Files and FoldersTools |
Files and folders can be accessed in numerous ways. For example, to access the file
compmgnt.msc which opens the Computer Management Console, you can do any of the following and more:
Start
C:\Winnt\System32 is selected
compmgnt.msc .
Right-click on
System32 in Windows Explorer and select Search from the shortcut menu.
Start
System3 2
Start
compmgnt.msc .
Command prompt
compmgnt.msc .
Computer Management
C : drive
Internet Explorer
Make the
System32 folder a favorite if you want to access it again easily.
Right-click on the desktop
This creates a shortcut on your desktop to the
System32 folder. Double-click on this shortcut to open the folder, and browse to find
compmgnt.msc .
Go to another computer in the forest, log on as Administrator, then do this:
Start
compmgmt.msc
You can also enter this UNC path into Internet Explorer and get the same result.
The main tool for accessing files and folders is Windows Explorer, an all-in-one browsing tool that can be used to browse the filesystem of the local computer, shared folders and printers on the network, objects in Active Directory, and web content on the Internet. Other similar tools (My Computer and My Network Places) are simply different views of Windows Explorer. While Internet Explorer is a different tool, it cooperates seamlessly with Windows Explorer to give a unified browsing experience from the local computer to the Internet.
You can start Windows Explorer various ways:
Start
Start
Right-click on My Computer
Right-click on My Network Places
Internet Explorer
Command prompt
Windows Explorer displays resources in a familiar two-pane view called Explorer view, with the left pane showing the hierarchy of resources being browsed and the right pane displaying the contents of the folder, volume, or other container object selected in the left pane. Some of the more useful menu and toolbar options include:
Search button
This changes the left pane to the Search Assistant and searches for files or folders on local or remote computers.
History button
This changes the left pane to a History folder that lists files you have recently accessed.
View
This new view displays a thumbnail image of files and is particularly useful for identifying images and web pages in a folder.
View
This starts a wizard to help you customize the folder by adding a background picture or folder comment or basing it on an HTML template. For example, you could modify an HTML template to customize it with your company's logo.
Favorites
This menu option is not just for web pages; it can also be used to provide fast access to local drives or folders and to shares on the network.
Tools
Use this to configure various options for displaying files and folders.
Tools
Use this to synchronize offline folders.
The command interpreter
cmd.exe can also be used to access files and folders. See cmd in Chapter 5 for details on using this tool.