To Move Files Between Drives, You Can Use All of the Following Except ________.

Computer resource

This article is about computer files and file systems in general terms. For a more detailed and technical article, run into File system.

A computer file is a computer resources for recording information in a computer storage device, primarily identified past its file proper name. Just as words can be written to paper, so can data exist written to a estimator file. Files tin can exist edited and transferred through the Net on that detail reckoner system.

Unlike types of computer files are designed for dissimilar purposes. A file may be designed to store an Image, a written message, a video, a computer program, or whatever wide variety of other kinds of information. Certain files can store multiple data types at once.

By using figurer programs, a person can open, read, alter, save, and close a computer file. Computer files may be reopened, modified, and copied an arbitrary number of times.

Files are typically organized in a file arrangement, which tracks file locations on the disk and enables user access.

Etymology [edit]

The word "file" derives from the Latin filum ("a thread").^[1]

"File" was used in the context of estimator storage equally early as January 1940. In Punched Card Methods in Scientific Computation,^[2] W. J. Eckert stated, "The first extensive use of the early Hollerith Tabulator in astronomy was made by Comrie.^[3] He used it for building a table from successive differences, and for adding large numbers of harmonic terms". "Tables of functions are constructed from their differences with great efficiency, either every bit printed tables or equally a file of punched cards."

In February 1950, in a Radio Corporation of America (RCA) advertizing in Popular Scientific discipline mag^[iv] describing a new "memory" vacuum tube information technology had developed, RCA stated: "the results of countless computations can be kept 'on file' and taken out again. Such a 'file' now exists in a 'retention' tube adult at RCA Laboratories. Electronically it retains figures fed into calculating machines, holds them in storage while it memorizes new ones – speeds intelligent solutions through mazes of mathematics."

In 1952, "file" denoted, among other things, data stored on punched cards.^[five]

In early use, the underlying hardware, rather than the contents stored on it, was denominated a "file". For case, the IBM 350 disk drives were denominated "disk files".^[six] The introduction, circa 1961, by the Burroughs MCP and the MIT Compatible Time-Sharing Organization of the concept of a "file organization" that managed several virtual "files" on one storage device is the origin of the contemporary denotation of the word. Although the gimmicky "register file" demonstrates the early concept of files, its employ has profoundly decreased.

File contents [edit]

On about modern operating systems, files are organized into one-dimensional arrays of bytes. The format of a file is defined by its content since a file is solely a container for data.

On some platforms the format is indicated by its filename extension, specifying the rules for how the bytes must exist organized and interpreted meaningfully. For example, the bytes of a evidently text file (.txt in Windows) are associated with either ASCII or UTF-8 characters, while the bytes of image, video, and audio files are interpreted otherwise. Most file types also allocate a few bytes for metadata, which allows a file to carry some basic information about itself.

Some file systems can shop capricious (not interpreted past the file arrangement) file-specific data outside of the file format, but linked to the file, for example extended attributes or forks. On other file systems this can be done via sidecar files or software-specific databases. All those methods, still, are more than susceptible to loss of metadata than container and annal file formats.

File size [edit]

At any instant in time, a file have a size, commonly expressed equally number of bytes, that indicates how much storage is associated with the file. In most modern operating systems the size can be any non-negative whole number of bytes up to a system limit. Many older operating systems kept rails only of the number of blocks or tracks occupied past a file on a physical storage device. In such systems, software employed other methods to rails the exact byte count (e.g., CP/M used a special control character, Ctrl-Z, to signal the end of text files).

The general definition of a file does non require that its size take any real meaning, however, unless the information within the file happens to represent to data within a pool of persistent storage. A special instance is a zero byte file; these files can be newly created files that take not nevertheless had any information written to them, or may serve every bit some kind of flag in the file organization, or are accidents (the results of aborted deejay operations). For case, the file to which the link /bin/ls points in a typical Unix-similar system probably has a divers size that seldom changes. Compare this with /dev/nothing which is as well a file, but equally a character special file, its size is non meaningful.

