• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

What to stick on a ThumbDrive?

X

Xsorovan

Senior member
I got a 512mb thumbdrive for Christmas and I've been using it to transport files back and fourth. But I want to take it up a notch. I was wondering what kind of tools you would suggest I put on this little thumb drive so that when a family member or SOMEONE asks me to fix their computer I will have a full range of tools at my service.

(I already put the Sysinternals stuff on the drive)

Thanks!
 
AVG. Adaware/Spybot. HJT. SP1/SP2 Network Install. A few critical patches (MS03-007, MS03-026, or the rollup KB 826939).

Prefer a CD however. And at least one version of Knoppix as well.
 
Everyone else uses these things for boring shit.

I'd try and put a fully working distribution of Linux or XP Embedded on it.

I haven't got one so I haven't tried this yet.
 
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Everyone else uses these things for boring shit.

I'd try and put a fully working distribution of Linux or XP Embedded on it.

I haven't got one so I haven't tried this yet.
Click to expand...

See, I thought about that, the problem is that you have to format the thumbdrive with an active partition on it. Which effectively makes it useless for doing anything BUT booting off of. (Windows only allows one active partion at a time)
 
Originally posted by: Xsorovan
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Everyone else uses these things for boring shit.

I'd try and put a fully working distribution of Linux or XP Embedded on it.

I haven't got one so I haven't tried this yet.
Click to expand...

See, I thought about that, the problem is that you have to format the thumbdrive with an active partition on it. Which effectively makes it useless for doing anything BUT booting off of. (Windows only allows one active partion at a time)
Click to expand...

Aww, but how cool would it be to walk up to any machine, jack your ThumbDrive in, and then have your own entire system to play with.
 
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Originally posted by: Xsorovan
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Everyone else uses these things for boring shit.

I'd try and put a fully working distribution of Linux or XP Embedded on it.

I haven't got one so I haven't tried this yet.
Click to expand...

See, I thought about that, the problem is that you have to format the thumbdrive with an active partition on it. Which effectively makes it useless for doing anything BUT booting off of. (Windows only allows one active partion at a time)
Click to expand...

Aww, but how cool would it be to walk up to any machine, jack your ThumbDrive in, and then have your own entire system to play with.
Click to expand...


but not everything is USB bootable.
 
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Aww, but how cool would it be to walk up to any machine, jack your ThumbDrive in, and then have your own entire system to play with.
Click to expand...

Well, yeah, that would be cool, but I only have 1 thumb drive. And for the time being I'd like it to be use-able... however a linux embeded thumb drive would be very cool... especially with all the "boot from USB" options available (that aren't turned off) on most machines...

 
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Originally posted by: Xsorovan
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Everyone else uses these things for boring shit.

I'd try and put a fully working distribution of Linux or XP Embedded on it.

I haven't got one so I haven't tried this yet.
Click to expand...

See, I thought about that, the problem is that you have to format the thumbdrive with an active partition on it. Which effectively makes it useless for doing anything BUT booting off of. (Windows only allows one active partion at a time)
Click to expand...

Aww, but how cool would it be to walk up to any machine, jack your ThumbDrive in, and then have your own entire system to play with.
Click to expand...
Why would windows come into play if you boot off the USB? You could still access the data on the HD just not run the programs.


 
Originally posted by: lnguyen
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Originally posted by: Xsorovan
Originally posted by: piroroadkill
Everyone else uses these things for boring shit.

I'd try and put a fully working distribution of Linux or XP Embedded on it.

I haven't got one so I haven't tried this yet.
Click to expand...

See, I thought about that, the problem is that you have to format the thumbdrive with an active partition on it. Which effectively makes it useless for doing anything BUT booting off of. (Windows only allows one active partion at a time)
Click to expand...

Aww, but how cool would it be to walk up to any machine, jack your ThumbDrive in, and then have your own entire system to play with.
Click to expand...


but not everything is USB bootable.
Click to expand...



More and more are now
 
Originally posted by: Squisher
[Why would windows come into play if you boot off the USB? You could still access the data on the HD just not run the programs.
Click to expand...

Well, no windows wouldn't be a problem if you were booting from the thumbdrive. It would be a problem if I tried to plug the thumbdrive into a running version of windows. (Like if I needed to do do a spyware sweep on someone's machine real quick.

 
I keep a copy of the free version of Belarc on mine. Whenever I work on a workstation at a client's, I run Belarc and save the results in a folder called [workstationname] under a [clientname] folder on the thumbdrive. Then, when I get back to the office, I dump them to our IT database. In the future, I, or any other employee, can get all the hardware, software, service tag/express service code and user info on that workstation in seconds.
 
Originally posted by: werk
I keep a copy of the free version of Belarc on mine. Whenever I work on a workstation at a client's, I run Belarc and save the results in a folder called [workstationname] under a [clientname] folder. Then, when I get back to the office, I dump them to our IT database. In the future, I, or any other employee, can get all the hardware, software, service tag/express service code and user info on that workstation in seconds.
Click to expand...

Oooo, good link! Thanks for that!

 
Originally posted by: Xsorovan
Originally posted by: werk
I keep a copy of the free version of Belarc on mine. Whenever I work on a workstation at a client's, I run Belarc and save the results in a folder called [workstationname] under a [clientname] folder. Then, when I get back to the office, I dump them to our IT database. In the future, I, or any other employee, can get all the hardware, software, service tag/express service code and user info on that workstation in seconds.
Click to expand...

Oooo, good link! Thanks for that!
Click to expand...
One of the nicest parts of Belarc is that it grabs Windows and Office CD keys in case of misplacement. I think it'll grab other software keys as well (Acrobat for example).
 
Originally posted by: werk
Originally posted by: Xsorovan
Originally posted by: werk
I keep a copy of the free version of Belarc on mine. Whenever I work on a workstation at a client's, I run Belarc and save the results in a folder called [workstationname] under a [clientname] folder. Then, when I get back to the office, I dump them to our IT database. In the future, I, or any other employee, can get all the hardware, software, service tag/express service code and user info on that workstation in seconds.
Click to expand...

Oooo, good link! Thanks for that!
Click to expand...
One of the nicest parts of Belarc is that it grabs Windows and Office CD keys in case of misplacement. I think it'll grab other software keys as well (Acrobat for example).
Click to expand...


Seems to be only free for personal use, do you have a corporate liscense or something?
 
Stinger, StartupCPL standalone, TreeSize standalone, Belarc, Adaware, Spybot, ZoneAlarm

some other stuff but that's the basics for quick info + fixes
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top