SanDisk Cruzer Micro 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (SDCZ6-8192-A11, Retail Package) Reviews

• U3 technology to automatically load software on your PCs

  
  By A3B560DD3J37JI on 2008-02-11
  I'm not a big fan of technology that tries to automatically load software on my PC, especially without asking my permission. I deleted the software Sandisk preloaded on the USB flash drive, but wait: this device mounts as *two* USB drives, and one is read-only and looks like a 5 MB CD-ROM to the OS. It has an autorun script and zipped software on it, and the only way I've found to keep it off the computer is to not use this product.
  
  I guess Sandisk's business model is to have the bloatware makers subsidize this product. And, it's in the bloatware makers interest to have unsuspecting users loading their wares onto multiple machines.
  
  Since this isn't clearly explained on the packaging, it seems sort of sneaky to me that they'd try to spread their software this way -- the type of thing that inspires class action lawsuits. Hence, the low rating.
  
  

• SanDisk's 8GB Cruzer Micro - Great All-Around USB Drive

  
  By A17BUUBOU0598B on 2008-05-03
  SanDisk 8 GB Cruzer Micro
  
  The Cruzer Micro is a great USB flash drive with some significant advantages. You don't have to worry about losing the cap. There is a chance of getting dust in the head, so make sure to clean it from time to time with compressed air. Kingston also makes some retractable USB models as well, but in general I still prefer SanDisk.
  
  This guy has 2, 4 and 8 GB sizes. 8GB is kind of the minimum size I would purchase at this point, since I have a ton of smaller drives already. This guy has the smallest case out of regular USB drives out there. The only way to get smaller storage is to my a memory card or a micro drive.
  
  The small slot and ring are not really sturdy enough to secure this drive. The Cruzer Slide, on the other hand, has a nice attachment ring. But it is much bigger than the Micro, meaning that many users will still opt for this one instead.
  
  I make a point of obliterating the U3 software whenever I get a new drive. That way I don't have to worry about it loading itself every time I insert it. It just slows it down and I don't use those apps anyway.
  
  
  Pros:
  + Great storage capacity in a brand that honors their warrantees
  + The case is small and attractive
  + The slide-back head means there is no cap to be lost
  + Nice color options for different tastes
  + Durable body and NAND memory stands up to a lot of abuse
  + Compatible with old and new Mac and PC Operating Systems (XP, Vista, OS X)
  + USB 2.0 connection is backwards compatible for older computers
  + Easy to format and enable encryption to protect your data
  + Prices are nice on a $ per gigabyte basis
  
  Cons:
  - Personally I'm not crazy about the U3 software on Sandisk USB drives
  - The attachment slot is small and somewhat flimsy
  - Not as easy to hook it on to things as the Cruzer Slide
  - Still somewhat slow speed in copying large files, limited by USB transfer rate
  
  Overall this is a great USB drive with good capacity. If you need something you can easy attach to key-chains and don't mind a slightly larger body, you may want to step up to the Cruzer Slide. If you want the smallest most stylish USB drive you can get, this is it.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  
  

• Died after first use

  
  By A2OR5UNEXNZSA8 on 2007-10-23
  I'm disappointed with the 8GB Cruzer Micro (SDCZ6-8192-A11.) The drive failed the very first time I used it. I contacted Sandisk and they confirmed I have a defective drive and advised me to exchange it. I decided to return it rather than exchange it for another seeing how it failed very quickly. I hope others have better experience.
  
  I should note that I currently own the 4GB model of the same drive and it's been working well for a year now. My 4GB model came with a neckband, the 8GB did not.
  
  
  

• Almost perfect

  
  By A1NLSYGQDJF5HQ on 2008-04-06
  Have been using this 8Gig USB drive for few months (replaced Sandisk 4Gig). Works great, no probelms in using and (so far) zero hassle in using.
  So why 4 stars and not five?
  -Does not come (at least in my purchase) a round-the-neck lanyard. Maybe this was a error in the original plastic packaging but without this, worried about forgetting it.
  -I cannot get rid of the pre-installed software on this. (As soon as I plug in via USB, it "pops up" a message and then my (Vista) PC displays the device discovered message. I have tried to uninstall the software to make the USB drive a "dumb" device but after three attempts (format, erase and using the device software's uninstall programme), nothing works.
  
