Lexar Media JD256-231 256 MB USB 2.0 JumpDrive Reviews

• WinXP and USB 2.0 Mini-Drives Degraded Performance-CAUTION!

  
  By ACGTYE5R2EXVF on 2003-09-25
  This is a generic review of Windows XP's support of USB 2.0 mini-drives that are attached to USB 2.0 hardware ports. If this is not your environment, then please pass on this review. Otherwise, you would serve yourself well to share my experiences and testing. The rating of the Lexar Jumpdrive Pro 2.0 will either be a 5-star or a 1-star depending on your environment, so I gave it a 3-star. (There was no problem with any of my 2.0 mini-drives when I tested them on WIN98 with USB 1.1 ports.) I'm not picking on the Lexar.

  I'll go right to the bottom line and tell you that I've found that these drives may perform VERY poorly in Windows XP SP1. They will appear to perform well, compared with similar USB 1.1 drives, only if you are copying a very small number of very large files. They will perform incredibly slowly compared to their USB 1.1 brethren, if you reverse the scenario and copy a directory of say 500 or more very small files.

  I'll provide the solution now and then tell you about some tests I've run. THE SOLUTION: Format your mini-drives as "NTFS". (THEY DO NOT COME FORMATTED THAT WAY!) If you do, they will perform very well on USB 2.0 ports under WinXP SP1. It does mean, however, that you won't have portability to a WIN95, WIN98, WINME system (if you want high performance in WinXP).

  If I've still got your attention, read on please.

  I own an Iomega 1.1 Mini Drive and have purchased and returned two Lexar JumpDrive Pro 2.0 devices, a SanDisk Cruzer Mini, and almost returned my newest, a PNY Attache 2.0. I've also had a dialogue with someone in a forum who issued a similar complaint about his Sony MicroVault 2.0 device. I kept the PNY to have something to test with as I probed this issue, and have now just purchased another Lexar JumpDrive Pro because it prices well, and it also performs well if formatted as "NTFS".

  After considerable experimentation and a frustrating 20 or so hours on the internet, I made my discovery!

  After reading an Amazon reviewer boast that he copied a single 135MB file in under a minute, I decided to try that myself ... and it copied quickly, considerably beating the performance of my Iomega 1.1 device. Astounded at this, I became curious about whether WinXP had an issue with FAT and FAT32 on these devices.

  I created a benchmark of a directory containing 508 icons totalling only 1MB of data, occupying 2MB of disk. Formatted at the default FAT or FAT32, the copy took an incredible 2 min. 56 secs., and I could read each file name as Windows revealed them during the copy. I decided that, before returning the PNY, I would format it as "NTFS" just "to see what would happen". It copied in 2 or 3 seconds!!!!!

  To prove to myself this wasn't a freak event, I went back to my earlier benchmark which was a client's web site having a root folder weighing 44MB and containing 1800+ files. It had previous copied to my Iomega 1.1 Mini Drive in 1 min. 34 secs., but on my Lexar JumpDrive Pro 2.0 and the SanDisk Cruser Mini 2.0 the times ranged between 5+ mins. to just under 10 mins. On the PNY 2.0 device formatted "NTFS", it took around 52 secs. My newly purchased Lexar ran in about the same 52 secs. (compared to 8+ mins. when formatted FAT32)

  My final benchmark was a folder containing 3 files, weighing 44.5MB. They copied in 46 secs. to the Iomega 1.1, in 23 secs. to the PNY 2.0, and in 19 secs. to the new Lexar.

  To lend a bit of credibility to these tests, I should tell you that I had taken the Lexar 2.0, the SanDisk Cruzer 2.0 and my Iomega 1.1 to a demo computer at Best Buy and the results were consistent. That machine was a Compaq Presario with 6 "Certified" 2.0 ports with WinXP SP1. So it's unlikely that my personal environment was unique.

  This has been surely an oddball "review", assuming Amazon publishes it, but it should dramatically benefit many of you buying these devices. Thanks for your time.
  
  

• A great timesaver in college

  
  By A22PICW38EK5W1 on 2003-09-09
  The Lexar JumpDrive 2.0 Pro is my first entry into this type storage device. As a College Instructor teaching Computer Applications courses, I am frequently transferring files between various Windows operating systems. With no writable CD drive, transferring files larger than 1.44 MB requires zipping or mailing � and these are very limited options. For me, the JumpDrive solves many problems including backing up critical files quickly and transferring large files (photos, Access databases, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) between PC's.

