Flash drives often break and, as a rule, the outer shell - the housing - fails. How to reanimate a drive so that it serves you for a long time? Read on to learn how to make a case for a flash drive with your own hands: instructions step by step.
Today we will look at several questions:
- how to properly disassemble flash drives of different designs;
- what tools will be needed for this;
- How to make a case for a flash drive.
In addition, we will tell you which materials at hand can be used to create a new case, and which ones are better not to use so as not to damage the media. At the end there will be small workshops on how to design this device in the form of a Lego cube and a lighter.
Flash drives are an integral part of the life of a modern person. Of course, there are various other types of storage media. Computers and laptops have long been in use; in the end, some even use their smartphones for this. But despite this, these storage media do not lose their relevance: they can store large amounts of information, quickly and easily connect to various devices, do not take up much space. They are used to store photos, videos, films, music, and for many they are an indispensable thing at work, for transmitting reports, presentations and important documents.
Usually they are in a plastic “body”, sometimes in silicone - manufacturers like to make these types in funny shapes like fruits, cartoon characters and TV series. And much less often they are more impressive, for example, steel. Plastic storage media are easily damaged; they can split from an unexpected fall, bend at a break, or crack when caught under a heavy object.
What is the way out of this situation? Spend money on buying a new device, time to transfer information? Why, if you can just read this article and find out how to create your own original case for a flash drive. IN possible options you are limited only by the availability of materials and your imagination; the methods and types of homemade cases can be different: starting from a Lego cube or a piece of a block left after repair, and ending with an ordinary cork. Some craftsmen create real works of art in various styles and even sell them. Since there are many options, we will look at the basic principles - how to properly remove a flash drive from the old “body” and how not to damage it, what tools you may need and what items can be used to create a new design, and what materials should not be used.
Removing the Flash Drive
So, let's begin! First, just in case, transfer all the contents to another device. A flash drive can be:
- whole;
- collapsible.
If the former have a visible gap in the body, then the latter look monolithic. But both of them can be easily disassembled, the main thing is to know how.
Let's start with the “solid” type. Its connector is connected by a latch to the board, and this latch snaps into place, and disconnect it in the usual way impossible. We will need a thin, flat pen screwdriver. Using this tool we make a hole between the body and the latch. Carefully, so as not to damage anything, lightly pressing, swing up and down. Such holes need to be made in three or four places where the connection is made, now we can easily remove it.
Now let’s talk about how to remove the case from a “collapsible” flash drive. This type of drive is much simpler and its disassembly requires less effort: there is a small slot along the body that makes work easier. We will also need a thin feather screwdriver. Unlike the monolithic type, there is no latch here, but there are latches that we need to open. We insert the screwdriver into the groove and use the same rocking method to open the case. The latches may break, but this will not cause any harm to the drive.
Making a case for a flash drive
Well, we have disassembled the flash drive, and now we move on to the main task - how to make a case for the flash drive? Your homemade version, as mentioned earlier, can have any form - the main thing is to maintain the functionality of the drive. Firstly, the item should be easy to connect to the computer, and secondly, the materials should not damage its components.
That is, protruding edges should not interfere with the connection to the USB port, since a part that is not fully inserted may not work, and collisions of components with hot glue, paint and other aggressive materials must be avoided. The new case must be sealed and prevent moisture from entering the board. The easiest way is to choose plastic. It is much more difficult to create a shell from wood or metal, but it will definitely last a long time and will retain its “sales appearance”.
One of the housing options is made of electrical tape
Making a flash drive body from a lighter
We will look at the simplest option, made from a regular lighter. Almost everyone has an old used lighter lying around somewhere at home, and sometimes they have an interesting design. We will need a utility knife, a glue gun, a lighter of a suitable size, and a screwdriver with a 3 mm drill. A lighter is suitable so that the flash drive without a case fits completely into it and only the USB port protrudes. You can use any glue suitable for plastic.
