File Management: My Computer and Explorer

R. Drake Warrick
November 2002

Contract GS-10F-0112J
Task Order No. 690-M-00-02-00001-00
EMIS and Related Activities
American Institutes for Research
USAID/Zambia
SO2: Improved quality of basic education for more school-aged children
IR 2.3: Improved information for education decision making processes

This document was created using Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Professional

Submitted by:
American Institutes for Research
1000 Thomas Jefferson St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202.403.5000/Fax: 202.403.5979
www.air.org
 Version

1
FILE MANAGEMENT

My Computer
and Explorer

Ministry of Education Headquarters

Lusaka, Zambia
Blank page
Introduction
This in-house course has been developed to increase your knowledge of popular applications
software and to provide you with the skills to accomplish your day-to-day work activities more
efficiently. The design of the course is based on the assumption that you have completed the course
prerequisites.

This manual has been compiled to support and to enhance the instructor’s lecture during class as
well as to serve as your personal reference when you return to your office.

Manual Conventions
Throughout this manual reference is made to various components of the software. Command
buttons, menus, and menu options appear in boldface type, for example, OK and File. Keystrokes
appear in boldface italic type, for example, Ctrl + V and Enter. When possible, the words select
and choose have been used in this manual to allow you the option of using either the mouse or
keyboard.

For your assistance, ample space along the left margin has been provided to allow room for notes
relevant to the topic discussed. We also include notes of importance ( ), mouse-based shortcuts
( ), keyboard shortcuts ( ), cautionary notes ( ), and work notes ( ).
Course Objectives
After this course, you will have the skills necessary to:

Start Windows Explorer and My Computer.

Identify the components of the Windows Explorer window.
Identify Windows Explorer and My Computer Toolbar buttons.
Select resources, drives, folders, and files.
Identify folder and file icons.
Create folders and subfolders.
Delete folders, subfolders, and files.
Access the Recycle Bin.
Locate and restore deleted folders and files.
Empty the Recycle Bin.

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Blank page

ii
Table of Contents
STARTING WINDOWS EXPLORER AND MY COMPUTER ............................................. 5
STARTING WINDOWS EXPLORER ................................................................................................. 6
How to Access Windows Explorer:......................................................................................... 6
COMPONENTS OF THE WINDOWS EXPLORER WINDOW ................................................................ 7
STARTING MY COMPUTER ........................................................................................................... 8
How to Access My Computer.................................................................................................. 8
WINDOWS EXPLORER AND MY COMPUTER TOOLBAR ................................................................. 9
USING FOLDERS AND FILES................................................................................................ 11
SELECTING DRIVES AND RESOURCES ......................................................................................... 12
How to Select a Resource: .................................................................................................... 12
IDENTIFYING FOLDER ICONS ...................................................................................................... 13
IDENTIFYING FILE ICONS ........................................................................................................... 14
SELECTING FOLDERS AND FILES ................................................................................................ 15
How to Select Multiple Folders or Files in Sequence........................................................... 15
How to Select Multiple Folders or Files in Random Order.................................................. 16
CREATING FOLDERS AND SUBFOLDERS ..................................................................................... 17
VIEWING MULTIPLE DRIVE AND FOLDER LOCATIONS ............................................................... 18
How to Open Multiple Instances of Windows Explorer........................................................ 18
How to View the Contents of Multiple Drives or Folders Simultaneously ........................... 18
FILE MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................. 19
UNDERSTANDING FILE NAMES .................................................................................................. 20
FILE INFORMATION .................................................................................................................... 21
SORTING THE FILE PANE ............................................................................................................ 22
COPYING FOLDERS AND FILES ................................................................................................... 24
Points on Copying Folders and Files ................................................................................... 24
How to Copy a Folder or File Using Menus ........................................................................ 24
How to Copy a Folder or File By Using Click and Drag..................................................... 25
MOVING FOLDERS OR FILES....................................................................................................... 27
Points on Moving Folders or Files ....................................................................................... 27
How to Move a Folder or File Using Menus........................................................................ 27
How to Move a Folder or File By Using Click and Drag .................................................... 28
RENAMING FILES ....................................................................................................................... 30
How to Rename a Folder or File .......................................................................................... 30
SEARCHING FOR FOLDERS OR FILES BY NAME .......................................................................... 31
How to Find a Folder or File By Name................................................................................ 32
FINDING A FOLDERS OR FILES BY DATE .................................................................................... 33
How to Find a Folder or File By Date ................................................................................. 34
SEARCHING FOR FOLDERS OR FILES BY TYPE OR SIZE............................................................... 36
How to Find a Folder of File Using the Advanced Tab ....................................................... 36
REVIEWING THE FIND RESULTS ................................................................................................. 38
DELETING AND UNDELETING FOLDERS AND FILES.................................................. 39