  The first time I plugged the JumpDrive into a USB port, the drive worked. On Win-98 PC�s I did need to install the driver. A Sony Vaio laptop running �XP� and a Sony PC running �ME� both recognized the JumpDrive immediately. One caveat: Close the JumpDrive before unplugging. This is accomplished by clicking the icon located on the status bar.

  All in all, the Lexar 2.0/Pro JumpDrive is a great investment, and I found no price better than that on Amazon.com.
  
  

• Terrific portable memory

  
  By A5JLAU2ARJ0BO on 2003-02-19
  Wearable on the keychain, the new Lexar USB 2.0 Jumpdrive is a 256MB flash memory drive that works on both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 interfaces. If you use Windows 2000 or XP, you don't even need to install any drivers; it's true plug-n-play. The transfer speed is good, although you won't get 480 Mbps on USB 2.0 due to bottlenecks with flash technology and the actual interface. But that's not a complaint at all since the speed is comparable to hard disk-based drives. And best of all, you don't worry about any moving parts being broken. Ultra-portable, high-quality, fast... I'm happy with my Jumpdrive, until the 1GB version comes out. :)
  
  

• Be guilty of flashing in public

  
  By A423XLYS1Q1D6 on 2003-09-28
  Just kidding. For those who need good portable memory for laptops, this compact little unit can't be beat. It bests its nearest competitor--the Sony Micro-Vault 256--in price, speed, and size. File transfers on a USB 2.0 connection are quick, faster than a ZIP drive, and the device is out-of-the-box compatible with Windows 2000 and XP; those with older OSs will probably need to download drivers. It does have some drawbacks, though:

  --It's not very durable. A co-worker of mine dropped his, and the plastic--yes, plastic--case cracked; he's lost everything he had on the unit. Also, as another reviewer noted, the pocket clip doesn't hold up well. I don't recommend keeping it on a keychain or belt, where a simple jostle can send it flying. Keep it in your laptop bag or bookbag, or even in your pocket.

  --There are mixed results when used with 1.1 ports. It's slow, (though still faster than most ZIP drives), and one may need a downloaded patch or two to get things running properly.

  --Although it's supposed to be Mac compatible, a warning to Mac users: You may have some compatibility issues that are not easily resolved. Honestly, this works best with Windows.

  Even with these problems, this is still the best portable memory on the market, and is the prime reason my ZIP drive is gathering dust.
  
  

• Fast and easy to use

  
  By on 2003-09-29
  I'm very pleased with the Lexar 256MB JumpDrive. I use it on my Windows 2000 SP4 system to perform daily "delta" backups in between my monthly CD backups. I use WinZip to zip up all files containing a set archive bit, copy the zip file to my flash drive, and then disconnect the flash drive. I attach the drive to the rear of my computer via a USB extension cable (not supplied).

  This drive, though, does lack several features found on other flash drives that may affect your purchase decision. Since I just use it for bulk storage only, it's ideal for me.

  Windows 2000 SP4

  Pros:
  . . . o USB 2.0 support.
  . . . o Fast transfer speed.
  . . . o Activity LED.
  . . . o Built-in plastic key ring hole and plastic pocket clip.
  . . . o Low price.
  
  Cons:
  . . . o No write protect switch.
  . . . o No USB extension cable.
  . . . o No neck strap/cord.
  . . . o Supports only one filesystem partition.
  . . . o No filesystem password protection.

  For my data security needs, I own a different flash drive that supports all the features listed in the "Cons" section including support for one to two filesystem partitions where one partition can be password protected.
  
  

• Works Fine, Win98 needs some work
  By A3HQVY95EGJ78V on 2004-03-20
  This drive has an actual capacity of about 249-250 MB. It works fine with both Linux [RHL 9] and Windows [2000, XP etc.] so far. The Win98 drivers require some work on your own. Some helpful driver links in this regard would include:

  [1] http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/index/Lexar_JumpDrive_Sport_user_reviews.htm
  [2] http://outbox.lexarmedia.com/son-download209865/JDSport2.zip
  [3] http://www.lexarmedia.com/drivers/files/JumpDrive_2.1.exe
  [4] http://www.lexarmedia.com/drivers/index.html

  Link [2] is especially non-intuitive, and I found it to be the necessary file for the usb drive to work, and I found it via [1]. It's sad that the Lexar website doesn't provide a direct link to that file.

