Cube Memory ?

[Christine Animal]

I have just bought a Cube Memory USB, Flash Drive, 4GB by Dane-Elec.  There are absolutely no instructions with it.

I have just found their site http://www.cubememory.com/

I have Windows XP.  I have all my photos under "mes images" and was told that a memory cube was better for stocking them than on a CD.

I think I've found the right place to insert the little stick in my computer, but I can only find instructions on how to transfer to a CD.

Could anyone please advise me as to how to transfer photos or any other files on to the Cube Memory.

Many thanks.

 

[Pierre ZFP]

Since you are running XP you have no probs as XP has native support for USB so no drivers, nothing to install.

Plug the drive into any spare USB port and Windoze will automatically recognise it as just another drive.  From Windoze Explorer (right-click on Start button) and then just copy/move/paste files as you would any other drive.

Personaly I don't agree that the memorycube is better than CDs.  It contains a micro hard drive (not a memory chip like many USB drives) which can fail over time. I find it's much better to burn my pictures to disc as they have a predicted archive life of more than 50 years and you can keep them in a physical 'album'. After all 4Gb is not much these days and I can get 150 pics on a CD (at around 3 Mb each) and the discs only cost around 20 cents each. I'm on my second stack of 100 discs at the mo' so that's around 100 Gb storage for less than 40 euros or about the same price as a mere 4Gb memorycube

[Christine Animal]

Sorry to be a dumb blond Pierre, but once I've copied the file where do I go to paste it on the drive ?  I've plugged it in, Windows said new material detected, ready for use, but where is it ?  [:'(]   [:D]

I think you're right, I should have stuck to CDs, but people say they don't keep well on them.

 

[Pierre ZFP]

It will be listed in Windows explorer as something like ' Removable Drive F:' just use it like any other drive, ie create folders etc

May not be F: but probably is since by convention,

A: = 3.5 inch floppy

B: = not used

C:= hard drive (may also be D E F etc depending how many drives/partitions you have but suspect just one)

D:= CD or DVD drive

E:= ditto

F:= removable or temporary storage such as pen drives or card readers. 

I always have a couple of 2 Gb flash pen drive hanging with my ID card for work around my neck, also have 6 to 8 Gb in my PDA and it still isn't enough sometimes - but there again I am a bit of a geek

Dunno who told you things don't keep well on CDs, as long as you have good branded ones then there's no prob.  USB pen drives or cubes are TEMPORARY storage and should be backed up ASAP before you lose the lot.  You could back up to DVDs also.

[powerdesal]

Christine, I may be wrong but.....

If you right click on the file you want to send an options box should open on screen, one of the options should be " send to". Selecting that option should give you a list of destinations which will include the new storage (ie drive F or G or whatever as per Pierre), Select that one and your file will be copied to your new storage device. Note, it will be copied, it will still remain as a copy on your hard drive.

When you have transferred all that you wish to, click on "my computer" on the desktop, then select your new drive and it will show you the contents, if all has been transferred ok then you are home & dry so to speak.

This advice carries no guarantee.

[Christine Animal]

Thank you both for your time.  The list I get is :

Lecteur DVD-RW(E:)

UDISK 2.0 (F:)

Disque amovible (G:)

  "            "          (H:)

   "           "          (I:)

   "           "          (J:)

 

It's not any of those is it ?

 

[powerdesal]

Its guesswork time.

My best guess would be its "J" being the latest addition, but................

Perhaps it might be best if you get some CD-R s or CD-RWs and use your E drive.

You could perhaps remove your cube and then re check which "send to" options still remain. The trouble is I am not sure whether you would need to click on "safely remove hardware" and stop the cube before removing it. More help needed from someone who knows!!!!!!!

Sorry.

ps. Not familiar with French language XP.

[Christine Animal]

I have removed the cube Steve and the UDISK 2.0 (F:) has gone.  I thought it might be that one and it confirms what Pierre thought, that it would be F.  I'll have a try at it tomorrow, but maybe try to put them on a CD as well!  I've never done any of this before.

Here is where it was mentioned about CDs not being top for storage after WJT lost some of her photos :

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/2/839179/ShowPost.aspx#839179

 

[Pierre ZFP]

Archive times for CDs are much better than they used to be. You can even (at a price) buy Archive cds/dvds that are rated for 100 years.  Even the likes of Kodak, TDK, Verbatim etc guarantee a life of 40 years, but how you claim and what for is another matter.  In anycase, CDs and DVDs will go the way of floppy discs within 10 years.  The only real archive media is opto-mechanical tapes as used in the IT industry.  I'm invloved in an archive project at work now, first 2 questions 'What do you want to keep and for how long'  Answer: 'Keep everything for ever' - yeah....right

Why not do both?  You will soon run out of space on your cube and anyway, only one back up is not a back up.

My pics are burnt to CD, saved on a terabyte RAID array (that my son built for me - bless him)  and also copied to the server space on my BT account.  They tell me I have unlimited storage space so I'm trying to prove it.  A few hundred Gb so far and they haven't complained to me - yet

[jc]

PICASA which can be downloaded from Google(free) makes it even easier.Has "export" button,hit it and it says"where to",identify where you want it stored and hit "enter". NASA use Picasa and they have not yet found a maximum storage capacity on Picasa's mainframe.(just like BT).

[Christine Animal]

Thanks everyone.  It was the "where to" I didn't know, but now confirm it's UDISK 2.0 (F:).  Got some on to it !  [:P]