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 DELETING FOLDERS AND FILES.................................................................................................. 40
Points on Deleting Files........................................................................................................ 40
How to Delete a Folder or File............................................................................................. 40
How to Delete a Folder or File Using the Recycle Bin ........................................................ 41
ACCESSING THE RECYCLE BIN ................................................................................................... 42
How to Access the Recycle Bin ............................................................................................. 42
DELETED FOLDERS AND FILES ................................................................................................... 43
How to Restore a Folder or File........................................................................................... 43
EMPTYING THE RECYCLE BIN .................................................................................................... 44
How to Empty the Recycle Bin.............................................................................................. 44
WINDOWS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS ................................................................................ 45

BLANKPAGE

iv
 Lesson

1
Starting Windows Explorer and
My Computer
In this lesson, you will learn the skills necessary to:

Start Windows Explorer and My Computer.

Identify the components of the Windows Explorer window.
Identify Windows Explorer and My Computer Toolbar buttons.

5
Starting Windows Explore and My Computer

Starting Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer is a file management tool that enables you to view, copy, and
move files and folders; format disks; and perform other tasks related to file
management.

How to Access Windows Explorer:

Step 1. From the Taskbar, point to the Start button.

Step 2. Right-click and choose Explore from the Shortcut menu.

Windows Explorer and My Computer allow you access to the

same list of resources. The difference is what each can display in
a single window. Windows Explorer can display all resources
and their contents in a single window. My Computer can display
only the contents of the selected resource in a single window. To
view multiple resources in My Computer, you would need to
open multiple windows.

6
 Starting Windows Explore and My Computer

Components of the Windows

Explorer Window
The Windows Explorer displays your available resources in a single window split
into two panes, or viewing areas. The folder pane, located on the left side,
displays a tree that includes objects representing all available resources, including
files, folders, network resources, and peripherals such as printers and modems.
The file pane, located on the right side, displays the objects for the selected
resource. These objects can be accessed by double-clicking on them.

The following is the Windows Explorer window displaying all available resources:

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Starting Windows Explore and My Computer

Starting My Computer
You can use My Computer to view and quickly access any resources available to
your computer, such as folders and files located on your hard drive, diskette
drive, or any network drive to which you have access. The My Computer window
also displays an icon for the Control Panel, Printers, and Dial-Up Networking.
Any of the objects can be accessed by double-clicking on them.

How to Access My Computer

Step 1. From the Desktop, double-click on the My Computer icon.

A window similar to the following will appear:

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 Starting Windows Explore and My Computer

Windows Explorer and My

Computer Toolbar
Windows Explorer and My Computer come with toolbars which contain
shortcuts to frequently used functions.

Windows Explorer and My Computer Toolbar

Button Description
Back Displays the previously viewed resource location
(i.e., previously viewed drive and directory).

Forward Displays the next viewed resource location. The

Forward button is only active once the Back button
has been used.

Up Moves up one level in the directory tree.

Search Select criteria to look for on your PC.

Folders Duplicates the selected file(s).

Move To Cuts and moves selected items to a specified

location.

Copy To Places the previously cut or copied files in the

selected location.

Delete Removes the selected folder(s) or file(s).

Undo Reverses the last action.

Views Changes the contents of the File Pane to view

folders and files as large icons, small icons, in a list
format, or with detailed information.

Address Displays the current location viewed in the File Pane.

Type another location in the Address bar and press
enter to change the contents of the File Pane.

