Flash drives are basically small USB floppy
disks. Flash drives are much more versatile
than floppy disks however, and are much
less succeptible to data loss and damage
than disks are. Using them on MU-owned computers
presents a unique challenge however, because
Windows XP likes to use Drive F for flash
drives. However, the network already uses
drive F for logins. So when you plug in
a flash drive, it can't access that drive
letter. There is a very easy fix however
- all you have to do is change the drive
letter assigned to it. To do this:
Plug in
your flash drive.
Right-click
on My Computer, then go to Manage.
On the left-hand
side, click Disk Management.
On the right-hand
side, find where your flash drive is listed
(typically as either the F drive, or as a
drive with no letter.)
Right-click
on your flash drive and click Change Drive
Letter and Paths...
Change the
drive letter to anything other than A, C,
D, (sometimes E,) F, G, H, I, T, U, X, Y,
or Z.
Click Ok.
Click Yes.
Close the
open window.
Your flash
drive will now show up as the drive letter
you assigned to it when you go to My Computer.
