HP Pavilion a1000 PC Basics Guide - Page 33

Managing Files A file is any unit of information that is named and stored on your PC hard disk drive or other electronic storage, such as a CD, floppy diskette, or even in a digital camera. A file can be an application program, a picture, music or sounds, a document, or data. Almost everything you do on your PC involves working with files. The PC can copy files to other storage media within component drives, such as diskettes, memory cards, CDs or DVDs, or to output devices, such as a printer. Organizing Files with Folders In Windows, folders make it possible for you to organize the files on your PC. Similar to paper folders within a filing cabinet, folders on your PC are a way to group related files together. A folder can contain any type of file and can even contain other folders. Each file within a folder must have a unique name, but two different folders can have files with the same name. There are two methods for working with the files and folders on your PC: • My Computer provides an easy-to-use view of the files and folders within a specific folder on your PC. It also has links to common tasks for managing your files, such as copying, moving, deleting, and renaming. To open My Computer, click the Start button and then click My Computer. • Windows Explorer allows you to quickly see all the folders and files on your PC. It is easy to move or copy files from one folder to another in Windows Explorer. To open Windows Explorer, right-click the Start button and select Explore. To navigate around in the My Computer and Windows Explorer views, double-click folders to open and display their contents. Use the Back arrow button to retrace your path through the opened folders. Managing Files 27