My girlfriend got me a Lexar 2 GB flash drive for Christmas. After reading the reviews I think I might exchange it for a different one. Reading reviews on flash drives are a pain in the ass though because most people get hung up on stupid things (like the color, or the key ring). I just don't want anything with pre-loaded software that's going to load every time I plug it in. Anyone have any suggestions?

As far as I know a flash drive's a flash drive. There MIGHT be a difference with read and write speed based on what kind of flash memory they use. I'm not exactly sure. I think Rev would know.

But you're right, that pre-loaded software horseshit is a pain in the ass. If you don't want to fuck with that shit you may just want to pick up a plain old vanilla one with out any fancy features.

From what I've observed from loading presentations at work the read / write speed differences are pretty minuscule. The biggest thing that slows the performance down is, like I said, annoying pre loaded software. The Cruzer drives always have them and, somehow they always have the best reviews. Go figure.

if you dont like the preloaded software then just format the drive.

Hmmmmmmm

I agree with MSD--a flash drive is a flash drive regardless of who makes it or what bells and whistles might come with it. Speeds don't really vary as far as I know, like Dertoxia says, if you have one w/ software than just format it.

I've had flashdrives that had that silly software shit and formatting did nothing. That may not be the case for all flashdrives, but it is for some of them.

And you're right. For just loading presentations and stuff there won't be a noticable difference.

SHIT FILL IT WITH PORNS
THEN ITS A REAL "FLASH" DRIVE

BLACK POWER!

I lose them all the time.

pointless to have a flash drive if you own an ipod.

the_reverend said:

PORNS OR FLASH DRIVES?

You can delete any autorun software.

I got two for xmas and just cleaned them out.

porphyria said:

then you have to bring around the cable

i vote microcenter $10 specials... format them to whatever works best for you.

sxealex said:

small price to pay for having way more space and lots of music to listen to.

actually to be honest i kind of like my U3 drive. it has firefox and avast and a bunch of other shit installed on it. It really only takes like an extra 15 seconds for the U3 manager to start up. It's just nice to be able to open firefox with all my browser options or run avast with the updated definitions on any freaking computer i plug it into. Instead of having to install and do all the updates and everything. I pretty much just use that drive exclusively as my program drive. I have all my utilities and important software on there.

Then i have an 8GB memorex traveldrive that has all my data.

its even better when u have a bootable one.... u can take over most comps if people dont use a bios pass. boot into watever os u want

Niccolai said:

I challenge you to a software delete-off.

menstrual_sweatpants_disco said:

boot from a boot disk (floppy, boot formatted USB, CD)

then run

format c:

win!