Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: USB Drive Read Only.

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    1,499

    USB Drive Read Only.

    Scenario.

    I have a 200 gig external usb disk which I want to give to a client.

    I want this client to be able to read from the disk but not ammend or add to it.

    Is there any way to do this ?

    Suggestions.

  2. #2
    AO French Antique News Whore
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    2,126
    Does your user use SP2? If yes, check around.. IronGeek post a registry key that will USB key read-only.
    -Simon \"SDK\"

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    1,499
    Could be any USB enabled OS.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    1,255
    If you are handing them the drive, I doubt there is anything you can do about it. Hard disks aren't meant to be read-only media. Your best bet might be to see if you can force the drive into read-only via jumpers or DIPs, but I wouldn't call that a secure solution.
    Chris Shepherd
    The Nelson-Shepherd cutoff: The point at which you realise someone is an idiot while trying to help them.
    \"Well as far as the spelling, I speak fluently both your native languages. Do you even can try spell mine ?\" -- Failed Insult
    Is your whole family retarded, or did they just catch it from you?

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Posts
    786
    So you're essentially giving them a 200GB disk that you don't want them to format and use on their home computers?

    From my expirence, USB HDD's are acturally a IDE to USB controller card, you could theoretically grab ahold of the write blocking thing from a forensics kit and place it between the USB controller and the HDD. But there is a catch. I don't think the blocking thing is cheap. And I don't think they are all too tiny either. So you'd potentially be doubling the cost of the drive, and run the risk of not being able to reassemble the enclosure to hide the fact that you made internal modifications.

    Plus, if they take the enclosure apart, they're left with a run-of-the-mill IDE hard drive to put into their computer and even have a gadget on the side that could almost let them start their own computer forensics lab...

    BTW, I'd ask HogFly about the prices for these write blocking things, and the dimensions, etc, to help decide if this is worth it. Maybe a smaller drive is in order, or a DVD?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •