Universal Serial Bus

Desk Drive
License: Freeware – Donations appreciated Last Reviewed: 2012-03-14
Version: 1.8.5 – Released: 2011-11-20 Windows: XP, Vista
File Size: 508 KB Requires: .NET Framework 2.0
Both 32- and 64-bit versions
“Automatic drive/media shortcuts for your desktop — Desk Drive solves a really annoying problem. You pop a USB thumb drive or DVD into your computer and then you have to open Window’s Explorer and find the mapped drive or folder. Desk Drive adds a desktop icon pointing to the drive automatically. Remove the media and the shortcut goes away. Brilliantly simple and effective.”
Source is available.
Anchor Link Everything USB
Information Only Last Reviewed: 2009-06-15
“USB (or Universal Serial Bus) is a 13-year old standard that was originally designed to connect then smart phones to PCs in the mid-90s. It later became the de facto standard for connecting any external, thanks to USB’s built-in power supply and relatively fast speeds. The then-unique one-cable approach sparked a revolution that spawned everything USB (no, not this site) ranging from flash drives, hard drives, speakers, TV tuners to webcams. All these top at 12Mbps, at which speed is only good for mice and keyboards; so the official USB body upgraded the specs to USB 2.0, adding Hi-Speed USB mode operating at 480Mbps. As more applications moved on to wireless thereafter, the same group decided to follow the trend by cutting the wire in the latest Certified Wireless USB 1.0 standard, completed in 2005. And now, we are currently in the pre-WUSB era.”
Anchor Link LiberKey
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2012-06-09
Version: 5.7.0530 – Released: 2012-06-08 Windows: XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7
File Size: 4.36 MB Both 32- and 64-bit compatible
“Liberkey is a collection of portable apps in a variety of categories that can be run on your local PC or from any portable media. Take these important apps with you and use on any computer. LiberKey is a complete application platform for local or portable use. It allows you to manage your applications quickly and without skill. Installation of an application from LiberKey catalog is done with 2 clicks but you can easily add any other application. After LiberKey installation, the user has the choice to install Ultimate, Standard or Basic suites (so always updated) or to define its own suite with the online catalog.
“Features:
• A menu with advanced features which allows you to organize and manage your applications.
• Floating menus for quick access from your desktop.
• Portable files associations : You can open files and protocols (http, ftp, mailto, etc) with the application of your choice.
• Portable desktop shorcuts : shortcuts to your applications are placed on the desktop and removed when your exit LiberKey.
• Automatic online updates which allows you to be always and easily up to date.
• Synchronization with the online catalog and much more…
“LiberKey Ultimate includes 309 free programs in the following categories:
√ Audio
√ CD/DVD
√ File Management
√ Graphics
√ Internet
√ Network
√ Office
√ Security
√ System Utils
√ Video”
Anchor Link LinuxLive USB Creator
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2011-04-30
Version: 2.7.6 – Released: 2011-04-30 Windows: All
File Size: 3.19 MB
“LiLi USB Creator is a free software for Windows that allows you to create a bootable Live USB key with Linux on it. This software also offers an exclusive option of automatic virtualization to directly run Linux in Windows without any configuration nor installation.
“Features:
• create bootable Live USB of Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, PCLinuxOS, Damn Small Linux, Puppy Linux and many others!
• enable persistency of your data
• launch Linux directly in Windows with a special Portable VirtualBox
• hide created files on the key
• multilingual
“Anybody can use LiLi USB Creator. It’s really easy to use and you don’t have to be a computer geek!”
Anchor Link NirLauncherupdate
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2013-05-13
Version: 1.18.07 – Released: 2013-05-13 Windows: All
File Size: 16.8 MB Portable
Both 32- and 64-bit compatible
“NirLauncher is a package of more than 150 portable freeware utilities for Windows, all of them developed for NirSoft Web site during the last few years. Features include:
¤ NirLauncher can be used from USB flash drive without need of any installation.
¤ NirLauncher and all the utilities in the package are completely freeware, without any Spyware/Adware/Malware.
¤ NirLauncher package includes variety of tools that you may need for your daily computer use, including utilities to recover lost passwords, to monitor your network, to view and extract cookies, cache, and other information stored by your Web browser, to search files in your system, and more…
¤ For every utility in the package, you can easily run it, view the help file, or jump to the Web page of the utility.
¤ When using it from USB flash drive, the configuration of every utility is saved into .cfg file on the flash drive.
¤ On x64 systems, NirLauncher automatically runs the x64 version of the utility, when there is a separated x64 version.
¤ NirLauncher also allows to add more software packages in additional to the main NirSoft package.
“For example: this package file allows you to easily add SysInternals Suite, joeware free tools, Piriform, CCleaner, Defraggler, Recuva, and/or Speccy into NirLauncher. Instructions and download addresses are included on the download page.”
