How do I use my U drive?

1. If you are off campus you will first need to connect to the VPN.
2. If you are on a VIU computer and have recently been given access to the share, please log-off and re-login to your computer.
3. Click on the folder icon in the Windows taskbar to open File Explorer.
4. On Windows 10 or 11, click This PC on the left margin. On Windows 7, this will be Computer.
5. On Windows 10, click on the Computer tab from the ribbon menu (top left). On Windows 11, click the ellipses buttonfrom the ribbon menu (top).
6. Click Map Network Drive.
7. Enter shared drive details:
   • Drive letter selection: It is better to select a drive letter from a letter further on in the alphabet (for example H:)
   • Folder field: Enter the path to the share drive. Use the format \\viu.int.viu.ca\users\firstletterofusername\username (e.g. If your name is J. Doe, you would enter \\viu.int.viu.ca\users\d\doej)
8. Make sure "Reconnect at sign-in" is checkmarked.
9. Personal (non-VIU) devices only: If you are on a personal device, checkmark "Connect using different credentials", click Finish, then click more choices
10. Personal (non-VIU) devices only: Type in your username starting with viu\ (e.g. viu\doej) in the username field and your VIU password, then click OK.
11. Click Finish

1. If you are off campus you will first need to connect to the VPN: How Do I Create a VPN Connection to the VIU Network?
2. Open the Finder.
3. Click Finder -> Preferences...
4. Make sure "Connected Servers" is checkmarked
5. Click Go -> Connect to Server
6. Enter the complete path of the shared drive. Use the format smb://viu.int.viu.ca/users/firstletterofusername/username (e.g. If your name is J. Doe, you would enter smb://viu.int.viu.ca/users/d/doej)
7. Click on Connect
8. When prompted for your username use viu\username (e.g. viu\doej)
9. You should now be connected to the shared drive

* Note that these services may not be FIPPA compliant. VIU IT does not provide any support for these services and the information provided here is informational only.

1. Please note that you can access your U drive files on your own laptop only when connected to viu-secure wireless
2. Click on the folder icon in the Windows taskbar to open File Explorer.
3. On Windows 10, click This PC on the left margin. On Windows 7, this will be Computer.
4. From the ribbon menu (top left) click on the Computer tab.
5. Click Map Network Drive.
6. Select an available drive letter (choose U: if it is available).
7. In the "folder" field, type: \\viu.int.viu.ca\users\2nd_last_number_of_your_student_number\last_number_of_your_student_number\your_student_number. For example: \\viu.int.viu.ca\users\8\9\123456789
8. Click the link to “Connect using a different user name” link right beneath the Folder field. Type viu\your_student_number (e.g. viu\123456789) in the Username field and your VIU computer account password in the password field. Click OK. Click the Finish button on the Map Network Drive dialogue box.
9. You will now see an icon in the "My Computer" window labeled "your_username on VIU". Double-click this icon to view and open the contents of your network folder. You can save to the folder by dragging-and-dropping files onto your network drive icon in My Computer or Windows Explorer, or by selecting your network drive in the Save dialogue box when saving files from specific applications such as Microsoft Word.

* Note that these services may not be FIPPA compliant. VIU IT does not provide any support for these services and the information provided here is informational only.

For more information on your U Drive please see: Getting Started Student Guide

1. Please note that you can access your U drive files on your own laptop only when connected to viu-secure wireless
2. When in Finder mode ->click the GO menu on the task bar up top, click on Connect to Server. Then type: smb://viu.int.viu.ca/users/2nd_last_number_of_your_student_number/last_number_of_your_student_number/your_student_number into the address field. For example smb://viu.int.viu.ca/users/8/9/968011089 note that all the slashes are forward slashes /
3. Click on Connect on the bottom right. 
4. You will be asked to enter your username and password. In the Name field you will need to type viu\studentnumber then your VIU computer account Password, you can click the Remember Me box if you like.
5. You should now have access to your U: drive.