

In all probability however, it wouldn’t take a headstrong user very long to resurrect your files with a few free tools found on the internet. The standard factory reset or refresh procedures built into many machines gives the impression that it completely wipes the data. There are programs that will help retrieve deleted or missing data from a flash drive and professional computer forensics companies that specialize in data retrieval, but neither option is free.Securely wiping the hard-drive inside your machine is a sensible move if you’re planning to donate the machine to a new owner. Unfortunately, most of us lack the skill and equipment needed to get the data out of damaged drives. USBs have been blown up with explosives and the data has survived. Unlike a CD or DVD, when a USB breaks, the data is not 100% lost. Not necessarily, but it’s a good news/bad news situation. Myth #5: When a USB breaks, the data is lost forever. Only if the drive is being accessed or used when it’s yanked out, which also can severely damage your computer. Myth #4: Unplugging a USB without “safely removing the hardware” damages the drive. There’s a good chance it will still be working and will not have lost any data. Later, make sure it is dry, then plug it in. But if one of your drives does get wet, put it in a jar of uncooked rice or silica gel for a day. Only if they are powered up simply putting a flash drive into water does not hurt it. Myth #3: USBs are ruined when dunked in water. In fact, hard drives use powerful magnets to move the head.

So magnets pose no danger to any flash memory including SSDs, SD cards, and external hard drives-even traditional hard drives are immune. The drives are not built from magnetic materials. USB drives cannot be harmed or altered by magnetic fields. Myth #2: Magnets can damage or erase USB Drives. So while it is possible to break or damage the connectors, it’s more likely you’ll damage the other components, many of which are made of plastic. The rest of the USB drive, however, is not.

Connectors on USBs are made of metal and resists damage or bending. Myth #1: The USB connectors on flash drive are fragile. Experts at Premium USB, a company that manufactures and designs USB drives, have taken the time to dispel some of the more prevalent myths. But since they’ve been introduced, like any new technology, they have been accompanied by rumors and myths. discs as an easy way to move and back up data (just ask Edward Snowden). USB flash drives have replaced floppy and 3.5-in.
