Windows Beginner’s SIG

Sun City Texas Computere Club

Cleaning up Your Act

A. Relocating existing files

B. Backing up important files

C. Creating Desktop shortcuts to frequently used files

D. Cleaning up unwanted files on the Desktop

Preparation I – Doing Windows

• Open any folder by double clicking it to see a window showing the files and folders inside.

• Resize any window by using the double pointed arrows at the edges

• Move any window by ‘dragging’ it by the blue title bar.

• Close any window by clicking on the small X in the upper right hand corner.

• If two or more windows are open, the one on top (or the window with the dark blue title bar) is the active window. Click anywhere on an inactive window to make it the active window.

Preparation II – Taking a trip through your computer

1. Opening Windows

• Double Click MY COMPUTER icon

• Double Click c:\ Drive

• Double Click (open) folders until you reach the destination folder. More than one window may be visible but only 1 window is active

2. Using Explorer

Double click any folder to Open
On the menu bar, click Folders
Blue Windows task bar is replaced by complete list of folders and all removable media storage hardware
The left side of Explorer is always a list of folders or drives
The right hand side of Explorer is always a list of file and/or folders which are the contents of the highlighted folder or drive on the left.

A. Moving Day – Moving/copying files from one folder to another

1. Open the folder containing the ‘source’ file or folder

2. Click the folder button to open Explorer

3. Locate the ‘target’ folder on the left hand side of Explorer (If the target folder is a sub folder, click the plus sign to the left of its parent folder)

One Way:

I. Right click the source file / folder) on right hand side of Explorer

II. Click COPY (to duplicate) or CUT (to move) from the drop down menu

III. Right Click the target folder on the left hand side of Explorer.

IV. Click Paste from the drop down menu

Another Way:

Drag (press and hold down right mouse button) file or folder from its current location on the right hand side of Explorer to the target folder on the left hand side of Explorer.

Release right mouse button and select Copy Here, Move Here, or Cancel

Using the Right Mouse Button

A file or folder which is copied will create a duplicate of the original in the dropped folder.

· A file or folder moved will delete the file or folder from original location and put the file or folder in the dropped folder.

Using the Left Mouse Button

A file or folder which is dragged and dropped with the left mouse button from on place to another on the same drive will be moved.
A file or folder which is dragged and dropped with the left mouse button from on drive to another drive will be copied.

Moral: Always use the right mouse button.

B. Backing Up Important Files or Saving your files in a safe place.

Backing up a file or folder is COPYING the file or folder to an external location (floppy, zip, CD, thumb drive) - not on your computer.

Transferring files to a CD or DVD MAY require special software

Copy files as outlined above to an external storage device – use Explorer.

• Folder/files will be duplicated on the backup disk

• Store the back up disk in a safe location

• In case of a hard drive crash or you purchase a new computer, stored files can be recreated on the new hard drive

C. Taking a Shortcut

1. Double Click My Documents (on the desktop)

2. Locate an often-used file. Select it (one click)

3. Right Click, then Click FILE, SEND TO …

4. Click DESKTOP (shortcut)

5. Close all windows.

6. Find shortcut on desktop

7. Double click the shortcut to access the file

D. Cleaning House - the desktop (What to do when you cannot see a menu bar)