Drives, devices and servernames

You may from time to time, at a Managed Cluster machine, want to read or store files which are in places other than your DS filespace, such as on memory sticks, ZIP disks, CDs, a College filespace, Society filespaces, and various parts of the MCS system (information files and applications).

On an MCS PC most of these are distinguished by having different drive letters; on a Mac some are on the desktop and some can be found by navigating through the filing system.

PC drive letters

The list below applies to all Computing Service Managed Clusters; some Departments or Colleges may have allocated drive letters differently.

• Drive U: your Desktop Services filespace (see below for the actual servernames, which you are unlikely ever to need)
• Drive A: floppy disk
• Drive C: the local hard disk (see below)
• Drive D: ZIP disk
• Drive E: CD/DVD
• Drive F: used by removable USB devices (USB stick or camera, etc.)
• Drive X: This is PWF-CENTRAL.UX, which is used to store Society filespaces (in the folder called SOC) and MCS Information files (normally accessed via MCS Information on the Start menu).
• Drive Y: the Computing Service applications set, normally accessed through the folder called MCS Programs.

Applications and files on the Macintosh

• Computing Service Information is found by double-clicking on the MCS Information icon in the top bar of any open window.
• Common application programs are in the Dock; others can be found by opening the Applications directory from the Go or Apple menus.
• If you insert a CD or Zip disk into a Macintosh drive, or attach a USB device, it will appear on the Desktop and can be opened from there.
• On a Mac, you can find Society filespaces by double-clicking on the PWF-CENTRAL.UX icon, and then on SOC.

Applications, information and society files using MCS Linux

Access to applications and other files under MCS Linux follows standard Unix conventions.

Using the desktop and local hard disk

The local hard disks on MCS workstations are purged automatically at frequent intervals. Use MCS hard disks and the desktop only for storing transient data not wanted after the current session. Data you wish to keep should be copied to removable media or to your personal filespace on DS-Filestore and removed from the local hard disk before leaving the workstation.

Attaching USB or Firewire devices

USB flash memory sticks and other USB devices that do not need an installed driver may be attached to either PCs or Macs in Managed Clusters. Firewire devices may be attached to Macintoshes but Firewire ports on MCS PCs are not functional. If, for teaching purposes or because you have special needs, you need to use a device that requires a driver installed, please ask at the UCS Service Desk (Help Desk).

Moving devices between Mac and PC

You may want to bring in a ZIP disk or CD or USB stick written on one type of machine elsewhere, and read it on the other type of machine on the MCS. This is straightforward if you are bringing in a PC disk to read on a Mac. If, on the other hand, you want to produce a floppy disk on a Mac and then read it on a PC, you must start by initialising the disk as a PC disk on your Mac, before writing anything to it. To do this, choose Erase Disk from the Special menu and then choose Format DOS 1.4 MB from the dialog box.

ZIP disks are normally supplied ready-formatted; a PC-formatted disk can be read on a Mac but a Mac-formatted disk cannot be read on a PC.

CDs are provided with a low-level standard format, and in theory are platform-independent; that is, you can mix PC and Mac information on the same disk; however, this can cause problems with certain drives and is not recommended.

USB sticks will usually transfer satisfactorily from Mac to PC or vice versa.

If you are taking a disk from a Managed Cluster machine to read elsewhere, the same generally applies; most Macs can read PC disks but not vice versa. Some older Macs may not be able to do this or may need extra software installed; consult your local computing support staff, and see Computing Service web page Archiving, backups and file transfer.

Windows servernames

You are unlikely to need to know the name of the volume and server on which your home directory is found, but the list is here just in case.

The server name for your home directory depends on the first letter of your user identifier, as follows:

First letter   Volume  Server name    

A or B         AB      PWF-HOME1 
C or D         CD      PWF-HOME1     
E,F,G or H     EH      PWF-HOME2
I or J         IJ      PWF-HOME2
K or L         KL      PWF-HOME3
M or N         MN      PWF-HOME3
O or P         OP      PWF-HOME3 
Q or R         QR      PWF-HOME3 
S              SS      PWF-HOME4
T to Z         TZ      PWF-HOME4

Last updated: September 2011