  Instructions:

  Download driver file [2], unzip it.
  Save all 3 files into a folder in your C: drive. Name it "Lexar"
  Now plug in the JDrive Sport. When the Windows 98 wizard asks for a driver, just point it to the folder "Lexar" you created with the driver files inside it. If the windows wizard never popped up, try running the downloaded executable [3], and it will at some point ask for the driver, whereupon you can point it to c:\Lexar etc.
  
  

• Good but power hungry
  By A2S5VYOAC5U0HB on 2003-05-23
  The Lexar JumpDrive 2.0 Pro is a good USB flash drive, and is "future ready" with USB 2.0.

  What's good:
  cool blue plastic shell; not painted so color won't rub off
  USB 1.1 & 2.0 compatible; 4.5MB/s claimed write speed with USB 2.0

  What's not so good:
  Power hungy - wants 500mA from the USB port so it doesn't work on the USB port on my Mac keyboard. :( Other (USB 1.1) drives draw only 100mA.
  Longish; not as compact as the regular JumpDrive

  Overall a roomy drive for not very much money, and fast if you have USB 2.0. I only wish it drew less power. :/
  
  

• Useful Tech Toy
  By A1J4A5L0KX1BBV on 2003-11-16
  Many people have commented on the compatibility between a Mac and a Windows machine, and I just want to stick in that, yes, it is possible to format the drive to work on both machines, but that format (called MS-DOS on a Mac and FAT32 on a PC) doesn't allow saving of the large (128x128) icons that OSX and WinXP use, nor the saving of some preferences like folder views. On my OSX machine, if you tried to copy a file with a large icon to the drive while it was formatted MS-DOS, the Finder crashed, meaning there's very little checking for compatibility before copying. So, if you're just using it to transfer files, that's fine, but if you want files to look pretty, you'll have to format it for just Mac, or just PC.

  Another note; because this drive is so large, it must be plugged into a powered USB port. On a Mac, if you plug this device into the spare USB port on the keyboard, it will turn off the USB port your keyboard's connected to (because there's too much power drain being pulled from that port), and turn off your keyboard. Your computer won't crash, but until you restart, you can't use your keybard to navigate (or mouse, if it's plugged into your keyboard). Not something that kept me from using the device, but something to keep in mind.
  
  

• Formatting jump drive as NTFS
  By A14HT152EC5N43 on 2004-03-01
  I've had my Lexar 256mb Pro 2.0 jump drive only a short time, but it has performed as other reviewers have described. Here's how to format it for NTFS, using Windows XP:

  From the Start Menu, select Run, and type CMD.
  In the window, type: convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs
  In the example above, typing "convert G: /fs:ntfs" (without the quotes) would format drive G: with the NTFS format.

  This takes only a few seconds and as mentioned in a previous review, it does improve the speed noticeably.
  
  

• Great product, but requires powered USB port
  By A1B9RAZ77C514P on 2003-05-28
  This product works great for me on WinXP and Win2000. However, I'm unable to use it through a 4-port unpowered hub, since apparently this drive needs more than 100mA of current. (powered hubs provide something like 500mA per downstream port.) If you have an unpowered USB hub, don't plan to use your jump drive with it. I'm a bit annoyed that nowhere in the marketing materials is this published - hence this review.
  On the plus side - at least the driver told me about the power problem right away the first time I plugged it in so I knew what the problem was.
  
  
• It does have a write protect switch!
  By A2S5VYOAC5U0HB on 2003-05-23
  This may not be a well-publcized fact, but the Lexar JumpDrive 2.0 Pro _does_ have a write-protect switch! There is a small slot in the side of the drive (near the L in Lexar) where you can stick a paperclip to move a switch toward the USB connector, and viola! The drive is now write-protected.

  Admittedly, this is not a terribly well-positioned switch, but by the same token, it's great that it's impossible to un-protect accidentally.

  I just thought I'd share this nugget with people, since even Lexar's own documentation dosen't mention this!
  
  

• Works for Mac and PC!
  By on 2003-11-02
  I've used this device for about 6 months now and I love it!

