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Autorunning

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mehmood
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Joined: 2006-10-30 07:26
Autorunning

Apologies if this has already been covered as I can't seem to find anything appropriate that answers my query.

Basically, I'd like to know how to get ASuite to autorun from my USB key.

This is the first time I'm using such a key. It appears to have two partitions (currently showing up as E & F drive) and I'd like to get ASuite to launch just as soon as I plug in my key. Suffice to say it would be great if this could work without any drive mapping as I would like to be able to run the key from various PCs.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

MP

Vhati
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Joined: 2006-09-26 18:27
Autorun

By default, Windows XP only does autorun for "Local Drives" and "CD/DVD-Roms", not "Removable Drives".

USB sticks that call themselves 'secure' usually appear as Local Drives.

In the root of your stuck, make a file called autorun.inf with this in it (no dashes):
------
[autorun]
open=PStart.exe
------

I like PStart, but you can use whatever you want.
https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/pstart

Windows XP pre-SP2 ran as soon as the stick was inserted. SP2 adds a nag popup asking if you really want to.

------

Now the registry stuff nobody talks about regarding autorun...

I haven't tried making Removables work, but I used this info to disable it (and that stupid autoplay) on all sticks.
If any of these entries disable autorun, it doesn't work.
The 3rd should be of particular interest.

Prevents Windows from knowing that the CD/DVD has been changed by the user.
(e.g. suppresses the Media Change Notification (MCN) internal message)
This is not recommended because it will confuse apps like Explorer and WMP.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom
Autorun
1 - on
2 - off

Same as above, but for specific drives.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom
AutoRunAlwaysDisable
(Just a text model list)

MCN internal message get to runing apps, but MyComputer-AutoPlay doesn't happen.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoDriveTypeAutoRun (device type bitmask)
0xb5 - off for CDs
0xdd - off for all but CDs
0x91 - on for most drives (not unknown or network)
0x95 - as 91 but disabling removables too (default)
00 00 00 00 - ignore type

0x1 Disables Autoplay on drives of unknown type.
0x4 Disables Autoplay on removable drives.
0x8 Disables Autoplay on fixed drives.
0x10 Disables Autoplay on network drives.
0x20 Disables Autoplay on CD-ROM drives.
0x40 Disables Autoplay on RAM disks.
0x80 Disables Autoplay on drives of unknown type.
0xFF Disables Autoplay on all types of drives.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/res...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoDriveAutoRun (drive letter binary array, gpedit.msc can adjust this)
03 ff ff ff - disable on all drives

Restrict CD-ROM access to locally logged on user only
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
allocatecdroms

mehmood
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Joined: 2006-10-30 07:26
Fantastic

Many thanks for this. I'll give it a go!

RMB Fixed
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Joined: 2006-10-24 10:30
Yes , but.... It will of

Yes , but....
It will of course only auto-run on a machine that has
had the registry changes made .
I have a stick that IS a FIXED drive.. and it
does NOT autorun without the nag-screen.
the reason is that not only does windows by default
not support autorun without nag-screen on removable flash-drives , it also requires a non-writable filesystem ..
And unless I missed some "hotfix" XP isnt
supposed to support multiple mounted partitions
on a removable flash-drive either.
(there ARE ways to do it anyway)
So either your stick is seen as a 'FIXED" disk
or its a u3'ish type ??
In short : autorun doesnt happen on "normal"
flash-drives without registry-"hacking".

John T. Haller
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Options

Yes, there are a few options. There are multiple manufacturers that allow for an auto-running CD partition that will allow you to launch your choice of application. Some even have advanced features like fingerprint readers and hardware encryption chips on the device for real portable security. I'm actually working with a few on bundling portable apps now.

Of course, the autorun will only work on PCs with autorun enabled. And I recommend everyone disable autorun on their own PC for security reasons. Unless, that is, you like record companies like Sony automatically installing rootkits on your PC when you try to play a CD.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Bahamut
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:shocked:

Vintage!

Ryan McCue
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WTF?

That is the weirdest smiley I have ever seen. Biggrin
----
Ryan McCue
Cube Games
People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were
the kind of people who didn't need people.
(Maskerade)

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

RMB Fixed
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windows will still READ autorun.inf

Even if you disable autorun you still have
"shellexecute" to worry about.
So the only real difference will be the "automatic"
Some of those "smart-sticks" have processing-
power that the poor geeks would have killed for
in the 1970's,and can execute programs.
To me it looks like a REAL pocket-
computer ( if M$ allow it )isn't many years away.
Theres already people booting full XP from their flahdrives.

Vhati
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Last seen: 17 years 5 months ago
Joined: 2006-09-26 18:27
I didn't need to Regedit

My 64MB Lexar JumpDrive Secure (seen as a Local Drive) needed no registry tweaking to autorun on assorted lab PCs. It has a read/write filesystem.

I just made an autorun.inf, and plugged it in.

Secure sticks appear as Local Drives because they use a second, encrypted partition to save their stuff.
(I never used that feature though. ;))
Partitioning isn't possible on Removable Devices.

Tomms1212
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Joined: 2007-03-23 15:42
Partitoning a flash drive

Partitioning is actually quite possible using a utility called QTpart to partition the flash drive, or even format it in ntfs. However I have only done this with knoppix and no other flavors of Linux. Windows will not read anything but the first partition of the flash drive

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