How do I show what folders files are in in list view? MacGenius NO help.

I recently went to the Natick Mall Mac Store to see a MacGenuis. I had two issues. The first was whether it is possible to view what files my documents and photos are in in list view, as I used to be able to view on my PC. The MacGenius tried to sell me a one-on-one lesson. When I asked how a lesson would help if it was not a possiblity, he told me to right click each document or photo to get that information. That is exactly the cumbersome, time consuming an inefficient process I was trying to avoid. I asked if he was aware of any third party software that could provide that function, and he said no.

A little more research on my own shows that if you put your cursor on the item, the information shows up in the bar at the bottom of the finder screen. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but certainly more efficient and quicker than right clicking on each individual item, and I can at least toggle back and forth to compare documents and photos in multiple locations so I can delete those no longer needed without having to worry about doing an extra step and moving docs in and out of individual folders to re-consolidate them and delete uneccessary copies. (I have extras because I do legal work and have to keep copies of all items submitted in a single court filing together, but may need the same photos or docs in other court filings, which also have their own folders so I have a complete set of what was filed in each filing).

Shouldn't the MacGenius have known about this function as an option for finding folders? He also told me I could not back up my computer on a disk I had previously used for a back up because the new back up would wipe out everything previously backed up.

I also asked him about the whirling colored circle which I seem to be getting a lot of lately. He "checked" my computer and determined that I need a new battery (mine had slightly over 450 cycles, according to him) and my hard drive is failing. All could be repaired for a little over $300. I was told I could not do the repair myself, it had to be done by a Mac technician, and that the parts could only be purchased at the Mac store and they don't sell the parts except to Mac technicians.

I was dubious, only because the MacGenius was consistently unhelpful and consistently tried to sell me items. I did stop and look at some PCs, figuring if my Mac was on its way out I would back up my docs and photos to a new PC and save a ton of time and money because I could consolidate on the PC which would show what folders my docs and photos were in - and use the PC for a backup drive until the Mac dies.

I got Tech Tool Pro 6 and ran the diagnostics. All of which contradicted what the MacGenius told me, and gives me multiple options for backups without having to buy multiple backup drives for fear of having prior backups overwritten. So I don't need a new computer, I have an acceptable, altho less than desirable, way of telling what folders my items are in, and Tech Tool's optimization fixed the whirling "wait" cirle.

The only thing left is to ask if anyone has a hint or knows of software available that will in list (or other) view what folders my docs are in.

Except to ask, has anyone else experienced such disappointing help and annoying upsell from a MacGenius? In all fairness, the few times in the past that I have been helped by a MacGenius, they were extremely helpful and didn't try to sell me anything (altho my computer was new and still under warranty).