  Otherwise, have used Sandisk in past, all have worked great and I really have recommended this to friends as an ideal backup solution.
  
  

• Very nice..only for a month though...

  
  By A962HNIYVDVCV on 2007-10-30
  I bought this because of two reasons. Huge capacity (8gb) and Capless design (Never have to worry about loosing a cap). I really enjoyed using it and really really liked it. But sadly and luckily, it stopped working exactly after 30 days (I bought it from Bestbuy, which had 30-day return policy. SO I at least got my money back although what's stored inside was priceless....!!!) I ALWAYS use safe removal feature of the Windows. I saved all my critically important data and documents, but the device just wouldn't be recognized. Not even a "Device not recognized" ballon on the lower right hand corner when plugged in. It just refuses to be recognized as if nothing is inserted into the usb port!!. Tried every possible way to retrieve the data, but ended up loosing all my experiment data. Should have done back-up regularly. Hope others had a better luck with this device.
  
  
• Finally enough space!
  By A2YAX7IF2RFVV0 on 2007-12-17
  I've had this thing for a little over two weeks and I love it. I finally have enough space to hold all my critical backups and then some. I can't speak to its durability since I've only had it for a short while, but I accidentally washed my 4gb Cruzer along with a load of laundry and not only did it still work perfectly afterward, THERE WAS NO LOSS OF DATA WHATSOEVER! These things are tough! Can't wait for the 16gb Cruzer so I can devote a full 4gb to Vista's ReadyBoost and still have 12gb left over for general data storage.
  
  
• Works for me
  By A1C4IKRCHY9Z7I on 2007-11-01
  I figured I'd chime in because I've had mine since Xmas and use it at work almost daily. No issues at all. works great. I suppose I might mention that the keyring is not advisable since it looks kinda week but I keep mine in my pocket.
  
  
• Love this little drive.
  By A225FWH5WRMQW6 on 2008-01-29
  The U3 applications take up very little space on the drive. I find U3 useful since I frequently use computers at 3 different locations. It's a great concept in my opinion. Everyone should try them before intantly hating them and uninstalling them. If you find that you don't need the U3 then of course you should uninstall it. It only takes a minute to remove the partition and convert the Cruzer into a normal flashdrive. If you decide you want the U3 system later it's easy to add it back again, but it does require a reformat so back up your information.
  
  The most useful U3 application for me is OpenOffice 2.0. It is fully compatible with Microsoft office and allows me to work on presentations and papers from any computer I happen to be near. Firefox (browser) and Thunderbird (email) are my other two most used applications. These are all proven open source applications that have been around for years, and they are all available at no charge.
  
  I own two 512mb Micro Cruzer drives , a 2.0gb, and the 8gb. I bought my first one about 2 years ago maybe? I have never had a problem with any of them. I really like the retractible plug and they have proven to be plenty durable for my purposes. They all live on lanyards and have been used daily while I'm at college. Very nice sturdy little gadgets.
  
  
• Wish I had not bought it
  By A1KXLY5ZZ4N0KO on 2008-04-23
  The software just gets in the way, hard to disable. THEN the drive is damaged if you dont go through the four step EJECT sequence. If you accidentally pull out the drive too soon it will be damaged and any files on the disk are ruined. Web is loaded with serious complaints about these-- don't even think about buying one
  
  
• Get the Kingston DataTraveler instead
  By A39KFTH8S609TZ on 2008-07-07
  The U3 spam software is insanely annoying.
  
  The stick is too wide and crowds out other devices next to it trying to connect via USB.
  
  Get the Kingston DataTraveler instead
  
  
• How to Disable U3 Virtual ROM Drive
  By ALO2KEVD7VQIK on 2008-07-20
  0. These instructions are for Windows XP.
  1. In Windows Explorer allow hidden files to be seen.
  2. Delete everything in 'new' Cruzer.
  -- If you click on the 'U3...(E:) drive, it will now hang.
  3. Right click on 'Removable Disk (F:) and choose 'Properties'.
  4. Click on the 'Hardware' Tab.
  5. There will be 2 listings for 'SanDisk U3 Cruzer Micro USB Device'.
  -- Type = 'Disk Drives'
  -- Type = 'DVD/CD-ROM Drives'
  6. Highlight the second 'DVD/CD-ROM Drives'.
  7. Click the 'Properties' button. A new pop-up will appear.
  8. At the bottom there is a pull-down menu titled 'Device usage'.
  9. Choose 'Do not use this device (disable)'.
  10. Click the 'OK' button.
  11. Now the 'U3...(E:)' drive will disappear from Windows Explorer.
  
