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Essential Software for Thumbdrives?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the stuff-you-can-take-with-you dept.

MaufTarkie asks: "My manager just handed me a 256 megabyte thumbdrive. I already know about UnixKit for Windows and the WEP Key Generator Utility for Wi-Fi Networks, but I'm interesting in hearing what other people are putting on their drives. My drive will potentially touch a range of systems (Windows, Unix, and MacOS X), so any software is fair game. What are some essential tools I can (should) put on this?"

65 comments

  1. If you're on windows... by .milfox · · Score: 4, Informative

    PuTTY. Don't leave home without it.

    Also, a VNC client and a X server works too.

    1. Re:If you're on windows... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And make sure it is the updated version of PuTTY (there was a vulnerability discovered in PuTTY a few weeks/months ago from memory).

  2. My List by keiferb · · Score: 3, Informative

    Putty
    VNC (client and server)
    passwordsafe
    MS Remote Desktop Client
    Nessus

    1. Re:My List by Creepy+Crawler · · Score: 2, Informative

      UNIX/Windows Text editor
      Hex editor
      Grep
      A decent dictionary file
      My resume (backups of course ;-)
      Manuals of common equipment-or addons to equipment you know you work on
      PDF reader
      Semi-common Wi-Fi drivers (hate to not be able to network computers)

      --
  3. Firefox! by vandalman · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://texturizer.net/firefox/tips.html#oth_usb Don't leave home without it!

    --
    Devise, Repair, Solve, Build
    1. Re:Firefox! by eyeye · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I recommend using portable firefox as its designed for USB memory devices.

      --
      Bush and Blair ate my sig!
  4. With that much space... by brunson · · Score: 1

    256MB you might as well put Cygwin on it. It gotten to the point that's the first thing I install on any windows machine I have to work with.

    --
    09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0
    Jesus loves you, I think you suck
    1. Re:With that much space... by \\ · · Score: 2, Interesting

      How do you get around Cygwin requiring registry additions to function properly? I find installing Cygwin on my usb keychain is worthless for random machines that have different drive configurations, or that I don't have Admin access to. Pretty annoying.

    2. Re:With that much space... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, it sure would be nice if those GNU guys could write portable code, but until they learn, Cygwin is an essential.

  5. firefox by Apreche · · Score: 1

    Firefox is an absolute must. It just pains me every time I go somewhere and my only choice is IE. Firefox can be run of a pen drive very easily.

    --
    The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
  6. sysinternals tools... by brianjcain · · Score: 4, Informative

    Everything from sysinternals, 7-Zip, VNC, PuTTY, ClamWin, etc.

    1. Re:sysinternals tools... by +Majere+ · · Score: 1

      Sysinternals tools are a must for sure. I use the tools Regmon and Filemon to debug user software problems in a Computer Lab often. These tools are a life saver for debugging ACCESS DENIED errors for user when using software.

    2. Re:sysinternals tools... by FFFish · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not 7Zip, use IZArc. More formats.

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    3. Re:sysinternals tools... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

      IZarc is not open source. 7Zip is.

    4. Re:sysinternals tools... by FFFish · · Score: 2, Insightful

      WTF? Talk about cutting off your nose in spite of your face.

      --

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      Don't like it? Respond with words, not karma.
    5. Re:sysinternals tools... by sproket · · Score: 1

      Perhaps the extra formats are considered arcane and unuseful, but the extra compression with regular zips, and even more so with the 7zip format, is worthwhile.

  7. unxutils by \\ · · Score: 2, Informative

    unxutils is great, doesn't require windows registry crap like cygwin does.

    also, this topic is a dupe from like.. last year or so. someone will find the url..

    1. Re:unxutils by itwerx · · Score: 2, Insightful

      this topic is a dupe from like.. last year or so

      A lot can change in a year. :)

  8. Low level by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Keep a *nix and a windows version of netcat on there. A few of the essential RFCs wouldn't hurt either, HTTP, IMAP, SMTP, among others.