9
Starting Windows Explore and My Computer

10
 Lesson

2
Using Folders and Files
In this lesson, you will learn the skills necessary to:

Select resources, drives, folders, and files.

Identify folder and file icons.
Create folders and subfolders.

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Using Folders and Files

Selecting Drives and

Resources
Windows Explorer provides access to all available resources, including network
and local resources. Through Windows Explorer, you are able to see the contents
of your hard drive and network drives, view your available printers, change
settings using the Control Panel, and view deleted files using the Recycle Bin.

How to Select a Resource:

Step 1. From the Address drop-down list, click to select the appropriate
resource.

or

From the Folder Pane, click to select the appropriate resource.

In the Folder Pane, clicking once on a resource will display its contents
in the File Pane. Double-clicking on a resource will display its
subfolders in the Folder Pane.

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 Using Folders and Files

Identifying Folder Icons

In Windows, file management is based on files and folders. Folders can store
other folders, as well as files, and can be created, renamed, moved, copied, and
deleted, just like directories.

Windows Explorer displays folders in several different ways. The different views
are designed to assist you in navigating your way through Explorer. The table
below outlines the different displays and a description of each.

Folder Icons
Icon Description
Contents of the folder are displayed in
the File pane.

Contains subfolders which have not been

revealed in the Folder Pane. Click on the
plus sign to view the subfolders in the
Folder Pane.

Contains subfolders which have been

revealed in the Folder Pane. Click on the
minus sign to remove the subfolders
from view in the Folder Pane.

Contains either files or nothing at all.

Does not contain any subfolders.

If a folder is closed, double-clicking on it will cause the folder to

expand and display its subfolders in the Folder Pane. If a folder
is open, double-clicking on it will cause the folder to close and
remove any subfolders from view in the Folder Pane.

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Using Folders and Files

Identifying File Icons

Each file type is designated by an icon which represents the application associated
with the file. For example, documents created in Microsoft Word will display the
same icon.

File Icons

Icon Description

File is associated with Microsoft Access

File is associated with Microsoft Excel

File is associated with Microsoft Word

File is associated with Notepad.

File is not associated with an application.

Double-clicking on a file will cause the associated application

and selected file to open.

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 Using Folders and Files

Selecting Folders and Files

Folders and files can be selected individually or in groups. To open, copy, move,
rename, or delete a folder or file, it must be selected first.

It is possible to open, copy, move, and delete multiple folders and files
simultaneously. If several folders or files need to be renamed; however, they must
be renamed individually.

How to Select a Folder or File

Step 1. From the Folder Pane or File Pane, point to the desired folder
or file.

Step 2. Click the left mouse button.

How to Select Multiple Folders or Files in Sequence

Step 1. From the File Pane, ensure that the desired folders or files are in
view.

Step 2. Using the mouse, point to the upper, left corner of the desired
selection.

Step 3. Press and hold down the left mouse button.

Step 4. With the left mouse button held down, drag to create a box that
surrounds the desired files.

Step 5. Release the left mouse button.

Multiple folders can only be selected in the File Pane.

It is also possible to use to Shift key to select multiple files in a

sequence. Click on the first file in the sequence, hold down the
Shift key and click on the last file in the sequence.

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Using Folders and Files

How to Select Multiple Folders or Files in Random

Order
Step 1. From the File Pane, point to the desired folder or file.

Step 2. Click once on the first file.

Step 3. Press and hold the Ctrl key.

Step 4. With the Ctrl key held down, click once on each remaining file.

Step 5. Release the Ctrl key.

Multiple folders can only be selected in the File Pane.

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 Using Folders and Files

Creating Folders and

Subfolders
To facilitate organization of files, create folders and subfolders on your local or
network drives.

How to Create a Folder or Subfolder:

Step 1. From the Windows Explorer dialog box, select the drive or
folder in which you want to create the new folder.

Step 2. From the File menu, select New.

Step 3. From the New submenu, select Folder.

The following will appear:

Step 4. In the New Folder text box, type the desired name for the new
folder.

Step 5. Press Enter.

or

Click anywhere outside the newly created folder.

