usbkeys with U3 and their removal?

[Robin Laing]

Phil Meyer wrote:
> Mike wrote:
>> Does anyone have (or had) a usbkey which comes with U3 launchpad 
>> software?
>>
>> If so do you know if it is possible to remove the U3 stuff from the 
>> usbkey within
>> Fedora alone.  I know that there is a Windows package that will do it 
>> but if you have a machine with only F8 on it can one still get rid of 
>> the U3 stuff
>> and then reformat the usbkey to put an ext3 file system on it?
>>
>> These U3 files in their peculiar CDROM-like partition seem to be 
>> un-removable
>> even by root!
>>
>>   
> 
> You need to stomp the stupid MBR on those:
> 
> as root:
> 
> # cat /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin >/dev/sdX
> 
> where sdX = appropriate drive.  Don't stomp on your other drives!
> 
> That file is installed as a part of the syslinux rpm.
> 
> #yum install syslinux
> 
> First if you need to.
> 
> Once you stomp on the MBR:
> 
> # sync
> 
> remove the device,
> plug the device back in,
> and have at it with fdisk, or parted, or gparted, or whichever one you 
> prefer.
> 
> Good Luck!
> 

I tried this last night on a SanDisk Cruzer Titanium.  No success.  I 
then tried dd, fdisk, sfdisk, parted and gparted.  No success.  Anything 
trying to write to the MBR got an error.

I gave up and brought it in to work and had an a Windows user remove it.

I did create an account on the u3 web site and file my complaints.  The 
normal response is that it is a feature and look to purchase a different 
stick.  Also you didn't read the package.  My SanDisk package clearly 
states that it works with Linux.

Thinking about it last night, I figured out this is the cause of my 
daughters headaches.  The stick mounts two drives in Windows, Macs as 
well as Linux.  If you want to safely remove a drive, you have to remove 
two devices.  This happened with the IT person yesterday.

Also, found this out this morning.  If you erase the partition that you 
have access to, the launchpad software pukes.  It won't run and thus 
saves your Windows friend from getting bits of the "spyware" software on 
their system.

For those that don't know, here is the pusher of this spyware or root 
kit software.  I have read a few articles about installing key grabber 
software on the U3 partition and using in a public computer.

www.u3.com

I have downloaded the uninstaller twice and wrote my feelings in their 
box on my concerns.

-- 
Robin Laing