A Guide to getting the most out of your flash drive

drew and not u · June 8th, 2006

If you're like me you bought a USB Flash Drive with only a vague idea of what you would be using it for. Maybe you just wanted to be able to keep some documents or program installers with you. Did you know that you can actually take your entire computer with you on your flash drive?

Perhaps that's an overstatement, but it's not far from the truth. You can keep not only your documents with you, but entire programs, that will run from directly from the flash drive on any windows XP/2000 based computer without installing them. They're called Portable Apps, and there's a huge variety of them. Also worth mention are Portable Operating Systems, the most popular of them being Damn Small Linux. However, this is more a niche application, and will not be further covered in this guide.

What benefits do portable apps offer? There are several. You are able to access your programs, with your settings and preferences wherever you have access to a computer, without having to install or download anything. Your bookmarks, extensions, emails, buddy lists, office suite, media player, and more, right in your pocket. This guide will outline some of my favorite programs and resources for portable apps!

Web Browser: Portable Firefox
-Export your current firefox bookmarks by accessing the Bookmark Manager in firefox (Bookmarks->manage bookmarks) and clicking file->export.
-Download the Portable firefox installer here
-Unpack it to your flash drive.
-Run the Firefox.exe you just unpacked
-import your bookmarks file and install your favorite extensions and you're good to go!

Email Client: Portable Thunderbird:
-Download the Portable Thunderbird installer here, and install to your flash drive
-To copy your settings to Portable firefox you'll need to copy all files in the following directory: C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\default.???\ (maybe be different if you installed the program somewhere other then the default location) and copy it to the same folder on your flash drive

Media Player: Portable VLC:
-Download the installer here, install to your flash drive and enjoy!

Office Suite: Portable Open Office:
Every one's favorite M$ Office alternative is ready to go wherever you do! Just as before download here install to your flash drive and enjoy.

Instant Messaging:
You have two options here. The easiest is Portable Gaim, which, like before, you simply download and install to your flash drive. For those who, like me, prefer Trillian, you're in luck. Simply download the latest version of Trillian, install it to the flash drive, and then follow these instructions.

Portable Start Menu: PStart
PStart is a neat little utility that lets you make a customized start menu for your flash drive. You add the programs that you want and at a click they're there. Download it here.

UPX
UPX is a really handy little tool that allows you to compress .dll files. This allows you to save a nice bit of room on your flash drive. Download and unzip both the tool and the GUI to the same directory on your hard drive (or flash drive if you really want). Run the upxshell.exe and browse the folders of the programs installed on your flash drive. DO NOT PACK ANYTHING EXCEPT DLLs!! Packing .EXEs will result in them ceasing to work. You'll find that portable open office, and certain other portable apps have already been packed.

These are just a few of my favorite apps, though there are many more! The following links are excellent resources for portable programs of almost every description so dig around and build up a suite of apps tailored to your preferences!

http://portableapps.com/
http://www.portablefreeware.com/?p=1
http://www.tinyapps.org/
An awesome guide by Tom's Hardware for making an entire Portable Windows installation on your Flash Drive
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ - Portable Linux Distro

Thanks to all the programmers who's hard work went into creating these excellent free applications and the sites that brought them all together!!

Edited for spelling and grammar, because I forgot to do that at 1am! :D

**Capper** · June 9th, 2006

outstanding...great job Drew

**gvblake22** · June 9th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capper

outstanding...great job Drew

Indeed! I've never seen anything like this anywhere. I feel honored that such a guide made it's home here at HardwareLogic! :thup:

drew and not u · June 9th, 2006

Thanks guys, I like to try to help out when I can. Next I'm going to make a guide to cooking chicken wings!!

Blondie · October 31st, 2006

One of the beginner orientated mags did an article a "good" two years ago. It was how to use a thumb drive as an emergency tool kit. This was by far, the best article I've read on thumb drive use, and having a large enough drive, adding the programs you listed along with their's, and a thumb drive becomes even more useful.

