USB Flash Drive
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Working with USB Flashdrives on a Windows PC
Revised Spring 2006 USB flashdrives, also known as thumbdrives and keychain drives, are compact Universal Serial Bus flash memory drives that act like portable hard drives. USB flashdrives let you store and transport computer files and data. Available in a range of storage capacities, they are small but they can store incredibly large amounts of information. USB flashdrives work on both Microsoft Windows-equipped and Macintosh computers.
Most public use Dell workstations at The Graduate Center feature four USB ports, two located on the front of the machine, two at the back. The GC does not support flashdrives that require the installation of software drivers in order to run.
How to connect a USB Flashdrive to a workstation
Locate the USB port on the computer Note: The USB ports on the front of Dell computers are mounted upside-down. If your USB flashdrive has a light or other indicator that it is writing data, it may face downward. If you have difficulty inserting the USB flashdrive into the front of a workstation, you may use the ports on the back. Extension cables may be purchased at most office supply or computer supply stores (cable type: Male/A to Female/A or M/A-F/A)
- Insert the flashdrive into the USB port
Note: Some older PCs will issue a warning message when connecting newer USB flashdrives, saying that the device can perform faster if connected to a 2.0 USB port. You may still use your flashdrive if the machine says this
Viewing the contents of your USB Flashdrive
- Double-click the "My Computer" icon on your desktop
In the list of drives and storage locations, double-click on the entry for your USB flashdrive. In the example below, it is listed as "Kingston (F:)" (fig. 2) Note: The flashdrive may be listed with the manufacturer's name, such as Lexar Media or Kingston. USB flashdrives may have different drive letters on different machines
Working from a USB Flashdrive
A USB Flashdrive may be used in the same way any other storage volume is used. Note: Screenshots from Microsoft Word are being used for demonstration purposes only. USB Flashdrives may be used with any software application
To open a file stored on a flashdrive:
- File | Open…
In the Open window:
- Click the Look in: drop down menu
- Find the USB flashdrive in the list and click on it
Locate your files in the Open window
- Double-click to open the file, or click once to highlight the file name and then click Open
Saving to a USB Flashdrive
To save a file to your USB Flashdrive:
- Choose File | Save or File | Save As… as appropriate
- Select the USB Flashdrive as the saving location for your file
- Name your file, if necessary
- Click Save
Note: Some flashdrives have sliding switches built-in to stop accidental writing/overwriting to the device. If you are unable to save to your flashdrive 1) review your device documentation or 2) ensure you have space available on your flashdrive (see below)
Identifying Available Space on your USB Flashdrive
To see the amount of storage you have available on your flashdrive
- Locate your flashdrive in "My Computer"
- Right-click on the listing for your flashdrive
- Select Properties
- Your used space is listed along with your available or "Free" space and represented in the pie chart shown
Best Practices
Protect your USB Flashdrive against loss
- Make sure you take your USB Flashdrive with you when leaving a workstation. Check the back USB ports, if you use those
- Include on your flashdrive a "readme.txt" file containing your contact information to help return the device to you if it is found. You can create the file in Microsoft Word and save it to the flashdrive as a plain text file
- Label your drive with your name and a means of contacting you, such as your email address
Protect your USB Flashdrive against data loss
- Make sure the USB drive isn't writing data when you remove it from the machine. Wait a few moments after telling the computer to save information to the drive to remove it from the machine
Disconnect your USB Flashdrive before removing it from the machine
- Click on the USB Icon in your System Tray. You may have to expand the System Tray by clicking on the left-facing arrow in order to see
the icon
- Click on the pop up message reading "Safely remove USB Mass Storage Device - Drive (F:)"
- Remove your USB Flashdrive
