Ativa High-Speed USB 2.0 Portable Flash Drive
Rating: 1 of 5
What a rip off!
'Bought this 4 my son right before school started. The very first time he used it, he found that it wouldn't save his documents once it was removed from the computer. 'Called the company 2 exchange it 4 one that wasn't defective & get this - they don't guarantee the quality of their flashdrives (NO WARRANTY AT ALL). They said 2 return it 2 the store within 14 day 4 a refund [too late 4 me :]. What kind of company doesn't guarantee the quality of their products? Stay away from this one!
Rating: 3 of 5
U3 system problem
I find the cap storage feature of the drive 2 be very useful. I find the U3 feature anoying.
I had an Ativa drive in one USB port that I had previously removed the U3 software from it. I inserted a PNY drive in another USB port, hoping 2 remove the U3 stuff from it. After attempting 2 run the U3 uninstall program on the PNY, I find all of the data removed from Ativa drive & all of U3 stuff still on the PNY. I use flash drives 2 port data 2 FAT16 devices. Obviously, the U3 interfaces make the data transfers impossible.
U3 needs 2 make it's uninstall software more intelligent. If I choose 2 uninstall the software from one of the drives, it should ignore the drive's existence when I am trying 2 remove it's software from a drive that has it.
Maybe I should have rebooted my computer when I put the PNY drive in the slot, but I'm not sure that the rebooting would have solved the problem.
I lost all of the data off of the Ativa drive with no backup.
In the future, I will only buy drives from manufacturers that do not use the U3 system.
I had an Ativa drive in one USB port that I had previously removed the U3 software from it. I inserted a PNY drive in another USB port, hoping 2 remove the U3 stuff from it. After attempting 2 run the U3 uninstall program on the PNY, I find all of the data removed from Ativa drive & all of U3 stuff still on the PNY. I use flash drives 2 port data 2 FAT16 devices. Obviously, the U3 interfaces make the data transfers impossible.
U3 needs 2 make it's uninstall software more intelligent. If I choose 2 uninstall the software from one of the drives, it should ignore the drive's existence when I am trying 2 remove it's software from a drive that has it.
Maybe I should have rebooted my computer when I put the PNY drive in the slot, but I'm not sure that the rebooting would have solved the problem.
I lost all of the data off of the Ativa drive with no backup.
In the future, I will only buy drives from manufacturers that do not use the U3 system.
Rating: 5 of 5
Nice thumb drive!
Ative done it again, they have the best portable flash drive in the market!
Rating: 5 of 5
No Complains
The previous user/ reviewer is offering good information 4 all type of users. It's just worked fine with me, I'm running XP on my pc an used it at work on various operating systems. It's just doing what I expected 2 do & what's it's suppose 2 do. You have 2 know that these flash drives comes with additional utilities that try 2 show up & remind all type of users that it does exists on the drive purposely 2 help, or at least companies think they are 2 help all type of users programming it this way. I did not try 2 erase the U3 software on the drive yet, I'm sure if I want 2 erase it I will.
Rating: 1 of 5
Ativa: Bad Dog
After 2 evenings of computer crashes & frustration, I have figured out how 2 make this junk work in my computer. My bottom line advice: do not buy thius USB flash drive from Ativa.
When you first insert this thing, it will give you many screens, warnings, etc. If you try 2 use any of these, the USB will automatically call up IE 2 talk 2 a website. Why, I do not know. The computer I used it in has IE disabled & is not hooked up 2 the internet. So, every time the USB called up IE, the computer froze, needing a warm re-start.
You are more or less obligated 2 access the USB via the supplied interface. This 'security inteface' is really cleverly disguised ad-ware. It will give you many warnings about security & functional deficiencies, & invite you 2 'sign-up' 2 improve the 'free' included security applications via website & credit card. At first, I assumed that this flash drive had infected my PC with a virus, Trojan Horse, etc. Since I was not able 2 simply use the flash drive memory.
I finally figured out how 2 make this flash drive work, but my advice is 2 not buy it, even if it is offered at a deep discount.
The memory is a half gig, but the 'free' applications suck up 100 megs, so what you end up with is only 400M. So, when you are thinking of buying this, keep in mind that it is really only 50% more memory than a 256M flash drive.
