Operating System and File Management
This section covers Operating System and File Management. The exam tests your understanding of what an operating system does, how files and folders are organised, how paths work, and how common file operations differ.
Core rules and concepts
- An operating system manages hardware, runs applications, provides a user interface, and handles files and security. Examples include Windows, Linux, Android, and macOS.
- A file stores data; a folder groups files. A path shows the location, such as
C:\Users\Asha\Documents\report.docx. - The file name is
report; the extension is.docx; the containing folder isDocuments. - Copy keeps the original and creates another copy. Move changes location and removes the original from the old place. Rename changes the name, not the content.
- The Recycle Bin holds deleted items until emptied. A shortcut is only a link; deleting it does not delete the original file.
- Extensions indicate file type:
.txt,.docx,.xlsx,.pptx,.jpg,.exe.
Worked example
A file is at C:\Users\Asha\Documents\report.docx. Identify the file name, extension, and folder.
Reasoning: The last part after the final backslash is the file name plus extension. report is the name, .docx is the extension, and Documents is the immediate folder. C: is the drive. The full string is the path.
Traps that cost marks
Do not say a shortcut is the file itself. Do not confuse copy with move. Do not assume changing an extension changes the file format. Hidden extensions can make report.docx.exe look like a document. A path is not the same as a file name.