Download a program for working with USB drives. Download drivers for USB ports
Good day everyone!
You can argue, but flash drives have become one of the most (if not the most) popular storage media. It is not surprising that there are quite a lot of questions regarding them: especially important among them are the issues of recovery, formatting and testing.
In this article I will present the best (in my opinion) utilities for working with drives - that is, those tools that I have used myself many times. The information in the article will be updated and expanded from time to time.
The best programs for working with a flash drive
Important! First of all, if you have problems with a flash drive, I recommend visiting the official website of its manufacturer. The fact is that the official website may have specialized utilities for data recovery (and not only!), which will cope with the task much better.
For testing
Let's start with testing drives. Let's look at programs that will help determine some of the parameters of a USB drive.
H2testw
A very useful utility for determining the actual volume of any media. In addition to the storage capacity, it can test the actual speed of its operation (which some manufacturers like to overestimate for marketing purposes).
Check Flash
A free utility that can quickly check your flash drive for functionality, measure its real read and write speed, and completely delete all information from it (so that no utility can recover a single file from it!).
In addition, it is possible to edit information about partitions (if they are on it), make a backup copy and reanimate the image of an entire media partition!
The speed of the utility is quite high and it is unlikely that at least one competing program will do this job faster!
HD Speed
This is a very simple, but very convenient program for testing flash drives for read/write speed (information transfer). In addition to USB drives, the utility supports hard drives and optical drives.
The program does not require installation. Information is presented in a clear graphical representation. Supports Russian language. Works in all versions of Windows: XP, 7, 8, 10.
CrystalDiskMark
One of the best utilities for testing information transfer speed. Supports various media: HDD (hard drives), SSD (newfangled solid state drives), USB flash drives, memory cards, etc.
The program supports the Russian language, although running a test in it is as easy as shelling pears - just select a carrier and press the start button (you can figure it out without knowledge of the great and mighty).
An example of the results can be seen in the screenshot above.
Flash Memory Toolkit
Flash Memory Toolkit - this program is a whole set of utilities for servicing flash drives.
Full set of functions:
- a detailed list of properties and information about the drive and USB devices;
- test to find errors when reading and writing information to the media;
- quick data clearing from the drive;
- search and recovery of information;
- backup of all files to media and the ability to restore from a backup copy;
- low-level testing of information transfer speed;
- measuring performance when working with small/large files.
FC-Test
A benchmark for measuring the real read/write speed of hard drives, flash drives, memory cards, CD/DVD devices, etc. Its main feature and difference from all utilities of this kind is that it uses real data samples to work.
Of the minuses: the utility has not been updated for quite some time (problems with newfangled media types are possible).
Flashnul
This utility allows you to diagnose and test USB Flash drives. By the way, during this operation, errors and bugs will be corrected. Supported media: US and Flash drives, SD, MMC, MS, XD, MD, CompactFlash, etc.
List of operations performed:
- reading test - an operation will be carried out to determine the availability of each sector on the media;
- recording test - similar to the first function;
- information integrity test - the utility checks the integrity of all data on the media;
- saving a media image - saving everything that is on the media into a separate image file;
- Loading the image into the device is similar to the previous operation.
For formatting
HDD Low Level Format Tool
A program that has only one task - to format the media (by the way, HDD hard drives, SSDs, and USB flash drives are supported).
Despite such a “meager” set of capabilities, it is not for nothing that this utility is in first place in this article. The fact is that it allows you to “return” to life even those media that are no longer visible in any other program. If this utility sees your drive, try low-level formatting it (attention! all data will be deleted!) - there is a good chance that after this format, your flash drive will work as before: without failures and errors.
USB Disk Storage Format Tool
A program for formatting and creating bootable flash drives. Supported file systems: FAT, FAT32, NTFS. The utility does not require installation, supports USB 2.0 port (USB 3.0 is not visible. Note: this port is marked in blue).
Its main difference from the standard tool in Windows for formatting drives is the ability to “see” even those media that are not visible by standard OS tools. Otherwise, the program is quite simple and concise, I recommend using it to format all “problem” flash drives.
Format USB Or Flash Drive Software
The utility will help in cases where the standard formatting program in Windows refuses to “see” the media (or, for example, will generate errors during operation). Format USB Or Flash Drive Software can format media into the following file systems: NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT. There is a quick formatting option.
I would also like to note the simple interface: it is designed in a minimalist style, it’s easy to understand (the screenshot is shown above). In general, I recommend it!
SD Formatter
A simple utility for formatting various flash cards: SD/SDHC/SDXC.
