Advanced File System Management - potatoscript/windows-os GitHub Wiki

What is the File System? πŸ“‚

Your File System is like a huge library where all the books (files) are stored. It helps organize, store, and manage your files and folders. In Windows, the most common file systems are NTFS (New Technology File System) and FAT32.

  • NTFS: More advanced, supports bigger files and folders, security features, and permissions.
  • FAT32: Older, works with smaller files and doesn’t support advanced features.

Step 1: Understanding File Permissions πŸ”’

File permissions are like locks on your files. They let you control who can access, change, or delete your files. πŸ—οΈ

How to Set Permissions:

  1. Right-click on a file or folder and choose Properties.
  2. Click on the Security tab.
  3. Select a user or group (like Administrator or Users).
  4. Click Edit to change their permissions.
    • Full control: Can do everything (edit, delete, change).
    • Read-only: Can only view the file.
    • Write: Can make changes to the file but not delete it.
  5. Click OK to save.

Icon:

πŸ”’ A lock icon to represent file security.

Step 2: Encrypting Files with EFS πŸ”

EFS (Encrypting File System) helps keep your files safe by turning them into unreadable code without the proper key.

How to Encrypt a File or Folder:

  1. Right-click on a file or folder.
  2. Choose Properties.
  3. Click on the General tab, then click Advanced.
  4. Check the box next to Encrypt contents to secure data.
  5. Click OK, then Apply.

Now your file is encrypted! Only your account can read it unless you share the encryption key.

Icon:

πŸ” A key icon to represent encryption.

Step 3: Using Disk Management to Partition Drives πŸ’½

Disk Partitioning is like dividing your hard drive into separate sections. Each section (or partition) can hold different types of files or be used for different operating systems. πŸ“‚

How to Partition a Disk:

  1. Right-click the Start Menu and choose Disk Management.
  2. In the Disk Management window, you’ll see all your disks and partitions.
  3. Right-click on unallocated space and select New Simple Volume.
  4. Follow the wizard to specify the size of the partition and give it a name (like β€œWork Files” or β€œGames”).
  5. Once done, the new partition will appear in File Explorer, and you can start using it!

Icon:

πŸ’½ A hard drive icon to represent disk management.

Step 4: Optimizing Storage with Disk Cleanup 🧹

Over time, your computer collects unnecessary files, like temporary files, system files, and cache. These can slow down your computer! Use Disk Cleanup to free up space. πŸ’¨

How to Use Disk Cleanup:

  1. Type Disk Cleanup in the search bar and open it.
  2. Select the drive you want to clean (usually C:).
  3. Disk Cleanup will scan your drive and show a list of files you can delete.
  4. Select the types of files you want to delete (e.g., Temporary files, System files, etc.).
  5. Click OK, then Delete Files.

Now your computer will be faster and have more space! ✨

Icon:

🧹 A broom icon to represent cleaning up files.

Step 5: Managing Disk Space with Storage Spaces πŸ—ƒοΈ

Storage Spaces helps you combine multiple hard drives into a single pool of storage, giving you more control and protecting your data. For example, if one drive fails, your data is still safe! πŸ’Ύ

How to Set Up Storage Spaces:

  1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Storage Spaces.
  2. Click on Create a new pool and storage space.
  3. Select the drives you want to add and click Create Pool.
  4. Choose a name, drive letter, and storage type (like Simple, Mirror, or Parity).
  5. Click Create Storage Space.

Your drives are now combined into a single storage space! πŸŽ‰

Icon:

πŸ—ƒοΈ A box icon to represent storage spaces.

Step 6: Using the Command Prompt for File Management πŸ’»

The Command Prompt is a powerful tool that lets you control files and folders using commands, which can be faster than using the mouse.

Common Commands:

  • dir: Lists all files and folders in the current directory.
  • cd: Changes the directory (folder).
  • copy: Copies files from one place to another.
  • del: Deletes a file.

Example:

To copy a file from one folder to another, you can use:

copy C:\Users\Lucy\Documents\file.txt D:\Backup\

This command copies file.txt from Documents to the Backup folder on drive D.

Icon:

πŸ’» A computer icon to represent using the command line.

Step 7: Using File History for Backups πŸ’Ύ

File History automatically saves copies of your files so you can restore them if something goes wrong, like if your file gets deleted or corrupted. πŸ’₯

How to Set Up File History:

  1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup.
  2. Click Add a drive and select an external drive or network location to store backups.
  3. Once set up, Windows will automatically back up files in your Documents, Pictures, Music, and other folders.

To restore a file, right-click on it, select Restore previous versions, and choose a version to recover.

Icon:

πŸ’Ύ A floppy disk icon to represent backup.

Step 8: Defragmenting and Optimizing Drives πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Over time, files can get scattered around your hard drive, slowing things down. Defragmenting your hard drive helps to organize these files, so your computer runs faster! πŸš€

How to Defragment a Drive:

  1. Type Defragment in the search bar and open Defragment and Optimize Drives.
  2. Select the drive you want to optimize (usually C:).
  3. Click Optimize.

Now your files will be organized, and your computer will run smoother! πŸ’¨

Icon:

πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ A running person icon to represent optimization.

Step 9: Using Symbolic Links (Symlinks) πŸ”—

A symbolic link is like a shortcut to another file or folder, but more powerful! You can link folders across different drives and still access the files like they’re in the original location. πŸ”—

How to Create a Symlink:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Use the mklink command to create the symlink: 
    mklink /D C:\Users\Lucy\Documents\MyFolder D:\Games\MyFolder
    This command creates a link called MyFolder in Documents that points to the MyFolder on the D drive.

Icon:

πŸ”— A link icon to represent symbolic links.

Step 10: Advanced File Search Using Indexing πŸ”

Indexing helps Windows find files faster by creating a list of files that you can search through. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of files!

How to Set Up Indexing:

  1. Open Control Panel > Indexing Options.
  2. Click Modify to choose which folders should be indexed.
  3. After indexing, you can search files using File Explorer, and Windows will find them instantly!

Icon:

πŸ” A magnifying glass icon to represent search.

Recap of Icons:

πŸ”’ A lock for security
πŸ” A key for encryption
πŸ’½ A hard drive for disk management
🧹 A broom for cleanup
πŸ—ƒοΈ A box for storage spaces
πŸ’» A computer for command line
πŸ’Ύ A floppy disk for backup
πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ A runner for defragmentation
πŸ”— A link for symlinks
πŸ” A magnifying glass for search