There are two basic ways to look at the contents of your computer: using My Computer or Windows Explorer.

My Computer: One window at a time
My Computer helps you see the contents of a single folder or disk drive. The My Computer icon appears on your desktop. When you double-click it, a window appears, displaying icons that represent the different drives connected to your computer -- your hard disk, floppy disk, or CD-ROM drive and network drives if you have them. Double-click the icon for any drive to see a list of the files and folders contained there. My Computer also gives access to system tools such as Control Panel and printer information.

Windows Explorer: The big picture
If you prefer to see all the contents of your computer in one list, you can do so with Windows Explorer.  Open it from the Start menu.  Windows Explorer uses two panes:  the left contains a list of your drives, folders, and network or Internet connections; the right displays the contents.  It is easy to move files and folders in Windows Explorer.  See Organizing Files and Folders to learn how.

Controlling what you see
Within Windows Explorer, you can click the plus (+) and minus (-) signs to expand and close folders. Also, you can control how much information you see in the right-hand pane by using the commands on the View menu. For example, when you click Details, you can sort your files by name or type by clicking the column heads. Want to set your windows so they all look the same? See Setting your windows so they all have the same view to learn how.

Terms:

folder: A file that contains other files or folders, for purposes of organization.
desktop: The Windows 98 screen. It contains icons that represent programs and folders on your computer, and the taskbar.
icon: A small picture that typically represents a program or file. Double-clicking an icon opens the associated program or file.
hard disk: The place inside your computer where information is stored.
floppy disk drive: The external slot on your computer where you can insert a floppy disk to save information in a portable form.
CD-ROM drive: The external slot on your computer where you can insert a compact disc.
network drive: Your computer's connection to another computer within a network.