Making a utilitarian USB key, and I'm stuck!

[The Tehkwhiz]

Hello!

I have an 8GB USB key, and I want to put a bunch of software, utilities, etc. on it. So that way, when I go to a friend's house, or my parent's house to fix their computer, or diagnose whatever issue it's having, clean it out, etc., I have a USB key with everything I could ever need (aside from an ISO of Windows) to fix it.

But, I can't think of anything - I have writer's block!

All I've thought of is Spybot S&D, Malwarebytes, and DBAN.


If you were to make a utility/repair USB key, what would you put on it? I need ideas, I'd appreciate it!


Happy Holidays!

William

 

[Golden]

Hi William,

I would use YUMI to create bootable versions of some tools you are considering, in case your friends/famlys computers no longer boot.

I would put PepperMint3 on there, so you can boot into non-bootable computers and copy critical data off it.

Another useful utility is Macrium, for creating and restoring system images - get the ISO here:
https://drive.google.com/#folders/0B6gVug1Gs-l1b1VvWWd6b0dLSE0

A bootable anti-virus utility is also a must. There are links on the YUMI application to download those.

Regards,
Golden

 

[The Tehkwhiz]

Hi William,

I would use YUMI to create bootable versions of some tools you are considering, in case your friends/famlys computers no longer boot.

I would put PepperMint3 on there, so you can boot into non-bootable computers and copy critical data off it.

Another useful utility is Macrium, for creating and restoring system images - get the ISO here:
https://drive.google.com/#folders/0B6gVug1Gs-l1b1VvWWd6b0dLSE0

A bootable anti-virus utility is also a must. There are links on the YUMI application to download those.

Regards,
Golden

Thanks! But, do you also have any suggestions for programs to put on there, than I can run within the Windows desktop?

 

[Ztruker]

Some that come to mind:

CCleaner
Revo Uninstaller
Latest removal tools for Norton, McAfee, AVG and AOL
Tweaking.com - Windows Repair All-In-One
WhoCrashed
BlueScreenView
Farbar Mini Toolbar
SpeedFan
Magic Jellybean Keyfinder
ShellExView
Piriform Speccy
USBDeview
Treesize Free
Lock Hunter and/or Unlocker
TeraCopy

Edit: Most will have to be installed though

 

[Golden]

7-Zip Portable | PortableApps.com - Portable software for USB, portable and cloud drives

 

[DavidE]

You can look through this sticky thread for programs.

http://www.sevenforums.com/software/215829-free-great-programs-windows-7-2-a.html

 

[King Arthur]

I would include CrystalDiskInfo for quick and easy HDD/SSD diagnosis via SMART.

 

[gregrocker]

I carry a USB bootable installer for both Win7 32- and 64-bit - it will boot the one I want if i move its files into the root before booting with stick. I can also add any other apps I want to it but none of them will be bootable on their own. To do that you need to use something like Hiren's BootCD From USB Flash Drive (Pen Drive) » www.hiren.info or Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) from a USB flash drive | USB Pen Drive Linux

 

[mjf]

I think YUMI is probably the simplest ABC approach but it is geared a bit towards linux (denian etc).
I still use Grub4Dos which Pendrive seem to have ditched. Both this and YUMI are good for running ISOs.

Alternatively I also have a WinPe boot USB. I use Q-DIR as a more flexible Windows Explorer interface and run virtually any portable application. Making a Winpe is really quite straight forward if you download the MS WAIK files (~1.7GB). I would recommend downloading WAIK for Windows 7 before it's pulled.

I'm not sure how easy it is to run a DVD/CD based ISO app from a Winpe boot disk. I'm talking about things like Hirens boot disk etc. One of the members, SIW2, could comment on this.

 

[gregrocker]

Michael can Yumi boot Win7 installers and most other bootable tools like Partition Wizard, Memtest, etc. all from the same stick?

 

[Golden]

Yes Greg, it most definately does.

 

[gregrocker]

Then I've put off trying it too long.

I just got my new Kingston Data Traveler 16gb @ $12 free shipping buy.com.

On it. Thanks.

 

[Golden]

Then I've put off trying it too long.

I just got my new Kingston Data Traveler 16gb @ $12 free shipping buy.com.

On it. Thanks.

In that case, here's an early Christmas present for you:

Unzip this and put it in the Unlisted ISO section of YUMI - now you can create/restore images from your USB too.

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks, Colin. Do you think my Acronis boot CD ISO would work as well? Does Yumi work with almost any bootable ISO?

 

[Golden]

It may Greg, just dump anything that isn't on the YUMI pre-defined list into the Unlisted ISO. Everything that I have need has worked, but I'm sure there will be a few things that dont.

   Tip

Make sure the ISO's put into Unlisted ISO do NOT have spaces in the name, or they will not boot

 

[gregrocker]

Throwing all of my bootable ISO tools on it to test them. I see it doesn't have any Win7 entries in dropdown, so should I add them under Other?

 

[mjf]

Michael can Yumi boot Win7 installers and most other bootable tools like Partition Wizard, Memtest, etc. all from the same stick?

Sorry Greg in terms of multiple Win 7 installers I don't know because I'm not a YUMI user at the moment. I understand it's fine for most other bootable tools - wiser people can comment. I still do system installations from DVDs but everything else works fine for me from Grub4Dos.
With Grub4Dos and possibly YUMI when you have an ISO update the change to the USB Flash drive is trivial. This is why I like it.

 

[Golden]

Put the Windows 7 ISO here:

 

[mjf]

Yes but could you install multiple Windows installers (W7, W8 - premium, professional,...? I thought that was the question??

 

[gregrocker]

Formatted the stick FAT32 using YUMI then added a bunch of my bootable tool ISO's. Rebooted to boot the stick and I get Verifying DMI Pool data with a blinking cursor.

Have now formatted and reloaded various ISO's 3 times and can't get past blinking cursor at boot on 2 home PC's - on one the BIOS prompts to Update DMI. I wonder if it has to do with it being a USB 3.0 stick, although it boots on same PC's when formatted nt60 by UltraISO.

Tried formatting NTFS still no luck. I wonder if USB 3 won't work with a SysLinux MBR, whereas it was working fine with nt60 MBR.

Just reformatted and wrote Win7 installer with UltraISO and stick boots normally. I'd really like to make all of my tools bootable on the stick though.