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Using Folders and Files

Viewing Multiple Drive and

Folder Locations
By default, Windows Explorer displays the contents of a single drive or folder. It
is possible to open Windows Explorer multiple times and view the contents of
several drives and folders simultaneously.

How to Open Multiple Instances of Windows Explorer

Step 1. Point to the Start button and right-click.

Step 2. Choose Explore.

Step 3. Repeat Steps 1 through 2 for each instance of Windows

Explorer that should be open.

How to View the Contents of Multiple Drives or

Folders Simultaneously
Step 1. From the Taskbar, point to a blank area.

Step 2. With the tip of the mouse pointer on a blank area, right-click.

The following menu will appear:

Step 3. From the Shortcut menu, choose Tile Windows Horizontally.

or

Choose Tile Windows Vertically.

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 Lesson

3
File Management
In this lesson, you will learn the skills necessary to:

Understand and display file name components.

Display file information.
Sort the file list.
Copy, move, and rename folders and files.
Find a file by name, date, and content.

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File Management

Understanding File Names

File names are composed of three parts: the file name, the separator (the period),
and the extension. By default, Windows Explorer does not display the file
extension.

How to Display MS-DOS Extensions

Step 1. From the Tools menu, choose Folder Options.

Step 2. From the Folder Options dialog box, choose the View tab.

The following dialog box will appear:

Step 3. From the View tab, remove the check from Hide extensions
for known file types.

Step 4. Choose OK.

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 File Management

File Information
By default, Windows Explorer displays only the file name in the File Pane. You
can adjust this to display more complete information regarding your files.

File Display Options

Option Description
Thumbnails Displays items as icons in the file pane.

Tiles Displays the items in a tile layout.

Icons Displays a small icon representing the associated

application with the file name displayed below.
The contents of each folder are displayed
vertically.

List Displays a small icon representing the associated

application with the file name displayed to the
left. The contents of each folder are displayed
horizontally.

Details Displays a small icon representing the associated

application, the file name, size, and date and time
the file was last saved.

How to Change the Display

Step 1. From the View menu, choose the desired option.

or

From the Views button on the toolbar, choose the appropriate

option.

To attain the same result in My Computer, follow the steps as

outlined above.

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File Management

Sorting the File Pane

By default, files are displayed in ascending alphabetical order. It is possible to sort
the file list by name, type, size, and date.

Sort Options
Option Description
By Contents are sorted in ascending order based on
Name folder and file names.

By Contents are sorted in ascending order based folder

Type and file extensions.

By Size Contents are sorted in ascending order based on the

size of the files.

By Contents are sorted in descending order based on

Date when the files were last modified.

How to Sort the File Pane

Step 1. From the View menu, choose Arrange Icons.

Step 2. From the Arrange Icons submenu, choose the appropriate

option.

If the Details view has been selected, choose the appropriate

column heading to sort the contents of the File Pane

In the File Pane, right-click on the blank area, and from the
Shortcut menu, choose Arrange Icons

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 File Management

The type of file is designated by the extension of the file name.

For example, Excel files utilize .xls as the file extension

To attain the same result in My Computer, follow the steps as

outlined above.

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File Management

Copying Folders and Files

In Windows, file management is based on files and folders. Folders can store
other folders, as well as files, and can be created, renamed, moved, copied, and
deleted.

As a file management tool, the Windows Explorer allows you to copy folders and
files to different locations on your hard drive, to a network drive, or to a diskette.

Copying files to another drive, folder, or diskette is one way to share files with
other users while maintaining the originals. In addition, it is a good security
measure. You can use copy as a means of keeping duplicate or back-up copies of
important files in a directory designated for back-up files or on a diskette.

Points on Copying Folders and Files

When you copy folders or files using the mouse, the mouse pointer displays
a plus ( ) sign.
If you want to copy more than one item, hold the Ctrl key while selecting
the items to be copied.
When copying a file to a new location, the file listed on the Documents
menu still points to the original file location.

How to Copy a Folder or File Using Menus

Step 1. From the Windows Explorer dialog box, select the drive or
folder which contains the desired folder or file.

Step 2. In the Folder Pane or File Pane, select the desired folder(s) or
file(s).

Step 3. From the Toolbar, choose the Copy To button.

