Why do we use USB thumb drives for project delivery?

After we scan photos and convert home movies, we deliver most client projects on USB thumb drives. It’s amazing that we can store so many photos and home movies on something so tiny, reliable, and easy to share. When we send a USB thumb drive home with a client we exclusively use one that provides:

• Reliability: We exclusively use SanDisk drives for their reliability and we haven’t had a drive fail yet!
• Speed: We only use high-speed USB 3 thumb drives. They cost a little more than USB 2 drives, but they’re 10x faster and that makes a huge difference with large projects.
• Compatibility: We use drives with the rectangular connection and format them with the ExFat standard. This ensures they will work with a standard USB port or a USB-C port with an adapter, and they’re compatible with Mac and Windows computers.

USB thumb drives have been used around the world for more than 20 years, but we still answer lots of questions about this universal technology. Here are a few of the most frequent questions:

Is a USB thumb drive the same as a jump drive, flash drive, or zip drive?

We use the phrase “thumb drive” but, it’s the same as a jump drive or flash drive. Thumb drive, jump drive, and flash drive are just synonyms for the same kind of device. Some folks use the phrase zip drive, but that’s a completely different digital storage format from the late 1990s.

Can I bring in my own thumb drive and save money?

We want to ensure your memories are safe and that your experience is great, so we only deliver projects on thumb drives we supply. Every time we’ve tried to accommodate this request in the past we’ve had issues with drives that were too slow, too small, too full, or just plain broken. The extra hassle just isn’t worth saving a few bucks.

If you convert ten video tapes for me, does that require ten USB thumb drives?

USB thumb drives can hold a lot of digital files, so a single drive can hold thousands of photos or dozens of converted videos. And if you come back for another project please bring the first USB thumb drive you got from us and we can add your new files to the same drive so everything is safe in one place!

If I want to share my project with multiple family members or friends, can I purchase multiple USB thumb drives?

Absolutely! We can make as many copies of your project as you want and each drive comes in a nice gift box that’s easy to gift and hard to lose.

Can I make my own copies?

Of course! They’re your memories so you can copy, backup, and share them however you want. If you’re not sure it’s worth the hassle to do it yourself, remember that we purchase the drives, remove them from their packaging, format them for maximum compatibility, test them for reliability, name them for easy use, and present them in a nice gift box.

What if my project is too big for a USB thumb drive?

Most projects fit easily on a USB thumb drive, but sometimes large video conversion projects or large digital organizing projects require a digital storage option that’s even larger and faster. For those projects we will deliver your project on an external USB hard drive.

My computer only has the the skinny USB-C ports and I can’t connect the rectangular USB thumb drive.

For maximum compatibility, we only use USB thumb drives with the rectangular USB-A connector. We use these because they’re the most universal option available, but new computers like the Apple MacBook Pro use the smaller USB-C port. The good news is that all you need is an inexpensive USB-C to USB-A adapter like this from Amazon and you’re all set! 

What should I do with my USB thumb drive when I bring it home?

Great question! The first thing we recommend is to copy the contents of your USB thumb drive to your computer so it’s easy to access and enjoy the files without the drive. You should also make a backup copy on an external hard drive and keep an offsite backup for extra protection of your memories.

Download our free Backup Best Practices PDF for more great ideas on keeping your memories safe.

Interested in working with Chaos to Memories?

If you’re near Chicago and ready to get started, come visit our Wheaton Studio Monday – Friday, 10-5. Please bring your memories with you.

Contact us for more information, shipping instructions, and to get started on your project.