Practical Chapter 1- Utilities

Formatting a Diskette:

Formatting a disk is like putting lines on a black sheet of paper, so that you can write on that paper. Without formatting there would be no way to know where the data is stored.  

When you format a disk, you divide the disk into areas called tracks and sectors.

Steps to Formatting a disk:

1. Insert the disk into the floppy disk .
2. Double click on my computer.
3. Right click on the drive you want to format.
4. Select format from the menu.
5. Choose the full option. You may chooses quick on a disk that has already been used, but it does not generally recommended.
6. Enter a label for your disk if you wish. You may use up to 11 letters and/or numbers.
7. If this disk will be used to boot your PC, check the box marked 'Copy syten files' to format the disk as bootable
8. Click the start button.
9. View the results to make sure the disk was properly formatted.
10. Click the close button on the results window.
11. Click the close button on the format window. 

Scan Disk:

The scan disk is another handy utility.
The scan disk checks your disk for any errors or faults- faults in file systems and physical faults in the disk itself and it either fixes these or it emarginates thae faulty sectors so that they are not used anymore.

Defragmentation:
The Disk Defragmenter (Defrag) rearranges the files amd free space on your disk so that files are opened more quickly because they are stored in adjacent units and free space in consolidated.

To start defrag:
1. Click START
2. Point to PROGRAMS
4. Point to ACCESSORIES
5. Point to SYSTEM TOOLS
6. Click DISK DEFRAGMENTER.
7. CHOOSE THE DRIVE you want to apply disk defragmenter on.
8. You can STOP, PAUSE and even SHOW MORE DETAILS while the disk drfragmenter is on.

Winzip/ Compressed Folder:
Folders that are compressed using the Compressed (zipped) Folders feature use less space and can be transferred to other computers directly.