Arrangement of information in a file [edit]

Information in a reckoner file tin consist of smaller packets of information (often called "records" or "lines") that are individually dissimilar just share some common traits. For case, a payroll file might comprise data apropos all the employees in a company and their payroll details; each tape in the payroll file concerns just i employee, and all the records have the common trait of being related to payroll—this is very similar to placing all payroll data into a specific filing chiffonier in an office that does not have a computer. A text file may incorporate lines of text, corresponding to printed lines on a piece of paper. Alternatively, a file may comprise an arbitrary binary image (a blob) or information technology may contain an executable.

The way data is grouped into a file is entirely upward to how information technology is designed. This has led to a plethora of more or less standardized file structures for all imaginable purposes, from the simplest to the virtually complex. Near computer files are used by figurer programs which create, modify or delete the files for their own use on an as-needed basis. The programmers who create the programs decide what files are needed, how they are to be used and (often) their names.

In some cases, computer programs manipulate files that are fabricated visible to the computer user. For case, in a give-and-take-processing plan, the user manipulates document files that the user personally names. Although the content of the certificate file is bundled in a format that the word-processing program understands, the user is able to choose the name and location of the file and provide the bulk of the information (such every bit words and text) that will exist stored in the file.

Many applications pack all their data files into a single file called an annal file, using internal markers to discern the different types of information independent inside. The benefits of the annal file are to lower the number of files for easier transfer, to reduce storage usage, or just to organize outdated files. The archive file must frequently exist unpacked before adjacent using.

Operations [edit]

The most basic operations that programs tin perform on a file are:

• Create a new file
• Change the access permissions and attributes of a file
• Open a file, which makes the file contents available to the program
• Read data from a file
• Write data to a file
• Delete a file
• Close a file, terminating the association between it and the programme
• Truncate a file, shortening it to a specified size within the file system without rewriting any content

Files on a computer tin can be created, moved, modified, grown, shrunk (truncated), and deleted. In most cases, calculator programs that are executed on the computer handle these operations, but the user of a computer tin can also manipulate files if necessary. For case, Microsoft Word files are commonly created and modified by the Microsoft Discussion program in response to user commands, but the user can as well move, rename, or delete these files straight past using a file manager program such as Windows Explorer (on Windows computers) or by command lines (CLI).

In Unix-similar systems, user infinite programs practice non operate directly, at a low level, on a file. Only the kernel deals with files, and it handles all user-space interaction with files in a fashion that is transparent to the user-space programs. The operating system provides a level of abstraction, which means that interaction with a file from user-space is simply through its filename (instead of its inode). For example, rm filename will not delete the file itself, but only a link to the file. There tin can be many links to a file, merely when they are all removed, the kernel considers that file'southward retention space free to be reallocated. This free infinite is usually considered a security chance (due to the beingness of file recovery software). Whatsoever secure-deletion programme uses kernel-space (system) functions to wipe the file's data.

File moves within a file system complete near immediately because the data content does not need to be rewritten. But the paths need to be inverse.

Moving methods [edit]

There are two singled-out implementations of file moves.

When moving files between devices or partitions, some file managing software deletes each selected file from the source directory individually subsequently being transferred, while other software deletes all files at one time' but afterward every file has been transferred.

With the mv command for instance, the former method is used when selecting files individually, possibly with the use of wildcards (example: mv -due north sourcePath/* targetPath, while the latter method is used when selecting entire directories (example: mv -n sourcePath targetPath). Microsoft Windows Explorer uses the former method for mass storage filemoves, but the latter method using Media Transfer Protocol, as described in Media Transfer Protocol § File movement behaviour.

The former method (individual deletion from source) has the do good that space is released from the source device or partition imminently after the transfer has begun, meaning after the first file is finished. With the latter method, space is only freed afterwards the transfer of the entire pick has finished.

If an incomplete file transfer with the latter method is aborted unexpectedly, perhaps due to an unexpected power-off, organisation halt or disconnection of a device, no space will have been freed upwardly on the source device or partition. The user would need to merge the remaining files from the source, including the incompletely written (truncated) last file.

With the individual deletion method, the file moving software as well does not need to cumulatively keep rail of all files finished transferring for the example that a user manually aborts the file transfer. A file managing director using the latter (afterwards deletion) method will have to only delete the files from the source directory that have already finished transferring.