[ Note: Download of this package tends to set off many antivirus programs. This is a False Positive. Ed. ]
Anchor Link Panda USB Vaccine
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2012-04-14
Version: 1.0.1.4 – Released: 2009-10-07 Windows: 2000 SP4, XP, Vista
File Size: 828 KB
“The Microsoft Windows Operating Systems use the AUTORUN.INF file from removable drives in order to know which actions to perform when a new external storage device, such as a USB drive or CD/DVD, is inserted into the PC. The AUTORUN.INF file is a configuration file that is normally located in the root directory of removable media and contains, among other things, a reference to the icon that will be shown associated to the removable drive or volume, a description of its content and also the possibility to define a program which should be executed automatically when the unit is mounted.
“The problem is that this feature, widely critizised by the security community, is used by malware in order to spread by infecting as soon as a new drive is inserted in a computer. The malware achieves this by copying a malicious executable in the drive and modifying the AUTORUN.INF file so that Windows opens the malicious file silently as soon as the drive is mounted. The most recent examples of this are the W32/Sality, W32/Virutas and also the W32/Conficker worm which, in addition to spreading via a vulnerability and network shares, also spreads via USB drives.
“Due to the large amount of malware-related problems associated with Microsoft AutoRun we have created a free utility for our user community called Panda USB Vaccine. Also keep in mind that USB drives that have been vaccinated cannot be reversed.”
Anchor Link PenFormat
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2011-05-02
Version: 1.0 – Released: 2011-05-02 Windows: 2000, XP, Vista, 7
File Size: 57 KB Portable
Requires: .NET Framework 2.0 or later
“PenFormat is a small utility allowing to format a key USB or MP3/MP4 Reader in NTFS partition types.”
Anchor Link Portable Start Menu
License: Freeware – Donations Appreciated Last Reviewed: 2009-07-14
Version: 2.11 – Released: 2007-07-12 Windows: 2000, XP
File Size: 768 KB
“PStart is a portable start menu that can be installed on a USB drive or your local PC and provides quick access to programs and documents. You can organize your applications into custom groups and launch them by clicking on the associated icon. The program supports advanced launch parameters, scheduled runs and custom icons, and also offers an option to generate a autorun.inf file for use with CDs. PStart also includes a small notes organizer, a search feature and displays information about the hard drive space on your drive. Other features include backup/restore, customizable interface and an option to hide the launcher on the edge of your screen.”
Anchor Link Programs For USB Drives
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2009-06-15
Portable
“These FREE programs do not require any installation and can be run directly from a USB drive. Keep some useful apps handy while on-the-go!”
Anchor Link SyMenuupdate
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2013-05-11
Version: 2.04.4878 – Released: 2013-05-09 Windows: 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7, 8
File Size: 923 KB Both 32- and 64-bit compatible
Portable Requires: .NET Framework 2.0 or higher
“SyMenu is a portable menu launcher that allows you to organize and find your portable applications in a quick and easy way. Moreover SyMenu can automatically link any application residing on host pc. Any linked item (SyItem) can be organized in a hierarchical structure with colorful folders and found with the internal search tool.
“You can customize SyMenu in a simple and quick way adding links to portable programs, documents, Windows commands, folders and urls. It’s easy to add new SyItem dragging and dropping file from host pc or using the mass importer tool. Linked items can reside on the same USB device or even on the host pc because SyMenu supports absolute path (such as C:\Windows\Explorer.exe).”
Anchor Link Tips for USB Pen Drives
Information and Freeware Last Reviewed: 2009-06-15
Author: Uwe Sieber
Information and freeware for USB pen (flash) drives written by the author.
Anchor Link Universal USB Installerupdate
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2013-05-15
Version: 1.9.3.4 – Released: 2013-05-15 Windows: XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7, 8
File Size: 1.10 MB
“Universal USB Installer is a Live Linux USB Creator that allows you to choose from a selection of Linux Distributions to put on your USB Flash Drive. The Universal USB Installer is easy to use. Simply choose a Live Linux Distribution, the ISO file, your Flash Drive and, Click Install. Other features include; Persistence (if available), and the ability to fat32 format the flash drive (recommended) to ensure a clean install. Upon completion, you should have a ready to run bootable USB Flash Drive with your select Linux version installed.”
Anchor Link USB 2.0 and Windows
Information Only Last Reviewed: 2012-05-29
Updated: May 11, 2007 Windows: 2000, XP, 2003
“USB driver support in Windows is documented in the current Windows DDK in ( System Support for Buses ). See also the FAQs, white papers and presentations on USB – Architecture and Driver Support.
