Saving Space by Compressing Files


As mentioned, you'll be surprised how quickly your computer fills up with files. You can delete unneeded files, but some files will fall into the category "I want to keep it, but I don't really use it." For these types of files, you can store them in a compressed folder, kind of like those magic shrink wrap storage devices they advertise on TV. In this case, the files are shrunk down in size and stored in a folder so that they don't take up so much space. These are often called zip files, and the folder icon includes a little zipper to indicate that the folder contains compressed files. When you need the files again, you can uncompress them.

tip

If you are sending several files via email, compress them first. Doing so makes the file transfer quicker for both you and the recipient.


Compressing Files

Follow these steps to compress files:

1.

Select the file(s) or folder you want to compress.

2.

Right-click any of the selected items and then select the Send To command. You'll see the Send To options (see Figure 18.4).

Figure 18.4. You can create a compressed folder from the Send To menu.


tip

You can add additional files to the compressed folder. To do so, drag the file icon to the folder icon. The file is added, but also appears in the list. You can delete the file because it is now stored in the compressed folder.

3.

Select Compressed (zipped) folder. The files are then zipped up and stored in a folder with the default name of the first file you selected. However, the files still appear in the folder (see Figure 18.5).

Figure 18.5. You see the compressed (or zipped) folder with the default name.


4.

To regain the disk space, delete the original files by right-clicking them, selecting Delete, and confirming the deletion by clicking Yes.

5.

It's also a good idea to rename the compressed folder with a more descriptive name, rather than the default filename. To do so, right-click the folder, select Rename, type a new name, and press Enter.

Uncompressing Files

If you need to access these files again, you can uncompress or unzip them and then copy them back to your hard drive. To do so, follow these steps:

1.

Open the drive and folder that contains the compressed folder. Note that the folder icon has a little zipper indicating that it is a compressed folder (see Figure 18.6).

Figure 18.6. You can uncompress files stored in a compressed folder.


2.

Double-click the compressed folder. You'll see the files within the folder (see Figure 18.7). Note that the files are not uncompressed until you follow the next steps.

Figure 18.7. When you open a compressed folder, you see the contents of that folder.


3.

Select the file(s) you want to unzip and then select the Copy command. You can right-click and select Copy, or you can click Copy the selected items in the task pane.

4.

Open the folder where you want to place the uncompressed files. Usually, you can click Back to go back to the original folder (the one that contained the compressed files).

5.

Copy the files by right-clicking a blank area of the file window and selecting Paste.

Now the file(s) are uncompressed, and you can open and work with them as needed.



    Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Windows XP
    Absolute Beginners Guide to Windows XP (2nd Edition)
    ISBN: 078973432X
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 176
    Authors: Shelley OHara

    flylib.com © 2008-2017.
    If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net