The main difference from the standard program built into Windows is that this utility formats the media according to the type of flash card: SD/SDHC/SDXC. It is also worth noting the presence of the Russian language, a simple and understandable interface (the main window of the program is shown in the screenshot above).
Aomei Partition Assistant
Aomei Partition Assistant is a large free (for home use) “combine” that provides a huge number of functions and capabilities for working with hard drives and USB media.
The program supports the Russian language (but is still set to English by default), works in all popular Windows operating systems: XP, 7, 8, 10. The program, by the way, works according to its own unique algorithms (at least according to the developers of this software ), which allows it to “see” even “very problematic” media, be it a flash drive or HDD.
In general, a whole article would not be enough to describe all its properties! I recommend you try it, especially since Aomei Partition Assistant will save you not only from problems with USB drives, but also with other media.
Recovery programs
Important! If the programs presented below are not enough, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with a large collection of programs for recovering information from various types of media (hard drives, flash drives, memory cards, etc.): .
If, when connecting the drive, it reports an error and asks you to format it, do not do it (it is possible that after this operation, it will be much more difficult to return the data)! In this case, I recommend reading this article:.
Recuva
One of the best free file recovery programs. Moreover, it supports not only USB drives, but also hard drives. Distinctive features: fast scanning of media, a fairly high degree of search for “remains” of files (i.e., the chances of returning a deleted file are quite high), a simple interface, a step-by-step recovery wizard (even complete “beginners” can handle it).
For those who will be scanning their flash drive for the first time, I recommend that you read the mini-instructions for recovering files in Recuva:
R Saver
Free* (for non-commercial use in the USSR) program for recovering information from hard drives, flash drives, memory cards and other media. The program supports all the most popular file systems: NTFS, FAT and exFAT.
The program sets the media scanning parameters independently (which is also another plus for beginners).
Program features:
- recovery of accidentally deleted files;
- the ability to reconstruct damaged file systems;
- recovering files after formatting the media;
- data recovery using signatures.
EasyRecovery
One of the best data recovery programs, supports a wide variety of media types. The program works in all versions of new Windows: 7, 8, 10 (32/64 bits), supports Russian language.
One cannot fail to note one of the most important advantages of the program - the high degree of detection of deleted files. Everything that can be “pulled out” from a disk or flash drive will be presented to you and offered to be restored.
Perhaps the only negative is that it is paid...
Important! You can find out how to return deleted files in this program in this article (see part 2):
R-STUDIO
One of the most popular programs for data recovery, both in our country and abroad. A large number of different media are supported: hard drives (HDD), solid-state drives (SSD), memory cards, flash drives, etc. The list of supported file systems is also amazing: NTFS, NTFS5, ReFS, FAT12/16/32, exFAT, etc.
The program will help in the following cases:
- accidentally deleting a file from the trash (this happens sometimes...);
- formatting the hard drive;
- virus attack;
- in the event of a computer power failure (especially important in Russia with its “reliable” power grids);
- in case of errors on the hard drive, if there are a large number of bad sectors;
- if the structure of the hard drive is damaged (or changed).
In general, a universal harvester for all kinds of cases. The only negative is that the program is paid.
Remark! Step-by-step data recovery in R-Studio:
Popular USB flash drive manufacturers
It is, of course, unrealistic to collect all manufacturers in one table. But all the most popular ones are definitely present here :). On the manufacturer’s website you can often find not only service utilities for resuscitating or formatting a USB drive, but also utilities that greatly facilitate the work: for example, programs for archival copying, assistants for preparing bootable media, etc.
Note! If I have left anyone out, I suggest using the tips from the instructions for restoring the functionality of a USB drive: . The article describes in some detail how and what to do to “return” the flash drive to working condition.
This concludes the report. Good work everyone and good luck!
Program interface: Russian
Platform:XP/7/Vista
Manufacturer: MakeSoft
Website: www.imakesoft.ru
USB Manager is a freely distributed software product that is designed to manage and fully control various types of USB devices, be it, for example, printers or any removable media.
Key features of USB Manager
The first thing you should pay attention to is its full compatibility with all versions of the Windows family of operating systems, including even the outdated Windows 98. The program distribution does not take up much space, and the installation process is not difficult. So, a user of any level of training can handle this. The second thing that pleases is that the program has multi-language support, therefore, by installing the required interface language, you can understand the application without much difficulty.
