How to access files and folders on managed staff PCs

Your home drive (H:)

Drive H: is called your "home drive" and is suitable for files that only you need to access. This should be only be for work purposes, not personal data.

Your home drive (by default) has the following folders, which appear as the special folders in Windows Explorer:

  •  My Documents

  •  My Pictures
  •  My Music
  •  My Videos
  •  Favourites
  •  Desktop

You should not use your H: drive for:

  • Backing up the contents of your C drive
  • Storing a copy of data that exists on group storage
  • Business critical data (including research data) or data that your colleagues may need access to
  • Personal photo albums
  • Personal music library
  • Personal video library

The standard quota for a home drive is 5 GB. An email will be sent to you if your use exceeds 80% of the available space.

All files stored on H: will be permanently erased when your managed staff PC account is closed. Your account will normally be closed within 3 months if requested by your line manager, or after 12 months of no login from an office network.

Your personal settings / user profile

Key personal settings are synchronised between your PC and central servers. When you log on to a new PC, these settings are copied down to provide your familiar wallpaper, desktop links, and key application settings. There is no quota limit on these settings.

Your personal settings and user profile will be permanently erased when your managed staff PC account is closed. Your account will normally be closed within 3 months if requested by your line manager, or after 12 months of no login from an office network.

 

Tips for reducing home drive quota

  • Empty your downloads folder

  • Delete large files from your H drive, or move to a shared drive

  • Empty your recycle bin

Group / shared drives (G:, O:, P:)

Shared drives are usually assigned to departments or groups and accessed via drive O: or G:. Some units also have access to an older shared space via drive P:.

Access to areas on shared drives is strictly controlled, so not everyone has access to all data. Groups and departments make decisions about who has access to their data and what form of access is needed, e.g. read only. The file structure and access permissions are set by individual departments or groups, and these will vary. Consult your department administrator for further advice on this.

Files that you own or have access to on shared drives will be left in place when your managed staff PC account is closed.

Interdrive (I:)

Drive I: will list all the department / group / shared drives that you have access to, even if these are not part of your main department. It can be useful if you are part of a cross-departmental function or project.

OneDrive for Business

OneDrive for Business (ODFB) is a cloud-based storage solution providing up to 100 GB of space for each member of staff (enforced from August 2026). Files can be accessed via the web, or synchronised to a desktop. Sharing with other Nexus365 is easy and secure, even if they are outside your department or don't use a managed staff desktop.

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