Using U3 Flash Drives in the Library
U3 Flash drives may not work properly on public computers
Due to security concerns, public computers do not allow standard use of USB Flash Drives
supporting U3 (encryption) partition. An error message will occur telling you the device will not
function properly. There are a few work-arounds you might try.
Many U3 drives have "public" or "unencrypted" partition. The encrypted partition usually
requires a key code or software supplied by the manufacturer to read this portion of the drive. U3
software is specific to each drive/manufacturer, making it nearly impossible for public machines to
have this software already pre-installed.
Since individuals are not allowed to install software on public computers, patrons wishing to
use USB Flash Drives that support the new U3 standards will need to try one or more of the
following.
- Try
holding down the "Shift" key while inserting the flash drive
. In many instances, this will over-ride the auto run feature of the U3 software causing the
drive to behave normally.
- Another option is to
click "cancel" or "take no action" option when prompted. This prompting usually
occurs directly after inserting the drive. This will allow the unencrypted portion of the flash
drive to be accessed by the public computer. To view the drive,
LEFT-CLICK "My Computer" and
RIGHT-CLICK on the flash drive. Often, the drive will be the same name as the
manufacturer of the flash drive. This should allow the unencrypted portion of the device to be
viewed and allow the computer to save to this area of the drive. The saved file can later be
retrieved and resaved into the encrypted partition of the flash drive at a later time when the user
is working on a machine containing the key-code software.
- If you find neither of the above options allows you access, you may want to
remove the U3 encryption from your drive. This will essentially remove the
partition of the drive protected by the encryption, forcing the drive to function as a normal flash
drive. You will need to consult the users' guide to your drive or visit the manufacturer's website
for instructions.
Ejecting your Flash Drive
- In order to eject your flash drive you
must
LEFT-CLICK the icon instead of the normal right click. Right-clicking the
icon will produce an error stating that the operation could not be performed. For security reasons
the the "hardware properties" access has been disabled on these machines requiring the above
instructions to eject your flash drive.
Other Storage Alternatives
Those affiliated with the UIUC campus have access to an online storage account called
NetFiles, available at
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/.
NetFiles allows you to access your files from any computer with an internet connection. You can
publish web sites, back up critical files, and collaborate with colleagues both on and off campus.
All students, faculty, and staff receive 500 MB of storage at no cost. For more information on how
to use NetFiles, please see
NetFiles Documentation.
University Library