Senior High School

11
Contact Center
Services
Quarter 2 – Module 2:
Organizing and Manipulating
Files
(Week 3-4)
 What I Need to Know

Welcome to the second module of the second quarter in Contact Center

Services. Before this module, you have learned the relevance of this course and
explanations of key concepts that will help you succeed in the career path that
relates to the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. It is important that
you make sure to remember all of those so that you will be able to relate your
learnings in the next modules.
In this module, you will learn about the importance of file management, and
how you can organize, delete, restore, move, view and sort files and folders. Also,
you will be studying about storage file concepts and utilities.
At the end of this lesson, you can:
1. Identify files in a directory or folder according to types and usage;
2. Describe the contents and functions of a hard drive and a file storage;
3. Identify ways to create filenames;
4. Manipulate files according to the set procedures; and
5. Locate files or information using the standard feature or utility.

What I Know

Name: ________________________________ Grade and Section: ______________________

Grade Level & Subject (Specialization): ________________________ Module No: _______
Name of Activity: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the letter of the best
answer. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What do you call the data, information or instructions residing on secondary

storage area and stored in the form of a file?
A. directory files C. text files
B. computer files D. program files

2. What devices are comprised of disks and tape?

A. magnetic C. scanners
B. keyboard D. headphones

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3. What is used as a primary backup system if the access to information is very
slow?
A. projectors C. cassette tape
B. speakers D. magnetic tape

4. What is the most common secondary storage device for a personal computer?
A. mouse C. hard disk
B. screen D. USB flash drive

5. Which of the following is NOT a type of optical disks?

A. DVD C. CD-RW
B. CD-R D. floppy diskettes

6. What do you call the new concepts in storage that offers fast, durability, and
portability?
A. CD-R C. hard disk
B. solid state storage D. optical storage

7. What system maintenance utility identifies expendable files and provides an

option for removal?
A. disk cleanup C. scan disk
B. systems restore D. defragmentation

8. What do you call a utility that allows you to back up the entire contents of a
drive or selected content?
A. scan disk C. backup
B. task scheduler D. file manager utilities

9. What occurs when gaps lie between files or when file segments are scattered
throughout different areas on disk?
A. fragmentation C. disk cleanup
B. systems restore D. defragmentation

10. What introduced the concept of “Bread Crumb Navigation” whereby each entry
in a path can be utilized as a link that will place you at that location by a mere
click of the mouse?
A. Windows 10 C. MS-DOS
B. Windows XP D. Windows Vista

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 What’s In

Let us test first your prior knowledge about hard drives. Do the activity below.

Activity 1. Parts of a Hard Drive

A picture of a hard drive is shown below. Try to determine the names of each
part correctly. The parts are listed inside the box. You may write your answers on a
separate piece of paper.

small spindle central spindle read-write head

magnetic platter circuit board actuator
flexible connector read-write arm plug connections

Was it easy to locate the correct parts of a hard drive? If not, do not worry,
you will be learning more about hard drives in the next parts of the module.
Most people are amazed when they discover they can store hundreds of CDs
worth of music on an iPod digital music player no bigger than a pack of cards. The
original iPod was not much more than a hard drive: an incredibly efficient computer
memory device that uses simple magnetism to store vast amounts of information.
Hard drives were invented over 50 years ago and have been used in personal
computers since the mid-1980s (though flash memory has replaced them in many
machines over recent years). The microprocessor in your computer is the bit that
does all the "thinking" and calculating—but it is the hard drive that gives your
computer its prodigious memory and lets you store digital photos, music files, and
text documents. Moreover, it is in your hard drive wherein you will store all these
files, it is also important that you will be able to organize these.

How does it work? Take a closer look and do the next activity.

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 What’s New

Activity. File Management

In this activity, try to recall your knowledge on the basic concepts of file
management. File management on a computer is like filing documents in a filing
cabinet. A filing cabinet is used to store paper files in cardboard folders. In the same
way, we can store files and folders on a computer.

