File management is organizing and keeping track of files and folders, helping you stay organized, so information is easily located. A folder is a container for storing programs and files, similar to a folder in a file cabinet. As with a file cabinet, working with poorly managed files is like looking for a needle in a haystack—it is frustrating and time-consuming to search through irrelevant, misnamed, and out-of-date files to find the one you want. Windows Vista allows you to organize folders and files in a file hierarchy, imitating the way you store paper documents in real folders. Just as a file cabinet contains several folders, each containing related documents with dividers grouping related folders together, so the Windows file hierarchy allows you to organize your files in folders, and then place folders in other folders. At the top of each hierarchy is the name of the hard drive or main folder. This drive or folder contains several files and folders, and each folder contains related files and folders.

Using the file management tools, you can save files in folders with appropriate names for easy identification, quickly and easily create new folders so you can reorganize information and delete files and folders that you no longer need. You can also search for a file when you cannot remember where you stored it, create shortcuts to files and folders for quick and easy access, and even compress files and folders to save space.

A folder can hold different types of files, such as text, spreadsheets, and presentations. The Documents folder is the main location in Windows Vista where you store your files. However, there are some special folders, such as Pictures and Music, designed with specialized features to store specific types of files.

The Explorer windows (New!) are powerful easy-to-use tools for working with files consistently across Windows Vista. Explorers give you more information and control while simplifying how you work with your files. The experience is easy and consistent, whether you’re browsing documents or photos or even using the Control Panel. Key elements of the Explorer windows in Windows Vista are designed to help you get to the information you need, when you need it. Each Explorer window includes the following elements:

Windows Vista displays the contents of a drive or folder in different ways to help you find the information you are looking for about a file or folder. The available views include Extra Large, Large, Medium and Small Icons (New!), List, Details, and Tiles.

Icons view displays icons in different sizes (Extra Large, Large, Medium, and Small), sorted alphabetically in horizontal rows, with the name of the file or folder below each icon. When you view files using one of the Icon views, Live icons (New!)—thumbnails—display the first page of documents, the image of a photo, or the album art for individual songs, making it easier to find exactly what you are looking for.

List view displays small icons, sorted alphabetically into vertical columns, with the name of the file or folder next to each icon.

Details view displays small icons, sorted alphabetically in a single vertical column, with the name of the file or folder and additional information, such as file size, type, and date, in columns to the right.

Tiles view displays icons, sorted alphabetically into vertical columns, with information about the file next to each icon.

Switching Between Views

You use the Views button on the toolbar in an Explorer window to quickly switch between window views. When you click the Views button, the view switches between the following four views: List, Details, Tiles, and Large Icons. If you want to select a different view, you can click the arrow next to the Views button to display a menu, where you can click a view or drag the slider. When you drag the slider, you can position it anywhere within the range, not just the main positions.

The Computer window is the starting point to access every disk, folder, and file on your computer. You can access the Computer window from the Start menu. The Computer window displays several types of local, removable, and network drives. Drives and folders are represented by icons. Each drive is assigned a drive letter, denoted with parentheses and a colon, such as Local Disk (C:), to make it easier to identify. Typically, the floppy is drive A, the hard (also known as local) disk is drive C, and the CD or DVD is drive D. If your computer includes additional drives, your computer assigns them letters in alphabetical order. Once you open more than one drive or folder, you can use buttons on the Command bar to help you move quickly between folders.

Open and View the Computer

1. Click the Start button, and then click Computer.

2. Click a drive to select it.

3. Review the drive details in the Details pane.

4. Double-click the drive to open it.

5. Click the Back button or Forward button on the toolbar to return or move to a previously visited window.

   Timesaver

   You can press the Backspace key to go back to a previous folder you visited.

6. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Did You Know?

You can add the Computer icon to the desktop. Right-click the desktop in a blank area, click Personalize, click Change desktop icons in the left pane, select the Computer check box, and then click OK.

You can find Windows system information in Computer. Click the Start button, click Computer, click System properties on the toolbar.

You can find drive or device properties in Computer. Click the Start button, click Computer, click the drive or device, click Properties on the toolbar, and then click the General tab.

See Also

See “Changing the Explorer Window View” on page 55 for information on changing the display of a folder’s contents.