Identifying and organizing [edit]

Files and folders arranged in a bureaucracy

In mod estimator systems, files are typically accessed using names (filenames). In some operating systems, the name is associated with the file itself. In others, the file is anonymous, and is pointed to past links that take names. In the latter instance, a user can place the name of the link with the file itself, but this is a false analogue, peculiarly where there exists more than one link to the same file.

Files (or links to files) can be located in directories. Nevertheless, more generally, a directory can contain either a list of files or a list of links to files. Within this definition, it is of paramount importance that the term "file" includes directories. This permits the beingness of directory hierarchies, i.due east., directories containing sub-directories. A name that refers to a file within a directory must be typically unique. In other words, in that location must exist no identical names inside a directory. Yet, in some operating systems, a proper name may include a specification of type that ways a directory tin incorporate an identical name for more than ane type of object such as a directory and a file.

In environments in which a file is named, a file'south name and the path to the file's directory must uniquely identify information technology among all other files in the estimator organisation—no two files can take the same proper name and path. Where a file is anonymous, named references to it will exist within a namespace. In most cases, whatever proper name within the namespace will refer to exactly nil or one file. Yet, any file may be represented within whatsoever namespace by zero, 1 or more than names.

Any cord of characters may be a well-formed name for a file or a link depending upon the context of application. Whether or not a name is well-formed depends on the type of computer arrangement being used. Early computers permitted only a few messages or digits in the proper noun of a file, but modernistic computers allow long names (some up to 255 characters) containing nigh any combination of unicode letters or unicode digits, making it easier to understand the purpose of a file at a glance. Some computer systems allow file names to contain spaces; others practise non. Case-sensitivity of file names is determined by the file organization. Unix file systems are usually example sensitive and permit user-level applications to create files whose names differ only in the example of characters. Microsoft Windows supports multiple file systems, each with unlike policies^{[ which? ]} regarding case-sensitivity. The mutual FAT file organization can have multiple files whose names differ only in case if the user uses a disk editor to edit the file names in the directory entries. User applications, even so, will usually non allow the user to create multiple files with the same proper noun but differing in case.

Most computers organize files into hierarchies using folders, directories, or catalogs. The concept is the same irrespective of the terminology used. Each binder tin contain an arbitrary number of files, and it can also contain other folders. These other folders are referred to as subfolders. Subfolders can contain still more files and folders then on, thus building a tree-like construction in which one "master folder" (or "root folder" — the proper noun varies from i operating system to another) tin can comprise any number of levels of other folders and files. Folders tin be named just every bit files can (except for the root folder, which often does not have a name). The use of folders makes it easier to organize files in a logical way.

When a computer allows the use of folders, each file and folder has not but a name of its ain, only likewise a path, which identifies the binder or folders in which a file or folder resides. In the path, some sort of special character—such as a slash—is used to separate the file and binder names. For case, in the illustration shown in this commodity, the path /Payroll/Salaries/Managers uniquely identifies a file called Managers in a binder chosen Salaries, which in turn is contained in a folder chosen Payroll. The binder and file names are separated past slashes in this example; the topmost or root folder has no proper noun, and so the path begins with a slash (if the root folder had a name, it would precede this first slash).

Many computer systems apply extensions in file names to help place what they incorporate, also known as the file type. On Windows computers, extensions consist of a dot (menses) at the end of a file name, followed by a few letters to place the type of file. An extension of .txt identifies a text file; a .doc extension identifies any type of certificate or documentation, commonly in the Microsoft Discussion file format; and so on. Even when extensions are used in a calculator system, the degree to which the computer organization recognizes and heeds them can vary; in some systems, they are required, while in other systems, they are completely ignored if they are presented.

Protection [edit]

Many modernistic estimator systems provide methods for protecting files against adventitious and deliberate impairment. Computers that permit for multiple users implement file permissions to control who may or may not change, delete, or create files and folders. For example, a given user may be granted simply permission to read a file or folder, but not to alter or delete it; or a user may exist given permission to read and alter files or folders, but not to execute them. Permissions may also be used to permit merely certain users to see the contents of a file or folder. Permissions protect against unauthorized tampering or devastation of information in files, and keep private data confidential from unauthorized users.