“If you are looking for software support for USB 2.0 for Windows:
• For Windows XP, support is provided in the Windows XP Service Pack release
( Download SP1 )
• For Windows 2000, support is provided in Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
( Download SP4 )
• For Windows Server 2003, support for USB 2.0 is built in.”
Anchor Link USB 3.0 Hard Drives
Information Only Last Reviewed: 2010-07-03
Article dated: 2010-04-05
“USB 3.0’s impressive speed is its reason for exitance, but part of its beauty is its backward compatibility with USB 2.0. You need a new cable and a new host adapter (or one of the new motherboards built to support USB 3.0) to achieve USB 3.0 performance. But you can still use a USB 3.0 device on a USB 2.0 port and achieve typical USB 2.0 performance. You may also use USB 2.0 devices on a USB 3.0 port—though, again, with no gain in speed.
“The technology behind USB 3.0 more closely resembles PCI Express than USB 2.0. Backward compatibility comes from clever connector design, and a dual bus. The designers added four data lines and a ground wire for the new USB 3.0 signals, and retained the existing pair of data lines for use with USB 2.0 devices. The two technologies share the existing power and ground wires, but they are otherwise completely separated.
“New SuperSpeed USB 3.0 drives include models from Buffalo, Iomega, Seagate, and Western Digital.”
Anchor Link USB Autorun
License: Freeware – Donations appreciated Last Reviewed: 2009-10-24
Version: 1.6.2.0 – Released: 2006-11-03 Windows: 98, Me, 2000, XP
File Size: 1.3 MB
“APO USB Autorun enables you to add autorun functionality to your USB drive. It automatically searches for the standard autorun.inf (as used with CDs) and executes it. This simple, but very handy functionality allows you to create an autorun menus in the same way you would for a CD and use it with your USB drive, or launch playlists, html pages and any other type of file as soon as the USB drive is inserted. In addition to the autorun functionality, the program also allows you to quickly access the files on the USB drive(s) from the tray icon menu. APO Usb Autorun now comes with plugins to backup/restore folder upon drive insertion.
“Features of APO USB Autorun:
¤ Autorun emulation
• start your USB key just like you would with your CD-Rom drive
• advanced options like delayed startup, drive browsing…
¤ Small and clean
• 100% clean
• adds a small autohide icon in the taskbar notification area
¤ Extended capabilities
• plugins to save/restore your documents
• native translations available ; you can add yours”
Anchor Link USB Drive Letter Manager
License: Free for private use Last Reviewed: 2012-09-10
Version: 4.7.1.0 – Released: 2012-09-09 Windows: 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7
File Size: 580 KB Both 32- and 64-bit versions
“USBDLM is a Windows service that gives control over Window’s drive letter assignment for USB drives. Running as service makes it independent of the logged on user’s privileges, so there is no need to give the users the previlege to change drive letters. It automatically solves conficts between USB drives and network or subst drives of the currently logged on user. Furthermore you can define new default letters for USB drives and much more.”
Anchor Link USB Flash Drive Format Tool
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2009-02-15
Version: 2.1.8 – Released: 2007-02-07 Windows: 2000, XP
File Size: 1.98 MB
“This utility will format any USB flash drive, with your choice of FAT, FAT32, or NTFS partition types.
“Optionally you can also make the disk BOOTABLE by specifying a file location. You can use the Windows 98 system files available here:
( Windows 98 Files )
Anchor Link USB Flash Drive Manager
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2010-09-10
Version: 1.0.0 – Released: 2005-04-05 Windows: XP
File Size: 650 KB Requires: .NET Framework
“Use this application to backup and restore presentation, pictures, songs and applications from and to USB Flash Drive devices and take them with you. Use USB Flash Drives to store personal data, to keep your network configuration and to share information with your friends.”
Anchor Link USB Flash Drive Speed Tests
Information Only Last Reviewed: 2012-10-03
“In this page, you can find the speed test results of USB flash drives, made by the USBDeview utility. USBDeview make this test by writing a large file into the USB flash drive, and then reading back the same file to getting the read speed. The speed is calculated and displayed in Megabytes per second (MB/Sec). Be aware that all these tests are made by making a sequential read and write operations of a single file. When you use multiple small files, you’ll probably get much lower read/write performances.
“If you want to test the read/write speed of your own USB drives and share the results with other people, you can follow the instructions in this page: Test and publish the speed of your USB flash drive.
“Notice that the USB devices of last size group (above 64 GB) are not really flash drives. They are external hard disk drives plugged to USB. I originally created this Web site for flash drives, but because some people had already submitted the speed test results of external USB disks, I added a group for them too.”
