The zip drive is quite useful for data compression and archive format but it comes with some significant disadvantages. Knowing them both is elementary for any user before making a choice so that they do not regret incorporating a zip system in their computer setup later on.
This article will inform you about the major pros and cons of zip drives and zip disks to make you more knowledgeable, if you are not already.
In This Article
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A zip drive offers more portability to the users while exchanging and moving files around since it is possible to get such a drive that supports a USB found in all modern computers.
- This is however an old technology and is not usually found in every modern computer.
- The capacities of the zip drives are pretty low in comparison to the DVDs, flash drives and Blu-ray discs being 750 MB maximum as opposed to 128 GB or more in other storage solutions.
- The total cost of buying a portable zip drive along with the zip disks is much more than the combined cost of purchasing other storage media.
Advantages of Zip Drive
1. Save Storage Space
When the files are zipped or compressed, especially the large files, it will consume as much as 80% less space of the hard disk in comparison to the unzipped files.
2. Email Time
The large files, when zipped, will take a much shorter time to attach to the mail which will eventually reduce the overall transmission time of emails. It is especially useful for users having limited space in their mailbox.
3. Private Data Security
Sending private data over the internet will be more secure if you zip the files containing it because it will encrypt it in the process.
4. Data Transfer Speeds
The speed of transferring data by the zip disks is much higher than the regular floppy disks being able to read and write data at a speed of 1 megabyte per second as opposed to 125 kilobytes per second.
5. Compatibility
A zip drive will not work without a zip disk but the drive itself is compatible with most modern computers because it supports Universal Serial Bus wired connection technology.
6. Portability
Zip disks, even the external zip drives are usually not connected permanently to the computer system as the hard drives. This makes them more portable since it can be inserted into or ejected from the computer easily.
7. Physical Security
Since the zip disks are portable, it indirectly adds to the security aspect as you can remove the disk from the drive and lock it in a secure place.
Disadvantages of Zip Drive
8. File Extraction
If the data is damaged in a zip disk then it may not be possible to extract all the files that are zipped in the drive.
9. Effects of Damaged Data
The damaged data will not only corrupt one or several files in a zip drive but may corrupt the entire zip disk along with it.
10. Common Errors Encountered
A zip drive or disk, if faulty, may cause some common errors such as an ‘Unexpected end of archive’ error which will not allow you to open a zip file. Other common errors are CRC error, self-extractor header error, and compressed zip folders error.
11. Older Technology
Storing files in a zip drive is an old school approach and is not supported by most of the modern computer systems.
12. Lower Capacity
The storing capacity of the zip disks are far too less in comparison to the modern storage options such as flash drives making it a less popular option.
13. Operation Speed
Though the data transfer speed of zip drives is much higher than the floppy drives, it is much less as compared to modern storage media such as a CD-ROM that can read data at a rate of more than 10 megabytes per second.
14. Requirements
A zip drive will be useless without the zip disks because it is designed to work with these specific disks and not support any other thinner storage media.
15. Cost Factor
The upfront cost of a zip drive and the zip disks together is much higher as compared to other storage solutions.
Conclusion
Now that you are well informed and educated about the merits and demerits of zip drives, courtesy this article, you should be able to decide very easily whether or not you will use this older technology to store the files.