  
• Corrupted my important files!!!
  By A1TN22HWEWKPL on 2008-08-06
  Arrrrgh!!! I hate this stupid thing! Several hours worth of work is gone forever because I saved it on my new SanDisk 8GB Micro drive. I used it for a month or so with no problem. Last week, I had my first corrupted file. Now I have dozens of corrupted files! Thankfully, I have a backup of most (but not all) of them. If I didn't have a backup, I'd just be out of luck. I will NEVER buy another SanDisk product. (And yes, I was always very careful to use either the Eject button in the Cruzer program or the Eject button in Windows beside the clock.)
  
  
• not ideal for laptops: annoying dimming in/out & blinking
  By A3KOFAH6G0BP5H on 2008-08-09
  Got this 8GB Cruzer as an upgrade from my good, old, 1GB Cruzer. Same form factor, better speed, same annoying U3 (easier to remove this time).
  Most annoyingly, the thing always has a "look-at-me and get distracted from your work" feature: it does not stop from either dimming in and out (when idle), or blinking (when accessing files on it).
  Do not buy, unless you can plug it in an out of sight USB slot. If, like me, you use the slot on the side of the laptop, keep looking. I got an "off brand" one - same speed (measured by myself), no U3, no "look-at-me".
  
  
• Excellent drive for the money
  By A3EE6RAT694APL on 2008-01-08
  This drive comes with pre-installed software, plus more can be downloaded from U3 website. Lots of space and the drive is very fast. Great drive for the money.
  
  
• Excellent product.
  By A294V014ZQ32Y1 on 2008-01-26
  First the reason that I bought this drive is because my Verbatum 4 gb U3 drive broke. The drive itself did not break but the part that lets me hook it onto my key chain is what broke. The device still works just fine. So I have to say that I really enjoy this device. I have had it less then a month but so far I find that it works just as well as my last U3 drive and the extra space is great. At this point I would recommend the drive to anybody looking for a large U3 drive. I also would like to note that it is tough to tell from the picture but there is a small metal piece that the key chain loop go around unlike my old drive that was all metal. I am hoping that it will help and I do like that this one does not have a cover and is retractable instead.
  
  
• Installed software without asking...
  By A2YINB50PYKXSA on 2008-09-15
  A drive that loaded software onto my computer without even asking! Took me half an hour, including registry editing and calls to Sandisk tech support to reformat the sticks (bought three pack!) to get back to original state. Will not buy another Sandisk product again.
  
  
• Good little Cruzer
  By AKKLW7GVQFQNA on 2007-10-30
  It's a SanDisk, it's good. Like all U3 drives I removed it. I want storage not application space.
  Unlike earlier and smaller Cruzers this one feels lightweight and cheap. Also, I didn't want one with moving parts such as this, but I wanted the capacity and for it to be a SanDisk.
  Doesn't come with a lanyard as earlier versions did. The plastic assembly is kind of cheap and hokey, especially where the key chain ring attaches.
  The only functional gripe that I have is that because of its footprint (due to the moving parts) two flash drives can't be plugged into adjacent USB ports in most cases.
  
  -SanDisk, part of the idea behind solid state devices is to make them small. So, what happened to that?
  
  
• Sandisk U3 flash drive
  By A3FIDRNMSFR77P on 2008-01-27
  I am very satisfied with this drive. Besides its huge capacity it boosts my Vista by additional 4gb RAM. It comes with U3 softs, but you can add other portable softwares as well. I frequently transfer files from my one computer to another and this drive does it in several seconds. For larger files, like 4-5 gig, you will wait minute or two.
  It is small, safe and cool.
  
