Windows Keyboard Shortcuts:

At any time, hit F1 for help for relevant help. Or me

Highlight a file and hit F2 to rename it (I've never used this!).

Or hit F3 to open the "find" menu.

Alt+F4 will close the active window, hit repeatedly (then "enter") to shut down Windows.

F5 refreshes the folders view or reloads a webpage.

Backspace is also the same as the "Back" button on your browser and will also take you up one level in Windows explorer.

To move or copy a file, several files, text or even pictures, highlight it and cut or copy it. Then browse to the target folder and paste it.
"Cut" is Ctrl+x
"copy is Ctrl+c
"paste" is Ctrl+v
Alternatively right-click the file and choose from the context menu.

To select all files in a folder press Ctrl+a
To select several files at once (for copying, pasting, printing etc.):
Hold down Ctrl - each file you click will stay highlighted;
hold down Shift - every file between where you click will be highlighted.
To select all files except one, highlight it and go to the "file" menu and select "invert selection".
To quickly move to a particular file in a large folder hit the first letter of the file.

"Del" will delete a file or folder to the recycle bin, Shift+Del will delete it completely bypassing the recycle bin (USE WITH CARE).

Drag and Drop:

For Windows XP:
When you drag a folder or file from one place and drop it in another, one of several things may happen:
If it is being dragged from one drive to another it will be copied (a "+" will appear next to the cursor) unless you hold down the shift key when it will be moved (the "+" will disappear) or the Alt key which will create a shortcut (an arrow will appear in place of the "+").
If it is being dragged to the same drive it will be moved unless you hold down Ctrl when it will be copied or the Alt key will create a shortcut.

Ctrl=Copy
Shift=Move
Alt=Shortcut

An alternative is to always drag and drop with the right mouse button. When you release the button a menu appears and you can simply select "copy here", "move here" or "create shortcut here".

This is a great improvement over Windows 98 which would create a shortcut, move a file or copy a file depending on whether it was from one drive to another and what type of file it was.

When it all goes wrong and you've lost your file, you've no idea where you dragged it to, hit Ctrl+z and it will be magically restored. Careful though, Ctrl+z in windows XP will keep undoing things each time you press it. Previous versions of Windows would only undo the last thing then it would undo the undo, restoring the item.

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