USB Autorun
I need to be able to make USB Flash Memory keys autorun just as a CD
Autoruns. This can be done and would be useful to my training staff.
However, the way autorun normally works, it does not activate for
removable/writable media so even configuring a USB key the same as a
CD will not work.
I've researched extensively on how to do this and there are two solutions:
First, you can load software on the PC which extends the autorun
capability to include USB. This does not satisfy my need since I want
sales and trainers to just be able to walk in and plug into any logged
in machine and our application will launch.
Second, there are manufacturers that sell USB keys that have been
configured to do exactly what I want, but there are no directions for
replicating the trick. I believe they may have custom drivers or may
have formatted part of the memory as a read-only device, but if so, I
can't figure out how.
I need tested instructions to configure the USB Key to autorun an
application when plugged in and recognized without first having made
ANY configuration changes on the computer. It may also be that
Windows XP, which has enhanced autorun features (see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/01/11/autoplay/ for more on
the versions of autoplay) will work more easily than other versions of
Windows, so a good solution will be universal enough to work for
Windows 2003, 2000, and/or NT as well. This should be really simple,
but it's not.
[And yes, I realize this also represents a security risk to the PC,
but there are many ways to protect against it.] |
Clarification of Question by
nfinitemonkeys-ga
on
14 Jul 2005 21:10 PDT
I have looked into the UDRW and another chinese vendor who make
special Flash memory drives. A satisfactory answer would work on any,
or at least very common, flash drives.
Also, I had an idea, but don't know if it would work. Auto-run is
disabled for removable media, but autoplay is not as restricted. It
occurred to me that a FlashMX program that autoruns, (even if you have
to make a single click to select the action) would be an OK, if not
perfect answer. Is it possible to make a FlashMX menu that would
autoplay when the flash drive is plugged in, but which offered
configurable options (Option 1: Run my program, Option 2: Backup
documents, ...)? I would accept that answer.
[I'm leaving it at the current price given that I've done most of the
initial work and am just looking for a proof of concept. If anybody
goes overboard with an excellent solution, I'm in for a good tip.]
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