Remove U3 from USB flash drive?

[tuna at supertunaman.com]

I've had the same problem. My solution: borrow somebody's Windows computer for a second to remove the parasite--er--U3 software.

----- Original Message ----
From: Alan Dayley <alandd at consultpros.com>
To: Main PLUG discussion list <plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 3:28:12 PM
Subject: Remove U3 from USB flash drive?

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Anyone have any success removing the U3 information from a USB flash drive?

U3 is a system for storing portable applications, data and encryption on
a USB flash drive (http://www.u3.com).  Not a bad idea, just a lousy
implementation if you don't want it and you bought such a drive.

What is has is two partitions on the device.  One is a flash drive, as
expected.  The other appears as a CD-ROM drive.  The CD-ROM one is read
only and the contents cannot be accessed/used except by the "Launchpad"
software included on the drive.  Yes, when inserted in my Linux, the
"CD-ROM" and the standard partition both get mounted.  (On my system
/dev/sr1 is created for the "CD" and /dev/sdb1 is the hard drive partition.)

The headache is that:
- - When inserted into a Windows PC the launch pad software will autorun
and install itself onto the PC.  Great.  If CD autorun is disable or the
shift key held on insertion, the autorun does not happen.  But, it's
still a bother.
- - Most importantly the U3 features do not work on any system other than
Windows.  So, of course, I don't use them.  I don't want to have to
eject the "CD" AND safely remove the hard drive every time I use the thing.

fdisk is confused by the "CD" partition and treats it read only too.  I
haven't yet tried anything else to kill that partition.

The U3 website, evidently after some outcry, is supplying a Windows
application to remove the U3 features (http://www.u3.com/uninstall) so
the answer to my question is practically moot.  But I figure Linux
should be able to take care of this.

Alan

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