If you've purchased a PC from Dell lately you might have noticed that there is an option to get the recovery media, specifically Windows 8.1, on an 8GB USB flash drive. If you work in an IT department, these flash drives might start piling up and you might want to try and use them, at least some of them, for something else. Here's the rub. The freaking things are read only. UPDATE 2016/10/07: If you have Dell Windows 10 USB sticks, please see. UPDATE: Some of the commentator's below are complaining about error code: -2.

I did some more testing and after a few successful and a few unsuccessful attempts, I'm thinking that the firmware might have changed. Of the drives that I have, it seems the ones with the multi-colored labels on the back work fine after using the low-level format utility (one 8GB writable partition). The utility failed with error code: -2 and bricked the drives on all the ones I've tested that have solid blue labels, light blue or dark blue.

Don't use this utility if your drive has a solid blue label on the back. UPDATE 2: posted a solution for the blue label Dell drives in the comments below. The new guide can be found at. I don't know about Dell's consumer level PC's but stuff like the Latitude laptops can be had with an optional 8GB bootable USB 3.0 flash drive with Windows 8.1 on it.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- TrainSignal, the global leader in professional computer training, announced the release of their System Center 2012 Configuration Manager training. This course is Part 1 of 2 in the System Center Configuration Manager. System Center 2012. State & local government Free courses for kids. Lowe's System Center 2012 training contains 21 lessons in over 8 hours of video instruction. Students will receive 3 DVDs of video lessons and additional content. Videos for kids on youtube.

Unfortunately, these flash drives are write protected. They can't be written to, formatted, or partitioned, but if you're willing to loose all the data currently on the drive, they can be made to work. Low level formatting the drive will wipe all the data and disable the write protection. A Dell USB flash drive without it's skin A close up of the USB controller chip - Phison PS2251-07. UPDATE: I did some more testing and after a few successful and a few unsuccessful attempts, I'm thinking that the firmware might have changed and the current drives from Dell do not work with this utility. Of the drives that I have, it seems the ones with the multi-colored labels on the back work fine after using the low-level format utility (one 8GB writable partition). The utility failed with error code: -2 and bricked the drives on all the ones I've tested that have solid blue labels, light blue or dark blue.

Don't use this utility if your drive has a solid blue label on the back. I've done in win7-64. Plugin the stick and then close all the pop-ups, win instaler, antivirus warnings and whatever. Start the UP tool and push refresh button.

The stick must be detected and the color have not to be red. Perhaps you have to change the controler type up right (is better not use driver) I selected 8 port USB-hub (press refresh again until perfect detection). Then press SETUP, in authentication window press OK (left empty). Settings: 1) Flash Memory: Flash parameters: Autoselect AutoCE Auto Force Id & Force Ce UNCHECKED Flash Scan & test: Type:Normal flash Level:Low level Mode:Smart test ECC:0 Enable smart ECC Enable U3 flash function test Disk Size: Max disk size Prefer size Fat Force Fat32 Dos format: Disk type:removable disk Led disable REST UNCHECKD PUT THE BAR for public 100% USB parameters: VID:0930 PID:1400 Vendor:TOSHIBA Produt:MSFT-NORB Revision:PMAP REST UNCHECKED Copy compare:0 User interface: Factory Autosave Colorfull REST UNCHECKED. Description: [F:]USB Mass Storage Device(TOSHIBA TOSHIBA USB DRV) Device Type: Mass Storage Device Protocal Version: USB 3.00 Current Speed: Super Speed Max Current: 504mA USB Device ID: VID = 0930 PID = 1400 Serial Number: 1C4C10 Device Vendor: TOSHIBA Device Name: TOSHIBA USB DRV Device Revision: 0100 Manufacturer: TOSHIBA Product Model: TOSHIBA USB DRV Product Revision: PMAP Chip Vendor: Phison Chip Part-Number: PS2251-03(PS2303) - F/W 01.11.10 [2014-07-04] Flash ID Code: 98DE9493 - Toshiba [MLC].