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Step 1
Assuming you're using a windows operating system XP or higher, with your computer fully booted up, simply plug the device into a USB socket describe above. Soon, down in the tray on the lower right of your monitor screen, you should see a message in a bubble that says device found. It may or may not show the letter the computer as assigned the flash drive, but no matter. You can always find that by clicking on "Start," then "My Computer." Look for a picture of the device & note the device letter. It'll probably be "E" or higher.
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Step 2
Decide what information from your hard drive you want to transfer to your flash drive. For example, if you want to store your photos, go to "My Computer," select "C" drive. When the contents of the "C" drive are displayed, click on "My Documents" and select "My Pictures". When your picture files are displayed, choose the particular photos you wish to copy by right-clicking on either a specific picture or a sub folder of pictures. e.g. in my case, I recently did this by right clicking on a sub folder I had named "Christmas 2008."
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Step 3
With your chosen picture or sub-folder highlighted, right click on it, then left click on "copy.
Move your mouse up to the down arrow that opens up all the drive option. Scroll down and find the letter that the computer designated for your flash drive and left click on it.
The material (photos in this example) should start copying to the flash drive. There's usually, but not always, an indicator light - green or red- indicating the flash drive is receiving information. Also, on your screen, you should see a small window with pieces of paper "flying" from a picture of a file folder on the left to a similar picture on the right. The picture will disappear when the transfer is completed.
At this point, DO NOT remove the flash drive from the computer's USB socket. Instead, go to the "tray", the row of little icons at the very lower right of your screen, and find the icon that, when you pause the mouse over it, will read "Safely Remove Hardware." Put your cursor over the line with the drive letter for your USB Flash drive and left click on it.
You may now safely remove the USB Flash Drive from the computer and replace the protective cap.
To view what is saved on the Flash Drive, simply plug it back into the USB socket, wait for the "New Hardware Found" indicator. Then go to "My Computer," When the screen shows the various drives, left click on the symbol matching the drive letter and up should come your material.
