Characteristics of the My Computer application. Managing files, folders, disks using the My Computer application

The My Computer folder allows the user to configure computer settings and manage its file system. Its icon is usually located in the upper left corner of the desktop. To open the My Computer folder, double-click its icon on the Windows desktop. The appearance is shown in Fig. 1

In the folder window there is a set of icons corresponding to the disks available on the computer, for example, Disk 3.5 (A:), (C:), (D:).

Clicking on any of the drives will open a window with the contents of the selected drive, which you can already manage: create new folders, copy, move, paste, rename, delete.

Creating folders

There are several ways to create a folder:

1) using the File menu:

In the My Computer window, go to the folder within which you plan to create a new one;

Select New > Folder from the File menu;

The name is highlighted, and in this state it can be given any name;

Press the Enter button.

Go to the folder within which you plan to create a new one;

Move the mouse pointer to the right panel;

In a space free from icons on the right panel, open the context menu;

Select the New > Folder command in the context menu;

A folder icon named New Folder will appear in the panel;

The name is highlighted, and in this state the folder can be given any name;

Press the Enter button.

Copying objects

Source is the folder from which its contents (files or other folders) are copied or cut.

Destination - the folder into which the source content is copied or pasted.

Copying is an action on an object (file, folder, application), as a result of which the object itself is in the source, and its copy is in the destination.

Moving is an action on an object (file, folder, application), as a result of which the source does not contain the object, but the destination does.

There are several ways to copy files and folders:

1) using the context menu:

Call the context menu of the selected objects and select the Copy command;

Open the receiver;

Right-click on a space free from icons and select Paste from the menu that appears;

2) using tasks for files and folders:

Select objects in the source;

Click on the Copy button;

Open the receiver;

Click the Insert button.

Copying objects to a floppy disk (drive A:)

Right-click on the icon of the folder intended for copying, calling up the context menu

Select the command Send to> Disk 3.5 (A:) from the context menu

3) using the keyboard:

Open the source, select files and folders;

Select the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C to copy to the clipboard;

Open the destination folder and place the object from the clipboard into it by selecting the Ctrl+V key combination to paste from the clipboard.

Renaming files and folders

There are several ways to rename files and folders in the My Computer window:

1) using the mouse:

Double-click the left mouse button on the object name with a short interval;

A blinking cursor will appear in the file name;

2) using the context menu:

Right-click on the selected object;

In the menu that appears, select the Rename command;

Enter a new name and press Enter.

3) using the File menu:

Select the object to be renamed;

From the File menu, select the Rename command;

Enter a new name and press Enter.

Change the folder icon

To change the folder icon:

Right-click on the shortcut;

In the context menu, select Properties, the Properties dialog box will appear;

In the window that appears, select the Settings tab;

Click on the Change Icon button, the following Change Icon dialog box will appear;

In the window that appears, select an icon and click on the OK button (to select an icon from another file, use the Browse button);

In the Properties dialog box, click OK.

Deleting objects

Deleting files and folders in the My Computer window is done in the same way as in any other window. Open the folder containing the object to be deleted and select the object or group of objects to delete.

Deleting objects can be done in several ways:

1) the classic way - using the File menu of the Delete command (if no object is selected, this command is not activated);

2) using the Remove from tasks button for folders and files;

3) using the context menu - right-click on the object to be deleted and select the Delete command in the context menu;

4) using the Delete key (the most convenient way).

You can also find out the properties of the disk using the My Computer application. Let's say we need to find out information about partition D: of the hard drive. To do this, select the D: drive icon and select the Properties command from the File menu. A disk properties dialog box will appear on the screen indicating information about the disk label, its type and the size of free and used space (Fig. 2). Instead of searching for the Properties command using the Main Menu, you can select the disk partition icon and right-click - a context menu will appear, which also contains the Properties command.

The options in the File item of the Main menu of other windows with folders and icons have similar purposes (Fig. 3).

On the Service tab, you can check the disk for errors, defragment it, or archive data from the disk (Fig. 4).

As in previous versions, folder settings in Windows 10 can be changed and adjusted to suit your needs. This allows you to make the computer OS as functional and understandable as possible.

Where to find folder properties

Displaying the hidden Folder Options item

If you have malware or viruses on your computer, the Folder and Search Options item may be hidden (if you need to show hidden files and folders, you can learn how to do this in the article “Showing hidden folders in Windows 10”). First, scan your device with antivirus programs, then proceed to restore the hidden partition.

