Many novices find the Windows file system enigmatic and confusing. What's the deal with the 'C' and 'A' drive? What's with all those folders inside the main Windows folder? Most beginning PC users don't know the first place to start when learning the ropes.

It's really quite simple, and once you get the hang of it, you'll be creating, deleting and shuttling files to and fro, organizing hierarchies of folders, and navigating XP's file system like a pro. Let's take it step by step.

A Digital File Cabinet

Think of your PC's hard drive as a massive file cabinet that'll store your computer's content: digital images of your last family gathering; all of your precious mp3s; important productivity applications like MS Word and Excel.

It stores everything so that you can access, modify, or delete your files when you choose to do so. If you need to access anything digital'software, files, XP it'll be located on your PC's hard drive.

Windows Explorer: A File System Interface

Now that you know the basic purpose of your hard drive'storage medium'let's discuss XP's powerful built-in navigation application: Windows Explorer. Explorer allows you to peer into your hard drive, organizing your applications, files, and folders into a visual hierarchy. Because of Windows Explorer's method of visually presenting your content, searching and sifting through your files becomes a cakewalk, especially when your PC's content grows, your software and files accumulating as time passes.

1. Let's fire up Windows Explorer and get to know this essential Windows program.
2. Check and see if your desktop contains a 'My Computer' icon; if so, double tap on it to run Explorer.
3. You can also access 'My Computer' from the start menu. If you're like me, you enjoy instant gratification.
4. A convenient shortcut key combo is 'Windows Key+E'. Most keyboards have a 'Windows Key' located in between the 'Ctrl' and 'Alt' keys; it'll have the little Windows logo on it.
5. This nice little shortcut will instantly fire up Explorer for you without your lifting a finger to manipulate the cursor.
6. Take a gander at the little icons inside the Explorer Window. You'll see various icons labeled with a letter beside them. These lettered icons represent your various hard disk, floppy, CD, and DVD drives.
7. Other drives may be in the mix as well'USB thumb drives and suchlike.
8. It's common for your main hard drive to be labeled as your 'C' drive for historical reasons. Your 'C' drive is where Windows stores its essential files needed for operation and, inside the 'Programs Files' folder, where most of your applications will reside after installation.

Basic Navigation

Basic navigation across each folder is accomplished by double tap on the folder icon itself; this operation will place you inside of said folder. This is a good time to make sure that you have the 'Standard Button' toolbar displayed in Explorer.

• This toolbar contains a 'Back' button that, when pressed, will allow you move back into the folder you came from.
• If you don't see this toolbar, go to the 'View' menu on Windows Explorer and slide out the 'Toolbars' pop out menu, and make sure that 'Standard Buttons' is checked.
• Along with your drives, you'll see a folder named after your login username.
• For example, my username is 'liquidbinary', so I see a folder named 'liquidbinary's documents'.

This private folder is a little piece of space that Windows sets aside just for you. You can do anything within this folder. It's your personal cubby hole for all of your documents, and any user with lesser system privileges than you will not be able to navigate to your private folder; it'll be off limits to them.

Let's explore the contents of your personal folder right now.

1. Windows usually creates default folders for different file types.
2. For instance, Windows created a 'Music' and 'Pictures' folder for me.
3. To better organize your documents directory, you can create as many folders as you desire.
4. Let's suppose you want a special folder used only for your MS Word documents.
5. To create one, go to the 'File' menu in Windows Explorer and go to 'New'.
6. A slide out menu should pop out; select 'Folder'.
7. Windows will create a folder aptly named 'New Folder'.
8. Change the file name to 'word docs'.
9. Double tap on your new folder's icon.
10. You shouldn't see anything, as you've not stored anything in this folder yet.
11. Now go back into your documents folder by pressing the 'Back' button located on the toolbar.
12. You should be back in your 'My Documents' directory now.

File Manipulation Basics

Windows Explorer not only lets you transverse your folder hierarchy, but it also allows you to modify folders and files. Basic file and folder manipulation operations include moving, copying, and deleting.

1. As an example, let's create a new folder and move the 'word docs' folder into this new folder.
2. Create a new folder inside your main 'My Documents' folder;
3. name it whatever you like.
4. Now, to move your 'word docs' folder inside your new folder, simply drag and drop it on top of its icon.
5. Your 'word docs' folder should now reside inside of another folder.

Once you've learned a few navigation fundamentals with Windows Explorer, you'll be able to easily move from folder to folder, create, copy, and delete files, and generally get a broad understanding of the layout of your various hard drives.

Major Jane Raymond USAFA

MER/IT

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