10 awesome ways to use a USB flash drive

Your trusty USB flash drive is much more versatile than you might realize, packing capabilities that go well beyond storing and transferring files.

These little-known tricks can be utilized by computer newbies and technogeeks alike to achieve anything from restoring a virus-ridden computer to launching and playing portable apps right from the drive.

(Credit: Ed Rhee/CNET)

Unlock our top-10 ways to use a USB flash drive with the guide below. Thanks to fellow How To blogger Ed Rhee, and the team at CNET, you’ll be surprised to find that storing files might not be the best use of thumbdrives after all.

1. Lock and unlock your computer, secret agent style
With Predator, you can turn your USB drive into a “key” that unlocks your computer when plugged in, and locks it when it’s removed. If anyone attempts to access your computer without the key (or top-secret password), they’ll be hit with an epic “ACCESS DENIED” message.

2. Revive a virus-ridden system
With the free AVG rescue software loaded on your USB drive, you can scan a crippled computer for viruses. And, if all goes well, bring your system back to life.