Setting up shared access to folders and files

Accessing folders and files allows you to view and use data stored on another computer on your home network. To use this feature, configure it first.

Working Group Check

If the computer has a different workgroup, change it:

System → About the system → Change settings → Edit → enter the workgroup name and confirm the actions.

Selecting the required objects

You can select files and folders that group members can view. You can open access to individual directories or an entire local disk.

Security Settings

To open files on another device, you must enter the username and password of the account on the host computer where the files are located. Users rarely set up password protection on their home PC, but according to Windows 10 security policy, you can't use blank passwords for network access. Therefore, you need to disable password protection for network access or enable the use of blank passwords. After this, access to files on the other device will be open.

Disabling password protection

Conclusion

Configuring folder settings and opening access to them for home network users will make using the computer more convenient and functional. You can perform all actions without third-party utilities or programs using the Settings application.

The peculiarities of working with folders lie not only in the ability to open them and see the contents. It is enough to hover the mouse pointer over the object and press the right mouse button, and a drop-down menu will immediately appear with the necessary items for work.

Using these menu items, you can do many useful things with the folder:

• open, in particular - in a new window;
• configure shared access to a folder on the network;
• recreate the previous version if the creation of system restore points is enabled;
• add to one of the existing libraries, or create a new one;
• four ways to create an archive with a folder;
• send by e-mail, fax or move to a specific location on your hard drive;
• cut/copy/create shortcut/delete/rename;
• change the properties of a specific folder.

1. When you click on the last item, a window for general properties of the directory (folder) will appear.

   

   There are only two actions you can perform here. Firstly - (hidden), this is necessary so that it is impossible to see the folder, however, with certain system settings, it can still be detected. Secondly, make the contents of the folder read-only for other users; they will not be able to change the files.

2. There is also an “Others” button, by clicking on which you can see a menu for changing other directory attributes - archiving, indexing, compression and encryption.

   

3. The “Folder is ready for archiving” field is a parameter for the system and PC administrators; a check mark means that this directory has not yet been backed up.

   

4. Indexing - when you select this option, the folder will be added to a special database, which will make it easier to search in Windows if necessary.

   

5. Folder compression – this item should be highlighted if there are a lot of text files in the folder and the total volume of the folder is really large. All directory contents will then take up less space without sacrificing performance.

   

6. Encryption - setting up a folder, according to which, even if the hard drive is stolen, it will be very difficult to read the contents. You can only encrypt folders that have not been compressed. The settings are made after editing your own account, regarding the encryption options for files and folders.

   

7. The "View"/"Settings" tab allows you to change the picture that represents the directory by selecting from a collection of standard pictures (1), or from a separate file (2), or restore the default picture (3).

   

8. The "Previous Versions" tab provides the ability to restore a folder in the form and state that was captured by the Windows checkpoint.

   

Access rights settings

Here you can determine who can view, edit, and delete the contents of this folder.

1. When you select the “Sharing” button, a new window will appear where you can determine who should be allowed to interact with the directory files.

   

2. By default, only the PC administrator and the owner who created the folder have all changes and access. If you want to open the viewing option to all users, select “Everyone” in the top list. You can immediately identify one specific user or create a new account in the system.

   

3. The “Advanced settings” button will allow you to provide access to the resource not only to individual users, but to entire groups.

   

   Carefully! You need to clearly understand what goals need to be achieved when changing access rights, since as a result of rash actions, you can prohibit yourself from any interaction with your own folder.

   

4. Password protection of the directory will be possible after appropriate configuration.

   

5. A continuation of setting up access to the folder is the “Security” tab, in which you can change both the owner and creator of the directory and his access rights.

   

And here you need to be careful so as not to lose the ability to manage the folder.

Folders settings

However, there are other ways to change folder properties.

Although in this case you won’t even be able to open the virtual memory file, sometimes you may need access to the hidden resources of some programs, so it is better to disable the ability to view hidden data, but keep in mind the method of opening access.

How to open access in Windows 8 and 10

Access in Windows 8

Access on Windows 10

A similar function for opening access to system objects (in Windows 7 “Folder Options”) in the tenth version of the system is the “Explorer Options” option.

