Celebrate the all time fan favorite of Star Wars with this R2D2 USB hub that not only lights up but also plays his notorious R2D2 sounds. Before we get to the product, let us take a few minutes and review how awesome R2D2 is with this summary of his big screen persona.

R2-D2 is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise, and it is an astromech droid known for its resourcefulness and loyalty. Here’s a brief history of R2-D2:

Creation and Introduction

R2-D2 was created by George Lucas and designed by Ralph McQuarrie for the original Star Wars film, “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope,” which was released in 1977. R2-D2 made its first appearance in this film.

Encrypting a USB flash drive is quick and easy in Windows 10. The PRO version of Windows 10 will allow anyone to activate Microsoft’s built in bitlocker technology to encrypt an entire flash drive, or part of a USB flash drive.

Microsoft BitLocker is a disk encryption technology designed to enhance data security by encrypting entire disk volumes on Windows operating systems. Introduced with Windows Vista and included in subsequent versions, BitLocker provides a robust defense against unauthorized access and data breaches.

The primary purpose of BitLocker is to protect sensitive data in case a device is lost, stolen, or accessed by an unauthorized user. It uses full-disk encryption to secure the entire contents of a disk, including the operating system, system files, and user data. Even if someone physically removes the hard drive and attempts to access it on another system, the data remains inaccessible without the proper authentication credentials.

BitLocker employs various encryption methods, with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) being a commonly used algorithm.

The encryption process is transparent to the user once configured, and access is granted through authentication methods like PINs and passwords.

Below are nine screen shots and simply follow along in your Windows 10 Pro computer and do what you see below. The process is very easy to do. The longest part of this entire setup is the encryption of the USB stick itself. The time required to encrypt the drive will depend on a couple of factors, such as the GB capacity of the USB drive and the processing power of your computer. In the example below, using a USB 2.0 device with a 16GB capacity the encryption time took only 4 minutes.

Easily get the hard coded serial number of a USB flash drive with either the Command prompt in Windows or Powershell. Of the two, Powershell is easier. Below are the instructions. After the instructions there is a bit more information about the different types of serial numbers which can be found associated with a Mass Storage Device (USB flash drive) so be sure to read that part as well, so you get what you want!

In the Windows Search bar, type “powershell” and click Enter

The Powershell utility will run and simply copy and past the following:

Get-WmiObject Win32_DiskDrive | select Model, Name, InterfaceType, SerialNumber

The screen shot below shows the hard drive of the system and a USB flash drive. The command doesn’t clearly label each, so be a little aware of the devices connected compared to what is listed. It is suggested to have only one USB device connected while running Powershell so it is easy to identify the device.

For the Command prompt, go to the USB flash drive itself. In the navigation field at the top (where you can type things) type in cmd. This will open the Command prompt for the USB flash drive itself. From here, copy and paste the following:

wmic path Win32_USBControllerDevice get Dependent | find “USBSTOR”

The screen shot below shows the same result as the Powershell command, BUT the string does have an extra &0 which is not part of the USB flash drive device. So a bit of parsing is required when looking at the number, or parsing of code if you plan to use the Command prompt to find the device serial number programmatically.

From the two above the Powershell solution is a bit more elegant.

However; may we suggest a third option? If you find yourself on this page, there is a high probability there are other features you can benefit from, like making an Image file of your USB stick, or speed benchmarking the performance of your flash drive.

If that is the case, then we recommend our free program, no installation required, standalone exe file that will fetch the serial number of a device as well as provide a tool to create image files or speed test your USB flash drive.

You may download the free program here. Again, no installation required, this is a standalone exe file that can run from your flash drive or hard drive:

FREE DOWNLOAD: Nexcopy USBScrub

Is it worth buying a USB 3.1 USB flash drive?

The tech industry, tech nerds and tech blogs will definitely say that buying a USB 3.1 flash drive is worth it. After all, these blogs need something new to write about and new links to generate for affiliate advertising, but are these blogs reporting back valuable information before someone spends their hard earned cash?

