Talk:U3
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[edit] Reverted page move
I reverted an editor's recent page move (it had been moved from U3 to U3 Software) due to the guideline at WP:COMMONNAME: U3 is by far the best-known name for this company and design specification. There was no need to add the word "Software" to the article name; besides, U3 Software now redirects here. Bry9000 (talk) 23:34, 29 January 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Self-Contradictory
This article contradicts itself rather badly. At one point it states:
"The software itself can be removed by reformatting the drive to FAT32 by any Windows 2000/XP, Linux or OSX system."
While later the article claims:
"Users of non-Microsoft OSes that don't have access to a Windows PC are unable to remove U3 from their "smart drives."
I don't own one of these devices, so I can't test which claim is correct, but they are mutually exclusive. If reformatting the drive erases the U3 stuff, the latter statement is incorrect. If it doesn't, then the previous statement is incorrect.
Oregonerik (talk) 00:50, 4 February 2008 (UTC)
- You're right - I've just noticed that after tidying up the latter comment.
- Can anyone with a U3 device try reformatting it and make an authoriative edit? Raftermast (talk) 19:09, 7 February 2008 (UTC)
No. The U3 garbage CANNOT be removed by reformatting. Or in any way, except by running proprietary software. If this were not the case, U3 would not be so controversial.
It is not just an ordinary matter of "removing software", which you can do from Linux etc. It is embedded deeper than that. -68.236.103.195 (talk) 20:50, 16 February 2008 (UTC)
- There is an interesting article in the most recent (or very recent) 2600 Magazine about getting around this or at least modifying its purpose. If someone out there has a copy, please consider putting a blurb on the U3 page to enlighten us all! --geekyßroad. meow? 01:28, 6 March 2008 (UTC)
- software on the normal (USB mass storage device) drive area: removed by reformat, or even normal file deletion
- software on the weird (fake CD-ROM) drive area: removed by a hack documented in 2600 Magazine
- the weird (fake CD-ROM) drive area itself: removed by a special tool, assuming Windows doesn't crash
[edit] Compatibility
There are some issues remaining with Vista compatibility. I have edited the relevant section to reflect this, and cited sources. I do own one of these devices, and was surprised to find that vista was giving me a headache over a usb key. After about 3 hours of research, I was lucky enough to stumble upon the solution, i.e. KB940199. Toastysoul (talk) 05:19, 4 February 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Neutrality
I don't think the "benefits" section has any neutrality problems. In fact, I was very impressed with the way that the Wiki writers were willing to include the benefits section to provide balance to a product that is so widely hated. I recommend that we remove the neutrality tag. If anything, that section MAKES the page neutral. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 199.125.45.10 (talk) 14:00, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- I agree, and removed the tag. Not sure why it was added to begin with Raftermast (talk) 18:46, 18 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Leaves traces on host PC
Given the current explanation as to that "U3" leaves behind on the user's PC (i.e. files under C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch) I've removed this particular criticism.
U3 doesn't write to this area; those files "left behind" are actually created by the OS part of normal MS Windows operation - the prefetch system is part of Window's functionality to improve performance, and has nothing to do with U3 Raftermast (talk) 18:44, 18 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] U3 uninstallation directions?
Do we really need those instructions on the page? 24.58.143.68 (talk) 21:32, 6 May 2008 (UTC)