Advice! It is not recommended to constantly work in the operating system as an administrator. It is best to log in as a simple user, without the ability to make critical changes, as most Linux-like operating systems require. In this case, the risk of damaging the system will be much lower.

Other useful features

Show folder size information.

This is important because sometimes it is difficult to quickly estimate how much more information will fit on a particular medium (for example, a flash drive).

If you need to disable caching of thumbnails, you will have to check the corresponding box.

Now, instead of images of graphic files, only faceless standard images of files will be displayed.

This will save a little space on the PC’s hard drive, but if the workstation is needed specifically for editing pictures, then there is no point in disabling caching, because on the contrary, it reduces the time it takes to search for the necessary data, but you need a decent amount of RAM, otherwise the system will “slow down.”

If you select the option to highlight compressed and encrypted NTFS files in different colors, you will be able to find out where these file types are located. The system cannot compress some system data and encrypted folders, however, reducing disk space may be necessary for comfortable operation. In some cases, it may be advisable to remove encryption from certain large directories and compress that folder.

Often not everyone understands what this function is. It should be clarified that the system has a special service to facilitate data retrieval. It manages a special database on the hard drive, if the folder or file is participating in the indexing program, the service will suggest this object during a search when the name of the directory or file is similar to the data the user is looking for.

It makes sense to partially enable indexing if you often need to search for specific files, for example, music or video. Then all folders with similar content need to be indexed.

Comment! On weak PCs, indexing can reduce system speed.

The service is turned on and off in the corresponding list of system services, called Windows Search.

Optimal folder setup will lead to more productive work. But you need to be careful when changing system settings and periodically create system restore checkpoints.

Watch the video on setting the properties of folders and files.

Video - Folder Options in Windows 7

Folder properties allow you to change the basic parameters of both the current directory and all folders in the system. The basic settings are no different in Windows 7 and 10. But launching the settings themselves has some features in each version of the system.

IN Windows 7 you need to open any directory and select the button in the upper left corner Arrange. In the context menu, look for and click on “ folder and search options" You can make it simpler and just press the Alt key.

After this, a panel will appear at the top of the window, where you need to click on Folder Options.

In version 10 systems everything happens a little simpler. Here the menu is not hidden and just go to “ View" and find the button Options.

After clicking on this button, the menu of interest to us will open with folder settings.

How to change properties and basic settings

Let's look at the basic folder options and what they mean. After we have completed the above steps in front of us, a window with settings will open.

General section There is no need to describe it specifically. Everything is clear here. It is possible to open each directory in a new window, as well as change the click action. As a standard, you can select an object with one click and launch it with a double click. By changing these settings, you can launch files with a single click.

Next tab " View» allows you to make more detailed settings.

Tip 1. Folder opens slowly My computer in Windows XP
Solution: - Go to My computer- tab Service(Tools) - Folder properties(Folder Options). In the window Folder properties on the tab View(View) uncheck the very first checkbox: Automatic search for network folders and printers(Automatically search for network folders and printers), if it is installed and click OK.
This technique can speed up the opening of a folder by 3-5 seconds.

Tip 2. When copying files, the button No for everyone absent
In a number of operations in Windows (when copying several files, for example), the “Replace file?” window appears, with three answer options in the form of buttons: Yes, Yes for everyone And No.
Button No for everyone missing, but its functionality can be used, you just need to know how to press it.
To do this, click on the No button while holding down the Shift button. This works in all similar windows where there are only three answer options.

Tip 3. Error reporting
When working at a computer, situations often arise when a system or program crashes. freezes and you have to turn it off. In such situations, a window usually appears asking you to send a report to a Microsoft service, which most users are already tired of.

Solution: To disable the appearance of such windows, right-click on the shortcut My computer - Properties- tab Additionally, press the button error reporting and install Disable error reporting, and also uncheck the box But notify about critical errors.
Click OK and forget about these windows.

Tip 4. Removing unnecessary rollback points for system recovery.
From time to time, Windows independently creates rollback points to recover from failures. If you have not reinstalled Windows for a long time, then a lot of these rollback points may accumulate. By deleting them, you can significantly free up space on your C drive. You will be surprised at the amount of freed up space.
If the system works stably, this can be done without fear, especially since the last rollback point is not deleted!
Solution: Let's follow the path Start - All programs - Standard - Service - Disk Cleanup – Disk C(or the one on which windows is installed) - tab Additionally - System Restore- button Clear.
Next, we confirm our intentions and wait for the cleaning to complete.