In general, the program is apparently intended for users who work on personal computers not alone, but using different accounts. It is clear that many simply do not want anyone to use any USB device in their absence. That is why, first of all, the program allows you to enable or completely disable all available USB ports. If they are completely disabled, no one will be able to use them. For example, someone inserts a regular flash drive, and this is where the fun begins. The operating system simply does not see it. So, you won’t be able to use the information from it. By the way, many viruses and malicious codes are spread from such devices. Therefore, by disabling USB ports, you can, to some extent, guarantee the security of your computer. Re-enabling the ports is not difficult. In this case, you can use the password system you need.
Disabling and re-enabling ports can be configured based on the types of devices being connected. For example, these could be separate printers, scanners, flash drives or various types of peripheral audio devices.
In general, it should be noted that the program has a rather nice, intuitive interface. Yes, and it works quite correctly. By the way, in the latest version the protection system has been significantly improved and the function of disconnecting from the client has been somewhat updated.
Thus, the program is simply ideal for preventing unauthorized use of the USB ports of your computer, especially since it is distributed completely free of charge and has no restrictions on the terms and purposes of use.
Hello friends! Today we’ll talk again about creating a bootable USB flash drive.
How to create a bootable USB device? For what purposes should I use it and what program should I use to record it?
A brief overview of the five most popular and free programs for creating a bootable USB flash drive.
Modern developments do not stand still, and yesterday's technologies are slowly but surely losing their relevance. So the once popular CDs and DVDs no longer seem like such a clear solution for storing, transferring and working with information. High data reading speed, versatility and reusability are just a small part of all the advantages of a flash drive as a bootable medium over disks. Already today, almost all personal computers and laptops, if they are no more than ten years old, support the ability to boot from USB devices. And in some cases (for example, a netbook), a flash drive may be the only boot device from an external drive.
By the way, the new Windows 10 operating system will be the first axis, the distribution of which will be officially distributed on a USB drive. And if you suddenly need to recover files from a flash drive, read about it. I also recommend paying attention to, which will help you take your mind off everyday work and lift your spirits.
With the help of additional software, a flash drive can be used not only as a boot device for installing, reinstalling and restoring the operating system, but also to create an emergency device (Multiboot). This is a kind of resuscitator, a tool from which you can boot at any time and cure your computer of viruses, restore system files or save important data. I described how to create such a flash drive resuscitator in the article “Creating a bootable Live CD/DVD/USB device and its use.” You can read this article.
Despite all the obvious advantages and the growing popularity of a flash drive as a bootable device, there are not so many programs for creating it. Nevertheless, they exist, and today I will introduce you to them in more detail, but first a few words about the preparatory stage.
Preparing a flash drive
We will need the flash drive itself, plus knowledge of some important aspects. First, you need to make sure that your computer supports booting from USB devices. There is a misconception that if in the bios (boot section) there is no option to select boot from usb (there are only floppi, hdd and dvd-rom options), then boot from usb is not supported. This is wrong!
More precisely, this is not always the case. The only correct solution is to refer to the manual (user manual) of your motherboard or using specialized software (AIDA64 as an option) to obtain a detailed report on the hardware used.
The second point is the size of the flash drive. Here everything will depend on what we write on it. For example, to create a Live-USB, Linux or Windows 7 installation disk, a 4 GB flash drive is enough. To create a bootable device with the latest versions of Windows, it is advisable to have a flash drive of at least 8 GB on hand.
The third point is transferring files from a flash drive. Typically, the process of creating a boot device involves completely formatting it. If there are important files on the flash drive, transfer them to another device in advance. To create a bootable USB flash drive and then use it as a boot device, use the USB-2.0 port (Windows 7 does not support USB 3.0).
How to create a bootable USB flash drive
Let's look at five different methods using five free programs for Windows as an example.
A small but quite functional utility with the self-explanatory name WinSetupFromUSB. Equally well suited for recording a bootable and/or multiboot flash drive (up to 10 operating systems) and creating Live devices. Official website.
Among the shortcomings is the lack of support for the Russian language. Among the advantages, as I already said, is its versatility. The utility can work not only with Windows distributions, but is also suitable for burning an installation disk with Linux.
The usual option for creating a bootable flash drive, for example, with a Windows distribution, involves selecting the flash drive itself, the option to automatically format the media, and the ISO image of the operating system in the appropriate boxes. The recording process starts after pressing the “Go” button. You can read more about how this program works.
To create a multiboot flash drive (several OS), you need to specify the path to the ISO images of the operating systems. At the time of writing this article, the Windows 10 selection item is not available by default, but in reality everything is written and works, you just need to select the appropriate column with the available versions - Vista, 7, 8.
2. Rufus
Perhaps the simplest solution for creating bootable USB drives. Everything is simple and intuitive. Suitable for working on systems that do not have an installed OS. Official website rufus.akeo.ie.
