16GB USB flash drive has just become 8GB

[Karlos]

GadgetMaster wrote:

Btw, have you tried asking for half your money back?  :python:

A customer enters a computer parts shop.

Moto: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

(The owner does not respond.)

Moto: 'Ello, Miss?

Owner: What do you mean "miss"?

Moto: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!

Owner: We're closin' for lunch.

Moto: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this USB pen drive what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.

Owner: Oh yes, the, uh, the El Cheapo Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

Moto: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'S half dead, that's what's wrong with it!

Owner: No, no, 'e's uh,...its fragmented.

Moto: Look, matey, I know a half dead USB pen drive when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

Owner: No no it's not dead, it's, it's restin'! Remarkable drive, the El Cheapo Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful casing!

Moto: The casing don't enter into it. It's half dead.

Owner: Nononono, no, no! 's fragmented!

Moto: All right then, if it's fragmented', I'll defrag it! (shouting at the device) 'Ello, El Cheapo flash drive! I've got a lovely fresh format for you if you show...

(owner hits the drive)

Owner: There, it's fixed!

Moto: No, it isn't, that was you hitting the casing!

Owner: I never!!

Moto: Yes, you did!

Owner: I never, never did anything...

 :python:  :python:

[Karlos]

motorollin wrote:
Sorry Karlos, I'm too young to know what you're on about :-P

Moto: (puts USB pen drive into display model PC, yelling and hitting the casing repeatedly) 'ELLO 'PUTER!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your new removalbe storage device!

(Takes USB pen drive out of the computer and thumps its connector end on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)

Moto: Now that's what I call a dead device!

Owner: No, no.....No, 's stunned!

Moto: STUNNED?!?

Owner: Yeah! You stunned it, just as it was auto detectin'! El Cheapo Blues stun easily, major.

Moto: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That USB pen drive is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of activity was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged disk test.

Owner: Well, it's...it's, ah...probably pining for some media.

Moto: PININ' for some MEDIA?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did it fall apart the moment I got it home?

Owner: The El Cheapo Blue dismantles for storage in bits! Remarkable drive, id'nit, squire? Lovely casing!

Moto: Look, I took the liberty of examining that drive when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had the extra flash chip in first place was that it had been NAILED there.

(pause)

Owner: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that chip down, it would have slid up to the casing, bent 'it apart and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!

Moto: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this drive wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'S bleedin' demised!

Owner: No no! 'S pining!

Moto: 'S not pinin'! 'S passed on! This pen drive is no more! It has ceased to be! 'S expired and gone to meet 'its maker! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peices! If you hadn't nailed the chip to the PCB it'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is electronic processes are now 'istory! 'S off the board! 'S kicked the bucket, 'S shuffled off it's mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PEN DRIVE!!

[Karlos]

motorollin wrote:
Sorry Karlos, I'm too young to know what you're on about :-P

Bah :-x

Surely you must be aware of the famous Monty Python "Dead parrot sketch" ?

[Karlos]

motorollin wrote:

countzero wrote:
I don't think FAT will remain valid after half the physical medium vanishes.

for how long did you use it for 16 gb ?

maybe someone stole your 16 and replaced it with a 8 gb one ?  :crazy:

I don't think so. It lives in a drawer and hasn't left the house. It's a mystery!

People say that about socks, but we all know there's a wormhole network connecting sock draws across the world with each other as well as other people's washing machines...

[Karlos]

motorollin wrote:
Obviously somebody with a penchant for woolly footwear..... ;-)

Don't look now but I think he's around here :nervous:

[Karlos]

ZeBeeDee wrote:


This link explains it all

Ouch

[Karlos]

Just to revive this thread...

Last week I bought myself a new USB flash drive. I was primarily interested in getting something a bit more rugged than usual so I plumped for this model, a drive touted as being water, fire, high impact and even bullet proof, not to mention high speed for a pen drive.

Been using it all week on my linux system(s) and I was was entirely satisfied. Until today. 5 minutes after plugging it into my brother's laptop (running 32-bit Vista) and it's toast. It can't be read, written or even formatted :griping:

So, it may be able to withstand all kinds of physical punishment but leave it to Windows to find some way of destroying it :-/

[Karlos]

I'm hoping that when I get back, linux will be able to sort the disk out but I suspect I'll probably end up having to take it back.

[Karlos]

I'm hoping that when I get back, linux will be able to sort the disk out but I suspect I'll probably end up having to take it back.

Well, no luck with (g)parted, looks like the drive is actually broken. The size is reported correctly, but the entire space is unallocated. It refuses to let me create a new file system, from the looks of it, the drive reports itself as being write protected, despite having no write protect switch.

Brilliant. It'll be the weekend before I have a chance to return it to the shop I bought it from.