USB Device Manager

very good
key review info
application features
  • Device Description
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How about a USB device manager? An application that can detect all USB devices currently connected to the computer and those that have been previously used. A program designed to allow you quick removal of them all at once and which also lists various pieces of information on the contraptions you stick into the computer.

The Universal Serial Bus, or, shortly put, USB, is omnipresent in our lives. This little standard has been developed to improve plug and play capabilities, to allow connecting and disconnecting devices without the need to restart the computer. Almost any device connecting to a computer these days does it via this standardized socket. From mobile phones, webcams, modems, keyboards, computer mice to storage devices, they all connect to the computer via USB.

Nir Sofer's USBDeview comes to adjust the shortcomings of a USB manager. Its features include extended information on the device, date and time it was added, vendor ID, product ID, a brief description, current state (connected or not), if it is safe to unplug or not and much more. And all this avalanche of details comes absolutely free of charge and on top of it, in portable form.

As with all Nir Sofer signed apps the interface is simple and straight to the point, with no bells and whistles distracting the attention. Once started, USBDeview lists all devices that have been installed on the computer with all related data and information. The downside is that there is a great difference between running it on Vista and on XP. For the former the information displayed is all messed up while on XP every detail is spic and span, easy to read.

The application is able to display both connected devices and the total number of USB ports available on the system. Details on these are not as expansive, but it is a good way to check if all of them are okay and ready to use.

Regarding the slew of details for the connected devices, USBDeview can even provide the drive letter for some mass storage devices (not all of them on Vista) as well as the serial number, date of last plug and unplug, protocol used, and hub/port it connects through.

USBDeview provides you with the possibility of multiple ejection of the drives as well as disabling them, i.e. keep them hooked but with no access to them. This feature comes in handy if you do not want to disconnect a portable mass storage device or plan to use it later. In this case all you have to do is disable the device and enable it when needed. The procedure saves you the effort of actually unplugging the device from the computer/USB hub.

In the Options menu you can find an autoplay feature, a drive opening (in case there is no file manager at hand), and the options to open the selected device in RegEdit or access its properties. It compresses all the device-details into a single window giving you a wide perspective.

As small as the software is (about 76 KB, help file included), it also has the capability of creating an HTML report either on selected items or on all of them. The report presents exactly the same data as the program so no piece of information is left aside.

Various displays are at your disposal under the Options menu. USBDeview can list only disconnected devices, those without port/serial number, those without the drivers installed, the USB hubs or a combination of any of these. You thus benefit from info not only on the connected devices but on a wider range.

A very useful function provided by the software is executing a user-defined command each time the USB device is inserted. Advanced options allow you to do this based on a clear set of variables that are automatically replaced by the application once the device is plugged in.

Flexibility in viewing all the details has not been forgotten by the developer and columns can be re-ordered as to how you sees fit.

Vista users will definitely have a hard time using the application as the device name and description are almost unreadable. XP users on the other hand will have a smooth sailing with the software given that every piece of information is accurate and readable (take a look at the last image in the gallery for sneak peek at how USBDeview performs on Windows XP).

For users who tend to work with multiple storage devices USBDeview is definitely an asset and provided the small size and it being absolutely free and portable I would say that it is a must and it can give amazing intel on USB devices used. However, it comes with its share of pitfalls, especially if run on Vista. Drive letter for instance is not displayed for all mass storage devices on Vista and we noticed that on both OSes after running the Disconnect command the interface does not list the device as safe to unplug.


The Good

On XP each item is listed correctly and for mass storage devices you are even given the drive letter and the opportunity to access its contents directly from the application.

Multiple selection and ejection of USB devices is supported, allowing for easier management of the items. Also, you can disable the devices without the need to unplug and plug them again if they're needed.

In case something goes wrong the application lets you uninstall the drivers for the devices. This way upon re-installation all problems can be fixed. You can restart the devices by using the disable+enable option in the context menu.

The Bad

The application does not do so well on Vista as device name and description are not intelligible for the average Joe. Still on Vista, USBDeview fails to report the drive letter for all storage devices.

The Truth

Running it on Vista may not get the best out of the program, but using it on XP is a totally different thing. Devices and their description are accurate and neat, and all options work great and with a minimum effort on your part.

It has its flaws, but they are minimal. However, it would be great if there was an option to view only currently connected devices. This would give the user a more down-to-earth view over the contraptions that are actually hooked to the system and allow him/her to work only with them.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:

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user interface 4
features 4
ease of use 4
pricing / value 4


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
 
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Photo Gallery (2 Images)

USBDeview application window on Vista
USBDeview application window on XP