Tech Help Tip on Hard Disk and My Computer Folder

Memory, where all programs and contents that you write or use are stored on your PC, can be either on the hard disk itself that comes with your PC, or it can be external storage devices such as DVD, floppy disk, etc.

When you go to My Computer folder, you see details about your hard disk drives, classifying hard disk drive into local disk (C:), local disk (D:) and so on, which is also called partitioning of hard disk space.

A look at My Computer folder of an organized PC user shows that the total memory is divided into C drive and D drive. While technically, you can store whatever files you create also on the C drive folder, yet tech help experts advise you to store them on D drive. For instance, if you create a Microsoft Word file for corresponding with your supplier, you save it on D drive.

When you go to My Computer folder, you see details about your hard disk drives. It classifies hard disk drive into local disk (C:), local disk (D:) and so on. This is also called partitioning of hard disk space. In the C drive, it is advisable to store program files and files that define documents and settings of your personal data related with security purposes.

Program files are system files that come when you install operating system (OS) such as Microsoft Windows OS and other software that you install on your PC. Thus a typical program file folder of a PC user may include:

1. Microsoft Windows

2. Microsoft Office

3. Mozilla Firefox

4. Windows Media Player

5. Windows NT

6. Microsoft Visual Studio

7. Mozilla Firefox

8. Adobe Flash

9. Java

10. Kaspersky Lab

Each of the above system level folders will contain software programs that were supplied once the above packages were installed. For instance, Microsoft Office will include system level programs that come with Microsoft Office. They can be further categorized into specific folders such as:

1. Clipart

2. Media

3. Templates

Your media folder may include the wave sound file ELPHRGO1 that is used when you listen music on your computer. Why not click through My Computer now and check it out. Once on My Computer folder, just press Ctrl+F. You get a menu that reads:

What do you want to search for?

You press the third option which is:

All files and folders

Now, in the first option which reads, All or part of the file name, you type ELPHRG01. If this is the file that loads program that helps you listen to music on your PC, ELPHRG01 will show up in the search result.

In this way, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Mozilla Firefox, and each of the

9 folders of our hypothetical PC user will contain system level files that contain codes which help to run corresponding applications.

When you open your Microsoft Word, whatever you are writing is because of the system level programs that are saved in files in the folder Microsoft Office. Usually, it is best to keep this folder unaccessible for day-to-day use. Only administrator or tech help experts should have access to C drive.

You may also create a subfolder within C drive that will include documents and settings related with data security of your PC which only administrator or you can access.

Now, you rightly understood that disk partitioning is done to organize your hard disk in a better way. You can reserve C drive for program files. The remaining space on your hard disk can be divided into D drive and so on.

After clicking My Computer, you will see address bar that locates the path of the file on hard disk. When you click through local disk (C:), you see C:\ on the address bar.

In this way, you categorize your files on your PC in two basic levels: While C drive includes your system level files, you save your application files on D drive.

Although technically, you can make more drives such as E, F, and so on, yet tech help experts advise to regroup your application files within D drive. As a result, one tech help tip could be to divide your hard disk on My Computer into C drive and D drive only. You will obviously need to further classify your data for better organization of your application files. This you will do in folders and subfolders within D drive.