Windows XP Cookbook

Chapter 8. Files, Folders, and Shares

Introduction

This chapter covers some of the common tasks facing administrators when it comes to managing the Windows filesystem. We’ll not only touch on the really basic tasks such as creating, deleting, renaming, and moving files and folders, but more advanced topics such as viewing a list of all open files and identifying the process that has a file locked.

Using a Graphical User Interface

You are undoubtedly familiar with the all-purpose file, folder, and shared folder management tool, Windows Explorer. With it you can create, move, rename, and delete files and folders as well as hide, encrypt, and make them read-only. As you’ll see, this is the most often used graphical tool in this chapter.

You are also probably familiar with the Shared Folder MMC snap-in (fsmgmt.msc), which is commonly seen as a part of the Computer Management tool. This snap-in allows you to do just about anything with shares (i.e., create, delete, see who is using them, etc.).

Using a Command-Line Interface

As you might expect, there are a host of command-line tools to manipulate files and folders on Windows XP. Table 8-1 lists the command-line tools used in this chapter and the recipes they are used in.

Table 8-1. Command-line tools used in Chapter 8 (continued)

Tool	Location	Recipes
attrib	%SystemRoot%\system32	8.12, 8.13
auditpol	Windows 2000 Resource Kit	8.18
cipher	%SystemRoot%\system32	8.15
compress	Windows Resource Kit	8.14
copy	CMD shell	8.10
creatfil	Windows Resource ...