Favorate bootable usb like SARDU and tools you include

[kpk1]

I've been using a Zalman also for many years. Some of the older PCs wouldn't recognize it, but most modern PCs will boot from it just fine. Most times, I don't modify BIOS either, just hit the "Select Boot Drive" key and go from there.

Usability hint: A while back, I realized that I could use folders within the _ISO folder to make it easier to manage and locate the desired ISO.
Today, my _ISO folder has these folders:

• ACRONIS - the boot CDs for each version of Acronis, plus the boot CD for Disk Director
• DART - the ERDxx ISOs
• LIVE CDs - A large variety of "rescue-type" CDs, such as Avast, AVG, Hiren's, UBCD4Win, Ultimate Boot, Win7PE, Win8PE, Windows Defender Offline, etc
• VISTA - the SP2 universal install and repair CDs for both x64 & x86
• WINDOWS 7 - the SP1 universal install and repair CDs for both x64 & x86
• WINDOWS 8 - Win 8.1 install CDs for both x64 & x86
• WINDOWS 10 - The tech preview install CDs for both x64 & x86
• WINDOWS XP - Various SP3 install CDs for Home/Pro/MCE

The remainder of the HD in the Zalman contains all my other normal non-standalone tools for malware removal, etc.

p.s. It's a 320GB HD in the Zalman and is currently about 50% full.

Great idea....think I'll try that out with mine....

 

[bigdessert]

I have a zalman 300 that broke twice on me. Both times easily repairable with soldering iron. I just epoxy glued the crap out of the board inside and it has been problem free.

 

[allanc]

I think most of the Zalman problems are cured by getting a USB Y cord so that you can grab extra power from a second USB port. The single cord can't supply enough current... 500mA from USB 2 or 800mA from USB 3 is not enough to power most conventional laptop drives. The alternative is to use an SSD. A conventional drive pulls about 1 amp, but an SSD only pulls about 0.1 amp.
I also had problems from a VE300, after upgrading from a VE200, but my current VE400 is very reliable.

I have found USB 2.0 'Y' cables but not USB 3.0
Any specific part #'s?

 

[Bubbajoe]

Gandalf50's iso. He's about to release another update (re: his comment made on 12/15/14):

http://windowsmatters.com/2014/05/15/standalone-win8-1update_pe-x64-or-x86-2/

Also has a 32/64 dual boot version:

http://windowsmatters.com/2014/01/20/new-dual-booting-win8-1pe-x86-x64/

 

[numnutz]

I've had a Zalman ZM-VE300 for a couple of years and it has never worked right for me from the start. Maybe one boot out of fifteen I can actually get the pc to boot from it. I've read several tutorials, followed the steps to the letter, and now it mostly collects dust on a shelf. Probably a PEBCAC error, I'm sure.

exactly my experience, I actually sold mine to someone on Technibble.

 

[ell]

I love my easy2boot usb drives, they even do ufei.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

I don't use SARDU. I have a zalman ZM-VE300 and 256gb SSD filled with ISOs I can boot from.

Everything from Anti-Virus rescue disks, install disks for every flavour of Windows and Server and password, cloning and partition tools. I also have driver packs and driverpack solution on there as well as some WinPE disks I've created for FABs, D7 and forensic purposes.

When I started out 9 years ago I used to carry lots of CDs/DVDs but this has replaced the lot!

I have the same setup. I stumbled across this when toying with SARDU and other options such as YUMI, but just didn't seem like any of them were a real good fit for what I wanted. My VE-300 with SSD is the perfect fit for me.

 

[SlobaBgd]

I love my easy2boot usb drives, they even do ufei.

I just tried Easy2Boot, looks better than Sardu. but it is much slower than Sardu, slower loading menu, slower booting ISO images.
I'm waiting for that new non-beta release of Sardu.