Computer Tutorial #21: Helpful Hints #7

A variety of techniques help find lost files

Al Harper

1. How to find lost files

I touched briefly on "Search" in an earlier article. This Hint is to go further into the options for finding lost files. First click on the "Start" button and then below the "Folder" bar on the left side, click on any part of "Click here to use Search Companion". The following window appears:

The most powerful of these options is "All files and folders". Clicking on that brings up this window:




If you cannot find the file or folder with these options, it is probably gone for good. The "More Advanced Options" allows search in hidden files; and subfolders for tape backup. The green arrows pertain to specific files and folders. The remaining three options are more general relating to "Help" and the "Internet".

2. How to find lost windows

There are a number of ways to reclaim a lost window depending on how it was lost. The first is: Can you see any part of the window. Look on each margin of the desktop and click on even a tiny piece of the window. If there is another window covering it you can move the top window by clicking the mouse on the top color bar and then moving the mouse which will move the top window to another location.

If no part of the window is showing, click on the following "Ctrl,Alt, Delete" all three keys at once. This will bring up the "Windows Task Manager" window. Click on "Applications". That should be the first of five tabs shown. This key will show all the programs running. You will find your missing file on this list unless the file was deleted. At the bottom of this window you will find the "Switch To" tab. Click on the missing file and then on the "Switch To" tab and the missing file will appear.

Another method was discussed in Hint #4. Click on "Cascade Windows" which appears as the fourth option in the new window. The lost file will appear in the list of files if it was open at the time of loss. If the lost file does not appear, look along the "Taskbar", and it may be there.

3. Sliding Controls

Some of these controls may slide vertically and others may slide horizontally. Click the "Volume" control at the bottom right of the desktop. The window looks like this:




To adjust the control put the mouse on the sliding bar and drag to the position you wish.

4. Undoing a command

There are a number of ways to correct what you have just done. I believe the simplist is to hold down the "Ctl" key and press "Z".



June, 2009

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