Best USB Stick to use?

[detz]

Every time I post an issue I get the same comment about changing USB sticks. I want to remove that variable one and for all. What USB should I get that I can guarantee will not cause issues?

[Waterboy77]

https://wiki.lime-technology.com/USB_Flash_Drive_Preparation

https://lime-technology.com/hardware-recommendations/#usbflash

Edited November 9, 2017 by Waterboy77

[Zonediver]

2 hours ago, Waterboy77 said:

https://wiki.lime-technology.com/USB_Flash_Drive_Preparation

https://lime-technology.com/hardware-recommendations/#usbflash

 

This recommended Stick-List is terrible old

Lexar FireFly... EOL

Sony MicroVault Tiny ... EOL

SanDisk Cruzer Fit ... from 2011 but still available

Lexar JumpDrive ... hmmm, which one? Most of them have only 2 years warranty and bad reviews...

The most important thing is: The stick must have a GUID and at least 5 years warranty.

I would test a SanDisk Ultra Fit V2 because the V1 had problems with the USB-Controller and gets hot - then dies.

And beware the Size: Not larger than 32GB - as far as i know.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Zonediver

[Squid]

My current sticks for unRaid

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820239003 (2 servers and 1 VM using these)

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820211573 (1 server )

 

Everything plugged into these:

 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/5pcs-mainboard-Internal-USB-9pin-female-to-dual-2-port-2-0-A-female-card-adapter/142061983702?hash=item21138dd7d6:g:J3MAAOSwc0FUpD8D

Edited November 10, 2017 by Squid

[Waterboy77]

14 hours ago, Zonediver said:

 

This recommended Stick-List is terrible old

Lexar FireFly... EOL

Sony MicroVault Tiny ... EOL

SanDisk Cruzer Fit ... from 2011 but still available

Lexar JumpDrive ... hmmm, which one? Most of them have only 2 years warranty and bad reviews...

The most important thing is: The stick must have a GUID and at least 5 years warranty.

I would test a SanDisk Ultra Fit V2 because the V1 had problems with the USB-Controller and gets hot - then dies.

And beware the Size: Not larger than 32GB - as far as i know.

That's unfortunate as one was the wiki and the other the main web site... / support / guidelines for system builders

I do try to search for the info first before posting questions in the forum but if its wrong / old..... I will be second guessing now

[Zonediver]

14 hours ago, Squid said:

My current sticks for unRaid

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820239003 (2 servers and 1 VM using these)

 

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820211573 (1 server )

 

Everything plugged into these:

 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/5pcs-mainboard-Internal-USB-9pin-female-to-dual-2-port-2-0-A-female-card-adapter/142061983702?hash=item21138dd7d6:g:J3MAAOSwc0FUpD8D

 

Is the Kingston DTSE9 reliable? Have you ever had troubles with it?

[JorgeB]

50 minutes ago, Zonediver said:

 

Is the Kingston DTSE9 reliable?

 

Yes, the newer DTSE9G2 not so much.

[Zonediver]

3 minutes ago, johnnie.black said:

 

Yes, the newer DTSE9G2 not so much.

 

Ok then i will buy a DTSE9 with 16GB for spare - my Lexar Firefly is working well but you never know...

Edited November 10, 2017 by Zonediver

[Squid]

1 hour ago, Zonediver said:

 

Is the Kingston DTSE9 reliable? Have you ever had troubles with it?

They're my go to for flash drives so long as I don't need USB3.  Indestructable because of how they're made.  Never had a problem with them on unRaid...  ever...

[Zonediver]

Just now, Squid said:

They're my go to for flash drives so long as I don't need USB3.  Indestructable because of how they're made.  Never had a problem with them on unRaid...  ever...

 

Good to know

[Squid]

Just now, Zonediver said:

 

Good to know

Indestructable though isn't always a good thing.   Pulling the server out of the rack once I didn't take out the flash and the flash got caught on the shelf when the server dropped a bit.  Flash survived no problems, but the ports didn't...  Its why I've gone internal with the adapters now.

[Zonediver]

12 minutes ago, Squid said:

Indestructable though isn't always a good thing.   Pulling the server out of the rack once I didn't take out the flash and the flash got caught on the shelf when the server dropped a bit.  Flash survived no problems, but the ports didn't...  Its why I've gone internal with the adapters now.

 

Thats why i use a cable from the internal MB-connector to the USB-Stick - its flexible and cant hurt the connector on the Mainboard - and never used the external USBs - because of this "problem"

Edited November 10, 2017 by Zonediver

[johnny121b]

I've never had problems with SanDisk or Lexar sticks.  As some have hinted at, mechanical damage is a significant consideration long-term.  I use only sticks with minimal protrusion- a 0.25" drive will probably be protected by the normal recesses of your machine, while a 2" long stick just begs to be broken off by the accidental bump, a drop, or a cable snag. 

