Ask Engadget: What do you keep on your USB keychain drive?
By Peter Rojas 
posted Nov 11th 2004 7:10PM
posted Nov 11th 2004 7:10PM
Last week reader Andrew wanted to know what the best wireless data plans were, this week our own Dan Wu has been curious about what stuff people keep on their USB flash memory drives. Email and bookmarks? Excel spreadsheets? MP3s? Do you just use them to transfer files between computers? We're dying to know (seriously), so give us the scoop, especially if you have any recommendations for useful applications to carry around on your keychain.
Lately nothing....I have it but never seem to need it as much as I thought I did.
I keep a copy of DamnSmallLinux.
On my 128MB I have Linux installed just for the heck of it.
I always have my USB Wireless drivers on my USB thumb drive. So I could always wardrive or use my NetGear MA111 on any computer where there's wireless networks.
i have an exe file (made with flash) that has a little animation of my basic information on it just incase it gets lost and someone finds it.
I keep current anti-viral and spyware removers as well as any new MP3 or PDFs that I need to carry around. Along with all that, I've got a general toolkit for diagnosing common PC problems, etc.
I keep a portable verision of the Firefox browser with all my extensions and bookmarks.
Firefox --fully operational
Izarc --fully operational
My college class/home work:
word.doc --documents
pspice --documents
excel --documents
MATLAB --documents
pro-e --documents
pictures --varied
It's a Sandisk 1gb cruzer-mini.
I carry virus defs, AdAware ref files, an install for FireFox, the sasser patch etc.
Plus a few Mac apps that I use for network debugging.
Plus a backup of my clients' settings. And a web-site in progress.
Various hardware drivers.
In short, anything useful I can fit into 250Megs.
I only use mine to transfer between computers...sometimes I will carry pictures and such to show others.
I have a a ton of pics of my kid who is 3 months old! I got a free memory key from work and yes there was a mad rush for those!
Ten weeks of systems administration training material I've been writing. I hope I don't lose this baby.
Irony: I am a UNIX systems admin, training other UNIX systems admins, and all the material is written in PowerPoint and Flash.
i usually port music or pictures between pcs. easier than copying over a network or burning CDRs.
I don't use the usb drive as much as i originally thought i woudl..but they are handy
I keep all the basic utilities I need, drivers for my pcs, schoolwork, my favourite website links, wallpaper, and other odds & ends.
Hey richard, you better hope I don't find it. I have a mac...
school papers and mp3's, that's all.
I tend to keep firewall software, anti-spyware programs, and such in case friends need me to help them out. Also, I keep a few pieces of art work that in case I need to show someone right that moment what I'm capable of doing.
Also, the device came with a neck lanyard and I wear the thing quite often. However, the plastic clip release has since broken and I've actually made a replacement using plumber's chain/hobby chain similar to that of a military dog tag. So I've decided to put basic vital information about me on it as a .txt file labeled as !DogTag in hopes that someone will open it up if I'm unconcious/dead and needs to ID me or contact my next of kin.
256 MB:
1. Backup of Microsoft Money 2005 (password protected)
2. Backup of personal budget in MS Excel (password protected to both open and update).
3. WEP key in .txt file.
4. Various pictures transferred b/wn home Mac, home PC, and work PC.
5. Backup of work Outlook addresses in .csv and .pst format.
Just saw a fellow with Studio 321's XCopy express install on his usb drive.
The courts have outlawed this DVD decryption program.
Unfortunately, you can't put your weed in here.
I mostly use mine to trasnfer/trade files with friends/co-workers though i do have an opera install file on there, because i cant live without it, and a few pictures.
backups of important documents that I am working on. some favourite pictures. a song or two
I keep any kind of documents I'm working on (essays, stories, etc.) to port between my ancient laptop, my semi-new home PC, and my uber-fast workstation.
backups of important documents that I am working on. some favourite pictures. a song or two
I keep all this:
http://the.taoofmac.com/space/Tools/USB%20Disk%20Manifest
PC installs of Firefox, Thunderbird, Spybot, Ad-Aware SE, AVG, etc. for fixing/updating family Windows machines. (I'm a Mac user.) Firefox Bookmarks.html, personal documents, WEP & WPA keys in TXT file, and a folder with VNC installs for whenever I get off my lazy a** and set it up for access over the Net.
