Free 32Mb memory key - IBM

[Nick5324]

Originally posted by: yelo333

Originally posted by: Nick5324

I did this, and yes it was a PITA. It also didn't work. I got through step 6. It still shows as two drives, the first as "CD Drive" (no longer whatever the IBM name was) with no files, and "Removable Disk" with no files. Both are of file size 0 bytes. Trying to format either has no effect. No error, no message, nothing. At least it was free, off to the trash.

It possibly could have corrupted the partition info. Have you tried using disk management to recreate the partitions?

Note that my drive hasn't come yet, so I am unsure whether or not this will work.

Well, it doesn't show up in Disk Management. In Windows Explorer, it's CD-ROM (G: ) and Removable Disk (H: ). In disk management, it lists Disk 0, Disk 1, CD-ROM 0, CD-ROM 1, CD-ROM 19 (G: ) (19, wtf). *Shrug*

 

[mscdex0]

Originally posted by: Nick5324

Originally posted by: yelo333

Originally posted by: Nick5324

I did this, and yes it was a PITA. It also didn't work. I got through step 6. It still shows as two drives, the first as "CD Drive" (no longer whatever the IBM name was) with no files, and "Removable Disk" with no files. Both are of file size 0 bytes. Trying to format either has no effect. No error, no message, nothing. At least it was free, off to the trash.

It possibly could have corrupted the partition info. Have you tried using disk management to recreate the partitions?

Note that my drive hasn't come yet, so I am unsure whether or not this will work.

Well, it doesn't show up in Disk Management. In Windows Explorer, it's CD-ROM (G: ) and Removable Disk (H: ). In disk management, it lists Disk 0, Disk 1, CD-ROM 0, CD-ROM 1, CD-ROM 19 (G: ) (19, wtf). *Shrug*

You can perform a "reset" on the key by shorting out BC8 which is next to the red led. See if that helps.

 

[nivorous]

Originally posted by: mscdex0
Here's how to get rid of all the IBM crap and get the full 32mb of space:
To do this, you'll need to open up the unit and look on the side where the Phison chip is on. On the top of it is where you will see the R10. You'll need an unfolded paperclip to perform this trick (each end of the paper clip goes on each side of the R10, thus making a connection and shorting it out).

Step 1. Unplug the key if it's already plugged in.

Step 2. Short R10 by placing one end of the paperclip on one side of R10, and the other end on the other side. (This step may take awhile, as it did for me, you have to have the paperclip ends touching just the right spots).

Step 3. Keep it shorted and then insert into USB port (still shorted)

Step 4. Continue to keep it shorted, the LED will then blink for a little bit. Wait until the LED goes off.

Step 5. Still keeping it shorted, unplug the key from the USB cable/port.

Step 6. Remove the paperclip, so that the usb key is back to normal.

Step 7. Insert the key back to USB port. The light should now blink a little bit and then go back off. One drive should now only be showing in My Computer. Right-click on it, and do a format.

Voila! Enjoy

I tried this and now I cannot format the drive. It shows up as only a single drive in my computer now but I cannot format it. It says it's write protected but I've tried unlocking and locking the thumbdrive.

Also, when I go into Disk Management in MMC and hit format it says "The operation did not complete because the media is write-protected."

I also tried resetting it by shortneing BC8 like you said but still get the same errors.

 

[AStar617]

Heh, think I might stick with my workaround until we get a few more positive results... Please continue to post your experiences, all.

 

[SimMike2]

Tried the R10 shorting about 30 times - no luck. Boy am I sick of that pathetic IBM shovelware opening automatically. IMHO this thing is worthless with the lousy IBM adware.

 

[Nick5324]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
Tried the R10 shorting about 30 times - no luck. Boy am I sick of that pathetic IBM shovelware opening automatically. IMHO this thing is worthless with the lousy IBM adware.

I'm not bummin' about it. It was free, i didn't think it would actually come, and even best case scenario a 32MB flash drive has limited use to me. I'm willing to bet mscdex0's instructions work, I'm probably just an ass Hey, it was worth it, i got a free USB Male to Female cable out of it.

 

[mscdex0]

Also you can check out the extensive FW thread on this subject, lots of people are shorting things out left and right, trying different things

Oh, the useful stuff starts around page 18 or so

 

[AStar617]

Originally posted by: mscdex0
Also you can check out the extensive FW thread on this subject, lots of people are shorting things out left and right, trying different things

Oh, the useful stuff starts around page 18 or so

Mmm, I can smell the plastic burning from here! Clearly it's gotta work if you were able to get it goin...

For those who don't want to risk destroying their key for the full 32mb, here's a repost of my method for at least unmapping the IBM partition and preventing the IBM splash (posted early this AM so it's buried in a previous page somewhere):

1. Plug in the key if not in already; close the popup window if not closed already.
2. Go to My Computer.
3. Right-click on the icon for the unwanted IBM partition, and go to "properties".
4. Choose the "hardware" tab at the top.
5. In the box, highlight the "USB Disk 2.0 USB device" entry that is recognized as an optical drive under the "Types" column (in my system, a DVD/CD-RW drive, but I assume this may vary) and click the "properties" button. Double-check that your selection does not say "disk drives" under the "Types" column--that's the usable 25.4mb partition.
6. In the resulting window, pull down the "Device usage" box at the very bottom and choose "Do not use this device in any hardware profiles (disable)", then click OK.
7. You'll be prompted to reboot; do so.