Study the given image below and answer the questions that follow. You may
write your answers on a separate piece of paper.

Guide Questions:

1. What is the name of the folder

that is being highlighted in
the picture?
2. What are the three sub-
folders found in Music folder?
3. How are the folders
organized?

I know you were able to easily answer all the three questions above. This is to
give you an idea of how file management looks on a computer. In Windows, folders
are used to organize files.

So, what is a File Management System?

File management is the process of administering a system that correctly

handles digital data. Therefore, an effective file management system improves the
overall function of a business workflow. It also organizes important data and provides
a searchable database for quick retrieval.

A folder is a structure on your hard drive used to contain related files. Folders
keep together files that belong in a group, and they keep that group of files separate
from everything else on your hard drive. Folders are stored on a drive in a computer.
Data is stored on and retrieved from a disk drive. Each drive will indicate the type of
storage medium, for example, whether it is a hard disk, USB drive, CD, DVD, or so
on.

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 What is It

Manipulating Files and Folders

The major identifying features of a file or folder are:

Its name and location in the folder hierarchy.
Its owner permissions (properties).

Whether it is linked to another file. A linked file is a representation of another

file. Linked files provide a way for you to have one file that appears to exist in two or
more folders.

To Create a New File or Folder here are the steps you should follow:
1. Choose New File or New Folder from the File menu.
2. Type the name into the New File or New Folder field.
3. Click OK or press Return.
To close the New File or New Folder dialog box without creating a new
file or folder, click Cancel or press Esc.

There are two other ways to create objects:

- Copy an existing object, then rename the copy (see To Copy a File or Folder
(Mouse)).
- Create a new file within an application. For example, Text Editor creates a
new file when you save a new document.

To Move a File or Folder (Mouse)

1. Make the source and destination folders visible: by opening a File Manager
view of the contents of the destination folder or the icon of the closed
destination folder.
2. Select the file or folder to be moved and drag it to the destination folder.
If you move a folder, the entire folder and its contents are moved.

To Move a File or Folder (Keyboard)

1. Use the Tab and direction keys to move the highlight to the file or folder to
be moved.
2. Press the Spacebar to select the object.
3. Choose Move to from the Selected menu.
4. Type a name into the Destination Folder text field.
For example, if you want to move the file report into the folder /u/john, you
will type /u/john.
5. Click OK or press Return.
If you move a folder, the entire folder and its contents are moved.

To Copy a File or Folder (Mouse)

1. Make the source and destination folders visible:
Open a File Manager view of the contents of the destination folder or the
icon of the closed destination folder.
2. Select the file or folder to be copied.
3. Press and hold the Control key.

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 4. Drag the file or folder and drop it onto the destination folder.
Make sure that you release the mouse button before you release the Control
key. Otherwise, you will move instead of copying the file or folder.

To Copy a File or Folder (Keyboard)

1. Select the icon.
2. Choose Copy to from the Selected menu.
3. Type a name into the Destination Folder text field.
Note that this must be the new full path name for the file. For example, if
you want to copy the file report into the folder /u/john, you will type
/u/john.
4. Click OK or press Return.
To close the Copy File dialog box without copying a file, click Cancel or press
Esc.

Symbolic Links
A link icon is a copy of an icon that points to the same file or folder as the
original icon. Any changes you make after opening the link icon will also appear when
you access the file or folder using the original icon.

To Create a Symbolic Link (Mouse)

1. Make the source and destination folders visible:
Open a File Manager view of the contents of the destination folder. Or open
a File Manager view that shows the icon of the closed destination folder.
2. Select the file or folder to be copied.
3. Press and hold the Shift key and the Control key while dragging and
dropping the icon of a file or folder onto the icon of a new folder.

When you drop the icon, File Manager creates symbolic link in the new
folder that points to the original file or folder. Make sure that you release the
mouse button before you release the Shift key and the Control key. Otherwise,
you will move instead of linking the file or folder.

