The short answer is…nothing at all! Since the USB flash drive came into use about a decade ago, it has became incredibly popular, replacing inferior technologies like floppy disks and Zip drives almost overnight. There’s no denying that everyone loves flash drives. The problem is, we’ve just never been able to agree on a name for these marvelous little contraptions. Though USB flash drive is the most widely adopted nomenclature here in the States, most of Europe has decided to call it a pen drive. Many other titles also persist: Zip drive (actually a misnomer since this refers to those big, square-shaped Iomega branded disks from the late 90s). Thumb drive is also a popular name. Jump drive and usb drive are common as well. Some call it a USB key or key drive. Other names include memory stick, finger stick, data stick, and disk-on-key.

That's 12 names, and I'm probably forgetting a few.

Part of the reason for so many names stems from producers like Kingston, SanDisk, Lexar, Corsair, PNY, Crucial and other flash memory companies seeking to differentiate their USB flash drives from others by coming up with a unique name.

In the end, no matter what we decide to call them, we sure do love these gadgets. That is, until they stop working, become corrupted, break, or get accidentally erased causing us to lose all our important files. Yes, as good and as useful as they are, there is still plenty that can go wrong. Fortunately, FlashDrivePros.com’s flash drive data recovery service exists to rescue your important files should your flash drive break or stop working. We’re also here to help ensure you never lose your files again (or, better yet, prevent it from happening in the first place) with our easy-to-use automatic flash drive backup application.

Questions?

Email us or give us a call!

888.806.6567

support@flashdrivepros.com

Sincerely,

The Flash Drive Pros (Ryan, Cesar, Paul and Kim)

P.S. Tell us what other names have your heard for flash drives and get 25% off FDP Sync!

FlashDrivePros.com is very proud to announce the release of FDP Sync 1.0!

FDP Sync is an automatic flash drive backup application that protects your important files on your flash drive by automatically synchronizing your files with a backup folder on your PC. That way, if your flash drive ever becomes damaged or lost, your files are saved.

We've specifically designed the software for the "technically challenged." (No offense to you non-techies out there.) We've really done our best to make the application extremely easy to set up and use. In fact, once it's set up, it works in the background automatically synchronizing the contents of your flash drive with your hard drive. No more trying to remember to back up your files. And best off all, no more losing your files when your flash drive stops working.

Our goal is not only to offer the best flash drive data recovery service on the planet, but also to prevent you from needing our services in the first place. FDP Sync does just that.

Download your free 14 day trial today. Purchase before July 4th and we'll give you 25% off the already low regular price of $27. Just enter the discount code 25%OFFFDPSYNC when you place your order. 

Download Your Free Trial Here:

http://apps.flashdrivepros.com/FDPSync_Setup_1.0.exe

Buy Here: 

http://flashdrivepros.com/_catalog_107773/Flash_Drive_Applications

As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

The Flash Drive Pros (Ryan, Cesar, Paul and Kim)

We at FlashDrivePros.com get asked all the time if our listed prices are truly "flat rate," or if we are going to raise the price once we have the flash drive in our possession. The answer is that we never, even raise the price for our data recovery services once we receive a flash drive. We believe that having a simple, transparent, flat-rate pricing system gives our customers the peace of mind of knowing exactly how much they will spend before ever sending us their flash drive. The only time we would ever require any additional money would be if we had to order parts, which is rare. So if other companies’ price structures seem confusing, we’re happy to offer one that makes sense, and more importantly, won’t leave you paying several hundred percent more than you expected.

Here are some tips to consider no matter what company you choose to recovery your data:

• Get a full explanation of the cost before you ship - Make sure the rate is clear. If you send your flash drive and get a different rate after it arrives, your only options are to either pay the higher rate or have them return the drive, which can takes weeks from some providers.
  
• Make sure they are reputable - verify testimonials, just because they have worked with big entities or have published "quotes" on their website, does not mean they are the best choice.
• Confusing rate explanation - if the provider makes it confusing by adding tons of explanation on how to quote you, just run! Watch out for the "*" asterisks and read the fine print, if you can find it.
• Don't choose just by price alone - often times we choose the cheapest provider, and end up costing us more down the road. Choose by reputation, reliability and guarantee.
• Yes, Guarantee - is worth repeating. If they can't fix it, you shouldn't have to pay.

A FlashDrivePros.com client recently asked us "how often should I replace my flash drive?" Her question brings up a really good point that I've been meaning to address on the blog for some time...two points, really. First, if you're still using a 512Mb (or smaller) flash drive you got back in the day, it might be on its last leg. Flash (NAND) memory can only withstand so many write/erase cycles (typically 100K-300K) before the flash drive goes kaput. And the older ones are even worse since they were created before NAND wear leveling was all the rage. Of course chances are, (thanks to Murphy) your flash drive will die the day before your next big assignment is due, and you don't have the files backed up. Which brings me to my second point: Flash drives really aren't meant for long-term file storage. This is what hard drives and online back-up utilities like iDrive.com are for. Flash drives are great for transporting files from one place to another, keeping a back-up copy of your files, or a few other cool things that I won't get into today. (Like installing Windows XP on a flash drive...maybe I'll go over this in my next blog post.)

