USB Flash Drive Upgrade

[Grimbone]

Hi all,

My server is running fine and not having any problems at all. I just received a new SAMSUNG FIT Plus 64GB flash drive as a gift and would like to swap out the old flash drive for the new Samsung flash drive. What would be the best way to go about doing this?  

 

Thanks!

[hiddenpcmaster]

Changing your flash drive

 

I would recommend use of the USB Flash Creator tool for the easiest and most streamlined experience.

 

 

[ConnerVT]

Even without knowing what your current boot flash drive is, I would recommend that you just keep using it, if it has not been having any issues.

 

Why do I suggest this?:

• There have been quite a few reports in the past year of flash drive failures which are likely due to counterfeit flash drives.  Most common are Sandisk and Samsung (the two most popular brands).  Online storefronts of Amazon, Newegg and Alibaba are where you are most likely to find these.  Brick and mortar stores have a much more reliable logistics chain.
• 64GB is much more storage than needed for an Unraid flash.  I have less than 1GB on the 8GB drive for my main server (20 of 34 dockers running).  The extra space on the boot drive will tempt you to use it for other server storage.  Which will accelerate wear.  Flash drives are designed for intermittent R/W access, which works for Unraid - The system is read from the flash drive and loaded into RAM, then sits idle for most of the time (installing/updating plugins and such).
• Newer technology flash drives have smaller and denser memory cells, which are more prone to failures from heat (generated by excessive duty cycle from writes).  In my opinion (working in semiconductor manufacturing for nearly 25 years) the older flash memory is more durable.

I also have a Samsung Fit 64GB in my main server.  I almost never use it, but leave it plugged in for when I need to copy something off the server and take the flash drive (and files) with me somewhere.