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submitted 3 days ago by Cevilia to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world

I have a box of assorted 1GB and 4GB USB drives.

Funny how stuff you've had for years just feels "normal" even when it's highly unusual.

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[-] PlaidBaron@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

I just have boxes of defunct cables.

[-] Cevilia 2 points 2 days ago

Oh, I have one of those too, but I suspect that's more common even amongst non-computer users.

[-] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago

I have my usb in a cute little semi transparent sack.

It makes me feel like a fairy, but instead of start dust I pour unknown linux distros (because I don't label them).

[-] remon@ani.social 26 points 3 days ago

Well yeah, because why would you need boxed of them?

I have 512GB on my key chain.

[-] INeedMana@piefed.zip 13 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I remember using 512MB MP3 player for storing files next to the music before pendrives got reasonable prices

EDIT: Found it! Creative MP3 Player MuVo TX FM
It was so cool to own one of these. You could listen to your music anywhere. Only had to rip the CD into MP3s

[-] gilokee@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

holy shit I think I had that same one! It held like 5 albums. I loved it so much!

[-] notarobot@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 days ago

You don't NEED them you just have them and have no reason to throw them away. I use them for two things:

  • isos, which you can do with just an 8gb one
  • small file copy which you can do with a 1 GB one
[-] oatscoop@midwest.social 3 points 2 days ago
  • giving files to a friend and not caring if you get the drive back
[-] notarobot@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago

Nah. For those kinds of things I prefer sending over some platform. There is no need for a drive.I only use them when both computers ante near by and it's easier

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[-] dwindling7373@feddit.it 3 points 2 days ago

Is this ironic? They have been very common gadgets and regularly become trivially cheap gadget at increzing sized through the years.

It's a fair bet virtualy everybody have those lying around.

[-] Cevilia 1 points 2 days ago

Most people aren't heavy computer users like the average Lemmy user.

How else can I have live ISOs of various Linux distros at the ready?

[-] toynbee@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago
[-] Cort@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Can you do a live os with ventoy? With like, persistence^? for data after restarts?

[-] naticus@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

No it only does live ISO. Persistence requires install to USB, not live ISO which would all be stored in RAM.

[-] blurb@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

Some live ISOs like TailsOS do allow persistent storage without installation, which was (probably?) what they were trying to ask.

[-] Cort@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Yes. Multiple live operating systems on one USB that have persistent storage without install would be neat, but sounds like it's distro dependent

[-] toynbee@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

You can do a live OS, but I'm not sure how it handles persistent storage, sorry.

[-] dil@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I just download whatever i see that is interesting off distrowatch and drop it on my ventoy usb, alongside whatever I need backed up (also on google drive just in case, since idk how reliable a usb with ventoy on it is for data)

[-] Cevilia 2 points 3 days ago

It's annoying, a lot of them are more than 4GB now :(

[-] lemming741@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Never know when you're going to need one on a new moon on the ides of march formatted to apple_HFS to update the firmware on your cousins 2004 pioneer in-dash dvd player

also it has to be 4 gig USB 1.1

[-] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 7 points 2 days ago

Those make me strangely nostalgic. I really want sticks with single digit GBs. I have one 1GB stick left, none with 2 or 4, one with 8 and then we're at 32 already....

Oh and I remember my very first one with 64MB

[-] Pulptastic@midwest.social 4 points 2 days ago

Shoot I had some that were 4 to 16 MB. Might still have in a drawer?

My favorite was a tiny steel one that was 32 MB. Tough as nails and small enough to keep in a back pocket.

[-] RedditAdminsSuckIt@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I still have megabyte usb sticks lol. I think I have one 32gb and a 64gb but the rest are all megabyte sticks.

[-] popekingjoe@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

I have an old dbrand phone case sitting in my dresser that holds all my flash drives. They're all various sizes from 4GB to 32GB and are filled with different Linux and Windows ISOs. They were supplanted by a 128GB drive with Ventoy.

[-] otacon239@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago

I needed an SD card for a new recorder I picked up and only probably needed a 32GB. Smallest option at the store was 128 for $25 and $30 for 256. I went with the 256 just because I could.

Storage is practically free these days. I’m sure you could find an eBay listing for like 100 of the cheap ones for $10.

[-] fading_person@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 days ago

Not in the entire world, unfortunately :(

[-] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

I feel attacked! I have a ziplock bag of assorted USB thumb drives!

[-] cloudless@piefed.social 7 points 3 days ago

I have more SD cards than USB drives.

[-] HubertManne@piefed.social 4 points 3 days ago

I never get rid of usb drives. Small ones are still great for docs.

[-] IWW4@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

… most do. USB drives have been handed out like candy at every professional conference I have been to for decades.

[-] Cevilia 5 points 3 days ago

Most people do not go to professional conferences, though

[-] IWW4@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 days ago

Yes they do

[-] roofuskit@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

Not anymore, and anyone who does should be disciplined.

[-] IWW4@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

Users disciplined? BWAHAHAHAHAHA

Have you ever actually worked in IT Security?

[-] latenightnoir 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

"But I'm not most people." Windows USB mount sound

Edit: small correction - picture the Windows USB mount sound being "presented" as the TXH logo. It's a John Woo action flick.

[-] Strider@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

I had to check but yes, mine start at 128 MB

[-] DemBoSain@midwest.social 2 points 3 days ago

I detest USB flash drives. Most unreliable form of data storage I've ever owned.

[-] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Back when we were excited to have an 8MB SD card in our phones, I had a bunch of those laying around.

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this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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