A memory card used as an external hard drive?

emmanouche Posted messages 4 Status Membre -  
 Anonymous user -
Hello,
I would like to use very high-capacity memory cards, 1 TB, instead of external hard drives for storing my JPEG photos and 4K videos.
I am a traveler on the move for many years to come, with a 25 kg bag to carry. I photograph a lot, which requires an average of 2 TB of storage per year.
The cards seem to be a way for me to have all my photos, duplicated twice, with me without taking up space.
What do you think of this solution?
I already know a few disadvantages, the cost and the fact that it's easier to lose a card than a large hard drive. If those are the only drawbacks, I can deal with it.
Are there other disadvantages compared to an external hard drive: is storage less reliable, with a higher risk of data loss? Their flash memory seems to, like SSDs, reduce the risk of data being corrupted during writing. But is their lifespan shorter than that of hard drives?
Are microSD cards as reliable as SD cards?
Thank you for your opinions and your help.

2 réponses

Anonymous user
 
Comparisons between SSDs and hard drives should be made, as these are technologies that operate differently.

Flash memory is better if it is of high quality, but even though they are more reliable and now faster than hard drives, there's no guarantee that you won't end up with one that can malfunction and become unusable, with data that is impossible to recover. Hard drives, on the other hand, are mechanical; randomly written data creates fragmentation on the disk, making it more difficult to access, which reduces speed. A shock to the ground can ruin everything and render the drive unusable, but one can recover their data through a company, unlike with a memory chip where you can almost forget about it. However, unlike flash memory, a hard drive has no write limit.

SD and MicroSD cards, even very high-end ones, cannot compete with an NVMe SSD; hard drives can potentially be just as performant as these said cards. One must examine their characteristics and tests for comparison.
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marc
 
Hello
Customs - cards and X-rays.
As with some camera cases, the cards could get erased. Check this before purchasing, especially if you want waterproof cards as well.
The rays for humans and carry-on luggage are often less powerful than those for checked baggage or entire trucks.

When going through metal detectors, avoid keeping them on you; place them in the bag that does not go through the detector.
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emmanouche Posted messages 4 Status Membre
 
Thank you for your very comprehensive help. Just two more questions:
First question: what do you mean by "no writing limit"? Do you mean that we can write, erase, and then rewrite as much as we want without the medium wearing out?
Second question: since NVMe SSDs also have flash memory, does that mean that we cannot recover data from them any more than from memory cards if they fail?
Thank you for helping me a little more with your insights.
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Anonymous user > emmanouche Posted messages 4 Status Membre
 
Flash memory, especially SSDs, has a maximum number of write cycles; this write limit is often provided by the manufacturer for SSDs and also depends on the size. For example, I have a WD SN550 500GB NVMe SSD, and the manufacturer states a write limit of 300 TB for this 500GB model, while the 1TB version has double that, or 600TB of write endurance.

With software, it is possible to know the status and information regarding storage, and I recommend CrystalDiskInfo.

A hard drive is a magnetic disk with a read/write head that moves; they do not have limits other than those of physics. If the read head moves abnormally or if it experiences a shock, the hard drive is toast. We often hear an abnormal noise when it fails; however, afterward, a recovery company can retrieve the drive and place it in another medium to recover the data. This process is meticulous because there must not be a single particle in the air.

SSDs or SD cards are memory chips followed by controller chips for intelligent management, and a sophisticated firmware. Only the manufacturer possesses the confidential data needed to attempt data recovery, but this assumes that the flash memory chip is not burnt or broken.
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emmanouche Posted messages 4 Status Membre
 
Thank you very much for your very detailed response. I'm not sure I understand everything. I will look into the information you provided and perhaps ask you for clarification. Thanks again.
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