The flash drive (also called a thumb drive, USB drive, jumpdrive, etc.) has quickly become the preferred removable storage media. It's easy to carry, works in any machine, and comes in its own protective case. Prices have dropped drastically in the past couple of years, so it's now very easy to carry large amounts of data (4 GB or more) in this small, affordable device. Some even have key ring attachments so you can carry them with you always.

Of course, this very convenience comes at a price. People tend to forget that the data on them is vulnerable to the same potential for theft and corruption as that on your hard drive. So treat your flash drive kindly and protect it.

First, although the cases tend to be rugged, the USB connection CAN get bent. If this happens, it will most likely render your drive as nothing more than an interesting key ring fob. Always keep the cover on when not in use.

Second, when removing the drive from the computer, be sure you do it properly. I have several drives, and each one seems to work differently. My very first drive is the simplest. As long as the indicator light is not on, it can simply be pulled out of the USB port. My second drive requires that you "eject" it using the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon from the menu bar. It is safe to remove it only after the computer tells you so.

I thought my most recent purchase worked that way, too. I discovered I was wrong the second time that I plugged it in. I got a message that the drive had not been properly ejected at the last use. Turns out that U3 technology requires you to eject the drive from the U3 launchpad. Apparently this U3 software prevents any personal data from being left behind when you disconnect the drive. Luckily nothing was damaged by my mistake. The lesson? READ any instructions that come with your drive. There are now so many flash drives with so many features it pays to be careful.

So what about safeguarding the data on the drive? That depends on the level of protection you need. If your drive is mostly about the convenience of having access to certain files wherever you are, simple password protection of any file you put on it should be sufficient. Programs such as MS Word, Excel and Acrobat (the full version, not the Reader) allow you to password protect each document individually. Unless you carry classified documents, it's unlikely that anyone trying to access your drive will try too hard to break the password.

If you'd rather not have to

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