We all have one or more USB sticks at home to use to carry important files in our pockets or to make data transfers from one PC to another. With a USB stick you can still do many different things and, since today they are very cheap and can also be purchased at the supermarket near the house, it is interesting to find new, more original ideas for this nice computer object.
For example, you can use a USB stick as if it were the car key, to lock and unlock your computer.
You can also use what Windows calls " USB Flash Drive " to quickly connect to a wireless network or to install a portable operating system on it to use on any other computer.
These and many other ideas are listed in this article on the best, lesser known ways of using a USB stick .
1) Locking and unlocking your computer with a USB stick is a very easy movie thing to implement.
The principle is as follows: if the pen is connected to the computer, it is usable otherwise it will be blocked.
Only those with that USB stick in their hands will be able to access that computer.
The program to be used is free and is called Predator to lock the PC with a USB stick, an application that transforms the USB flash drive into a device in a key for the computer.
When you leave your PC and unplug the USB stick, the computer automatically locks and the screen turns off.
When you then reconnect the USB stick, the pc is unlocked.
It's like using the lock function in Windows, without having to type in the password when you return.
This is one of the most original ways to lock your computer automatically
2) A USB stick can be useful to connect to wireless networks quickly .
Windows includes a very hidden feature to save the profile of the wireless network you are connected to, storing the network name, password and other connection information on the USB stick.
You can then use the USB stick to quickly connect to that same Wi-Fi network from other computers without typing the password
To save the Wi-Fi settings, click on the wireless icon in the system tray (near the clock, right-click on the connected network and select Properties.
In the connection window, click on the link " Copy network profile to USB flash drive ".
Go Next and Windows will copy the network settings to the USB stick. To connect from another PC, connect the USB stick and double click on the SetupSNK.exe file to install the network profile and connect automatically.
This USB stick can also be connected to an XBox to quickly connect to the Wi-Fi network.
3) Boost Windows 7 performance with ReadyBoost
This is one of the most interesting options and one of the most useful ways of using the USB stick.
If you are using a computer with a standard hard drive (not if you have an SSD solid state drive), ReadyBoost can help speed up loading and increase memory capacity.
ReadyBoost acts as a hard disk cache where the most frequently used files are stored.
To activate ReadyBoost, click on the USB stick icon in My Computer, enter the Properties and then on the ReadyBoost tab.
ReadyBoost requires a flash drive with at least 256 MB of free space.
For a detailed guide, read the article: How to activate Readyboost on USB stick or SD card for an increase in Windows 7 performance .
4) Install a portable operating system .
This allows you to carry in your pocket an operating system configured with custom settings that can be used on any computer.
It leaves no trace on the used PC and can be used for any operation, to surf the internet, create documents or anything else.
You can also install Windows 8 on a USB stick
5) Keep the USB stick as an emergency virus scanner
If a computer is hit by a virus and does not allow it to be easily cleaned with the installed software, then it becomes essential to scan with an emergency portable antivirus to be ready on the USB stick for every occurrence.
A USB stick can also be equipped with emergency boot CDs and antivirus rescue disks to restart a system that refuses to boot.
6) Install a Portable web server
A web developer may find it useful to keep the USB stick ready for work, with a complete web server usable on every Windows PC to which the USB stick is connected.
You just have to install the free Server2Go program on the flash drive and turn it into a complete portable web server (WAMPP) with Apache, MySQL, PHP and Perl.
7) Create a USB stick with your favorite programs .
In addition to the pre-packaged suites, it is possible to choose many portable applications to be kept on the USB stick and usable without installing.
In another article, the list of the best portable programs on USB stick and pen drive for Windows and Mac
8) Play from a USB stick with the portable games listed in another article, only to download and play immediately on any Windows PC.
