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Windows 2000

Creating a Shortcut

Creating a shortcut allows you to quickly access files, folders, drives, or printers. This might be useful if you frequently access your H: drive, a departmental drive, a certain folder, or a specific file. It can also be helpful if a class requires you to frequently access a professor's folder from the DeptDir (W: drive).

return to topCreating a Shortcut to Files and Folders

There are three different methods for creating a shortcut to files and folders: Drag method, Menu method, and Mouse method.

NOTE: The Drag Shortcut method is the only method that allows you to create a permanent shortcut. The other two methods create a shortcut for the current session only.

Drag Method

NOTE: The Drag Shortcut method allows you to create a permanent shortcut on your desktop.

  1. On the desktop, right click MY COMPUTER
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Explore
    Windows Explorer opens.

  3. In Windows Explorer, select the file or folder that you want to create a shortcut for

  4. Hold down the right mouse button and drag the file or folder to your desktop
    The Quick menu appears.

  5. From the Quick menu, select Create Shortcut(s) Here
    The shortcut icon for the selected file or folder appears on your desktop.

Menu Method

NOTE: The Menu Shortcut method allows you to create a shortcut for the current session only.

  1. On the desktop, right click MY COMPUTER
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Explore
    Windows Explorer opens.

  3. In Windows Explorer, select the file or folder that you want to create a shortcut for

  4. From the File menu, select Send To » Desktop (create shortcut)
    The shortcut icon for the selected file or folder appears on your desktop.

Mouse Method

NOTE: The Mouse Shortcut method allows you to create a shortcut for the current session only.

  1. On the desktop, right click MY COMPUTER
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Explore
    Windows Explorer opens.

  3. In Windows Explorer, right click the file or folder that you want to create a shortcut for
    The Quick menu appears.

  4. From the Quick menu, select Send To » Desktop (create shortcut)
    The shortcut icon for the selected file or folder appears on your desktop.

return to topCreating a Shortcut to Drives and Printers

There are three different methods for creating a shortcut to drives and printers: Drag method, Menu method, and Mouse method.

NOTE: The Drag Shortcut method is the only method that allows you to create a permanent shortcut. The other two methods create a shortcut for the current session only.

Drag Method

NOTE: The Drag Shortcut method allows you to create a permanent shortcut on your desktop.

  1. On the desktop, right click MY COMPUTER
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Explore
    Windows Explorer opens.

  3. In Windows Explorer, select the drive or printer that you want to create a shortcut for

  4. Hold down the right mouse button and drag the drive or printer to your desktop
    The Quick menu appears.

  5. From the Quick menu, select Create Shortcut(s) Here
    The shortcut icon for the selected drive or printer appears on your desktop.

Menu Method

NOTE: The Menu Shortcut method allows you to create a shortcut for the current session only.

  1. On the desktop, right click MY COMPUTER
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Explore
    Windows Explorer opens.

  3. In Windows Explorer, select the drive or printer that you want to create a shortcut for
    NOTE: The drive must be selected from the Name listing, not the Folder listing.

  4. From the File menu, select Create Shortcut 
    The Shortcut dialog box appears.
    Shortcut dialog box

  5. In the Shortcut dialog box, click YES
    The shortcut icon for the selected drive or printer appears on your desktop.

Mouse Method

NOTE: The Mouse Shortcut method allows you to create a shortcut for the current session only.

  1. On the desktop, right click MY COMPUTER
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Explore
    Windows Explorer opens.

  3. In Windows Explorer, right click the drive or printer that you want to create a shortcut for
    The Quick menu appears.

  4. From the Quick menu, select Create Shortcut
    The Shortcut dialog box appears.
    Shortcut dialog box

  5. In the Shortcut dialog box, click YES
    The shortcut icon for the selected drive or printer appears on your desktop.

return to topDeleting a Shortcut

Sometimes it becomes necessary to delete shortcuts that are no longer useful, e.g., when a class requiring frequent use of the DeptDir (W: drive) comes to an end.

  1. On the desktop, right click the shortcut you wish to delete
    The Quick menu appears.

  2. From the Quick menu, select Delete
    The Confirm File Delete dialog box appears.
    Confirm File Delete dialog box

  3. In the Confirm File Delete dialog box, click YES
    The shortcut is deleted from the desktop.

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