The operating system (OS) is an integral part of modern computers, phones and a good deal of other technology. The most popular OS is Microsoft’s Windows, which has become the mainstay of businesses around the world. Last year, Windows 8 was released and with it came a drastic change to the ‘Windows’ system. The new interface is more mobile oriented, which could take some getting used to. For example, if you want to find out how big a file is, or how much free hard drive space you have, you now have a few different options.
Here’s three ways you can see how much space programs are taking up in Windows 8. Before you check file sizes however, you should be aware whether these are shown in bytes, KB, MB, GB or TB.
- Bytes are the smallest measurement you will see, and are made up of eight bits (a combination of 8 1s or 0s).
- A KB is a Kilobyte and is around 1,000 bytes (1,024 to be exact).
- A MB – Megabyte – is around 1,000KB.
- A GB – Gigabyte – is around 1,000MB.
- A TB – Terabyte – is around 1,000GB.
As a reference: Most mid-range laptops will have between 500GB and 750GB.
3 ways to check file size
1. Easy – If you have an individual file or folder that you would like to know the size of, simply right click on it and select Properties. Under the General tab, look for the box that says Size and Size on Disk. The number beside these fields should be in KB, MB or GB.
2. Slightly less easy – First you need to open your PC Settings – move your mouse to the top-right corner of the screen and select Settings followed by Change PC settings. From there click on General and scroll down until you see Available storage. The number is the amount of space you have left, and pressing on View app sizes will bring up a list of all installed apps and the amount of space they take up.
3. Still easy, but harder than the other two – Open the Control Panel – move your cursor to the bottom left of the screen and search for: Control Panel. Click on Programs followed by Programs and Features. Look at the column labeled Size and a program’s size should be listed. If you can’t see it try maximizing the window. If you click on a program, you should see more information about it, including its size in the bottom right.
If there is no information about size, search by moving your mouse to the bottom left and entering the file’s name. From there you can follow step one above.
Windows 8 has many interesting features, but they will take time to figure out. If you are looking to integrate this OS into your business, or would like to learn more about how to use it, effectively please contact us today.
