INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS XP

Author: Al Field, September 2004
Revised by: Joel May, July 2006

Table of Contents
How to Start and Shutdown the Computer:
    Start
    Shutdown
Getting to Know the Desktop:
    Icons
    Taskbar
    Moving the Taskbar
Using Windows' Windows:
    Three Kinds of Windows
    Three Parts to Each Window
    Other Window Features
    Changing the Size of a Window
    Moving a Window
    Working with Multiple Windows
The Windows XP Start Menu Tools:
    Help and Support
    Search
    Run
The Windows XP Start Menu Controls:
    Control Panel
    Program Access and Defaults
    Administrative Tools
    Connect To
    Printers and Faxes
 Managing Folders and Files:
    What is a File?
    Naming Files
    Saving Files
    Copying Files or Folders
    Moving Files or Folderst
    Renaming Files or Folders
    Deleting Files or Folders
More on Icons
    Creating Icons
    Deleting Icons
    Customizing Icons
More on Appearance and Themes:
    Changing the Computer's Theme
    Changing the Desktop Background
    Choosing a Screen Saver
    Changing the Screen Resolution
    Appearance
    Mouse Properties
More on Performance and Maintenance:
    Free Up Space on Your Hard Disk
    Make Your Programs Run Faster
Fun Things:
    View Photographs
    Play a Music CD
    Play a Video
Introduction to Windows XP

  1. How to Start and Shutdown Your Computer

    1. Start
      1. Press the button (different locations on different computers)
      2. Watch the POST (Power On Self Test)
      3. Watch the Windows XP software load
      4. (Optional) Click on the button for the Account you want to use

    2. Shutdown
      1. Left-Click on Start (lower left corner of the screen)
      2. Left-Click on Turn Off Computer
      3. Left-Click on Turn Off (Left-Clicking on “Restart” will cause the computer to reboot
      4. Watch as Windows XP saves all your settings
      5. When Windows XP is done, the computer will turn itself off

  2. Getting to Know the Desktop
    3.

    1. Icons
      1. These are small images which represent programs or functions your computer is capable of running
      2. You'll find them in different places, the most common of which are:
        1. On the Desktop (this is what we're interested in right now)
        2. On Toolbars in individual programs
      3. On the Desktop, most will have small white arrows in the lower left corner
        1. These are "shortcuts" or references to programs. They DO NOT represent the program itself
        2. Therefore, they can be removed (Right Click on the Icon, then Left Click on Delete) without affecting the actual program
      4. They can be moved around on the Desktop
        1. By pointing to one with your mouse, depressing the Left mouse button and then dragging it to a new location
        2. By Right-Clicking on the Desktop and then hovering the mouse pointer over "Arrange Icons By" and then Left-Clicking on whichever way you want them arranged (I like alphabetical)
        3. There are additional, more advanced and sophisticated ways to organize your icons. Take the Ewing SeniorNet course called "Optimizing Your Computer."

    2. Taskbar
      1. There are four parts to the Taskbar, from left to right they are:

        1. The Start Menu (six sections) Note: You can view a tutorial on the web which contains additional information
          1. Pinned Programs - You tell Windows to put the program names there by Right-Clicking on the program name or its icon and then Left-Clicking on "Pin to Start Menu"
          2. Recently Accessed Programs - Windows XP, somewhat eccentrically, puts some of the programs you've used recently here on the theory that if you've used it recently, you're like to want to access it again. You can have as many as 30 programs in this list -- the default is 15)
          3. All Programs - Hover your mouse pointer over this to display all the programs loaded on your computer. Choose one from the list by Left-Clicking on it
          4. Windows Tools (These are discussed separately below)
            1. Help
            2. Search
            3. Run
          5. Windows Controls (These are discussed separately below)
            1. Control Panel
            2. Set Program Access and Defaults
            3. Administrative Tools
            4. Connect To
            5. Printers and Faxes
          6. Windows Navigation Aids - These make it easier for you to move quickly around your computer
            1. My Documents - takes you directly to the folder in which, by default, Windows stores your document files
            2. My Pictures - takes you directly to the folder in which, by default, Windows stores your image files
            3. Mu Music - takes you directly to the folder in which, by default, Windows stores your music files
            4. My Computer - displays the entire contents of your hard drive(s), CD and DVD drives, floppy disk (if you have one), and any removable drives (like a flash drive)
            5. My Network Places - if your computer is on a network, this displays all the other computers on the network

        2. Quick Launch Bar
          1. A single Left-Click on any of the icons in the Quick Launch Bar will cause the associated program to run. Hover your mouse pointer over any icon to see what program it represents
          2. You can add icons to the Quick Launch Bar by dragging them from the Desktop
          3. Then they will always be available, even when the Desktop is not

        3. Open Programs Area
          1. The names of programs that are running (whether or not they are visible on the screen) are displayed here
          2. You can make a program visible on the screen with a single Left-Click on the program's name in the Open Programs Area

        4. Notification Area (This used to be called the "System Tray")
          1. Displays the time of day and icons for any programs that are running "in the background." These are the programs that open automatically when you start your computer
          2. Hover your mouse pointer over any icon to see the name of the program it represents

    3. Moving the Taskbar
      1. You can use your mouse pointer to move the Taskbar to either side or to the top of the screen
      2. Point to an unused area of the Taskbar, depress the Left mouse button and drag the Taskbar to its new location.

