What is your oldest working USB flash drive?

Ice Tea · 13 Apr 2022 at 07:41

Mine is a 1GB Peak Xtreme from about 2008.

Hagar · 13 Apr 2022 at 07:46

I have a couple oF 256 and 512Mb in the drawer, working they are but they have not been used much in the last few years. Probably early 2000's. They are Kingston brand.

Rroff · 13 Apr 2022 at 07:46

I think off the top of my head 1G Memorex M Flyer TravelDrive. Might have something older I've forgotten about which may or may not still work.

Struggling to find out when I bought it and/or first released - the oldest mentions are around 2004/5 but I'm sure I bought it just before I moved in 2003.

Uhtred · 13 Apr 2022 at 09:25

I bought one of these in 2004 for £14. It still works and it has a tiny footprint which fitted in my wallet at the time

https://www.servers4less.com/storage/flash-drives/pqi-bd0128m

Haze · 13 Apr 2022 at 09:38

Having a slow day....?

MikeTheNative · 13 Apr 2022 at 10:57

Do people still use flash drives?
Only time i think I've used one the past few years is for a windows install.

Ice Tea · 13 Apr 2022 at 11:15

Didn't they start out with 64mb or 128mb?

Rroff · 13 Apr 2022 at 11:19

MikeTheNative said:
Do people still use flash drives?
Only time i think I've used one the past few drives is for a windows install.

I still use them a fair bit - mostly for OS installs and/or live/to go OS setups not just Windows. I have 1-2 with useful utilities, etc. on which can be useful on the go as well and as a quick and handy file backup.

paradigm · 13 Apr 2022 at 11:32

Got a handful of 256mb and 512mb ones from around 2008 that I keep because they are happy to work in Cisco switches, some of my newer ones just will not mount on these switches.

Semple · 13 Apr 2022 at 11:34

Ice Tea said:
Didn't they start out with 64mb or 128mb?

Yep I remember getting one for my schoolwork. I think that was 64Mb and cost my dad about £30. I accidentally left it plugged into a computer a few weeks later and it was nicked.

something daft already!! · 13 Apr 2022 at 11:42

Probably early 2000s. I have a Sony sdcard adapter thingy.

Pawnless Endgame · 13 Apr 2022 at 12:58

My oldest flash drive will be from 2010, 2GB. It arrived when I sent one of my BBC Micros away to RetroClinic to be modified so that it could take USB. I could then put the 2GB drive into the back of the Beeb which could carry the back catalogue of Beeb games plus any extra programs that I wrote myself.

The operating system, DFS (disk filing system) can access the 2GB drive if you typed in the following commands:

Code:

*RAM
*!EFD80=0
*CAT 5
*IMPORT GAMES.SSD or *IMPORT -02 GAMES.SSD
(etc)

MikeTheNative said:
Do people still use flash drives?

I still use them. As well as the above for my Beeb, I have a 128GB (115GB visible) and a 512GB (460GB visible) stuck into the back of my PC as temporary / scratch drives. Still get decent speeds via USB 3.0. Then I have a few 16GB's for diagnostics e.g. Spinrite, Memtest, Ubuntu Live CD etc.

Ice Tea said:
Didn't they start out with 64mb or 128mb?

Yeah, I had a 64MB flash drive in 2004. It even had a red LED at the end that you could use as a flash light if you press a button by it. That lasted until 2009 before it started developing bad sectors.

None of my other flash drives have failed yet.

azazl187 · 13 Apr 2022 at 13:01

256mb. Till works but can't fit much on it these days

Retro6 · 13 Apr 2022 at 15:01

My oldest is a 128MB I bought from Argos years ago and it still works. I also upgraded to a 512MB flash drive not long after and that one still works.

SideWinder · 13 Apr 2022 at 15:23

@Ice Tea - I do admire your creativity with threads!

I mean this in a good way.

Hm...oldest is only 5 years ago.

Django x2 · 13 Apr 2022 at 15:57

1999 here, 32mb

dlockers · 13 Apr 2022 at 16:00

64mb smart card from my old Polaroid.

I've had a 16gb kingston on my keys for about 15 years that has been used maybe once.

TheVoice · 13 Apr 2022 at 16:25

I've got a 64MB one from 2002 or 2003.

Retro6 · 13 Apr 2022 at 16:39

I remember when those capacities were considered huge. People were still using floppy disks around that time.

mattyfez · 13 Apr 2022 at 17:47

I've a 16gb Kingston stick, the one with the metal body so it's good for keeping on a keyring.

I've no idea how long I've had it for though, quite a long time and it's still truckin' on

Diddums · 13 Apr 2022 at 19:01

I've got about 2500 4gb USB 2 drives sitting in my drawer brand new untouched. I told @Retro6 to send me his address if he wanted some but the dude just cold shouldered me, luckily I always have my Jacket of Rejection Protection +5 on. They're those crap old ones that you used to get from companies wanting to shove their marketing down your throat, but they come in very handy when people ask me for movies or shows or whatever.