Anchor Link USB Flash Drives Control
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2011-04-13
Version: 2.3 – Released: 2011-04-11 Windows: Vista, 7
File Size: 131 KB
“USB Flash Drives Control is a small and easy to use program that runs in taskbar, next to the system clock, and provides quick access to control the way in which USB flash drives are used on your computer. USB Flash Drives Control offers access to few, but powerful, options that helps you to control how your flash storage drives are used.”
Anchor Link USB Image Tool
License: Freeware – Donations appreciated Last Reviewed: 2013-03-06
Version: 1.61 – Released: 2013-03-05 Windows: XP, Vista, 7, 8
File Size: 216 KB Both 32- and 64-bit versions
Requires: .NET Framework
“USB Image Tool can create images of USB memory sticks and MP3 players, that are mounted as USB drives. It allows you to switch between images with different music styles on your MP3 Player or to make an exact backup image of your USB Stick. Features:
• create image files of USB drives
• restore images of USB drives
• compressed image file format
• show USB device information
• manage favorite USB images”
Anchor Link USB to Ethernet Connector
License: Shareware – $89.95 Last Reviewed: 2010-01-04
Version: 3.0.6.40 – Released: 2008-08-22 Windows: 2000, XP, 2003, Vista
File Size: 4 MB Both 32- and 64-bit compatible
“USB to Ethernet Connector enables you to share any local USB device over the local network or Internet. Just select the local devices that you want to share, optionally set a connection password and encryption and you are ready to share the device. The program intercepts USB port activity for the shared device and redirects it via TCP/IP to a remote machine, which also needs to have USB to Ethernet Connector installed. Once connected, the remote machine(s) can access the device as if it was connected locally. Installation of the client component on remote machines does not require additional registrations.
“Our product supports gamepads, webcams, modems, scanners, multifunctionals, card readers, fingerprint readers, iPods, USB to COM cables and other USB devices.”
Anchor Link USBDeview
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2013-03-13
Version: 2.22 – Released: 2013-03-13 Windows: 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7, 8
File Size: 77 KB Portable
Both 32- and 64-bit versions
“USBDeview is a small utility that lists all USB devices that currently connected to your computer, as well as all USB devices that you previously used. For each USB device, exteneded information is displayed: Device name/description, device type, serial number (for mass storage devices), the date/time that device was added, VendorID, ProductID, and more…
“USBDeview also allows you to uninstall USB devices that you previously used, and disconnect USB devices that are currently connected to your computer. You can also use USBDeview on a remote computer, as long as you login to that computer with admin user.
“USBDeview doesn’t require any installation process or additional DLL files. Just copy the executable file (USBDeview.exe) to any folder you like, and run it. The main window of USBDeview displays all USB devices installed on your system. You can select one or more items, and then disconnect (unplug) them, uninstall them, or just save the information into text/xml/html file.”
Anchor Link USBMan
Information Only – Donations appreciated Last Reviewed: 2009-06-15
“The Webs #1 USB Help and Information Source. Free USB and USB 2.0 Help, Information, Tips, Tricks, Troubleshooting and Forum Board. USBMan is a Not-for-Profit Web Site. This web site is maintained in part by advertising revenue, the generosity of it’s users and a handful of volunteers who unselfishly donate their time and expertise for the common good. Over 10 Million visitors have found help here. If you’ve found help here, please help us stay here: Please make a donation or visit and patronize our advertisers.”
Anchor Link USBOblivion
License: GNU GPL v2 Last Reviewed: 2012-04-07
Version: 1.7.0.0 – Released: 2012-02-21 Windows: 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7
File Size: 208 KB Both 32- and 64-bit versions
Portable
“USBOblivion utility designed to erase all traces of USB-connected drives and CD-ROMs from the registry in Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7 32/64-bit versions. The utility has a test mode of operation, i.e., without actually removing data from the registry, and, just in case, creates a .reg-file to undo any changes. There is also a fully automatic mode.”
Anchor Link YUMI – Multiboot USB Creator
License: Freeware Last Reviewed: 2013-04-30
Version: 0.0.9.5 – Released: 2013-04-29 Windows: XP, Vista, 7, 8
File Size: 1.1 MB
“YUMI (Your Universal Multiboot Installer), is the successor to MultibootISOs. It can be used to create a Multiboot USB Flash Drive containing multiple operating systems, antivirus utilities, disc cloning, diagnostic tools, and more. Contrary to MultiBootISO’s which used grub to boot ISO files directly from USB, YUMI uses syslinux to boot extracted distributions stored on the USB device, and reverts to using grub to Boot Multiple ISO files from USB, if necessary.
“Aside from a few distributions, all files are stored within the Multiboot folder, making for a nicely organized Multiboot Drive that can still be used for other storage purposes.
“YUMI works much like Universal USB Installer [see above; Ed.], except it can be used to install more than one distribution to run from your USB. Distributions can also be uninstalled using the same tool!”