  3. Using Windows' Windows

    4. EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN (Other than the Desktop itself) IS IN A WINDOW

    1. There are three kinds of Windows:
      1. Program Windows (discussed below)
      2. Dialog Boxes - Windows which often pop up to allow you to enter choices before carrying out a command. Examples include:
        1. The box in which you choose what and how to print a document
        2. The box in which you choose font, size, color, etc. when formatting text
        3. The box in which you choose where and how to save a file
      3. Information Boxes - Windows which pop up to inform or warn you about something
    2. Every Program Windows has at least three parts
      Display the Notepad program window to see these
      (Start > All Programs > Accesssories > Notepad)
      1. Title Bar
        1. Displays the name of the program and (as appropriate) the name of the active file
        2. There are three buttons on the right end of the Title Bar
          1. Minimize (looks like an underline)
          2. Resize (looks like one or more square boxes)
          3. Close (looks like a capital X)
          4. Their uses will be discussed later
      2. Menu Bar
        1. Provides access to all the Program's functions, neatly categorized by type of function, for example
          1. File
          2. Edit
          3. Format
          4. Tools
          5. Help
          6. Etc.
      3. Work Area
        1. The appearance of this will vary from program to program, but in all cases, this is where the work gets done

    3. Many Program Windows will also display other features
      Display the WordPad window to see these
      (start > All Programs > Accessories > WordPad)
      1. Tool Bars (which usually can optionally be hidden)
        1. Provide shortcuts to some of the frequently used functions available on the Menu Bar
      2. Status Bars
        1. Display information on the status of the work, e.g.
          1. Page number
          2. Cursor position
          3. Status of NumLock, CapsLock, etc.

    4. Changing the Size of Windows
      1. You may recall that the Resize button is the one at the right end of the window's Title Bar that looks like one or more square boxes
      2. You can change the size of a window when the image displays a single square box. (If two boxes are displayed, Left-Click on the button to change it to a single box)
        1. To increase or decrease the WIDTH of the window, hover the mouse pointer over either the right or left edge of the window, depress the Left mouse button and drag left or right
        2. To increase or decrease the HEIGHT of the window, hover the mouse pointer over either the bottom or top edge of the window, depress the Left mouse button and drag up or down
        3. To increase BOTH the width and height of the window, hover the mouse pointer over any corner of the window, depress the Left mouse button and drag in the desired direction
      3. To return the window to full size, Left-Click on the Resize button (it will once again display two square boxes)

    5. Moving a Window
      1. Start by resizing a window to be about half the size of the Desktop
      2. Hover the mouse pointer over the blue Title Bar of the window, depress the Left mouse button and drag the window to a new position on the Desktop

      Why In the World Would I Want To Do Any Of This?

    6. Working with Multiple Windows
      1. One of the most powerful features of Windows lays in the fact that you can have more than one window open at a time
        1. Open Notepad (see B above)
        2. Open Wordpad (see C above)
        3. Notice that in the Open Programs area of the task bar the names of both are displayed. The name displayed in white is the one that is presently on top
        4. Left-Click on the name displayed in grey. Windows brings it to the top and places the other one behind. The program displayed in the top window is called the "active program,"
        5. But note that the other program(s) can be performing some function even though they are not on top, e.g.
          1. Suppose you are playing music using Windows Media Player and you want to send an email
          2. Just Left-Click on the icon representing your email program
          3. It will open in the foreground (on top) and you can proceed to use it while Windows Media Player continues to play music in the background

    7. Displaying more than one window at a time
      1. Here's an exercise:
        1. Click the Resize button on the Title Bar of the program that is on top
        2. If necessary change the size of the window so that the window of the Program behind it is visible (if you don't remember how see section D above)
        3. Click the Resize button on the Title Bar of that program
        5. If necessary change the size of its window so that some of the Desktop is visible
        6. Move the window of the Program on top so that you can see more of the other window
        7. Left-click on the window in the back to bring it forward
      2. Here's another:
        1. Right-Click on a blank area of the Taskbar
        2. Left-Click on Cascade Windows - the open windows are displayed one behind the other
        3. Right-Click on a blank area of the Taskbar
        4. Left-Click on Tile Windows Horizontally - the open windows are displayed side by side
        5. Right-Click one more time on a blank are of the Taskbar
        6. Left-Click on Tile Windows Vertically - the open windows are displayed side by side
      3. Now you can see how to work with more than one window at a time. This is often useful when you need to transfer information from one program to another (for example from Quicken to a spreadsheet or from an email to a word processing program
      4. Close all open windows one at a time using the Close button (looks like a capital X) at the right end of each window's Title Bar
      5. OR, you can just use Alt+F4

  4. The Windows XP Start Menu Tools:

    1. Help and Support
      1. Windows XP Help and Support is a powerful tool in helping you to accomplish tasks as well as diagnose problems on your computer
      2. Left-Click on Help and Support to open the Dialog box
      3. It looks very confusing - too much text to read easily, yet once you start to use it you'll find that it's very well organized and easy to use
      4. Rather than try to describe everything in the Dialog box, let's take a single task as see how Help and Support works - Let's try to find out if this computer has an active firewall
        1. On the left under "Pick a help topic" locate "Protecting your PC - Security basics." Left-Click on it
        2. Since we are interested in our computer's security - a firewall is an important part of the computer's protection - we'll Left-Click on "Use the Security Center to check on your computer's security settings
        3. Now we're getting somewhere. Under "Pick a task," the first item is "Find out if your computer has a firewall." Left-Click on that and read the instructions
        4. Left-Click on "Open Windows firewall
        5. Finally, we're there! Our firewall is ON and is protecting us from incoming bad things
      5. On the other hand, the approach to getting Help and Support that I like to use is the Help and Support Search
        1. At the top left of the Help and Support Dialog box is a text box named "Search"
        2. Type the word "firewall" (without the quotes) in the box and then Left-Click on the green arrow
        3. The results (on the left side) are probably more than you ever wanted to know about firewalls - but carefully reading results like this are how you really learn to use the computer
      6. Obviously we have only scratched the surface of the power of Help and Support. Use it often and you're computer will turn into a good friend instead of something to be wary of

