One of the most common ways of data storage for the average person is put information on a USB Memory Stick.  These drives are small and can store huge amounts of data, but the small size also makes them more susceptible to breaking.  First, it’s important to realize that these sticks should not be used as your only source of storage.

Consider taking the extra step and back up your information to your hard drive and then move a copy of it over to the memory stick.  Not only is this smart practice it will save you the pain of losing data that will come at some point.

Common issues with memory sticks are the male part breaking off or the casing and inners being crushed or split.  There are companies out there that will recover lost data for you at a reasonable cost for memory sticks.  Some can do it for less than $50 with a 48 hour turnaround.  That may sound expensive compared to the initial cost of the stick, but it is far less than the complete loss of data.