  I use both Macs and PCs, and the JumpDrive allows me to transfer files between them without a hitch; there were no drivers to download, just plug and use. As others have said here, it is much faster than a Zip drive and, for me, much more convenient to use. I don't really use my Zip any more.

  I know someone reviewed that there is a problem of compatibility with Macs, but I personally didn't encounter any. It works fine with my Mac desktop and laptop.

  That said, it is important to note that I use System X (Panther 10.3) on my Mac and Windows 2000 on my PC. I purchased a flash drive (NOT the Lexar JumpDrive) for someone else who was on System 9, and even though he downloaded the driver, it did not work. However, it was not a JumpDrive and, more importantly, it was an OLDER Mac system. So perhaps this is what one reviewer meant by saying that the drive is incompatible with Mac--you should use System X.

  Along the same lines, I have used this drive with Windows 98 and, though I downloaded the drivers it did not work (but it could've just been me). Once I switched to Windows 2000, the drive worked fine.

  I highly recommend this drive! The price really cannot be beat, and if you are using it to transfer data between a Mac and PC it works wonderfully. Just be sure to put it on a keychain or lanyard--it's so small it's easy to misplace!
  
  

• Performance Bad For 2.0 Device with WinXP - Caveat Emptor
  By ACGTYE5R2EXVF on 2003-09-10
  SEE IMPORTANT NOTE AT BOTTOM (Updated 9/18/03)
  ----------------------------------------------

  I own an Iomega 128MB Mini Drive (USB 1.1) and wanted something bigger and faster (I have 6 USB 2.0 ports on a new Dell). As soon as I tried the Lexar I could not believe how slow it was in WinXP SP1. The Iomega's performance beat it by a wide margin. Before you shrug me off as a malcontent, hear my tale and look at my benchmark numbers.

  My introduction to the Lexar was filled with enthusiasm. 200MB in < 50 seconds, the package said! I copied a 43MB directory using Windows Explorer drag and drop. It took 5+ minutes compared to 1 min 30+ seconds on the Iomega USB 1.1. I repeated the timings; little change.

  I went on to spend 4 hours or so on the internet at Lexar's site (no downloads, no user tips, worthless), Microsoft's site (informative but no help), and hours on Google. After a pathetic Lexar chat session that aborted, I called them and we decided that the Lexar might be defective. Took it back to OfficeMax for a replacement, and the replacement ran just as badly.

  I diddled with my WinXP system for a couple hours removing some suspect drivers from Iomega and Veritas, changed my CMOS to disable "USB Emulation", made sure the Device Manager Policies tab was set to "Optimize for Performance", turned off McAfee AntiVirus, and other tweaks. In all, no improvement whatever!

  Before taking the Lexar back to OfficeMax, I tried two other things: 1) Downloaded the WIN98 drivers and ran the device on my 5 year-old Dell with Win98 and USB 1.1; 2) Found a WinXP system totally unrelated to mine and did a benchmark there.

  1) My old Dell with the new drivers ran the same 43MB copy in only 1 min.34 secs on the Lexar (big improvement over WinXP and 2.0 ports), but then the Iomega Mini Drive improved as well to 1 min. 10 secs.

  2) Just now came back from Best Buy who let me use a Compaq Presario with equivalent memory and processor speed (not that this is that important) and with 6 "Certified" USB 2.0 ports, running also on WinXP SP1. I copied a 24MB directory from their C: drive in 54 secs. on the Iomega Mini Drive and a whopping 2 mins. 26 secs. on the Lexar JumpDrive. (According to Lexar's packaging this should have taken 6 or so seconds.) And, yes, I did remember to set the Policies to "Optimize for Performance".

  The only conclusions I can draw from all this are: 1) The Lexar 2.0 can't come close to Iomega's 1.1 Mini Drive and their USB 1.1 Zip 250, except on a system with USB 1.1 ports. 2) there might be "bad blood" between the Lexar and either WinXP or 2.0 hardware. I lean toward there being a flaw in WinXP SP1. It would be nice if the vendors could supply their own drivers (tested) for Win2000/XP.

  I'm not trying to disparage Lexar since other 2.0 mini or flash drives could perform as badly. I just tried a SanDisk Cruzer Mini 2.0 and obtained similar poor performance and I saw a newsgroup posting complaining about a Sony Micro Vault 2.0.