  9. What's on my (FAT32-formatted) thumbdrive? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    TightVNC installer
    Spybot SD installer and the latest available standalone update file
    Ad-Aware installer and the latest available standalone update file
    The latest standalone definition updates for Norton/Symantec Antivirus
    A Win98 bootdisk creator
    MS RDP Client installer
    Firefox installer
    CoolWebShredder
    ZoneAlarm installer
    iTunes installer

    That's everything I can think of. Just a ton of stuff I need all the time to un-fuck the Windows boxes of my idiot clients.

  10. Can't go wrong with by Sandman1971 · · Score: 1

    Lynx and Pine for both Windows and *nix. You can surpringly still surf a great number of websites successfully under Lynx. Install them both on the thumb. I'm 99.99% sure they don't use the registry. Also a good idea to back up your bookmarks (home and work), so you'll have them everything. If you help out other people (IE family), it's a good idea to have things like AdAware and/or Spybot S&D on there, along with AVG (free windows anti-virus). Your resume in various formats is also a great thing to keep on a thumbdrive. You never know when you'll need it.

    --
    It's better to burn out than to fade away
    1. Re:Can't go wrong with by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Lynx and Pine for both Windows and *nix. You can surpringly still surf a great number of websites successfully under Lynx. Install them both on the thumb. I'm 99.99% sure they don't use the registry.

      Sadly, PC-Pine does mess with the registry. This can bite you in the ass when upgrading. For instance, my config file was overwritten after upgrading to 4.61. It's too bad they jealously guard the Windows Pine source or I would've ripped out that abomination.

    2. Re:Can't go wrong with by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 1

      Do people still keep bookmarks? I'd be interested to see what pages people find worthy of bookmarking-- I gave up on the concept after losing my bookmarks back in the pre-firebird days.

      Any site worth revisiting I type the name of in my address bar and let googles I'mFeelingLucky do its magic.

      --
      Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
    3. Re:Can't go wrong with by djsmiley · · Score: 1

      i keep hundreds of bookmarks.

      I also export them when i remmber, and back them up to a txt file too.

      I have quite an extensive filing set, but not to many as to get confusing. To keep it tidy, i trim it when i back it up.

      --
      - http://www.milkme.co.uk
  11. Anti spyware by Laser+Dan · · Score: 2, Informative

    Adaware and Spybot S&D.

    I have them on my flash drive and I nearly always end up using them whenever I go to any friends houses.

    -Daniel

  12. Re:Firefox! (clikey link) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://texturizer.net/firefox/tips.html#oth_usb , you see, it's not that difficult.
    Interesting link tough.

  13. Nastalga by LennyDotCom · · Score: 1

    I remember when when the most important utility I needed for a Mac was SCSI Probe

    --
    http://Lenny.com
    1. Re:Nastalga by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I remember when Nastalga was spelled Nostaliga.

      The good ol' days.

    2. Re:Nastalga by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Better yet, I remember when Nostaliga was speeled NOSTALGIA!

  14. Essentials by zaphodchak · · Score: 3, Informative

    I take a list of HTTP port 80 proxies, Firefox, several 64k, 4k, and 256b demoscene demos (i.e. Farbrausch), copies of 7-zip and UPX, a hex editor, SectorSpy, another data recovery tool,a couple of alternative file explorers, Dr. Delete and DSdel for deleting files, puTTY, a bunch of NirSoft apps, Media Player Classic, Paint Shop Pro 6, a ramdrive app, some process and services viewers, some gimmicky little password finders/revealers (i.e. stores password viewer and some asterisk-revealers) various other programs, a directory, and a little tool for changing the resolution through command line (indispensable), as well as a few other porgrams. It fits in around 40 megs, or will after I import my Firefox profile, and get it to run directly from the thumbdrive without creating a mess on the c drive. I plan to put some more stuff on there, but the secret to getting all that stuff into 40 megs is compression. Play around with settings. All the programs are UPX-ed, all the folders/archives are 7-zipped. I may change this later, but it works pretty well for now. (Caveat: Simply 7-zipping an exe will result in a lower filesize than first UPX-ing and then 7-zipping, however, you have to deal with a large decompressed filesize.) Also, remember to delete useless files, like install logs (you won't be uninstalling anything from your thumbdrive) help files (if you don't need them, they can be bulky) etc. Remember to keep a hard copy on your hard drive of the programs you put on your thumbdrive, in case you mess it up, which has happened to me a couple of times. I'll have to watch this thread to see what you guys are putting on yours. I'll be adding more stuff, mine's a 128MB, but I'm trying to pack it as tight as possible.

