Data and File Storage
- How do I see a list of the files and directories on my computer?
- What files and directories do I have access to?
- Where should I store my programs, data, or documents?
- Where is my home directory?
- How do I map a network drive?
- How much space am I allowed in my home directory on the file server?
- Who is responsible for backing up my data?
- How do I back up my data?
Q. How do I see a list of the files and directories on my computer?
A. Either use Windows Explorer (on Windows) or Finder (on the Macs).
Q. What files and directories do I have access to?
A. You have full local administrative rights to all of the files on your PC or Mac. Any changes you make to the local computer are deleted when you logoff and when the computer is rebooted. In addition, you have
full access to your home directory. This shows up on the PC as the Z:\ drive and on the Mac it shows up as your desktop.
Q. Where should I store my programs, data, or documents?
A. It is recommended that you store your documents in both your home directory and on a backup drive, which could be a flash drive or a share on the network. Your home directory is mirrored and backed up monthly
to prevent data loss. However, there is the always the possibility of data loss or corruption, and the Department takes no responsibility for such losses.
Q. Where is my home directory?
A. Your home directory is physically located on the hard drive on the
server. Specifically, home directories are stored in nevill.pha.jhu.edu\users\yourusername.
Q. How do I connect to a shared folder on the network?
A. On the PC, start up Windows Explorer (you can start
this by typing explorer in the Run box on the start menu).
In the address box at top, type in the location of the network share.
This should be in the form \\nevill.pha.jhu.edu\users\yourusername
where nevill.pha.jhu.edu is the full hostname of the computer and
\users\yourusername is the path to the shared directory on that computer.
A. On the Mac, start up the Finder. From the top menu, click
on "Go" and select Connect to Server... from the popup menu.
In the Server Address box, type in the location of the network share. This would be of the form smb://nevill.pha.jhu.edu/users/yourusername
for shares on a Windows computer.
A. 800 MB.
Q. Who is responsible for backing up my data?
A. You are. See How do I back up my data? The systems administrator performs regular backups of your home directory on the file server, but this is no guarantee of data security or integrity nor does the Department take responsiblity for the loss of your data. Nevertheless there have been no incidents of data loss since the PUC lab has been in existence.A. Here are three suggestions:
- Use a flash drive;
- Upload data to a website to which you have access, such as jshare;
- Use the CD/DVD drive on the PCs or the SuperDrive on the Macs to write to a CD or DVD.