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Best USB/Bootable recovery and "utility" tools

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Josh:
All,

I am looking to generate a set of USB keys that I can use for various purposes. Right now, I have copies of the following and wanted to see what everyone else used.

Ultimate Boot CD - This is supposedly a really good toolset. However, every time I have attempted to use it, I can boot from it but each tool launch hangs after the initial menu selection with nothing happening. This occurs on multiple systems of varying configs.

Hiren's Boot CD - Another tool similar to UBCD.

There used to be a tool, Winternals ERD Commander, which seems to have gone the way of the Cody....errr...I mean DoDo.

I have several USB keys containing bootable installers for Windows 7 x64/x86 and Windows XP Pro SP3.

I have a couple for varying liveCD Distros of Linux to include: Latest release of BackTrack, OpenSuse and Fedora.

Are there any other tools/suggestions that you, the community, can make to have for carrying around and utilizing in various scenarios?

On a side note, has ANYONE been able to make UBCD work?

Josh

40hz:
On a side note, has ANYONE been able to make UBCD work?
-Josh (January 12, 2012, 02:27 PM)
--- End quote ---

I have.

Problem is, even following the directions, it's not always easy (or sometimes possible) to get it customised exactly the way you want it. I prefer BartPE over UBCD for exactly that reason.

Are there any other tools/suggestions that you, the community, can make to have for carrying around and utilizing in various scenarios?
-Josh (January 12, 2012, 02:27 PM)
--- End quote ---

Create current copies of all the Microsoft updates and patches for Windows and MS Office, and burn them to CD/DVD or load on a USB key. You can use a utility called WSUS Offline Update to do that. Now you don't need to connect to Windows Update and get them via the web.  It's a "must have" for any Tech's toolkit IMO.

Great tool for when you're setting up a new PC or need something at a client site and can't get an Internet connection. Huge time saver! I mentioned it in a previous thread. Link here.
 :Thmbsup:

steeladept:
I have used Hiren's with some success.  BartPE is great, but I have never been able to create my own collection, I have only ever used one someone else created to good success.  UBCD?  No. Never have.

40Hz - That WSUS Offline Update is interesting, but it does limit you significantly in a heterogeneous environment.  If everything is Windows, I can see it.  Where I work, not so much.  Like you Josh, I yearn for the days of Winternals ERD Commander.  THAT was a great tool during XP's heyday.

NigelH:
A few others

sarducd
unetbootin
linuxliveusb
xboot

4wd:
@Josh: Did you mean UBCD or UBCD4Win?

Driver Pack Solution 11 - DVD or copy the files to a flash drive.  Identify and, optionally, install/update drivers and other common programs, (eg. Firefox, µTorrent, etc).
D7 - Kind of a multi-tool.

Other than that I usually roll my own using WinBuilder, (over UBCD or BartPE), for the same reason 40hz said.

Everything installed on a ~30GB bootable FAT32 partition on a 2.5" external, (using SARDU) - I've found more computers are willing to boot off of a real USB HDD rather than a flash drive posing as a HDD.

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