    2. Search
      1. Left-Click on Search to look for many different things on your hard drive, your address book and the Web
      2. When you Left-Click on Search a dialog box opens offering the opportunity to search for (from top to bottom)
        1. Pictures, Music or Video
          1. When you Left-Click on this option you are required to choose which of the three you want to search for
          2. Left-Click on your choice to put a check mark in front of it
          3. You can also enter all or part of a file name to further limit your search
          4. When the search specifications are complete, Left-Click on the Search button (or, if you change your mind, Left-Click on the Back button)
          5. The search results are displayed in the panel on the right side of the Search dialog box
        2. Documents (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.)
          1. When you Left-Click on this option, you are informed that you can "Search by any or all of the criteria below" There are lots of them:
            1. Last time it was modified - If you know, Left-Click on the appropriate choice; if not, leave the default (Don't remember) unchanged
            2. All or part of the document name - This almost always has to be included. Type the name (or part of the name) in the text box If you don't know at least part of the name of the document, it will be hard to identify - but see below
            3. Especially if you don't know at least part of the name of the document, you'll want to Use Advanced Search Options so Left-Click on it
            4. A Word or Phrase in the Document - If you don't remember at least part of the name of the document, you should at least be able to think of one or more unique words contained in it. Type it/them in here.
            5. Look in: - Here is where you specify where you want Windows to search for the item. Left-Click on the drop-down arrow and you'll see all of the storage components on your computer. The default search is on all hard drives, but you can specify a search (for example) on a floppy drive or a flash drive by Left-Clicking on the particular drive you want searched
            6. You can focus the search still further with the Other Advanced Search Options, but we will not cover them in this Introductory class
        3. All Files and Folders
          1. This works just like the Documents search just described but when chosen Windows will search for every type of file on your computer
          2. It is a general-purpose approach that usually works but takes longer than the two search approaches above
        4. Computers or People
          1. If your computer is part of a network, you can Left-Click on Computers or People, then Left-Click again on A computer on the network and then enter the computer's network name
          2. You can search for people in your email address book by Left-Clicking on People in your address book, then entering any or all of the information in the spaces below. Usually just a last name in the Name field will do the job.
        5. Search the Internet
          1. This final search category gives you ready access to an Internet search engine of your choice. Left-Click on Search the Internet and enter the search term(s) in the text box.
            1. To choose a different search engine, Return to the main Search Dialog box and Left-Click on Change Preferences
            2. There you'll see a number of things that you can change, but the one that will access a different search engine is Change Internet Search Behavior
            3. Left-Click on that, Left-Click on the search engine you want to use to highlight it, then Left-Click on the OK button to make the change.

    3. Run
      1. When you Left-Click on Run, a Dialog box opens with instructions to "Type the name of a program, folder, document or Internet resource and Windows will open it for you"
      2. In other words, Run gives you direct access to anything on your computer or on the Internet. Wow!!
      3. The bad news is that you have to know the exact correct name of the resource you're looking for. For example, this handout for the Introduction to Windows XP course is on the web and its address is: http://www.ewingsnet.com/documents/CourseOutlines/IntroductiontoWindows.html
      4. It is usually easier to click a few times to get where you want to be than it is to remember addresses like this one
      5. Run, however, is a useful command to use for some advanced tasks which are explained in Ewing SeniorNet courses such as "File Management," "Computer Safety" and "Optimizing Your Computer"