    1. Re:Essentials by james11111 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Which: hex editor, ramdrive app,process and services viewers, gimmicky little password finders/revealers, various other programs, a directory, and little tool for changing the resolution through command line.

  15. could you be a bit more helpful? by bob+whoops · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I know that if you go to all the links, it will explain what each one does, but could you please provide a few words next to each software you recommend so that we know what each of them is? I don't feel like visiting every single link on this page if most of them will not interest me.

    1. Re:could you be a bit more helpful? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There, I went over them all and added a brief description. Is that better?

  16. Two suggestions.... by Lazyhound · · Score: 1

    -Firefox, as suggested by several others (now in a convenient pre-tweaked for portability format)
    -Trillian, which runs off a thumbdrive easily, though you do have to edit trillian.ini every time the drive letter changes).

    1. Re:Two suggestions.... by filenabber · · Score: 1

      Instead of Trillian, try Miranda.

      --
      Are you a Candy Addict?
  17. Viruses? by Halfbaked+Plan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If managers are 'handing these drives to people' at random, leading to people asking slashdot what they should stick on them, clearly it's time for some malcontents to write some sort of cross platform malware to use said drives as vectors.

    I'm not advocating this, but it's what generally happens when storage devices are bandied about aimlessly, and that's what 'managers' are doing here.

    --
    resigned
    1. Re:Viruses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Ironic that you would post a plan like this with a user name like yours.

  18. Short-ish list by magefile · · Score: 3, Interesting

    -puTTY - terminals should be available on any Unix-ish or Mac-ish comp., but in case you're in an Apple store (where Terminal is locked off), maybe a Mac SSH client, too

    -Firefox - shameless self-promotion: here's my quick, easy, robust way of getting Firefox to work on a USB drive: Firefox@York. Note that this not only allows you to have extensions (which some portability how-tos don't), but you can use the same profile for the Mac, Windows and Unix versions of Firefox (diff binaries, same profile).

    -Adaware and Spybot. Maybe a ClamAV or AVG installer

    -Useful links - I have Trend Micro's "House Call" online virus scan, Windows Update, www.whatsmyip.com, etc.

    -Perhaps a POP3 or IMAP client like Thunderbird? Or even a full-fledged PIM, depending on size

    -A list of CD keys for all your software

    The next thing to go on my drive will be Open Office. Only one binary (I think), since it's Java-based, but getting it down to size and getting it to understand that it's on a portable drive will be the challenges.

    1. Re:Short-ish list by tyndyll · · Score: 1
      I have found nPop to be the greatest little POP3 reader on the planet.

      Small size and big functionality = Essential place on thumbdrive

      Would also stick on Trillian (windows only, but handy none the less if you are that way inclined). Thanks to those with the Firefox information too!!

      --
      Morale seems good, considering, although high spirits are just no substitute for eight hundred rounds a minute
    2. Re:Short-ish list by sonamchauhan · · Score: 1

      The next thing to go on my drive will be Open Office. Only one binary (I think), since it's Java-based, but ...

      Heheh! Actually OpenOffice is written in C++, not Java.

      But it feels like a Java app, doesn't it? Also both Java and OpenOffice were slower earlier and have been speeding up at roughly similar rates. :)

  19. Remember to put on some porn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    incase you have to use a computer with dialup.

  20. local exploits by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 2, Funny

    Fill the USB drive with local exploits. You may also want a small FTP server and IRC bot.

    --

    In Soviet America the banks rob you!
  21. Boot Linux from a USB stick by DocSnyder · · Score: 2, Informative
    "Swiss Army Knife" distributions like tomsrtbt or a modified Debian bootdisk fit well onto an even small thumbdrive. They are very useful for fresh installations or to make a system with fscked LILO table bootable. Larger USB sticks can take a Knoppix distro.

