The best known uses for a USB flash drive.

Certainly, there are a number of uses for flash drives that are very familiar to us. Let’s take a look at some alternatives:

Watching movies or series on TV

One of the great ideas we put into practice with these storage units is to save movies and series to take with us on trips. As a result, we will be able to watch these contents on any TV, computer, etc. In this way, we will not have to resort to streaming platforms or the fact of having Internet.

Saving files

It is clear that one of the utilities that we take advantage of these USB flash drives is the simple fact of storing all those documents that we do not want to lose.

Recording programs

Many TVs allow us to record as standard the different programs we watch on DTT. However, we will need the help of a USB flash drive so that they can be stored. And, later, it will be as simple as playing the content from the USB to see the program that we had recorded. There are even external memories that bring with them this functionality. Esp in case the TV does not come with this tool as standard.

Have a portable antivirus

Virtually all computers come with an antivirus as standard. However, we may want to use the software we have full confidence in to protect our PC. In that case, we can always carry a portable antivirus installed on the USB memory stick to use it at any time.

To install an operating system

Another common practice will be to install an operating system from these storage units. Moreover, the type of system does not matter. The important thing is that we have software installed on the USB flash drive. Especially in the event that we have to install it on another computer, either because it does not come as standard or because we wanted to format the computer.

Create a backup/data recovery drive

The basic utility is to be able to create an external recovery unit in case we cannot use the one on the computer itself. In the same way, we will be able to save backup copies of other devices.

To update devices

Just as we can use it to install an operating system, these external memory sticks can be used to update the software version of different devices. For example, Smart TV, computers. Particularly in the case that we cannot do it directly from these through the Internet.

Three more unusual uses for a USB flash drive

Certainly the previous ones are among the most known uses that we can carry out with a USB flash drive. However, there are other uses less known by users. Let’s see some of them:

As hard disk cache with ReadyBoost

In this case, using a USB 3.0 flash drive with ReadyBoost will allow us to increase the performance of the computer. To do this, we will have to right-click on the USB flash drive unit. Once there, we will have to go to the ReadyBoost tab. And, finally, we will have to choose the amount of space we want to use as cache. However, this option is only available if we have a hard drive. Indeed, if you have an SSD, using this external memory as cache will be counterproductive.

To run a web server

Another of the utilities that possibly not all users with a USB flash drive are aware of is the fact that it can be used to carry a web server with us at all times. That is, we can host it in a simple way, although, to achieve this, we must use an app. One of the best knows is Server2Go, which is compatible with Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl.

Use it as a PC access key

Finally, we will be able to use a USB to lock or unlock a PC. Basically, it will be like the access key to the computer we normally use. Although, in general, we will have to resort to specific programs such as USB Raptor or Predator so that we can configure this functionality. However, on Windows, we will have the Security Key tool available. In any case, when you disconnect the memory, the PC will turn off the screen. Very well, in this way we have seen interesting uses for a USB flash drive. Bye!

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There is a solution that has been in development for some time now and that is to transmit the screen via USB using ADB. Thanks to an app called Vysor. You can duplicate the screen of your phone on your PC in an elementary way. Besides, this app is free, so you can try it without any problem. In this post, we will show you how to mirror your Android screen to PC via USB.

Downloading the Vysor App

Download and install the Vysor App by following the link below:

Google Play | Vysor Android control on PC

Enabling Developer Options

Once you have installed the Vysor App, the first thing you should do is to activate the Developer Options, this is an advanced options menu that is hidden in Android. In this menu, you can change more specific system settings. It will be of vital importance for the following steps and the correct functioning of Vysor.

First step

Go to the settings of your Android phone, then go to the “Device Information” section. In the case of Xiaomi, it is “About phone”. You should take into account that the names of these menus may change depending on the brand of your phone, if you have problems locating them I recommend you to use the settings search engine.

Second step

After you are in the section where the device’s system information is displayed. Tap five times on “Build number”. In the case of Xiaomi, you must tap five times on “MIUI Version”. This will activate the Developer options.

