Bill: I've read USB Drives, just like CD's and DVD's do have a limited life span. I've not heard the scientific details but would imagine there is some truth, depending upon usage and exposure to harmful elements such as extreme heat or cold.

Nothing wrong with having a backup regimin and even storage in a safe or protected area. I wish we had USB devices available a few years ago when we had to back-up our sophisticated Computer Aided Drafting System with tape each night and store them in the vault. It was a slow, time consuming, but necessary process to protect that investment of man-hours and productivity.

I just opened a package containing a SanDisk 32GB USB Flash Drive and noticed it had three different manufacturer's Apps or Programs pre-installed. One for Windows, one for the cloud and one for what appears to be normal usage. I use these memory devices across several operating systems but have not developed a trust or working relationship with what is called "The Cloud." I'm going to have to do some reading before I begin to use this latest Flash Drive.

Who was it that said, "Verify... then trust?"