The main advantages are speed, simple interface, Russian language. An excellent solution if you need to create a bootable Windows 10 USB flash drive with UEFI support. By the way, I wrote in detail about how to do this in.
Distributed in the format of a regular installer and a portable version. To create a bootable USB flash drive, in the utility window you need to specify the path to the ISO image to be written and click the “Start” button.
On new systems that use UEFI instead of BIOS, set the Partition Scheme and System Interface Type menu to GPT for computers with UEFI.
In other cases, the default settings will be sufficient. The option to format a flash drive is assigned by default.
3. Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool
This utility is an official application from Microsoft. The interface is minimalistic, simple and clear, it is easy to work with. Download from the official website wudt.codeplex.com.
Perhaps the name of the utility (Windows 7 USB) will mislead many that with its help you can only write the Windows 7 distribution to removable media. However, this is not the case. In addition to the seventh version, Windows 8.1 and 10 distributions can be stored on a flash drive.
The downside is that the utility is not Russified, but the simple and intuitive interface is designed to offset this drawback.
All that is required from the user is to insert a USB drive in advance, select an ISO image with the operating system and specify the path to the media (flash drive) to which this image should be deployed.
The operating principle of this program is based on standard tools of the Windows operating system - these are “diskpart”, “bootsect /nt60”, unpacking ISO onto a flash drive. The program acts only as a graphical interface.
UltraISO is one of the best and most functional programs for working with disk images. A universal “harvester” that supports work with almost any known formats. Can work in tandem with Nero Burning Rom and integrates with virtual emulators. It will help if the boot disk image is not in ISO format.
The program can convert other image formats into ISO files - NRG, MDF, MDS, IMG, CCD, etc. With UltraISO you can edit ISO files without unpacking them. The UltraISO interface has been translated into many languages, including Russian. For downloading, you are offered several editions of UltraISO, adapted for individual versions of Windows, as well as a portable version of the program. Download link www.ezbsystems.com.
By and large, the program does not care what boot devices will be created with its help, with what operating system, what software and from what manufacturer. The ISO image to be burned must be opened in the program window either using the "Open" command in the "File" menu or using the browse button on the toolbar. This can also be done using the Ctrl + O key combination.
Then in the window that appears, if the program automatically selects the desired flash drive, you should click the “Burn” button.
Daemon Tools Ultra is a professional tool for working with images. The program itself is familiar to many users from the free Lite version, which allows you to mount virtual drives for reading disk images. Its more functional version - Daemon Tools Ultra - offers, among other features, the creation of boot devices.
Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting that it is paid, but to create a bootable flash drive, you can download a free 20-day trial version on the program’s official website. Official website of the program.
Go to the official website and download the program. During installation, you must select a trial license type.
The program works with a huge number of disk image formats and can be used both to create a boot device with subsequent installation of the operating system, and to restore it (Live disk).
To create a bootable flash drive, in the main window of Daemon Tools Ultra, select the “Tools” menu item, and among its commands is “Write bootable image to USB”. Or the hotkey combination Ctrl+B.
In the recording parameters window, specify the path to the image, enable the MBR overwrite option and click “Start”.
When the flash drive is ready, all that remains is to boot from it. The easiest way is to use the boot menu keys. The table below shows a clear example of such keys.
Of course, this is not the entire list of programs designed to create bootable devices, but for the vast majority of users, the capabilities and functionality of the listed software will be sufficient.
For example, the Rufus program can be used as the simplest and fastest tool for creating a bootable USB drive with one Windows distribution or for flashing BIOS from DOS.
13-01-2014
ATiny2313
Zakharov Denis, Ukraine
As you know, there are a sufficient number of interfaces through which a microcontroller (MCU) can communicate with external devices. If you need to connect the MK to a personal computer or laptop, then we can say with confidence that it is best to use the RS-232 COM port interface.
The reason for this choice is obvious - almost all controllers have UART hardware modules, with which you can transfer information with minimal consumption of MK resources. In addition, there are many well-proven programs designed to work with the COM port. Since MK signals have TTL levels, a level converter is required to match with the RS-232 interface. It is often performed based on the affordable and popular MAX232 chip.
| Figure 1. |
The presented device (Figure 1) is designed to control devices using any PC with a USB port. Modern computers and laptops have several of these ports. Using this complex you can control light, TV and other devices. Executing devices do not necessarily have to be in close proximity to the PC.
The device consists of quite accessible and common elements. Both microcircuits are ATtiny2313 family microcontrollers. The first controller is connected to the computer's USB port and serves as a USB-COM format converter. The second connects to the first and constantly scans commands that are sent from the PC through the terminal program Terminal v1.9b.
