CompTIA A+® Certification All-In-One For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

2.3. Navigating Your Computer

Being able to get to the files you need when you need them is crucial. From the command prompt, you can work with cd (change directory) and dir (directory), which I cover at length in Book V, Chapter 5. When you are using Windows, you can choose between Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer) and My Computer (or Computer in Windows Vista). Either tool can be used for navigation, and your choice is purely preference. This section looks at these tools in a fresh (default) Windows XP installation using the default settings. If you have changed your settings, some windows might not be the same as I describe. When using these tools, Windows XP has a few more options than Windows 2000, and Windows Vista has a slightly different interface as well.

2.3.1. My Computer

My Computer is the most common way people access files on their computers because it's easy to find in the top-left corner of the desktop. When you double-click My Computer, a large window is displayed (as shown in Figure 2-6), listing the drives on your computer. You can then double-click your C: drive to see what files are located on that drive.

NOTE

Starting with Windows Vista, Microsoft has renamed My Computer to simply Computer.

Figure 2.6. Use My Computer to navigate file systems at the drive.

NOTE

The navigation buttons on the toolbar at the top of the My Computer window allow you ...