Browse our FAQs about USB Flash Drive

General knowledge

When I plug in my Integral USB Flash Drive a message states that more power is needed. Why?
  • Each USB device (such as an Integral USB Flash Drive) that you plug into a PC or Mac draws power from the system. Each device draws the power consumption that it needs to operate. Each device is slightly different in what power it draws.
  • If you use a USB hub so that you can plug in many USB devices, then this will also be quite a drain on the power from the PC/Mac. The more USB devices you have, the more power you are drawing from the PC/Mac and there will come a cut off point where the PC/Mac cannot output enough power to support all the devices.
  • We suggest that if you are connecting a USB hub to attach more USB devices to your PC/Mac then you will need to independently power the USB hub (e.g. plug into mains power) so that it will have sufficient power for all USB devices attached to it.
  • You can remove other power hungry USB devices, so that you can use the USB drive.
How do I copy my files and documents to the USB Flash Drive?

Copying files could be done in many ways. First insert your USB into the PC after it has booted. The USB should be recognised by the PC and assigned a drive letter. Look under “My Computer” to see the letter assigned.

Using a Windows PC, some of the easiest ways to copy data to your Integral USB Flash Drive are:-

A. Select the files that you want to copy.
B. On the toolbar click on Edit =>Copy. This copies the location to the system memory on the PC.
C. Open the drive for the USB Flash Drive. On the toolbar click on Edit => Paste. This copies   the files from the PC memory to the USB Flash Drive.

Or

A. Select the files that you want to copy.
B. Right-click on one of the files (you will see that the rest of the files stay highlighted) and click on Copy. This copies the location to the system memory on the PC.
C. Open the drive for the USB Flash Drive. Right-click in a white empty space on the drive and click on Paste. This copies the files from the system memory to the USB Flash Drive.

Or

A. Select the files that you want to copy.
B. Press Ctrl and C (this is the Windows shortcut for copy) on the keyboard. This copies the location to the system memory on the PC.
C. Open the drive for the USB Flash Drive. Click in a white empty space on the drive and press Ctrl and V (this is the Windows shortcut for paste) on the keyboard. This then copies the files from the PC memory to the USB Flash Drive.

Can I plug my Integral USB Flash Drive into a eSATA Combo Port?

Yes you can, the Integral Flash Drive will function as if it were utilizing a USB 2.0 port.

What would happen if I unplug my USB Flash Drive while data is being written to it?

Your data on the USB Flash Drive can become corrupted or lost and the file system of the Flash Drive may become corrupted as well. It is always recommended to use the “Safely Remove Hardware/USB” option when using your Integral Flash Drive on a PC or Mac.

How long will data stay valid for on a USB drive ?

Memory cards and USB drives are NOT designed for long term storage. You should always backup your data on to another device. The data will normally stay valid for a period of up to 10 years if stored under normal conditions. The data cells inside carry a charge which can dissipate over time. The data can be refreshed; copy all data off card and then format the card or USB drive and then restore all data to extend the data for another 10 years.

Why does my USB drive show less capacity than stated on my PC or MAC

The difference is due to way that most storage manufacturers and PC manufacturers define a scale. There are two systems decimal and binary.

Storage devices use a decimal system and PCs use the binary system -this leads to some discrepancy between actual capacity and reported capacity by a PC. The difference can be between about 2% – 9% depending on the capacity of the drive.

Some additional capacity is taken up by features required by the operating system e.g. FAT tables and the flash drive controller e.g. spare blocks for wear levelling.

Decimal (Dec) bytes Binary (Bin) bytes Ratio (Dec/Bin) % Diff
Kilobyte 103                               1,000 210                                       1,024 0.9765625 2%
Megabyte 106                       1,000,000 220                                1,048,576 0.953674316 5%
Gigabyte 109               1,000,000,000 230                       1,073,741,824 0.931322575 7%
Terabyte 1012 1,000,000,000,000 240               1,099,511,627,776 0.909494702 9%
Are USB 3.0 flash drives backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports ?

Yes, Integral USB 3.0 Flash Drives and card readers are backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ports. The USB 3.0 Flash Drive or card reader will work at the speed of the port, for example if you use a USB 3.0 Flash Drive in your USB 2.0 laptop, it will work at USB 2.0 speed. Most systems available today fully supports USB 3.0 SuperSpeed devices and includes all required drivers for desktop and laptop PCs that feature USB 3.0 ports.

Do I need a driver for USB 3.0 flash drives or card readers ?

