Installation:
As with most USB flash drives, the SanDisk Extreme was very easy to install. Those running Windows XP, Vista or 7 can simply plug the drive into any available USB 2.0 or 3.0 port on their computer. If the computer is already turned on, plug and play will automatically detect the drive.
If installed correctly, the Extreme should show up in the Device Manager. Under Windows 7, the drive is identified as a "SanDisk Extreme USB Device".
The Extreme comes formatted with FAT32, giving the 64GB model about 59.5GB of usable space. Of that, about 64MB is taken up by the SecureAccess software that comes bundled with the drive.
Software:
The SanDisk Extreme ships with the company's SecureAccess software. Available for both Windows and Mac, SecureAccess is a fast and easy way to protect sensitive files on any SanDisk USB flash drive. The software automatically secures files using 128-bit AES encryption and then stores them in a password-protected folder or “vault" on the drive.
Before you can protect files using SecureAccess, you will need to create your own vault. To begin, connect the SanDisk Extreme to your computer and double-click the RunSanDiskSecureAccess.exe file. When the program launches, select your preferred language and enter a personal password for the vault. The password must be at least 6 characters and contain both numeric and alphabet characters.
This screen also gives you the option to install SecureAccess Manager on your computer. While this isn't required, it will automatically launch SecureAccess when you plug in your drive.
Files and folders can be moved into your vault by dragging and dropping them onto the main screen or the vault icon. They can also be copied and pasted onto the main screen or added manually using the "Add Files" button.
SanDisk SecureAccess also includes support for YuuWaa's online backup service. To use this feature, create a YuuWaa account and select which folders and file types you want to backup. Once backed up, your files can be accessed from any computer using a web browser.
YuuWaa lets you store up to 2GB of data for free. If you need more, you can buy a yearly service plan which includes additional storage. Prices range from $24.99 for 10GB up to $239.99 for 200GB of storage, which is a considerable increase from when we reviewed SanDisk's Ultra USB flash drive a year or so ago.