Table . Typical Disk Drives on a Computer

Icon	Type Description
Local	A hard magnetic disk (or hard disk) on which you can store large amounts of data. The Local Disk (C:) stores all the files on your computer.
Floppy	A soft removable magnetic disk that comes in a 3½-inch size, which stores up to 1.44 MB of data. Floppy disks are slower to access than a hard disk, but are portable and much less expensive.
Removable	A removable magnetic disk on which you can store computer data, such as a Zip disk (requires software). Another is a Flash memory card the size of a large stamp that holds128, 256, 512 MB or greater. Flash drives connect directly into a USB plug without software.
CD-ROM	Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory An optical disk on which you can stamp, or burn, up to 1 GB (typical size is 650 MB) of data in only one session. The disc cannot be erased or burned again with additional new data.
CD-R	Compact Disc-Recordable A type of CD-ROM on which you can burn up to 1 GB of data in multiple sessions. The disc can be burned again with new data, but cannot be erased.
CD-RW	Compact Disc-Rewriteable A type of CD-ROM on which you can read, write, and erase data, just like a hard disk.
DVD	Digital Video Disc A type of DVD-ROM that holds a minimum of 4.7 GB, enough for a full-length movie.
DVD-R	Digital Video Disc-Recordable A type of DVD-ROM on which you can burn up to 4.7 GB of data in multiple sessions. The disc can be burned again with new data, but cannot be erased.
DVD-RW	Digital Video Disc-Rewriteable A type of DVD-ROM on which you can read, write, and erase data, just like a hard disk.
HD-DVD	High Density Digital Video Disc (NewSP1) A type of high density DVD-ROM on which you can read data; the disc appears as a high density drive.
Blu-ray	High Density Blu-ray Disc (NewSP1) A type of high density DVD-ROM on which you can read data; the disc appears as a high density drive.

Windows makes it easy to manage the personal and business files and folders you work with every day. You can access your Documents folder from the Start menu. In the Documents folder, you can view file information, organize files and folders, and open files and folders. Once you open more than one folder, you can use buttons on the Command bar to help you move quickly between folders. Depending on previous installation, devices installed, or other users, your personal folders might differ.

View and Open Documents

1. Click the Start button, and then click Documents.

2. Click a file to select it.

3. Review the document details in the Details pane.

4. Double-click the file to open it.

5. Use the scroll bars to view additional documents. Drag the scroll box, or click the scroll arrows.

6. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Did You Know?

Windows creates a separate Documents folder for each user. When you share a computer, Windows creates a separate Documents folder and stores personalized settings for each user. Each user’s Documents folder is located in the Documents And Settings folder under the user’s name on the local hard disk.

Open Any Folder and Switch Between Folders

1. Click the Start button, and then click the user account name, or any other Explorer window, such as Documents, Pictures, or Music.

2. Double-click the folder to open it.

3. Click the Back button or Forward button to return or move to a previously visited window.

4. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Did You Know?

Windows stores music and picture files in separate folders in your personal folder. Windows stores music files in the Music folder and pictures in the Pictures folder, which you can access from the Start menu.

See Also

See “Changing the Explorer Window View” on page 55 for information on changing the display of a folder’s contents.

Opening a Document with a Different Program

Most documents on your desktop are associated with a specific program. For example, if you double-click a document whose file name ends with the three-letter extension “.txt,” Windows automatically opens the document with Notepad, a text-only editor. There are situations, though, when you need to open a document with a program other than the one Windows chooses, or when you want to choose a different default program. For example, you might want to open a text document in WordPad rather than Notepad so that you can add formatting and graphics. To do this, right-click the document icon you want to open, point to Open With, and then click the application you want to use to open the document, or click Choose Program to access more program options. Once you open a text file using WordPad, this option is automatically added to the Open With menu.

Windows Vista makes it easy to find and open recently used files. You can use the Recent Items option on the Start menu, or the Recently Changed folder (New!) in the Navigation pane of an Explorer window. To quickly open a recently used file, click the Start menu, point to Recent Items, and then click the file you want to open. To view recently changed files, open an Explorer window, such as Documents, and then click Recently Changed in the Navigation pane. If you want to open a file, simply double-click it.

Open a Recently Changed File

1. Click the Start button, and then open an Explorer window, such as Username, Documents, Pictures, or Music.

2. Click the Recently Changed link.

3. To open a file, double-click the file icon.

   The program associated with the file starts and opens the file.

4. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Windows Vista comes with a personal folder that stores your most frequently used folders in one location. The personal folder appears on the Start menu with the name of the person logged on to the computer. The personal folder only contains files and folders associated with a user account and are unique for each user on the computer. The personal folder (New!) includes a variety of folders: Contacts, Desktop, Documents, Favorites, Links, Music, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches, and Videos. You can access these folders using the personal folder or by name on the Start menu.

The Address bar (New!) appears at the top of every Explorer window and displays the current location on your computer or network. The location appears as a series of links separated by arrows. You can change your current location by either typing a new location—even a Web address on the Internet—or selecting one using the Address bar. You can also use the Back and Forward buttons to the left of the Address bar to switch between locations you have previously visited.

Windows Vista offers a useful feature for managing files and folders, called the Folders list. The Folders list displays the window in two panes, or frames, which allows you to view information from two different locations. The left pane of the Folders list displays the file hierarchy of all the drives and folders on the computer, and the right pane displays the contents of the selected drive or folder. This arrangement enables you to view the file hierarchy of your computer and the contents of a folder simultaneously making it easy to copy, move, delete, and rename files and folders. Using the non filled arrow and the filled arrow to the left of an icon in the Folders list allows you to display different levels of the drives and folders on your computer without opening and displaying the contents of each folder.

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Windows Vista gives you the option to customize the layout for each Explorer window depending on the information the window contains. The layout (New!) for each Explorer window includes a Menu Bar, Details pane, Preview pane, and Navigation pane. The Details and Navigation panes appear by default. Some Explorer windows, such as the personal folder labeled with your user account name, also include a Search Pane, which you can use. The Organize menu shows or hides the layout elements. If you prefer working with menus like the previous version of Windows, you can show the Menu Bar and use traditional menus.

WINV-4.2.4

The Navigation pane (New!) provides links to commonly used folders and saved searches to reduce the number of clicks it takes to locate a file or folder. Windows Vista provides a default list of favorite links including Documents, Pictures, Music, Recently Changed, and Searches. You can customize the Navigation pane to include the folders or saved searches you want for your everyday use. You can move current links, add or rename folders or save searches, or remove an item. If the Navigation pane gets cluttered, you can restore it back to the original default items and start from there.

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WINV-4.5.5

In Explorer windows, files appear in lists with headings at the top. You can use the headings to change how files are displayed in the window. There are several ways to organize your files by using file list headings and they include filtering, stacking, and grouping. Filtering (New!) displays only files with the properties you select by heading type. Stacking (New!) displays all of the files in the view into piles by heading type. After you stack files into piles, you can open individual ones to view the contents of the stack. Grouping (New!) displays a sequential list of all of the files by heading type. Grouping and stacking are similar organizational tools. Grouping organizes files into visible groups, while stacking organizes files into hidden groups within an icon.

Organize Files Using Filtering

1. Open the folder that contains the files you want to filter.

2. Point to the heading you want to filter by.

3. Click the arrow to the right of the heading you want to filter by.

4. Select the property check boxes you want to filter by.

5. Click in a blank area to close the search menu.

   • To cancel the search, press Esc.

Did You Know?

You can sort files using headings. Open the folder that contains the files you want to sort, point to the heading you want to sort by, click the arrow to the right, and then click Sort. Click in a blank area to close the search menu. To quickly sort files by headings, click the heading title. Either method, the sort toggles between ascending and descending.

Organize Files Using Stacking

1. Open the folder that contains the files you want to stack.

2. Point to the heading you want to stack by.

3. Click the arrow to the right of the heading you want to stack by.

4. Click Stack by <heading name>.

5. Click in a blank area to close the search menu.

   • To cancel the search, press Esc.

6. To view the files within an individual stack, double-click the stack.

Organize Files Using Grouping

1. Open the folder that contains the files you want to group.

2. Point to the heading you want to group by.

3. Click the arrow to the right of the heading you want to group by.

4. Click Group.

5. Click in a blank area to close the search menu.

   • To cancel the search, press Esc.

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WINV-4.4.6

Sometimes remembering precisely where you stored a file can be difficult. Windows Vista allows you to use Windows Search Explorer (by default) or a third-party search application (NewSP1), such as Google Desktop Search, to help you find and view all of your files or folders in one place. You start a search by using keyboard shortcuts. Windows Search Explorer provides easy access to all of your most common files, such as documents, pictures, music, and e-mail, in a single view. If you don’t find the file or folders you’re looking for, you can perform an advanced search. An advanced search gives you the option to find files or folders by type, name, title, location, date (taken, modified, or created), size, or property tag. The search locates files and programs stored anywhere in indexed locations, which includes personal folders, e-mail, offline files, and Web sites in your History list.

