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Thread: Help with partitions on a flash drive

  1. #1
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Help with partitions on a flash drive

    I'm making some more of these flash drives, for potential sale at a local upscale men's store.



    I want to start numbering these pieces, but physically marking them with a serial number isn't going to work. I could put the serial number on the drive in a hidden .txt file, but if the user formats the drive it's gone.

    What I'd like to do is create a tiny hidden read-only partition (a few K would work) to put that .txt file, so that the end user isn't even aware that it's there and it won't be erased during format.

    Does anyone know if this is possible, and if so where I could look for more info on how to get it done?

    Thanks!!
    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  2. #2
    Water Cooled Stonerboy779's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    You may be able to make said partition but there will always be a way for someone to format the USB. Personalty I think you could manage a tasteful and small engraving on the end above/below the USB connector.

    Trying to make a way to keep track of all your work?

  3. #3
    Anodized. Again. Konrad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    USB drive partitions (bootable and otherwise) are kind of a complex topic these days ... you can try here as a starting point or - better yet, I think - download whatever factory UMP tool the manufacturer of the USB controller chip provides ... you're already opening up the flash sticks, so it should be easy to identify the part markings.

    You can always use a tool like WinHex to add a "serial number" or other unique hex block anywhere within the unused portions of the USB MBR (main boot record) 0 sector. Do not preface any sectors with 55 AA, since that is used to identify executable code blocks.
    My mind says Technic, but my body says Duplo.

  4. #4
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    Quote Originally Posted by Stonerboy779 View Post
    Trying to make a way to keep track of all your work?
    Yep, that's the idea.


    Quote Originally Posted by Konrad View Post
    USB drive partitions (bootable and otherwise) are kind of a complex topic these days ... you can try here as a starting point or - better yet, I think - download whatever factory UMP tool the manufacturer of the USB controller chip provides ... you're already opening up the flash sticks, so it should be easy to identify the part markings.

    You can always use a tool like WinHex to add a "serial number" or other unique hex block anywhere within the unused portions of the USB MBR (main boot record) 0 sector. Do not preface any sectors with 55 AA, since that is used to identify executable code blocks.
    As usual Konrad, your technospeak humbles me. Before I go to the time and effort to translate the above, much less undertake it, I will find a way to tastefully engrave a 3-digit alphanumeric code on it.

    Suggestions are appreciated, thanks very much and +rep
    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  5. #5
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    Thanks guys, OvRiDe and his Google Fu were able to point me to exactly what I needed here.

    Thanks Curtis!!
    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  6. #6
    Water Cooled Stonerboy779's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    That's good to hear, also good to hear about the reasonably sized job for the men's store.

  7. #7
    Anodized. Again. Konrad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    lol thanx - you've wrecked my Reputation.

    "Konrad travels with the force as [his] ally." - that means I no longer know what I'm talking about when it comes to computers, nor am I a helpful and friendly person, I'm not even popular and handy to have around. Please no more!

    Besides, the Dark Side is way better than the emo Two-Shoes schoolteacher side of the Force (I mean, duh, hello, imperial capacitors in your sleeves!). And the Dark Side has cookies.
    My mind says Technic, but my body says Duplo.

  8. #8
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    If it makes you feel any better, that statement really isn't side-specific.

    Vader traveled with the Force as his ally, too.

    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  9. #9
    Anodized. Again. Konrad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    Ah, back to OP ... my first linky should work well enough. It goes to some thingy which makes a bootable USB/U3 partition. Plug USB stick and restart computer (and, er, reconfigure mobo BIOS boot order if necessary). Or plug USB stick into computer and only see the non-bootable partition. All sorts of options above and beyond what HDDs offer, although choice of file systems is sort of limited because not every OS has native U3 support.
    My mind says Technic, but my body says Duplo.

  10. #10
    herpin' the derp farlo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with partitions on a flash drive

    why not get a label maker, and put it inside the case?

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