To move or copy items by choosing a destination:
1. In Windows Explorer, select the item(s) that you want to move or copy.
2. To move the items, choose Edit > Move to Folder (or click Move This File or Move This Folder in the task pane).
To copy the items, choose Edit > Copy to Folder (or click Copy This File or Copy This Folder in the task pane).
3. Navigate to the destination folder; then click Move (or Copy) (Figure 5.31 ).
To move or copy items by using Cut, Copy, and Paste:
1. In Windows Explorer or on the desktop, select the item(s) that you want to move or copy.
2. To move the items, press Ctrl+X (or right-click a selected item and choose Cut).
To copy the items, press Ctrl+C (or right-click a selected item and choose Copy).
3. Select the destination folder, disk, or window.
4. Press Ctrl+V (or right-click an empty area and choose Paste).
To move or copy items by dragging:
1. Make sure that the destination folder, disk, or window is visible.
2. In Windows Explorer or on the desktop, select the item(s) that you want to copy or move.
3. Right-drag the items to the destination; then release the right mouse button.
4. Choose Move Here or Copy Here from the shortcut menu (Figures 5.32 and
5.32 ).
You can use the
left mouse button and drag normally to copy or move items (bypassing the shortcut menu), but the rules that determine whether an item is actually moved or copied are confusing:
If you drag an item to another place on the same disk, it's moved.
If you drag an item from one disk to another, it's copied, not moved.
To copy an item instead of moving it, hold down Ctrl while dragging.
To move the item instead of copying it, hold down Shift while dragging.
If you drag a system icon such as My Computer or Control Panel, it's never moved or copied; instead, a shortcut is created.
Got all that? Me neither. That's why it's easier to
right- drag to copy or move items.