Create an Advanced Search

1. Start the default search application using any of the following:

   1. Press Windows logo+F.

   2. Click Start and then press F3.

   3. Press Ctrl+F in an Explorer window.

2. Click the type of file you want to locate: All, E-mail, Document, Picture, Music, or Other.

3. Click the Advanced Search button.

   

4. Specify the options you want:

   • Name. Type a file name.

   • Tags. Type a property tag.

   • Title. Type the author name.

   • Location. Click the list arrow, and then select a location.

   • Date. Click the first list arrow, select the date type you want to find, click the second list arrow, select a search criteria, and then specify a value.

   • Size. Click the list arrow, select a search criteria, and then specify a value.

5. Select or clear the Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files (might be slow) check box.

6. Click Search.

Did You Know?

You can search everywhere on your computer. If you can’t find a file, you can search everywhere on your computer. In the Advanced Search pane, specify any search criteria, click the Locations arrow, click Everywhere, and then click Search. This might take a long time.

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If you frequently perform the same search, you can save your search results (New!) like any file and perform or modify the search again later. When you save a search, the search is saved by default with Window Search Explorer in the Searches folder, which you can open by clicking the Searches folder link in the Navigation pane. Like any link, you can move a saved search from the Searches folder to the Favorite links section in the Navigation pane to make it more accessible. To run a saved search, display the saved search link, and then double-click it.

WINV-4.4.1

When you perform a search for files or folders, Windows Vista uses the search options (New!) to help customize the search results. You can specify whether you want to search for file names and content or just for file names and whether to include subfolders or find partial matches. For non-indexed searches, you can set options to include system directories or compressed files (ZIP, CAB...). The search options are available in the Folder Options dialog box under the Search tab.

Change Search Options

1. Click the Start button, and then click Documents.

2. Click the Organize button on the toolbar, and then click Folder and Search Options.

   Timesaver

   After a search, click Search Tools on the toolbar, and then click Search Options.

3. Click the Search tab.

4. Select the What to search option you want.

5. Select or clear the check boxes under How to search:

   • Include subfolders when typing in the Search box.

   • Find partial matches.

   • Use natural language search.

   • Don’t use the Index when searching the file system (might be slow).

6. Select or clear the check boxes under When searching non-indexed locations:

   • Include system directories.

   • Include compressed files (ZIP, CAB, ...)

7. Click OK.

WINV-4.4.3,

WINV-4.4.4

You can also find files and programs using the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu and at the top of every Explorer window. As you type, the Search box (New!) filters out items that don’t match the text you type. The search results continue to narrow as you continue to type. The search includes text in the file name, text in the file, tags (a custom file property), and other file properties. The search locates files and programs stored anywhere in indexed locations, which includes personal folders, e-mail, offline files, and Web sites in the History list for your Web browser. If you don’t find what you are looking for during a search, you can click Search Everywhere (NewSP1) or Search the Internet to use Windows search capabilities.

Find a File or Program Using the Search Box on the Start Menu

1. Click the Start button.

2. Click in the Search box.

3. Type a word or part of a word.

   As you type, programs and files that match your text appear on the Start menu. You don’t have to press Enter.

   Trouble?

   In the Search box, you must press Enter to start a search for non-indexed files.

4. If you don’t find what you are looking for during a search, you can click Search Everywhere or Search the Internet to use Windows search capabilities.

Did You Know?

You can display search properties. Right-click the heading in an Explorer window that you want to see properties for, and then click More.

The Search box (New!) at the bottom of the Start menu and at the top of every Explorer window filters out items that don’t match the text you type. The search includes text in the file name, text in the file, tags (a custom file property), and other file properties. In the Search box, you can perform advanced searches by specifying properties and using boolean filters. For example, Name:Agenda finds only files that have the word agenda in the file name. In addition, you can use boolean filters, such as AND, NOT, OR, Quotes, Parentheses, >, or <. For example, Agenda AND Report find files that contain both words agenda and report. When you type boolean filters, you need to use all capital letters. You can also combine properties and boolean filters together to create a more specific search.