First you need to release the remaining gas from the lighter, then make two holes in the bottom. Next, use a knife to make a cut along the contour framed by the holes. We install the flash drive inside and glue it to the body, removing the remaining glue. Our new building ready for storage. We now have an interesting and practical flash drive-lighter. As you can see, it is not at all difficult and does not take much time.
Flash drive - Lego cube
Another way to design a flash drive in an original way is to make it in the form of a Lego cube, which almost everyone has. We will need several Lego bricks, a pocket knife, pliers, glue suitable for plastic, polish and sandpaper. First, we select the appropriate size cubes for our flash drive. You can make a body from several cubes different sizes and flowers. We cut off all the internal partitions with a penknife, now we break them out with pliers. We use the second same cube for the lid, cutting everything off to the top. We cut a hole in the end for the USB connector, adjust it, and install the device.
Using the remains of the brick, we fix the flash drive so that it lies parallel. We fill the empty space; for this you can use transparent silicone. So that there is no gap left between the base part and the lid, we rub the joint with sandpaper and glue it together. After the glue has dried, remove the residue using sandpaper. Using polish we finish the job.
Your exclusive DIY flash drive is ready!
So, as you may have noticed, making a case for a flash drive is not that difficult. The main advantage of making it yourself is that it will be truly original. After all, before you begin to implement it, you turn on your imagination, select materials from those at hand and those that are more accessible to you, put them together and in the end you have an original and individual flash drive, which 100% will not go unnoticed. It will certainly highlight your individuality and creativity.
USB drives have become a part of our lives. With their help, you can transfer information from one computer to another, view images and videos on TVs. The flash drive is compact, durable and lightweight. But most manufacturers offer boring oblong cases that differ only in size and color. Although, the appearance of this gadget is a real field for creativity.
This collection contains original ideas enclosures for flash drives, which you can create with your own hands.
Instructions for a homemade USB case
Many people are interested in the question of what a body can be made from at home. A small block of wood, a Lego brick, a keyboard button, a used lighter, or a small children's toy will be suitable for these purposes.
The flash card shell made of amber-colored epoxy glue looks unusual, in which you can wall up a small object or insect. Lovers of polymer clay can mold a body of any shape. And if there are empty cartridges left on the farm, you will get a real military gadget.
And although you can always find available materials at home, you still have to buy some consumables.
Let's shop
When the issue with the drive shell is resolved, it’s time to check the availability of the necessary materials and tools. The minimum set we need:
- an old flash drive for analysis, for example Transcend JetFlash 2 GB;
- sharp knife;
- pliers;
- a heat gun with a minimum power of 20 W and rods for it.
On the Internet you can find photos of homemade flash drives with LEDs. Then it’s worth additionally preparing LED light bulb, 300 Ohm resistor, soldering iron and screwdriver.
Disassembling an old flash drive
The first step is to disassemble the old device and remove the board. For collapsible structures, use a sharp knife with a thin blade to pry the seam along the body, separating the two halves from each other.
If your old device had a molded case, then we proceed in the same way - open the latch located near the USB connector with a sharp object.
Preparing a new building
For clarity, we will show how to make a case for a flash drive from a children's toy. To do this, divide it with a knife into 2 parts, one of which will be the lid. Hollow rubber or plastic blanks do not require modification.
Another thing is toys with “filling” of stiffening ribs or jumpers. Using pliers, we break out everything unnecessary inside, simultaneously cutting off the sharp edges with a knife. A cavity should form inside the workpiece, sufficient to install the flash board and LED.
In order for the latter to glow during connection, through holes with a diameter of 2-3 mm are drilled in the body of the toy with a screwdriver.
Soldering the LED
We take the LED and visually determine its positive pole by the smallest electrode area. Using a soldering iron we connect this pin to a resistor. We install heat-shrinkable tubes at the ends and begin to solder contacts to the flash drive board according to the following scheme:
We connect the “+” of the LED (the soldering point with the resistor) to the rightmost leg of the board;
“-” solder to the leftmost leg.
Assembling a flash drive
The last stage of updating and repairing a flash drive with your own hands is installing and fixing the board in the toy body. We insert a flash card with an LED into the toy and fill the cavity with glue using a heat gun.
Irregularities and excess adhesive can be cleaned with a utility knife, and burrs or sharp edges can be dulled with sandpaper.
In order for the improvised lid - the second part of the toy - to close faster, you can attach a small magnet inside it.
Checking the new device
After assembly, you need to check the drive for functionality. If everything was done correctly, then when connected to a PC it will work LED lights and the card will be ready to use. But if something went wrong, then don’t be upset. It is enough to know the main faults of flash drives and how to fix them. All breakdowns are divided into mechanical or physical, electrical and software errors.
Mechanical damage
Most often they are the result of user negligence. A flash card used without a protective cap is susceptible to static, and the USB connector may bend. Therefore, portable assistants should only be stored closed or in special cases.
It is not uncommon for a drive to be stepped on or dropped from a height. In this case, the USB pins or contacts on the board responsible for power supply may become unsoldered.
The defect can be eliminated by re-soldering the extreme contacts of the plug. If after this the flash drive comes to life and starts blinking, but still does not work, then the likely reason is that the data transfer pins are coming off. The same soldering iron will come to the rescue.
Electrical faults
The most common culprit of electrical damage is water that gets inside a flash drive. Such a device is not recognized on the computer. The flooded device must be thoroughly cleaned of salt and dirt deposits, immersed in isopropyl alcohol and thoroughly dried before use.
Other causes of electrical breakdowns include soldering defects, static discharges, overheating due to poor heat dissipation in the case, and power surges. Here you will have to resort to hardware restoration - replace non-functioning parts, solder defective areas again.
Software (logical) faults
These include damage invisible to the eye - firmware or microprogram failures. To repair them you can use special utilities or formatting the drive. Periodically check the flash card system for errors, use only safe removal from the ports and do not pull out the device while it is operating.
DIY photo of flash drives
Hello my friends. Today we will not consider any diagrams of certain structures, the topic for today is the so-called homemade flash drive. Some, of course, may not believe that this is possible at home, and they are right to do so, since it is quite difficult and practically impossible to do at home without special equipment. But smart people They invented a memory card for mobile phones a long time ago. In stores you can easily find an adapter with which a memory card can be connected to a computer via usb port. This adapter costs only $2.
The device works very simply - you just need to place the memory card in a certain place on the adapter, and the adapter itself is made in the form of a USB plug that just needs to be connected to the USB port of the PC. For our homemade flash drive you need to have just such an adapter with a memory card from mobile phone and another plug or corresponding plastic case for USB.
Then we place the adapter in the plug housing and close the lid and see what we got.
Now it looks like a cut-off USB plug, but no one will even suspect that there is a memory drive there! Now it's time for the schematics. There are 4 wires, we remove a small part of the insulation from the wires in advance and tin them. Next, we take a couple of brand new parts (it’s better to take damaged ones, but so that they look like new) and solder them together. There is no specific circuit here, solder whatever you want, the design just has to look like a circuit, of course it won’t work! You can use capacitors, resistors, polar and non-polar capacitors and a couple of transistors; as you know, some flash drives have a built-in LED indicator on the back; you can get a simulator of such an indicator so that our homemade flash drive looks believable and does not raise doubts.
To do this, an unpacking of the USB socket and plug is attached to the article; power is supplied through the side channels, which needs to be connected to our wires, then assembled the simplest scheme flashers for one LED, in this case we still have two more free wires to which we can attach a pre-made<блеф>memory storage circuit. So, let's summarize - we have a rather interesting design, when connected to the computer's USB port, the LED will begin to blink and for strangers it will give the feeling that a flash drive is connected, but they will be more surprised when the computer notifies that a memory drive is connected to it! Yes, everyone will believe that you are a genius and will ask for a diagram of such a simple miracle flash drive. Try to make the connection diagram of the parts as confusing as possible, so that even the master does not suspect what is being deceived. Well, that’s all, you can see such interesting things in further articles, goodbye friends - Arthur Kasyan (AKA).
If you have a crash operating system or it produces a lot of errors during operation (buggy), then you need to reinstall the system. Since a huge number of different laptops, netbooks and other devices with a missing CD/DVD drive have appeared on the market, there is a need bootable flash drive increases very strongly. Since buying an external CD/DVD drive is quite expensive and not particularly in demand. And now I’ll tell you how to create a bootable USB flash drive with your own hands, at home, using the three most common methods.
Bootable USB flash drive using Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool
Let me tell you from the beginning about the simplest and fast way creating a bootable USB flash drive with Windows programs 7 USB/DVD Download Tool is good utility from Microsoft, designed to make it easy and convenient to create boot system on various types removable media. This makes it easier to create a bootable flash drive for users of laptops, netbooks and owners of personal computers with a faulty drive. Next we will consider step by step creation bootable flash drive using this program:
- Download and install Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.
- We run our program as administrator. To do this, right-click on the program shortcut and select “Run as administrator.”
- The Microsoft Store program window will appear in front of you. You must click the “Browse” button to select the operating system to create the ISO image.
- After making your selection, click the “Next” button.
- Next, the following window will appear in front of you, in which you will be offered the option of recording to a DVD or USB drive. Since we want to create a bootable USB flash drive, we need to select the “USB devise” item.
- The program will then prompt you to select the USB drive on which you want to burn the operating system image. You select the flash drive you need and click the “Begin copying” button.
- Next, the program will format and install automatically.
- After some time, the loading bar will reach 100% and the message “Backup completed” will appear in your status, which in turn will signal that the creation of the bootable flash drive has been completed.
- We close our program and now you can use the bootable USB flash drive for its intended purpose.
Bootable USB flash drive using UltraISO utility
Now let's look at one of the most popular and widespread programs. UltraISO - a program designed to read, edit and create disk images. This program very simple and convenient for ordinary users personal computer. This program will be useful for your work, because it can work with more than 30 file formats. Now let's figure out how to create a bootable USB flash drive using the UltraISO program in step by step instructions.
- Download and install the UltraISO program.
- Right-click on the UltraISO program shortcut and select “Run as administrator.”
- On the toolbar, click on the “File” tab and select “Open”. Or press Ctrl+O.
- Then we select the operating system image we need to create a bootable flash drive. For example, I have selected the operating room image Windows systems 7 Ultimate Ru x86-x64 Orig wBootMenu by-ovgorskiy.
- Left-click on the name of the operating system (thus we select it).
- Open the “Bootboot” tab. Select the option “Burn hard disk image”.
- After this, a pop-up window will appear in front of you, where you need to check whether the correct flash drive is selected, the correct operating system, as well as the method for writing the bootable flash drive. It must be installed in USB-HDD format. We check and click on the “Record” button.
- Next, the installation of data on the flash drive begins.
- After a while you will see the message “Recording complete”. This message will inform you that you have completed creating your bootable USB flash drive.
- Once completed, close the program and use your USB flash drive to install the operating system.
Bootable USB flash drive using Windows command line
This method of creating a bootable USB flash drive does not require additional programs and utilities. And only because of this he deserves to tell you about him. It is a little more complicated and will take you a little more time than with the programs we discussed above. Next, we will analyze all our actions step by step:
- Call up the “Run” window. To do this, press two Win + R keys simultaneously. Only you may have a different name. Vyacheslav's place will be yours.
- Enter the command “cmd” into the empty field. This command will open a command prompt. Next we will work in it.
- IN command line enter the command “DISKPART”.
- Then enter the command “list disk”. This command will give us the opportunity to see the drives connected to the PC.
- Enter the command “select disk 1”. With this command we select our flash drive.
- Next, we clean our flash drive. To do this, enter the “clean” command.
- The next point is to create a primary partition. To do this, enter the command “create partition primary”.
- We need to select the partition that we just selected using the “select partition” command.
- Enter the command “active”. This command will make the selected partition active.
- Next you need to format the flash drive to NTFS system. To do this, type the command “format fs=NTFS”.
- We are waiting for the system to format your flash drive to 100%.
- Next, we’ll give a letter name to our flash drive. To do this, use the command “assign letter=O”. Choose the letter for the name of the flash drive yourself. For me it's the letter O.
- After this, you will see the folder “ Removable drive ABOUT".
- At the command line, enter the “Exit” command. This command will close the command prompt.
- We transfer all the operating system files to the “Removable Disk O” folder. Files must be copied (transferred) only in unpacked form. You should not simply copy the operating system image in one file; such a flash drive will not work.
- The bootable USB flash drive is ready for use.
Finally
We talked about simple and clear ways to create a bootable USB flash drive using various programs. We hope that this article helped you understand the principle of creation. Do not forget that if you install (reinstall) the operating system using a bootable USB flash drive, you need to set the operating system to run initially from USB, through the BIOS. Otherwise, the device will not recognize your operating system image recorded on the flash drive.
We welcome all beginners as well as experienced life hackers on this site!
We have an electronic magazine in which we write various interesting articles about useful gadgets and unusual concepts. We also look into the future or make the present more interesting, beautiful and useful. Read the next article of the electronic magazine.
Almost everyone has USB flash drives today. But despite all the diversity, the range of housings for such devices is quite limited. Why not make a case for the flash drive yourself? It's not as difficult as it seems, you just need to spend a little time. But you will become the owner of a unique thing.
So let's get started! Following the step-by-step instructions, we will make a case for our USB flash drive from bricks from Lego children's construction sets.
This is what she will look like
Tools and materials
Penknife
Pliers
Several Lego bricks
Super glue
Sandpaper
Metal polish
Flash drive
Step 1: Body Base
Internal elements are broken
USB memory cards come in different sizes. We will be packaging a fairly large board. Therefore, we will need a Lego brick of 6×3 cylindrical seating elements (let’s agree to call them “dots”).
Using a penknife, you need to trim all the internal partitions of the brick, and then break them out using pliers.
We use two more low-profile bricks with dimensions of 4×2 and 2×2 “points” to create the lid. Also for the lid you will need a low-profile element 1x6 “dots” (for the lid you can use other combinations of construction parts, or you can simply take exactly the same brick as for the base of the body (6x3) and carefully cut off its upper part with a jigsaw parallel to the horizontal plane).
Using superglue, glue the lid elements together to create a part measuring 6x3 “dots”.
Step 2. Install the board
Board in case
At the end of the case we cut out a groove for the USB connector, and after a little adjustment using a penknife we install the device into the case.
Step 3: Mounting the board
Fill the body with silicone
We place brick scraps on the bottom of the case and ensure that the board is parallel to the horizontal plane and does not press through. We fill all the remaining space in the case with transparent silicone, sealing it to reduce the possibility of any movement of the flash card inside the case.
It is important to use transparent silicone, since the indicator LED will need to shine through it.
Step 4. Gluing and polishing
Cleaning the edges
Polishes of different abrasiveness
To ensure that there are no gaps between the lid and the body, take sandpaper, place it on a flat surface, and level the bottom plane of the lid on it.
After we have glued the lid to the body with superglue, using the same sandpaper we remove burrs and glue smudges from the side edges of the body.
Then we finally polish the body with polish.
Step 5. Completion
The case is ready
Compare your exclusive and mass consumer goods
Looks stylish!
But the creative possibilities for creating exclusive flash drives do not end there. On the contrary, there can be an infinite number of types of cases for them.
Look what other craftsmen have done.
Do you have an original flash drive? What ways of individualizing this mini-media do you know?
Meanwhile, the mini-magazine still contains some unread curiosities: a visionary video about the medicine of the future; gadgets - stationary cellular telephone and a bottle for tourists to disinfect water. and don't miss anything!
