How to Transfer Data From a Jump Drive to a Hard Drive

A jump drive, also called a thumb drive, flash drive or USB drive, is a small data storage device that plugs into a USB port on your computer. It can be used to transfer files from one computer to another or to store files that can be accessed on any computer. Some jump drives can be attached to a key ring, some have a lanyard attached so that they can be worn around your neck. They are commonly available with capacities ranging from 128MB to 32GB, but they can be found with larger capacities.

Windows

Step 1

Click the Windows "Start" button and select "Computer."

Step 2

Insert the jump drive into an available USB port on your computer. A new removal storage device and will appear on the screen.

Step 3

Double-click the new device to access the files on the drive.

Step 4

Click on the files or folders you want to transfer. To select multiple files, hold the "Ctrl" key down while clicking on the files.

Step 5

Press "Ctrl-C to copy the files.

Step 6

Open the folder on your computer where you want to place the data.

Step 7

Press "Ctrl-V" to paste the files into the folder.

Step 8

Click on the "Remove hardware" icon located in the system tray at the bottom of the screen.

Step 9

Click on "Safely Remove Mass Storage Device."

Step 10

Remove the jump drive from the USB slot when you see a message that says, "Safe To Remove Hardware."

Mac OS X

Step 1

Insert the jump drive into an available USB port.

Step 2

Double-click the USB drive icon that appears on the desktop.

Step 3

Open the folder where you want to place the data from the jump drive.

Step 4

Click on the files or folders you want to copy in the jump drive folder. To select multiple files, hold down the "Apple" key while you select the files.

Step 5

Drag the files from the USB device into the folder where you want to transfer the data.

Step 6

Close the jump drive folder.

Step 7

Drag the USB drive icon to the trash can.

Step 8

Remove the jump drive.

Warning

• Do not just pull the USB drive out of the port when you are finished using it. Make sure to either use the "Remove hardware" icon in Windows or drag the USB icon to the trash can in Mac OS X. This protects your data from becoming corrupted.

References

• Intel: How to Transfer Files from One Computer to Another

About the Author

Kristen Waters has been writing for the computer industry since 2004. She has written training materials for both large and small computer companies as well as how-to and informative articles for many online publications. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees from both York College of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland.

Photo Credits

• Jeffrey Hamilton/Digital Vision/Getty Images