Removing U3 on Sandisk Flash Drives
Recently I purchased a Sandisk Cruzer micro 4GB flash drive which I use for storing some of my favorite applications and files. Immediately after using it for the first time it came up with this annoying interface that was geared towards Windows only. Knowing that I hate any software that excludes other operating systems. I tried formatting the drive in Linux and Windows only to find the U3 program was still there taking up space and annoying the hell out of me. After doing some searching I found that you can remove the U3 software that comes bundled. When I heard this news I was thrilled.
Here is a screenshot of the U3 interface:
For those of you that can’t stand the U3 interface here is the URL for the removal tool.
Caution: It is to my understanding that once it is removed you can not install it again. You can however install ProtableApps from sourceforge for an opensource alternative to U3.
Thanks for the post. I hated U3 as well and just removed it.
Take it easy man.
-Jusin
Thanks for the post.
Do you anyway to remove that U3 under linux?
it seems that the U3 does not offer any removal tool under linux.
thanks.
Two options.
1. Find a friend with Windows. Probably the best option.
2. Run the removal tool in Wine.
I know it sucks but this is the only options that I know of. We should complain to sandisk.
BTW, a format won’t get rid of U3.
[...] Verisign’s Identity Protection Center. I personally can’t stand the U3 technology and remove it from all of my thumbdrives, so I haven’t had a chance to actually try Verisign’s U3 program. If anyone tries it [...]
I Did download the removal tool and ran it.
But I dont get the windows you have shown pop up .
I looked at task manager and it says the program is running , but there are no question windows.
what gives.
well More Serching ,
Had to go to this Link and ran the software from it, ( NOT THE SANDISK REMOVAL TOOL ), And I have a CLean Blank Drive.
http://www.u3.com/uninstall/
Does this work fully? Amazon product reviews are full of claims that annoying and possibly harmful remnants of U3 hang around.
It works on mine…
The most helpfull help i had ever searched for. Good job.. Thanks!
Well thanks!
Thanks a million.
I HATE the U3. I bought the USB key to move some files from my home Linux system to my work computer, not knowing about this U3 ‘feature’. I plug it in at work and, this beast starts installing itself on my work computer! I immediately pulled out the key. This is the kind of thing that can get me fired!
Man, now I have to find a friend’s Windows machine, which will automatically install the Sandisk BS on their machine (and who knows what else–wasn’t it a USB key that installed a virus on the Space Station PCs?) just so I can get this garbage off.
Or I an turn off autorun and run Sandisk’s program listed here, and again, who knows what else Sandisk puts on there. And my friend is going to go “and what, exactly, are you installing on my machine?!!”
More likely I’m just going to throw the thing in the garbage. Sandisk I Hate You!
I bought a Sandisk Ciuzer to install a server. I don’t use windoze, only linux. Deleting the FAT didn’t work, the U3 crap is still there and the removal tool won’t work in linux. Also, the U3 crap interferes with using it to install the server. Absolutely useless. The last thing I ever buy from SanDisk!