So, how often should you replace your flash drive? My answer is, when it dies. This won't be a problem for you since you files are all backed up. But if you insist on using a flash drive for storage, at least buy one of our 3-year data insured flash drives. If it breaks or stops working for any reason, just send it to us and we'll recovery your files for free. How often should a 3-year data insured flash drive be replaced, you ask? Think about that for a while, I'm sure you'll figure it out.

ryan@flashdrivepros.com

FlashDrivePros.com

888-806-6567

What's with the name change, you ask? First of all, we found out that some people were confusing us with another data recovery company with a similar name. We do our best to maintain a reputation of excellent customer service, speed, and great prices. We wouldn't want our reputation to be on the line because of another company's bad service or high prices! Secondly, we are getting ready to launch a whole host of new flash drive related products and services beyond just data recovery. So, no, it's not an identity crisis. Stay tuned for what's next!

This is the scenario...You click My Computer to access your flash drive just like you always do. This time, your flash drive isn't showing up in Windows Explorer. You unplug/plug/unplug/plug it, but nothing, NOTHING! What happened? More importantly, what do you do about it? FlashDrivePros.com can recover your files in most cases no matter what happened. But you might also be able to do it and save yourself the time and money of having us do it. Here's how:

First, the Preflight Checklist:

a) The flash drive doesn't appear to be physically damaged. (i.e., the tip isn't loose and the device isn't overheating, etc.)

b) You've tried it on a few different computers.

c) Your flash drive is plugged into a working USB port.

Ok, here it goes:

1. Hit the Windows key (between the Alt and Ctrl keys) and E key simultaneously to open a new Explorer window.

2. Right-click My Computer and select Manage.

3. Under Storage, select Disk Management.

4. (This is the critical step that will tell you if this is going to work or not) At the bottom of the window you should see a list drives associated with your computer. If your flash drive is listed, good news! This procedure should fix your problem. Go to step 5. If not, this solution won’t work and you might want to consider hiring a data recovery shop like FlashDrivePros.com. We charge a flat rate of $99 and charge you only if we're successful. We have a 94% success rate and will make your files available for download right to your hard drive or a new flash drive.

5. Right click on the drive listed in that window which will bring up a menu. Select Change Drive Letter and Paths.

6. Another window will appear showing your missing drive. Select Change.

7. Another window will appear with a drop down menu on the right. Select the letter W.

8. When the message Changing The Drive Letter of a Volume Might Cause Programs No Longer To Run. appears, click Yes.

9. Your flash drive should now appear under My Computer.

If not, or if you have any comments or questions, send us an email (ryan@flashdrivepros.com), give us a call (1-888-806-6567) or chat with Jon via the online messenger at www.flashdrivepros.com

Here is a very well written blog post from a recent FBR client expressing how painfull it is to break a flash drive. (Used with permission- Thanks Ashley!)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Gone in a 'Flash'

http://abjorgensen.blogspot.com/2010/01/gone-in-flash.html

I believe I may have experienced my first panic attack last night. Beau was gone brewing with the guys and I had plans to get a lot of school work done before my nice, three day weekend. I baked a Tombstone pizza, put on my sweats, and settled in my chair for some unit planning and grade updating (sounds great, I know). My plans for second semester were coming along nicely and I was loving the fact that my weekend 'to-do' list was becoming noticeably smaller.

That is until I decided I was thirsty.

Who knew that the sudden quench for a glass of V8 Splash would end any sense of accomplishment, glory, or confidence? Who knew that the simple brush of my leg on my computer screen would send my laptop tumbling to the floor? Who knew that my computer would land just perfectly on the carpet...just perfectly on my entire teaching career, aka, my flash drive.

I immediately went into panic mode. I gasped. I screamed. I cried. I picked up my broken vessel, the piece of plastic that stored my wedding day slideshow of pictures, my Masters Prospectus, my entire semester of units, worksheets, handouts, and tests, and attempted to bring it back to life. How could something so small, store so much, and suddenly leave you unable to reach it? How could my files just disappear? How could I be so stupid not to back them up???

I desperately searched our desktop computer, looking for anything that might resemble old files, stored data, pieces of the last three years of my life. It seemed everything I found that I had backed up was unimportant. I could piece together just that...pieces; however, knew my winter break work of new unit design was long gone. Vanished. Just...like...that...

Beau was gone. I was home. I proceeded to do what I always do in a predicament. First, I called Beau. Crying hysterically. Next, I called Mom. Crying hysterically. With blue and pink plaid pajama pants, a hooded sweatshirt, and blood-shot eyes, I drove like a madwoman to Best Buy to see if the Geek Squad could give me a glimmer of hope. No dice. No hope. Just a shrug, a 'sorry, there's nothing we can do,' and a piece of broken plastic.

