Use yor software right from usb flash drive

So,who wants a portable Mozilla Firefox or Skype that can run from the usb flash drive ??Well continue reading and you will know about it.This time I'll be discussing about U3 smart drive that lets you to take your aplications, not just data, to any USB-equipped Windows PC and to launch them with as little as two clicks.


What is a U3 smart device ?

A U3 smart drive is a specially made kind of USB flash drive that allows some programs and applications to be run on any computer that use Windows as an operating system directly from the flash drive. The U3 smart drive can be used to install a number of files on locally computers if the need arises.Customizations and settings are stored with the application on the flash drive.All in all this device can make any PC with windows platform your own PC.

Disk Management
The hardware configuration causes Windows disk management to show two drives:

1. A read-only volume on an emulated CD-ROM drive with an autorun configuration to execute the U3 LaunchPad.
2. A standard flash drive (FAT formatted) that includes a hidden "SYSTEM" folder with installed applications.

U3 Launchpad

The LaunchPad is the windows program manager preinstalled on U3 smart drive. U3 icon can be accessed from the system tray,which provides quick access to applications and documents installed on the U3 smart drive, as well as mean to manage them.

Programs can be either downloaded via the built-in web browser or installed from a file on the local computer.

File Types

There are two file-types associated with the U3 platform.File extension u3i is used for an XML-based text file that defines the application's version, download path and working parameters, whereas .U3P is a zip file containing everything needed to run an application.

Following is the directory structure of files with file Extension U3P

data/
device/
Host/
manifest/

Data security

Most of U3 flash drives come with facility for locking with password that deprives loading of data partition after loading of CD partition .Besides this,they also come with preinstalled antivirus software.

Platform Compatibility

Well,this is the primary drawback.The device doesn't flaunt cross platform compatibility.Presently,it works only on windows 2000 with service pack 4,windows XP,windows Vista.

Some famous U3 compatible applications

1.Mozilla Firefox Web Browser

2.Thunderbird

3.DMailer

4.Skype

5.Winamp

To download U3 compatible software click here.

The good news

PackageFactory for U3 by eure.ca is a free utility (for non-commercial use) that convert any application or executable EXE into a U3P Package File which is compatible and compliant with U3 Smart Drive platform and U3 Launchpad. You can then install this U3P file onto any U3-compatible flash drive.