Find Files and Folders Using the Search Folder

1. Turn off natural language search. (default off).

   1. Click the Start button, click Control Panel, double-click the Folder Options icon in Classic view, click the Search tab, clear the Use natural language search check box, and then click OK.

2. Click in the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu or at the top of an Explorer window.

3. Type an advanced search. See the table for some examples.

Table . Search Examples

Example	Description
agenda AND report	Finds files that contain both agenda and report.
agenda NOT report	Finds files that contain agenda, but not report.
agenda OR report	Finds files that contain either agenda or report.
“Agenda Report”	Finds files that contain the exact phrase “Agenda Report” in quotes.
(agenda report)	Finds files that contain both words agenda and report in any order.
date: >10/10/08	Find files that are later than 10/10/08.
size: < 100 MB	Find files that are less than 100 MB.
subject: agenda AND report	Find files with the subject agenda and any files that contain the word report.

If using properties and boolean filters seems a little to much for you to handle, you can find files using natural language search (New!), which allows you to perform the same property or boolean search, yet use a form that is easier to use. Instead of kind: document author: (Steve AND Holly), you can type documents by Steve and Holly. Before you can use natural language in a Search box, you need to turn it on under the Search tab in Folder Options in the Control Panel.

Turn On Natural Language Search

1. Click the Start button, and then Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Folder Options icon in Classic view.

3. Click the Search tab.

4. Select the Use natural language search check box.

5. Click OK.

Perform a Natural Language Search

1. Click in the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu or at the top of an Explorer window.

2. Type a natural language search. Some examples include:

   • documents modified today

   • e-mail from holly sent this week

   • music by Mozart

   • videos of family created December 2008

WINV-4.4.1

Windows keeps track of files in indexed locations (New!) and stores information about them in the background using an index, like the one found in the back of this book, to make locating files faster and easier. You can use Indexing Options in the Control Panel to view, pause, add, remove, and modify indexed locations, indexed file types, and other advanced index settings. For example, if a file type is not recognized by the index, you can add it; if you want to stop indexing new content for 15 minutes (NewSP1) to specify options, you can pause it; or if you’re having problems with the search index, you can rebuild or restore it.

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WINV-4.6.2

When you create a file, Windows automatically adds properties to the files, such as name, creation date, modified date, and size. These properties are important to Windows, however, they may not be useful when you are searching for a file. You can add or modify common file properties and create or modify custom tag properties (New!) to make it faster and easier to locate files in the future. You can add or modify properties for most files. However, there are some exceptions, such as plain text (.txt) or rich text format (.rtf) files. You can add or modify properties using the Details pane in an Explorer window, the Details tab in the Properties dialog box, or in the Save As dialog box. If you want to remove some or all of the property information in a file, you can quickly remove it using the Properties dialog box.

Add or Modify Properties

1. Click the Start button, and then click Documents.

2. Click the file you want to add or modify properties.

3. In the Details pane, click the tag you want to change, and then type the new tag.

   • If the Details pane is not available, right-click the file, click Properties, click the Details tab. When you’re done, click Apply.

4. To add more than one tag, separate each entry with a semicolon.

5. To rate a file using the rating property, click the star that represents the rating you want to give the file.

6. Click Save.

Add or Modify Properties While Saving a File

1. Click the File menu in the program you are using, and then click Save As.

2. Type tags and other properties in the boxes provides.

3. To add more than one property, separate each entry with a semicolon.

4. Type the name of the file.

5. Click Save.

Remove Properties

1. Click the Start button, click Documents, and then locate the file in which you want to remove properties.

2. Select the file you want to remove properties.

3. Click the Organize button on the toolbar, and then click Remove Properties.

4. Click the Create a copy with all possible properties removed option or click the Remove the following properties from this file: option.

5. Select or clear the check boxes for each property.

6. Click OK.

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WINV-4.6.3

The keys to organizing files and folders effectively within a hierarchy are to store related items together and to name folders informatively. Creating a new folder can help you organize and keep track of files and other folders. In order to create a folder, you select the location where you want the new folder, create the folder, and then lastly, name the folder. You should name each folder meaningfully so that just by reading the folder’s name you know its contents. After you name a folder or file, you can rename it at any time.

