Editing USB flash drive (section)

===Essential components===
[[File:Kingston DataTraveler flash drive disassembled.jpg|thumb|The internal mechanical and electronic parts of a Kingston 2&nbsp;GB flash drive]]

There are typically five parts to a flash drive:

* USB plug{{snd}} provides a physical interface to the host computer. Some USB flash drives use USB plug that does not protect the contacts, with the possibility of plugging it into the USB port in the wrong orientation, if the connector type is not symmetrical.
* USB mass storage controller{{snd}} a small [[microcontroller]] with a small amount of on-chip [[Read-only memory|ROM]] and [[Random Access Memory|RAM]].
* [[NAND flash]] memory chip(s){{snd}} stores data (NAND flash is typically also used in [[digital camera]]s).
* [[Crystal oscillator]]{{snd}} produces the device's main [[clock signal]] and controls the device's data output through a [[phase-locked loop]].
* Cover{{snd}} typically made of plastic or metal, protecting the electronics against mechanical stress and even possible short circuits.