Upon reboot, only the usable 25.4mb portion is presented--the IBM info partition is completely hidden, and you get no pop-up hassles whenever you plug in the key! Of course, this one-time process needs to be done on each host (and probably each USB port) the key is used on. And it does also eat a drive letter (the one the IBM partition would use if not disabled).

Hope that helps...

 

[Slaimus]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
Tried the R10 shorting about 30 times - no luck. Boy am I sick of that pathetic IBM shovelware opening automatically. IMHO this thing is worthless with the lousy IBM adware.

You can just turn off autoplay. Not that hard

 

[SimMike2]

Originally posted by: Slaimus

Originally posted by: SimMike2
Tried the R10 shorting about 30 times - no luck. Boy am I sick of that pathetic IBM shovelware opening automatically. IMHO this thing is worthless with the lousy IBM adware.

You can just turn off autoplay. Not that hard

In every computer the keydrive might be used in.

I mean let's get real, how many people in this group are going to find this a nice size for a key drive and actually use it themselves - not too many. But maybe you want to give it to your daughter or nephew just to back up some homework. This is where the autoplay shovelware would get annoying. Free is free, but adware is adware no matter if you asked for it.

 

[AStar617]

Originally posted by: SimMike2

Originally posted by: Slaimus

Originally posted by: SimMike2
Tried the R10 shorting about 30 times - no luck. Boy am I sick of that pathetic IBM shovelware opening automatically. IMHO this thing is worthless with the lousy IBM adware.

You can just turn off autoplay. Not that hard

In every computer the keydrive might be used in.

I mean let's get real, how many people in this group are going to find this a nice size for a key drive and actually use it themselves - not too many. But maybe you want to give it to your daughter or nephew just to back up some homework. This is where the autoplay shovelware would get annoying. Free is free, but adware is adware no matter if you asked for it.

While I do see your point, we did take it upon ourselves to order these under the false pretense of actually being interested in whatever consulting services IBM was offering. So IMO it's definitely nothing to get too annoyed over, I bet the ones who are real annoyed are those suits at IBM who expected to get some solid sales leads instead of the "ATHD Effect"

In the end, we literally did ask for it... lol

 

[marvdmartian]

Hey AStar617, just wanted to thank you for the work-around to disable the advertising on the jump drive.

I'll be using mine at work, to store the flash games that the IT guys would be pissed if they knew I was playing them on my computer!! :laugh:

 

[MicroChrome]

Uh, all this for 32 megs? Not worth it. Yeah it's free but you can get 512Megs for less then 20 bucks. I can't even see a use to 32 megs. Oh well...

 

[mscdex0]

Originally posted by: MicroChrome
Uh, all this for 32 megs? Not worth it. Yeah it's free but you can get 512Megs for less then 20 bucks. I can't even see a use to 32 megs. Oh well...

512mb for less than $20 huh? Where?

 

[Yurkinator]

Originally posted by: MicroChrome
Uh, all this for 32 megs? Not worth it. Yeah it's free but you can get 512Megs for less then 20 bucks. I can't even see a use to 32 megs. Oh well...

I can see using it for school. Transporting documents or backing them up.
Its the principal of the thing....ITS FREE!

 

[normalicy]

The R2 thing did nothing for me. However, at FW, they mentioned R10 & BC5 doing it alternately, & that worked like a charm. Of course I had to do it like a million times & it only worked when I finally gave up. Then all of the sudden, my computer detected a 25x drive. Formatted & use.

 

[normalicy]

Update!!! I felt crazy & started following some of the suggestions from FW. I have no absolute this will work solution, but they suggested that the key to making it work is shorting R10 & BC5 which are next to each other. So, while it was plugged in, I alternated between the two a bunch. For a while, the 24mb part showed unreadable in Drive Manager, but just when I gave up, all of the sudden "detected 25x drive" showed up in my tray. From there, I just formatted. Now 31mb. Beautiful. Was worried though.

 

[catnap1972]

Originally posted by: normalicy
Update!!! I felt crazy & started following some of the suggestions from FW. I have no absolute this will work solution, but they suggested that the key to making it work is shorting R10 & BC5 which are next to each other. So, while it was plugged in, I alternated between the two a bunch. For a while, the 24mb part showed unreadable in Drive Manager, but just when I gave up, all of the sudden "detected 25x drive" showed up in my tray. From there, I just formatted. Now 31mb. Beautiful. Was worried though.

I can also confirm that it works (zapping BOTH R10 and BC5)

 

[ELopes580]

I think i just killed the drive.

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: catnap1972

Originally posted by: normalicy
Update!!! I felt crazy & started following some of the suggestions from FW. I have no absolute this will work solution, but they suggested that the key to making it work is shorting R10 & BC5 which are next to each other. So, while it was plugged in, I alternated between the two a bunch. For a while, the 24mb part showed unreadable in Drive Manager, but just when I gave up, all of the sudden "detected 25x drive" showed up in my tray. From there, I just formatted. Now 31mb. Beautiful. Was worried though.

I can also confirm that it works (zapping BOTH R10 and BC5)

Did you zap/short all at the same time?
Or did you short first R10 and then BC5 (or the other way around)?

 

[NiKeFiDO]

how do you "zap" these R10 and BC5

 

[imported_LoKe]

:thumbsup:
Signed up, thanks. ^_^

 

[KeypoX]

these never come !

or they dont work

 

[LightningStrikes]

Originally posted by: KeypoX
these never come !

Gee, can't you read? Lots of others (including me) have already received "these"...

-LS

 

[intogamer]

my thing fudged up I did it many times but failed...
now when I plug it is the led light stays steady and it says insert G drive