  5. The Windows XP Start Menu Controls

    1. Control Panel
      1. When you Left-Click on Control Panel, ten areas of control are displayed
      2. Appearance and Themes - Use this to control how your computer screen looks
        1. Change the computer's theme
        2. Change the desktop background picture
        3. Choose or change the screen saver (or turn it off)
        4. Change the screen resolution (how much you can see at a time)
        5. And more
        6. We'll discuss some of these controls later in the course
      3. Network and Internet Connections - Use this to configure a network or firewall and to change an Internet connection. You'll typically make little use of this control
      4. Add or Remove Programs - Use this to (surprise!) add or remove programs from your computer.
        1. When you Left-Click on this control, a window opens to display all of the programs that are loaded on your computer. If you are interested in getting rid of one of them, scroll down to its name, Left-Click on it to highlight it, the Left-Click on the Change/Remove button. That's all there is to it.
      5. Sound, Speech and Audio Devices - Use this to control the sound on your system
        1. Of the three controls here, you'll probably only need to use the first one ("Adjust the system volume"). It controls the volume of the sound coming out of your speakers
        2. Drag the slider with your Left mouse button to raise or lower the volume and Left-Click on the Mute check box to turn the system sound on or off
        3. It is convenient to have these controls more readily available (after all, to get here you had to Left-Click three times). If you Left-Click on "Put volume icon on the taskbar," you'll have direct access to the volume and mute control via an icon in the Notification Area. Single Left-Click it to bring up the volume control; double Left-Click it to bring up the advanced version with which you can control individually each of the audio features of your computer
      6. Performance and Maintenance - Use this to insure that your system is running smoothly
        1. The first two controls ("See basic information about your computer" and "Adjust visual effects") are for a more advanced user
        2. However, the second two ("Free up space on your hard disk" and "Rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster") are useful for all computer users. We'll return to these later.
      7. Printers and other Hardware - Use this to manually configure your printers, fax machines, scanners and cameras
        1. You'll probably never have to use either of these controls because Windows XP handles the installation and removal of hardware so well, but if you ever have trouble with a peripheral, here's the place to come.
      8. User Accounts - Use this to establish the user accounts necessary to the safety and security of your computer
        1. As delivered, your computer has one (usually unnamed) Administrator account. This is the one you sign into when you turn your computer on. When you are running as an Administrator, you can make any changes you want to the computer (and we all make changes all the time - sometimes even when we don't want to
        2. If there is any second person who uses your computer (spouse, grandchild, friend, neighbor) and they are using the same account as you, they too can make any changes they want (purposely or accidentally) to your computer
        3. Therefore, it is a good idea to have a Guest account for the users other than yourself so that they cannot make unwanted changes. It is this control that you use to do this
        4. Follow these steps:
          1. Left-Click on User Accounts on the Control Panel menu
          2. Left-Click on "Create a New Account"
          3. In the "Name the new account" Dialog box, type a name for the new account in the text box
          4. In the "Pick an account type" Dialog box, Left-Click on "Limited" then Left-Click on the Create Account button.
          5. You'll be returned to the original User Accounts screen and the new account will appear there.
          6. If you'd like to change anything about the new account, Left-Click on it. Then you'll have access to its name, password and picture. You don't need a password for this account, however it is a good idea to add a password to your Administrator account so that guests can't access it
      9. Date, Time, Language and Regional Options - Use this to change the settings for these aspects of your computer
        1. Unless you move your computer across time zones or want to communicate with it in a different language than English, you won't need to use these controls
        2. Your computer automatically knows to change the time settings from Standard to Daylight time and back again on the appropriate dates
      10. Accessibility Options - Use this to enlarge the type on the screen, use the arrow keys instead of the mouse, turn your mouse pointed into a magnifying glass, etc.
        1. Here you'll find a host of ways of making it easier to use your computer and read the screen
        2. If you are having a hard time using the mouse, seeing what's written on the screen, etc. you should explore the controls in this area. Contact joelmay@yahoo.com if you need help with these controls
      11. Security Center - Use this to establish the security settings for your computer
        1. Left-Clicking on this control opens a Dialog box with three areas: Firewall, Automatic Updates and Virus Protection
        2. Unless you have a separate software firewall running on your computer, all three areas should be set to ON

    2. Set Program Access and Defaults
      1. This set of controls determines which programs your computer will use for
        1. Internet Access
        2. Email
        3. Media Player
        4. Instant Messaging
        5. Java
      2. Don't mess with the defaults, they work 99.9% of the time. You'll learn much more about this in the File Management course

    3. Administrative Tools
      1. This is a huge toolbox of advanced diagnostic and repair tools for your system. Leave their use to the geeks

    4. Connect To
      1. If you are using a stand-alone computer (not connected to a network) this control has no function
      2. If you are on a network, it can usually be useful in diagnosing network problems

    5. Printers and Faxes
      1. Left-Clicking on this control will open a window that displays all the printers and fax machines (real or virtual) that are attached to your computer and the current status of each
      2. The only reason you will probably ever have to use this control is if you've started a long print job and suddenly have decided to abort it.
      3. To accomplish this:
        1. Left-Click on the Printers and Faxes control
        2. In the Printers and Faxes Dialog box, double Left-Click on the printer that is currently in use. Another Dialog box will open and display all the current jobs running on or waiting for that printer
        3. Right-Click on the job you want to abort and, on the menu that comes up, Left-Click on "Cancel"
        4. Finally, confirm the cancellation with a Left-Click on the Yes button

  6. Managing Folders and Files

    1. What is a File?
      1. Each item of information (letters, lists, documents, financial information, spreadsheets, databases, etc. as well as components of the operating system and of the programs on your computer) is stored as a FILE
      2. Files are organized into FOLDERS
      3. Folders can contain SUBFOLDERS
      4. It is useful to think of the hard drive (C:) as a file cabinet.
        1. The file cabinet has drawers which are the equivalent of folders (it can hold as many folders as its physical size can accommodate)
        2. Inside the drawers (folders) are a number of subfolders
        3. Inside the subfolders are the files (or additional subfolders - think of them as sub-subfolders
        4. Open the My Town folder to see how this works

    2. Naming Files
      1. Most Windows files have names with two distinct parts separated by a period: FILENAME . EXE
      2. The stuff before the period or dot (.) is the name of the file assigned either by you (in the case of files you create) or by the programmer or supplier (in the case of the operating system, programs and applications)
      3. The stuff after the period or dot (.) is called the "file extension"
      4. File extensions are usually, but not necessarily, three characters long
        1. Extensions define the type of file and are very important because they are what Windows uses to determine what kind of file it is and how to process it. At joelmay http://filext.com/ you can look up file extensions to see what each means
        2. Windows should be configured to always display the file extensions. However, as delivered, Windows does NOT display these extensions, (probably because Bill Gates thought you too stupid to learn what we'll discuss for the rest of the course.)
        3. To display file extensions
          1. Open My Computer (on the Start Menu)
          2. Left-Click on the Tools Menu
          3. Left-Click on Folder Options
          4. Left-Click on the View Tab
          5. At the very bottom of the white windows you'll see "Hide Extensions for Known File Types"
          6. Left-Click on it to remove the checkmark
      5. Since such as disk drives, CD and DVD drives, USB storage devices, etc. are assigned letters with a colon such as A: and C: The full address of a file contains all the information needed to locate the file on your computer. It would look something like