Some more apps:
Downloads of free antivirus & firewall / spyware programs
Ad-aware
Avast Cleaner
AntiVir Personal Edition - AV software
AVG Free Edition - AV software
CCleaner
CWShredder
hijack this
McAfee Stinger
Notepad2
Pocket KillBox - Pocket Killbox deletes files that cannot be erased from Windows Explorer.
Spyware Blaster
Spybot Search & Destroy
Spy Sweeper
ZoneAlarm - firewall

Links for other useful sites:
Norton Tools - Links to tools to remove malicious code
Autoruns, ListDLL's, ShareEnum, Process Explorer - advanced utilities, technical information, and source code

What I did on mine was made a file called Emergency Repair Kit. I then made 2 folders, Program Files & downloads.

Unfortunatly, my 4 gig drive died so I can't reference it to say what programs would install on the drive and which wouldn't.

Captain Crunch · October 31st, 2006

Very Nice Drew That was very helpful!!!!!!!!!!! Nice job buddy!

wtcnbrwndo4u · November 7th, 2006

Yo bro, does your drive have to be U3 enabled?

**stinger608** · November 7th, 2006

I have to agree with everyone else!!!!!! Great how to guide man!!!

Panda Man · November 7th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by stinger608

I have to agree with everyone else!!!!!! Great how to guide man!!!

A guide made in June just now makes your approval? ROFL

Lol, nice guide either way

drew and not u · November 7th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtcnbrwndo4u

Yo bro, does your drive have to be U3 enabled?

nah, mine was just a plain jane USB stick.
thanks for the kind words guys!

June 8th, 2006	#1
drew and not u 4GHz or Bust Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: A different kind of Green Computing Posts: 2,132	A Guide to getting the most out of your flash drive If you're like me you bought a USB Flash Drive with only a vague idea of what you would be using it for. Maybe you just wanted to be able to keep some documents or program installers with you. Did you know that you can actually take your entire computer with you on your flash drive? Perhaps that's an overstatement, but it's not far from the truth. You can keep not only your documents with you, but entire programs, that will run from directly from the flash drive on any windows XP/2000 based computer without installing them. They're called Portable Apps, and there's a huge variety of them. Also worth mention are Portable Operating Systems, the most popular of them being Damn Small Linux. However, this is more a niche application, and will not be further covered in this guide. What benefits do portable apps offer? There are several. You are able to access your programs, with your settings and preferences wherever you have access to a computer, without having to install or download anything. Your bookmarks, extensions, emails, buddy lists, office suite, media player, and more, right in your pocket. This guide will outline some of my favorite programs and resources for portable apps! Web Browser: Portable Firefox -Export your current firefox bookmarks by accessing the Bookmark Manager in firefox (Bookmarks->manage bookmarks) and clicking file->export. -Download the Portable firefox installer here -Unpack it to your flash drive. -Run the Firefox.exe you just unpacked -import your bookmarks file and install your favorite extensions and you're good to go! Email Client: Portable Thunderbird: -Download the Portable Thunderbird installer here, and install to your flash drive -To copy your settings to Portable firefox you'll need to copy all files in the following directory: C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\default.???\ (maybe be different if you installed the program somewhere other then the default location) and copy it to the same folder on your flash drive Media Player: Portable VLC: -Download the installer here, install to your flash drive and enjoy! Office Suite: Portable Open Office: Every one's favorite M$ Office alternative is ready to go wherever you do! Just as before download here install to your flash drive and enjoy. Instant Messaging: You have two options here. The easiest is Portable Gaim, which, like before, you simply download and install to your flash drive. For those who, like me, prefer Trillian, you're in luck. Simply download the latest version of Trillian, install it to the flash drive, and then follow these instructions. Portable Start Menu: PStart PStart is a neat little utility that lets you make a customized start menu for your flash drive. You add the programs that you want and at a click they're there. Download it here. UPX UPX is a really handy little tool that allows you to compress .dll files. This allows you to save a nice bit of room on your flash drive. Download and unzip both the tool and the GUI to the same directory on your hard drive (or flash drive if you really want). Run the upxshell.exe and browse the folders of the programs installed on your flash drive. DO NOT PACK ANYTHING EXCEPT DLLs!! Packing .EXEs will result in them ceasing to work. You'll find that portable open office, and certain other portable apps have already been packed. These are just a few of my favorite apps, though there are many more! The following links are excellent resources for portable programs of almost every description so dig around and build up a suite of apps tailored to your preferences! http://portableapps.com/ http://www.portablefreeware.com/?p=1 http://www.tinyapps.org/ An awesome guide by Tom's Hardware for making an entire Portable Windows installation on your Flash Drive http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ - Portable Linux Distro Thanks to all the programmers who's hard work went into creating these excellent free applications and the sites that brought them all together!! Edited for spelling and grammar, because I forgot to do that at 1am! :D