Don't use it much, but when I do it is just to tranfer photos from my pc to someone elses (or vice-versa)
I keep a copy of the latest putty along with my ssh keys for connecting to my home system from work/school.
I just got a 512 Cruzer Mini and I'll be keeping all my basic little tools I use: putty, spybot, mcafee antivirus, foundstone's superscanner as well as some other security tools in case I'm at a friend or family members house. I'll also keep pictures and a portfolio of web programming work to show clients spur of the moment if need be.
I use it for daily off-site backups of dev projects. I need a bigger one though.
Our local, weekly, small-town newspaper has people ferry each edition off to the printer 100km away on a keychain drive (don't ask me why they don't FTP it. I don't know.)
All my files and some family pictures, as well as a few MP3 files are kept on my Verbatim Flash Drive.
I used it to transfer anything I need... Some important progs i kept on there .. hw - in middle skool , ah and really anything else BUT DAMN i lost mine last tues at boy scouts and it was 80 bbucks... that was the first time i have lost somethin important - so over 14 years..
Stuff for work, really. I use it to transfer files from a computer on the other side of the building. I also have a few recoreded tv shows on there. No reason.
Whatever I need for school, and maybe some mp3's for programming class. Sometimes I'll have an ebook on there, or whatever files I can fit in a 64 MB one... Too small...
- Password Safe w/ all my passwords (encrypted of course)
- antivirus tools, firewalls, spyware removal tools and other tools needed to fix and improve other peoples computer
- Copies of my bookmarks
- Files that I need to xfer from work to home
- Backups of important documents that I am working on when on the road
- My address book
- A copy of DriveCrypt with an encrypted volume that I use for any of the above that I want to keep secure
- A README file with an anonymous email and phone dropbox in case anyone finds the drive and is in a mood to return it
I keep my VPN software so if i really need to get into work i can just buy a laptop.
My realbasic install and files.
VNC client.
nero buring rom
pictures.
Outlook PST contacts. Need a bigger thumb... Recomendations?
-I run Firefox with my bookmarks and extensions straight from the thumb drive for my work PC, or when I'm on a customer's site using their PC
-I run Miranda from the drive the same way
-I run Keypass (this is a fantastic app from Dobysoft.com for storing passwords, and I have a ton of passwords) It's the best app yet, and I've tried them all, check it out @ http://snipurl.com/akwe
-Also, I am a Systems Engineer, and I keep all of my important customer config files on there so in an emergency, I can just upload the config to get the customers Telephone Switch back to a working point.
I only have a 128MB JumpDrive Sport that I got at MicroCenter for $19.00, but seem to have tons of room left. I really don't like the way the Lexar key fob attaches to my keychain though, it is rather poor design.
Ohhhh. Just a few video clips and pictures that i like to have around...
- All of my screenplays.
- Tax Returns for last 3 years.
- MSMoney Files
- Bookmarks
- Address Book
- various family pictures
- random e-books
I have a 256 MB cruzer-mini.
it's contents, in no particular order are:
my monthly personal budget in Excel
pictures of a trip to New York City
Ad-Aware (weekly updated sig files)
Spybot (also updated weekly)
AVG free anti-virus program
Norton Anti-virus 15-Day trial (reflashed weekly)
RegCleaner utility
My Documents folder from home, updated when I remember to do it
Firefox installer
Novell 4.83 client installer (for work)
Instant Internet 7.2 (Nortel networks firewall)
and last but most important: my a handful of my favorite nudie JPGs, don't leave home without them =)
A complete php development environment running on Apache or Xitami, with mysql, a postgres port and UltraEdit.
What I have that no one else has mentioned is:
- online manuals for my digital camera, cell phone, etc. Always good to have, and travel brings out unusual situations, so you're more likely than usual to need the manual.
Also the usual stuff:
- Address book, encrypted with PGP.
- Firefox bookmarks
- Works in progress, presentations, trip-specific stuff.
I've got a 512mb Titanium drive:
- A couple of music albums (listen to music at work, at home, kinko's...etc)
- Work files
- homework
- save articles (research at whatever computer, save it on the USB)
- bookmarks
- personal budget
- backup of important files
Its about 400 mb full. I've only had it for 4 months and I'm already thinking about 1 gb one.
