User Experience Engineering

Synopsis: I can use my SanDisk Cruzer on Mac OS X, with a simple settings change. From Windows XP, I disabled U3 security in the U3 Launchpad menu. No removal tool or hacks were necessary. I can now launch Windows applications from the USB key, and use it as file storage on Mac and Windows.

Many forum and blog posts complain about lack of Mac OS X support on the flash drives made by SanDisk, which come with U3.exe Launchpad. They describe U3 Software removal tools and reformatting the flash drive in order to "use all of it". These steps allowed me to make a simple settings change, and retain the ability to launch programs on Windows XP using "U3 Smart Programs."

Prepare SanDisk USB for Mac OS X

1. Insert Sandisk Cruzer into Windows XP USB port.
   Autoplay causes the U3 prompt to come up.
2. Enter password.
   System tray icon "U3" appears.
3. Click on U3 System Tray icon
4. Select "Disable Security"
5. Re-enter password if prompted.
6. Security button changes to "enable:.

That's it. To verify that it worked, I performed the following steps.

Verify U3 USB Key Working on Mac OS X

1. Click U3 System tray icon, and select "Eject".
2. Remove flash drive from Windows USB port.
   (In my case, the SanDisk Cruzer micro 4GB)
3. Stick flash drive into Mac OS X USB port
4. In Finder, click on the drive.
   (It appeared as "No Name", next to Macintosh HD.)
5. Select any subfolder.
   e.g. Documents
6. Perform read/writes to the USB key from Mac OS X.
   e.g.:Create new folder, edit a text file, save a new file, copy files to and from the flash drive

Labels: flash drive, launchpad, mac osx, SanDisk, u3, usb key, windows xp

posted by Monte Hayward  # 7:24 AM