Another protection mechanism implemented in many computers is a read-only flag. When this flag is turned on for a file (which tin can be accomplished past a computer program or by a human user), the file can be examined, merely it cannot exist modified. This flag is useful for critical data that must not exist modified or erased, such as special files that are used only by internal parts of the computer system. Some systems also include a subconscious flag to make certain files invisible; this flag is used past the computer system to hibernate essential system files that users should not change.

Storage [edit]

Whatever file that has any useful purpose must accept some physical manifestation. That is, a file (an abstract concept) in a real figurer system must have a real physical analogue if information technology is to exist at all.

In physical terms, well-nigh computer files are stored on some type of data storage device. For example, nigh operating systems shop files on a hard disk. Hard disks have been the ubiquitous course of non-volatile storage since the early 1960s.^[seven] Where files contain but temporary data, they may be stored in RAM. Estimator files tin exist besides stored on other media in some cases, such as magnetic tapes, meaty discs, Digital Versatile Discs, Zip drives, USB wink drives, etc. The use of solid state drives is also beginning to rival the hard disk drive drive.

In Unix-similar operating systems, many files have no associated physical storage device. Examples are /dev/nada and nigh files nether directories /dev, /proc and /sys. These are virtual files: they exist as objects inside the operating system kernel.

As seen past a running user program, files are usually represented either by a file command block or by a file handle. A file control block (FCB) is an area of retention which is manipulated to constitute a filename etc. and then passed to the operating arrangement equally a parameter; it was used by older IBM operating systems and early on PC operating systems including CP/M and early versions of MS-DOS. A file handle is by and large either an opaque data blazon or an integer; it was introduced in around 1961 past the ALGOL-based Burroughs MCP running on the Burroughs B5000 but is at present ubiquitous.

File corruption [edit]

Corrupted JPEG file, with a single bit flipped (turned from 0 to 1, or vice versa)

While in that location is visible abuse on the second file, one can withal brand out what the original image might take looked like.

When a file is said to be corrupted, it is considering its contents have been saved to the computer in such a way that they cannot be properly read, either past a human or by software. Depending on the extent of the damage, the original file tin can sometimes be recovered, or at least partially understood.^[viii] A file may be created corrupt, or it may be corrupted at a afterward point through overwriting.

There are many ways by which a file can become corrupted. Most commonly, the issue happens in the process of writing the file to a disk.^[ix] For example, if an image-editing program unexpectedly crashes while saving an image, that file may be corrupted because the program could not relieve its entirety. The program itself might warn the user that at that place was an error, assuasive for some other attempt at saving the file.^[10] Some other examples of reasons for which files become corrupted include:

• The computer itself shutting downwardly unexpectedly (for instance, due to a power loss) with open files, or files in the process of being saved;^{[8] [9] [x]}
• A download being interrupted before it was completed;
• Due to a bad sector on the hard drive;^{[8] [9]}
• The user removing a flash drive (such as a USB stick) without properly unmounting (unremarkably referred to as "safely removing");^{[11] [12] [13] [14]}
• Malicious software, such as a computer virus;^{[8] [9] [fifteen] [16]}
• A flash drive becoming too one-time.^[fourteen]

Although file corruption usually happens accidentally, information technology may as well be done on purpose, equally to fool someone else into thinking an assignment was ready at an earlier date, potentially gaining time to finish said assignment. There are services that provide on need file corruption, which essentially fill a given file with random data so that it cannot be opened or read, yet still seems legitimate.^{[17] [xviii]}

One of the well-nigh effective countermeasures for unintentional file corruption is backing up important files.^[nineteen] In the event of an important file condign corrupted, the user can merely replace information technology with the backed up version.

Backup [edit]

When computer files incorporate information that is extremely important, a redundancy process is used to protect confronting disasters that might destroy the files. Backing up files just means making copies of the files in a separate location so that they tin be restored if something happens to the estimator, or if they are deleted accidentally.

There are many ways to support files. Virtually computer systems provide utility programs to assist in the redundancy process, which can become very time-consuming if there are many files to safeguard. Files are often copied to removable media such as writable CDs or cartridge tapes. Copying files to some other hard deejay in the same computer protects against failure of one disk, but if information technology is necessary to protect against failure or destruction of the entire calculator, then copies of the files must be made on other media that can be taken away from the figurer and stored in a safe, distant location.

