File Management: Lesson 6

LESSON 6 FILE MANAGEMENT
FILE BASICS
What is a computer file?

A computer file—or simply a file—is defined as a named collection of data that exists on a storage
medium. When you save a file, you must provide a valid file name that adheres to specific rules,
referred to as file-naming conventions.
Current versions of Windows support file names up to 255 characters long. In practice, some of the
255 characters are used for the file’s drive letter, folder designation, and extension, so the name you
assign to a file should typically be quite a bit shorter. A file name limitation of 255 characters gives
you the flexibility to use descriptive file names.
What is a file extension?

A file extension (sometimes referred to as a file name extension) is an optional file identifier that is
separated from the main file name by a period. If an operating system attaches special significance
to a symbol, you might not be able to use it in a file name. Some operating systems also contain a
list of reserved words that are used as commands or special identifiers. You cannot use these words
alone as a file name.
FILE DIRECTORIES AND FOLDERS
To designate a file’s location, you must first specify the device where the file is stored. Each of a PC’s
storage devices is identified by a device letter—a convention that is specific to DOS and Windows.
A disk partition is a section of a hard disk drive that is treated as a separate storage unit. Your
computer’s operating system maintains a list of files called a directory for each storage disk, CD,
DVD, BD, or USB flash drive. The main directory is referred to as the root directory. A root directory
can be subdivided into smaller lists. Each list is called a subdirectory.
When you use Windows, Mac OS, or a Linux graphical file manager, each subdirectory is depicted
as a folder. Folders help you envision your files as if they were stored in a filing cabinet. A computer
file’s location is defined by a file specification (sometimes called a path), which includes the drive
letter, folder(s), file name, and extension.
What’s the significance of a file’s size?

A file contains data, stored as a group of bits. The more bits, the larger the file. File size is usually
measured in bytes, kilobytes, or megabytes. The file date is useful if you have created several versions
of a file and want to make sure you know which version is the most recent.
The term file format refers to the organization and layout of data that is stored in a file. A file header
is a section of data at the beginning of a file that contains information about a file—typically the
date it was created, the date it was last updated, its size, and its file type.
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APPLICATION-BASED FILE MANAGEMENT
How does a software application help me manage files?

Applications typically provide a way to open files and save them in a specific folder on a designated
storage device. An application might also have additional file management capabilities, such as
deleting, copying, and renaming files.
Some applications also allow you to add tags for a file. A file tag in the context of Windows is a piece
of information that describes a file. Tags are particularly handy for files that contain photos because
you can describe the location, note camera settings, and name people pictured in the shot.
How does the operating system help me manage files?

Most operating systems provide file management utilities that give you the big picture of the files you
have stored on your disks and help you work with them.
PHYSICAL FILE STORAGE
Is data stored in specific places on a disk?

The physical storage model describes what actually happens on the disks and in the circuits. The
formatting process creates the equivalent of electronic storage bins by dividing a disk into tracks
and then further dividing each track into sectors.
How does a disk get formatted?

Before you write data to a CD, DVD, or BD, you usually have the option of formatting it for mastering
or for packet writing.
Disc mastering is the process of creating a CD, DVD, or BD by selecting all the files and then copying
them in a single session.
Packet writing is a recording technology that lets you record in multiple sessions. In Windows
terminology, CDs, DVDs, and BDs formatted for packet writing are referred to as Live File System discs.
A process called closing helps make the discs more compatible, but once a disc is closed, no more
data can be added to it.
How does the operating system keep track of a file’s location?

The operating system uses a file system to keep track of the names and locations of files that reside
on a storage medium, such as a hard disk. Mac OS use the Macintosh Hierarchical File System Plus
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(HFS+). Ext3fs (third extended file system) is the native file system for Linux. Windows NT, 2000, XP, and
Vista use a file system called NTFS (New Technology File System). Windows 95, 98, and Me use a file
system called FAT32.
To speed up the process of storing and retrieving data, a disk drive usually works with a group of
sectors called a cluster or a block. A file system’s primary task is to maintain a list of clusters and keep
track of which are empty and which hold data. This information is stored in a special index file. If your
computer uses the FAT32 file system, for example, this index file is called the File Allocation Table
(FAT). If your computer uses NTFS, it is called the Master File Table (MFT).
What happens when a file is deleted?

The operating system simply changes the status of the file’s clusters to “empty” and removes the file
name from the index file. To delete data from a disk in such a way that no one can ever read it, you
can use special file shredder software that overwrites supposedly empty sectors with random 1s and
0s.
How does a disk become fragmented?

As a computer writes files on a disk, parts of files tend to become scattered all over the disk. These
fragmented files are stored in noncontiguous clusters. To regain peak performance, you can use a
defragmentation utility to rearrange the files on a disk so that they are stored in contiguous clusters.
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LESSON 6 FILE MANAGEMENT

What is a computer file?

What is a file extension?

FILE DIRECTORIES AND FOLDERS

What’s the significance of a file’s size?

How does a software application help me manage files?

How does the operating system help me manage files?

PHYSICAL FILE STORAGE

Is data stored in specific places on a disk?

How does a disk get formatted?

How does the operating system keep track of a file’s location?

What happens when a file is deleted?

How does a disk become fragmented?

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