Like DVDs, CDs, and almost every other piece of technology from the early 2000s, USB sticks around the world are beginning to see mass failures as the technology inside them ages. According to Flash Bay, USB flash drives can withstand between 10,000 to 100,000 write/erase cycles, and when the limit is reached, the drive can begin to fail, which can lead to drive corruption and data loss. USB drives can also expire after several years of non-use, exposure to humidity, controller chip failure, and more.

If you find yourself cleaning out an old junk drawer and want to know if a USB stick is still good or not, here's what I recommend.

CheckFlash is an easy-to-use tool with a wealth of information

Read/Write stress tests, and speed measurement can help you check your USB stick's health

check-flash-app
The Check Flash app running on a blue and white background.
Credit: ChkFlsh

Check Flash is a very simple flash drive testing and maintaining tool for PC with an easy-to-use interface that can quickly run a burn-in read-and-write test on an old USB stick. This will let you know immediately if your drive has already gone to the great big USB port in the sky and can also determine the read and write speed of your USB flash drive. This second part is key for USB drives that still work, as it will give you a good idea of how much longer you'll be able to use it or if you should start transferring your files elsewhere as a failure is imminent. Here's how to use this software to check your USB drive's health:

1. Download Check Flash (MajorGeeks, Softonic)

2. Open the application by clicking on ChkFlsh.exe from your Downloads file.

3. Select Use Temporary File from the Access type menu.

4. Check that the USB stick you want to check is showing in the drop-down menu. Check Flash automatically detects plugged in USB sticks, but if you have more than one plugged in (or another USB device) you'll want to ensure that the correct device is selected.

5. Select Write and Read test from the Action Type menu on the left, and then Full Pattern Set from the sub-menu.

6. Select One full pass from the Test Length menu on the right.

7. Click Start to run the test. It may take several minutes or even a few hours depending on the size of your USB stick.

Once the test has finished, you'll receive a report showcasing any errors (represented as yellow and red blocks on the screen). If you see these, you should save what you can from your USB stick and then throw it away.

In addition to identifying errors, you can also learn the read and write speed for your USB stick using the Check Flash report. For USB 2.0 drives, the average read speed should be from 10 to 25 Mbps and the average range for write speeds is between 3 and 10 Mbps. If you have a USB 3.0 device, the average read speed range should be between 60 to 150 Mbps, and write speed should be 10 to 45 Mbps. Anything below those values is likely at the end of its life and should probably be thrown away.