To Create a Symbolic Link (Keyboard)

1. Use the Tab and arrow keys to move the highlight to the icon of the file or
folder to which you want to link.
2. Press the Spacebar to select the icon.
3. Choose Copy as Link from the Selected menu.
4. Type a name into the Destination Folder text field including the path for the
name of the folder where you want this link icon to appear.
5. (Optional) If you want this link icon to have a different name that the
original icon types a new name in the Name for copy text field.
6. Click OK or press Return.

Storage and File Concepts, Utilities

Computer files are data, information or instructions residing on secondary

storage are stored in the form of a file.

Software files are also called program files. Program files (instructions) are
created by a computer programmer and generally cannot be modified by a user. It is
important that we not move or delete program files because your computer requires
them to perform operations. Program files are also referred to as “executables”.

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 You can identify a program file by its extension:“.EXE”, “.COM”, “.BAT”,
“.DLL”, “.SYS”, or “.INI” (there are others) or a distinct program icon.

Data files - when you select a “save” option while using an application
program, you are in essence creating a data file. Users create data files.

File naming conventions refer to the guidelines followed while assigning file
names and will vary with the operating system and application in use. File names in
Windows 7 may be up to 255 characters, you are not allowed to use reserved
characters or certain reserved words. File extensions are used to identify the
application that was used to create the file and format data in a manner recognized
by the source application used to create it.

Selecting Secondary Storage Media

There are three types of technologies for storage devices: magnetic, optical, &
solid state, there are advantages & disadvantages between them. When selecting a
secondary storage device, certain factors should be considered:

I. Capacity - the capacity of computer storage is expressed in bytes. Hard

disks provide the greatest storage capacity of any medium. Flash
drives & DVD disks provide the greatest capacity of portable or
mobile disks. Floppy diskettes (legacy) Common byte units are
as follows:

a. Kilobyte (KB) - one thousand bytes

b. Megabyte (MB) - one million bytes
c. Gigabyte (GB) - one billion bytes
d. Terabyte (TB) - one trillion bytes
e. Petabyte (PB) – one quadrillion bytes
f. Exabyte (EB) - one quintillion bytes

II. Access time – The time it takes the CPU to access storage or recorded
information is measured in fractions of seconds:

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 a. millisecond – 1/1000 of a second
b. microsecond – 1 millionth of a second
c. nanosecond – 1 billionth of a second
d. picosecond – 1 trillionth of a second
e. solid state devices provide the quickest access, magnetic
tape the slowest

III. Cost – Like anything else, storage devices differ in price. Magnetic
floppies and tape are the most affordable, hard drives are the most
expensive simply because they have the greatest capacity. Byte for
byte though, Solid State media is more expensive.

IV. Durability – optical and solid-state storage devices are considered more
durable when compared to magnetic storage. Data is
considered more secure on non-magnetic devices.

V. Versatility – DVD drives can read all or any form of optical disks, this is
the only device that can support multiple media types.

Magnetic storage - Magnetic devices are comprised of disks and tape. The
surface of the magnetic media records data in the form of magnetic particles, the
surface uses a special magnetic oxide coating which is used to retain the particles.
The magnetic oxide coating functions as a magnet to retain information. A key
component in magnetic storage is the “read and write” head which is what records
and reads data. Magnetic storage is permanent but modifiable, normal life
expectancy typically does not exceed 3 years.

The following are examples of magnetic storage media:

1. Magnetic tape – is comprised of strands of plastic Mylar. (much like a

cassette tape) Magnetic tape is used primarily as a backup system
because the access to information is very slow. Characteristics of tape
include the following:
a. Inexpensive, portable, large volume storage capacity
b. Data is stored & retrieved sequentially (one record after another) /
slow access to information
c. Requires a tape unit or drive containing a “read and write” head
d. Most PC tape units are external

2. Hard disk – By far the most common secondary storage device for a
personal computer. A hard drive
(disk) is comprised of one or more
metallic platters varying in size
and capacity. A hard disk may be
fixed (internal) or removable
(external).

