"Housekeeping" your Computer Files

Just like in the real world sometimes in the "virtual" world of computers we need to do a little cleaning up. When we use some programs or when the computer "crashes" we have some unnecessary "trash" files left behind that we need to delete. Even with the best of intentions sometimes we "misplace" files and wind up saving them more than once, in more than one folder. We may also have made some files that no longer make sense or we never completed. All of these take up space on the hard drive, can confuse us when we go looking for something and slow things down. We can remove all these files.

This is also a good opportunity to organize where your "data" files (the ones you have created) are stored. If you notice you have 30 or 40 files under "Documents" it may be time to make more sub-folders (sub-directories) with names like My Work Stuff and Family or Job Search (my favorite and biggest is always "Read Later").

Remember in New Deal we can use the "alternate" mouse button (right button if you are right handed) click and hold on a file and drag it to the "Wastebasket".

On the right we are going to get set up to safely remove or move some files.

  • Start by opening "Computer" on your "Desktop" to Drive "C".
  • In the "root directory", C:\ you should only have "system files" and a listing of all your major folders.
  • Drag to enlarge this window to about half the size of your screen.
  • Click on "File/View/Names" and "Details". Be sure Show Hidden Files is NOT CHECKED .
  • In this View you can now see the names of the files and folders.
  • Return to "File/Create Folder" and make one called "Check". You now should see various folders and just a few files in this directory; Config.sys, Autoexec.bat, Command.com and Drdos.386. If you see anything like IBMBios.XXX  STOP. You have Show Hidden Files checked. Go back and turn that off.
  • You can now "safely" move (alternate click/hold/drag) any other files from here to the "Check" folder.
  • You can store all the files you may wish to delete in the "Check" folder until you are sure it is safe to delete them.
  • Open each of the other folders in "C:" except NewDeal (NDO98 or NDSS98). Each will open in a new window.
  • Any files with the extension (.xxx) .tmp , .bak , .old or with a ~ after the .  ".~xx" should be able to be moved to "Check".
  • You can also move any .zip files that you have already "unzipped" and installed, unless you want to transfer them to another computer.
  • Close all windows; exit normaly and restart your computer. If your computer does not restart you will need to use your "boot disk" and, in DOS copy the files back from "Check" to the root directory (C:\)
Glad you made it Back! Now you can look in the "Documents" folder on the "Desktop". Look at any files named XXX Untitled. These are documents that were opened and not saved when NewDeal shut down. If it is something you want to save go to "File/Save As" and give it a name. You will still need to delete the untitled file after this is done. Clean out as many as you can. Double check that you don't need them. In Computer/C Drive go back to "Check" and put all of those in the "Wastebasket". Right (alternate) click on the wastebasket and select "Empty Wastebasket". You have now regained disk space and are ready for the computer to do the rest of the work.
Next File Management Section -
Checking and Optimizing the Hard Disk
Back to Unit 4 Map