I keep:
Palm device backup
<>personal photos
I keep my resumes and cover letters on it!
to: inluxication,
That tip about .pdf manuals is a Great idea. I have all of mine in "My Documents" and there is only 39MB in 31 files so they'll fit nicely, and I'm gonna transfer those tonite.
Thanks for the tip,
farmfreshglue
What do people think when they see that little Hello Kitty flash drive dangling from your keychain? Technophile or pedophile?
Criminals' new trick: Child-Porn Collectors Using Pocket-Size Storage Drives
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/local/5968311.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
Working on a bootable linux distro now. Plan on having that with some of the more common utilities for recovering window passwords for "friends." Yeah, friends. wink wink.
Someone with a prosthetics lab has made a real 'Thumb Drive.'
http://snipurl.com/ajsy
I got a (bootable!) Linux setup with OpenOffice, Thunderbird and Opera as main applications. I carry with me a couple of mp3 albums (it's an mp3 player as well). But the most important contents on the usb drive is up to date backups...
I have a mail program called npopq that I found a while back. It can be used to retrieve mail from all of my acounts and runs everything from the disk. I don't use it all that much, but it has come in handy a few times.
I have my resume and some personal files in mac encrypted disk image format. But got lots of ideas from other comments. I think I'll be adding more. Got a 256 but only using 40
I keep tools for repairing computer problems:
Anit-virus
Spy-ware removers
Data recovery tools
reg fixes such as when exe won't launch
security auditing tools
various utilities such as winrar
various linux conectivity utilities for windows
winscp putty
Various pdf's for work and drivers/utilities for the equipment I work on.
I also make sure I save the webpage descriptions for the programs I have on my thumbdrive for updates and a master html index file with links to the software I keep on my thumb drive.
open source programs such as gimp, open office, mozilla, and firefox.
I also keep this information on a CD just in case they don't have a usb port or if they're running win98 and I need to load the driver for my thumb drive.
This is possibly the coolest application I've seen for a USB drive. It's an entire linux vm that runs inside windows and only requires 128M of space. It includes all the web tools one would expect (Web, Mail, News, RSS, etc) as well as a VPN app for anonymized browsing (if you trust the company that supplies the proxy).
http://www.metropipe.net/ProductsPVPM.shtml
Kinda shocked nobody mentioned it.
One for safety, one for private, safety is 1gb with RW/RO (lexar jumpdrive pro) switch. Contains SAV CE 9 with latest exe definition updates. Win2k SP4, winxp sp2, 10.3.6 combo update (server and client), apple remote desktop 2, adaware, search and destory, every virus removal I've needed in the past. OOo (openoffice) for Mac and PC. PuTTY, VNC, RDC clients, etc.
Private one is for my crap, 512gb (crucial) encrypted with PGP-disk, only used on three computers; 2 @ home, one at work. Contactz, gpg keyz, serialz, pr0nz, etc.
One for safety, one for private, safety is 1gb with RW/RO (lexar jumpdrive pro) switch. Contains SAV CE 9 with latest exe definition updates. Win2k SP4, winxp sp2, 10.3.6 combo update (server and client), apple remote desktop 2, adaware, search and destory, every virus removal I've needed in the past. OOo (openoffice) for Mac and PC. PuTTY, VNC, RDC clients, etc.
Private one is for my crap, 512gb (crucial) encrypted with PGP-disk, only used on three computers; 2 @ home, one at work. Contactz, gpg keyz, serialz, pr0nz, etc.
Thanks to work, they decided I'd be better off with a 40 gig ipod, so I tossed the memory stick, and put all the software I use for work on the ipod (about 20 gigs worth), and the rest is MP3's (about 10 gigs worth), and the developer release of tiger.. not to mention a few pics, and other odds and ends..
1) Game(s)
- Virtual Game Boy & 1 Game
2) Internet Bookmarks
- bookmarks to load with Netscape/Mozilla/Firefox
3) Homework
I mainly use my 512 Mini Cruzer for transfering files home to work, Mac to Windoze, etc. I keep quite a few small apps stored on it just because its so much more handy then packing around an app cd. Adaware 6, Spybot search and Destroy, Irfanview, netstumbler. I also have a copy of my resume, and lots of Knowledge Base articles and tech docs on it. Yeah, Google is always there, unless you have to fix a computer that doesn't have an internet connection.