Today, I went to school on three hours of sleep. I arrived at 6:30 AM and was able to salvage a few important files from my recycling bin (good thing I'm not an avid recycler). I vented to my students (who were very concerned), tried to be optimistic, and started retyping the documents I needed to start next semester (which happens to be Tuesday). The loss of sleep is actually affecting my mood in a positive way (or maybe that's from the 'Pants on the Ground' song I can't get out of my head). I also have one glimmer of hope. Hope in the name of FlashDrivePros.com.

For $99, there is a 94% success rate of retrieving data from a broken flash drive. I will forever be indebted to Ryan, the owner of the Washington company, if he fixes it. His website says he can repair "flash drives broken in two, run over, or soaked in a washing machine cycle." My flash drive is still intact, just a little looser than normal. I tucked little USB in a padded envelope and sent it by priority mail to the West Coast. I will know within 2-5 days if my files were found. I will be on pins and needles until then. Until then, I will also struggle with the decision of starting to redo what I've worked so tirelessly on. Do I risk sacrificing productivity this weekend to hear good news or work to recreate files only to find my files restored? This will be the tune of my weekend.

Wish me luck. Say a little prayer. And a little advice...back up your files :/

Now for the rest of the story....

 

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Thank you FlashDrivePros!

http://abjorgensen.blogspot.com/2010/01/thank-you-flashbackrecovery.html

782. 782 files lost in the blink of an eye last Wednesday night. 782 lesson plans, units, activities, worksheets, Power Points, college essays, Masters research, resumes, cover letters, wedding photos, and lists. 782 files and three times the amount of time, energy, and investment.

782 files lost...

...and, yesterday, 782 files recovered!

Recovered thanks to Ryan and his team from FlashDrivePros.com. Although the website for the company declares a hopeful 94% success rate, to be honest, my hope was dim. Maybe because it sounded too good to be true. Maybe because Best Buy told me I might as well throw the broken and 'crushed' flashdrive away. Maybe because I heard horror story after horror story from people with similar experiences the next day at school. Whatever it was, I was not hopeful. But, I had nothing to lose and for $99, it was worth a try.

FlashDrivePros was the best $99 I've ever spent! I sent my flashdrive in Thursday and received my files, all 782 files, on Monday afternoon! The process is so smooth, the people I worked with were extremely helpful, and I now have my files saved in three different places! I had no idea anything like this existed, but I will be sure to spread the word!

My vita and credentials, Master's Prospectus, wedding pictures, and teaching career are saved thanks to FlashDrivePros.com

So thank you, all, who listened to my cries for a time machine, or those who shared similar horror stories.

P.S. I am now looking at alternative forms for saving my information.

We can recover files from almost any flash drive. The following is one of the few exceptions.

Today, we thought we would take you behind the scenes of the FlashDrivePros.com data recovery lab. We'll be demonstrating data recovery from a SanDisk Cruzer Micro. SanDisk flash drives are notoriously difficult to recover compared to other brands of flash drives. This is the one exception. If your SanDisk Cruzer Micro stops working, has no obvious physical damage, and has no indication when you plug it in to a USB port, this is how it's done...

Remember the ZIP drive? It was sure nice to finally be able to carry my files around. Though, the large disks were kind of bulky, and never mind the fact that they were anything but universal, i.e. you had to have a ZIP drive to read a ZIP disk. What a pain, actually! (Some of you from the younger generation probably have no idea what I’m even talking about.) In any case, there’s no denying USB flash drives represent a big improvement over all previous data storage technologies. We’re now able store huge amounts of data in our pockets and access it from any computer. We can run software on a flash drive. We can even install an entire operating system!

Hey, why not just store all our files on a flash drive and use it like a portable computer?

Well, sure, why not? But there are a few things you need to know before you launch into mobile digital euphoria. 

The problem: Flash drives break really easily. When using a flash drive, one slight bump of a knee is all it takes to break your flash drive in two and separate you from your important files and programs. Not only that, the technology on which flash drives are based can only withstand so many read/write cycles before it wears out and will no longer work. Finally, USB flash drives are made up of hundreds of tiny electronic components that can (and do) fail, rendering your flash drive useless and your files lost.

The solution: Always, always, always back up your files every day. “Ugh, but what a pain” you say? Not any more! iDrive will back up your flash drive automatically and keep a copy of your files on an encrypted online server…for free! The only catch is if you want to back up more than 2GB, you’ll have to pay $4.95 per month. But as a paying customer, you'll get a whopping 150 GB of automatic online storage! And with that much storage space you might as well back up your entire hard drive. Check it out at www.iDrive.com

Plan B: Hey, stuff happens, right? And if you ever do break a USB flash drive and find yourself tragically separated from your important files, FlashDrivePros.com offers 2-5 day data recover services for a flat rate of just $99. And if you need your files right away, we offer 24 hour service for $299. We can recover all types and brands of flash drives with either physical or logical damage. Send us your flash drive, we’ll recover your files and upload them to our secure files share server for you to download. In the unlikely event that we can’t recover your files, you pay nothing and we’ll even mail your flash drive back to you free of charge. 

Your know, ZIP drives did have one thing going for them...the cool bzzzeeerrr-clunk sound they made when you hit the eject button. : )

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