Flash longevity

[Randy McLaughlin]

From: "Eric Smith" <eric at brouhaha.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:00 PM
> Jay wrote:
>> It wasn't a swap partition I created in flash. It was an OS
>> install partition (to install the OS FROM, not to). I was learning the
>> intricacies of "label & newfs" at the time, and had quite a few attempts
>> in a short interval but the lexar drive died. This happened again to a
>> second one in short order.
>
> Strange.  I've done a lot of that sort of thing on Sandisk CF and SD
> cards with no trouble.  And I have used a 2GB Sandisk CF as a swap
> partition on a laptop for more than nine months with no observed ill
> effects.
>
>> Then again, maybe I just had two bad devices in a row.
>
> Possible, but seems unlikely.  I'm not sure how else to explain it
> though.  Overwriting an entire partition in a CF multiple times to
> do installations *from* shouldn't cause any significant wear.
>
> Eric

To my knowledge (which may be wrong) is that the reads are unlimited, it is 
the erasing that causes problems.

Using the drive as a worm device should be perfect for it.

CF cards are 5v tolerant devices and may be sensitive to over-voltage, if 
you are running it at 5v a current limiting resistor might be a good idea.


Randy
www.s100-manuals.com