Steps Continue on Next

Page

24
 File Management

The following dialog box will appear if you choose Move To:

Step 4. In the Folder Pane, select the destination drive and folder(s).

or

In the Address text box, type the desired location and press
Enter.

Step 5. From the Shortcut menu, choose Paste.

or

From the Toolbar, choose the Paste button.

How to Copy a Folder or File By Using Click and Drag

Step 1. From the Windows Explorer dialog box, select the drive or
folder which contains the desired folder or file.

or

In the Address text box, type the desired location and press
Enter.

Steps Continue on Next

Page

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File Management

Step 2. In the Folder Pane or File Pane, select the desired folder(s) or
file(s).

Step 3. Press and hold the Ctrl key and the left mouse button.

or

Press and hold the right mouse button.

Step 4. Drag the mouse to the new location.

Step 5. Release the Ctrl key and the left mouse button.

or

Release the right mouse button and choose Copy Here from the
Shortcut menu.

To attain the same result in My Computer, follow steps similar

to the steps outlined above

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 File Management

Moving Folders or Files

As a file management tool, Windows Explorer allows you to move folders and
files to different locations on your hard drive, to a network drive, or to a diskette.

When files are in their final form, you may want to move them from the working
directory to a directory designated for final drafts.

Points on Moving Folders or Files

Moving a folder or file physically moves the folder or file to another
location.
When a folder is moved, all subfolders and files that reside in it are moved
as well.
If a file is moved to a new location on the same drive, the Documents
option on the Start menu will find the file in its new location. If a file a
moved to a different drive, the Documents option on the Start menu will
not be able to find the file in its new location.

How to Move a Folder or File Using Menus

Step 1. From the Windows Explorer dialog box, select the drive or
folder which contains the desired folder or file.

or

In the Address text box, type the desired location and press
Enter.

Step 2. In the Folder Pane or File Pane, select the desired folder or file.

Step 3. From the Shortcut menu, choose Cut.

or

From the Toolbar, choose the Move To button.

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File Management

The following dialog box will appear if you choose Move To:

Step 4. In the Folder Pane, select the destination drive and folder(s).

Step 5. From the Shortcut menu, choose Paste.

or

From the Toolbar, choose the Paste button.

How to Move a Folder or File By Using Click and Drag

Step 1. From the Windows Explorer dialog box, select the drive or
folder which contains the desired folder or file.

or

In the Address text box, type the desired location and press
Enter.

Step 2. In the File Pane, select the desired folder(s) or file(s).

Steps Continue on Next

Page

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 File Management

Step 3. Press and hold the Alt key and the left mouse button.

or

Press and hold the right mouse button.

Step 4. Drag the mouse to the new location.

Step 5. Release the Alt key and the left mouse button.

or

Release the right mouse button and choose Move Here from the
Shortcut menu.

To attain the same result in My Computer, follow steps similar

to the steps outlined above.

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File Management

Renaming Files
As a file management tool, Windows Explorer allows you to rename folders and
files.

How to Rename a Folder or File

Step 1. From the Windows Explorer dialog box, select the drive or
folder which contains the desired folder or file.

or

In the Address text box, type the desired location and press
Enter.

Step 2. In the Folder Pane or File Pane, point to the folder or file to be
renamed.

Step 3. From the Edit menu, choose Rename.

or

From the Shortcut menu, choose Rename.

Step 4. In the Folder or File Name text box, type the desired name.

Step 5. Press Enter.

or

Click anywhere outside the newly created folder.

You can quickly rename a folder or file by selecting it, pressing

F2, and entering a new folder or file name

When renaming files from Windows Explorer, you must type the
appropriate file extension. For example, when renaming Excel
files, ensure that the file has an .xls extension. If an extension is
missing, it may not be recognized by the associated application

To attain the same result in My Computer, follow the steps as

outlined above

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 File Management

Searching for Folders or Files

By Name
You can locate a specific folder or file using the Windows Search function. When
performing the Search, you must specify where the search should begin and if it
should include all subdirectories.

The Search function uses two wildcard characters to structure its search. The
table below outlines the wildcard characters, a description of each, and example
of a search with results.

