Lost my thumb drive cap.

August 4, 2006 9:19 AM

I've lost the cap to my thumb drive. a) Does it matter? b) If so, where do I get a replacement?

Specifically, it's a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 512MB drive.

If I just carry it around on my keychain in my pocket without a cap, is it likely to get damaged--either physically, or the data stored on it?

If I do need to replace it, where? Google and Froogle searches on thumb drive cap or flash drive cap don't find much, save for this one at a .au site I'm not familiar with. (Perhaps I'm not searching the right term? Is it called something else?) I haven't tried brick-and-mortar stores--does a store like Fry's or Best Buy have caps alone for sale?

posted by DevilsAdvocate to Computers & Internet (13 answers total)

I've lost the cap on mine as well (a Kingston of some sort, it's in my computer right now so I can't really look at it). It bounces around in my purse all the time and I've had no data damage issues.

The link you posted doesn't seem to work so I can't see what it looks like, but I have used both a small binder clip and the cap from my iPod Firewire cable to cover the input jack thingy. (Then I lost both of those.)
posted by Lucinda at 9:22 AM on August 4, 2006

Although your link doesn't work, I believe I have the 128MB SanDisk. I carry it in my pocket without the cap, on a keychain. There's a bit of dirt inside the connector but the actual contacts remain clean and it works fine. The only problem I've had is once or twice a big thing of pocket lint got inside the connector and I had to remove it.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:24 AM on August 4, 2006

Sorry about the link, try this.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:25 AM on August 4, 2006

no, it doesn't matter. If it was important, the cap would be attached, I think. As it happens, I've lost all the caps to all my thumb drives I've ever had, including my SanDisk Cruzer 512MB drive, and I've never had one damaged. I do try to carry it in a different pocket/place than other heavy, metal objects though.
posted by Jonasio at 9:25 AM on August 4, 2006

Not sure about the Micro, but I've got the Cruzer and it came with a bunch of extra caps in different colours. I suppose if you're really in a bind, I could send you one if you pay for postage :)
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 9:26 AM on August 4, 2006

I have a Sandisk Cruzer Mini, that came with extra caps in Three! Fashion! Colors! :) If you can verify that the Mini cap will fit the Micro, I will send you one of my extras. From the Sandisk site, it looks like the caps are different sizes, but the ends of the drives look the same, so maybe it will fit.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 9:29 AM on August 4, 2006

Shouldn't have any problems at all. The capless variety of USB drives (Cruzer Titanium, etc) allow you to skip the whole hassle of keeping the endcap from getting lost, but with the way it's designed the plug end is always exposed, to some degree. I've used this drive for half a year or so at work with absolutely no problems -- since this involves repeatedly switching around computers in an automobile plant, I seriously doubt that dirt / damage to the port will be much of an issue.
posted by Muu at 9:49 AM on August 4, 2006

I have manged to pretty severely bend the flat metal side of the connector, rendering it physically unable to enter a usb port. A little bit of muscle got it back in shape enough to be used though.

It really took a lot of force though. It got pinched under a chair in just the right position and then I sat on the chair.
posted by utsutsu at 10:00 AM on August 4, 2006

For a replacement: some USB cables (Apple supplies their cables this way) come with a little plastic protector. This protector fits on the USB plug as well as provides prongs for coiling the cable. Since it fits on the plug to begin with, it's a natural replacement for a lost cap on the thumb drive. (Bonus feature: the replacement caps are almost always more rugged than the original cap.)
posted by forrest at 10:06 AM on August 4, 2006

Thanks, everyone, you've set my mind at ease and convinced me it'll be fine without a cap. I also appreciate PWA_BadBoy's and SuperSquirrel's offers to send a replacement, but given the answers here I won't bother you with the trouble of sending me one.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:22 AM on August 4, 2006

I left my thumbdrive in my pants, on laundry day. It worked just fine after both washer and dryer cycles.
posted by oddman at 10:56 AM on August 4, 2006

Hey oddman, want to start a club? My wife handed mine to me with a little eulogy that started, "Uhhhh, I just found this in the dryer....."

And it works just fine.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:16 PM on August 4, 2006

I lost all three of the caps that came with my Sandisk (model unknown, too lazy to hunt.) I called tech support and offered to buy one. They don't make them any more and you can't buy them (for that model.) The tech support lady then proceeded to offer to mail me some free, and did.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 7:18 PM on August 4, 2006