Working with Compressed Folders
Really big files can be difficult to move or copy. They're especially difficult to transfer to other users, whether by email or portable disk drive.
Fortunately, Windows includes a way to make big files smaller. Compressed folders take big files and compress their size, which makes them easier to copy or move. After the file has been transferred, you can then uncompress the file back to its original state.
Compressing a File
Compressing one or more files is a relatively easy task from within any Windows folder. Just follow these steps:
- Select the file(s) you want to compress.
- Right-click the file(s) to display the pop-up menu.
- Select Send to, Compressed (zipped) Folder.
Windows now creates a new folder that contains compressed versions of the file(s) you selected. (This folder is distinguished by a little zipper on the folder icon, as shown in Figure 7.4.) You can now copy, move, or email this folder, which is a lot smaller than the original file(s).
Figure 7.4 A compressed folder containing one or more files.
Extracting Files from a Compressed Folder
The process of decompressing a file is actually an extraction process. That's because you extract the original file(s) from the compressed folder.
In Windows XP and Windows Vista, this process is eased by the use of the Extraction Wizard. Follow these steps:
- Right-click the compressed folder to display the pop-up menu.
- Select Extract All.
- When the Extraction Wizard launches, select a location for the extracted files and then click the Extract button to complete the process.