Let us compare the write speed difference between a USB 3.1 flash drive and a USB 3.0 flash drive to see what information we can uncover.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) has different transfer speeds based on the version of technology, we did a write about that earlier. The USB 3.1 specification has a transfer rate which taps out at 1,250 MB/second (Megabytes per second). The USB 3.0 specification has a transfer rate which taps out at 625MB/second. Of course this is the theoretical maximum transfer speed. When anyone says “theoretical transfer speed” they are implicating all conditions are ideal. For example, the host computer has the horsepower and bandwidth to push that much data and the receiving device (in this case, flash drive) has equal throughput to receive that data. But is that the real world – is it worth buying a USB 3.1 USB flash drive?

Below are some images and here is the general order of what you will be reading:

• Screen shots of the USB device type (USB 3.0 and USB 3.1)
• Screen shots of benchmark software testing both USB technologies
• Screen shots of a real-world copy jobs using a Windows computer

From the screen shots below you can see a USB 3.0 flash drive and USB 3.1 flash drive. Both flash drives use an SMI controller for the USB 3.0 and 3.1 technology. These are the same high quality and higher performance controllers seen in iPhones and NAND memory used from Micron Technology. The NAND memory type is MLC (multi-layer cell memory) is slower than SLC NAND memory (single layer cell). Note: USB flash drives do not use SLC memory because the NAND memory price is too expensive and the SLC supply is very small. Flash drives are produced at mass scale and meant to be a low cost data transfer and storage tools – speed is not the #1 priority, despit all the marketing we read online.

Here are benchmark speed tests for both USB devices in discussion today.

The program has two test settings for benchmarking a speed test. One test setting is for the theoretical maximum speed of the device and writes data directly to memory without accounting for operating system and device overhead for were the data is stored. Think of this as a random write test to any available sector on the flash drive.

The second test setting is a write sequence which includes the operating system and device overhead cache for placing files in the file allocation table. This means extra time is spend during the data transfer to log where each sector is written along with the calculation required to write the next bit of data. This second test setting is more like a real-world experience.

Speed benchmark software is designed to provide a relatively quick summary of the device capability. So the first test setting is designed to show the theoretical maximum write speed or “burst” write speed. The second test setting is designed to show a more “sustained” write speed. Any benchmark software is designed to provide a quick and easy snap-shot of what the device can do – but can the device do it?

Readers can download the USB Scrub software for speed benchmarking their flash drives. The software is 100% free, no installation or sign-ups, and includes other cool features like registry cleaning and making image files of flash drives. USB Scrub download link

The C2C caberQU is a compact USB-C cable tester board designed to validate USB-C to USB-C cables across a wide range of configurations and use cases.

This tool is particularly useful for IT professionals who need to verify cable quality beyond basic connectivity. It applies voltage to individual pins and detects continuity on the opposite end. With 25 LEDs, the board displays pin behavior across multiple modes, including USB 2.0/1.1, USB Power Delivery, USB 3.0/3.1/3.2, Alternate Mode, Debug Accessory Mode, and Audio Adapter Accessory Mode. A detailed manual is included to explain connectors, operating modes, and pin layouts.

Examples for IT managers:

1. USB cable verification — An IT manager dealing with a pile of USB-C cables can quickly test each one and identify its capabilities. This helps ensure the correct cables are used for specific devices, reducing performance issues and compatibility problems.
2. Hardware troubleshooting — In environments such as data centers or technical workspaces, cable faults can cause unpredictable behavior. Using the C2C caberQU board helps isolate issues like broken pins or incorrect wiring and reduces diagnostic time.
3. Inventory management — Managing stock of USB-C cables can be difficult due to inconsistent labeling. The C2C caberQU board allows verification of cable specifications before deployment, helping teams avoid purchasing or distributing unsuitable cables.

V1 vs. V3 — Which one to choose?

There are two versions of the C2C caberQU board available, V1 and V3, with minor differences:

• V1 includes a standard battery; V3 uses a higher-quality branded battery
• V3 supports use with a protective case
• V1 does not include hanging holes for storage
• V1 features slightly different printed graphics on the PCB

Functionally, both versions perform the same task. They include the same manual and provide identical LED behaviors for testing.

