Memorex Travel Drive + U3 software suite

If you hop from PC to PC, do you really trust that they don't have spyware, malware or viruses installed, hiding in the operating system? What if you could carry a cheap little keychain pendant that not only offered you storage, but also included effective, easy-to-use anti-virus and anti-spyware applications with which you can quickly scan that suspicious PC and make sure it really is safe for you to use? These devices are just coming out and I had a chance to put one through its paces...

There's definitely a complete glut of USB drives in the marketplace, so much so that they now seem to be included in cereal boxes and given away as cheap media for corporate messages. I know that if it's less than a gigabyte in size, I generally don't even give it a second glance.

But when Paretologic sent me a Memorex 512MB USB thumb drive (uh, they call it a "mini travel drive") and started to tell me about the value of the U3 application suite for Windows, I thought I'd give it a try, and y'know what? It's a cheap junky little USB drive, but the software is pretty cool and it even found some spyware on my computer that Norton and Spysweeper hadn't identified.

Thumb drive next to a container of lip balm. It's pretty darn small.

It is, however, ironic that the product appears to be discontinued: Memorex Travel Drive on Amazon.com. Looks like you can pick up one for about $20, however, which is cheaper than buying a protection suite standalone, so it's really not a bad deal.

Since there's really not much to show with a 512mb external drive, I thought it would be interesting to step you through how the antivirus and spyware software works in the U3 suite instead. First off, once you have the drive plugged in, you'll find that it self-installs a driver which gives you convenient access to the entire software suite:

Memorex USB thumbdrive running U3 software

Launch the U3 Suite and you'll be able to see your options:

Personally, I don't really care about Migo and Thunderbird, so my first step was to try out the U3 anti-virus software, which, it turns out, is just a version of McAfee's industry-leading application. Start it up and the first step is to get the updates that include the latest virus definitions:

Next step is to set up your scanning preferences:

McAfee U3 software: antivirus scan starting

Next you'll see the system preparing for a scan:

and...finally... scanning:

McAfee U3 software: Antivirus Scan in Progress

Nothing to write home about, but an efficient, reasonably fast full anti-virus scan. Since I do run various other apps, it didn't find anything, but it's better safe than sorry, right?

The last step was to run XOFTspy's anti-spyware application. Again, launch it and you'll get to watch the latest spyware definitions download from the server:

McAfee U3 software: Xoft Spyware Portable Scanner: Updates

Once that's done, I run a scan and much to my surprise, it found lots of problems! You can see a few here in the registry:

XoftSpy U3 software: Scanning for spyware

In the end, I have to say that for $20 this is a heck of a deal and if you are considering a thumb drive or generally interested in USB mini-drive technologies, getting one that includes the U3 application suite is a smart move. After all, ya just never know about the safety of the PC you're plugging your little device into, and it's far too easy to pick up and carry an infection or spyware application.

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Categorized: Articles and Reviews (Article 7079, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: antispyware, antivirus, spyware, u3, usb drive, viruses
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Reader Comments To Date: 35

theblatantadvertiser said, on December 12, 2006 11:58 PM:

Thanks for the great review, Dave. I haven't got around to buying a U3 capable drive yet. I have, however, had pretty good luck porting those "must have" applications to my aging USB keys. I've even gone through the trouble of writing a quick review/how to: http://www.ghacks.net/2006/12/12/make-your-apps-portable/

David said, on December 16, 2006 12:44 PM:

Read your article on thumb drives and the U3 suite. Then went out and found the site for the app...

http://www.u3.com

so i thought i would share

david G

Chris said, on December 18, 2006 6:16 PM:

Eh, U3 has it's perks, but it's a pain in the butt to have it load its software every freaking time you plug it in (especially since it adds a dummy CD-ROM drive). A lot of drives do come with this software now, but I'm just thankful that they recently publically released the removal tool (and made it less buggy).

As for the "spyware" it found... it's just Viewpoint media player. It's annoying software in that it's pretty sneaky about getting on your system and likes to update at inopportune moments, but not really spyware.

SC said, on January 31, 2007 1:35 PM:

I purchased the M U3 approximately 9 months ago, really liked it (except for the aforementioned time to load) the desktop feature came in very handy more than once. However, I just ran the U3_Launchpad_Updater_1_0_0_2, took forever but was successful...I ejected the device in the proper manner...next time I used it - crash! No longer recongnized > no lites > nobody home.

