USB Flash Drive Frequently Asked Questions

One of the oldest technologies still remaining in computer systems is the floppy diskette drive. Floppy disks still exist for the simple task of copying data/files from one system to another. However, by today’s standards they are slow, hold little information and are unreliable.

For storing and moving information here at BAC, our primary storage method is network drives. However, sometimes we need the ability to work with data outside of our network where network drives aren’t available. When this need arises, there are several options; one of the most versatile is USB Flash Drives.

USB Flash Drives are small self-powered devices that connect to a computer directly through a USB port. USB Flash Drives offer the following advantages:

• USB Flash Drives are easy to use. When connected to a computer, a USB Flash Drive appears as another drive letter, so the same methods used to move, copy and save information to existing network and local drives also work with the USB Flash Drive .
• USB Flash Drives are fast. Copying information to a USB Flash drive can be up to ten times faster than copying information to a floppy drive.
• USB Flash Drives hold large amounts of information. Flash drives come with varying amounts of memory. The amount of information that can be stored on one typical 128MB USB Flash Drive would require 88 floppy disks.

A USB Flash Drive makes transporting and sharing data faster and easier. Simply plug it into any computer’s USB port to take your presentations, graphics, photos, word processing documents and spreadsheets with you anywhere you go. Because Flash USB drives use a computer’s USB port to connect, you can use them on virtually any computer and have instant access to your data. All office, lab, and classroom computers here at BAC have USB ports. Please note that not all flash drives are the same. Some may require extra drivers to be installed on a computer in order for them to function properly. Public computers do not allow drivers to be installed. Therefore, not all flash drives will be compatible with public computers.

Copy Files to a USB Flash Drive on a PC

With Windows there are normally several different ways to accomplish a task. Whatever method you currently use to copy files from one drive to another can also be used to copy files to a USB Flash Drive . Below are step-by-step instructions for one such method.

• Open My Computer and see which drives are shown. Most computers, for example, have a hard disk such as a C: drive and a few removable storage devices such as a floppy drive, a CD-ROM drive, and possible mapped network drives.
• Insert the USB Flash Drive into the USB port. Here on campus on computer systems that are running Windows XP, USB Flash Drives should be automatically detected, and a new drive letter will appear in My Computer. This is the drive letter you will use to access the USB Flash Drive .
• Open the location from which you want to transfer files to the USB Flash Drive . This could be, for example, your G Drive. Select the files or folders you want to save to the USB Flash Drive by left-clicking on them. To select more than one, hold down the CTRL key while you click and select all of the files you wish to save.
• Right-click on the file(s) or folder(s) you selected, and then select Send to, then select the drive letter that appeared in My Computer in step #2.  For Example - Removable Disk (E:).
• When the copying is finished, you can simply unplug the drive.

Copy Files from a USB Flash Drive to a PC

With Windows there are normally several different ways to accomplish a task. Whatever method you currently use to copy files from one drive to another can also be used to copy files from a USB Flash Drive . Below are step-by-step instructions for one such method.

• Open My Computer and see which drives are shown. Most computers, for example, have a hard disk such as a C: drive and a few removable storage devices such as a floppy drive, a CD-ROM drive, and possible mapped network drives.
• Insert the USB Flash Drive into the USB port. Here on campus on computer systems that are running Windows XP, USB Flash Drives should be automatically detected and a new drive letter will appear in My Computer. This is the drive letter you will use to access the USB Flash Drive .
• Double-click on the USB Flash Drive to locate the file(s) or folder(s) you want to copy. Select the files or folders you want to copy by left-clicking on them. To select more than one, hold down the CTRL key while you click and select all of the files or folders you wish to copy.
• Right-click on the files or folders you have selected and choose Copy.
• Open the location to which you want to transfer files from the USB Flash Drive
• Click on the Edit menu, and then select Paste.
• When the copying is finished, you can simply unplug the drive.

Opening files from a USB Flash Drive

Just like on a floppy or network drive, files can be opened and saved directly to and from a USB Flash Drive . This is accomplished by using the “File-Open’ and “File-Save” methods in applications that you would normally use to direct files to and from a floppy or network drive.

FAQ - USB Flash Drives

Can I use more than one USB Flash Drive on one system?

Yes. This is because a USB Flash Drive is recognized by the PC as a removable storage device.

 After plugging in the USB Flash Drive on a Windows XP system here on campus, a dialog box pops up; do I need to restart my computer?

No. You do not need to restart your computer. Most USB Flash Drives are plug-and-play and should not require that the system be rebooted.

What happens if I accidentally erase my data on my USB Flash Drive ?

Because a USB Flash Drive acts just like a normal hard drive, once data is erased, it is permanently lost. It is important to remember that only network drives are backed up on regular bases.

Can viruses infect a USB Flash Drive ?

Yes, Flash USB Drives are designed to function as storage devices, and therefore behave like one. Like a storage device, you can scan, protect or remove any viruses from a USB Flash Drive using anti-virus software. Current antivirus software installed on campus should detect and clean viruses off USB Flash Drives in the same manner it does from floppy disk drives.

Where are USB Ports Located on a PC?

The locations of the USB ports vary from model to model of computer system here on campus. Some newer systems have USB ports located on the front of the computer. All systems have USB ports on the back of the computer.

Where can I get a USB Flash Drive ?

Many companies offer USB Flash Drives. If you are a college employee and you would like to purchase a USB Flash drive to be used here at the college, you would follow normal purchasing procedures as outlined on the IT Support Center website. It is important that you make sure the drive you purchase does not require drivers to be installed to function properly; otherwise it will be incompatible with systems here on campus.