Remove U3 from flash drive

Our company just bought 150 of those flash drives (Sandisk Micro Cruzer 4GB) that comes with U3 preinstalled on it on a read-only partition. Now the U3 isn't really a bad thing to most people, but the U3 partition on it takes up another drive letter which sometimes prevent some of our network drives from mapping.

I decided to post this as an 'instructable' because it is different from the other one here

Maybe the U3 software has been improved, or maybe its just another away of removing it, but at least it eliminates the need to download another software just to kill the U3 partition.

Let's jump right in.

Step 1: Click the U3 icon in the system tray.
Step 2: Click on Settings > U3 Launchpad Settings
Step 3: Select 'Uninstall' > Uninstall U3 Launchpad

Step 1 Launchpad Removal Program

The launchpad removal program is fired up.

Follow the on screen prompts by the software to remove the U3 partition for good!

Step 4: Click Next
Step 5: Select No only if there's nothing on the flash drive that you need.
(actually even if there were any data on the flash drive I want, I would prefer to copy them out onto the computer, just in case there's a software glitch or power that corrupts my data!)
Step 6: Click 'Format' and finally 'Done'

Ta-dah! A U3-less flash drive.

This isn't much of an instructable but I hope it helps some people :)

Comments

[shabaki]

THANK YOU. i actually do like the way the U3 system is i DO NOT however like its nice little function of opening its self and slowing dowm my comp AND having that annoying little icon on the start bar every time i plug it in , thats why im just going to make a copy in case i ever do want to use it :D then KILL THE ORIGANAL

[erikals]

U3 is sort of like portable apps, except it uses a different package format. Great instructable.

[wisd0m]

Thanks, worked great. I use Portable Apps as well, great program.

[m4573rk3yb04rd]

What is U3? I don't understand!

[jaxxster1]

sooo? what does u3 do?? ?:-/

[geeklord]

Couldn't u just go into my computer, right click on it and choose format?

[ChancellorScar]

No. U3 is a read-only program, and they made the installation file separate so people would say, it's just a hassle, and not uninstall it. At least, that's what I believe.

[Sinner3k]

U3 is total garbage. I removed it almost immediately from a recently purchased flash drive. Portable AppsPortable Apps is infinitely better and has the benefit of being open-source.

[The Expert Noob]

the stock Launchpad is garbage, but U3 itsself is usefull here.

[humoogous]

Yup, I agree with you completely! I too, installed portable apps onto my flash drive. (I should have mentioned that in my 'instructable')