        C:\Folder\Subfolder\Sub-Subfolder\FileName.Extension

        1. The part of the full address preceding the file name is called the "path"

    3. Saving Files
      1. Whenever you create a file containing information you want to keep, it is important to save it properly.
      2. File Save vs. File Save As
        1. When you SAVE a file, the latest version replaces the previous one
        2. When you SAVE AS, you are asked for a new file name and the latest version is saved with that name, preserving the previous version.
      3. The process for saving a file is as follows:
        1. Left-Click on the File Menu, then Left-Click on Save or Save As (see above)
        2. If you have previously saved a version of the file and you choose Save, the new version is automatically saved, replacing the previous version
        3. If you have not previously saved a version of the file the procedure for Save or Save As is identical.
        4. A Dialog Box will appear
        5. There are three characteristics of files that you must consider when saving a file
          1. The file location (chosen or entered in the Save In drop-down box at the top of the Save As dialog box. To see all the existing folders on your hard drive Left-Click on the little blue arrow at the right end of the box)
          2. The file name (chosen or entered in the File Name drop-down box just below the large white area
          3. The file type or extension (chosen or entered in the Save as Type drop-down box just below the File Name
      4. But suppose you want to create a new folder or subfolder in which to save the file
        1. After you have chosen Save or Save As on the File Menu and the dialog box has opened
        2. Using the little blue arrow at the right end of the box, display the existing folders
        3. Left-Click on the folder within which you want to create the new subfolder
        4. To the right of the Save In Drop-Down box there are a number of icons
        5. The one that looks like a file folder that is about to explode (the one WITHOUT the crooked arrow in it) is the Create New Folder tool
        6. Click on it. A new dialog box will open and you'll see a place to type in the name of the new folder or subfolder
        7. Type in the name you want and Left-Click on the OK button
        8. Proceed to save your file as described in C.3 above

    4. Copying Files or Folders
      1. You can copy file, folders, subfolders, sub-subfolders, etc. from one place on your hard drive to another
        2. Copying creates a duplicate of the original
        1. In the same folder with a different name
        2. In a different folder with the same name
        3. In a different folder with a different name
      2. The original remains in the same location unchanged
      3. As usual in Windows there are several ways to do this, but we'll just stick with one, using the Task Pane (the area to the left on the My Computer window)
        1. Open My Computer (on the Start Menu)
        2. Navigate to the file or folder you want to copy
        3. Left-click on the file or folder you want to copy to highlight it
        4. In the Task Pane on the left, choose Copy This File
        5. In the dialog box that opens, left-click on the folder to which you want to copy the chosen file or folder
        6. Click on the Copy button at the bottom of the dialog box
      4. Note, if you want to copy more than one file (or folder) at the same time, you can select multiple files (or folders) as follows:
        1. To select multiple files or folders that are listed contiguously, Left-Click on the first one, then Shift-Left-Click on the last one. They will all be selected
        2. To select multiple files or folders that are not listed contiguously, hold down the CTRL key and Left-Click on each one you want one at a time.

    5. Moving Files or Folders
      1. You can move files, folders, subfolders, sub-subfolders, etc.
      2. Moving is similar to Copying in that it creates a duplicate of the original
        1. In the same folder with a different name
        2. In a different folder with the same name
        3. In a different folder with a different name (but the same content)
      3. But the action also deletes the original file from its former location
      4. As is case with Copy, there are many ways in Windows to do this, but we'll just learn one for now
        1. Open My Computer (on the Start Menu)
        2. Navigate to the file or folder you want to move
        3. Left-click on the file or folder you want to move to highlight it
        4. In the Task Pane on the left, choose Move This File
        5. In the dialog box that opens, left-click on the folder to which you want to move the chosen file(s) or folder(s)
        6. Click on the Move button at the bottom of the dialog box

    6. Renaming Files or Folders
      1. You can change the name of a file or folder at any time
      2. But you must be careful NOT TO CHANGE THE FILE EXTENSION
      3. To rename a file or folder using the Task Pane
        1. Open My Computer (on the Start Menu)
        2. Navigate to the file or folder you want to rename
        3. Left-click on the file or folder you want to rename to highlight it
        4. In the Task Pane on the left, choose Rename This File
        5. The file name will be highlighted with a box around it
        6. Type the new file name in the box (as soon as you begin to type, the old name will disappear) followed by a period and the correct file extension
        7. BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE CORRECT FILE EXTENSION FOLLOWING THE NEW NAME
        8. Press ENTER to make the change effective

    7. Deleting Files or Folders
      1. You can delete a file or folder at any time
      2. To delete a file using the Task Pane
        1. Open My Computer (on the Start Menu)
        2. Navigate to the file or folder you want to delete
        3. Left-click on the file or folder you want to delete to highlight it
        4. A dialog box asking "Are you sure you want to send [filename.exe] to the Recyle Bin?"
        5. If you're certain that you do want to delete the file or folder, Left-Click on the Yes button
        6. The file is deleted (actually, it is moved to a folder called Recycle Bin
        7. If you change your mind later
          1. Left-Click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop
          2. Navigate to the file or folder you want to undelete
          3. Left-Click on it to highlight it
          4. Then, in the grey dialog box that appears Left-Click on the Restore button

