Can flash memory work forever? What is the expected life span?

Can flash memory work forever? What is the expected life span?

External and mobile storage devices, such as flash memory and external hard drives, are considered one of the main means of saving or transferring data. Perhaps flash or USB flash memory is the most popular among users of all categories for several reasons, such as small size, large capacity, speed of transfer, cheap price, etc., but is it Have you ever thought about or wondered about the sustainability of these storage units?! It carries valuable data and important information, so can it save this data and information for a long time, or will it be destroyed with time, and then you will lose all your data stored on it?! In this article, I will explain a lot to you about flash memory. How to save the data, what is its default life, what are the most important factors that affect it, and how to preserve it for the longest possible period.

First of all, how does a flash drive save data?

Data is saved on the flash memory in several technical ways, perhaps the most famous and common among users is a technical method known as NAND Flash Memory Technology. Also, among these technologies are NOR flash memory, SLC, MLC, TLC, and others. We have previously explained the differences between them within the topic of the differences between Samsung SSD units.

The digital data stored in the flash memory consists of a set of bits (bits), which are formed by alternating a certain electrical current in the flash memory cells, and when the data is saved in it, this data is converted into a format that the memory and the machine understand, by dividing the internal memory of the flash Memory is divided into a group of small sectors, or what is known as "sectors, containing a group of bits associated with each other, and then each sector is addressed so that these addresses are used later to access the data saved on the memory to read it. When reading the data, an electric current is used to measure the state of the flash cell in each sector to determine whether the stored value is 0 or 1, which is known as the binary code system, which is the language that the machine understands, In this way, the devices read the data stored on the flash, and then the original digital data is retrieved.

What is the lifespan of the flash memory?!

To answer this question, you must first know that there is no single answer to it, meaning that the life span of the flash memory may lag depending on many factors, including the quality of the flash memory itself, the memory technology used in it, manufacturing technology, methods of use and storage, and your personal use. You are her. But in general, a good flash memory can work for up to 10 years or more, and that is an informed estimate based on the standards of the German company Infineon for the semiconductor industry, as the standard requires that flash memory chips withstand 10 hours of operation at 125 degrees Celsius during the testing process, equivalent to 10 years of use at 55°C, which can be categorized as rather mild.

But on the contrary, the flash can be damaged after several days of use, and this is due to its misuse; Or when you open it at the moment of use, you find it damaged, and this is also due to poor transportation, storage, or manufacturing itself. However, assuming that the flash memory works well for you, the following question will come to mind:

How do you keep it for as long as possible?!

To preserve the flash memory for a long period of time from damage or problems with reading data, etc., you can follow these steps:

• Buying a high-quality flash memory: The prices of flash memory and storage disks generally differ due to many things, not just the storage capacity as some think, and the most important of these things is the storage technology used, the brand of the flash memory or storage disk, and others .. Therefore, we advise you to wait before buying the flash A memory stick or a storage disk is to invest some time in searching for the best storage method that suits you, and for the best brands to get a good result, because you get what you pay for.
• Proper Use: Try to use your USB flash drive gently, avoid shock, excessive pressure, and high temperatures, and avoid the sun or other heat sources to prevent damage.
• Periodic verification of files: To ensure the safety of your files and data stored on the flash memory, connect it to your device every few weeks or every month and open the files on it to make sure that it is still working without any problems. Also, transfer files from one place to another, that is, between the device and the flash memory and vice versa, to ensure the safety of every bit inside the flash memory, and also to update it continuously.
• Balanced use of flash memory: What is meant here by balanced use is the distribution of data inside the flash memory to a group of sectors, and not focusing on only one sector, which may lead to its wear and tear in the long run.
• Safely detach the flash memory: One of the reasons for preserving the flash memory and storage drives may be to safely separate them from the device and not pull them out suddenly, as this would cause damage to the flash memory or damage to the data inside. To safely remove the flash memory and storage drives, right-click on them, then choose "Eject" from the menu, and then pull them out of the device. This is the safest way to separate the storage drives.

However, at the end of this article, you must draw your attention to the fact that it is imperative to constantly take a backup copy of your data and files in another place, so that if your flash memory is damaged, you also have preserved your data from loss.