Hmm, weird. Given that it was the earlier blocks, synchronization should have been pretty fast. If the synchronzation did become faster after you switch, it would mean that the node's speed wasn't the main bottleneck. What are your system's specs?
Wierd, of course! Very good that you've noticed! I've been so much busy writing in many threads at this forum simultaneously these days, that I made an annoying, stupid mistake! I tried the flash drive when the already downloaded blockchain had not exceeded (but was already close to)
128Gb - that is really the size of my largest, fast (at that moment free) USB flash drive (it is ADATA UE700 128Gb).