Multi-Purpose USB Key Apps

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For The Network Administrator On The Go

This summers hottest accessory for the Network Administrator on the go is the Multi-Purpose USB key. What the USB Key!? Thats so last millenium! You might be saying to yourself. Well folks, like your mommy always said, its whats on the inside that counts. Sure, USB keys come in all shapes and sizes and ofcourse what computer fanatic isn’t worried about matching with his accessories? But what makes this the accessory of the summer is the applications you store on your USB key. And I’m gonna show you how to outfit your USB key for all your troubleshooting needs.

*** Note: All of these programs are FREE

Currports [47 KB | Freeware | Win 2000/XP/2003/Vista] If you need to know what’s running on your computer and where, CurrPorts can be useful. You can monitor and control the ports that are used on your computer and the applications that are using them. This allows you to terminate or close them if needed. You also can export the information you find into an html or text-based report.

WinAudit [783 KB | Freeware | Win All] Crack down on your computer with WinAudit. It allows you to run a detailed audit of all the hardware and software on your computer so you know exactly what you have installed, license information, memory usage, startup programs, and network settings. Like Currports, you can obtain a report in text or html format and additionally spreadsheets.

Damn Small Linux [50 MB | Freeware | Win All] Now you can bring your Linux operating system with you anywhere you go and even run it inside Windows. Why settle for using an OS you don’t love when you can bring the mini-me version with you? Tiny enough to fit on a USB drive, but powerful enough to run a nearly complete desktop system.

Restoration [299 KB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] Everyone has accidentally deleted something they shouldn’t have at one time or another, but now there’s an easy way to get it back. You simply scan your computer for any files that can be recovered, limiting your search within certain parameters unless you want to see all of it at once. But what if you don’t want to get your files back but want to make sure they’re gone for good? Restoration can help you wipe your files clean forever.

RockXP [768 KB | Freeware | Win XP] RockXP can help you to easily retrieve your XP product key as well as any other keys for your other Microsoft products. This may not sound like a big deal, but it can be if you need to reinstall a program and you’ve misplaced the product key information.

Dr.Web CureIt [5.37 MB | Freeware | Win All] Another option for keeping any computer virus free is Dr. Web. It only scans your computer on demand, it does not keep a constant lookout for any incoming virus or worm infections. While this might sound like a disadvantage, the program can detect a wide variety of viruses without installation.

SmartSniff [57 KB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] Monitoring your network traffic on the go can be made easy with SmartSniff. SmartSniff allows you to keep track of your network traffic and even to color code traffic depending on where it’s originating.

AdAware [4.63 MB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] Spyware and Malware infections can render a computer almost unusable, so take the ability to get rid of these bothersome programs with you no matter where you go. With AdAware you can scan the affected computer and delete the programs you determine aren’t ones you want.

RoboForm2Go [2.84 MB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] Take your passwords with you securely and conveniently (who wants to remember all those passwords anyway?). RoboForm2Go allows you to quickly fill out forms and passwords in IE or in other browsers with the click of a button. Your information will remain secure. And, as soon as you remove the USB drive no traces of the program are left behind and the passwords remain encrypted on the USB drive. The free version stores up to 10 logins.

IZArc2Go [3.19 MB | Freeware | Win 2000/XP/2003] IZArc is a great addition to any USB drive. It’s a powerful yet compact system for opening and compressing files in a variety of the most popular formats. It’s great for anyone who tries to cram as many files as possible into limited storage space. Additionally, it comes with features that repair broken archived files, password protection, and the ability to easily email your archived files.

Convert [152 KB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] Convert is the ultimate conversion tool. You can convert distance, time, temperature, pressure, and the list goes on and on. You can also add your own custom conversions if the list falls short.

FoxIt PDF Reader [1.83 MB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] For those who are fed up with Adobe Reader, FoxIt can be a great alternative and one that you can easily carry around with you. Though it lacks some Adobe features, it still has the most basic and important ones including browser integration and the ability to copy and paste from text.

EditPad Lite [2.9 MB | Freeware | Win NT4/98/2000/ME/XP/Vista] Another text editor, EditPad Lite is a compact and portable application that has many useful features. For example, multiple documents open in tabs rather than in separate windows. You also have the ability to undo changes after saving, and you have support for any text file regardless of the OS it was created on.

Reach-a-Mail [2.1 MB| Freeware | Win All] Need an email client you can use on the go? Put Reach-a-Mail on your USB drive and use it to download, send and forward your email. It also includes a simple address book so you can add new contacts or import them from Outlook. You can hook it up to several email accounts to download the messages or leave them on your regular server to access later.

Trillian Anywhere [8 MB | Freeware | Win 98/2000/ME/XP /Vista] The popular chat program Trillian is also available in a portable version. It allows you to bring your contacts and settings to any computer you use. Trillian allows you to access your AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo!, and IRC accounts from one central client making keeping in touch even easier than ever.

Portable Firefox [6 MB | Freeware | Win 98/Me/2000/XP/Vista, Linux] Even some of the most loyal Microsoft customers have been converted to Firefox. Despite its popularity, it’s been my experience that many computers still don’t have it installed; but no matter, just bring it with you along with your bookmarks and settings.

Yamipod [4.39 MB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] Can’t install iTunes on your computer at work? Not a problem – you can use Yamipod to access your iPod’s contents without having iTunes. You can copy files to and from your iPod, import and export play lists, search for songs, remove duplicates, and create and edit notes. Yamipod also includes a built in music player. If you don’t have a USB drive you can put Yamipod on your iPod.

TrayURL [1.86 MB | Freeware | Win All] If you’ve ever been frustrated at another computer when you try to remember a website that you’ve conveniently bookmarked on your own, TrayURL can help you out. It allows you to carry around your favorites on your USB drive and access them from the system tray as easily as you would on your own computer.

Http File Server (HFS) [512 KB | Freeware | Win All] If you like to share files on the go, this program can make your task easy. This standalone program allows you to drag and drop files you want to share using a simple HTML page. For those of you who are so inclined, the page can be customized to suit your needs or integrated with Internet Explorer.

FTP Wanderer [210 KB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] FTP Wanderer is another portable FTP program with drag and drop uploads/downloads. It’s designed for easy navigation of file sites but not necessarily for more advanced web management.

FollowMeIP Lite [152 KB | Freeware | Win 98/ME/2000/XP] If you want your IP address displayed even though you’re hidden behind a firewall, you can use FollowMeIP. You don’t need to install the program – just run it and your IP address will be displayed.