  My advice to you: Buy your drive from a vendor that will provide a quick 100% refund, benchmark the drive you select against a name brand 1.1 version (especially if you have 2.0 USB ports), don't pay a premium for a 2.0 drive if you have 1.1 USB ports. And ... be wary of the hype on the packaging. USB 2.0 means many different things.

  (ADDENDUM 9/18/03)
  What I've said above is still true but I've pretty much isolated the problem to WinXP and the buggy way it handles FAT and FAT32. I formatted my PNY Attache 2.0 as "NTFS" and the performance took a quantum leap upward. Unfortunately these drives come formatted at FAT or FAT32. So ... if you're having slow performance and don't need portability to non-NTFS computers, this will likely give you an unbelievable boost.

  Those of you who raved about the performance of this device (with the default FAT format) are probably only copying a single large file. Try copying a directory with 500 small files and you'll likely agree with me. Hopefully Microsoft will fix this problem and I'll pull this negative review.
  
  

• Good, but not as physically robust as the others
  By A2282BSX8A6GA4 on 2004-03-09
  The current price of this thing makes it a good deal. However, I have used several brands of USB Flash drives now, and the Lexar has a few comparative disadvantages.

  First, the design (two separate boards connected with a riser) is overly complex. Most of the newer USB Flash drives have only one board, and many fewer chips. This makes it bigger than others, and I wouldn't want to drop it too many times.

  Second, although the plastic seems plenty strong, it is not attached to the electronics. The shell just clamps over the device. In other words, the metal USB plug housing is attached to the circuit board, but NOT the plastic. This means that if you accidentally bend the tip, you're bending the circuit board directly and the plastic housing does nothing to help. This happened to me, and now there's a loose connection somewhere, and I have to put upward pressure on the drive in order for it to work. But it's getting worse, so I'm trying to get a replacement.

  This brings me to the third disadvantage: Lexar warranty support. I've been trying to get an RMA for the device, and have been going back and forth with a support rep in India for a couple weeks but despite several requests have only received promises that the RMA department will contact me.
  
  

• Excellent value, but XP network can cause problems
  By A355UVWEKALWSO on 2004-08-05
  I have been using this jump drive for six months and it has performed flawlessly. Previously, I had a 64 mb model, and I liked it so much that I upgraded to the 256 pro version.
  
  I use my jump drive to carry data between work and home. I'm a teacher, and I copy my gradebook files at school to work on at home. I make my lesson plans at home, and save them on the jump drive to print out at school. I also use the jump drive at home to download videos from our subscription site to use in the classroom. I've also used my jumpdrive to store Powerpoint presentations for workshops and trainings that I've conducted.
  
  For personal use, I store photos and home videos to share when visiting relatives. I just plug the jump drive into the USB port, and open up the photo folder for immediate access. Everyone is amazed at how easy it is!
  
  The only probem I've encountered with the Lexar JumpDrive Pro happened when I installed Windows XP on my school computer. When I booted up, I got a message that not all the drives could be connected, and my jump drive was not shown in any of the drives. It was as if it wasn't recognized by XP. The jump drive was perfoming well on my XP computer at home, and on my old Windows 98 computers at school, so I knew it wasn't the jump drive, but the XP system at school that was causing the problem.
  
  It turned out that the problem was how XP handles a mapped network, which is what we use at school. XP had assigned all the available drives (A-Z) to the network, so none were available for use by the jump drive. I had to manually disconnect the drives that were not actually used by the network, and then the jump drive appeared for use.
  
  Since then, I have used my jump drive pro continuously without problems. I keep it on my keychain, with my car keys. That way I can't leave school without it.
  
  
• The best portable USB flash drive around
  By A2WCJNR0PHDXWE on 2003-07-29
  I have been using the Jumpdrive now for over 3 months and it has not failed me once. Whether you're a Mac, PC or even Linux fan the Jumpedrive will work for you. Granted it does take a fair amount of power to use, so Mac buyers beware that the drive will not work on your USB keyboard. The other slight inconvience is the protective cap that covers the drive itself, which is not connected to the main body of the drive. Thus, when you take off the cap to use the drive, make sure you keep it with you, because it can be easily lost when you use the drive. Lexar should have attached the cap somehow to the body of the drive, a lanyard etc.