June 9th, 2006	#2
Capper We take both criticism and positive comments very positively Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 6,051 Blog Entries: 6	outstanding...great job Drew INTEL QX9650 // Gigabyte EP45 Extreme // 8GB PC2-8500 // BFG GTX260 MaxCore // DD Torture Rack // Seagate 750GB HDD // OCZ Vendetta // PC Power & Cooling 620W PSU

October 31st, 2006	#5
Blondie Hmmm... Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 438	One of the beginner orientated mags did an article a "good" two years ago. It was how to use a thumb drive as an emergency tool kit. This was by far, the best article I've read on thumb drive use, and having a large enough drive, adding the programs you listed along with their's, and a thumb drive becomes even more useful. Some more apps: Downloads of free antivirus & firewall / spyware programs Ad-aware Avast Cleaner AntiVir Personal Edition - AV software AVG Free Edition - AV software CCleaner CWShredder hijack this McAfee Stinger Notepad2 Pocket KillBox - Pocket Killbox deletes files that cannot be erased from Windows Explorer. Spyware Blaster Spybot Search & Destroy Spy Sweeper ZoneAlarm - firewall Links for other useful sites: Norton Tools - Links to tools to remove malicious code Autoruns, ListDLL's, ShareEnum, Process Explorer - advanced utilities, technical information, and source code What I did on mine was made a file called Emergency Repair Kit. I then made 2 folders, Program Files & downloads. Unfortunatly, my 4 gig drive died so I can't reference it to say what programs would install on the drive and which wouldn't. Wave Master: Gigabyte GA-7NNXP, Barton 3200, 1 gig PC3200, BFG 6800, Ultra X-Finity 600W, DVDRW, 750 Zip 80, 160 & 200 gig hard drives Dual Xeon folder: SilverStone SST-TJ05S-X, Gigabyte GA-9ITDW, Intel Xeon 3.2 Irwindale 800MHz x2, Geil 1 GB DDR2 PC2 4300x2, BFG 6600 GT OC, Ultra X-Finity 600W, DVDRW, Akasa AllInOne, WD Caviar RAID Edition 120x2, Win XP MC 05 Last edited by Blondie; October 31st, 2006 at 03:49.

November 7th, 2006	#7
wtcnbrwndo4u Teh Brown Staffer Join Date: May 2006 Location: KS Posts: 2,278	Yo bro, does your drive have to be U3 enabled? - Core 2 Quad Q6600 - DFI Infinity 975X - 4GB Corsair XMS2 w/ DHX DDR2-800 - 250GB Seagate 7200.10RPM + 160GB Hitachi 5400.4RPM - ATi Radeon X1900XT 256MB - Cooler Master Centurion 5 + OCZ StealthXStream 600W - Acer 19" P191W Monitor - Logitech Z-5500 Digital + Logitech MX Revolution - Vista Ultimate x64

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October 31st, 2006	#6
Captain Crunch Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Right side of middle Earth Posts: 695	Very Nice Drew That was very helpful!!!!!!!!!!! Nice job buddy!

November 7th, 2006	#8
stinger608 Silence..Or I kill you! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In the Zone! Posts: 2,822 Blog Entries: 1	I have to agree with everyone else!!!!!! Great how to guide man!!!