Wildcard Characters
Wildcard Description Search Search
Criteria Results
* Represents *.xls india.xls
several sales.xls
characters in an
unknown
number of
sequential spaces
in a file name.

? Represents a gr?y.wpd gray.wpdgr

single unknown ey.wpd
character in the
same location in
the file name.

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File Management

How to Find a Folder or File By Name

Step 1. From the Toolbar menu, choose Search.

The following dialog box will appear:

Step 2. In the File Name text box, type the find statement, using
wildcards as needed.

Step 3. In the Phrase in the file text box, type any portion of text
contained in the file, if necessary.

Step 4. In the Look in text box, type the drive and folder from where to
find should begin, if necessary

or

Choose the Dropdown list button to location the desired drive

and folder.

Step 5. Choose the Search button.

The Search function can be accessed directly from the Start

menu

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 File Management

Finding a Folders or Files By

Date
The Find feature does not limit your search capabilities to folder or file name
patterns only. It is possible to apply a date criteria when searching for a missing
folder or file.

Date criteria can be used in conjunction with the name and location of the file.

Date Search Options

Option Description
Don’t Remember No date limitation is applied to the
find. This is the default option.

Find all files created or Find will only display those files
modified during previous created or modified within the
days specified numbers of days range.

Find all files created or Find will only display those files
modified during previous created or modified within the
months specified month range.

Find all files created or Find will only display those files
modified during previous created or modified during the last
year year.

Find all files created or Find will only display those files
modified between created or modified within the
specified dates specified date range.

33
File Management

How to Find a Folder or File By Date

Step 1. From the Toolbar, choose the Search button

The following pain will appear

Step 4. Select All files and folders.

Steps Continue on Next

Page

34
 File Management

The following pain will appear

Step 5. Choose the Specify dates radio button and enter the dates to
search on in the fields.

Step 6. Choose the Search button.

35
File Management

Searching for Folders or Files

By Type or Size
The Search function also allows you to search by the type of file and the size of
the file. The options located within the Advanced tab can be used in conjunction
with the name and location of the file and any date criteria.

Advanced Find Options

Option Description

Of type Select the missing file type. For example,

WordPerfect or Excel.

Size is Designate either the minimum or maximum size of

the missing file.

How to Find a Folder of File Using the Advanced Tab

Step 1. From the Toolbar, choose the Search button.

Step 2. Select the What size is it? menu.

Step 3. Select the More advanced options menu.

Steps Continue on Next

Page

36
 File Management

The following dialog box will appear:

Step 4. Choose the appropriate options for size and file type as
necessary.

Step 5. Choose the Search button.

The Find function can be accessed directly from the Start menu

To attain the same result in My Computer, follow the steps as

outlined above

37
File Management

Reviewing the Find Results

The Find feature returns the results of the find in the bottom portion of the Find
dialog box. The results are composed of the file name, location, size, type, and
modification date and time. From the Find dialog box, you can perform various
actions such as copy, move, delete, or rename. If you see the desired file in the
list, double-click to open the associated application with the file displayed.

Below is an example of the results of a search for files with the .xls extension.

38
 Lesson

4
Deleting and Undeleting Folders
and Files
In this lesson, you will learn the skills necessary to:

Delete folders, subfolders, and files.

Access the Recycle Bin.
Locate and restore deleted folders and files.
Empty the Recycle Bin.

39
Deleting and Undeleting Folders and Files

Deleting Folders and Files

From Windows Explorer you can delete files. If you select a folder, that folder
and its contents will be selected and deleted. Pay close attention to the
confirmation prompts.

Points on Deleting Files

It is possible to select multiple folders or files using the Shift or Ctrl key.
The Shift key allows you to select a continuous group of folders and/or
files. The Ctrl key allows you to select a non-continuous group of folders
and/or files.
When deleting multiple files, the Confirm File Delete dialog box offers
two affirmative response options: Yes and Yes to All. When Yes is
selected the Confirmation File Delete dialog box reappears for each file
selected; whereas, when Yes to All is selected the confirmation feature is
discontinued while the remaining files are deleted.
Files deleted from diskettes or network drives do not appear in the Recycle
Bin.
To permanently delete a file or folder, hold down the Shift key and then
choose Delete. Doing this will bypass the Recycle Bin.

