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[JoshuaFH]

So I abandoned my idea to build my own computer, and now I'm thinking smaller. So I'm thinking of getting a Flash Drive.

I heard that since my college's home computers don't have flash, and I can't download anything onto them, a flashdrive would help since I can just run programs from the flashdrive instead of putting anything on the computer.

How could I use this to my advantage if I got one? I've never owned one before, and I'm unsure of how it actually works. So I could, say, get the macromedia flash program on one, and use it to watch Youtube videos? Or put DoomRL on it and play it from there? Or put movies W/ player on it and just watch them from the flashdrive?

Also, what should I be looking for when buying one?

Imput and advice appreciated.

[kalida99]

You can put just about anything on a flash drive and carry it around and use it anywhere. Mine has the VLC media player, DF, Diablo 2, and an archive of hundreds of funny pictures.

When looking for one, find a good durable with a lot of space.

I use a Kingston one, cheap with 2gb of space, 5$ at the local gas station. But the button that pushes out the data stick is starting to go, so find one without a spring button.

[eerr]

MMM, flash on a flash drive won't work.

Flash installs a number on a computer's registry.
I don't think flash drives have a registry.

And you can fool IE into thinking flash isn't installed with Flash Bang, which just removes or adds back the registry key.

[Duke 2.0]

 Firefox has a version specifically made to be used inside a flash drive. There is also a method to have Flash on the flash drive so Firefox can use it even if the computer lacks it.

 But yeah, try not to have programs running out of it that are not made to be used from Flash Drives. Generally when they die you can still read data but not write it, so don't worry about it too much. I'm sure DooMRL would work alright.

 And yeah, not much to look out for when buying one. Well, make sure it isn't much thicker than the USB hub, so you can hook it in with multiple devices around it. My brother once owned a USB media player that was rather thick, and prevented us from using the other USB hubs on the front panel when it was plugged in. So yeah, get something that doesn't look too cheap and is relatively thin.

[JoshuaFH]

Question: Can a USB flash drive be put on a password lock, so no one can use it or see what's inside without entering a password?

Think I can have a keychain or something similar attached to it and just carry it on my lanyard at all times?

[kcwong]

Question: Can a USB flash drive be put on a password lock, so no one can use it or see what's inside without entering a password?

Flash drive manufacturers may include a program in the flash drive to encrypt files. I know SanDisk does that.

Some flash drives do a lot on autorun (i.e. insert into a computer), installing programs on the computer (that may be removed when you pull the flash drive out). These programs may be a file synchronization manager, encryption/decryption tools and such.

However Windows 7 by default disable autorun for flash drives for security reasons, so that'd prevent those programs from working (you have to run them manually).

Think I can have a keychain or something similar attached to it and just carry it on my lanyard at all times?

Yes, almost all flash drives have a hole on their casings for exactly that purpose.

[ChairmanPoo]

you could also use this freebie encryption program, truecrypt.

[JoshuaFH]

I take it that this truecrypt is easy to use and offers what I'm asking for? I've read a portion of the website, and it looks really nice, but a second opinion would be great. Do you use it Chairman?

[Ampersand]

Windows itself has Bitlocker, but I'm not sure it offers the same kind of portability Truecrypt does. Well, 7 does.

[JoshuaFH]

Reviving due to development. I got two different brands of flash drives. My first ones.

One has a little hole for my lanyard, and the other doesn't. They're both 4GB sticks. They each have different ways of revealing the usb part of the thing. One has a hard plastic sleeve that slides up and down, while the other has a button that pushes it in and out of the protective casing.

I don't know why the one didn't have a bit for my lanyard. It DOES have a thing in the back, as though it was originally designed for one, but it's so small that I can't make use of it.

[eerr]

Is the hole Large enough for a tiny keyring?

[JoshuaFH]

...Possibly.

I wish I had another computer so I could test out whether I can easily place VLC media player on it, which I think would be useful.

[alway]

Try slipping some thread through the small hole. Use enough thread and it should be relatively sturdy. In other words, tie it to the lanyard.
Oh, and if you are searching for larger sizes, be sure to check out online stores like newegg.com, since they will be a heck of a lot cheaper than normal retail. 16gb are usually only about $30 IIRC, and that's big enough for just about anything.

[eerr]

Try slipping some thread through the small hole. Use enough thread and it should be relatively sturdy. In other words, tie it to the lanyard.
Oh, and if you are searching for larger sizes, be sure to check out online stores like newegg.com, since they will be a heck of a lot cheaper than normal retail. 16gb are usually only about $30 IIRC, and that's big enough for just about anything.

Do they come with that software which creates virtual drives?

[Roundabout Lout]

www.portableapps.com

There's a lot of apps on here that are made to run off a flash drive, including Openoffice.
Worth a browse.