  Other than that, it is sleek and extremely thin, so I keep it on my keychain where ever I go so that I will always have access to my most important files. It is also really fast in USB 2 mode, so transfering large files takes no time at all. It is definitely worth the price. Keep up the good work Lexar!
  
  

• Easy, for rugged use and reliable
  By A28NTWYXPFTQTB on 2003-11-03
  Hi,

  I purchased this drive and am very happy about it. I once forgot to remove it from my pant pocket. It got washed in the washing machine. Still it came out in tact. No problems whatsoever.

  Great value, Great performace, Go for it!!
  
  

• Good USB drive, but with a few downsides
  By A2CPBGOW7O1VJR on 2004-03-10
  I've owned this drive for about 6 months. It performs well (automatically recognized as a storage device in XP and Win2000), and I have no complaints with data transfer speeds. It supports both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0.

  On the plus side, the device has performed flawlessly for six months, with no errors, across a wide range of Windows-based machines.

  On the downside, the flattened coke-bottle shape is not a good idea. The drive is wider than it needs to be, and this can cause problems when you are trying to plug two USB devices in to side-to-side USB connectors. The USB drive encroaches on adjacent USB connector's space. This is only a problem if you have a pair of side-to-side USB connectors and you plan to use both of them simultaneously.

  The drive does not feel very sturdy, but it must be stronger than it looks. I carry it around in my pockets with assorted metal objects like keys and coins. I've probably sat on it once or twice. So far, it has not cracked or broken.
  
  

• This is a great value for the money!
  By A3I1BJIFFM4S21 on 2004-07-16
  This is a fantastic piece of technology and I really like it. I originally purchased the Lexar 128 Megabyte Jumpdrive, but used it so much I ended up buying this one and keeping the other as a spare at home.

  If you think about it, there really are only 4 ways to exchange technology between computers (for the average person).

  You could use a floppy drive -but they are not standard anymore on next generation computers, and they only hold 1 megabyte of infomation -hardly enough to handle more than a picture or two.

  Or, you could use a Zip drive. But here's the problem. You now have 100, 250, and 750 megabyte drives, and though you can read any of the older zip disks with a newer drive, you CANNOT WRITE ON THEM (and the reading process is REALLY slow). I made this mistake, and I am stuck with a 750 Megabyte drive that no one else has, so I can't do much more than backup my own data.

  Or, you can burn information to a CD-rom and move it that way. Yes, you can do this, IF you have a burner and a blank cd on the computer you need data from, but that very likely may not be an answer either for casual transfers.

  Amd finally, what I had been using most of the time, email. You can realistically email up to 3-5 MB of pictures or files. Pretty easy to use, and everyone has it, but not a solution for photos or large files.

  This is where the jumpdrive comes in -and I think it is the perfect replacement. It is the size of your little finger and (this version) holds 256 MB! Best of all, the price has come down to a point that it is a great value.

  Here's how it works. You pull of the cap and plug the drive directly into your comuter's USB port. (You don't need any software or drivers to preload -you just plug it in to any computer.) When it is plugged in the computer automatically recognizes it as a new drive right on your desktop. I.e. Go to your "My Computer" section and it now shows up as "Lexar Media (H:)" You then treat it like you would any other drive -you can save files to it, or you can just drag and drop files to it.

  Here's another cool thing about the Lexar version of this drive. There is a little green light on the memory stick that lights up and blinks when it is first plugging in, and also when it is loading data. This will prevent you from removing the stick before the data is loaded -which is usually something that happens very quick!

  I am very happy with this portable drive. It is something that is effortless to use, and is small enough that it can basically hang on your keychain so you have it wherever you need it. (In fact, there is actually a hook on the top of the drive so you can clip or hook it to whatever you want.)

  The only thing to keep in mind is that it is a little small, and can get misplaced easily. If you are not going to carry it with you (with your keys), I'd recommend putting it somewhere that you are not going to forget, or tying a bulky keychain to it so it can't get lost.

  Finally, it is something that I can feel confident that even non-techies will be able to use with ease -in other words, this is what mom and dad get for Christmas!
  
