Library Notes

In order to prevent data loss it is strongly recommended that you do not save files to the public computers. Files saved on the public computers will be deleted after each login and whenever the computer is idle for 30 minutes. Once the file has been deleted from the desktop it is gone for good and library staff cannot retrieve it for you. There are several options available to you when you want to save a file for later use. This article will walk you through some of those options so you can avoid data loss.

Save it to a flash drive
Flash drives, also known as USB hard drives, pen drives, key chain drives, pocket drives, jump drives, thumb drives, etc., are portable hard drives. They are great for people who usually work on more then one computer and need a dependable way to move files from one computer to the other. Flash drives can be purchased at just about any retail store (i.e. CompUSA, Target, Best Buy, etc.). The library also has a flash drive available for check out at the Circulation Desk.

Figure 1

How to use a flash drive on the public computers:

Insert the flash drive into the USB port (see Figure 1 at right).
The “Found new hardware” message will appear in the lower right hand corner of the desktop. If this message does not display, the flash drive has not been inserted correctly into the USB port.
Click the My Computer icon on the desktop.
You should see an icon for the flash drive in the My Computer window. It may have one of the following names: Removable Drive, the manufacturer's name, or the name you assigned the drive.
To save a file to the flash drive you can either:

Drag the files over to the flash drive icon. When a small plus sign (+) appears over the flash drive icon, release the mouse button. A copy of the file or folder will now be located on the flash drive.
Save the file to the flash drive using the File > Save as > My Computer > Removable Drive option in the application you are using to create the file you want to save.

When you are done saving files to the flash drive it is extremely important to eject the drive from the computer. Failure to do this correctly could lead to loss of data. To eject the flash drive:

Left click once on the eject icon, located in the lower-right corner of the screen .
Click once on the "Safely remove USB mass storage device" option.
A “Safe to remove hardware” dialog box should appear. Once that message displays you can safely remove the flash drive from the USB port.

Burn it to a CD
The public computers now have a CD-RW drive which means you now have the option of burning your files to a CD-R or CD-RW disk. A CD-R disk is cheaper then a CD-RW but it can only be written to once. A CD-RW costs more but can be written to and erased many times. The Library does not sell CD-R or CD-RW disks so it is your responsibility to provide your own. To burn a CD:

Insert an unformatted CD-R disk or a CD-RW into the CD-ROM drive (see Figure 1 above).
Save the file you wish to burn onto the Desktop.
Select the file by clicking on it.
Right click, scroll to Send to, and select DVD/CD-RW Drive (D:).
Open the My Computer icon on the desktop.
Click on DVD/CD-RW Drive (D:)
Select Write Files to CD. This will open the Wizard. Click on Next. Wait for the computer to finish.

If you are copying from one CD to another, open and save the file on the Desktop, eject that CD and put the second one in the drive. Proceed to Step 3 above.

Send the file to yourself via email
Another popular option is to send the file to yourself via a web-based email program like NU’s WebMail, Hotmail, Gmail, etc. Consult the help file of your email program to learn how to send an attachment.

Note: When opening a document via WebMail that you would like to edit and save, make sure to save it to the desktop, My Documents folder or your removable drive and not the default location. Failure to do so may result in the document being saved to an inaccessible location on the drive.

Save it to a floppy or zip disk
Floppy and Zip drives are available for checkout at the Circulation Desk. The Library does not sell floppy or zip disks so it is your responsibility to provide your own. Additionally, floppy disks are extremely unreliable and are not recommended.

Insert plug of the Zip or flash drive into the USB port (see Figure 1 above).
The “Found new hardware” message will appear in the lower right hand corner of the desktop.
Click the My Computer icon on the desktop.
You should see an icon for Removable Drive if you are using the Zip drive or 3 1/2 Floppy (A:) if you are using the Floppy Drive in the My Computer window.
To save a file to either drive you can:

Drag the files over to the zip or floppy drive icon. When a small plus sign (+) appears over the drive icon, release the mouse button. A copy of the file or folder will now be located on the flash drive.
Save the file to the floppy or zip disk using the File > Save as > My Computer > Removable Drive or 3 1/2 Floppy (A:) option in the application you are using to create the file you want to save.

When you are done saving files to the drive it is extremely important to eject it from the computer. Failure to do this correctly could lead to loss of data. To eject the drive:

Left click once on the eject icon in the lower-right corner of the screen .
Click once on the "Safely remove USB mass storage device" option.
A “Safe to remove hardware” dialog box should appear. Once that message displays you can remove the flash drive from the USB port.