  
• Love this little drive.
  By A225FWH5WRMQW6 on 2008-01-29
  I love the Cruzer Micro drives. I've owned 4 over the last few years. I still have them all and they all work flawlessly. I also find the U3 software to be very useful since I am on 3 different computers at 3 different locations. It's nice to be able to carry my settings with me and be able to log off and leave no trace behind.
  
  
• U3 VPN issues
  By A3QEE0FIX3RNAU on 2008-06-02
  I bought this for the U3 functionality because I have a corp issued notebook and wanted to be able to access personal email while out of town. Surprisingly it came with Cruzer Sync 6.2 installed. Cruzer Sync emulates a bare bones Outlook and allows a user to do basic email chores, however it could not get through my VPN. My VPN is tied to an Aircard and onboard wireless is disabled and password protected so when VPN is disconnected you can't get a wireless connection at all. I did try on another notebook and it works, but U3 and Cruzer Sync DOES leave traces in the registry file and application data files so if you've got a company issued notebook with strict limitations this is not for you. As a flash drive it's one of the slower around for write times. I measured only 7.9 MB/Sec write access so this is no better than average. The amazon seller was excellent and the price was good so it's not a total loss, but did not meet my expectations thus my rating.
  
  
• Stopped working after 30 days.
  By A3JQWMA4SH17PX on 2008-08-06
  
  I was given this product as a birthday gift, so it wasn't possible to return it. The product worked well on my Mac and I used in on the PC's at school. I can still retrieve my data from the drive, but the problem is, that the drive is telling me that there is no more room left for anything else. This is remarkable, since all that I stored on the drive was about several dozen word documents over the course of 30 days. Every time I try to save something more to it, it tells me that there is either no room left, or that the drive is damaged. Trust me when I say that I took very good care of this flash drive, so the fact that it could be damaged is very strange to me. Now I have to buy a new drive, and I was looking forward to using this one for many years to come. How unfortunate. If anyone has any ideas as to how I should try to fix this problem, please leave me a comment below.
  
  
• Worst pen drive ever
  By A3QKH7P9J6NV4P on 2008-11-10
  I'm writing this review with the hope that sundisk reads this and never makes one of these again. This pen drive comes with an .exe file that you cannot delete. It bogs down any computer you stick into because it tries to run this stupid and useless program. I hate this little drive because it trips up every system I try to use it with.
  
  
• Cruzer, king of portables
  By A34G2KUZGABI68 on 2008-05-16
  Reluctantly bought the product since another USB drive, the Corsair, had more positive and numerous reviews -the problem I saw with the Corsair is it was too bulky. So I decided for the Cruzer. And I am not disappointed at all.
  
  First, the USB plug gets in and out cleanly without getting stuck on the way. No more lost caps.
  
  Second, SECURITY is fantastic. It DOES work. Without a password, that you create when you insert for the first time the USB drive, nobody can access the files in the drive. You will not be able to access it with a file explorer without entering a password first. Ideal if you carry personal and confidential information in it. No worries if you lose it. The only way anybody, the lucky one who finds the drive, can access the drive again is to format it.
  
  Third, PORTABLE applications. There is a new wave of software applications that will run from a USB drive without modifying the settings in the host computer. In Windows is a pain since most of the commercial applications write to the registry. And even more helpful if you have at work a locked computer. The Cruzer comes with a set of applications built in and you can add even more from the U3 website or from [...]. Most of the applications are very well known Open Source. Personally, I love "WinDirStat" (generates a graphic map of your PC drives and folders and tells what files are taking the most of your disk space, ideal for cleanup day), and "KeePass Password Safe" which is a vault for that multitude of passwords so common today.
  
  I was just buying a USB drive with 8GB and ended up getting unexpected extra value. That made me so happy.
  
  
  
• Blue Screen Issues
  By A1542OM36ODHVA on 2008-07-18
  After inserting the Cruzer Micro into my usb port it caused my computer to crash each time. I contacted SanDisk tech support with no improvement. I would get a blue screen and Windows would prompt me to remove this hardware.
  
  
• Sandisk 8GB Cruzer USB Flash Drive
  By A1JOH8QDYD9F4I on 2008-07-24
  Works as advertised but the casing shell is made of very cheap, flimsy, brittle plastic. The alternative is the fantastic titanium version but that is a lot more expensive. I'd rather Sandisk make one version of this in a shell that was more rugged than the crappy plastic but less expensive than the titanium. Maybe a stainless steel or aluminum case? Or maybe wrap the plastic shell in rubber like Corsair does with their lower end USB flash drives.
  
