I'm still in my trial period, but when I initially setup my system I used an 8GB flash drive, because it was handy. I now realize that I could use a 512MB stick, but I don't want to lose what's already been uploaded to the array.

 

If I re-install onto the 512MB, when I boot and then point it at the array of disks, will it just assume that they all need to be blanked? If yes, is there a way to ensure that I don't lose my existing data?

 

You will want to use more than 512meg flash drive if you ever want to use plugins to extend core functionality.

Stay with the larger size.  What you want is a quality flash drive.  I use a 16Gb SanDisk Cruzer Fit. 

Agree ... just stay with the 8GB flash drive.    It not only provides more room for growth (logs, plugins, etc.), but will also likely last longer, since writes are spread around a larger number of cells.

 

Agree with gary and with quality flash drives literally only costing a couple of bucks on Amazon/Newegg you could be setting yourself up for massive headaches down the road all in an effort to save what $3.00?

I agree with everyone above but, to answer the OP's question, you'd have to copy all the files from your original flash drive to the new empty one, name it UNRAID, make it bootable by running the script as you did on your original flash drive, then boot your server from it and register it in order to get a new trial key, then install the new trial key because registration keys, whether trial, basic, plus or pro, are tied to the physical flash drive. I use 8 GB flash drives because smaller ones are quite difficult to find these days but they are overkill and a 2 GB one, say, would be more than adequate. I prefer the very small Verbatim nano flash drives that are sometimes labelled Store 'n' Go. They stick out of the socket little more than an eighth of an inch and are equally ideal for plugging into the back of a server or into a motherboard socket.

The Store 'n Go units sound nice ... sounds like they're Verbatim's answer to the SanDisk Ultra Fits, which I've been using for some time.    Hard to find really small ones, but you can get the 16GB units for less than $10 [$6.15 at Amazon with $2.25 shipping;  $8.12 at Newegg with free shipping]

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-Ultra-Flash-Drive-SDCZ43-016G-A46/dp/B00M39RHGQ/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1452445877&sr=8-10&keywords=ultra+fit

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820173033

 

The Store 'n Go Nano 8GB unit looks very nice as well -- only $7.99 at Amazon (plus shipping unless you're a Prime member):  http://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-Store-Flash-Drive-97463/dp/B004BLIQDW/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1452446194&sr=1-7&keywords=verbatim+store+n+go+nano

The price of the Store N Go units on Amazon makes me laugh.

 

$6.79 for 4GB USB 2.0

$7.99 for 8GB USB 2.0

$8.27 for 16GB USB 2.0

 

Thanks everyone. I wasn't aware that the flash drive is used for all the plugins, but that makes sense. I'll stick with the 8GB for now.

 

Follow-up question.

 

Is 8GB _too small_?  A 16G super-low profile USB 2 drive at Amazon is $7.68; what sorts of things end up taking space on the flash drive?

 

8GB isn't too small ... but the only units I use these days are the 16GB SanDisk Ultra Fits, which are both very inexpensive (< $10) and exceptionally small.    The Verbatim Nano's mentioned above are also very small.    Either is a good choice.

 

I used the Sandisk Ultra Fit as well and usually pay around $9 on Amazon. They bounce between there and $11 depending on when you look.

Follow-up question.

 

Is 8GB _too small_?  A 16G super-low profile USB 2 drive at Amazon is $7.68; what sorts of things end up taking space on the flash drive?

i have a 2GB and a 8GB unRAID flash drives.  I have found that if I do not do some occasional housekeeping I can end up filling the 2GB drive with log files, CRC files, etc.  Never even got close on the 8GB drive.