Why was this board created?

USB-C cables exist in many variations, which makes it difficult to determine what a specific cable actually supports. Using the wrong cable can result in slow data transfer, charging issues, or device incompatibility. USB-C also requires precise pin mapping, grounding, and resistor configurations, which increases complexity.

Why is this a better way to test cables?

Determining whether a cable supports a specific use case can be difficult without specialized tools. Broken pins make troubleshooting even harder because failures are inconsistent. The C2C caberQU simplifies this by visually displaying pin behavior. By flipping the USB-C connectors, corresponding LEDs illuminate according to USB-C specifications. The package includes the PCB, a CR2032 battery, and a detailed manual. The USB-C cable itself is not included.

No external power source is required. The included CR2032 battery powers the board when a cable is connected and should last for an extended period under normal use.

Please note that this product is considered a prototype, is not certified, and is intended primarily for development and testing purposes. Minor quirks or unexpected behavior are possible and are part of its experimental nature.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) was established in 1995 by companies including Intel and Microsoft to develop and promote USB standards. USB 3.0 (later branded as USB 3.1 Gen 1) was introduced in 2008 and increased data transfer speeds to up to 5 Gbps, while maintaining backward compatibility with USB 2.0 devices.

There is no affiliation or affiliate relationship with this product, but it can be sourced here: C2C caberQU USB-C cable tester, typically priced around $30 USD.

Users can turn disable USB flash drive pop up messages in Windows 10 by performing a very simple step in Settings. While it may seem counterproductive to turn off USB notifications in Windows 10, once you’ve been using Windows for a while you will likely want to reduce the number of pop-up messages.

There are two ways to disable USB flash drive messages in Windows. Performing a RegEdit or modifing a Settings feature in the Windows GUI

Disable the USB flash drive pop up message via Windows Registry Edit

• Open RegEdit by typing “regedit” in the Search bar
• Navigate to: HOKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Miscrosoft\Shell\USB
• Click the USB folder on the left of the screen to highlight the registry entries for \USB\
• On the right side of screen select “NotifyOnUsbErrors” by clicking on it
• Right click and select “Modify”
• Set the value to “0” (zero). Zero is off, One is on

NOTE: Most users will receive a message saying they do not have privileges to modify the registry value. That is meant by design, and please see the comments at the end of this article for why.

Disable the USB flash drive pop up message via Settings

• Type “settings” in the Seach bar of Windows
• Select “Devices”
• Select the USB tab near/at the bottom on left
• Uncheck “Notify me if there are issues connecting USB devices

The second method via Settings is the preferred method because changing registry entries is not recommended unless the user is very experienced with computers. Windows 10 does a good job of not allowing users make registry changes that would crash their computer or brick the operating system, but the risk is still there.

If you received some sort of permissions message when attempting our regedit method, I would stay away from trying to resolve that security message. The reason Miscrosoft locks downt he registry in certain areas is to provide a more secure computer system for the user and reduce potential risk of malware or hackers getting control of your computer.

Over the years, numerous reports have come out about how hackers will expose certain USB protocols to insert malware or take control of a system. The registry is the main point of focus for hackers.

If you are persistent about changing the registry entries the first thing you can try is running RegEdit as Administrator. If that doesn’t resolve your issue then you may Google search for your specific error message and see if another website offers up a solution.

Using the “Imagine with Meta AI” tool, we have not found the correct prompts to generate a realistic looking USB flash drive. This is the best we have been able to produce so far. If someone is having success creating an AI version of a USB flash drive, please let us know. (gmo [at] getusb [dot] info)

This image was created during the early days when ChatGPT first began offering AI image generation. At the time, the novelty alone was enough to spark endless experimentation. One of the first ideas we tried was simple: “What would a superhero USB flash drive look like?” The result was this over-the-top, cinematic scene of a caped hero flying across a city skyline, gripping a USB drive like it contained the world’s most important data.

