Change USB Model Name globally on the device

If I plug in my Kingston USB Stick, it automatically says KINGSTON DataTraveller 2G (or similar) in every OS. So I assume it is saved on the Stick.

Is it possible to change this Description on the device itself to - let's say Customname Stick -, so it will be detected as such on ALL Computers?

It is especially needed on an embedded Linux device, with no console access at all.

It would also be enough to change the vendor or serial strings.

To clarify things: This is also done with non-storage-devices like this WiFi Stick by Realtek:

Sep 23 17:05:28 minze kernel: [27419.722929] usb 1-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 5 using ehci-pci 
Sep 23 17:05:28 minze kernel: [27419.815555] usb 1-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8179 
Sep 23 17:05:28 minze kernel: [27419.815562] usb 1-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3 
Sep 23 17:05:28 minze kernel: [27419.815566] usb 1-1.2: Product: 802.11n NIC 
Sep 23 17:05:28 minze kernel: [27419.815569] usb 1-1.2: Manufacturer: Realtek 
Sep 23 17:05:28 minze kernel: [27419.815572] usb 1-1.2: SerialNumber: 00E04C0001

SiLeX

Posted 2013-09-23T14:08:00.787

Reputation: 73

Vaguely, you can format it and specify a name for the stick - but the device name will still say what it is (in device manager, lsusb, etc). Hardware devices have unique IDs that correlate to what they are (manufacturer, size, type, etc.). So that part can't really be changed, afaik - outside of maybe some hacks... – nerdwaller – 2013-09-23T14:21:56.980

There is no "detection" - it is simply showing the volume name of a volume automatically mounted by the OS when the USB stick was inserted. – Brian – 2013-09-23T14:58:26.937

There is. I have appended another example into the question. – SiLeX – 2013-09-23T15:06:09.180

The USB devices just contain IDs that you have to look up using information included with drivers to get text if desired. – Brian – 2013-09-23T16:15:43.590

I need to change the device name. I am not sure if it is branded on the Controller Chip or not. But your solution will just change the partition name. I need to change the vendor, model or serial. – SiLeX – 2013-09-23T14:30:35.533

1The be pedantic: It will change the volume name (from the filesystem which is on the partition). It will not change the partition name. – Hennes – 2013-09-23T14:34:42.440

The current volume name "KINGSTON DataTraveller 2G" is what you want to change. – Brian – 2013-09-23T14:55:22.097

Let's just say the Volume is labeled "Volume" and the device name is "KINSTON DataTraveller 2G", the vendor is "KINGSTON", and the serial is "11AA11AA". The Volume label is not what I want to change. – SiLeX – 2013-09-23T15:50:24.497

The USB devices contain just IDs not text - the text comes from driver information like that in INF files with Windows drivers. A reference of IDs to names: http://www.linux-usb.org/usb-ids.html

– Brian – 2013-09-23T16:12:01.057

Thank you. You are right. You can give this as answer, so I can rate you and tick your answer to have solved my problem. – SiLeX – 2013-09-23T20:33:29.037

Change USB Model Name globally on the device

Answers