Enabling USB Debugging

Another requirement for the Vysor app to work is to enable USB Debugging.

First step

Go to the Developer Options, you can use the browser settings to find it more easily. In Xiaomi, you can find it in Settings>Additional settings>developer options.

Second step

Then scroll down and in the debugging section, enable USB debugging. Also if you have a Xiaomi phone, in this same section enable the “USB debugging (security settings)” setting. Please note that to enable this option, you need to have a Xiaomi account linked to your phone. You may need to wait sometime after you have linked your account to enable this option. Finally, in this same section, enable the “Install via USB” option and disable the “Verify apps over USB” option.

Download Vysor on your PC

Your phone configuration is ready but you need to install the Vysor client on your PC. The process is really simple, you must download the installer (choose your operating system, Windows, Mac, or Linux) from the official Vysor website and then run it. After a few minutes, you will notice how the program starts without any problem.

Connect your phone to your PC

Then connect your phone to your PC using a USB cable and you will notice how it starts installing drivers. Confirm the requests to get access to your phone.

After that, press the “View” button in the Vysor window on your PC. You will get a message about installing APK, then you will be able to see the phone screen on the PC. And that’s it. Enjoy!

Conclusion

The possibility to mirror the screen of your Android to a PC via USB is very convenient, it can be used for academic purposes for work, or fun. And thanks to Vysor the process is quite simplified. Thanks for reading us. Bye!

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How to format a USB drive using PowerShell

The first thing you have to do is to open a PowerShell with administrator privileges. With this in mind, press the Win+X combination. Next, select the corresponding option.

Then, you must use the following syntax:

Format-Volume -DriveLetter -FileSystem -NewFileSystemLabel 

Please note that the parameters are as follows:

• In the -DriveLetter line, enter the letter assigned by the system to the USB.
• In the -FileSystem line please assign the format to set (NTFS, FAT32, etc).
• NewFileSystemLabel allows you to add a label to the USB flash drive.

In our example, the command would look like this:

Format-Volume -DriveLetter F -FileSystem NTFS -NewFileSystemLabel Osradar

At the end of the process, a message like this will be displayed.

How to perform low-level formatting with PowerShell

It is also possible to perform a low-level formatting. That is, a more complete task that takes more time. However, it allows to erase more complete sectors of the USB drive. Please use the following syntax:

Format-Volume -DriveLetter -FileSystem -Full -Force

See the image for a particular example:

After a while, we will see a window similar to the previous one.

Other operations available from PowerShell. Erasing the contents of the USB flash drive.

We can also perform other operations from the console. In this opportunity we will erase the content of the USB memory. With this in mind, from the PowerShell with administrator privileges please run the following command:

Get-Disk

This command shows a list of available disks. This command shows a list of available disks. In this case, the USB flash drive has the number 2 assigned to it. Consequently, we will erase the data from the disk using its number:

Get-Disk 2 | Clear-Disk -RemoveData

Please note that the number may be different on your computer. Please press Y to confirm the operation.

Now let’s create the new partition on the USB with the command:

New-Partition -DiskNumber 2 -UseMaximumSize

With this command we have assigned the maximum capacity of the USB flash drive.

Next we will apply a quick format with the desired file system:

Get-Partition -DiskNumber 2 | Format-Volume -FileSystem NTFS -NewFileSystemLabel Osradar

Finally, we are going to assign the letter to the USB:

Get-Partition -DiskNumber 2 | Set-Partition -NewDriveLetter D

You can notice how the system now recognizes the USB flash drive. To check it, just go to file explorer

Okay, so we have seen how to format a USB flash drive with PowerShell. It is an option to properly clean these devices. Goodbye!

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How to disable Windows 10 USB ports from Registry Editor

For the first method, we will use the Windows registry editor. Therefore, it is advisable to create a registry backup. Or enable a system restore point. Next, open the registry editor by pressing the Win+R combination and executing the regedit command.

