| How to Install a USB Device |
 |
USB devices are designed to connect to your computer using an available USB port. This type of connection allows for convenient installations because the computer doesn’t need to be shut down nor do you have to perform a physical installation. Simply plug in the device and any required device drivers and/or software. You can also remove the device while the PC is running. This makes it convenient to install devices as needed and remove them when not in use.
Many different types of peripherals now come with USB connections including USB flash drives, printers, scanners, pointing devices, digital cameras, external hard drives, external CD and DVD drives, and MP3 players.
USB flash drives are particularly handy. Not only are they small for easy portability, most share a common interface making them easy to use on different computers. Installing USB devices such as these is fairly straightforward. Here’s what to do.
First, insert the USB device into any free USB port on your computer, making sure to insert it the proper way. You should never have to force a USB device into position; it should slide right in. Once inserted, Windows should either immediately recognize the device and begin loading the appropriate device drivers or it will prompt you to insert the disc containing the device’s driver.
Install the device driver and remove the installation disc. Windows should now recognize the device and have all of the required drivers for it. Your device will show up in Windows Explorer with the next available drive letter assigned to it. For example, if you open Windows Explorer by right-clicking the Start button and choosing Explore, you should see your device listed as a drive letter such as: F:\Removable Media or H:\Removable Storage Device.
If your device is a storage device such as a USB flash drive or an external USB hard drive, you should be able to drag and drop files to it just as if it were a physical drive on your computer. You can also click the device and explore the files currently stored on it. If the device is a printer or mouse, you should be able to begin using that particular piece of hardware with no issues.
While many USB devices will remain plugged in such as a mouse or printer, others will be inserted and removed many times over. For example, you’ll connect a digital camera just long enough to download the photos and then remove it right away so that you can continue taking pictures. When removing USB storage devices, it’s important to do so safely. Otherwise, you could cause damage to the device or computer, especially if the device was in the middle of a write operation.
To safely remove the device, right-click the device’s drive letter and choose “Safely Remove.” You can also use the Safely Remove Hardware wizard which should be visible in your computer’s Task Bar area. Launch the wizard and choose the device you want to stop. Click “Stop.” The wizard will prompt you when it’s safe to remove the USB device.
Top pick for the best Driver Update Software:
 |
 |
