USB flash or thumb drives are a convenient way to store and transfer your files and documents. They're small, so you can slip them into your pocket or on your keychain. You can take them between home, work, school, and your friends.

Storing your files, though, isn't the only thing they can do. We're going to discover other things they can do, other uses for USB flash drives.

Run Applications Directly from Your Flash Drive

It's possible to install and run some traditional software programs on your USB flash drive. Many applications installed in MS Windows use the Windows Registry, which would likely limit the use of the applications to when you're on the same PC in which you made the original installation.

To get around this limitation, you can use a portable application solution. One popular launcher and software suite is U3, especially on SanDisk drives. PortableApps.com provides a whole suite of programs: web browser and Internet programs, email clients, file sharing apps, music and video utilities, office suite, security tools, games, and development tools. You can basically run all your apps from your flash drive.

Boot into a Linux Distribution

If you haven't used Linux before, maybe now's the time. You don't have to dump Windows or Apple. The Linux and open source community can provide you with a desktop operating system and thousands of applications. All this for free, and all from your USB flash drive!

Many Linux desktop distributions can easily be installed directly onto portable USB drives. This lets you take your entire desktop and applications to any PC without making any changes to the hard drive of the host computer. It's like a live CD, but you can save changes and store files.

UNetbootin is a utility that can create bootable USB drives for Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux distributions without burning a CD. It runs on both Windows and Linux. It can even download the distribution files for you, or you can supply your own CD image.

There are also many other special Linux distributions that you can load onto your USB drive, customized for a particular use:

• BackTrack gives you many different network security, penetration, and forensics tools.

• Stresslinux lets you do load and stability testing.

• GParted Live provides disk and partition management.

• Clonezilla Live lets you do disk and partition backup and cloning.

NOTE: This lists just a few; there are many more.

Boost PC Performance Using Windows ReadyBoost

Starting in Windows Vista and included with Windows 7, Microsoft has included a new feature called Windows ReadyBoost. It helps boost your PC performance by making use of spare space on your USB flash drive, SD card, or CompactFlash card.

Essentially, it expands your computer's available memory, which can help speed up multitasking and other performance-heavy applications such as video editing or gaming. Though it's not as good as adding more real RAM, it is free and easy if you have spare room on a drive.

In Windows Vista, you're limited to an additional 4 GB, using only one USB device. However, in Windows 7, you can use up to eight USB devices with a total limit of an additional 256 GB.

You can enable and change the ReadyBoost settings via the USB drive's Properties dialog. In Computer, right-click the drive or card, click Properties, and then hit the ReadyBoost tab

NOTE: A shortcut to these settings is on the AutoPlay menu that pops up after plugging in the drive or card.

Save or Distribute Your Wi-Fi Settings Using Windows Connect Now (WCN)

Windows Connect Now (WCN) debuted in Windows XP SP2 and has been included in Windows Vista and 7. It lets you save and/or transfer your wireless network profiles. This includes the WEP, WPA, or WPA2 encryption key or passphrase, so you don't have to manually type it on all your Windows PCs. You'll just have to insert your USB drive to import all the settings.

To export your Wi-Fi settings in Windows XP SP2 or SP3 and Windows Vista, you can use the Wireless Network Setup Wizard. On the Start Menu, click Programs > Accessories > Communications > Wireless Network Setup.

In Windows 7, you can export your Wi-Fi settings via the wireless network profile. Open the Network and Sharing Center, click Manage Wireless Networks, double-click the desired profile, and click Copy this network profile to a USB flash drive

To import the profile into Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7, insert the USB flash drive. Then on the AutoPlay menu that pops up, click the Connect to a Wireless Network using Windows Connect Now shortcut or the Wireless Network Setup Wizard shortcut.

If the AutoPlay menu doesn't pop up, you can just run the SetupSNK.exe program that's on the flash drive.

Encrypt it to Transfer Sensitive Information

You can also use your flash drive to store and transport sensitive files by encrypting the drive. Encrypting it protects it with a password, so your data is safe if the drive gets into someone else's hands.

After the drive is inserted into a computer, the password must be entered before the files are accessible. Although it doesn't stop others from deleting your data, it also doesn't let anyone else see or access it.

Some flash drives are sold with encryption already set up. However, they are usually more costly. You can quickly and easily encrypt any drive yourself.

FreeOTFE is one encryption utility that's great for protecting flash drives. Unlike other encryption solutions, it doesn't require you to be logged into a Windows account with administrative privileges.

You can access and edit encrypted files and documents from any PC. You can create and store files inside encrypted file containers or you can encrypt an entire partition or drive.

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Summarised an article by Eric Geier published by InformIT.