WINV-4.6.3

Sometimes you will need to move a file from one folder to another, or copy a file from one folder to another, leaving the file in the first location and placing a copy of it in the second. You can move or copy a file or folder using a variety of methods. If the file or folder and the location where you want to move it are visible in a window or on the desktop, you can simply drag the item from one location to the other. Moving a file or folder on the same disk relocates it whereas dragging it from one disk to another copies it so that it appears in both locations. When the destination folder or drive is not visible, you can use the Cut (to move), Copy, and Paste commands on the Edit menu to move or copy the items.

WINV-4.6.3

When you organize the contents of a folder, disk, or the desktop, you might find files and folders that you no longer need. You can delete these items or remove them from the disk. If you delete a file or folder from the desktop or from the hard disk, it goes into the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin, located on your desktop, is a temporary storage area for deleted files. The Recycle Bin stores all the items you delete from your hard disk so that if you accidentally delete an item, you can remove it from the Recycle Bin to restore it. Be aware that if you delete a file from a removable disk, it is permanently deleted, not stored in the Recycle Bin. The files in the Recycle Bin do occupy room on your computer, so you need to empty it to free up space.

Restore Files and Folders

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.

2. Select the item or items you want to restore.

3. Click the Restore this item or Restore all items button on the toolbar.

Did You Know?

You can undo a deletion. If you accidentally delete a file, click Organize, and then click Undo Delete. Windows remembers your last three actions.

You can’t open a deleted folder and restore selected items. When you’ve deleted a folder, you have to restore the entire folder.

Changing Recycle Bin Properties

You can adjust several Recycle Bin settings by using the Properties option on the Recycle Bin shortcut menu. For example, if you want to delete files immediately rather than place them in the Recycle Bin, right-click the Recycle Bin, click Properties, and then select the Do Not Move Files To The Recycle Bin check box. Also, if you find that the Recycle Bin is full and cannot accept any more files, you can increase the amount of disk space allotted to the Recycle Bin by moving the Maximum size of Recycle Bin slider to the right. The percentage shown represents how much space the contents of the Recycle Bin takes on the drive.

WINV-4.2.3

It could take you a while to access a file or folder buried several levels down in a file hierarchy. To save some time, you can create shortcuts to the items you use frequently. A shortcut is a link that you can place in any location to gain instant access to a particular file, folder, or program on your hard disk or on a network just by double-clicking. The actual file, folder, or program remains stored in its original location, and you place an icon representing the shortcut in a convenient location, such as in a folder or on the desktop.

Create a Shortcut to a File or Folder

1. Open the drive or folder containing the file or folder in which you want to create a shortcut.

2. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Create Shortcut.

3. To change the shortcut’s name, right-click the shortcut, click Rename from the shortcut menu, type a new name, and then press Enter.

4. Drag the shortcut to the desired location.

Did You Know?

You can improve performance by limiting desktop items. To improve performance on your computer and find files more easily, it’s better to create desktop shortcuts rather than store files in the Documents folder.

Placing Shortcuts on the Start Menu and Taskbar

You can place shortcuts to frequently used files, folders, and programs on the Start menu or toolbar on the taskbar. To do this, simply drag the shortcut file, folder, or program to the Start button, wait until the Start menu opens, drag to the All Programs submenu, wait until the submenu opens, and then drag the shortcut to the appropriate place on the menu. You can also drag a shortcut to a toolbar on the taskbar using the same method. When you release the mouse, the item appears on the menu or toolbar.

WINV-4.1.3

If you want to hide files and folder for added privacy purposes, you can do it by setting two separate options: one to set the option to hide specific files and folders, and the other to set a general folder option to show or hide files and folders. If you set the option to hide specific files and folders and the Show hidden files and folders option is set, the hidden files and folder appear transparent. If the general option is set to Do not show hidden files and folder, the hidden files and folder are actually hidden. The only way to view them again is to set the general option to Show hidden files and folders again. Anyone can show hidden files and folders, so it shouldn’t be used for security purposes.

Show or Hide Hidden Files and Folders

1. Right-click the file or folder you want to hide or unhide, and then click Properties.

2. Select or clear the Hidden check box.

3. Click OK.

   The files or folders appear transparent or hidden.

Show or Hide Hidden Files and Folders

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Folder Options icon.

3. Click the View tab.

4. Click the Do not show hidden files and folders or Show hidden files and folders option.

5. To set the current view to all folders, click Apply to Folders.

6. Click OK.

WINV-4.1.1, WINV-4.1.2,

WINV-4.1.3

When you work with files and folders, Windows displays folder contents in a standard way, known as the default. The default folder view settings are as follows: Tiles view displays files and folders as icons; common task links appear in the left pane; folders open in the same window; and items open when you double-click them. Depending on previous installation or users, your folder view settings might differ. Instead of changing the folder view to your preferred view—Icons, List, or Details—each time you open a folder, you can change the view permanently to the one you prefer. In addition to the defaults, you can change options such as folder settings to show or hide file extensions for known file types, show or hide hidden files and folders, show or hide protected operating system files, and show pop-up descriptions of folders and desktop items.

Change the Way All Folders Work

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Folder Options icon.

3. Click the General tab.

4. Select a Tasks option to display frequently used tasks or the contents of the folder.

5. Select a Browse folders option to display each folder in the same window or its own window.

6. Select a Click items as follows option to single-click or double-click items.

7. Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can restore all folder options to default Windows settings. On the General tab in the Folder Options dialog box, click Restore Defaults.

Change the Folder View

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Folder Options icon.

3. Click the View tab.

4. To set the current view to all folders, click Apply to Folders.

5. Select the check boxes for the options you want, and clear the check boxes for the ones you don’t. Some common options include:

   • Always show menus (New!).

   • Hidden files and folders. Click an option to show or hide them.

   • Hide extensions for known file types.

   • Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) (New!).

   • Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color (New!).

   • Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items.

6. Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can reset folder views to original Windows settings. On the View tab in the Folder Options dialog box, click Reset Folders.

Understanding File Extensions

The program Windows uses to open a document depends on a three-letter extension to the document’s file name, called a file extension. You might have never seen a document’s file extension because your system might be set up to hide it. The file extension for simple text files is “.txt” (pronounced “dot t-x-t”), and many graphic files have the extension “.bmp”. This means that the full name for a text file named Memo is Memo.txt. If you double-click a document whose file name ends with the three-letter extension “.txt,” Windows automatically opens the document with Notepad, a text-only editor. If you want to display or change file extension settings, click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Folder Options icon. If you want to display file extensions in dialog boxes and windows, click the View tab, and then clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box in the Advanced settings list box. If you want to change the program Windows automatically starts with a given file extension, click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Default Programs, click Associate a file type or protocol with a program, select the file type, and then click Change Program to see the list of the file extensions Windows recognizes and the programs associated with each of them, and make changes as appropriate.

WINV-4.5.2

You can display files and folders in a variety of different ways, depending on what you want to see and do. When you view files and folders in Details view, a default list of file and folder information appears, which consists of Name, Size, Type, and Date Modified. If the default list of file and folder details doesn’t provide you with the information you need, you can add and remove any file and folder information from the Details view. If you need to change the way Windows sorts your files and folders, you can use the column indicator buttons in the right pane of Details view. Clicking one of the column indicator buttons, such as Name, Size, Type, or Date Modified, in Details view sorts the files and folders by the type of information listed in the column.

Change File Details to List

1. Open the folder you want to change.

2. Right-click a column title, and then click More, or click the View menu, and then click Choose Details.

   

   Timesaver

   Right-click a column title in Details view, and then click the detail you want to show or hide.

3. Select the check boxes with the details you want to include and clear the ones you don’t.

4. Click the Move Up or Move Down buttons to change the order of the selected items.

5. Click the Show or Hide button to show or hide the selected items.

6. Specify the width in pixels of the column for the selected items.

7. Click OK.

Did You Know?

An ellipsis indicates information is hidden. To show the information, drag the edge of the column indicator button to resize the column.

WINV-4.2.6,

WINV-4.5.1

In your personal folders, you can create your own folders and customize view options based on the contents. In the toolbar of the Pictures and Music folders, Windows provides buttons with file management activities specifically related to the contents of the folder, such as Slide Show in the Pictures folder, or Play All in the Music folders. When you create a new folder, you can customize it for pictures, music, and videos by applying a folder template, which is a collection of folder task links and viewing options. When you apply a template to a folder, you apply specific features to the folder, such as specialized task links and viewing options for working with pictures, music, and videos.

Change the Folder Look

1. Open the folder you want to change.

2. Click the Organize button on the toolbar, and the click Properties.

3. Click the Customize tab.

4. Click the list arrow, and then select the type of folder you want: All Items, Documents, Pictures and Videos, Music Details, or Music icons.

