But there are other things that the USB memory can do.

Provided your motherboard is equipped with USB booting devices, a USB Memory that is correctly formatted will start your system like any other hard drive. The following will show how you can boot your system for trouble shooting into DOS, BIOS flashing and other kinds of uses for the USB memory drive.

The arrival of the USB has turned the once very essential floppy disks to obsolescence. Before, the floppy disks are vital to "clean boot" your personal computer into DOS, BIOS updating, and trouble shooting your PC. Now, this easily transportable drive does the same things with much higher capacities, flexibility and durability.

This is how:

? Make sure that your motherboard's Basic Input/output system supports USB drive booting,

? To bring your computer to the BIOS set up screen, press the "delete" key several times while the PC is starting.

? Find the first boot device entry (or its similar function) in the advanced setting for BIOS and go to the USB RMD-FDD option. If this is not available, or if this does not apply to your computer, check the USB floppy or the USB ZIP. Finding that, you leave the entry set on save and exit so that your system reboots.

? If that setting does not apply to your system (as there is a wide selection of BIOS brands with their own variations), course through the different BIOS setting on any subject that relates to USB peripherals which could include anything from removable drives to DOS supports. Once you find that or its equivalent, go to the advanced set up sections or features settings.

If you do not find that it may probably be that your personal computer has no provision to support a USB memory. That is not the end of it though. To find this out, visit the website of the manufacturer of your motherboard. Manufacturers usually add a USB feature in the BIOS update and check for information that has been provided for the type of your motherboard. Once the information is available, follow the tips mentioned and you can boot on the USB memory drive.

Having done that, you are now ready to construct the USB memory drive bootable.

? The first thing to do is to format a blank floppy disk ensuring that the system disk with bootable option is clicked.

? When the floppy had been formatted, disk storage of the HP USB should be downloaded and installed.

The HP USB portable drives work just as well with any other removable drives. The files in your floppy can enable the USB drive to be bootable when the USB drive is plugged running the storage tool for the HP USB disk.

? To make the program create boot files on the USB device, the system has to be changed to FAT and use the DOS systems file to make a startup disk for DOS. Click drive A prompt to direct the system to the floppy drive and "start". Your program has now created the boot files in your USB memory drive.

? The USB memory should now clear boot to the drive A device.