Computer Essentials

Lesson 4

1
Exercise

1. Open Microsoft word and type your names

2. Save the document in the “documents” folder with your
name
3. Save the document in pdf format in the “documents”
folder retaining the name
4. How would you set a printer installed in your computer
as a default printer?

2
Lesson 4 File Management

In this lesson, you will learn about:

• Files and folders
• Organising files and folders
• Storage and compression

3
4.1 Introduction to Files and folders
Files and Folder Structure

• We store Files, Folders and Programs in folders.

• A folder stored in another folder is termed as a Sub-folder.

• Some folders are created during the Installation of the

Operating system they are termed as default folders e.g.
Computer, Documents (Name of User Account), Network,
Control Panel, Recycle Bin.

4
Files and Folder Structure (hierarchical structure)

Steps to view drives :

1. Click Start

2. Click on File
Explorer icon.

3. Choose This PC
along the left-hand
side of the explorer
window

Let’s try it
Browse to C:\ Drive and
view the contents.

5
 Displaying File or Folder Properties
Properties may include name, size, date modified, and location

Steps:
1. Right-click the file or
folder

2. Click Properties.

Let’s try it

View the properties of the file

with your name created
previously in the
“documents” folder.

Properties dialog box

6
 Viewing Files and Folders
Views may include tiles, size, icons, list and details

Steps to change file and

folder view:

1. In Windows Explorer,
click on View Tab

2. Select a view of choice

from the layout section. Views Window

Let’s try it

View the content of

“documents” folder in Details
View.

7
Identifying Common File Types

Common file types, their extensions and icons

8
 Opening a File, Folder or Drive
To open a file, folder or drive, double click on it

Basic guidelines in Naming Folders or Files

• Keep file and folder names short, but meaningful.
 
• Avoid unnecessary repetition and redundant words in file names
and file paths.
 
• Use capital letters or underscore to delimit words, not spaces.

• Avoid special characters such as

~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) ` ; < > ? , [ ] { } ' " and |.

9
 Creating a Folder
Steps:

1. Open the
location where
you want to
create the folder
2. Right-click a
blank area within
the location and
select New then
select Folder
3. Enter the folder
name and press
Enter

Let’s try it
Create a folder
named ICDL in the
“documents” folder.

10
 Renaming a Folder
Steps:

1. Right-Click the
folder name
2. select Rename
3. Enter the new
folder name and
press Enter

Let’s try it
Rename ICDL folder
in the “documents”
folder to ICDL Class.

11
 Exercise

Create a the following folder structure

12
 Search for Files or folders by properties
1. You can search for files using part or all of the file name
Steps:
1. Click the File
Explore icon
on the task
bar
2. In the
Search field,
enter the file
name or part
of the name
and click
search

13
 2. You can search for files using wild cards
Steps:
1. Click the File Explore icon on the task bar
2. In the Search field, use wild cards in the criteria box and click search

3. Examples:
• To search for all files whose names start with za
Type: za*
• To search for all files whose names start with za and contain 5
characters
Type: za???
• To search for all Microsoft Excel files whose names start with za and
contain 5 characters
Type: za???.xlsx

14
 3. You can search for files by content
Steps:
1. Click the File
Explore icon on
the task bar
2. Click in the
Search box to
activate Search
Tools tab
3. Select advanced
options then
check content

15
 4. You can search for files by date modified

Steps:
1. Following the
previous steps
Click the Date
Modified
option and
select the
dates options
available

16
 5. View a list recently used files

Steps:
1. Click the File
Explore icon
on the task
bar
2. Select Quick
Access
3. A list of
Recent files
appears
under
Frequent
folders

17
4.2 Organising Files and Folders
Selecting files and folders.
1. To select a single file or folder, click on it
2. Select a consecutive group of items by clicking the
first item, press and hold down the Shift key, and
then click the last item.
3. Select non-consecutive items: Press and hold down
the Ctrl key, and then click each item that you want
to select.
4. Select all the items in a window: On the toolbar, click
Organize, and then click Select all. If you do not
want to include one or more items from your
selection, press and hold down the Ctrl key, and
then click the items.
5. To clear a selection, click a blank area of the window.

18
Sorting Files

Steps:
1. In a folder window, click the View tab
2. Select the Sort By button.
3. Click Name to sort files by name in ascending order.
4. Click the View tab.
5. Select Sort by button
6. Click Descending to sort in descending order.

19
Copying and Moving Files and Folders

A. using the drag and drop

Steps:
1. Open the source folder
2. Open the destination folder.
3. Arrange the two windows side
by side.
4. Select the files or folders you
want to move and drag them to
the destination folder window.

Note:
5. To copy, press Ctrl while
dragging.

20
Copying and Moving Files and Folders

B. using the copy and cut

functions
Steps:
1. Right click on the file or
folder from the source
folder
2. Click Copy or Cut as
required.
3. Right Click a blank space
in the destination folder
and click Paste.

21
Deleting and Restoring Files and Folders

A. Deleting B. Restoring
Steps: Steps:
1. Select the file or folder you 1. Open the Recycle Bin
want to delete from the desktop
2. Press Delete key on the 2. Select the deleted item.
keyboard. 3. Click Restore this item on
the toolbar.
Note:
3. Once an item is deleted it
goes to the recycle bin.

22
Emptying the Recycle Bin

To permanently remove the files or

folders from the computer
Steps:
1. Right click the Recycle Bin on
the desktop and select Empty
Recycle Bin

Lets try it:

Empty all the files and folders in the

Recycle Bin and confirm permanent
deletion

23
4.3 Storage and Compression
Main Types of Storage Media
Internal Hard disk Network Drive

External Hard disk USB Flash Drive

24
CD Blu-Ray Online Storage

DVD Memory Card

25
File and Folder Size, Storage Capacity Measurement.

To view the properties of a file or

folder
Steps:
1. Right click the file or folder and
select Properties

Details will include:

2. Type
3. Location
4. Size
5. Date created
6. Attributes etc.
Folder properties dialog box

26
Capacity or size of files or folders measured in bytes.

Capacity measurement
relationships.

27
Viewing Available Space on a Storage Device

Steps:
1. Click Start Button
2. Click Computer
3. Click the storage device and you
see the capacity below the
device
4. or Right click the device and
select Properties

28
Compressing Files and Folders Uncompressing Files and Folders

Steps:
Steps:
1. Locate the compressed folder
1. Locate the file or folder to
containing the file to extract
compress
– Options to extract single
2. Right-click the item and select
item or entire content.
Send to and click
Compressed (zipped)
folder.
3. You may rename the new
compressed folder created by
right clicking and select
Rename

29
Review Exercise

• Attempt exercise on Page 65 of the workbook individually

• Review the exercise as a group

30
Lesson 4 Summary

In this lesson, you learned about:

• Files and folders
• Organising files and folders
• Storage and compression

31
Lesson 5 Objectives

In the next lesson, you will learn how to:

• Understand network concepts
• Connect to and access a network

32