I wonder if anyone else has had an experience like this?

sc

Mike said, on February 23, 2007 4:41 PM:

Ironically this is my first time hearing or reading about askdavetaylor's site and I came to be here because I just purchased a 2 Gig USB U3 Drive and was interested in feedback. Thanks for the info Dave.

DChapin said, on March 7, 2007 7:39 PM:

I purchased a memorex 4gig u3 drive. The launchpad app that comes with it doesn't support microsoft vista. It is version 1.0.0.2. The latest version of launchpad is 1.44 which does support vista. Memorex does not offer an upgrade. The removal tools don't seem to work with this drive either. Basically.. time to toss this one and buy a Sandisk (sandisk actually works and offers updates).

EdMitchell said, on April 15, 2007 9:22 AM:

I regularly move my Traveldrive between two computers running XP Pro and a Mac. (I'm a photographer.) When I "eject" using the Launchpad button, wait until the stick quits blinking, and then remove it, the host computer complains "device was improperly removed." However, when I plug it into the next machine, the files seem to be intact. Still, this give me an uneasy feeling. I know that Memorex makes some good products, but I'm not sure they know how to write code that works.

Kerry said, on April 27, 2007 6:16 PM:

I have the Memorex 512MB USB thumb drive pictured. I plugged into a Windows 98 machine and got a message about a missing .dll file.
Where might I find the correct driver, or find out if the thumb drive is incompatible? thanks.

Reggie said, on May 9, 2007 11:31 AM:

My U3 1G Pen drive has lost its Software how can i get it back. pls help me. thank u

Steve said, on May 23, 2007 7:24 PM:

Crashes Every Time!?! - Everytime I plug in my sandisk 4gb cruzer, my Windows XP SP2 O/S gives me the fatal error blue screen and reboots. Anyone else have this problem? Any solution out there?

Response to Steve said, on June 8, 2007 10:59 PM:

(Re: Crashes Every Time!?!) -- I just bought a "Staples" brand '1GB Relay' usb drive today from Staples Office Supply store for those of you who aren't familiar with it. Unfortunately, it is pre-loaded with U3 software and I too received a BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH. It happened the second after I inserted it into the rear USB port of my Compaq Presario 2100 (1.8ghz)latpop running Windows XP Professional. My laptop is about 3 years old, but I have had no problem running ANYTHING on it before this. SCREW the U3 software. I ended up trying it on a slick little Apple iBook G4 and it worked "perfectly"... maybe because the U3 software isn't compatible with Macs... who knows. -just a late night rant out of frustration

Tom said, on July 11, 2007 10:38 AM:

I am have having the same problem - the U3 on windows xp is causing the blue screen crash. It doesn't happen right away but it's pretty consistent. The software is a good concept but might be too nascent.

Lori said, on August 8, 2007 7:55 AM:

I can't open my Memorex USB Travel Device on my laptop with Windows Vista. It shows the drives available but will not Auto-Play or let me manually open. Have you any info on this?

Char said, on October 5, 2007 1:55 PM:

When I tried to backup the whole system ... it says my gizmo is "full". I thought everytime you backup your system, it overrides what's previously on there. Apparently, I'm wrong. When I tried to do a mini back-up, it still said it was full. How do I get around this?

nathan said, on October 10, 2007 1:27 PM:

BAH

i got one of the 2GB "traveldrives"-they say. becuase i am a traveler, this is the only type of computer i will allow in my backpack. Light and full of storage.

But i get to a library, and find that this softwere isnt compatible my libraries. There Redhat doesnt even let me launch the U3 program. I dont know what to do now, cuz i was trying to write a little html page for a job i got, and i couldnt even save that on this things openoffice programs.

They call it a TRAVEL DRIVE, yet its not universal, or even library compatible.

i guess ill just have to go to that old crummy church comp, that a child could hack.

-or just step up my hacking and get past this little redhat man.

If anyone has had the same problem and figured a way or just in the same spot, feel free to e-mail me nathanyudnich@yahoo.com

Brian said, on December 9, 2007 12:11 PM:

Ok i got the U3 travel drive thing and when i used it ti was fine but later it had nothing on it but it said i only had 7 mb left

JimBob said, on February 29, 2008 4:13 PM:

I have one of these Memorex drives, wanted to recover the space used by the U3 software, deleted it, and now the travel drive is only 4MB?? I can't access the 1GB partition. Is there anyway to recover this? I tried the U3 "updater", but it doesn't even recognize the drive anymore...

