Best way to setup flash drives?

[Super Fast]

Ok, here is something I wonder here.

 

What is the BEST way to organize flash drives?

What I mean is, you have Windows 98 (definitely needs cleaning with ccleaner sometimes), then you have 32 bit versions of XP/Vista/7 as well as the 64 bit (& other windows distros not listed here because they are just not used as much)

 

I set up my flash drive as a bootable flash drive so I can re-install my 7 I bought with it.

Then I marked all the setup files hidden so I can use it for storage.

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Primary uses are: Backup/Optimize/Update

 

Backup: Drivers/Computers/Files

Optimize: Clean/Defragment/Malware

Update: CD-DVD/Internet/System -> CD-DVD = burning apps|Internet has Browser/Plugins folder that has Firefox/Internet Explorer/Chrome/Ad Block+ | System has Media Player/Service Packs/Tweaks etc...

 

Seems pretty simple. Each has icons from the system32 shell so it loads when you plug it in (ease of use).

 

From that 1 flash drive, I can backup drivers, update windows, or run malware/antivirus scans + re-install windows

I am going to make the flash drive read only eventually, so no viruses can write to it.

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Anyway, here is one of my dilemma's and I wanna see how you guys think I should handle it?

 

2.36 is the last version of CCleaner to support Win98. So that, along with a good zip program & a good image viewer & a slightly older Opera release + Windows Media Player 11 skin for MP9 on W98/ME works good. But I am going to burn all the 95/98/ME utils to CD since you cannot run them from a flash drive without installing usb drivers first! Since they have to be installed via internet or CD/DVD, might as well just burn them to CD & use that!

 

But then, I have CCleaner 32 & 64 bit versions:

 

Is it better to simply run a single CCleaner (32 bit) for 32 & 64 bit systems? Is there really any difference in trash cleaned?

Or should I have in the cleanup folder --> 32 Bit & 64 Bit so I can run them on any system?

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Let me know what suggestions you all have, & if you have better ideas.

 

Some of you may wonder why I still use Windows 98 sometimes, since it is very buggy. Well, I have an older racing game that has a steering wheel + gas & brake pedals for it. Works great in 98/ME, but under XP, even with compatibility mode, still no go. Won't do the audio OR the steering wheel in the game. It has to be because XP broke away from true direct access to audio hardware & started using HAL to access it with software emulation.

 

I am thinking of trying it later with DOS Box to see if it will work in a newer OS with DOS Box. I'd love for it to work so I can kick the remaining thing holding me to 98!

 

I am open to suggestions here, as well as ideas you all have.

I thought of using a portable start menu, but that is out, because if you do your folders right, you have no more than 3 folder layers to any utility you wish.

Running a launcher is simply more to load on your drive.

Additionally, new programs would have to be manually added.

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Let me know your thoughts!

 

P.S. Be sure to let me know if you think I should use 32 Bit CCleaner/Defraggler/Recuva for 32 bit & 64 Bit systems (simpler, less files to use) or 32 bit for 32 bit systems, & 64 Bit for 64.

 

As far as I can tell, CCleaner/Defraggler/Recuva work identically on a 64 bit system with the 32 bit versions, except for certain tweaks or support for 64 Bit cleaning, right?

 

Or does say, Recuva have to be 64 Bit on 64 Bit systems to recover files properly?

 

Thank you for all your ideas/input & I look forward to reading your replies. I have tinkered with 64 Bit, but I am afraid to go full time because of the following:

 

- 98% or more of software is 32 Bits, with some older ones even being 16 bits! There is a growing amount of 64 bit software recently, & drivers may be no problem, BUT... Sometimes 32 Bit software fails under a 64 Bits system, or just gives a cryptic error message that this isn't compatible with 64 Bits!

- So much software, in fact, is 32 Bits, it may be hell trying to update all the programs businesses use to 64 Bit versions. A lot of 32 Bit will work on 64 Bit. But NOT all.

 

Thanks for your inputs, & I love if you post your answer(s)/solutions!

[hazelnut]

My own opinion here... I have things shared out to different flash drives that way it's not such a loss if it fails.

 

Also DOSBox should enable you to organize things differently. Give it a try before making anymore decisions.

