USB data storage devices are tiny, yet powerful and sturdy enough for
everyday use, they are capable of storing information ranging from a
few megabytes to several gigabytes. Accordingly, depending on specs and
features, these devices can cost anywhere from a few dollars to several
hundred dollars. However, there are some dos and don'ts when it comes to
using these handy devices. Respectively, this article will guide you on
how to use your USB device appropriately:
Scan your External Storage Device for Viruses:
In
life, safety always comes first. The same principle applies to USB
flash drives. Therefore, it's always a safe bet to scan your portable
drive for viruses before you proceed forward with transferring files. To
scan your USB Stick in a Windows computer. Go to: My computer/This PC,
then locate the external drive icon, single click on the icon, and then
right click to view the menu options available for your USB drive. From
here, you should get an option to scan the drive with your Antivirus
software.
Don't work directly on documents saved on your Flash storage device:
USB
drives are an important tool that help you carry around important
documents. No matter where you are, or where you go, you can work on
these files as long as you have access to a PC. However, it is not
recommended that you work directly on files that are saved in your flash
drive, as this can corrupt your saved data. Keep in mind that all USB
flash drives have a specific write and rewrite cycles, on average it has
10,000 cycles. If you continue to modify files saved on it, it can
considerably reduce your device's lifecycle. A better option is to make a
copy of the file onto the guest PC - using the copy/paste method. To
ensure the security and privacy of your file, make sure to delete the
copied file from the guest PC after you are done working on your file.
Remove USB devices safely to prevent corruption of data:
There's
more to removing external devices than simply yanking it out of your
computer, there's a procedure that involves digitally ejecting it from
your USB port. To eject it properly, wait for the file transfer to
conclude, once that is done, close the drive's window. Now, open your
desktop tray and locate the USB flash drive icon. From here, right click
on the USB icon and select the 'Eject' option. Once it safe to eject
the flash drive, you'll receive a notification stating that its safe
remove your drive.