Early AI image tools were wildly inconsistent. Some prompts produced abstract nonsense, others produced accidental masterpieces. Getting something usable meant testing dozens of variations, tweaking descriptions, changing lighting styles, adding camera angles, and sometimes just getting lucky. That unpredictability was part of the fun. You were not just generating images, you were discovering how the system “thought.”

Looking back, this image represents a moment in time when AI visuals felt new, surprising, and slightly magical. Today, image generation is more refined and controllable, but there was something special about those early experiments where every prompt felt like opening a mystery box.

Transfer Photos from iPhone to PC – Easy and Automated

iCloud is the default way to store your photos from your Apple device to another location. Once the files are in your iCloud account, you can log in and download those images to your computer.

However, many users do not use iCloud and are looking for an alternative. Here is an option that is easy, automatic, and far less expensive than maintaining an iCloud subscription.

The Qubii Pro is a backup device that works while you charge your phone. There is nothing to configure and no settings to manage. The Qubii Pro holds a microSD card for storage and connects between your iPhone cable and your charging block.

Photo and video transfer from your iPhone to storage happens automatically. Qubii scans your photo and video library and backs up any file not already present on the microSD card. The first backup can take a while because everything must be copied. The total time depends on how many photos and videos you have. On future connections, only new files are backed up.

Since most people charge their phones overnight, the backup process happens without disrupting normal usage.

Apple provides 5GB of free iCloud storage, but that space fills up quickly with high-resolution photos and video. As shown below, iCloud pricing seems inexpensive at first, but the monthly cost increases as storage needs grow.

• Free: 5GB of storage per iCloud account (not per device)
• $0.99/month: 50GB of storage (single user)
• $2.99/month: 200GB of storage (family use)
• $9.99/month: 2TB of storage (family use)
• Apple One Family plan ($22.95/month) includes 200GB of iCloud storage
• Apple One Premier plan ($32.95/month) includes 2TB of iCloud storage

Apple does a very good job of encouraging users to upgrade storage plans, so there is a high likelihood that monthly costs will exceed $20 USD over time (based on pricing in 2023).

There are a few important limitations to understand with Qubii:

• You cannot choose specific photos or videos to back up; everything is included
• If a file is deleted from the microSD card but still exists on your phone, it will be backed up again
• The solution backs up photos and videos only, not contacts or documents
• If you replace the microSD card, the entire backup process starts over

The last point above is important.

IronKey is considered a bellwether for encrypted USB flash drives. The company, owned by Kingston Digital (a Southern California–based private company), uses dedicated hardware encryption chips to deliver one of the highest levels of security available in mass storage devices.

GetUSB.info came across an interesting story from Wired Magazine in which one of their authors sent an IronKey device to a Seattle-based security firm called Unciphered to see whether the drive could be accessed. They succeeded.

This is not an easy task to accomplish. IronKey devices use strong protections including FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification, FIPS 197 compliance, and XTS-AES 256-bit encryption. The design allows only 10 password attempts before the controller permanently wipes the device, which creates a high risk if the password is forgotten.

Unciphered reportedly developed a method that allows for more than the standard 10 password attempts. The exact number of attempts is not publicly known, but it is clearly more than the built-in limit.

Why does this matter, beyond the fact that IronKey may have a security issue to address? In early 2021, it was widely reported that over 7,000 Bitcoin were locked inside an IronKey device because the owner forgot the password. The owner, programmer Stefan Thomas, did not use the Enterprise Management Service that could have enabled recovery. As of October 2023, those 7,000 Bitcoin were valued at more than $235 million.

Credit to Wired Magazine for the original reporting. You can read the full story by Andy Greenberg.

CORSAIR®, known for high-performance gaming peripherals and PC components, has introduced the CORSAIR Platform:6, a modular desk designed for gamers, creators, and professionals who want a more adaptable and ergonomic workspace.

Backed by decades of experience in desktop hardware and accessories, CORSAIR and its subsidiary Elgato designed the Platform:6 to reflect how people actually use modern workstations. The desk combines premium materials, extensive customization options, and practical features such as adjustable height, structured cable management, and modular accessories. The result is a workstation designed to evolve alongside its user.

