Keep track of all your files and get them from one place to another safely and easily.
- How do I save my work in Windows?
- There are two ways to save a new document in Windows: File, Save and File, Save As. The first time you save a new document these two menu options will work the same way and open up a Save As dialog box. In the Save As dialog...
- What is the proper way to name a file in Windows?
- Every file you create on Windows must have a file name. The file name uniquely identifies the file so you can find it when you browse the contents of your hard drive. Windows XP gives you a lot of flexibility for naming your files. Your file names can be up to 255 characters...
- How do I rename a file in Windows?
- There are many ways to rename a file in Windows. The easiest way is by right-clicking on the file and selecting Rename. You can then type a new name for your file and press enter to finish renaming it. A quicker way to rename a file is by first selecting...
- How do I view the properties of a file or folder?
- To access the properties of a file or folder, right-click on it and select Properties. You can also Alt-click on a file or folder to access its properties. The General tab of the Properties dialog box will provide you with information such as the full path to the file or...
- How do I create a copy of a file?
- There are many ways to copy a file in Windows. The simplest way is by using the Copy command which can be accessed by right-clicking on a file and selecting the command from the context menu. You can then left click somewhere else in the window so that the file...
- What is a shortcut, and how do I create one?
- A shortcut is a pointer to a file on your hard drive. This pointer can point to a program, a file, or a folder. The shortcut is a small file that takes very little space because it only has information about the location of the original file. It is not an exact copy...
- How do I change the program that opens a type of file on my computer?
- When you assign a file extension to a file, you tell Windows what type of file it is and what program should be used to open it. This file association can be changed by opening Windows Explorer and selecting Tools, Folder Options, and then File Types. You can then select...
- How do I delete files in Windows?
- You should periodically delete any files or folders you don't need to conserve space on your hard drive. Deleting a file in Windows is easy. Just select the file and press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will get an alert window asking you to confirm that you really want to delete...
- How do I use Windows Explorer to manage my files and folders?
- Windows Explorer is the file management application in Windows. Windows Explorer can be used to navigate your hard drive and display the contents of the folders and subfolders you use to organize your files on your hard drive. Windows Explorer is automatically launched any time you open a folder in Windows XP....
- How do I install and uninstall programs on my computer?
- Before you can use a program, you must first install it on your computer. Most programs come packaged in a CD or DVD and will automatically launch an install routine when you insert this media on your computer. If the installer does not automatically launch, open the CD or DVD in My Computer...
- How do I search for a file on my computer?
- To search for files on your computer using Windows XP's search feature, select Start, Search. In the window that opens up, you will see the search assistant on the left, and the results window on the right. Click on "All files or folders" in the Search Assistant area unless you...
- How do I create a shared folder that I can use to share files with my students?
- Before you can share files or folders with other users on your network, you must make sure that File and Printer Sharing is enabled. You can do this by going to the Control Panel (Start, Control Panel) and selecting the Network Connections applet. Right-click on your network connection and select...
- How do I connect to a shared folder on the network?
- There are a couple of ways to connect to a folder that has been shared over the network. The fastest way is by typing the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path in the Start, Run dialog box. The UNC defines the path to a shared folder using the format \\server\sharename. The...
- How do I share files between Windows and Mac computers?
- It is easy to share files between Windows computers and Mac computers using TCP/IP, an industry standard networking protocol. Before you can connect to a Windows computer from a Mac you must know some information about how your Windows computer is set up. First, you must find out what IP address your...
- Can I open files created with a Mac on my Windows computer?
- Yes, in most cases you should be able to open a file created on a Mac on your Windows computer. If you have the Mac version of a Windows program (such as Microsoft Office) it will likely save files in a format that can be read by your Windows computer (it will...
- How do I find out how much space I have free to store files on my computer?
- An easy way to find out how much space is free on your hard drive (usually labeled the C: drive) is by opening My Computer, selecting the drive, and then looking at the Details section on the bottom left of the window. The details section will show you the total size of your...
- How do I compress files to make them smaller?
- One way to store more data when you are low on hard drive space is by using compression to make the files and folders you already have on the drive take up less space. In the past, utilities such as Winzip were used for this purpose, but Windows XP has a built in...
- How do I protect my data from viruses?
- In order to protect your computer from being infected by a virus or other malicious program, you should have an anti-virus program installed. The computer at your school will probably already have this kind of program installed, but you need to keep it updated with the latest definition files for it to be...
- How can I backup my files?
- You should create a backup of your data on a regular basis. This will protect your data in case your computer is not able to boot or there is damage to your hard drive. If your computer cannot be booted up, you can probably still recover your data by removing the hard drive...