In the registry editor, please find the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

A new window will be displayed immediately.

As you can see, the value is set to 3 by default. Consequently, you should change it to 4. Please accept to save the changes.

How to disable USB ports from the device manager.

Another functional method is to resort to the device manager. With this in mind, press the Win+X combination to launch it.

A new window will be displayed immediately. Now please go to the Universal Serial Bus Controller section. Then right-click on the USB device and select Disable device.

Then accept the warning message. Finally, check the device manager to verify that the USB device is already correctly disabled.

Disable Windows 10 USB ports with Group Policy.

The last method I propose involves editing the group policies of Windows 10. It is a simple procedure that we detail in this tutorial. Okay, we have finally seen how to disable access to USB devices in Windows 10. Bye!

The post How to disable access to USB devices in Windows 10 appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

Removing write protection from USB with DiskPart.

There are many proposed methods. However, most of them derive from the use of DiskPart, so if this solution doesn’t work, then most of them won’t work either. Well, what we will do is to use this powerful disk manager built into Windows 10. With this in mind, press the Win+R combination. Once the box opens, please run the following command:

diskpart

Next, it is necessary to list all the disks present in the system. With this in mind, run the following command:

list disk

As you can see in the image, there are two disks installed. In this case, the external memory corresponds to Disk 1, so it is necessary to select it. With this in mind, run the following command:

select disk 1

Once the disk is selected, it is time to remove the read-only attribute. To do this, run the following command:

Attributes disk clear readonly

It is now sufficient to remove the memory and insert it again.

Using low-level formatting.

If the above method does not work, there is still an option. For this, it is necessary to apply low-level formatting. Of course, this will erase all data present in memory. But at least we will be able to use it again. Consequently, we will use the HDD LLF app. This program is free, but it is possible to pay a fee to remove speed limitations. Specifically, the free version is limited to 180 GB per hour or 50 MB/s. Moreover, it is very light and portable. You can download it from here. By executing it, you will be able to manage the payment. Otherwise, you can continue free of charge. In the interface, you will see the disks present. Please select the external memory.

Next, click on the Low-level format tab. Here are a couple of formatting options. If you want to remove the write protection, and also correct any problems, then select Format this device. This involves complete low-level formatting. So it will take a little longer. If, on the other hand, you only want to remove the attribute, then check the quick formatting box.

Whatever your choice, you will eventually see this screen.

Once again, it is necessary to reinsert the USB drive and check if the problem is solved. Okay, we have seen how to remove write protection from USB flash drives in Windows 10. In addition, we analyzed one option with a command line and another with third-party tools. See you later!

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How to block the USB ports in Windows 10 using the Group Policy Editor

The first thing you need to know is that this is a totally safe process. Furthermore, it is perfectly reversible. That is, at any time you can re-enable the USB ports. To open the directive editor, please press the Win+R combination and run the following command:

gpedit.msc

The Windows Policy Editor will be displayed immediately. Please select the following path:

Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>System>Removable Storage Access

Then double-click on Removable Storage Access. This action will display all available policies. This time you should select All Removable Storage classes: Deny all access.

By double-clicking on the policy, the options will be displayed. As you can see, it is not configured by default. So to block access to USB devices you just have to enable the Policy.

At the end of the process, access to any storage device outside the computer will already be blocked. However, if you want to reverse the ban, the procedure is very simple. Just follow the steps above. The difference is that you must disable or not configure the policy.

Conclusion

The Windows Policy Editor is a very complete tool. From there you can manage multiple aspects of the system. Indeed, it can be used for to block the USB ports in Windows 10. And in this way increase the protection of the user’s data. All right, that’s it for now. In the next post we will continue to delve into the security of Windows 10. See you soon!

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Are you in need of writing multiple USB devices at once? Meet GNOME-multi-writer – an effective tool that can successfully write multiple USB flash drives at once. There’s no limit how much drives it can handle. The only limitation is the file size – 1GB to 32GB, nothing bigger.

