MM 1A03E Tutorial

Wednesday, May 19, 1999

Administrative Stuff

Please sign up for CIS services on MUGSI if you have not done so already. Visit http://www.mcmaster.ca/dataserv-htm/mcss0001.htm. You must register with MUGSI to log on to Windows in the computer labs and to use e-mail.

Also, please sign up for the class electronic discussion list. Francois has put up instructions for this at http: //www.chass.utoronto.ca/~lachance/mcmaster/humcom.htm

Windows: About Floppy Disks

When a floppy disk is formatted, it is divided into sectors. When you save a file, it is assigned to a sector. (When you buy a disk, check to see if it has been formatted.)

When a floppy disk is unformatted, it has not yet been divided into sectors. Before you can use the disk, you will have to format it yourself.

When you format a disk, it erases all of the contents on that disk; this means that you can also format a disk to clean it up.

You might wish to format a disk to make an emergency boot disk for your computer. To do this, you will copy the system files to the floppy from the format screen. These files will be saved to the root of the disk. If you think of file structure as a tree, then the root is the highest point up that you can access files in; it is where you find all the files that aren't in a folder. If your floppy drive is drive A, then the root for that drive is A:\. The root for a hard drive C is C:\.

You might wish to label your disk, i.e. put an electronic identifier on it. You can do this from the format screen, too.

Windows: Formatting Floppy Disks

To format a floppy disk, follow these steps.

1. Load up My Computer or Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click on the floppy icon; select FORMAT.
3. Select CAPACITY; most disks are 1.44.
4. Select format type: QUICK, FULL, or COPY SYSTEM FILES ONLY.
   • Select QUICK to erase the disk.
   • Select FULL to completely format the disk, usually only for new disks.
   • Select COPY SYSTEM FILES ONLY to make an emergency disk.
5. Choose OTHER OPTIONS.
   • Add a label if desired (no more than 11 characters).
   • Select DISPLAY SUMMARY WHEN FINISHED if desired.
   • Select COPY SYSTEM FILES if desired.
6. Push START.

Windows: More on the Root

When you COPY SYSTEM FILES, the files are saved to the root. Note that the command.com file, for example, cannot be move from the root by traditional methods, i.e. the click-and-drag; only a copy will be made. To move files like this one from the root to a directory, you will have to hold the SHIFT key as you click and drag.