Libraries & Data Management

Hi folks, I just discovered this great forum, and hope to meet some of you.

I also hope to get answers to some questions bugging me.

I started out with DOS when it first emerged, which I thought I understood, and have since suffered, dragging my feet and screaming through most of the reiterations of Windows, finally being forced from XP to 7.

I don't understand the concept of Libraries. (I assume libraries are a User Account thing).

I want to organize my data MY way as I always have, NOT the MS way. So I have a folder tree on C:\ with the root as \DATA\ and its branches organized into data types or projects, topics, subtopics, etc. Using this highly organized system I can just drag DATA to another disk for backup (except I don't capture POPmail, address lists and bookmarks as they are in OS user directories [annoying] - I am the only user). (I have XP computers with a 2nd disk dedicated to DATA and may go that route with 7 eventually).

I realize this system is not especially efficient for backups, but I have plenty of space, and I can directly access backed up files, which is often useful to me, plus I need no special software. I had a XP home network with a raid 1 array where files from all computers were synched and also copied to a third disk at intervals; I hope to rebuild the network in Win7 if I can find Win7 drivers for my BlackArmor raid array.

Currently, if I save a file and forget to specify a destination, and the program does not let me set a default, stuff ends up lost in libraries. Before libraries, that did not happen. I read a tutorial here about removing libraries from Explorer, but I don't know if that really gets rid of the problem.

And the Explorer navigation pane is cluttered up with libraries so I have to scroll down to find OS and C:\ or other drives, and navigate to C:\DATA (why can't I add shortcuts - drives and my folders are the only places I want to go?)

One related question: how do I see if my primary HD is divided into (hidden) partitions? I suspect there are one or two hiding. What is the Win7 tool to manipulate them?

I need a good reference book on Win7 that is not an ABSOLUTE beginner's thing: suggestions?

I would really appreciate suggestions on data management: am I right in thinking libraries are an unnecessary complication?

Many thanks, Charlie

"Seeking Knowledge, Hoping for Wisdom."

The primary Windows tool to examine partitions is Disk Management. Type that name into the search box and you should be able to examine your partitions.

The tutorial you refer to can get rid of libraries from the Explorer tree, but I'm not sure if it will remove it from your "save as" dialogs. There might be something else to do that?

Other tutorials can get rid of "homegroup" and "network" from the explorer tree.

I also use my own folder structure on a D drive and do not use libraries either. I find them to be redundant and a clutter. I think they are mostly useful to people who are either highly disorganized or who have many drives with multiple copies of the same file. Some people swear by them, but they don't add anything useful to many user scenarios.

Don't look for it in Explorer. Type it in the start button search box.

Or go here: control panel/administrative tools/computer managment/disk management (on the left side).

When you go to control panel, be sure to choose "view by category" at the upper right. That should give you more choices.

The 16 gig partition is almost certainly NOT empty and is likely a "recovery partition" from which you should make "recovery disks" (DVDs) so you can restore your PC to factory specs should that need ever arise. You probably did not get Windows disks when you bought it?

The tool needed to change partition sizes depends on exactly what you want to do. Disk Management may suffice, or you may need another tool such as Partition Wizard---depending on what you want.

Generally, if you have a typical situation, you CANNOT use Disk Management to make a partition larger IF there is another partition to the immediate right as viewed in Disk Management. In such a case, you would need Partition Wizard (a free download third party app).