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The USB Flash Drive (also called a flash drive, thumb drive, jump drive or memory stick) works like a modern floppy disk - it is a small, portable memory card that plugs into a computer’s USB port and functions as a portable hard drive. Flash drives are easy-to-use, as they small enough to carry in a pocket and can have more storage capacity than a CD or floppy disk. While they do have less storage capacity than an external hard drive, they are more durable because they do not contain any internal moving parts.
Saving Data onto your Flash Drive
- Remove the cap from the flash drive
- Confirm the flash drive is unlocked. The unlock switch is on the side of the memory stick.
- Plug the flash drive into a USB port on your computer and wait for Windows to detect the flash drive
- The flash drive will appear as Removable Disk in your menu options
- To save files on the flash drive...
Using Windows Explorer:
- Right-Click on Start on the Taskbar and click Explore
- Locate the Removable disk on the list (this is the memory stick)
- Click on My Documents Folder
- Right-Click on the file or folder you want to save and click Copy
- Click on the Removable disk then Right click in the window on the right click Paste
- Your file/folder is now saved on the flash drive
Using Other programs such as Microsoft Office:
- Click on File
- Click Save As and the Save As window will appear
- Select the drop down and choose the removable disk
- Then click Save
Note: If you get an error message:
" Cannot copy file. The disk is write-protected. Remove the write-protection."
Then you need to unlock the memory stick by sliding the black button on the side of the stick down to the unlock position.
Removing the Flash Drive from the computer
- Click on the Safely Remove Hardware icon. This icon looks like a green arrow and is found in the notification area on the bottom right-hand corner of the desktop, by your clock.
- Click on the USB mass storage device and click Stop. This will allow you to remove the memory stick without loosing data.
- You can now remove the memory stick out of the USB port.
Caution! If the Memory stick's LED light is flashing, it means there is activity between the drive and the computer. When you are finished saving files, you must wait for the flash drive to stop flashing before disconnecting it--otherwise you may loose data.
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