The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group
Tips For Absolute Beginners
(repeated from July 2000 for all the new users we've welcomed as members in recent times)

I have found that many users do not read the basic manuals, in fact most don't and even relatively experienced users occasionally miss a very handy shortcut method.
 
When you are using Explorer, File Manager or any other Windows product to mark some files in a subdirectory or folder as Windows refers to subdirectories, to copy, move or delete them, the following conventions apply to all Windows programs.
  • Clicking once on a file marks it by highlighting it
  • Clicking on another file, will mark it, and will deselect the first.
  • By holding the Control key when clicking, all the previously selected files remain selected.
  • By holding the Shift key down when clicking, all files between the last highlighted file and the current file that is being selected will also be highlighted.
  • Both Shift and Control clicking can be used in the same session. An example of this use would be if you wanted to delete all but two or three files from a folder that contains very many files.
    This is achieved by:
    • click once to highlight the first of the files to be deleted
    • scroll down to the last file
    • hold the shift key down and click on the last file to mark the lot
    • release the shift key and scroll until you see a file that you wish to keep then holding the Control key click on it. This will unmark just this file and leave the others marked.

To delete the marked files just press the Delete key. In Windows 95/98/NT if you hold the shift key down when you press the Delete key, the files will be deleted, rather than going into the Recycle bin and then having to be deleted from there.

In Windows Explorer, to sort by date just click on "Modified" heading. This helps you to quick find the recent files or, click on Size to find all the large files. Clicking a second time will reverse the sort order.

  • If these headings are not visible, but other headings are, then extend the Explorer window to the right.
  • If no headings are visible below the line which reads: Contents of... then click on View and select and Details.
General Tips

Tip: Need to find a file containing a particular word or phrase because you forgot the file name? With Windows 95/98 this is not a problem. Under Find, select Advanced and in the box marked Containing Text just type in what you are seeking.

Tip: The Windows 95/98 registry files should be backed up at regular intervals. From the DOS prompt, when in your destination folder, type XCOPY C:\WINDOWS\*.DA? /H.

Reprinted from the October 2001 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia