# "Don't store Flash Drives in a plastic bag?"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 9, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244 "2018-01-09T15:46:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/1 "2018-01-09T15:46:03Z")
Hey, I overheard a conversation recently – some guy thought that his USB flash drives had lost data because he stored them in a plastic bag. Could this possibly be true? (Don’t need answer fast.)
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/2 "2018-01-09T15:58:11Z")
I’d be interested, and entertained, by that person’s explanation of how that works.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/3 "2018-01-09T15:58:21Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#):
>
> Hey, I overheard a conversation recently – some guy thought that his USB flash drives had lost data because he stored them in a plastic bag. Could this possibly be true? (Don’t need answer fast.)
I know of a user carrying a dozen flash drives in a gallon baggie without a failure.
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### Author:  [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/4 "2018-01-09T16:03:08Z")
Flash drives and SD cards are[ESDS sensitive.](https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=pOZUWoSPH4yCjwOag5bABw&q=flash+drives+esds+sensitive&oq=flash+drives+esds+sensitive&gs_l=psy-ab.3...1976.9175.0.9346.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.iRXNp5YYHx8)Plastic bags can generate an amazing amount of stray voltage. I would say plausible. I have seen very expensive equipment damaged by ESDS voltage here at Boeing.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/5 "2018-01-09T16:27:53Z")
Does that mean I should also stop rubbing my flash drives on my cats?
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### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/6 "2018-01-09T16:28:25Z")
You’ll get more google hits for “ESD sensitive” than “ESDS sensitive.” (Also it’s less redundant, since the last “S” stands for sensitive.)
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### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/7 "2018-01-09T16:34:21Z")
> [@Alessan](#):
>
> Does that mean I should also stop rubbing my flash drives on my cats?
At the very least, your cats will be grateful.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/8 "2018-01-09T16:44:07Z")
> [@racer72](#):
>
> Flash drives and SD cards are[ESDS sensitive.](https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=pOZUWoSPH4yCjwOag5bABw&q=flash+drives+esds+sensitive&oq=flash+drives+esds+sensitive&gs_l=psy-ab.3...1976.9175.0.9346.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.iRXNp5YYHx8)Plastic bags can generate an amazing amount of stray voltage. I would say plausible. I have seen very expensive equipment damaged by ESDS voltage here at Boeing.
When you buy electronics, they are usually stored in those anti-static bags. I would agree that there is a reason for that.
I would think that it would be unlikely, but not impossible, for a plastic bag to corrupt data on a USB drive.
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### Author:  [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/9 "2018-01-11T20:04:31Z")
It’s modern “dog ate my homework” excuse. Possible but unlikely.
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### Author:  [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/10 "2018-01-11T20:20:02Z")
Do you have a USB drive and the cats?
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### Author:  [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/11 "2018-01-11T21:17:57Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#):
>
> At the very least, your cats will be grateful.
😃 Well, we don’t actually know his cats.:eek:
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/12 "2018-01-11T21:27:39Z")
They served as a catalyst for the data loss.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/13 "2018-01-11T22:51:02Z")
> [@BobBitchin](#):
>
> 😃 Well, we don’t actually know his cats.:eek:
This might even feel good!
> **[staticky cat - Bing](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=l3iBDNlQ&id=6F4678B7DB75EB61F59C76E30F3EE040A794E844&thid=OIP.l3iBDNlQs06A1a2XzIHTwAHaFj&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2flaughingsquid.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2015%2f03%2fJeff-the-Cat.jpg&exph=720&expw=960&q=staticky%2Bcat&simid=608041185013205527&selectedIndex=17&ajaxhist=0)**
>
> Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.
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### Author:  [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/14 "2018-01-12T13:22:44Z")
> [@Alessan](#):
>
> Does that mean I should also stop rubbing my flash drives on my cats?
You could rub your flash drive on Schrödinger’s cat, and then your data could be thought of to be both corrupted and not corrupted at the same time.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/15 "2018-01-12T14:38:17Z")
> [@Turek](#):
>
> You could rub your flash drive on Schrödinger’s cat, and then your data could be thought of to be both corrupted and not corrupted at the same time.
Be sure to keep the flash drives in a CLEAR plastic bag, to be sure if they’re alive or dead at any given time.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/16 "2018-01-12T14:42:13Z")
> [@Turek](#):
>
> You could rub your flash drive on Schrödinger’s cat, and then your data could be thought of to be both corrupted and not corrupted at the same time.
If you put the whole thing in a box, the flash drive will be overwritten by the factors of large primes.
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### Author:  [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2018, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/17 "2018-01-14T13:34:01Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> If you put the whole thing in a box, the flash drive will be overwritten by the factors of large primes.
Only about half. The other half will have nothing written on it.
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### Author:  [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/18 "2018-01-14T16:21:34Z")
What about condensation, if a sealed bag is taken into a colder environment? Could that be an issue?
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/19 "2018-01-14T17:08:48Z")
I don’t think there would be enough moisture in the air inside the bag to cause a problem.
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-store-flash-drives-in-a-plastic-bag/806244/20 "2018-01-14T18:57:01Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#):
>
> Hey, I overheard a conversation recently – some guy thought that his USB flash drives had lost data because he stored them in a plastic bag. Could this possibly be true? (Don’t need answer fast.)
It may be true, did he lose the plastic bag?
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