Technical note: I tried 2 simply delete the 'free' applications 2 free up memory, like I routinely do 2 Sandisk flash drives. This Ativa, however, would not let me do this. As far as I can tell, it comes from the factory already partitioned into 2 different drives: a 400M one 4 your memory use, & a 100M partition where the chip stores its 'free' security applications. When you insert this USB flash drive, it automatically creates a virtual CD-Rom device where the Ativa stores it's 'free' software. I am a power user, but have no knowledge of partitioning, so could not undo this memory-wasting partition 2 get my full money's worth (not exactly true: I opened up Device Manager, clicked on the fake CD-ROM icon, & right-clicked & checked a box that said 'do not use this device', & then immediately went 2 the drive & deleted the programs in the root; I have since been able 2 use all the memory with none of those security warnings / interfaces / nag screens).
Modus Vivendi
I learned that when you first insert it, you will get 3 warnings & boxes telling you about problems, deficiencies, begging you 2 click on one of them. Just ignore them & think of them as the traditional 'nag' screens & either ignore them, or close them via task bar, upper right X button, or control panel. Open up Windows Explorer, & simply start using it, ignoring all the screens & warnings.
Now that I have trained this bad dog 2 behave more or less correctly, these are my thoughts. I usually use Sandisk. I miss the happy, warm, fuzzy, green LED that tells me what the flash drive is up to. The Ativa has a small, red LED that is usually off, & in a phyiscal position (side of the drive rather than the visible edge) so I cannot see it in action, so it is hard 2 tell what the Ativa is up 2 just by looking at the light. Like the sandisk, it has the happy habit of occupying only one USB port due 2 its small size. I also appreciate that it has an integral cover, unlike the Sandisk that has an easy 2 lose plastic thing-a-ma-bob; you just pull, flip, push, & insert.
Postscript. I can attest 2 the fact that this flash drive has survived the proverbial trip through the washing machine & dryer. It still works, & seems 2 be none the less worse 4 wear.
When you first insert this thing, it will give you many screens, warnings, etc. If you try 2 use any of these, the USB will automatically call up IE 2 talk 2 a website. Why, I do not know. The computer I used it in has IE disabled & is not hooked up 2 the internet. So, every time the USB called up IE, the computer froze, needing a warm re-start.
You are more or less obligated 2 access the USB via the supplied interface. This 'security inteface' is really cleverly disguised ad-ware. It will give you many warnings about security & functional deficiencies, & invite you 2 'sign-up' 2 improve the 'free' included security applications via website & credit card. At first, I assumed that this flash drive had infected my PC with a virus, Trojan Horse, etc. Since I was not able 2 simply use the flash drive memory.
I finally figured out how 2 make this flash drive work, but my advice is 2 not buy it, even if it is offered at a deep discount.
The memory is a half gig, but the 'free' applications suck up 100 megs, so what you end up with is only 400M. So, when you are thinking of buying this, keep in mind that it is really only 50% more memory than a 256M flash drive.
Technical note: I tried 2 simply delete the 'free' applications 2 free up memory, like I routinely do 2 Sandisk flash drives. This Ativa, however, would not let me do this. As far as I can tell, it comes from the factory already partitioned into 2 different drives: a 400M one 4 your memory use, & a 100M partition where the chip stores its 'free' security applications. When you insert this USB flash drive, it automatically creates a virtual CD-Rom device where the Ativa stores it's 'free' software. I am a power user, but have no knowledge of partitioning, so could not undo this memory-wasting partition 2 get my full money's worth (not exactly true: I opened up Device Manager, clicked on the fake CD-ROM icon, & right-clicked & checked a box that said 'do not use this device', & then immediately went 2 the drive & deleted the programs in the root; I have since been able 2 use all the memory with none of those security warnings / interfaces / nag screens).
Modus Vivendi
I learned that when you first insert it, you will get 3 warnings & boxes telling you about problems, deficiencies, begging you 2 click on one of them. Just ignore them & think of them as the traditional 'nag' screens & either ignore them, or close them via task bar, upper right X button, or control panel. Open up Windows Explorer, & simply start using it, ignoring all the screens & warnings.
Now that I have trained this bad dog 2 behave more or less correctly, these are my thoughts. I usually use Sandisk. I miss the happy, warm, fuzzy, green LED that tells me what the flash drive is up to. The Ativa has a small, red LED that is usually off, & in a phyiscal position (side of the drive rather than the visible edge) so I cannot see it in action, so it is hard 2 tell what the Ativa is up 2 just by looking at the light. Like the sandisk, it has the happy habit of occupying only one USB port due 2 its small size. I also appreciate that it has an integral cover, unlike the Sandisk that has an easy 2 lose plastic thing-a-ma-bob; you just pull, flip, push, & insert.
Postscript. I can attest 2 the fact that this flash drive has survived the proverbial trip through the washing machine & dryer. It still works, & seems 2 be none the less worse 4 wear.
($3.00)
Buy Ativa High-Speed USB 2.0 Portable Flash Drive Now!