    On the host side, "mtools" provide easy access onto the thumbdrive. Just chgrp floppy /dev/sda, edit /etc/mtools.conf to map drive A: to /dev/sda and access the USB stick with "mdir", "mcopy" etc. like a (nowadays unneeded) floppy drive without mounting it.

    1. Re:Boot Linux from a USB stick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...and before following the advice in the parent post, remember to check if the USB driver really is at /dev/sda. It wouldn't be a very nice surprise if the system happened to be running on SCSI disks....

    2. Re:Boot Linux from a USB stick by JVert · · Score: 1

      FUCK! my boss got pissed.
      It was the only linux box we were running in the office.
      were...
      where I used to work at.

  22. TrueCrypt by DamienMcKenna · · Score: 1

    Maybe TrueCrypt?

  23. Everest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lavalys.com makes Everest, which is a nice Win32 hardware detector. It's handy when a fresh Win install shows "Unknown device" more times then you want to count.

    Of course, you could just boot a mini Knoppix and dump /proc/pci to a txt. 6 here, half a dozen there.

  24. ultimate boot CD by Clover_Kicker · · Score: 3, Informative
    Take a look at the tools bundled in the Ultimate Boot CD.

    There's a DOS mode virus checker, some RAM checkers, Linux rescue boot disks, partition tools, HD wipers, and all kinds of good stuff.

    Hell, you may consider putting the compressed ISO on your key, 'tis only 57MB.

    1. Re:ultimate boot CD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes- you can boot off of these thumbdrives.

  25. RUNT Linux by kg4eyf · · Score: 1

    I put Linux on mine. RUNT Linux is a USB based linux distribution. on a 256 MB drive, it will only take up half the drive leaving the rest available for storing other useful files and programs. I've found that having a USB bootable linux distro on me at all times is very helpful on many occastion. Check it out. A new version is due out very soon.

    http://www.ncsu.edu/project/runt

    1. Re:RUNT Linux by rpwoodbu · · Score: 1

      RUNT is perfect for this purpose. It stands for Resnet USB Network Tester, so the name says it all. After all, when you think about it, sometimes a Linux distro is actually the best utility. In the past I would often use a bootable CD distro like Knoppix as a diagnostic and rescue utility. But it means having the disc onhand, which I don't always. But since RUNT works from a USB Flash drive, I can keep it on my keychain at all times. If the system supports USB boot, you're golden! But even if it doesn't, you make a boot floppy from the image on the USB drive, and you can boot the USB drive on any i386 computer that has USB, in spite of BIOS limitations.

      A fully bootable system, be it on CD or USB Flash, has real advantages in the field. You don't have to depend on the installed OS to be working, and lets face it, we spend a lot of time working on Windows boxes, because they spend a lot of time not working! It is great to get a shell prompt under a Linux that has drivers for lots of network devices. That means you can go online and find that Windows network card driver even when the only computer at your disposal is the very same Windows box with no network card driver! It is also handy to be able to rescue files off of an ailing NTFS system that isn't booting. Plus it is great to prove out the hardware when you're having weird problems that may be either hardware or driver related.

      RUNT uses the UMSDOS filesystem, which makes it easy to install, customize, and coexist with other data. For those that don't know, UMSDOS uses a DOS-style FAT filesystem, but it mounts and works like a fully Linux-happy filesystem, storing the extra metadata (i.e. permissions, et al.) in special files that are hidden while mounted in Linux. The practical upshot is that the drive is still 100% compatible with other OSes (e.g. it is still FAT, not ext2 or something like that), so you can still use it for other data storage. Plus installation is as simple as unzipping the distro onto the flash. And making it directly bootable (e.g. no boot floppy needed) is pretty easy, and is going to be even easier when the new version is released soon.

      If you don't put anything else on a USB Flash drive intended for diagnostics, put on RUNT!

  26. gnuwin32 as well by cryogenic · · Score: 1

    http://gnuwin32.sf.net/ has utilities (some overlap with unxutils, some don't) that don't require the cygwin or SFU environments as well.

  27. Last year's /. article on pendrives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's on Your USB Pen Drive?

  28. macs and usbdrives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i've noticed on some drives that have been formatted on a mac first, windows just will not see them; afaik this is because windows is a little bitch about HFS and HFS+. I put a copy of my bookmarks, all the "preferences" files in my unix home dirs (~/.bashrc, et al), my ssh keys and that's about it.