Yes, a compatible driver is required for USB 3.0 SuperSpeed products such as Flash Drives and Card Readers. This should be included by the manufacturer of the PC or laptop, motherboard or add-in (PCI) card that has the USB 3.0 ports. Most systems available today have native USB 3.0 support.

I don’t have a USB 3.0 port – Should I buy a USB 3.0 Flash Drive ?

Yes, you can use a USB 3.0 Flash Drive on USB 2.0 devices now, as they are backwards compatible. When you upgrade to a USB 3.0 system you can then benefit from the faster “SuperSpeed” data transfer rates. Integral have also found that our USB 3.0 Flash Drives perform faster on USB 2.0 systems then current USB 2.0 Flash Drives.

USB 3.0 – What is the difference between USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB3.1 Gen2?

The difference between USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 is the speed. USB 3.1 Gen 1 supports speeds of up to 5Gbit/s while USB 3.1 Gen 2 supports speeds of up to 10Gbit/s.

USB 3.0 – What is USB 3.1 Gen 1?

‘USB 3.1 Gen 1’ is the revised name for ‘USB 3.0’, as managed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). There are no changes in technical specification between USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1. USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) also known as ‘SuperSpeed USB’, provides up to 10X the performance (copying data to and from the USB drive and your PC/Mac) than a USB 2.0 drive, when using the drive in a USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) port.

Are Integral USB Flash Drives compatible with Windows 8.1 and 10?

Yes, Integral USB Flash Drives and Card Readers are compatible with the latest Microsoft Windows operating systems. All Integral USB drives and Card Readers support: Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows 8 / 8.1 Windows 10 Windows 11

Troubleshooting

Why can’t I copy large files to my USB flash drive

Your USB may be set to the Fat32 file system. USBs set to this have a 4GB limit on file size. For larger than 4GB files format your USB using exFAT or NTFS file format.

Why doesn’t my PC recognise my iPhone photos?

This is most likely because your PC does not recognise the HEIC format. In 2017, Apple began using the High Efficiency Image Container (HEIC) format in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra. This format allows for smaller file sizes than JPG or PNG.

If you would prefer that your iPhone camera saves images in JPG format, you can go to Settings/Camera/Formats and set the ‘Most Compatible’ option. Your camera will now save all images a JPGs – but be aware that your images will now be larger in filesize.

Windows 10 supports HEIC files, however earlier versions of Windows may not. If you wish to view your HEIC photos on Windows and your PC does not recognise them, we recommend converting them to JPG using this handy online tool: https://heictojpg.com/

Why doesn’t my PC recognise my iPad photos?

This is most likely because your PC does not recognise the HEIC format. In 2017, Apple began using the High Efficiency Image Container (HEIC) format in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra. This format allows for smaller file sizes than JPG or PNG.

If you would prefer that your iPad camera saves images in JPG format, you can go to Settings/Camera/Formats and set the ‘Most Compatible’ option. Your camera will now save all images a JPGs – but be aware that your images will now be larger in filesize.

Windows 10 supports HEIC files, however earlier versions of Windows may not. If you wish to view your HEIC photos on Windows and your PC does not recognise them, we recommend converting them to JPG using this handy online tool: https://heictojpg.com/

When I plug in my Integral USB Flash Drive into a USB port, it is not recognised, why?

The Integral Flexi, 360, Secure360, MicroLite and UltraLite USB Flash Drives only have pin contacts on one side of the USB connector.

When you plug the device into the USB sockets of you PC make sure that the contacts are matched up so that the device is plugged in the correct way. If the Integral USB is not recognised, turn it 180º, so it is the other way around in the socket.

I have corrupted data on my USB Flash Drive and the PC will not allow me to delete these files. What can I do?

This can occur if the file allocation table (FAT) has become corrupt in some way (e.g. loss of power etc).

The drive can be formatted to remove the problem.

Formatting the drive can erase all data. If you have any data on there it is advisable to retrieve it first on your computer. You may need to use file recovery software before formatting.

When I plug in my USB Flash Drive, I get the message “hi-speed device plugged into non-high speed device”. What does it mean?

This means that your PC or laptop has a USB 1.1 port and will not function at the high speed offered by USB 2.0 devices.

This is not a error message and your Integral USB Flash Drive is backwards compatible to work at the slower speeds of USB 1.1. To get the full functionality of the USB 2.0 Flash Drive you will need a PC or laptop with USB 2.0 sockets.

