CIS 101 - Windows Explorer Facts

Start Windows Explorer : 

1.Click Start button and select Programs 
2.Click Windows Explorer 

View the list of files on the A: drive 

1.DoubleClick on A: drive icon 

Switch to C: drive 

1.DoubleClick on C: drive icon 

Display a drive's or folder's subfolders 

1.Click on + sign next to a drive or folder icon to expand folder 'tree' 
2.Click on - sign next to a drive or folder icon to compress folder 'tree' 

Create folders 

1.Open the folder in which you want to create a new folder. 
2.On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder. The new folder appears with a
temporary name. 
3.Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER. 

File names in this class 

The filename should be meaningful. 

Windows 98 allows spaces in file names. In file names you will use for web documents
should use an underscore instead of a space to separate words in the names or start
second word with a capital letter. 

File names are not case sensitive.

Extensions: 

.doc Word document file 
Resume.doc
.txt Access database file 
Notes.txt
.xls Excel spreadsheet file 
Budget.xls
.mdb Access database file 
AddressBook.mdb
.bmp, or .gif, or .jpg graphic files 
Cow.bmp


Copy files or folders between drives 

1.Click on a file and drag it to the other drive's icon 
2.Click on a folder and drag it to the other drive's icon. This will bring along all that folder's
contents. 

Move files between folders 

1.Click on a file and drag it 
2.Click on a folder and drag it to a different folder on the same drive. This will bring along all
that folder's contents. 

Shortcut keys

Copy CTRL- C

Paste CTRL- V

Cut CTRL- X

Select non-consecutive files as group 

1.Click on first file to be selected 
2.Hold down Ctrl key and click next file 
3.Continue to hold down Ctrl key as you click and select other files 
4.Now you can copy, move, or delete the selected files as a group 

Select several consecutive files as group 

1.Click on top file to be selected 
2.Hold down Shift key and click on bottom file to be selected. All files between the top
and bottom filenames will be selected. 
3.Now you can copy, move, or delete the selected files as a group 

Rename folders or files 

1.RightClick on folder 
2.Select Rename from drop down menu 
3.Type in new name 

Delete files or folders 

1.Select file (or folder) 
2.Press Delete key 

Sort the file list 

1.Click on the column header to arrange files in that order. 
2.Click again if you want to reverse the order. 

Find a file on a disk 

1.Click on drive to be searched 
2.Press Ctrl-F to bring up Find window 
3.Type name of file you want to find 
4.Use wildcard if you are not sure of name of file or you want to find files of a certain
type 

PolSci*.* would find all files whose filename starts with "PolSci"

*.doc would find all files with the extension .doc Note: .doc extension used for an
Word document

5.After the list of found files is displayed you can copy, move, or delete them right
from the find window. 

Format a floppy disk 

1.Insert disk in floppy drive 
2.RightClick on A: drive icon 
3.Select Format from drop down menu 

Format Type: 


select Full for unformatted disks or disks with 'problems' 

select Quick (erase) for previously used disks


Capacity


use 1.44 for HD (high density) disks 

use 720K for 2S2D (low density) disks 


1.Click Start button and follow prompts 

Notes on formatting


Formatting a disk removes all information from the disk. 

You cannot format a disk if there are files open on that disk.


Make a backup of your work disk 

1.The original or work disk is the source disk. 
2.Write-protect the source Disk by sliding the write-protect tab to the open position, so that
'both eyes are open'. When a disk is write-protected you cannot erase or change the files. 
3.The backup disk is the destination disk. Do not write-protest this disk. 
4.Insert source disk in floppy drive 
5.RightClick on A: drive icon 
6.Select Copy Disk from drop down menu 
7.Select Start and follow prompts. Be careful to insert disks in correct order. 
8.When duplication is complete, slide the Write-protect tab on the WORK disk back to the
closed position (one eye open). If you don't do this you will not be able to save to your disk.