How to use a jump drive

Just a few short years ago, copying data from a computer meant one thing: Floppy Disks. While these disks got smaller over the years, nowadays, there are almost obsolete. In fact, as of 2011, many manufacturers will quit making them altogether. Instead, CD’s, DVD’s and even Jump Drives (also known as flash drives) are the preferred storage devices of our time.

While CD’s and DVD’s are fantastic for larger files, jump drives are great for small files and for quickly saving files on a small device for use at a later time. Jump drives are super small and convenient making them the perfect choice for quick file storage for personal, business, and student use.

Here is a quick HOW TO guide for how to use a jump drive to save and then recover data on a computer:

1. First, open up MY COMPUTER on your computer to see all the available storage options. This will include the hard drive locations where data is stored on your computer.




2. Next, insert a Jump Drive into your USB port. (located on the side or back of your computer.)




3. Once you do this, an icon should appear in your MY COMPUTER view. This will designate where you should click to utilize the jump drive when saving and uploading data.




4. Next, navigate to the files on your computer that you wish to save to the jump drive. If you are saving multiple files, simply hold down the CTRL button and click on each file in a particular folder where the files are located. Once all the pertinent files are highlight, click in the upper left hand corner of your screen and navigate to SAVE AS. This will allow you to designate how you wish to save the files. Once you do this, you will be prompted as to WHERE you want to save the files. At this stage, choose the jump drive that you located in step 3.




5. Once you have clicked SAVE, the computer should then copy these files directly to the jump drive…that’s it!

Now, as long as your jump drive contained enough storage space to save all the files you requested, all your data will be on the little device. Now, when you wish to retrieve the files at a later date, here is all you have to do:

1. Insert the jump drive into your usb port.




2. Many computers will automatically show your MY COMPUTER screen which will show the jump drive as well, but if not, navigate to MY COMPUTER at this time.




3. Now, all you have to do is double click on the icon that designates your jump drive. This will then bring you to a list of files contained on it. Simply double click on the files you wish to open and voila, there they are!




4. If you are using a jump drive to upload data you wish to save on your computer, simply highlight all the files, click SAVE AS, and designate a location on your computer where you wish the data to live.

As is always the case with technology, it continues to get smarter AND smaller. Jump drives are now integrated into everything from pens to key-chains and are often handier to use when on the go than any other storage device. Be sure to keep some jump drives on you at all time so you can store and upload data quickly and easily.