Dena said, on April 6, 2008 11:42 AM:

I have a problem with my Memorex 2gb travel drive. When trying to save a file I get a "file can not be created" message. I checked the capacity of the drive and it is not full. How can I identify and correct the problem.

Alex said, on April 19, 2008 11:45 AM:

I have Memorex 2gb travel drive which does not work whit my windows home basic,its saying it need drivers

Bud said, on June 1, 2008 3:20 PM:

I have a problem with my Memorex 1gb travel drive and a Sandisk 4GB travel drive. When trying to save a file I get a "file can not be created" message on both travel drives. I checked the capacity of the drive and it is not full on either one. Any idea what the problem is?

Madelein said, on August 28, 2008 6:27 AM:

I have a problem with my Memorex 2gb travel drive. When trying to save a file I get a "file can not be created" message. I checked the capacity of the drive and still have 1.8gb left. How can I identify and correct the problem.
Please help

terry said, on October 2, 2008 10:03 AM:

I have the Memorex Travel Drive 1gb. The part that goes into the laptop is loose and it's not able to connect...and the little light doesn't go on. How can I salvage the info on it?

Cindy G said, on December 14, 2008 9:41 AM:

I have a Memorex traveldrive USB 20 512 MB. I am trying to delete the information I downloaded on it and it won't let me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

David Timber said, on January 3, 2009 11:56 AM:

Dave,
My 8GB Traveldrive (Memorex) is uncooperative. For some unknown reason it 'write protected' everything saved on it. As a result nothing new can be saved or changes to be made to anything previously saved. Only 25.9 MB of space was used (7.64GB available)when this occurred. I've tried re-formatting but to no avail; no matter what a message always says its write protected. It's a FAT 32 file system. Is there any way to 'unlock' the write protection?
Thanks.
Dave T.

Pat said, on February 4, 2009 2:41 PM:

I have a USB travel drive. It has always worked fine up until I took it out and went to school. I didn't need it at school, so when I got home, I inserted it into my USB drive. Now it won't function. It keeps giving me an error message that it can't find the file. I've tried everything and I need this drive for my data entry school program. What am I doing wrong?

Dave Taylor said, on February 6, 2009 9:40 AM:

That's a curious problem, Pat. I am wondering if it got slightly crimped or you jarred it sufficiently that the electronics inside are loose? Unfortunately, solid state gizmos don't just magically fix themselves so you might be hosed and need to buy a new one. Sorry!

Clayton said, on July 11, 2009 9:15 PM:

Hi!

I have a memorex 1g and it is not able to open the directory.
In my job it opens no problem as g:.
It appears U3 memorex executing but it does not work.

Thank you.

Dina said, on August 20, 2009 11:26 PM:

a friend gave me their traveldrive and have no idea how to open it. I don't any info on this and am trying to open this. Can you help me with this? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time, Dina :-)

amian auguste said, on September 19, 2009 4:30 AM:

Please mistakenly i lost thge launch for my u3 travel drive; because it was formatted. Help me to restore it. Thanks!

Eric Etter said, on November 22, 2009 3:33 PM:

My memorex traveldrive (1GB) is read only but is only 26% full. How do I restore access to it?

Dave Taylor said, on November 23, 2009 8:35 AM:

Eric, I'm wondering if there's a tiny switch somewhere on the device that puts it into read-only mode? I looked online and couldn't see any information about it, but a lot of USB thumb drives have that "data protection" mode you can set. Check it out?

Clayton Messelt said, on December 3, 2009 5:33 PM:

I have a 6GB Memorex Mega Traveldrive which has worked fine until yesterday. I tried it in two different Dell computers and the computers failed to recognize the drive and I have no way to retrieve the data on it.

HELP! ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Thanks in advance.

Clayton Messelt said, on December 13, 2009 5:30 PM:

I have not received a reply to my Dec. 3 inquiry. Please respond

Rbert O'Neill said, on March 8, 2010 10:10 AM:

I have a Memorex traveldrive 256mb. Somehow it became write protected and I can not do anything with. Add, change delete ect how can this be musy be a way to unloch this protection. Can you advise?

Dave Taylor said, on March 8, 2010 10:18 AM:

Look very closely at the drive, Robert. Odds are good that there's a tiny slider switch that controls read/write or read-only....

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

Memorex Travel Drive + U3 software suite

Reader Comments To Date: 35

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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