    8. If you'd like to learn more about the best ways to use files and folders, take the Ewing SeniorNet course called "File Management"

  7. More on Icons
    1. Creating Icons
      1. Icons can be very useful shortcuts to programs you use frequently
      2. Once you have an icon on your desktop, a single Left-Click on it will run the associated program
      3. To create a Desktop icon:
        1. Navigate (using My Computer) to the program for which you want the icon
        2. Right-Click on the name of the program
        3. Hover your mouse pointer over the Send To" item on the menu
        4. Then Left-Click on "Desktop (create shortcut)
        5. An icon will be created on the desktop
      4. To create a Quick Launch icon
        1. Proceed as above
        2. After the Desktop icon has been created, position your mouse pointer over it, depress the Left mouse button, and drag a copy of the icon to the Quick Launch toolbar
      5. You may recall from our discussion of the Start menu that you can also "pin" a program shortcut there by
        1. Following steps 3.a and 3.b above
        2. Left-Clicking on the "Pin to start menu" item on the menu

    2. Deleting Icons
      1. To delete an icon
        1. Right-Click on the icon
        2. Left-Click on the "Delete" item on the menu
        3. You will be informed that deleting the shortcut only removes the icon. It does not uninstall the program.
        4. Left-Click on "Delete shortcut"

    3. Customizing Icons
      1. It is possible to change the appearance of icons by choosing different images.
        1. Right-Click on an icon
        2. Left-Click on the "Properties" item on the menu
        3. Left-Click on the "Change icon" button in the Properties Dialog box
        4. In most cases, a number of different images are displayed
        5. If you like one of these, Left-Click on it to highlight it
        6. If you'd like more choices, Left-Click on the "Browse" button and look for
          1. c:\windows\system32\moricons.dll
          2. c:\windows\system32\pifmgr.dll
          3. c:\windows\system32\progman.exe
        7. all of which contain addition possible choices
        8. Download icon files from the Web for still more choices
          1. http://www.mienet.net/freestuff/free_icons/index.html
          2. http://www.yellowpipe.com/yis/download/free-icons.php
        9. Left-Click on the one you want to highlight it
        10. Left-Click on the OK button twice

  8. More on Appearance and Themes
    9. (You can access these controls by Left-Clicking on Start, then Left-Clicking on Control Panel, then Left-Clicking on Appearances and Themes)

    1. Changing the Computer's Theme
      1. The first option under "Pick a task" is "Change the Computer's Theme"
      2. A Theme is a coordinated set of background, mouse pointer, sounds, etc. that, together, create the computer's "environment."
      3. Left-Click on Change the Computer's Theme
      4. In the Display Properties Dialog box, on the Theme tab you'll see a drop-down menu box named "Theme" and a preview window named "Sample." These display the current theme.
      5. Windows XP provides two built-in themes
        1. Windows XP
        2. Windows Classic
      6. To change a theme, Left-Click on the one you want to highlight it and then Left-Click on the OK button
      7. There are many more free themes available on the Web at http://www.topthemes.com/. (take the Ewing SeniorNet course called "Downloading Files" to learn more about how to access these)

    2. Changing the Desktop Background
      1. The second option under "Pick a task" is "Change the Desktop Background"
      2. The Desktop background is the picture you see on your screen when no program windows are open. The default (rolling green hills and a blue sky) is called "Bliss" by Microsoft
      3. There are several others built into Windows.
      4. Left-Click on Change the Desktop Background
      5. In the Display Properties Dialog box, on the Desktop tab you'll see a scrolling window with the names of a number of Desktop Backgrounds.
      6. Scroll until you find one you think you might like and then Left-Click on it to see how it will look on your screen
      7. If necessary, use the Position drop-down menu on the right to either
        1. Center the image in the middle of the screen
        2. Tile the image causing it to repeat enough times to fill the screen
        3. Stretch the image to enlarge it to fill the screen
      8. You can use the Browse button to access other images stored on your hard drive to use a the Desktop Background
      9. You can Right-Click any image on the Web and choose "Set as Desktop Background from the resulting menu to put anything you want as your Desktop Background (to learn more about how to do this, take the Ewing SeniorNet course called "Downloading Files")

    3. Choosing a Screen Saver
      1. The third option under "Pick a task" is "Choose a Screen Saver"
      2. A screen saver is a small program that causes something to appear and move around on your screen if the computer has been idle for some time
      3. In the early days of computer (up until about the mid-nineties), screen savers were vital to the preservation of your monitor. If the same image remained on the monitor for, say, a half hour it would "burn in" and a faint image of it will always be visible.
      4. Hence, the screen saver would automatically, after a specified period of time which you could set, replace the static image on the screen with something that moved around.
      5. Screen savers are no longer necessary because of the advanced technology in today's monitors, but some people still like them and use them
      6. Windows makes available a number of screen savers
        1. Left-click on Choose a Screen Saver
        2. Use the Screen saver drop-down menu to view the available screen savers
        3. Left-Click on one and see a demonstration
        4. Left-Click on the Settings button to see how you can customize it
        5. Left-Click on the Preview button to see how it would look on your screen
        6. Use the up and down arrows at the right side of the Wait box to set the amount of time it should wait before kicking in