Quick note – make sure that your USB drives are big enough to house the data properly.

Installing GNOME-multi-writer

For installing GNOME-multi-writer, you have to get the package from either Pkgs or from your distro repository. Run the following commands according to your Linux distro –

• Ubuntu

sudo apt install gnome-multi-writer

• Debian

sudo apt-get install gnome-multi-writer

• Fedora

Download the appropriate RPM package. Then, run the following command –

sudo dnf install gnome-multi-writer-3.28.*.rpm

• OpenSUSE

Download the proper RPM package and run the following command –

sudo zypper install gnome-multi-writer-3.26.0-lp150.2.6.x86_64.rpm.html

• Arch Linux

Get GNOME Multi Writer for Arch Linux.

• Other Linux distros

Check out Pkgs.org to find out the appropriate package for your Linux distro.

Using GNOME-multi-writer

This tool is only able to write down ISO files. That means, this tool is also great to burn the ISO of a system, for example, the installation image of Linux distros.

If you have an IMG – raw image file, you need to convert it to ISO first. Use “ccd2iso” to convert it. The command line would be –

ccd2iso /path/to/filename.img /destination/path/filename.iso

If you want, you can even make an ISO of your important folder! Run the following command –

mkisofs -o <iso_filename>.iso /home/<username>/folder

After you’re ready with your ISO file, it’s time to burn the image. Fire up the tool –

sudo gnome-multi-writer

Here’s the main window of the tool.

For choosing your ISO, go to menu >> Import ISO file.

After selecting, you’ll notice the ISO name at the top bar.

Now, just connect all your flash drives with your PC.

Once all are connected, just click “Start Copying”. Note that all the present data in your USB drives will be lost, so make sure that there are no important files there.

Voila! All your USB drives have the same data.

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However, this fame is also misused by cheaters. They create a USB drive with fake storage space in it. The outlook and everything else seems fine, until you’re on a desperate move and find out that it was a fake. When you connect your device to the computer, it’ll show the amount written on the box, but in reality, it’s not. This is the prime feature of fake USB storage devices.

Note: When you purchase a USB drive, there is some preserved, inaccessible memory by default. For example, an original 16GB USB flash drive may show 14-15GB, which is pretty normal. No need to get carried away in such situation.

In order to check how much space is truly available on your USB drive, you can perform some checks with some specialized tools. Here are some of the easiest and best tools to help you out. Note that each testing tool creates a test file on your USB flash drive and in most cases, delete all the present files. So, make a backup of all the files from your testing USB drive. The testing process will need some time as well.

• RMPrepUSB

It’s a rich collection of a handy set of tools that allow you to perform tons of actions with your USB flash drive. You can create a bootable USB drive for OS installation (Windows, Linux etc.). The entire interface is a bit confusing, so don’t mess up.

However, we’ll be using the “Quick Size Test” feature on the right panel. Click on the button and follow the on-screen instructions to check out the real size of your SD card or USB drive.

• FakeFlashTest

This is another software from the author of RMPrepUSB. However, this tool is only specialized edition for checking out SD cards or USB drives. It writes data to all the spaces inside the storage and verifies all the data one by one.

This is a very lightweight and powerful tool that offers you to leave the files and check the empty spaces only. Thus, you don’t have to worry about your data being lost.

• H2testw

This is a rather old tool to calculate and verify the actual storage capacity of your USB drive or SD card. However, the tool is quite efficient and easy to use.

Connect your USB drive to your computer, open the program, select your drive and click “Write + Verify”. It’s quite simple, right?

Now, if you got a fake USB drive, you should immediately contact the seller with proof in your hand. If your USB drive is alright, that’s satisfying, right?

• CapacityTester

For Linux users, you can use CapacityTester. It’s quite simple as H2testw and the interface is quite self-explanatory. Mount your SD card or USB drive, select it in the software and click “Start Test”.

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