4 lesser-known issues I do with outdated USB drive...

I’ve numerous outdated USB drives mendacity round. A budget storage answer is most well-known for being a simple option to retailer Phrase docs and PDFs, however they will achieve this rather more.

Do you know that with a USB drive you’ll be able to create an encrypted locker for your entire passwords? You probably have an outdated USB drive mendacity round, you’ll be able to simply upcycle it and get extra use out of it. Listed here are the 4 ways in which I prefer to upcycle my outdated USB drives.

1

Experiment with a conveyable OS

Be taught a brand new OS equivalent to Linux with a USB drive and persistence

Linux Mint

Putting in a bootable OS on a USB drive is a breeze. All you may must do is obtain whichever ISO information from whichever OS you need, after which use a third-party software (I desire Rufus) to create a bootable drive. If you happen to’re utilizing a Home windows-based laptop, you may must entry your laptop’s UEFI/BIOS, which might be accomplished by urgent the designated key (usually your F1 key, however verify your producer first) at startup. When you’re within the BIOS, search for a tab known as boot order, and choose the USB drive.

The method is definitely a bit less complicated on macOS, as you will not must obtain Rufus or any third-party packages, and might do the complete course of, together with booting from the USB drive with the built-in macOS Disk Utility function. You may nonetheless must obtain the OS ISO information to your USB flash drive, after which plug the drive in and entry the Disk Utility software.

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2

Play your favourite video games

You may as well retailer and run video games instantly on a USB drive

Nintendo

Along with storing and operating an OS from a USB drive, you are able to do the identical factor together with your favourite video games. It is a simple option to journey together with your favourite video games, and it lets you run video games on a pc with out having to put in video games on a number of computer systems.

You may as well simply transfer video games from Steam to your USB drive and play them instantly from there. Nonetheless, you may want a USB drive that’s each quick and has numerous area. I like to recommend utilizing any drive that’s licensed USB 3.0 or increased for velocity and to be sure to have sufficient area on your video games.

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3

Automate file backups

Do not lose crucial information

Google / Pocket-lint

There are extra methods than ever to again up necessary information and folders you could’t afford to lose. Nonetheless, one of many easiest methods to again up what’s most necessary to you, is by utilizing a USB drive as a backup location. One of many main advantages of utilizing a USB drive to again up information, is you could then entry your most necessary information from wherever, due to the compact portability of USB drives.

The simplest means to do that is to make use of a third-party backup program. I personally have been utilizing Arconis True Image to do that, however bear in mind that Arconis just isn’t free and can run you $50/12 months.

On each Home windows and macOS, you’ll be able to all the time manually backup information through drag and drop from the file tree, however if you’d like the power to shortly and robotically backup information to a USB drive, you may desire a third-party program.

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Create a conveyable media library with hundreds of songs

Whereas there are numerous high-tech methods to create a private media library — equivalent to making a NAS or Plex server — one of many easiest methods to create a conveyable media library is with a easy USB drive. Now that there are USB drives in the marketplace which might be able to as much as 1TB or storage that you need to use for a variety of films, music, and e-books to take them wherever with you.

It is a good way to have the ability to entry your media from a number of computer systems, and it makes touring together with your favourite media simple. You do not have to fret about carrying additional drives in your bag or fear about whether or not you may have web entry, as the whole lot you need to deliver might be saved regionally on the USB drive.