The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

It appears U3.com has been down for quite sometime, about 2 months after searching around on Google: http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/http://www.u3.com/

This is a VERY big deal for portable software. U3 is installed in thousands, maybe millions of flash drives. (For a little background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U3)

Its probably fantastic news for PortableApps and probably good for us too: the more people are forced to go outside the U3 system for good portable software, the better.

Its also yet another wonderful argument for open software and open standards; one website goes down and an entire software system is in doubt. For example, if Linux.com ever went offline, no one would suggest that it reflected on the future of Linux.

Good post, guinness.

Edit: the biggest downside to the site being offline is Sandisk's own removal tool is offline. There's a sourceforge program for it but that's pretty shitty to just abandon users like that without some kind of alternative.

http://u3-tool.sourceforge.net/

I do have the last official copy of the u3 removal tool.

If you have the license for it, please look it over for some note about redistribution. If its not restricted, please post here or email it to me and I'll post it.

Softpedia is currently hosting the U3 launchpad removal tool

Download from Here

Read about it here


For anyone with a wandering nostalgia for U3 you could look back into the past here

It should be noted that many U3 apps are still hosted on their own websites.

At least one launchpad to replace U3 exists it is a U3 version of PStart.
This version of PStart will allow you to launch non u3 apps as well as the u3 only portable apps

At least one application packager exists to create new u3 packaged applications

PackageFactory is a freeware u3 packaging software, it can package a copy of itself so it is u3 portable. (This is really just a U3 menu shortcut creator.)

Pstart has a U3 version downloaded here and barely mentioned here

The best thing about this version of PStart is that it is an introduction to the ability to launch non U3 apps.

Finally of course you can download a number of U3 applications here among other places. (try google, and for a specific app go to the application homepage and check)

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Of course as most former U3 users now know the only real advantage U3 ever had was automatic autorun which has been disabled by default on most windows PCs for many years now. (due to misuse)

Anyone married to U3 should really try some of the many, varied, and really much better options.

I recommend Portableapps.com since it offers many applications, and application packages. (no real learning curve for use, just use it.)

For someone wishing for something truly great I recommend PStart (this is a highly configurable launcher but not as immediately easy as portableapps.com).

This is bad news for me, since I have been providing U3 apps for quite some time through the domain U3Applications.com. Now I may have to shut down. I am still getting quite a few visitors, however, so it seems U3 isn't quite dead yet. We will see!

webfork wrote:The biggest downside to the site being offline is Sandisk's own removal tool is offline.

guinness wrote:I do have the last official copy of the u3 removal tool.

Is this the one you have?

SanDisk U3 Launchpad Removal Tool
Direct Download MD5 D1ABA01FF204CE12BA58F64053F670CE (zip)
MD5 0C3DEB8C545A2C4D8F84278234CEC3A2 (exe)

Here's another link to the tool. (Direct Download)

dstrout wrote:This is bad news for me, since I have been providing U3 apps for quite some time through the domain U3Applications.com. Now I may have to shut down. I am still getting quite a few visitors, however, so it seems U3 isn't quite dead yet. We will see!

That is a shame. Is there some way to re-purpose the site?

webfork wrote: That is a shame. Is there some way to re-purpose the site?

With a name like U3Applications.com? I don't see how.

Ruby - Same site but I checked the MD5 and both were different, so then I downloaded and found the one I have is Product Version:1.0.2.33 and the download you provided was Product Version:1.0.2.32

So I have the same product but newer version.

I just noticed the version of the Softpedia link donald provided is 1.0.3.10.
The date on the exe I linked to is 7/30/2009 07:44:02.

I just download the version on Softpedia and checked the Product Version number, they are both the same and so is the MD5. Seems Softpedia have written the wrong version number down!

Softpedia: 3B1B774FFADA03AD1B1D8312AC4BC8C0
MyVersion: 3B1B774FFADA03AD1B1D8312AC4BC8C0

Yeah I just downloaded and saw your version - 1.0.2.33

webfork wrote:http://u3-tool.sourceforge.net/

I just tested this program on a removable device and it worked great.

The program warns against running on a drive with actual data on it but it didn't delete mine. Your experience may vary so backing up as the program suggests is a Good Idea.

The program is command-line, but I used the website-suggested "u3_tool.exe -p 0 E" execution and it worked like a charm.