Some other hard disk characteristics include the following:

a. The disk surface is more durable than tape or floppies, therefore data is
considered more secure when compared to recorded information on tape or
floppies.

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 b. Direct access storage device (DASD) – files may be accessed directly, unlike
tape where access is sequential. Therefore, access to information on disk is
much quicker because the “read and write” head does not have to read any
preceding record information before it locates the one you are attempting to
retrieve. The hard drive uses a directory called the "FAT" to identify a file's
location.

c. Requires a disk drive containing a “read and write” head. The faster the
drive's disk platter spins the faster the computer can access and record data.
The speed of the drive is measured in “revolutions per minute” (rpm).

d. External drives come in different varieties and capacities, they serve many
purposes, they can allow a computer to function with different operating
systems or the drive can serve as a backup device.

e. A head crash can result in serious loss of data. Most disk drives are
guaranteed for no more than three years. Disk drives contain mechanical
parts that over time simply fail (wear & tear). When the parts fail there is no
way to retrieve data, so you lose everything on your hard drive.

A head crash can also occur when contaminants (like smoke, dust,
hair, etc.) enter your disk drive and encounter the “read and write” head. The
contaminants can cause a scratch to be placed on an area of disk where
information is recorded. Because of the damage to the disk the data in that
area can no longer be read which results in the data being lost. Fluctuations
in electrical power can also contribute to a head crash.

Optical storage – Information recorded on an

optical disk is written with lasers, not magnetically.
Lasers in essence "burn" information onto the
storage disk. Data recorded on optical media is
considered less susceptible to environmental damage
(dust, hair, smoke, etc.). Optical storage has far
greater storage capacity than removable magnetic
media (floppies). A typical CD ROM can store
approximately 700 MB while a DVD has gigabyte
capacity. Data on optical storage can be retained for
over 30 years. Advances in technology provide an
even greater capacity for optical media, as in the case
of Blu-Ray DVDs.

Types of optical disks:

1. CD-ROM - contains permanent, unalterable information
2. CD-R - data can be written to the disk in wholly or in increments but cannot be
deleted or modified
3. CD-RW - allows the user to record, erase, and modify the disk several times, in
that sense, functions like magnetic media
4. DVD – contains gigabyte capacity. A DVD drive can read CDs but a CD drive
cannot read DVDs. DVDs can be either “read only” or “recordable”. Many new
technologies exist providing greater capacities (HD-DVD, Blu-Ray DVD) DVD
drives can recognize any type of optical disk.
5. Disadvantage: Slow read and write time. The read and write speed of optical

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 media is measured at 150 KB per second. If a drive is 6X, that means the speed
is 900 KB per second (150 KB x 6) - Slow when compared to most magnetic media
& solid state.

Solid state storage (flash memory) – a relatively new concept in storage which
offers several advantages. Faster, durable, compact, and portable. Dollar per byte is
more expensive than most other mediums. USB or flash drives are popular solid-
state devices. PDAs, cell phones, and cameras also use solid state devices.
Completely electronic with no moving parts. Flash drives can hold up to 8 GB of data
and again, require no investment in a storage drive nor do they occupy a drive bay.
You must properly eject
or remove a flash drive to
avoid damage to the
drive’s contents. Solid
state Hard drives provide
the best of 2 worlds, large
volume capacity and
speed.

Cloud Storage

• SkyDrive – Microsoft & Hotmail free cloud

storage
• Dropbox – a free service that lets you bring
your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and
share them easily

A system unit contains several drive bays used to install internal storage
drives. The drive bays are located at the front of the system unit. The significance of
drive bays has been diminished with the advent of USB technology, we now have
practically every type of external storage device that can be connected to your
computer through a USB port, no drive bay is needed.

A file specification or DOS path identifies the exact location of a stored file.
Example, C:\ WORD FILES FOLDER \ PROJECT 1 \ GRAND PRIX
ANNOUNCEMENT.DOC

In the example “C:” identifies the storage drive (hard drive). The first “\” is a
symbol used to represent the “root” directory or table of contents. This table of
contents is created when you format and is used to keep track of all the objects (files
& folders) on this device. The additional “\”s are called “path separators” and identify
each new object within the file specification.

“Word Files Folder” is the primary folder, and “Project 1” is the subfolder.
Finally, “Grand Prix Announcement” is the name of the file and “.doc” is the file
extension identifying this file as a Microsoft WORD file. Windows Vista introduced
the concept of “Bread Crumb Navigation” whereby each entry in a path can be utilized
as a link that will place you at that location by a mere click of the mouse.

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 Windows includes system maintenance utilities that allow you to keep your
storage drives operating optimally:

A. Scan disk (Error Checking) – identifies and marks damaged areas on disk to assist
the operating system in avoiding placing data at these locations. When you run Scan
Disk, data recorded in a damaged area can sometimes be relocated to an undamaged
area to allow access to the file, otherwise the file would be lost.

B. Defragmentation – reverses the effects of fragmentation. Fragmentation occurs

when gaps lie between files or when file segments are scattered throughout different
areas on disk. Fragmentation delays the retrieval of a file and makes a disk drive
work harder thus expediting a possible head crash. When you run the disk
defragmenter it will attempt to regroup scattered files to allow for optimal access.

C. Disk cleanup – identifies expendable files and provides an option to remove them,
this utility expedites the removal of expendable files. It assumes based on the last
time the file was accessed.

D. Backup – is a utility that allows you to back up the entire contents of a drive or
just select content. You select the origin and destination drives and then run the
program. The backup utility can be scheduled to run as an automated task at
selected time intervals.

E. System Restore – restores a malfunctioning system to a previous working state.

Restore points are created periodically and archived. If after making a system change
your computer begins to malfunction, you can go back in time to one of these restore
points and return your computer to an earlier functional state.

F. Task Scheduler – just like the name implies, you schedule a utility to be performed
at a time of convenience and the task in essence becomes automated and completed
by the scheduler. The scheduler is a tool for having many of these time-consuming
utilities execute automatically without user intervention

G. Some non-Windows utilities allow you to restore deleted files, from any drive or
even after you have emptied the contents of the recycle bin. The key is to immediately
attempt to restore the deleted file before you save another file. Check the bottom of
page 150 for more details.

H. File manager utilities – programs like “Window’s Explorer” or “Computer” help to

identify the location of files and to perform file management tasks.

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 What’s More

Media Storage

The picture below shows an example of the different drives and other folders
that can be found on a computer. Your task is to write down 5 sentences that will
describe what is shown in the image. An example is given for you to be guided.

Example: The C: Which is also known as the C-drive, usually refers to the hard
disk drive (HDD).
1. ______________________________________________________________________________.
2. ______________________________________________________________________________.
3. ______________________________________________________________________________.
4. ______________________________________________________________________________.
5. ______________________________________________________________________________.

You surely nailed it! Great work!

A Windows operating system organizes its drives, folders, and files in a

hierarchical folder structure. Files are stored on a computer inside folders. Folders
are used to organize a computer’s files so that it can be found easier. A folder will
contain sub-folders and then files.

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 What I Have Learned

Take note that…

▪ A hard disk drive (sometimes abbreviated as a hard drive, HD, or HDD) is

a non-volatile data storage device. It is usually installed internally in a
computer, attached directly to the disk controller of the computer's
motherboard. It contains one or more platters, housed inside of an air-
sealed casing. Data is written to the platters using a magnetic head, which
moves rapidly over them as they spin.
▪ A hard drive can store any data, including pictures, music, videos, text
documents, and any files created or downloaded. Also, hard drives store
files for the operating system and software programs that run on the
computer.
▪ A file is single unit of information identified by a name (called a filename)
and a location (called a path) on your hard drive. Files store individual
characters (bytes) in a sequence which can be manipulated (such as copied,
transmitted, re-opened etc.) all as one unit of information.