    1. Re:macs and usbdrives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      afaik this is because windows is a little bitch about HFS and HFS+

      And this surprises you why? Remember, Microsoft is all about platform lock-in, more than Apple will ever be.

      Last night I needed to put a scratch drive in a G4 I have in my testing lab, so I grabbed an HDD from a Windows box I wasn't using. When I fired up the Mac (running OS X 10.3.5) I was stunned to see that it mounted (as read-only) that NTFS-formatted drive on the desktop, and I was able to browse the contents. I've been using and supporting OS X for years and had no idea that the Mac spoke NTFS.

    2. Re:macs and usbdrives by simoncion · · Score: 1

      The Linux kernel has supported NTFS read since version 2.1.74 (December 1997).
      Check http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/info/ntfs.html#3 .9 for more information.

      Simon C. Ion

    3. Re:macs and usbdrives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or possibly it's just because filesystem drivers are hard (therefore expensive) to write, which is why Mac OS doesn't write NTFS discs (and neither does Linux, not in any reliable sense) - or maybe Linus is trying to lock us all in to Linux with this incompatibility?

  29. Look at the lists by james11111 · · Score: 1

    All the tools from major LiveCD distros eg. tinyLinux, Toms Boot disk etc.

  30. Decent free Win32 Antivirus Prog by blackicye · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I tote Antivir XP (no I don't work for them ;) around on my miniscule 64mb thumbdrive (Freebie from Micro$loth :)

    http://www.free-av.com/

    its free, its pretty small and its databases are updated fairly regularly.

  31. What about us folks with smaller ones? by ChaoticDragon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ok, I got a 64 meg one for my b-day. So I was wondering what apps I would need on there. I was thinking of taking a small 50meg distro and redoing it to fit my needs. and add a lil more to fill up the whole thumbdrive.

    --
    -Do not mess in the affairs of dragons. To them you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
  32. ThumbDrive Apps - The Dirty Dozen by Llamakiller-4 · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is more aimed at those of us who always end up repairing all your non-tech friends PC's.

    1. WinImage Self Extracting images of
    a) Ghost 2003 Bootdisk, Drive imager also burns CDR, DVDR, Zip and external USB 2.0
    b) Ghost 2003 Bootdisk, Drive imager also burns CDR, DVDR, Zip and external USB 1.1
    c) Windows 98 Emergency Startup Disk
    d) Windows 98 Bootable disk with GDisk plus batch files.
    2. Mozilla
    3. ZoneAlarm Free Version
    4. AVG Antivirus Free Version
    5. Ad Aware Free Version
    6. Winsock Repair from Microsoft
    7. UltraVNC (setup to connect to your home server for everything that doesnt fit on your thumbdrive)
    8. WinZip Free Version
    9. SysInfo: Any version that doesnt req install.
    10.Registry Cleaner: ie RegCleaner, RegSupreme,etc
    11. Mp3's to listen to while working
    12. Your address book and phone list.

    There are plain reasons for each, one need only think.

    --
    "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts", Earl Weaver - Legendary Coach of the Baltimore Orioles
  33. On mine by Yablo · · Score: 2, Informative

    CDEX
    IRFanView
    Winamp
    iTunes
    FireFox w/AdBlock and various other extensions
    Some music
    Assorted pictures
    Spybot & AdAware
    XP SP2
    DefilerPak
    Novell VPN client
    Citrix client
    Farbrausch demos
    PuTTY
    and the all-important XEvil

  34. Tiny Apps by sysadmn · · Score: 2, Informative

    Windows users should also see www.tinyapps.org.

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  35. Morphix? by pants1973 · · Score: 1

    What about morphix? It's a knoppix derivative and I'm not sure how much it takes up but you should be able to find a configured version that runs right off of a 256Mb drive like that. Then you could have all of the above utils PLUS a full linux distro! Personally, I can't wait for 1Gb drives to hit the $40-$50 range.

  36. UnixKit correction by eberry · · Score: 1

    The story contains the wrong URL for the Unixkit for Windows.

    --
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