Disabling start up files on a thumb drive.

[rhett7660]

Hello all..

Ok here is what I have to do. I have a thumb drive that I need to copy. It has an automatic script on it to boot up a patch as soon as you plug it in.

Question:

How can I disable this start up, I don't want it applying anything to my computer? Is there a keyboard command that I can use to do this?


Thanks

 

[hughvane]

I don't know of any k/bd command, but if you need to keep that patch boot script, why not duplicate it (Cmd-D) and store it elsewhere, even burn it to a CD, and then remove the original from your flash drive.

 

[rhett7660]

I don't know of any k/bd command, but if you need to keep that patch boot script, why not duplicate it (Cmd-D) and store it elsewhere, even burn it to a CD, and then remove the original from your flash drive.

Hello...

The problem I am having is the file starts up as soon as you plug it in and writes the files. This is for another project that I am doing at work. I don't want to have these files written to my hard drive. Hope this makes sense. I was wondering if there is a way to stop this from loading up as soon as I plug it in. I know on the windows side if you hold down certain keys it will disable the auto start up scripts on cd's etc.

 

[hughvane]

Okay, the picture's clearer now. Hmm, how to do it ... what format is the flash drive? If it's FAT32 (hopefully), you can remove the problem patch file by plugging the flash drive into a Win machine and deleting the file; or transfer it to another flash drive (they're very cheap nowadays) before deleting it from your first flash drive.

If the flash is formatted HFS for Mac only, we have a problem. If it were me, I'd try the old Cmd-. as soon as the patch tried to open. If that doesn't work, try this ...

I assume the patch has been prepared with AppleScript, so put the whole AS folder from Applications on your Mac into the Trash - temporarily! Then put the flash drive into your Mac. The patch will go looking for the application (AS) to open, but cannot because AS is not available. If this works, you can transfer what you need from the flash to your Mac and then erase and reformat the whole flash drive with Disk Utility.

 

[rhett7660]

If it were me, I'd try the old Cmd-

Bingo, this is what I was looking for. The drive loaded up, I hit the command and it stopped the loading. I was able to view and copy all the files I needed without it starting up.

Thank you very much!!!!

 

[hughvane]

I hit the command and it stopped the loading.

Good one! That was Command-period btw, and it was only after posting that I realised that the . might not be obvious, but you may have worked it out.

 

[rhett7660]

Ha.. yup... It worked.

Thanks again for your help.