | |
July 15th, 2008, 01:56 AM
|
#3 (permalink)
| | ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Springfield (guess
Posts: 6,311
|
so how long will they last if we are really abusive?
oil changes every 3000 miles under "Normal" usage in a car. Nobody qualifies for normal usage.
__________________
Why do I run F@H ? Because its one way I might actually make a difference in somebody's life. http://folding.stanford.edu/
Last edited by nunyadam : July 15th, 2008 at 01:59 AM.
| |
| | |
July 15th, 2008, 02:18 AM
|
#4 (permalink)
| | SoMuchAnime-SoLittleTime
Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Plymouth, WI
Posts: 13,708
|
Longer than the computer you buy it for. 
Even if you use it 4x normal rates, that would still be 5 years. In 5 years you'll be able to get a drive much faster, much larger, and much cheaper. | |
| | |
July 15th, 2008, 02:29 AM
|
#5 (permalink)
| | ATI 4850 FTW!
Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Midwest
Posts: 5,270
| Quote:
Originally Posted by EXreaction  Longer than the computer you buy it for.
Even if you use it 4x normal rates, that would still be 5 years. In 5 years you'll be able to get a drive much faster, much larger, and much cheaper. | Not to mention more reliable. | |
| | |
July 15th, 2008, 10:36 AM
|
#6 (permalink)
| | Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio
Posts: 17
|
That's good news, then.
What about the little uber-portable flash drives that have replaced floppies/CDs as the preferred mode of portable storage? Are they made of cheaper memory that will fail sooner? | |
| | |
July 15th, 2008, 02:10 PM
|
#7 (permalink)
| | SoMuchAnime-SoLittleTime
Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Plymouth, WI
Posts: 13,708
|
The cheaper ones are, yes. But they'll still far, far, outlast the money you spent on it.
You can pick up an 8GB flash drive for around $20 now... | |
| | |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |   Most Active Discussions  | | | | | Recent Discussions  | | | | | 
|
hardware
prices 