How to Delete a Folder or File

Step 1. In the Folder Pane, select the drive and folder(s) which contains
the desired folder or file.

Step 2. Select the folder or file to be deleted.

Step 3. From the Toolbar, choose the Delete button.

or

Press the Delete key.

Step 4. From the Confirmation dialog box, choose Yes to remove the
folder or file.

or

Choose No to cancel the delete function.

40
 Deleting and Undeleting Folders and Files

How to Delete a Folder or File Using the Recycle Bin

Step 1. In the Folder Pane, select the drive and folder(s) which contains
the desired folder or file.

Step 2. Point to the folder or file to be deleted.

Step 3. Press and hold the left mouse button.

Step 4. With the left mouse button held down, drag the mouse to the
Recycle Bin.

Step 5. Release the left mouse button.

41
File Management

Accessing the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file in Windows, it is not deleted instantly. Rather, it is placed
in the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin, which is located on the desktop, is a storage
area used to hold deleted objects. Although no longer visible on your desktop,
deleted objects are not actually deleted from drives or folders until you empty the
Recycle Bin.

The Recycle Bin provides quick access to information about deleted objects,
including original location, date of deletion, and file type and size. Most
importantly, the Recycle Bin provides the ability to restore deleted objects to their
original disk location. Files deleted from diskettes do not appear in the Recycle
Bin. They are deleted directly from the diskette.

The Recycle Bin can be found on the Desktop and in Windows Explorer.

How to Access the Recycle Bin

Step 1. From the Desktop, double-click on the Recycle Bin icon.

or

From the Windows Explorer window, select the Recycle Bin

from the Folder Pane.

Files deleted from diskettes or network drives do not appear in

the Recycle Bin

42
 Deleting and Undeleting Folders and Files

Deleted Folders and Files

You can retrieve deleted folders or files from the Recycle Bin. When an object is
retrieved from the Recycle Bin, it is automatically returned to the disk location
from which it was initially deleted.

How to Restore a Folder or File

Step 1. From the Recycle Bin dialog box, select the file to restore.

Step 2. From the File menu, select Restore.

To restore more than one object from the Recycle Bin, press and hold
down the Ctrl key, select the desired objects, and from the File menu,
choose Restore.

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File Management

Emptying the Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is a storage area used to hold objects that were previously
deleted. To permanently remove all the objects in the Recycle Bin and, therefore,
remove all deleted objects from a drive, you must empty the Recycle Bin. The
Recycle Bin should be periodically emptied to maintain hard disk space.

If a file or folder is incorrectly emptied from the Recycle Bin, it cannot be

recovered. The Undo function located in the Edit menu will restore the selected
file or folder to its original location, it does not recover the lost item.

How to Empty the Recycle Bin

Step 1. From the File menu, select Empty Recycle Bin.

Step 2. From the Confirmation dialog box, choose Yes to remove all
objects from the Recycle Bin.

or

Choose No to cancel the function.

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 Lesson

5
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
FUNCTION KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT
Choose a running application Alt+Tab
from the Switch box

Move from one application or Alt+Esc

folder in an open window to
another in an open window

Opens a new document within Ctrl+N

a Windows application

Saves an active document in a Ctrl+S

Windows application

Accesses the Print dialog box Ctrl+P

in a Windows application

Closes the active document Ctrl+F4

within a Windows application

Closes the active application or Alt+F4

Windows 95

Opens the help contents F1

Copies the selected text, Ctrl+C

objects or files

Cuts the selected text, objects Ctrl+X

or files

Pastes text, objects or files Ctrl+V

from the Clipboard

Turns bold on and off. Ctrl+B

45
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

FUNCTION KEYBOARD
SHORTCUT
Turns italic on and off. Ctrl+I

Turns underline on and off. Ctrl+U

Rename selected file F2

Display alternate context menu Ctrl+Right-Click

for selected object of file

Delete without putting objects Shift+Delete

of files in the Recycle Bin

Display shortcut menu for Shift+F10

selected item

46