A compressed folder, also known as a zipped folder, is a convenient way to combine files into a single and smaller package. This tool is especially handy for emailing multiple files or transferring them to another computer. A number of companies distribute compression utilities; however, if you use WinMe/XP, you don’t need a third-party utility to compress files.
You will need to install the compression utility in WinMe because Microsoft doesn’t install it automatically. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel. Double-click Add/Remove Programs, click the Windows Setup tab, and double-click System Tools. In the System Tools dialog box, select the Compressed Folders checkbox and click OK.
To create a zipped folder in WinMe/XP, right-click the Desktop, point to New, and click Compressed (Zipped) Folder (WinXP) or Compressed Folder (WinMe). You can also create a compressed folder from My Computer. To do this, open My Computer and double-click the location for the folder, such as the C: drive. Click File, point to New, and click Compressed (Zipped) Folder or Compressed Folder (whichever applies to your OS). Finally, to compress an existing folder, right-click the folder, point to Send To, and click Compressed (Zipped) Folder or Compressed Folder (depending on your OS).
You can add files to and remove files from a compressed folder just as you would an uncompressed folder. In addition, other users can open the compressed folder even if they have a different compression program.
For added security, consider protecting the folder with a password. To do this, double-click the folder, click File and Add A Password (WinXP) or File and Encrypt (WinMe). Follow the on-screen instructions to establish a password for accessing the compressed folder’s contents.