5. Select the Also apply this template to all subfolders check box to apply the option.

6. To select a picture for display on the this folder icon, click Choose File.

7. To restore the default picture for the this folder, click Restore Default.

8. Click OK.

See Also

See “Customizing the Taskbar” on page 118 for information on modifying the taskbar.

WINV-4.3.1,

WINV-4.3.2

Windows Vista maintains a set of personal folders and options for everyone on your computer to make sure the contents of each user’s personal folders remain private. The contents of your personal folders are private, unless you decide to share the contents with others who use your computer. If you want the other users on your computer to have access to files, you can place those files in a shared folder called the Public folder (New!) that each user can access. The Public folder contains subfolders to help you organize the files you are sharing, and include Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures and Videos. If you’re connected to a network, the files in the public folder are available to network users. You can also share files from any folder on your computer that you want to designate as a shared folder. When you specify a shared folder, you can also set access permission levels for a person or group.

Share a File or Folders from the Public Folder

1. Open the drive or folder containing the files or folders you want to share.

2. Select the files or folders you want to share.

3. Click the Folders link to display the Folders list.

   Timesaver

   Click the Public link in the Navigation pane.

4. Click the arrow next to the Public folder to display the Public subfolders.

5. Drag the selected items onto the Public folder or subfolder where you want to share files.

See Also

See “Setting Network Sharing Options” on page 374 for information on controlling access to a public folder over a network.

Share Any Folder on Your Computer

1. Open the drive or folder containing the files or folders you want to share.

2. Select the folders you want to share.

3. Click the Share button on the toolbar.

   

4. Do any of the following:

   1. Type the name of the person with whom you want to share files, and then click Add.

   2. Click the arrow to the right of the text box, click the person’s name, and then click Add.

   3. Click the arrow to the right of the text box, and then click Create a new user to create a new user account.

5. Click the arrow next to the permission level for the person or group, and then select a sharing permission:

   • Reader. Allows viewing only.

   • Contributor. Allows viewing and adding files, and changing or deleting files they add.

   • Co-owner. Allows viewing, adding, changing, and deleting all files.

   • Remove. Deletes the current permission setting.

6. Click Share, and the wait while Windows sets up sharing.

   

7. If you want, click the e-mail or copy link to notify people you have shared this folder and files.

8. Otherwise, click Done.

You can compress files in special folders that use compressing software to decrease the size of the files they contain. Compressed folders are useful for reducing the file size of one or more large files, thus freeing disk space and reducing the time it takes to transfer files to another computer over the Internet or network. A compressed folder is denoted by a zippered folder icon. You can compress one or more files in a compressed folder by simply dragging them onto the compressed folder icon. When a file is compressed, a copy is used in the compression, and the original remains intact. You can uncompress, or extract, a file from the compressed folder and open it as you normally would, or you can open a file directly from the compressed folder by double-clicking the Compressed File icon. When you open a file directly, Windows extracts the file when it opens and compresses it again when it closes.

Uncompress Files and Folders

1. Double-click the compressed folder to open it.

2. Select the files and folders you want to uncompress.

3. Drag the selection from the compressed folder to a new location.

4. To uncompress/extract all files, right-click the compressed folder, and then click Extract All, and then step through the Extraction Wizard.

WINV-4.6.4

The low cost and large storage size of discs, either CD or DVD (New!), makes creating and using CDs or DVDs an effective way to back up information or transfer large amounts of information to another computer without a network. Before you can create a CD or DVD, you must have a blank writeable CD or DVD and a recorder (also known as a writer or burner) installed on your computer. You can copy, or write, files and folders to either a writeable disc (CD-R or DVD-R) or a rewriteable disc (CD-RW or DVD-RW). With writeable discs, you can read and write files and folders many times, but you can’t erase them. With rewriteable discs, you can read, write, and erase files and folders many times, just like a hard disk. When you burn a disc, Windows needs disk space on your hard disk equal to the capacity of the disc. For a typical CD, this is between 650 and 740 megabytes (MB) and for a DVD, this is about 4.7 gigabytes (GB). Do not copy more files and folders to the CD or DVD than it will hold; anything beyond the limit will not copy. With Windows Vista, you can burn a disc using one of two formats: Live File System or Mastered. The Live File System (New!) format allows you to copy files to a disc at any time, like a USB drive, while the Mastered format needs to copy them all at once. If you need a disc for Windows XP or later and want the convenience of copying files at any time, the Live File System is the best choice. When you need a compatible disc for older computers, the Mastered format is the better choice.