Tip 5. The program installation process stops at the very end.
Have you ever had a situation when, while installing a program or game in Windows XP, the installation process stopped almost at the very end? The installation progress indicator shows 99% or even 100% complete and stands still, but the installation process does not end!
This happens when the path to the folder for storing temporary files of the installed program has a too long name and to solve this problem it is enough to specify a shorter path for such a folder.

Solution: right-click on the icon My computer. In the menu that appears, select the command Properties, then select the tab Additionally, press the button Environment Variables and change the values ​​of the variables TEMP And TMP. To do this, click the button Change and enter a shorter path (for example: C:\Temp And C:\Tmp).
After this, you can delete the folders whose path was registered before the changes and safely install programs using new folders for temporary storage.

Tip 6. Adding virtual memory (swap file).
Sometimes there are situations when the computer suddenly exits the program and even reboots after that without saving the data (this often happens while passing the next level of your favorite game). This is not even due to the program (game) itself, but to the fact that some programs, and especially games, require additional resources from the computer, including virtual memory.
Sometimes, in such cases, a message appears in the lower right corner of the screen indicating a lack of virtual memory.

Solution: My computer(right click) – Properties– tab Additionally- in point Performance press the button Options- tab Additionally- in point Virtual memory click button Change.
In drive C (or on the one where you have the OS installed) enable the item Special size and increase the values ​​of the initial and maximum virtual memory sizes by about one and a half times. Next click everywhere OK.
Recommendations:
1 - make sure that your paging file is located not on the system disk, but on some other one (D or E), which is less loaded with work.
2 - set the minimum page file value to 1.5 times the RAM value.
If the game continues to crash (for this reason), you can try increasing these values ​​again.

Tip 7. Find out detailed information about your computer.
You can find out detailed information about your computer and the installed OS in various ways, including using special programs.
However, in Windows XP there is one method that few beginners know about.
With its help, you can find out a lot of useful information, including the computer's uptime (how long the computer has been running since it was turned on).
Do the following: Start – All programs – Standard – Command line
Next, on the command line, type systeminfo and review the information received.
To save this data to a file, type systeminfo>info.txt

The saved file can be found in the folder: C:\Documents and Settings\username\info.txt

Tip 8. Restoring previous folder windows when logging in.
If you have important windows open and you suddenly need to turn off or restart your computer, then know that in Windows XP it is possible to make sure that the next time you turn on the computer, your important windows will be in the same place as they were before the reboot.

Solution: To launch this feature, you need to activate it. Go to any folder (for example My Computer), select Service - Folder properties- tab View- check the box Restore previous folder windows upon login and press the button Apply.
This feature only affects windows (open folders), but does not affect running programs.

Tip 9. Hiding information from strangers.
Sometimes it is necessary to hide some information from prying eyes. This recommendation is suitable for hiding information from those who are not very computer savvy and do not know how it is done. For example, you don't want children to find any folder with important documents and accidentally delete it. For these purposes, Windows provides the ability to make this folder invisible (hidden).

Solution: To do this, right-click on the folder that you want to make hidden, select Properties, in the window that opens, check the box Hidden and press OK.
With this action you will assign the attribute to the desired folder Hidden. This attribute can also be assigned to individual files.
In Windows, you can make such folders and files visible or hidden.
To prevent hidden folders from being displayed, do this: My computer – Service – Folder properties– tab View- V Additional options check the box Don't show hidden files and folders– click OK.
That's all. Now the folder is not visible and in order for it to be visible again, you need to do the same steps in reverse order and remove the attribute Hidden folder.

Tip 10. Disabling the indexing service.
Windows XP has a special indexing service that is designed to speed up file searches. For these purposes, it marks (indexes) files on the disk. However, this advantage often results in a slowdown in the execution of many operations, and the refusal of indexing speeds up the execution of commands and frees up a significant part of the computer's resources.
This is especially true for disks with the NTFS file system, and therefore for such disks it is better to disable this service.
Solution: Open a window My computer, right-click on the hard drive icon and select the item from the drop-down menu Properties. In the window that appears, uncheck the box Allow disk indexing for quick search. We do the same with all existing logical drives (D, E, etc.).