A few mp3s, some work documents, couple url lists,
a few appz (Yahoo Intellisync, Palm AvanGo, Pocket Mirror Pro).. not much, really.
Copy of RDesktop - VNC Client - PuTTY - FileZilla (FTP Client) - copy of UltraEdit too
mp3s and docs
Mainly used for carrying essential files around (always have it with me) and shuttling files to and from home and school. I'd guess that half the students at my school carry one around with them for that purpose.
Also always helpful to have one with essential recovery utilities such as SpinRite (http://grc.com/spinrite.htm) on them to boot from if ever needed.
I use it for all my talks (I am a researcher). Very handy for demo movies, pdf/ppt files etc...
I have SLAX loaded on my 256 cruzer mini. Can you dig it?
I keep a copy of my command line utilities on it, a copy of my Mozilla mailboxes and bookmarks and configuration, a backup copy of my web sites, some install programs for WinZip, WinRAR, MS Word 5, and some others from http://www.mildewhall.com/pendrive/mypendrive.html (What's On My Pen Drive-- The Road Warriors Guide), and my resumes. I also have a batch file that updates the frequently modified files as well.
Oh, and I've made it my T: drive. :)
I had to look to remind myself what was on it, I do keep manuals for my camera, my resumes and cover letters, (even though I love my job and would never think of leaving) Bookmarks that are questionable, and should not be seen on my home computer, the floor plan to my house, the floor plan to a friends house, driver for my laptop and for my desktop, my christmas list for my neices and nephews.
and a phot of my and my son. 512mb is the perfect size usb drive for me.
On a 128MB drive
- Newly-updated Portable Firefox with Calendar and FTP extensions (among a couple other dozen)
- Sharpreader (RSS/Atom)
- A couple of MP3's to update the work computer
- Various downloads
- PHP for CLI scripting
- Various other project files
i jost got mine yesterday, and its inteneded for homework, but heres what else im thinking of putting on there:
full install of firefox
addaware
spybot
lc5
putty
wifi drivers
...and maby DamnSmallLinuxjust for kicks
as for passwords, i email them all to my gmail account (from the same account - instead of saying 'Joe, me (4)' in the sender colum, it just says 'me' ). i have a filter that labels and archives them automaticaly
docs, pics, mp3, and linuxbsd OS
Porn. Good 'ol barely legal teens getting what they had coming to 'em from barnyard animals.
I have a small 64 meg keychain drive, about a year old. I keep all my personal info and passwords in a drivecrypt file, I then have about 10 megs of .doc and .xls files for work and home, and all my contacts and links in a program called Bitpal.
i gotta get me one of those
- Primarily this clever portable Firefox implementation:
http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portable_firefox/
with the bookmarks sync'ed to my main computer.
- Also encrypted PDF files of my address book, key email, etc. and a little DOS batch file to decrypt it.
- PDF of manuals for my particularly inscrutable gadgets (Motorola V710 phone, both cameras an Hi-MD recorder)
- Usual photos of friends, pets, latest vacation, etc.
- A few favorite MP3's
- Probably will add Portable Thunderbird this weekend.
Cheers,
Bob
I use it as a Xbox memory card. There is a $3 adaptor microsoft offers (for using keyboards in Phantasy Star) that plugs into the memory card slot in a controller. Just plug it in!!
I just got mine, so I really haven't had time to do what I want, but I'm either going to put on Linux or some useful programs when I do get around to it. For now I just have a buncha music and some data.
PORN. AND LOTS OF IT.
definitely should be getting one.
definitely should be getting one.
I keep all of my work and social/sporting documents on there. Basically, at work (school - I'm a teacher) I only ever work from the USB drive, not the network.
Maybe it's because there are two separate networks (!!??) and sometimes the File Server goes down. And I like to be able to do stuff at home from time to time...
It would be nice to be able to sync contacts, email (not needed so much now I have Gmail) and addresses, just incase I misplace my Palm...
my keys
1) Emergency SQL Scripts;
For fixing various problems + copy of Query Analyser & dll's for emergencys.
