Module 4.4- File & Disk Management

Question 1

What is a Filesystem?

Answer 1

• the filesystem organises data into files and directories (folders) and keeps track of where those files are stored on the disk
• also manages permissions, determining who can access or modify each file
• the method by which an OS stores, organises, and manages data on storage devices like hard drives, SSDs, or USB drives
• provides the structure that allows users and applications to read, write, and modify data

Question 2

Different Filesystems

Answer 2

• different OSs use different filesystems, each with unique features and capabilities:

1. NTFS
2. FAT32
3. exFAT
4. APFS
5. ext4

• e.g. when you format a new hard drive in Windows, you typically choose NTFS for internal storage or exFat for external drives that you might want to use with both Windows and macOS

Question 3

NTFS

Answer 3

(New Technology File System)

• used by Windows, NTFS supports large file sizes, file encryption, and access control permissions

Question 4

FAT32

Answer 4

(File Allocation Table)

• a legacy filesystem supported by Windows, macOS, and Linux;
• has limitations on file sizes (up to 4GB) and disk partitions (up to 8TB)

Question 5

exFAT

Answer 5

• a more modern filesystem that supports larger files and is compatible with both Windows and macOS
• commonly used in external drives and flash drives

Question 6

APFS

Answer 6

(Apple File System)

• used by macOS for more efficient data handling and encryption

Question 7

ext4

Answer 7

• common filesystem used by Linux distributions, known for its stability and performance

Question 8

What is Disk Management?

Answer 8

• disk management refers to the OS’s ability to partition and format storage devices, and manage the available space on each drive
• OS is responsible for managing the physical and logical aspects of storage devices, which is referred to as Disk Management- this includes formatting drives, partitioning disks, and ensuring data is stored efficiently
• OS uses the filesystem to keep track of where files are stored and how much space is available on the disk

Question 9

What is Disk Management Responsible for?

Answer 9

• Formatting- prepares a storage device for use by erasing all data and applying a filesystem
• Partitioning- divides a single physical drive into multiple logical sections, called partitions, allowing you to install multiple operating systems or organise data more efficiently

Question 10

Disk Management Tools

Answer 10

• each OS provides tools to manage disks and partitions:
• Windows- Disk Management tool allows users to partition, format, and manage their drives; can access it by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Disk Management
• macOS- Disk Utility is used to manage drives, format disks, and create partitions; can be accessed from the Applications > Utilities folder
• Linux- the Parted tool is commonly used for disk management, allowing users to create, delete, and resize partitions
• e.g. if you want to add a new hard drive to your computer and divide it into separate partitions-one for storing personal files and another for backups-you would use the disk management tool in your OS to do so

Question 11

Working with Files

Answer 11

• managing files is one of the most common tasks on any computer, and the OS provides various tools to help you create, move, rename, delete, and organise files and folders

Question 12

Creating and Saving Files

Answer 12

• files are created when you save data from an application, such as a document in a word processor, a spreadsheet, or an image file
• most OSs allow for long filenames with space and special characters, but certain characters like /, \, or * may be restricted

Question 13

Organising Files with Folders

Answer 13

• also known as directories, helps organise files logically on a storage device
• creating folders and subfolders allows users to categorise files based on their purpose or content
• e.g. you might have a folder structure like displayed below:
  markdown Copy code Documents/ - Work/ - Personal/ - School/ Pictures/ - Holidays/ - Birthdays/

Question 14

Searching for Files

Answer 14

• most OSs provide powerful search tools to quickly find files:
• Windows- you can search for files directly from the Start Menu or File Explorer
• maxOS- use Spotlight which allows you to search for files, apps, and even content within documents

Question 15

File Extensions

Answer 15

• files have extensions that indicate their format and how they should be opened, common file types include:
• Documents- .docx (Word), .pdf (PDF), .txt (Text)
• Images- .jpg, .png, .gif
• Audio- .mp3, .wav, .aac
• Videos- .mp4, .avi, .mkv
• Compressed Files- .zip, .rar, .tar
• Executable Files- .exe (Windows)
• e.g. if you want to open a spreadsheet, the file will typically have the .xlsx extension, indicating it should be opened with a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets

