Saving Computer Files to a USB Flash Drive

By

Karen Dietz Grann

Essential Questions

What is a flash drive? What is a USB port? How does one save a folder from my

desktop to a flash drive on a PC?

What is a Flash Drive?

A flash drive is a small storage device that plugs into the USB port of a computer that can be used to transport files from one computer to another.

Flash Drive Tidbits

It's both Mac and PC compatible, so you can transfer files between both Macs and PCs.

Flash drives can hold any type of data, including excel, jpeg, video, and text files.

Flash drives are also commonly referred to as key drive, thumb drives, jump drives, USB drives and pen drives.

What is a USB Port?

A plug on the computer's exterior that connects peripheral devices, such as mice, modems, and keyboards.

USB Port Tidbits

Most computers have at least 2, some with as many as 8, USB ports.

The Universal Serial Bus gives you a single, standardized, easy-to-use way to connect up to 127 devices to a computer.

How do you save a folder from your desktop to your flash drive on a PC?

Let’s begin by inserting a flash drive into of the USB ports on the PC.

This is a screenshot of a typical PC desktop.

Locate the My Computer Icon usually in the upper left hand corner of the desktop.

Double click on the My Computer Icon.

This icon represents

the flash drive.

1. Location the file/folder to save.

2. Left-click and hold down mouse button on the item to save.

3. Drag to the Removable Disk.

4. Let go of mouse.

Easiest way to save to flash drive.

Click and drag

steps1, 2

When the copying is finished, do not immediately remove the flash drive from the USB port. Instead, left-click on the Remove Hardware icon located in the System Tray.

This icon is located in the lower right portion of the desktop.

Left click on highlighted words.

A window containing a list of USB devices will appear. Click on the drive that matches your flash drive.

When the following message appears in the bottom left toolbar, it is, as it says, safe to remove the flash drive from the USB port; you may close the message or ignore it, as it will close itself automatically:

Congratulations!You have learned how to save a file/folder to a flash drive on a PC.

Works Cited

What is a flash drive? http://homeworktips.about.com/od/computertips/qt/flashdrive.htm

Use a USB Flash Drive http://www.wellesley.edu/Computing/Flashdrive/

Pictures provided by Google images and Karen Grann