2) Emergency Contact
Support & Contact Telephone numbers for work (Word Doc)
3) Copy of Companies DR Policy
A Bootable Linux installation preconfigured the way I like it.
On my 256mb I keep Anti-Virus exes, Software cracks, password crackers, mac emulation software (Object Dock, yzshadow, stylexp), everest home edition (Extremely useful app for identifying hardware where windows cannot) and favourite wallpaper.
On my 1GB I keep mainly porn!
I have a 1Gb Lexar Jumpdrive Pro.
Suprised noone else has this on it. Maybe you don't travel as much as I do.
I always have a copy of passport pages plus any other documents I find relevant. This way if I'm on holiday and I lose my passport, this will speed up the passport reissue at the embassey.
Not that I should lose it mind you, cause I always keep it in one of those colostomy bag things that go under your shirt around your waist when travelling.
Plus I download TV from work and watch it at home. ;-)
AV Definitions for AVG
Hijack This
Spybot Search & Destory
Firefox 1.0
Thunderbird 0.9
Few Fonts
Various Spreadsheets
MCDBA Coursework
Does anyone have a mirror for the metropipe.net portable virtual privacy machine? The website links are all unresponsive.
Tools:
Trillian http://www.trilliananywhere.com
Ad Aware
Virus definition updates
Self-extracting Win98 bootfloppy http://www.bootdisk.com
Divx codecs
Easyrecovery & Getdataback
McAfee viruscan & uninstall script
NTFSdos
NTFS driver http://www.cgsecurity.org
Password recovery tools
Windows XP security patches
PST repair tools
Darik's Boot and Nuke
Winrar
Some ebooks, mp3's, games, my family tree project, pictures, etc.
Actually, I use a 512MB SD card and a small USB reader instead as it fits in my Palm Tungsten. So I can view the photos and listen to the music on the go and work with word, excel, pdf files etc. When I work on a project, I keep daily backups of the most important files (PCB CAD, C code for PIC etc) on there as well.
I have a 2GB model I picked up for $200. (uncudently its now @ $160) So keep a copy of Mp3s that are on my car CD plater, about 300 or so, good enough. Then I have my resume in 3 formats, (never use it though, lol) the video of that winnebago guy flipping out, and some basic pc tools I use when I moonlight as a tech in my spare time. Aaah, I also have free versions of AVG anti virus, and lavasofts adaware. hmm.. rest is pr0n :-P
porn.
For our support organization: Bart's network boot disk with a host of utilities to recover lost passwords, etc. gotta-have vbscripts (which I'm comfortable having another backup copy of), vnc, latest McAfee SDAT and stinger, AdaWare, Server 2003 Resource Kit, Acrobat Reader, Ghost, IrfanView, 2003 Server Support Tools, gunzip/zip, toolbarcop, SysInternals pstools.
Mine is a Lexar JumpDrive Trio, so I pop in my SD card, load it up with MP3s, or schoolwork, or other documents and away I go. The good thing about it is that it is USB 2.0 compatible for high-speed transfer. Then I can take the SD card, pop it in the PocketPC and I've got all my mp3s loaded up.
I use MS Briefcase as well to make sure all my files are backed up on my work and home computers.
I keep:
Passkeeper
Miranda
and all my java source code for the stuff at http://www.pipasoft.com
ahh...
Firefox (portable)
Basic small utils (metapad etc.)
Knoppix home dir image
a folder to keep random notes in
But i'm sure I'll have more, once I've read all the comments ;)
Well, I have a few little devices.
My 1gig usb key is kept mainly for transferring photos and music between computers.
My 512 is used for keeping my medical records, budgets, copies of my resume and cover letters, and some manuals for frequently used applications here at work as well as home (and all my mac manuals).
I also use a 40 gig IPOD as well as IPOD mini that I sometimes use for transferring larger files.
My 512 goes everywhere with me as I travel a lot it comes in very handy!
bookmarks, resume, vcf card, mp3's, remote desktop for windows and mac, and porn for the road!
I keep a set of programs to de-louse PCs with, i.e. Ad-Aware plus a new data file, a few other programs and batch files. And there is still enough room on mine to store whatever else I may have to, during the workday (Belarc Audits and whatnot).