    4. Changing the Screen Resolution
      1. The fourth option under "Pick a task" is "Change the Screen Resolution"
      2. Screen resolution is a way of describing how many "pixels" (picture elements) are displayed at one time on your screen
      3. The more pixels, the more you'll see at one time, but the smaller the type and pictures will be
      4. Every monitor (CRT or flat screen) has what is called a "native resolution." It is the resolution that the manufacturer feels looks best. If you have never before changed the screen resolution, it is like that you are viewing your screen at its "native resolution"
      5. As monitors get bigger and bigger, their native resolution gets higher and higher (that is, more and more can be seen on the screen at one time)
      6. However, sometimes our aging eyes can't deal with the higher screen resolutions and we need to adjust it
        1. Left-Click on Change the Screen Resolution
        2. Depending on your monitor the information on the Settings tab will vary, but toward the lower left you'll see a slider
        3. Using your mouse pointer, depress the Left mouse button and drag the slider left and right - you'll see various screen resolutions available on your monitor
        4. Left-Click on the OK button to choose one
      7. Experiment with them and choose the one that balances the amount of information on the screen with your individual ability to read it

    5. Appearance
      1. Although there is no choice associated with it on the Control Pane / Appearance and Themes control, there is one more tab in the Display Properties Dialog box that you should know about
      2. Left-Click on any of the options under "Pick a task" and then Left-Click on the Appearance tab
      3. Here are controls that allow you to modify any aspect of Windows appearance. You can change window colors, type fonts, how window appear, etc.
      4. We will not go into any detail in this class but, if you're interested, this topic is covered in detail in the Ewing SeniorNet course called "Optimizing Your Computer"

    6. Mouse Properties
      1. On the Appearance and Themes control, in the upper left, there are some additional choices under the heading "See Also"
      2. One of the more useful of these is "Mouse Pointer" Left-Click on it to open the Mouse Properties Dialog box
      3. Let's start with the left-most tab labeled "Buttons"
        1. In the upper third of the dialog box you can switch the functions of the buttons - the left button and right button "change places"
        2. In the middle third of the dialog box you can adjust the "double-click speed." If you like to double-click more slowly, drag the pointer to the left. If you are really fast-fingered, drag the pointer to the right. Test your setting by double-clicking on the yellow folder to the right
        3. In the bottom third of the dialog box you can change the way dragging with the mouse works
        4. In these cases as in all the others we'll look at in the Dialog box, Left-Clicking on the Apply button will cause the change to take effect and Left-Clicking on the OK button will exit you from the Dialog box
      4. The Pointers tab lets you choose different pointer symbols for different purposes (Left-Click on the Browse button for LOT'S of choices)
        1. You can create your own personalized set of pointer symbols and then, using the Scheme box at the top, give it a name and save it
      5. On the Pointer Options tab there are a number of options for controlling how the pointer behaves
        1. You can set the speed at which your pointer will move with the slider in the top (Motion) section
        2. In the "Snap to" section you can have the pointer automatically more to the button representing the default action when a new Dialog box opens. This is handy because the default action is the one you'll usually want to take and your mouse will already be there
        3. In the "Visibility" section there are three controls
          1. You can have the mouse pointer display a trail across the screen as you move it (and you can also control the length of the tail with the slider)
          2. You can have the mouse pointer disappear when you type (I'm not sure what this is meant to accomplish)
          3. You can set it up so that, when you can't find your mouse pointer on the screen (something that happens fairly frequently), you can simply depress the CTRL key and it will show up
          4. If you have a wheel mouse, you can use the control in the Wheel tab to set how much the mouse will scroll with each movement of the wheel
          5. Finally, in the Hardware tab you can see what kind of a mouse you are using and, if you're having problems with your mouse, you can use the Troubleshoot button to go directly to the appropriate section of the Windows Help and Support tool

  9. More on Performance and Maintenance
    10. (To learn all about improving your computer's performance, check out the Ewing SeniorNet course called "Optimizing Your Computer")

    1. Free Up Space on Your Hard Disk
      1. As you use your computer, the Windows operating system creates many additional files that you probably don't know about and probably don't need. These include:
        1. Downloaded Program Files - Files that accompanied a download but are not necessary for the operation of the downloaded program
        2. Temporary Internet Files - Whenever you visit a page on the World Wide Web, your browser saves a copy of the page on the assumption that you may want to see it again and it can be retrieved faster from your hard drive than by having to go back out to the Internet to get it. Over time you can accumulate hundreds of megabytes of such files -- all of which are unnecessary.
        3. Back-up Files - Many programs, such as word processors, routinely save a copy of your document as a safety measure in case of a computer crash. These back-up copies are no longer needed after you have saved the file in the regular way.
        4. Log Files - These are files that are created by many programs to provide you with a record of what they have done. In some instances such a record is useful in determining why a program failed or why a particular error message appeared, but in most cases they are simply records of information that you will never need.
        5. Other Temporary Files - Temporary files are created for a variety of purposes. After you have finished the task they are no longer needed.
        6. Files in the Recyle Bin - When you delete a file it is sent to the Recycle Bin. It stays there until you delete it from that location or until you have deleted so many files that the Bin can no longer hold them all, in which case the oldest files in the Bin are deleted. The only reason to keep a file in the Recycle Bin is if you find that you deleted it in error and want to restore it.
      2. These files not only take up unnecessary space on your hard drive, their mere presence can slow down the operation of your computer
      3. To get rid of them
        1. Click on "Start"
        2. Hover your mouse pointer over "All Programs"
        3. Move up and hover your mouse pointer over "Accessories"
        4. Move right and down and hover your mouse pointer over "System Tools"
        5. Move right and down and Left-Click on "Disk Cleanup"
        6. A Disk Cleanup dialog box will open and the program will check your hard drive for unneeded files (this may take a while if you haven't done it for a while [or ever!])
        7. When the process is complete, a Disk Cleanup for Drive C:\ dialog box will open. It will display the amount of space currently being taken up by each of the categories of unneeded files and will have a check mark before each of the category labels.
        8. If there is a category that you don't want to delete, click on the box to un-check it.
        9. Otherwise, click "OK" to delete the unneeded files.
      4. It is a good idea to do this at least once every week or so