  
• Large Capacity With Flimsy Construction
  By A1WYRXUODP1DSG on 2008-07-30
  I was disappointed when I received this product.
  
  The pros are pretty obvious.
  1. 8 GB's is ALOT of storage, plain and simple. It's very convenient to have access to literally all of my word files and a very significant chunk of my audio files on a device that barely weighs an ounce or two.
  
  However, the cons are equally noticeable:
  1. the construction is very flimsy. I have owned several small flash drives in the past, and they are very sturdily constructed. There's no flex at all in the casing of the drive. With the sandisk, you can easily flex and possibly crush the plastic casing with very little effort. It does not feel like it will hold up to the type of abuse normally encountered by keychain devies: being sat on, crammed into a pocket, dropped accidentally and repeatedly, etc. Treat this drive delicately.
  
  2. transfer rates are not impressive. They will lag, even with usb 2, and are atrociously over usb 1. USB2 transfer are only acceptable. It's very slow at first, then speeds up a bit as the transfer is being completed. It's a very non-linear rate of transfer.
  
  However, I bought this item for $30 total, and am happy with the storage capacity and portability at that price. Construction and overall speed are below par.
  
  
• 8 GB worth of nothing!
  By A3C2975BLCZ2LF on 2008-08-23
  I specifically bought this drive for use as my mp3 storage drive for my new Ford Fusion, which has the Microsoft Sync option. I spent two days trying to figure out how to get my mp3 collection onto the drive, and indexed properly so that the Sync software would recognize the music. I successfully transfered 1.1 GB of music that Sync would kinda recognize. Once plugged into my car I had to specify the name of the album for the music to play. If I tried the name of the artist, maybe 2-3 songs would be recognized, when there were multiple FULL albums by the specified artist actually stored on the drive. If tried to select music by genre, again only 2-3 songs would be recognized instead of the 100 plus that were actually on the drive. Again these problems were for the music that worked, because after the 1.1 GB, no more music could be recognized. It didn't matter what song/album/artist I tried transferring, what format the tracks were mp3/wma no further music could be recognized. The tracks would successfully transfer to the device via my laptop, and "show up" on the drive when viewed through my laptop's usb port, but they would NOT work with Sync.
  
  For two days I researched online what the problem may be, I thought it was a problem with the Sync software in my car, or maybe mp3s were missing metadata ect. I mean it couldn't be my brand new state of the art Sandisk Flash Drive right? WRONG! After endlessly changing the metadata for a bunch of my mp3s in variously different ways looking for a way to make them work, I decided to try something else. I transfered the EXACT SAME ALBUMS , with the EXACT SAME METADATA, to an old 512 MB thumb drive that I have had for about 3-4 years. Guess what...., THESE SAME ALBUMS/ARTISTS/TRACKS were recognized by Sync FLAWLESSLY!!!!
  
  This piece of "top of the line" garbage wasted 48-72 hours of my life. I will NEVER buy another Sandisk product. And if you are smart, you will do the same. This product receives one star because Zero stars is not an option. I feel guilty giving this product one star, because that is how terrible it is. One star is being WAY too generous.
  
  
• Great flash drive for the money
  By A20DZX38KRBIT8 on 2008-04-14
  Fast transfers, 4GB gives you lots of memory to transport files, espessially assignments, papers, control files, graphics, resumes, or anything that needs storing. Works as advertised, works with Mac & PC, plug and play.
  
  
• Great Product
  By A2BP5FJ6HD1VRF on 2008-05-25
  This product functions just the way it should. Fine product for the price and convenience of ordering online.
  
  
• SanDisk 8 gig USB Flash Drive
  By A2A8XBMMRSKZXL on 2008-07-08
  Worked seamlessly on Mac 10.4.9 and Acer laptop with Vista; however on my Dell desktop computer the USB plug was too short and would not plug completely into the USB port, therefore it would not work (unfortunately that was the computer I needed it to work in!). So unless you need to use it on a Dell desktop, Amazon had it at the best price I could find!
  
  

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