Files, Folders & File Explorer
Files vs folders, the filing hierarchy, File Explorer, the BIH file-naming standard and illegal characters.
By the end, you will be able to:
- Explain the difference between a file and a folder, and read a path from drive to file.
- Open File Explorer with Win + E and name its Address Bar, Navigation Pane and main display area.
- Create a new folder and name files using the BIH formula, avoiding the nine forbidden characters.
- Use Save As to save a Notepad file into BIH_Practice, use Save (Ctrl + S) to update it, and find it again.
What you need
No computer at home? Print the PDF and practise on paper.
Follow these steps in order
Tick each step when you finish it. Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can stop and come back later.
Learn the ideas ⏱️ 35 min
Read pages 1–4 of the workbook and try every small task. Type your answers straight into the boxes: they save by themselves.
Explore the 3D lab ⏱️ 15 min
Play with the 3D model below. The 🎯 missions tell you exactly what to do next. When you finish every mission, this step ticks itself.
Do the Lab Mission ⏱️ 25 min
Page 5 is the hands-on task. Do it on a real computer, step by step. You need: a computer with File Explorer.
Check yourself ⏱️ 10 min
Answer the questions on page 6 without looking back, then check your answers below.
Finished? Check your answers
Spot the Bad Names (Page 3) B. SocialStudies_Rivers_KwesiAppiah.txt is the only safe name. A contains : and /. C contains ? and *.
Build a Paper Folder Tree (Page 6) Look for: three real school subjects (for example Science, Mathematics, English, Social_Studies) written in the three subfolder boxes under My_School_Subjects, with no forbidden characters. Underscores instead of spaces is a bonus.
Written review questions
- Look for: a file is a single piece of saved work that holds content (text, a drawing, sound). A folder is a container that holds and organises files or other folders but has no content of its own. The paper vs manila folder analogy is a good answer.
- Win + E (hold the Windows key and tap E).
- Look for: the name says nothing about the subject, topic or owner, so on a shared school computer it gets lost, mixed up with other people's work, or replaced by someone else's file with the same name.
Rate yourself and save your work ⏱️ 5 min
Tick how confident you feel on the last page, then press 🖨 Print / Save as PDF in the workbook to keep a copy. On a shared computer, press Clear my answers when you have saved it.
🎉 Session 4 complete!
Brilliant work. Next up: Session 5: File Operations & Typing Fluency.
Go to Session 5 →📁 The Filing Tree
Walk from the drive down to a file. Copy, cut, rename and delete files, then rescue them from the Recycle Bin. Follow the 🎯 missions on the right: they tell you what to do next.
Stuck? Try this
Most problems are one missed word. Look for the Panic Button or Help box in the workbook.
Refresh the page. On a very old computer it may not show 3D. The workbook still has everything you need.
Answers save on the computer you typed them on. Open the workbook on that same computer and browser.
Ask your mentor, a teacher or a friend. Show them the step number you are on.