    2. Rearrange Items on your Hard Disk to make your Programs Run Faster
      1. Fragmentation refers to the condition of a disk in which files are divided into pieces scattered around the disk. Fragmentation occurs naturally when you use a disk frequently: creating, deleting and modifying files. At some point, the operating system needs to store parts of a file in noncontinguous clusters. This is entirely invisible to the user, but it can slow down the speed at which data is accessed because the disk drive must search through different parts of the disk to put together a single file.
      2. To speed up your computer, you can perform an operation called "Defragmentation" or, more commonly, "Defragging"
      3. Before defragging it is important to shut down all running programs, especially anti-virus programs and screen savers. This is necessary because, if during the process a program should attempt to access a file on the drive that is being defragmented, the process has to be started all over again.
      4. In theory, firewalls should also be shut down, but in my opinion, the risk of opening your system to the outside world is greater than the risk of having the defragmentation process restarted
      5. To defrag your hard drive:
        1. Click on "Start"
        2. Hover your mouse pointer over "All Programs"
        3. Move up and hover your mouse pointer over "Accessories"
        4. Move right and down and hover your mouse pointer over "System Tools"
        5. Move right and down and Left-Click on "Disk Defragmenter"
        6. When the "Disk Defragmenter" window opens you'll see a list of the hard drives displayed at the top of the screen. Left-Click to select the drive you want to defragment (usually Drive C:/), then click on the "Analyze" button
        7. The Estimated Disk Usage Before Defragmentation and Estimated Disk Usage After Defragmentation will be displayed on the Analysis Report.
        8. A new window opens with a brief recommendation of what action Disk Defragmenter thinks should be taken regarding the chosen drive. It's important to note that this is just a recommendation based on the percentage of fragmented files to total files and doesn't prevent the drive from being defragmented if you feel it needs to be done and might improve system performance.
        9. If you want to go ahead and defragment without more information, Left-Click the "Defragment" button. or if the recommendation is that defragmentation is not needed, Left-Click the "Close" button
        10. Clicking the "View Report" will provide you with a great deal more information about your hard drive, but typically this is not needed to successfully accomplish defragging.
        11. After the defragmentation process completes, clicking the "View Report" button will bring up the Defragmentation Report. It takes the exact same form as the Analysis Report, but shows the post defragmentation results.
      6. It is a good idea to do this at least once a month

  10. Fun Things

    1. View Photographs
      1. Put the CD or floppy disk in the appropriate drive, or connect your camera to the USB port and turn it on
        1. In the case of the CD, Windows will recognize it and offer you a menu of choices. Choose View Images
        2. In the case of the floppy, use My Computer to navigate to Floppy A:\ and Left-Click on the first image
        3. In the case of the camera, use My Computer to navigate to the appropriate removable drive (usually called either Removable Drive or Digital Camera), Double Left-Click on the folder displayed, then Left-Click on the first image
        4. It might also be the case that you want to view photographs you've previously saved to your hard drive. In that case, use My Computer to navigate to the location on the hard drive where the images are saved, then Left-Click on the first image
      2. Windows Picture and Fax Viewer will open and display the first image
      3. Use the controls on the Toolbar at the bottom of the screen (left to right) to
        1. Display the previous picture
        2. Display the next picture
        3. Cause the picture to "best fit" the screen (usually changes nothing)
        4. Display the picture "actual size" (usually changes nothing)
        5. Start a slide show (pictures are advanced, one after another, automatically)
        6. Zoom in
        7. Zoom out
        8. Delete current picture
        9. Print current picture
        10. Copy current picture to another location
        11. Close Windows Picture and Fax Viewer and open another program (which you designate) to edit the picture
        12. Get help
      4. If you'd like to learn more about digital cameras and photography, take Ewing SeniorNet's "Digital Photography" course

    2. Play a music CD
      1. There are two kinds of music CDs
        1. Those recorded with an audio CD codec (the kind you buy in the store or rent from the library)
        2. Collections of MP3 music files (very compressed individual pieces)
      2. To play an audio CD
        1. Put the CD into the CD drive
        2. Windows will recognize it and offer you a menu of choices
        3. Choose "Play audio CD using Windows Media Player"
        4. Sit back and listen
      3. To play an MP3 file
        1. Insert the CD containing the file into the CD drive (or if the file has already been saved to your hard drive, go to the next step)
        2. Use My Computer to navigate to the CD drive or the location on the hard drive where the file was saved
        3. In the case of the CD, chose Open Folder to View Files
        4. Double Left-Click on the tune you want to hear
        5. Sit back and listen
      4. If you'd like to learn more about creating and using music CD, take Ewing SeniorNet's "Creating CDs with a CD writer" course

    3. Play a Video
      1. Videos are available on CDs, DVDs and the Web
      2. To play a video CD
        1. Insert the CD into the CD drive
        2. When the menu appears, Left-Click on "Play using Windows Media Player"
        3. Sit back and enjoy
      3. To play a video DVD
        1. Insert the DVD in to the DVD drive
        2. When the menu appears, Left-Click on the choice you want (each DVD will be slightly different)
        3. Sit back and enjoy