Using Files and Folders

Files and folders store information on your computer. You can select a file or folder, and then click a related task to rename, copy, move, or delete it. You can also send a file in e-mail or publish it to the Web.

In addition to the basic file and folder tasks provided in Windows XP Starter Edition, there are several specialized folders, such as My Pictures and My Music folders, which can help you manage your picture and music files. You can also use the Recycle Bin to deleted files and folders, or to restore them to their original locations.


To open a file or folder

  1. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  2. Locate and double-click the file or folder you want to open.

To save a file

  1. On the File menu of the program you are working in, click Save.
  2. If you haven't saved your file yet, type a name for the file in File name, and then click Save.

To save a file with a different name or format

If the file was previously saved, the original version will remain unchanged.

  1. On the File menu of the program you are working in, click Save As.
  2. Click Save in the drop-down list to find the folder where you want to save the file, type the new name in the File text box, and then click Save.

To move a file or folder

  1. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  2. Locate and click the file or folder you want to move.
  3. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Move this file or Move this folder.
  4. In Move Items, click the new location for the file or folder, and then click Move. You can also move a file or folder by dragging it to the desired location.
  5. Do one of the following:

  • To select a consecutive group of files, click the first file, press and hold down SHIFT, and then click the last file.
  • To select files or folders in nonconsecutive order, press and hold down CTRL, click the items you want, and then drag them to the desired location.

To move information between documents

  1. Select the information you want to move.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Cut or Copy. Cut removes the information from your document. Copy leaves it in your original document.
  3. Click inside the document where you want the information to appear.
  4. On the Edit menu, click Paste. You can paste the information multiple times.

To create a new folder

  1. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  2. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Make a new folder. A new folder is displayed with the default name, New Folder, selected.
  3. Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER.
  4. You can also create a new folder by right-clicking a blank area in a folder window or on the desktop, pointing to New, and then clicking Folder.

To copy a file or folder

  1. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  2. Click the file or folder you want to copy.
  3. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file or Copy this folder.
  4. In Copy Items, select the folder you want to copy to, and then click Copy.

  • To select and copy a consecutive group of files, click the first file, press and hold down SHIFT, and then click the last file.
  • To select and copy files or folders in nonconsecutive order, press and hold down CTRL, select the folder you want to copy to, click the items you want, and then click Copy.

To copy a file or folder to a floppy disk

  1. Insert the floppy disk into the disk drive.
  2. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  3. Click the file or folder you want to copy.
  4. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file or Copy this folder.
  5. In Copy Items, click 3 1/2 Floppy (A:), and then click Copy.

To change the name of a file or folder

You can also rename a file or folder by right-clicking it and then clicking Rename.

  1. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  2. Click the file or folder you want to rename.
  3. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Rename this file or Rename this folder.
  4. Type the new name, and then press ENTER.

To delete a file or folder

You can also delete files or folders by right-clicking the file or folder and then clicking Delete.

  1. Click Start, and then click My Documents.
  2. Click the file or folder you want to delete.
  3. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Delete this file or Delete this folder, and then click Yes.

To delete or restore files in the Recycle Bin

Items that are larger than the storage capacity of the Recycle Bin are immediately deleted. Also, you cannot restore items deleted from removable media (such as 3.5-inch disks) in the Recycle Bin.

  1. On the desktop, double-click Recycle Bin.
  2. Do one of the following:

  • To restore an item, right-click it, and then click Restore.
  • To restore all of the items, on the Edit menu, click Select All, and then on the File menu, click Restore.
  • To delete an item, right-click it, and then click Delete.
  • To delete all of the items, on the File menu, click Empty Recycle Bin.

You can also delete and restore items by dragging them into and out of the Recycle Bin.

To view files and folders on your computer

  1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
  2. To find a file in a folder, under Files Stored on This Computer, double-click a folder.
  3. To find a file or folder on a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or other media, under Devices with Removable Storage, double-click the item you want to see.
  4. To return to the previous folder, click the Back button on the toolbar. If the toolbar is not visible, on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Standard Buttons.
  5. To use Windows Explorer to view the files and folders on your computer, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.

To use Search Companion

Search Companion makes it easy to search for files and folders by name, type, or size, and you can find a file containing specific text.

  1. Click Start, and then click Search.
  2. In the What do you want to search for list, select a search criteria method, fill in the appropriate search information, and then click Search.