Auto-Launch Apps from USB Drive on Windows

The Convenience of Portable Applications

Consider the scenario of possessing a USB drive containing all the applications you frequently use. This could encompass a suite of PC diagnostic tools for an IT professional, or perhaps a selection of document creation and editing programs for a traveling businessperson.

The ability to connect this USB drive to any computer and have your preferred portable applications initiate automatically, without manual intervention, would be exceptionally beneficial.

Existing Solutions and Techniques

Throughout the years, IT professionals have devised numerous methods to achieve this functionality. Previous articles have explored the utilization of Windows Task Scheduler for automated job execution, as well as a compilation of helpful USB-based applications.

This article will detail several USB auto-launch methods employed by administrators.

Addressing Common Misconceptions

It is a common belief that automatically launching applications from a USB drive on a Windows 7 system is not feasible. However, this assertion is inaccurate.

We will demonstrate that auto-launching applications from a USB device is indeed achievable.

Exploring Auto-Launch Strategies

Administrators have successfully implemented various techniques to enable this functionality. These methods leverage the operating system's capabilities to recognize and execute programs upon USB drive insertion.

The following sections will outline these strategies, providing a practical guide to setting up portable applications for seamless use across different computers.

Automated Application Launching from USB Drives: A Historical Perspective

Historically, system administrators have leveraged the autorun.inf method to initiate applications automatically from USB storage devices. This practice dates back to at least Windows 2000, and potentially even earlier iterations of the operating system.

The autorun.inf file’s complexity could vary significantly, ranging from basic configurations to more elaborate setups. A simplified example of its structure is shown below.

[autorun]
 icon=mypic.ico
 open=start-zim.bat
 action=Click “OK” to start your apps!

For this to function, the specified icon image and batch file needed to be present. Upon insertion of the USB drive into a compatible system, such as one running Windows XP, a dialog box would appear automatically.

Selecting “OK” would then execute the designated batch job, launching all pre-defined applications. This provided a streamlined, automated process for opening multiple applications simultaneously, resulting in significant time savings.

However, this method was constrained by the presence of the confirmation prompt. While workarounds to bypass this prompt existed, they introduced security vulnerabilities. Modifying the system in this way created a potential pathway for malicious software to infect computers simply through USB drive insertion.

Recognizing this security risk, Microsoft disabled the autorun.inf functionality for USB drives in Windows 7. Subsequent updates to Windows XP also removed this feature. This left system administrators seeking alternative solutions for automated application deployment.

Automated Application Launching via USB Drive

The possibility of initiating a program simply by connecting a USB drive to a Windows 7 computer does indeed exist. A solution can be implemented with the right approach.

To begin, installing AutoIT is necessary. This scripting language, previously detailed by Guy, allows for the compilation of scripts into executable programs suitable for distribution. The download package includes both an editor and the conversion software.

A significant advantage of AutoIT scripts lies in the wealth of pre-made scripts available for numerous tasks. The following script serves as the foundation for detecting USB drive insertion.

$DBT_DEVICEARRIVAL = "0x00008000"

 $WM_DEVICECHANGE = 0x0219

 GUICreate("")

 GUIRegisterMsg($WM_DEVICECHANGE , "MyFunc")

 Func MyFunc($hWndGUI, $MsgID, $WParam, $LParam)

 If $WParam == $DBT_DEVICEARRIVAL Then

MsgBox(4096, "Info", "My Drive has been Inserted, Backup My Files!")

 EndIf

 EndFunc

 While 1

 $GuiMsg = GUIGetMsg()

 WEnd

This script identifies a "device change" event, and upon USB drive insertion, it triggers a message box, as illustrated.

Considering this functionality, the script can be adapted to launch a program instead of displaying a message. By replacing the MsgBox command with the following line, this is achievable:

Run ("F:\System\Apps\ZimWiki\Zim Desktop Wiki\start-zim.cmd")

This modification ensures that when the USB drive is connected, the Zim Wiki application, used for writing organization and project tracking, is automatically initiated.

With this method, a program launches automatically upon USB drive insertion. Expanding on this, a batch job named startapps.bat on the USB drive can launch multiple applications simultaneously.

START - F:\System\Apps\ZimWiki\Zim_Desktop_Wiki\start-zim.cmd

START - C:\Users\Owner\MUO_STORY_IDEAS\MUO_STORY_IDEAS.txt

START - FIREFOX.EXE https://www.makeuseof.com/wp-admin

The benefit of this approach is the ability to create customized "startapps.bat" scripts for different USB drives. For example, a drive for schoolwork could automatically open a class webpage, a word processor, and a spreadsheet. Another drive, intended for help desk tasks, could launch PC support tools and a relevant website.

A key requirement is that the executable file generated by the AutoIT script must be running on each computer where the auto-launch functionality is desired. This adheres to Windows 7 security protocols. Simply open the AutoIT script, compile it to create the executable, and place it in the Startup folder of the target computers.

When the script is active, a corresponding icon will appear in the taskbar.

This configuration provides a seamless experience – inserting the USB drive automatically launches all necessary applications without any prompts.

Experiment with the script and adapt it to your own USB drive setup. Do you find this method useful? Are there any suggestions for improvement? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

ramasamy chidambaram