GnU3zer LaunchPad

a POC project 
with thanks to all the good people providing
good and free (as in free beer) software.   
   

[IMG]http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6049/startupga6.jpg[/IMG]
  The GnU3zer LaunchPad after inserting U3 stick

This is a replacement LaunchPad for U3 enabled
USB Flash-drives.
It has been tested and works on the sandisk cruzer
but should work on ALL U3 drives with a \"LaunchPad installer \"
available.
ISO containing the GnU3zer LaunchPad , ready to test !
The mfg-made update-tools 
ALL the files needed in a 7zipped folder.This allows you to
run the whole thing from your HDD in writeable mode 
and set it up like YOU want,save the settings and build your OWN version !!
REMEMBER : The CD-drive is READ-ONLY !!!

READ THIS BEFORE USING : FIRST BETA RELEASE !!
ADMIN RIGHTS MAY BE NEEDED FOR SOME FUNCTIONS
autorun must be enabled on host for autorun function to work.

 Since the U3 Launchpad is slow ,ugly,not easy to customize
and SUCKS for trying to force people to use their stupid zipped
(pay)programs , I decided to make my OWN launchpad based on
available FREE (mostly ,GPL/GNU etc) programs and some recently 
discovered way to REPLACE the CD-iso with your own.

If you would like to make your own launchpad,this torrent
will provide you with tools to do so.
If you just want to try it before using any time making your own
version you can just load the ISO to your U3 with the LPupdater.
(for SanDisk:Place the ISO and the updater in the same folder,
rename the ISO to \"cruzer-autorun.iso\" and run the updater..
wait a few seconds... your new launchpad will autorun. 
Didn\'t like it ? remove the ISO from the folder,
run the updater again and it will download and install 
the original U3 loader).
NOTE : You can do this from the flash-drive!! it wont
format your flash-drive,only update the LaunchPad.
Or mount it in Daemon-tools or other VirCD.

There seems to be a limit to the ISO-size : 6MB Max for SanDisk 
and some say only 5 for Memorex.
If you have a Memorex you must
check the max-size of the ISO.You could remove the 
TrueCrypt user-guide.pdf from the ISO and save
700k

 A U3-enabled stick has a controller that allows it to behave 
like 2 DEVICES , one being a (read-only)removable CD drive , 
the other a normal removable flash-drive.
 The CD-DRIVE!! (its seen by windows as a DEVICE , 
not a \"partition\" or \"virtual\" or \"fake\" drive) 
can perform autorun on ENABLED winXP systems,
removable DEVICES with a writeable filesystem 
(like FAT and NTFS) can NOT !!
 The windows CD autorun function can execute ANY program
specified in the autorun.inf file provided it knows the path.

To provide instant autorun and access to
the GnU3zer LauncPad on BOTH drives the GnU3zer.ISO
provided uses a .vbs script,located on the CD,
called \"go.vbs\" to search for a file called \"\\WIP\\CMD\\go.cmd\"
on the flash-drive and executes it when found.
\"go.cmd\"then executes any program specified,
in the GnU3zer iso provided it calls nircmd.exe
to run PStart from the flash-drive.
This method allows you to customize the autorun feature
as you like even if you decide NOT to use PStart on the
flash-device.Simply add line(s) with the command(s) 
you want nircmd to execute and save the file.
(thanks to all the people at www.hack5.org for this one)

[IMG]http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3850/cdexpanduy0.jpg[/IMG]The GnU3zer CD 
with expanded menu


The GnU3zer LaunchPad can run ANY portable program you want,
including all of John T Hallers excellent apps
(www.portableapps.com).
You can use it as a security-tool to (auto)mount encrypted TrueCrypt
volumes on you PC ( 50 key-files are included on the CD or use any other file on it.better:generate your own and put them in the ISO)
Save your passwords in a KeePass .db encrypted file etc etc etc.

[IMG]http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/1310/traynj0.jpg[/IMG]

Included on the CD is Liberta AutoStart ,a NICE (and NEW) drive-tool.
It provides tray-icons for each removable drive including
mounted TrueCrypt volumes and removable usb-HDD!!,the EJECT-DRIVE function and right click context-menu with program access etc..

[IMG]http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7950/libertarightclicpx6.jpg[/IMG]

If you LEFT-CLIC the drive-icon it will launch the app specified
by \"shell=ProgramName\" in the \"autorun.inf\" in the drive-root.
This allows you to drop \"go.vbs\" if you dont like that rather
script-kiddie way of doing it and only have PStart (and all
its \"run on start\" \'run on exit\" options) one click away.

You will also find the famous \"HP-Format tool\"
this may not be a \"free\" program :) ) 
that allows you to format your stick as bootable.
It is recommended to use FAT(16) or FAT32 unless you REALY
need the functions of NTFS.This should cause less wear on the 
flash-RAM.
If you use TrueCrypt encrypted drives NTFS should not be used.

Its my hope that this torrent will inspire people to try
out what the U3 drive can do . 
Feedback , tips and ideas are wellcome......

Known issues : PStart on the CD does not auto-close.
TrueCrypt requires Admin-priv OR that an Admin ran the program
once.