# Flash memory vs hard drive disc



## intricate (Mar 19, 2014)

Hello everybody

I've tried to increase my knowledge of flash memory as it is becoming more popular. Please let me ask a few questions on the differences which are between them. 


1.	Is it possible to restore date from flash memory after formatting it (say it is a pen drive)? We might do that while handling HDD. What about flash memory?
2.	Do flash memory uses sectors like hard drive discs?
3.	What is the point of using non-quick format to a pen drive (flash memory)? As far as I know not-quick format just scans for bad sectors. 


thanks


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## dashing.sujay (Mar 19, 2014)

1) yes

2) yes

3) can't say.


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## intricate (Mar 20, 2014)

dashing.sujay said:


> 1) yes
> 
> 2) yes
> 
> 3) can't say.



Thank you for your answers. HDD is low-level formatted at the factory with sectors. After we had bought a HDD, we could only use high level format. It is not necessary or even possible that the HDD be low-level formatted. 

My question is: is flash memory, say pen drives or SSD, low-level formatted with sectors at the factory? Can we only use high level format after purchasing it? 

thanks


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## whitestar_999 (Mar 20, 2014)

HDDGURU: HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool
why are you so insistent on low level format?it is not necessary for hdd unless it contains really sensitive data in which case you would be better off physically destroying the hdd anyway.it certainly is not necessary for relatively small size flash drives which can just be fully overwritten with random data 2-3 times quickly which is as good as shredding data.


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## tamatarpakoda (Mar 20, 2014)

A low level format will perform a write cycle on every individual memory transistor. Flash memory has a limited number of read/write cycles and performing a LLF each time is counter productive.


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## intricate (Mar 20, 2014)

Don't you mistake LLF for ZeroFill operation? 

LLF to HDD = applying new sector structure (not zero-fill old sectors). 
LLF to SSD = "A low level format will perform a write cycle on every individual memory transistor, " tamatarpakoda says. True?

What is odd to me is that I can't find  anything on wikipedia about sectors of SSD as its structure. 


PS
As far as I know we do not normally use LLF to HDD. It is because there are very unique ideas for every producer about sector structure. What is more, some companies use a term LLF and they mean Zero-Fill operation


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