The Platform:6 spans six feet in width and can be expanded further to support high-end gaming systems, streaming gear, and professional equipment. Users can choose from different configurations that include motorized height adjustment, multiple surface materials, and a flexible rail system. Desk configurations can be built through CORSAIR’s online configurator or selected from pre-built bundles.

At the core of the Platform:6 design is a modular rail system built around an aluminum T-channel structure. This system supports a wide range of accessories, including both CORSAIR components and third-party attachments. CORSAIR also encourages experimentation by supporting custom 3D-printed accessories, giving users freedom to tailor their setup beyond off-the-shelf parts.

For users who value ergonomics, select versions of the Platform:6 include dual electric motors for smooth height adjustment. The controller features an LCD display and memory presets for storing preferred positions. Surface options include dark walnut-stained rubberwood and durable black laminate, offering both visual and practical flexibility.

Practical details are integrated throughout the design. Included dual monitor arms support multi-display setups, while the CORSAIR RapidRoute cable management tray hides cables and power strips. An integrated storage cubby includes USB Type-A and USB Type-C charging ports, helping keep frequently used devices within reach without cluttering the desktop.

Expandability is the defining idea behind the Platform:6. Side extensions can be added to increase surface area, and optional hanging pegboards allow further organization. The Elgato Multi Frame, a top-mounted pegboard designed specifically for the Platform:6, adds more mounting flexibility for accessories. Adapters also allow Elgato Multi-Mount and Flex Arm products to integrate cleanly into the desk’s rail system.

The Platform:6 Creator Edition represents the flagship configuration, combining adjustable height with a rubberwood surface and full modular capability. With online customization and modular expansion at its core, the Platform:6 is positioned as a long-term workspace solution rather than a fixed piece of furniture.

Microsoft has not made an official announcement on: Why Did Microsoft Drop Formatting FAT32 for 64GB and Above?

In both Windows 10 and Windows 11 the format option given by Windows is either NTFS (New Technology File System) or exFAT (Extended File System). The option to format FAT32 is no long available in Windows.

Without an official announcement from Microsoft we can only speculate the reason is do to single file sizes averaging a larger size as of 2023.

The largest single file size supported by the FAT32 file system is 4GB. This is due to the limitations of the file system’s design. FAT32 uses a 32-bit file allocation table, which means it can address up to 4,294,967,295 clusters. Since each cluster in FAT32 is typically 4KB in size, the maximum file size is limited to 4GB (4,294,967,295 clusters multiplied by 4KB per cluster).

If you need to store files larger than 4GB, you will need to use a different file system that supports larger file sizes, such as NTFS (New Technology File System), exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table), or others. NTFS, in particular, is commonly used in modern Windows operating systems and supports much larger file sizes, making it suitable for storing large files and operating system installations.

We speculate, to reduce customer inquiries or complaints to Microsoft they have eliminated the option of FAT32 to any device of 64GBs or larger in capacity. The reason is that a user will receive an error message from the device when an attempt to copy a single file of 4GBs or larger to a FAT32 device. To reduce the frequency of error messages, by formatting the device as exFAT will eliminate this error.

The ExFAT (Extended File Allocation Table) file system supports significantly larger file sizes compared to FAT32. The maximum file size supported by ExFAT is a staggering 16 exabytes (EB), which is equivalent to 16 million terabytes (TB) or 16 billion gigabytes (GB). This vast file size limit allows for storing extremely large files, such as high-resolution videos, large databases, or disk images.

ExFAT was specifically designed to overcome the limitations of FAT32, including the maximum file size restriction. It is commonly used in various devices and operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and some embedded systems, for handling large files and providing interoperability between different platforms.

It’s important to note that while ExFAT supports large file sizes, the actual maximum file size might be limited by the specific implementation or the capabilities of the storage medium itself.

If the above information was helpful, please consider looking at some advanced flash drives offered by Nexcopy. Advanced functions include USB copy protection, USB write protection, USB CD-ROM, and HIPAA compliant flash drives. These functions are done at the hardware level and are universal solutions.