  

• Great Drive But Has Design Flaw
  By on 2003-09-21
  We got these for all our team at work. Great drive...perfect for carrying a PowerPoint presentation to a meeting! We bought six total, four of which have the same problem, the loop on the top (to attach to key ring or badge) breaks. Now we have these great drives that we keep misplacing. Mine sits in my desk drawer at home....so I'm shopping for another design.
  
  
• Encrypt your files in case you lose your JumpDrive
  By A2SXO8M1GREYYA on 2003-12-25
  I love this JumpDrive! It's a cinch to use and the transfer speed is excellent, once you format it for NTFS as mentioned by another reviewer.

  I also used PGP to encyrpt my files in case the drive should fall into the wrong hands. You can get PGP Personal Desktop at www.pgp.com, or there are a number of other encryption programs available. I was worried about a complete stranger getting access to my financial info, but after hours of fiddling I couldn't get the Windows XP Professional encryption system to work (I copied my private key to another computer but it still wouldn't decrypt), so I went to a third-party program.

  I keep all of my files, personal and business, including my Outlook personal folders (the outlook.pst file) on this drive. I have configured Outlook on all of my computers to access the outlook.pst file on the JumpDrive directly, to avoid having to copy the file back and forth, and it works seamlessly and quickly.

  I work on four computers regularly so for me this solution is much better than using a laptop (I've had bad experiences with laptops!).

  I highly recommend this device for yourself or as a gift.
  
  

• Fast, reliable, easy - what else is there?
  By A1XYNHR2LEEVZC on 2003-03-27
  After a completely miserable experience with the ZIP 750 USB I went with the JumpDrive and I'm glad I did! It's a great product that I use heavily every day. I keep all my source code for current projects backed up on it and cart it around between 6 different machines running a couple different OS versions. It's flawless and works like a champ. No spin up time or goofy disconnect wait sequences like with external drives and the price is right, too.

  I'm very happy with it and would reccomend it to anyone. Until they come out with the 1 gig version, this is my backup device of choice.
  
  

• Awsome!
  By on 2003-05-26
  I love my jumpdrve. If you're on several different computers in the course of a day, this is for you. With 256MB of space, even with my larger projects, I've only run short of space once, and that was with extremely large files. Works great with every OS I've come accoss with out any driver conflicts, including my HP laptop which runs XP. It even works on Mac. Keep in mind it won't work on a non-powered USB hub or keyboard port USB port, but as long as the port is powered, you're good to go every time. I wouldn't keep it on my car keys though, even though it's small enough, I don't think it would be that durable. If they had made this with a metal case, I would say it was perfect. Otherwise it's worth every penny.
  
  
• Durable!
  By on 2004-03-29
  I don't usually take the time to review products I've purchased from Amazon.com, but this one in particular has earned my respect. I purchased the Lexar Media 256 MB JumpDrive for my husband about two months ago and he hasn't stopped praising it--works great on both home and work computers with absolutely no problems. What impressed me, however, was what he confessed to me about a week ago. Seems he accidentally left it in his pants pocket the first week he had it and it went through both the wash and the dryer (perma pressed cycle, of course)before he sheepishly retrieved it without telling me what he'd done. He was sure it would be a total loss, but two months later it is still working beautifully! The laundering didn't even corrupt any of the data he had saved to it! Now he wants another one just like it only bigger.
  
  
• Lexar 256MB and Sandisk 128MB comparison
  By on 2004-04-09
  I bought the Sandisk 128MB mini cruzer last month I have been satified with it since then. I got the Lexar 256MB on sale at amazon so I decided to buy it and sell my sandisk.

  Bulky
  The first thing I noticed is that the Lexar is alot more bulky(its thicker and wider) than the Sandisk and when I have both drives in the usb ports, the Lexar pushes on the other drive.

  Tiny Light
  The Sandisks has a large, bright, green light that is always on(so it looks cool all the time ;) )and blinks during data transfer. The Lexar however, has a tiny green light that is barely visible from the sides and it only lights during data transfer.

  No Cover holder
  The Sandisk allows you to snap the cover on to the rear after you plug it in so you don't lose it and the cover makes the already big light look even bigger. The Lexar has nothing to keep the cover while in use.

  Slower
  I did an experiment by copying the same 27MB file to both drives multiple times, separately and timed it with a stop watch. The Lexar drive was consistently slower by 1.5 seconds. Now I'm not sure if it is slow because it has more memory to address than the 128MB Sandisk but the fact is, it is slower.