[rridgely]

Are you looking for tips on what to do on your own PCs or when working with other people's computers?

 

I set up my windows 7 pc where if there is ever any problems with it, I can just reinstall everything in about 2 hours(probably less than that).

What I did was partition my HD so that all my data is on a different partition than my windows install. Then I used windows 7's image back up feature on an external hard drive. I've gotten to where I don't like messing with file system/driver errors anymore, I can just reformat to a nice clean install in about the same time and then I have a fresh and fast new install. I did the image back up right at the point of a new install so all I have to do is grab the latest installers for any drivers/software I use and I'm good to go. (I only reformatted this pc once when I first got it because of a driver issue, and this worked perfect.) I have all my stuff backed up to external drives anyway so I figured this practice would be super efficient even if my hard drive failed in my pc(same process basically after installing new drive).

 

I used to do what your doing now and keep installers for certain programs, ect. But I always ended up downloading the latest versions and stuff anytime I actually needed to use them(thus it was useless to keep back ups.) I do keep installers for stuff like MS office, but not browsers, media players, or security software.

 

I use windows 7 64bit pro and I haven't noticed any problems with 32bit software not working. I do know that the pro version includes a free version of an xp virtual machine(XP mode) but to be honest I haven't had to fire that up even once in order to get anything working. I'm just using basic stuff though. I do know that windows 7(not sure about vista) keeps a separate program files folder for your x86 software and from my computer at least almost all my stuff installs in there and I've never seen any errors yet.

[Super Fast]

My own opinion here... I have things shared out to different flash drives that way it's not such a loss if it fails.

 

Also DOSBox should enable you to organize things differently. Give it a try before making anymore decisions.

I do intend on trying DosBox, & I have 3 flash drives at the moment.

 

Excellent suggestions.

 

Am thinking of making the flash drive read only once finished, so it will be unable to have disconnect errors. If the PC cannot write to the flash drive, it will eliminate all viruses from writing to the drive as well as Windows never having to do a disk check

[redhawk]

You cannot make a flash drive read-only.

 

Richard S.

[Super Fast]

You cannot make a flash drive read-only.

 

Richard S.

 

I am not so sure about that.

 

Some say that you can't make flash drives bootable either.

But I have made mine bootable. Works great!

 

Additionally, sandisk cruzer drives sometimes have "read only" sectors where the data stored within is treated like a cd/dvd drive such that you cannot alter the contents once added to it save for adding or removing it via sandisk's special utility. I read with interest a while back concerning modifying the image used so that a user could expand the content & use whatever they wanted on it.

 

It was complex, but rather than do it that way, I used the sandisk utility to erase the U3 partition, & I believe I do have a few tricks to make it read only. Came across it just the other day.

 

I don't like to say never!

Although these may not be totally perfect, there are several areas I may be looking into:

 

- USB write blocker apps. By activating a certain registry key, all writes to USB drives are blocked, but reading is still possible.

- Mark the files as System + Read only. This will give files special priviledges normally reserved only for Windows files.

- Create empty Autorun inf file (that does nothing) & is also marked as System + Read only. If malware tried to overwrite it, it would be blocked.

 

- Dump apps I know will never be changed into a folder & use WinRar to give the folder the following features:

..No compression folder so nothing has to be extracted, but can be directly run from the container. This will be faster & extend flash drive life.

..Set to open folder via Rar SFX relative path command when double clicked (after password is correctly entered). The will stop malware from modifying encrypted files.

..System Drive icon. Mainly to give the illusion of another partition on the flash drive, & to help understand what folder contents are at a glance.

 

* It may be possible to edit U3 area of a flash drive, but I don't like to use a technology that doesn't exist on all flash drives. So, no on that.

 

If you can think of other suggestions that would be beneficial, have at it!

 

Who knows?

 

Maybe if there were a way to store the files in a Read Only iso container marked System as well, & get it to be recognized as a cd/dvd drive!

There are many options. Let me know what you have been thinking!

[Alan_B]

- USB write blocker apps. By activating a certain registry key, all writes to USB drives are blocked, but reading is still possible.

 

I once used a registry twiddling "Folder Hider" utility on a USB Drive.

Worked perfectly - until I plugged the drive into a different P.C. which had not had the registry twiddled.