Protects USB Flashdisk from Virus with Dummy File

As already known, flashdisk is a passive media, so any program installed in it will not be running (active) alone in the absence of the operating system. Although antivirus installed, will not effectively protect itself if used on a computer that has been infected with virus.

One way to protect flashdisk from virus is to create a dummy file in it. What is a dummy file and how to make it?

Dummy file meant here is the file creation or "puppet file" whose contents can be anything or even empty. The important thing is size corresponds to the size of memory/space left in flashdisk. That way, flashdisk will be filled with data and there is no empty space inside.

With its full flashdisk (no free space), then it will not be added automatically or write the data, including any modification of files can not be (as if there is a feature write-protected). So this could be an alternative way to prevent (reduce the chances) virus infecting/duplicate itself to flashdisk. Then if we want to use to save the file, then we just delete the dummy file.

Creating dummy file with Command Prompt

In Windows, we can use the tool named fsutil. Fsutil it has many functions, one of which to create a new file with a specific size. To make the file size of the free space available, then follow these steps:

1. Previously, to find out how much free space is available, right-click the drive (flashdisk) and select Properties. It would seem the size of the space that is still available in bytes (Free Space).





2. Open Command Prompt (All Programs> Accessories> Command Prompt)
3. Type the following command
fsutil file createnew "D:\file-dummy.dat" 1234567
4. After that, press Enter, it will display information have created a dummy file
   
   
   

Explanation: D:\file-dummy.dat a file to be created (if there are spaces, use quotation marks) and 123456 is the size of the file to be created. If successful, the file will be generated with the size that has been entered and the process is relatively very fast.

Want an easier way?

If you want a more convenient way and do not need to know how much free space is available or hassles using Command Prompt, use this simple and small program Dummy File Maker (18 KB). Easy enough to use, such as the following explanation:

1. Run Dummy File Maker on the location where the files will be created dummy, for example in flashdisk.





2. Fill in the desired file name or click the "Random" to create a random file name.
3. Select the option "Using all the free space in current drive" to make the file size according to the space available.
4. Select "Place the file in a sub folder" if you want to put files in sub-folders according to file name
5. Click the create button
6. Done..

Note: If the size of the file you want to create (free space) is very large (possibly hundreds of MB or more than 1 GB), it is better made ​​dummy files are small. Because it may be seemingly windows explorer hangs when accessing files are quite large.

This method does not guarantee completely safe, because it could be virus delete files on flashdisk and infected. But this way at least we can reduce the risk of virus infected flashdisk or the data filled by the program or anyone else. If flashdisk already has a feature write-protected with switches, buttons, etc., then use these features would be better.

Download Dummy File Maker (18 KB)