Software you keep on a USB?

[GTP]

Take the plunge! You'll be glad you did when you see how easy to access your tools becomes!

I'm happy to answer any questions and I'm sure Alex would to!

 

[Salteque]

I didn't know about WRT until this thread. No more downloading these utilities separately. Thanks!

 

[Abramsgunner]

i did a search on ebay and a iodd 2541 would be coming from the U.S. for about $135 AUD.

Haha... I just ordered one of these this morning after stumbling onto a link (for the Zlaman version) while researched a problem. I didn't know they existed until a few hours ago. I've wanted something I could write protect for awhile now and encrypted storage is icing on the cake.

 

[Kirby]

I got a Kanguru brand drive a couple of years ago. 64GB (I think) USB 3.0 with write protect switch. At first I wasn't real impressed with the company. I plugged it in and it asked me to insert a disk into my flash drive. When I went to get support, it said I had to register to get support. Registration was by mail only. But they still helped me and I had no problem getting it replaced. Still works great 2 or 3 years later.

 

[frase]

The only problem with WRT I find is (well I cant work it out) is it doesn't list custom folders only in the "Downloads\Custom Tools\Added Custom Tools" path. The issue is it list's the entire contents of the folder - not just the folder name.

 

[AlexCa]

The only problem with WRT I find is (well I cant work it out) is it doesn't list custom folders only in the "Downloads\Custom Tools\Added Custom Tools" path. The issue is it list's the entire contents of the folder - not just the folder name.

Yes, the folders aren't listed. What it does is to recursively scan everything in that path and alphabetically sort in the listbox the files with certain extensions (.exe, .bat, .cmd, .diagcab, .msi, .vbs, .reg). The idea is precisely to give quick access to the tools without having to navigate through the folders using windows file explorer.

Anyway, as an alternative, if you want to have access to the folders you can use the linklabel for faster access:

 

[Adept PC Repair]

Is there a reliable system that allows you to boot either as uefi or legacy via usb?

What I'm trying to achieve is:

Have all os installs bootable from a menu on a usb stick. At the moment I put them on separate sticks because uefi and legacy are still both in use on alot of systems.

 

[Mainstay]

iodd or zalman... and you control UEFI or legacy from BIOS

 

[Adept PC Repair]

Thought about the iodd a few times but from threads here there are problems with it not mounting the iso in time before the bios detects it.

 

[glennd]

Thought about the iodd a few times but from threads here there are problems with it not mounting the iso in time before the bios detects it.

I've had that happen. The bios is too quick for the iodd. Just means I ctl-alt-del again during post to give the iodd a few seconds more to get organised.

 

[GTP]

Thought about the iodd a few times but from threads here there are problems with it not mounting the iso in time before the bios detects it.

I've had that happen. The bios is too quick for the iodd. Just means I ctl-alt-del again during post to give the iodd a few seconds more to get organised.

Yeah, happens more often than you would think, but as @glennd mentioned it's simple to work around.

 

[Mainstay]

We are seeing more and more systems that have active USB ports that provide power regardless of whether the system is on or not (the feature is meant to charge your cell phone etc. even when your system is off, so that helps). But no matter what, you can "save" which image is active and which one should be used on another PC and then connect to your client machine.

We have 2 zalmans and an IODD and rarely have boot issues. The zalmans are definitely rip-offs of the IODD design, but they work well. Really well.

And then I have a 120 GB SSD in a small enclosure that is partitioned with all the flavors of Mac OS for our mac systems....

 

[nerd2u]

Going to use my Amazon gift card to get an IODD drive

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[Diggs]

I have an IODD-2531. The thing frustrates me to the point I've just tossed it on the shelf. It is a bigger hindrance than help. Too many times when something isn't right (especially on boot) I can't tell if I'm fighting the customer machine or the quirks of the IODD.

 

[nerd2u]

Good to know

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[Mainstay]

I have an IODD-2531. The thing frustrates me to the point I've just tossed it on the shelf. It is a bigger hindrance than help. Too many times when something isn't right (especially on boot) I can't tell if I'm fighting the customer machine or the quirks of the IODD.

send that quirky IODD my way - I'll happily take it off your hands =)

Be sure to have the firmware updated.

 

[Your PCMD]

And then I have a 120 GB SSD in a small enclosure that is partitioned with all the flavors of Mac OS for our mac systems....

I would love to have the Mac OS flavors, but since I dont have a "newer" Mac, I cannot get either the dmg or iso files of the OS's and I just dont trust the Google Fu approach.

I have only 1 mac, a mac mini and it would only let me get up to Snow Leopard, which I have 2 DVD's from Apple of.

 

[GTP]

I have an IODD-2531. The thing frustrates me to the point I've just tossed it on the shelf. It is a bigger hindrance than help. Too many times when something isn't right (especially on boot) I can't tell if I'm fighting the customer machine or the quirks of the IODD.

I can't live without mine now! Whether I'm installing Windows (both x86 and x64) 10, 8.1 or 7, various Linux flavours or running various diagnostic tools like Parted Magic, MHDD, OSFClone, NTPassword Remover Bitefender Rescue, Gandalf's PE x64 and x86, Fabs Autobackup PE, KAV Rescue and more it works flawlessly...everytime.

 

[NJW]

I have an IODD-2531. The thing frustrates me to the point I've just tossed it on the shelf. It is a bigger hindrance than help.

Familiarity is the key – you have to know how to drive it – and there is certainly some learning to do to get the best out of it. The first read through the manual (you read the fine manual?) doesn't mean very much. Read it again when you've gained some experience with handling the device and then it makes much more sense.

Be sure to have the firmware updated.

+1 for this, too. It's also possible to get the IODD firmware onto Zalman branded units with a bit of jiggery-pokery of signatures, which helps older Zalmans to keep up and gets rid of some of the quirks.

I do agree that some machines can be a nuisance, getting the Zalman/IODD started in time for the BIOS to see it. Independent power for the Zalman can help here: I use the auxiliary USB socket on my Lecke Universal power supply, together with a USB3 Y-cable (2x USB-A, supplied with the Zalman), to give it a head start and keep it reliably powered during a reboot.

 

[Greg Hicks]

My wife got me an IODD for Christmas and I've used it with varying results. The manual that came with it wasn't the biggest of help. Anyone have a good resource for learning how best to use it? She got me the IODD 2541 and I'm still playing with what settings to enable/disable on it as it boots.
Would be kind of cool if someone made a USB power injector. You plug in your drive to the adapter female side and it has an external power brick then you plug into the computer. It could even have a bypass unit so when it detects power coming from PC USB port it disables the external which would allow you to even use a battery pack like for charging phones....
Off to the patent office!
- Greg