Resistor R4 connected to USB pin 2 switches the device to low-speed LS mode, which allows you to decrypt messages from a PC when exchanging data at a speed of 1.5 Mbit/s using the program.
With the help of resistors R2 and R3, transient processes are eliminated. Capacitor C5 blocks impulse noise in the power circuit. Zener diodes D1 and D2 are necessary to match the logical levels of the MK and the USB input of the PC. For error-free data transfer between controllers, the frequencies of the quartz resonators must be 12 and 4 MHz.
Pull-up resistors should be connected to the /RESET pins in order to subsequently avoid arbitrary reset of the MC due to the influence of interference and static voltages. In this diagram, all commands are displayed on LEDs connected to port B. To control any devices, you must connect the controller outputs to a relay (Figure 2).
You can assemble the device on a breadboard, although it is better, nevertheless, on a full-fledged printed circuit board. The elements can be placed, for example, as shown in Figure 3.
The program for the U1 microcontroller was developed by a friend of GetChiper in the Bascom-AVR environment. A library is used to work with the USB bus swusb.LBX. With its help, software decoding of the USB protocol is performed in real time. To operate the device on a PC, you need to install the appropriate drivers by copying them to your hard drive. When you connect for the first time, the device will be recognized and will ask for a driver. Next you need to specify the path to the folder with the files, and everything will work.
The U2 microcontroller program was written by me in the AVRStudio environment in assembly language. The block diagram of the MK operation algorithm is presented in Figure 4. The UART hardware module should be configured to interrupt upon completion of data reception. The MK itself will not perform any functions until an interruption occurs. To reduce power consumption, you can use the sleep mode, but in this design this was not necessary. As soon as commands are sent from the PC terminal, the MK will instantly begin scanning them. Currently the controller supports the following command system:
-on1, on2, on3, on4, on5, on6, on7, on8- commands for setting ports to “log. 1";
-off1, off2, off3, off4, off5, off6, off7, off8- commands for setting ports to “log. 0";
-ser - set all ports to the active “log” state. 1";
-clr- reset all ports to “log.0” state.
After finishing entering each command, you must press Enter. This way the MK will be able to determine the end of the command and begin scanning it. The controller will respond “ok” to every correct command. If you enter incorrect data, “error” will be returned to the terminal line. An example of the command execution is shown in Figure 5.
Firmware version 1.0. It is necessary to set fuses in accordance with Figure 6. The next version of the firmware is being developed, where the MK will self-learn and change the command systems in the terminal.
MK software, Proteus virtual model and driver for PC -
Data transfer protocol between MK and PC - download
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- ....actually I would like to see the connection between the USB port of one computer and the COM port of a second...or LPT port of a third...
- Thank you! Typo fixed :)
- Why use 2 MK? Does Attiny2313 really have little flash? Or is there simply not enough I/O ports? Okay then, you can see that USB is hanging on INT0/INT1.
- The resistance of low-power relay coils is around 100-200 Ohms, not taking into account the saturated transistor (this is not a starter or a contactor). So the 50-200 mA suitable switch will not be afraid. The material is very interesting in terms of connecting the MK to USB without any interface chips and without the presence of hardware USB in the structure of the MK. But taking into account the goals and objectives of the original source http://www.recursion.jp/avrcdc/cdc-232.html, of the two MKs, one still performs the functions of a USB-COM converter. And a very cheap converter, which is certainly pleasing.
- Here is an interesting citizen who was caught with “noble habits,” judging by his nickname. What extremes are we talking about? It seems that the material does not even mention the type of relay or transistors. And if the relay is powered from 5V USB, then, of course, I would like to minimize consumption from the host on the PC. This can be achieved using optocouplers and additional power supply to the relay on the load side, which complicates the circuit. Or a couple more options. Is the emphasis in the article on optimization? The author achieved his goal and is doing the right thing by not posting a specific fee. For someone who will repeat, this node is enough.
- Yes, the article is still the same... but is it worth it? I also wanted to comment on something as soon as I read it, including the diode. But you can't be anonymous here. That's why the author of AVR-CDC? I didn’t notice that DTR, DTS, RTS, CTS signals are used somewhere in the circuit. V-USB not enough? We have already written about two “bricks” above; one would be enough. And about the diode has already been corrected, thank Buddha! The diode is needed to protect the transistor from the self-induction voltage pulse of the relay winding at the moment the current opens. By the way, I remembered one implementation. The article was in Radio magazine, but it was also found on the Internet, if you are interested you can take a look.
