Thumbdrive Tools

[therealcrazy8]

I got a few thumbdrives that I have thought about putting applications on that would allow me to have portable tools when I go places for easy and fast access to those tools and hopefully a faster resolve of the issue(s). I have come across tools once in a while that people put on thumb drives, and a couple of those would include antivirus software/tools, easy2boot (which I tried to setup and failed), and a few other things that I'm not recalling at the moment. Im just wonder what you guys have on your thumbdrives to help you install certain things or help you resolve certain issues.

 

[Altster]

ATM, I have the following on thumbdrives (that I can remember):

Linux Mint 17
Windows 8.1 Pro
Hirens
Clonezilla
Current updated Win7ProSP1 & Win7HomePremSP1
Windows 10
A YUMI-based boot USB with various bootable tools (can't recall what all is on it at the moment)

and more which I'm sure I'm leaving out

 

[GTP]

I have a 512GB SSD in a USB 3.0 enclosure that has about 250GB of "tools" on it. I have two partitions on it. I use Yumi and/or XBoot to install bootable tools like:
Mint 18 (32 and 64bit)
ReDo Backup
DiskCopy
CloneZilla
Acronis True Image
Debian (32 and 64bit)
Kali Linux (for pen testing)
Ophcrack XP
Ophcrack Vista
GParted
NT Backup and Password reset
AVG Rescue Scanner
Acronis Antimalware Scan CD
Antivirus Live
Avira RescueCD
Panda Safe
On the other partition is a folder containing about 120 GB's of Windows and Linux diagnostic tools and software programs.
I have all 13.2 GB's of updates for Windows 7 in WSUS Offline as well as all 24.7 GB's of drivers in SDI Portable.
Nirsoft Utilities complete, AV Installers/Uninstallers, ACHOIR Forensics, Network/WiFi diagnostics, .iso's for Win 7/8.1/10 etc (for testing purposes only), hundreds of downloaded Microsoft Fixit's, batch scripts, command line scripts, recovery tools, repair tools, Windows and Linux programs/installers, How To's, encryption tools, Drive Cleaners, ReadMe's (for clients) website links, etc, etc.

I have a Smasung 120GB USB 3.0 Thumbdrive that has many of the same tools for "field work".

 

[acscva]

I have a lot of what was mentioned above but switched to the Kangaru 256GB USB 3.0 flash drives that have the write protect switch on them. They work great and viruses can't infect my drive as long as I have the switch the right way

 

[GTP]

Yes, thought about getting infections etc, so far so good though. I scan the drives after every job just to be sure.

 

[Krynn72]

I've got an Easy2Boot drive set up with:

Kaspersky Rescue CD
Offline NT Password Remover
Memtest86+
Linux Mint 17 Mate
Parted Magic
Macrium Reflect
MHDD
Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 ISOs

Thats it for bootable utilities, then I have my virus removal tools with UVK, TechToolStore, GSmartControl, Prime95, HWMonitor, untstoppable file copier, Fab's Autobackup, some of our custom Windows images created with Macrium, WSUS Offline updates, and SDI.

 

[gn2]

Another vote for
Memtest(I have several versions that work better depending on the age of the computer, including the UEFI version)
PartedMagic superb tool for easy SecureErase of virtually any ssd.
All Win ISO's.

Does anyone use TronScript ? I've tried it recently, it seems to work pretty well.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

I have a lot of what was mentioned above but switched to the Kangaru 256GB USB 3.0 flash drives that have the write protect switch on them. They work great and viruses can't infect my drive as long as I have the switch the right way

I strongly agree here, it is always a great idea to have a usb drive or enclosure with a write protect switch.

 

[therealcrazy8]

Another vote for
Memtest(I have several versions that work better depending on the age of the computer, including the UEFI version)
PartedMagic superb tool for easy SecureErase of virtually any ssd.
All Win ISO's.

Does anyone use TronScript ? I've tried it recently, it seems to work pretty well.

I did create the the thumbdrive using Easy2Boot and have a good list of tools. If I recall, I was only able to get the Windows 10 ISO using the tool from Microsoft's website. Isn't it the same tool that you use to get other Windows versions? Ill have to post my apps list. Im quite happy with it and have even gone as far as making sure they all boot.

One weird thing I did notice is that when I booted DBAN and was about to run it on one of my drives, I noticed that it listed the drives (what to wipe) as sda and sdb. I am familiar with linux and know enough to use it, but since I had 2 SATA drives hooked up at the time, I wasnt sure which one to choose. In the end I just unplugged the other one and ran DBAN. I mention all of that because when I had booted up via the CD, that it didnt list the drives using the linux format. Im sure DBAN is linux based, but is there a way to have the drives listed by make and model or something? If not that's OK, Ill just have to make sure I am a little more careful on what drive I pick when running DBAN...lol

 

[GTP]

sudo lsblk -o
will list all options for output of disks/partitions attached to the system.

 

[therealcrazy8]

sudo lsblk -o will list all disks/partitions attached to the system.

Can you actually run commands when youre booted up in DBAN? If so, thats pretty cool. i didnt even see the option to do that.

 

[GTP]

Can you actually run commands when youre booted up in DBAN? If so, thats pretty cool. i didnt even see the option to do that.

Just had a brain freeze, had to edit my post.
Never used DBAN but run that command in a terminal if DBAN has one?

 

[therealcrazy8]

Just had a brain freeze, had to edit my post.
Never used DBAN but run that command in a terminal if DBAN has one?

I'll have to boot it up again and start poking around a little more

 

[therealcrazy8]

Well, here is my current list...

 

[Mick]

Surprised no-one's mentioned GeGeek. Got pretty much everything you're likely to need on-site. Just wish I could remember to switch off folks' AV before I plug it in. Lost count of the times half my NirSoft stuff has been nuked!

 

[allstarit]

I have one of these iodd drives with the LCD screen that allows you select an ISO and boot to it. Works really well.
It has a 500GB SSD drive in it.

it has bootable iso's for

1) Shadow Protect
2) Hirens Boot CD
3) Windows 10
4) Windows 8.1
5) Windows 7 Pro
6) Windows 7 Home
7) Server 2012 R2
8) Server 2008 R2

Looking to add Office 365 Click to Run installers on here too - just gotta work out how to work it via a USB
I have a folder for Office 2010, Office 2013 ect - For my clients using Volume licenses, also some other common software programs
Then i have folder for general apps that i use, virus removal tools- These use Ketarin to download latest updates.
Then on have space to save clients backups ect.

 

[GTP]

I have one of these iodd drives with the LCD screen that allows you select an ISO and boot to it. Works really well.
It has a 500GB SSD drive in it.

Very nice!
What is its name? I just did a search but couldn't find it?

 

[allstarit]

Its IODD

http://iodd.kr/wordpress/

I got mine through Aliexpress

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Its important to note that while the iodd and zalman (relabeled) are great tools to have it is by no means a tool that works 100% of the time. Its not that theres a fault with the tool itself its just that in my experience certain devices simply don't handle booting from it well. I find that having an external usb cd drive and some boot cds available will eventually come in handy and I don't even do a lot of in person repairs. That being said the zalman vm-200 has been infinitely useful but if I was going to peoples homes and making repairs I would at least keep an external usb cd drive in the car with some boot discs.

 

[GTP]

Its IODD

http://iodd.kr/wordpress/

Sorry, missed that part!?
Thanks for the URL