The grandfather-begetter-son backup method automatically makes three back-ups; the grandfather file is the oldest copy of the file and the son is the current copy.

File systems and file managers [edit]

The mode a computer organizes, names, stores and manipulates files is globally referred to every bit its file system. Nearly computers have at least one file arrangement. Some computers permit the utilise of several different file systems. For instance, on newer MS Windows computers, the older Fatty-type file systems of MS-DOS and old versions of Windows are supported, in add-on to the NTFS file arrangement that is the normal file system for contempo versions of Windows. Each system has its ain advantages and disadvantages. Standard FAT allows merely eight-character file names (plus a 3-grapheme extension) with no spaces, for instance, whereas NTFS allows much longer names that can contain spaces. Y'all tin can call a file "Payroll records" in NTFS, only in FAT you would be restricted to something like payroll.dat (unless you were using VFAT, a FAT extension allowing long file names).

File director programs are utility programs that permit users to manipulate files direct. They allow you to move, create, delete and rename files and folders, although they do not actually let y'all to read the contents of a file or shop information in information technology. Every reckoner system provides at least one file-manager programme for its native file system. For example, File Explorer (formerly Windows Explorer) is usually used in Microsoft Windows operating systems, and Nautilus is common under several distributions of Linux.

See too [edit]

• Block (data storage)
• Reckoner file management
• Data hierarchy
• File cover-up
• File copying
• File conversion
• File deletion
• File directory
• File manager
• File system
• Filename
• Flat-file database
• Object limerick
• Soft copy

References [edit]

1. ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary".
2. ^ Eckert, W. J.; Thomas J. Watson Astronomical Computing Agency, New York. (1940). Punched card methods in scientific ciphering. New York: The Thomas J. Watson Astronomical Computing Bureau, Columbia Academy.
3. ^ Comrie, 50. J. (1928-04-thirteen). "On the Construction of Tables by Interpolation (Plate 6)". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Guild. 88 (6): 506–523. Bibcode:1928MNRAS..88..506C. doi:10.1093/mnras/88.6.506. ISSN 0035-8711.
4. ^ Pop Science. Bonnier Corporation. February 1950. p. 96. Retrieved 2014-03-07 .
5. ^ Robert S. Casey, et al. Punched Cards: Their Applications to Scientific discipline and Industry. 1952.
6. ^ Martin H. Weik. Ballistic Research Laboratories Report #1115. March 1961. pp. 314–331.
7. ^ Magnetic Storage Handbook 2d Ed., Section 2.1.ane, Disk File Technology, Mee and Daniel, (c)1990,
8. ^ ^{a b c d} Gorski, Victoria. "What Causes a Corrupt File?". Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
9. ^ ^{a b c d} Williams, Jane (2019-01-14). "What Does It Mean When Your File Is Corrupt?". Houston Relate . Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
10. ^ ^{a b} Glenn, Walter (2017-12-14). "What Is a Corrupted File, and Is There a Way to Get It Back?". How-To Geek. Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
11. ^ "What Causes Wink Retentivity Corruption?". SecureDataRecovery. Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
12. ^ Hoffman, Chris (2016-09-28). "Do You Really Demand to Safely Remove USB Wink Drives?". How-To Geek. Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
13. ^ "Open a document after a file corruption mistake". Microsoft Office Support. Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
14. ^ ^{a b} "What kills your Flash Drive and how you can avert information technology". DataRecovery.net. Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
15. ^ Neagoe, Robert (2018-08-xiv). "Set Windows 10 File Corruption Issues". Windowsreport.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
16. ^ International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (2009-09-24). "Mac OS X Hacking". Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures: Linux, Macintosh and Mobile Systems. Cengage. pp. two.6–2.vii. ISBN978-1-4354-8364-four . Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
17. ^ "Decadent a file - Corrupt file online, deliver on time!". Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
18. ^ "Corrupt My File: Get your file corrupted for yous". Retrieved 2019-03-17 .
19. ^ "What is a Corrupted File?". Intego. 2019-03-07.

External links [edit]

• Media related to Computer files at Wikimedia Commons
• Data Formats Computer file at Curlie

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_file

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