Question 16

File Permissions

Answer 16

• OS use file permissions to control who can read, write, or execute a file
• are a critical part of an operating system’s security and organisational structure
• determine who can access or modify files and how those files can be used
• by managing file permissions, the OS ensures that sensitive data is protected and that only authorised users can perform specific actions on certain files

Question 17

Key Permission Types

Answer 17

• Read (R)- grants the ability to view the contents of a file or folder but not modify it
  e.g. if you have read permissions on a document, you can open it and see the contents, but you can’t edit or delete it
• Write (W)- allows a user to modify a file’s content or even delete it
  e.g. if you have write permission on a spreadsheet, you can update the data or save changes
• Execute (X)- for program files or scripts, execute permission allows the file to be run as a program
• this is common in operating systems like Linux and macOS, where scripts or applications must have execute permissions to be launched

Question 18

Permission for Different Types

Answer 18

• OSs allow permissions to be set for different groups of users:
• Owner/User- individual who created or owns the file, often with full permissions (read, write, execute)
• Group- a defined set of users who may share certain access rights
  e.g. everyone in a specific department may be granted read access to a shared project folder
• Others/Everyone- applies to all other users who are not the file owner or part of the group
• permissions for others are often limited for security reasons

Question 19

How to Manage File Permissions in Different OSs

Answer 19

• Windows- file permissions are managed through the Security tab in the file’s Properties window
• you can assign different levels of access
  e.g. read-only, modify, to users or groups
• Linux/macOS- permissions are set using the rwx (read, write, execute) notation, with tools like chmod to modify them
  e.g. you can give the owner full access while restricting others to only read access

e.g. if a sensitive payroll file should only be accessible by the HR team, permissions can be set to give the HR group write access, while the rest of the organisation has no access at all

• file permissions help maintain data security by limiting unauthorised access and preventing accidental modification or deletion of important files

Question 20

Moving Files

Answer 20

• you can move files from one folder to another using tools like File Explorer (Windows), Finder (macOS), or a file manager in Linux

Question 21

Renaming Files

Answer 21

• right-click on the file and choose Rename to change its name

Question 22

Deleting Files

Answer 22

• when you delete a file, it doesn’t disappear immediately
• it’s typically moved to a temporary location like the recycle bin in Windows, or the trash in macOS

Question 23

How File Deletion Works

Answer 23

• recycle Bin (Windows)- when you delete a file, Windows moves it to the Recycle Bin, where it stays until you either restore it or empty the bin
• you can recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin by right-clicking the file and selecting Restore- this will return the file to its original location
• Trash (macOS)- in macOS, deleted files go to the Trash
• you can similarly recover files by right-clicking and selecting Put Back, which restores the file to its previous location

Question 24

What happens when the Recycle Bin or Trash is Emptied?

Answer 24

• the file’s data remains on the disk until it’s overwritten by new data
• this means that, for a time, deleted files might still be recoverable using special software tool

Question 25

Recovering Permanently Deleted Files

Answer 25

- File Recovery Tools- programs like Recuva (Windows) or Disk Drill (macOS) can scan hard drive for remnants of deleted files and attempt to recover them - Backups- always a critical part of good data management, having regular backups (local or cloud-based) is the most reliable way to recover deleted files

Question 26

Preventing Permanent Data Loss

Answer 26

- to avoid losing important files forever, it's a good idea to: - regularly back up important files using an external drive or cloud service - check the Recycle Bin or Trash before emptying it to make sure you haven't accidentally deleted something important - use file recovery software as soon as you realise a file is missing, as recovery success decreases over time or with increased disk usage - e.g. if you mistakenly delete an important document, you can recover it from the Recycle Bin as long as it hasn't been emptied; but if the bin has been cleared, using a file recovery tool right away increases your chances of successfully restoring the file