What I Can Do

Carefully read the instructions for you to accomplish this activity. You need
to use a PC or your laptops to finish the task. Practice using the file manager on your
computer by doing the given steps below. Then, inside a box, screenshot or draw
what you see right after following each step:

1. Click on the Start menu button in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
2. Once the Start menu opens, type in the word “explorer”. You should see a File
explorer option appear in the Start menu.
3. Click on the File explorer option, which will open the file explorer on the computer.
4. Once opened, click on the This PC option in the left panel. Here, it will show you
the main folders.

From here, you can explore the computer’s organizational system by looking
through the folder structure. Also, try to identify the different files and information
using this facility. Draw or screenshot the image and place it inside the box.

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 Assessment

Name: ________________________________ Grade and Section: ______________________

Grade Level & Subject (Specialization): ________________________ Module No: _______
Name of Activity: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________

Directions. Read the statements carefully and identify what is asked in each item.
Use another piece of paper in writing your answers. Write only the letter of the correct
answer.

1. What contains several drive bays and is used to install internal storage drives?
A. system unit C. hard drive
B. task scheduler D. file manager

2. What is the name of the free cloud storage of Microsoft & Hotmail?
A. Drop box C. MS Teams
B. SkyDrive D. Google drive

3. What do you call a structure on your hard drive used to contain related files?
A. envelop C. folder
B. cursor D. word

4. What contains permanent, unalterable information?

A. DVD C. floppy disk
B. CD-ROM D. CD-R

5. The speed of the drive is measured in “rpm”. What does “rpm” stand for?
A. raise per minute C. revolve per minute
B. rate per minute D. revolutions per minute

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6. What is the name of the area where you schedule a utility to be performed at a
time of convenience and the task in essence becomes automated and completed?
A. backup C. scan disk
B. task scheduler D. file manager utilities

7. What devices are comprised of disks and tape?

A. magnetic C. scanners
B. keyboard D. headphones

8. What is the most common secondary storage device for a personal computer?
A. mouse C. hard disk
B. screen D. USB flash drive

9. Which of the following statement is TRUE in naming files?

A. Keep file names short, but meaningful.
B. Include abbreviations that are not easy to understand.
C. Use simple words, such as “draft”, “current” or “document”.
D. Use symbol characters, such as “\ / < > | “ ? [ ] ; = + & $ α β”.

10. How does the capacity of computer storage expressed?

A. bytes C. mp4
B. rpm D. kilo

Additional Activities

Writing an Essay

In a short paragraph with 10-15 sentences, write an essay that will answer to
the question:
Can a computer work without a hard drive?

Use a separate piece of paper to write down your answers. Your essays will be
graded based on the following criteria:

Content - 10 pts.
Organization of Ideas - 5 pts.
Total : 15 pts.

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 Answer Key

What I Know What’s New Assessment

1. B 1. actuator 1. A
2. A 2. read-write arm 2. B
3. D 3. central spindle 3. C
4. C 4. magnetic platter 4. B
5. D 5. plug connections 5. D
6. B 6. read-write head 6. B
7. A 7. circuit board 7. A
8. C 8. flexible connector 8. C
9. A 9. small spindle 9. A
10. D 10. A

References:
Woodford, Chris (2020, August 13). Hard Drives. Explain That Stuff.
https://www.explainthatstuff.com/harddrive.html

(n.d.). Basic concepts of file management. Siyavula.

https://intl.siyavula.com/read/cat/grade-10-cat/file-management/03-file-
management

Computer Hope (2020, August 8). Hard Drive. Computer Hope.

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/h/harddriv.htm

(n.d). Interface Tutorials.

http://www.realtyserver.com/website/common/Help/intro_to_harddrive/file_struc
ture.htm

Shelly, G. B., Vermaat, M. E. (2011). Discovering Computers and Microsoft Office

2010: A Fundamental Combined Approach.
https://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Discovering_Computers_and_Microsoft
_Offi.html?id=uS09AAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&redir
_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

(n.d). File Management. Canto. https://www.canto.com/file-management/

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