[[email protected]]

I just lost my noname stick on my first unraid server. (I accidentally bumped into it... and now it's dead. 😞 ) 

Has anybody used this stick? can anyone recommend it? 

https://smile.amazon.de/SanDisk-Cruzer-Fit-Flash-Laufwerk-16GB/dp/B07MDXBT87/ref=sr_1_9?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=USB+2.0+Stick&qid=1604782742&sr=8-9

 

Thanks in advance

[Nuke]

9 hours ago, [email protected] said:

I just lost my noname stick on my first unraid server. (I accidentally bumped into it... and now it's dead. 😞 ) 

Has anybody used this stick? can anyone recommend it? 

https://smile.amazon.de/SanDisk-Cruzer-Fit-Flash-Laufwerk-16GB/dp/B07MDXBT87/ref=sr_1_9?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=USB+2.0+Stick&qid=1604782742&sr=8-9

 

Thanks in advance

How about this one?

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SanDisk-SDCZ71-016G-B35-Cruzer-Force-Flash/dp/B00C9Q5PGM

More metal is better for temperature 

[ChatNoir]

A lot of people seem to use : https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B002U1ZBG0/ref=twister_B08FGP63YM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

SpaceInvaderOne also made a video about it lately:

 

[Ford Prefect]

12 hours ago, [email protected] said:

I just lost my noname stick on my first unraid server. (I accidentally bumped into it... and now it's dead. 😞 ) 

Has anybody used this stick? can anyone recommend it? 

https://smile.amazon.de/SanDisk-Cruzer-Fit-Flash-Laufwerk-16GB/dp/B07MDXBT87/ref=sr_1_9?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=USB+2.0+Stick&qid=1604782742&sr=8-9

 

Thanks in advance

Yes, I use three of them for my servers...they are perfect...just make sure you get the usb2.0 variant....the usb3 might not have the required GUID.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Ford Prefect

[[email protected]]

Thank you Ford Prefect and Nuke. Appreciate the feedback. I ordered one of each 🙂

 

THANK YOU

[pixeldoc81]

SanDisk Cruzer Fit USB Flash-Laufwerk 32GB USB 2.0 is perfect for UNRAID.

That's what I am using for the past 3 Years with my UNRAID Server:

• Small Size (reduces possible physical Damage)
• Reliable
• Runs Cool (possible increase Reliability)
• Has GUID (required for UNRAID)

The 32 GB Version is still available in Germany:

I've just ordered two more as spare and for my Test Server.

[denishay]

Hi everyone,

 

Sorry for the "thread necromancy", but I hesitated a long time between refreshing this topic a bit and creating a new one. For the mods, let me know if you prefer a new thrread to be created, I'm fine with that.

 

I have used for many years the small "mini" usb drives as boot drives to avoid having something long and fragile sticking outside my unraid server cases. But then, even though I stuck to reputable brands, it seems that they always end up after a few years as "read only" [thus it becomes impossible to update plugins].

 

Fair enough, I went on now to use internal motherboard usb2-to-usbA adapters and "longer" sticks. To avoid the prolonged overheating that seems to break those mini boot drives (too) quickly.

 

But then, it struck me, and please correct me if I'm assuming wrongly, but... The official recommendation is to keep using only "USB2" drives from reputable manufacturers, and at a maximum of 32GB.

 

So... I am not disputing that *some* among us have different boot drives, but it seems that there is a largely mixed bag of bad experiences with anything non-USB2 and/or larger than 32GB.

 

And nowadays, it is becoming harder and harder to get such devices [still possible, but requires a LOT of double and triple-checks]. At some stage, it will probably not be possible anymore.

 

Shouldn't we be getting a bit more love regarding the choice of USB boot drives? (I'm not talking about wasting resources on SDD or aything else using precious SATA or PCIE ports, just USB). Can we see an official support for USB3 drives of larger capacity? It seems to me when browsing online sellers than 128GB is kind of the "new" minimum.

 

[itimpi]

36 minutes ago, denishay said:

Can we see an official support for USB3 drives of larger capacity?

Larger capacity IS supported.    The issue is that Windows will not as standard format files greater than 32GB as FAT32 which is why this is till the recommended maximum size, and that is more than enough for Unraid.    As long as you use the USB Creator tool or a 3rd party tool such as Rufus (my personal preference) to get the drive formatted as FAT32 then drives larger than 32GB will work fine.

[denishay]

On 10/11/2023 at 2:04 PM, itimpi said:

Larger capacity IS supported.    The issue is that Windows will not as standard format files greater than 32GB as FAT32 which is why this is till the recommended maximum size, and that is more than enough for Unraid.    As long as you use the USB Creator tool or a 3rd party tool such as Rufus (my personal preference) to get the drive formatted as FAT32 then drives larger than 32GB will work fine.

 

OK. I guess I just got unlucky then. Every time I've tried anything beyond 32GB (always with the USB Creator in Windows 10, 2 times with 2 different 64GB drives and one time with a 128GB one), it failed.

 

I understand it's a small sample size [ 3 in my direct experience), but it could have also to do with the fact that that was with rather old harware on the unraid server (fairly ancient motherboard) ].

 

Thanks for the confirmation though.

[itimpi]

7 minutes ago, denishay said:

OK. I guess I just got unlucky then. Every time I've tried anything beyond 32GB (always with the USB Creator in Windows 10, 2 times with 2 different 64GB drives and one time with a 128GB one), it failed.

The USB Creator tool always seems to be a bit fussy about the systems it runs on.    The Manual install method  is far more reliable in my experience.