The chart below represents the three tiers of the USB Series:

USB Version / Descriptive Term / Transmission Speed

USB1.0 / Low Speed / 1.5 Mbps
USB1.1 / Full Speed / 12 Mbps
USB2.0 / High Speed / 360 ~ 480 Mbps
USB3.0 / Super Speed / 4.8Gbps

Using my Integral USB Flash Drive I get the message “Please insert disk into drive/format the drive”. Why is this occurring?

If you experience this it may be the case that the USB Flash Drive file table may have become corrupted or damaged. You will need to format the Flash Drive to re-use it. Firstly, ensure you have no important data stored on the Flash Drive. If you are concerned about the loss of some important data files, contact Integral Tech Support before formatting. If you are unable to format the Integral Flash Drive then fill in the tech support form and we can assist you further.

My Integral USB Flash Drive is transferring data at a very slow speed, what can I do?

Reformatting the drive may help

• Backup all required data from the drive. Using your PC or MAC format the drive. Copy back the required data. Shut down other applications and/or reboot system

• Other applications may be causing the system to run slow. Save required data first. Try another system • In case the current system is having performance problems or is infected. Virus check your USB drive and system

• Errant programs may be slowing down your system Try connecting the drive directly to a USB port on the PC

• Using a hub or multiple hubs, may be causing speed and power issues.

How do I safely remove my Integral Flash Drive?

Before you remove/unplug your USB Flash Drive make sure no data is being transferred to or from the USB. PCs running Windows 7 and above and Macs with OS 9 and above have a “safely remove USB” option that we recommend you follow: Windows Locate and left click on the “Safely Remove” icon on the System Tray to display the USB devices connected on your PC/notebook. Select the computer drive letter assigned to your USB and click on the “close/unplug” option, so you can safely remove it. Apple Mac OS 9 and above Locate the USB drive icon on the desktop and drag it onto the Apple Trash can (icon).

When I plug in my Integral USB Flash Drive, my computer displays a “USB Device Not Recognized” message, what does this mean?

There can be a various causes to this problem. Follow the steps below to try and solve the issue: Firstly ensure you are plugging the USB Flash Drive directly into the PC or notebook and ensure you have the latest USB drivers for your operating system Try plugging your USB Flash Drive into another USB port on your PC/notebook. You could test the USB on another PC or notebook if available Keep your USB Flash Drive plugged in and perform a full ‘Windows Update’ to check for any missing or newer drivers for your computer. To do this, select Start > Settings > Windows Update and follow the onscreen instructions If you are still experiencing problems, please fill in the tech support form and we will help with your issue

How do I format my USB Flash Drive on a Mac?

To format your USB Flash Drive on a Mac:

If you use your USB Flash Drive only on a Mac you will want to reformat it to HFS+ (Mac OS Extended (Journal)) which allows larger file sizes.

In your Applications folder there is a folder called “Utilities“. Here you will find an App called “Disk Utility“. Open it

To reformat your USB, select it and then click the Erase Tab

Here you can set the USB name and the file format (Mac OS Extended (Journal)).
When you’re ready click “Erase” button.

When Erase is completed, you can safely remove your USB Flash Drive
by dragging the “USB Disk” Icon to the “Trash“.

My Integral USB Flash Drive is not detected or I Get a Code 10 or Code 28 on Windows Device Manager.

Code10

If you see this error: “This device cannot start. Try upgrading the device drivers for this device. (Code 10)” there may be a need to update your driver To do so, in the device’s Properties, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions for the update The system may prompt you to provide the path of the driver. If this is the case and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website

Code28

If you see this error: “The drivers for this device are not installed. Code28)” we recommend reinstalling the driver manually Follow these steps to do so From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results. Right-click the device in the list. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver. The system may prompt you to provide the path of the driver. If this is the case and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website

When I plug in my Integral USB Flash Drive, my computer displays a “USB device not recognized” message, what does this mean?

There can be a various causes to this problem. Follow the steps below to try and solve the issue:

  • Firstly ensure you are plugging the USB Flash Drive directly into the PC or notebook and ensure you have the latest USB drivers for your operating system
  • Try plugging your USB Flash Drive into another USB port on your PC/notebook. You could test the USB on another PC or notebook if available
  • Keep your USB Flash Drive plugged in and perform a full ‘Windows Update’ to check for any missing or newer drivers for your computer. To do this, open Internet Explorer and click Tools> Windows Update and follow the onscreen instructions

If you are still experiencing problems, please fill in the tech support form and we will help with your issue.

If the FAQs cannot answer your support question, please complete and submit the support form below and a member of our Technical Support team will be in touch. We take pride in our highly rated customer service.