  Has key ring connection
  The one thing that the Lexar has better is the key ring connection.

  I wish I could have gotten the Sandisk 256MB for the $45 that I got the Lexar for. I think the Lexar was still a good deal even though it could have been better.
  
  

• Love it- except I already lost the cap!
  By on 2004-04-30
  I keep this on my key chain and have had it for about 3 months or so now. I am very happy with the data transfer rate and the ease of retreival. It is larger than others but I haven't really seen that to be a problem. I worried from the start that I would lose the cap, and wouldn't you know it, when I picked the keys out of my purse the other day, the cap was missing. I dumped everything out and searched everywhere but at one point it just popped off. Of course, the jumpdrive still works without the cap but they should have thought of a better way to manage that problem, so now I am looking into a way to get a replacement to protect the drive, but I will probably lose that one as well.

  Overall a great buy although I did find it cheaper at thenerds.net

  I have used on XP and 2000- and work in a Technology Services environment so I have put it to the test. I store 4 different websites on there as well as other data that is "in progress" or just good to have handy.

  Well worth the investment.
  
  

• It doesn't have a write protect switch!
  By A4AM8XJSK710E on 2003-07-09
  Another reviewer says this model has a write protect switch. Where the write protect switch is on his model, mine just has a small hole. I suspect that maybe some early models had a write protect switch, but the one I got today definitely does not. (Lexar never claims this model has a write protect switch).

  The small whole exposes the circuit board, allowing dust, pocket lint, liquid, etc., inside. (At least in principal....) This is very annoying...I'd really like to have a write protect switch, and bought this because I thought that it had one.

  Otherwise it's nice so far. I echo other reviewers' that the clip on the cover seems superfulous. The drive is also a little large to be on a keychain. It is nice that the keychain is attached to the base of the drive though. This means you can't easily disconnect it from your keychain, but also means that it will be harder to lose.
  
  

• This product is robust !!!!
  By on 2003-08-25
  I accidentally put mine in the laundry last week. I found it before it went into the dryer, but it got soaked. I let it dry out for about 5 days, and just tried it today and to my excitement, it still works! Not only that, but all the files are still intact. I am VERY happy with my purchace.
  
  
• Amazing convenience in: Linux, Windows, Mac, whatever!
  By A3J7JY763DVMSF on 2003-11-24
  I bought the Lexar Media 256 MB JumpDrive because I needed something that was quick and held more data than a floppy. The JumpDrive is perfect. It is compatible with PCs and Macs (as long as you plug it into a USB port with enough power) and needs no drivers (Win98 the exception). Linux (kernel 2.4 or greater) with the correct usb modules also automatically recognizes and mounts this flash drive.

  It is also very fast. My computer is not new enough to have the high speed USB 2.0 that would get full speed out of this drive, but even with the older USB I was able to get about 12 MB/s.

  I highly recommend this specific flash drive. I bought it because it has been highly reviewed everywhere I read. Amazon.com with its free shipping offered the best deal. Cheaper (by about $20) USB flash drives can be found, but they can only use the slower USB 1.1 transfer speed. I'd recommend buying this latest USB 2.0 drive, which is still backwards compatible with the old standard.
  
  

• The Drive You Want - IF YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR FILES
  By on 2004-04-20
  At first, I was very happy with the performance and reliability of this USB drive.
  But one day, after having worked for hours on a few files on the USB drive, I tried to retrieve my information and got a "disk not formatted, would you like to format it now?" error. I ejected it, tried it on other PCs and other operating systems, with the same response.
  There was no way to retrieve the data, and customer support said it had a "defect".
  The scary thing is that once I gave up and reluctantly reformatted the drive, it appeared to work fine. BEWARE, those buying used units. They may have hidden defects which will cause this in the future.
  Stay away from this brand. USB drives in general are bullet proof, but not Lexar.
  
  

• Targus PAUH212U 7 Port USB 2.0 Hub
• Targus PAUH217U 4 Port Ultra Mini USB 2.0 Hub
• Belkin F3U133-06 Pro Series Hi-Speed USB Cable (Six-Feet)
• Targus PA055U 4 Port USB 1.1 Ultra Mini Hub
• Maxell Zip Disk, 250MB, IBM Formatted, Pack Of 3