Flash drives attach to the computer through the USB port. USB ports can be found in different locations of a computer. Some USB ports are on the side of a monitor, usually the left side. Other ports are found on the tower (main computer box) or to the back or side of a laptop. When you slide the silver section of the flash drive into the USB port the computer will start connecting to your flash drive automatically. Sometimes a window appears to let you know this. An icon for your flash drive will appear to the bottom right of the START toolbar. You can then click on your flash drive icon to open it and see what features you have on it. Some offer different applications to help you handle and access your documents.
Sometimes when you use a flash drive for the first time, it will ask you to name your flash drive and set applications. Just read along in the self help wizard feature of the flash drive to get started.
One thing to remember- do not use symbols or periods in the name (. - =+@/*-). This can confuse the computer. We recommend you use your name so that if you leave it behind in the library and it is turned in at circulation, we can find you and return it or you can give accurate documentation that it is your flash drive.
Once you finish these steps you are ready to start saving and accessing documents from your flash drive. Lets assume you have something on the computer now that you want to save to your flash drive. Let's say it is a Word document in an Office 2007 application. Click on the Office button(round gold button at top left of window where you find the save and print options drop down menu)>Click Save As. Select your flash drive location by clicking on the down menu arrow at the right end of the Save in: textbox. A drop down menu appears and you should see the name of your flash drive. It will appear next to a Drive: location. Select the name of your flash drive.Type in the title of your file's name if you haven't named it already. Click Save.
To check your flash drive to see if your document did save to it, click on your flash drive icon on the START toolbar (far right, bottom of screen). A menu will open and you should select Explore Drive _ and a window will open showing the icons to your files. Click on the document icon and name of your saved file to open it.
IMPORTANT: Do not pull the flash drive out without Eject procedure. To remove a flash drive correctly click on your flashdrive icon, when the window appears click on the EJECT button. Wait until the window appears that tells you it is safe to remove your flash drive. Then remove it. Failing to remove the flash drive correctly can cause problems with opening the flash drive later.
