Once you have purchased your memory card or USB drive it is important to know how to take care of it. Fortunately its pretty easy if you follow these simple steps that have been outlined below:
Make sure your batteries are charged
One of the most common causes for data loss on your flash storage (memory card, USB drive) device is battery discharge. For example if your camera battery dies in the middle of taking a photograph, the data file (digital image) that is being written to your memory card can be interrupted and result in the file becoming corrupted. Not only can this corrupt your file but it can also corrupt the entire memory card making all files inaccessible. To avoid this type of corruption, carry a spare battery and always replace the battery in your device when the battery warning indicator is first displayed.
It is possible to recover and restore corrupted files in most instances with data recovery software such as Image Recall
Make sure your memory card or USB drive is not in use when removing it from the host device.
Impatiently trying to remove your storage device whilst data is still being written to it can result in corruption or loss of data. Always insure that the write process is completed before removing your memory card. Most cameras or card readers have a blinking light which indicates when a write process is being performed, when the light ceases to flash it is safe to remove your memory card. USB drives should only be removed after they have been successfully stopped using the “Safely Remove Hardware” option or similar function. Some Flash Drives have pre-installed application interfaces that feature an eject button which can also be used to safely eject your device.
Dont force it!
Never try and force your memory card or memory stick into your host device. Normal insertion should require the minimum of effort using your fingertips. All memory cards and memory sticks can only be inserted into host devices one way. Forcing your card or usb drive can damage the connectors in both your host device (eg. Digital Camera, Card Reader) and your memory card/flash drive.
Look after your card when not in use
Memory cards and USB Flash drives are made from solid state memory, meaning they have no moving parts which make them incredibly robust. It is still important to treat them with care. Always store your memory card in its plastic jewel case and remember to keep the cap on your USB drive. Avoid dropping your flash storage device on hard surfaces as this can also cause damage.
Airports and X-ray scanners
When travelling store your memory cards and USB Drives in your carry on luggage, passenger airport x-ray scanners use much lower levels of radiation then scanners used for cargo baggage. Although there has been no evidence to suggest that higher levels would damage your memory device, we suggest it's better to be safer than sorry.
Static Electricity
Large static charges can be harmful to your flash storage device.
Switching Cards between Cameras
Be careful when switching memory cards between cameras. Try not to take photo’s using one camera and then switch your card to another camera and continue taking photo’s. This can corrupt your card, if you want to use your card in a different camera make sure you format the memory card in the new camera before use.
Most Importantly, always always always back up your photos and data
Memory cards and USB drives are robust but not infallible, always make sure you back up your photo’s and files.