Understanding the Windows 7 Screen - ASP2 Home Page - University ...

Microsoft®

Windows 7

IT Services, University of Wolverhampton

© 2009 by CustomGuide, Inc. 1502 Nicollet Avenue South, Suite 1; Minneapolis, MN 55403 This material is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by CustomGuide, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of CustomGuide, Inc. We make a sincere effort to ensure the accuracy of the material described herein; however, CustomGuide makes no warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, correctness, reliability, accuracy, or freedom from error of this document or the products it describes. Data used in examples and sample data files are intended to be fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or companies is entirely coincidental. The names of software products referred to in this manual are claimed as trademarks of their respective companies. CustomGuide is a registered trademark of CustomGuide, Inc.

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© 2009 CustomGuide, Inc.

Table of Contents The Fundamentals................................................................................................................................................. 10 A Look at Windows 7 ............................................................................................................................................ 11 What’s New in Windows 7 .................................................................................................................................... 12 Starting and Logging On to Windows 7 ................................................................................................................ 13 Understanding the Windows 7 Screen ................................................................................................................. 14 Using the Mouse: Pointing, Clicking, and Double-clicking ................................................................................... 15 Using the Mouse: Clicking and Dragging, and Right-clicking .............................................................................. 17 Using the Keyboard .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Understanding the Start Menu .............................................................................................................................. 20 Using Help and Support ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Turning Off Your Computer ................................................................................................................................... 24 The Fundamentals Review .................................................................................................................................... 26 Working with a Window ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Understanding the Parts of a Window .................................................................................................................. 29 Using Windows Aero ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Using Window Sizing Buttons .............................................................................................................................. 33 Moving and Resizing a Window ........................................................................................................................... 35 Switching Between Windows ............................................................................................................................... 36 Arranging Windows Automatically ........................................................................................................................ 38 Closing a Window ................................................................................................................................................. 39 Working with a Window Review ........................................................................................................................... 40 Working with a Program ....................................................................................................................................... 42 Opening a Program .............................................................................................................................................. 43 Understanding the Program Window ................................................................................................................... 44 Understanding the Ribbon .................................................................................................................................... 45 Using the Program Button and Quick Access Toolbar ......................................................................................... 46 Understanding Controls ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Entering and Editing Text in WordPad .................................................................................................................. 49 Opening a File ...................................................................................................................................................... 50 Saving a File ......................................................................................................................................................... 51 Selecting and Replacing Text ............................................................................................................................... 53 Using Undo and Redo .......................................................................................................................................... 55 Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Text ...................................................................................................................... 56 Previewing and Printing a Document ................................................................................................................... 58 Getting Help .......................................................................................................................................................... 60 Working with a Program Review .......................................................................................................................... 61 Working with Folders and Files ........................................................................................................................... 64 Understanding What’s in Your Computer ............................................................................................................. 66 Opening Drives, Folders, and Files ...................................................................................................................... 68 Understanding the Windows Explorer Window .................................................................................................... 69 Using Windows Explorer to Navigate Your Computer .......................................................................................... 70 Folder and File Basics .......................................................................................................................................... 72 Using and Creating Libraries ................................................................................................................................ 74 Modifying and Deleting Libraries .......................................................................................................................... 75 Selecting Multiple Folders and Files ..................................................................................................................... 77 Copying and Moving Folders and Files ................................................................................................................ 78 Changing Window Layout and Views ................................................................................................................... 80 Sorting and Filtering Items ................................................................................................................................... 81 Using Search ........................................................................................................................................................ 83 Working with Compressed Folders ...................................................................................................................... 85


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Working with Folders and Files Review............................................................................................................... 86 Working with the Taskbar and Desktop .............................................................................................................. 89 Customizing the Taskbar ...................................................................................................................................... 90 Resizing and Moving the Taskbar......................................................................................................................... 91 Using Jump Lists .................................................................................................................................................. 93 Customizing the Start Menu ................................................................................................................................. 94 Working with Desktop Icons ................................................................................................................................. 96 Using Gadgets ...................................................................................................................................................... 97 Starting a Program Automatically with Windows .................................................................................................. 99 Working with the Taskbar and Desktop Review ............................................................................................... 100 Personalizing Windows ...................................................................................................................................... 102 A Look at the Control Panel ................................................................................................................................ 103 Changing Color and Theme ............................................................................................................................... 104 Changing the Desktop Background .................................................................................................................... 106 Using a Screen Saver ......................................................................................................................................... 108 Adjusting Display Settings .................................................................................................................................. 109 Adjusting Sound ................................................................................................................................................. 111 Adjusting the Mouse ........................................................................................................................................... 113 Changing the Date and Time .............................................................................................................................. 115 Changing Language and Region Options .......................................................................................................... 117 Customizing Folder View Options ...................................................................................................................... 119 Personalizing Windows Review.......................................................................................................................... 120 Using Windows Accessories ............................................................................................................................. 122 Calculator............................................................................................................................................................ 123 Connect to a Projector ........................................................................................................................................ 124 Getting Started .................................................................................................................................................... 125 Notepad .............................................................................................................................................................. 126 Paint.................................................................................................................................................................... 127 Remote Desktop Connection.............................................................................................................................. 129 Snipping Tool ...................................................................................................................................................... 131 Sound Recorder ................................................................................................................................................. 132 Sticky Notes ........................................................................................................................................................ 133 Sync Center ........................................................................................................................................................ 134 Windows Explorer ............................................................................................................................................... 135 Windows Mobility Center .................................................................................................................................... 136 WordPad ............................................................................................................................................................. 137 Ease of Access ................................................................................................................................................... 138 System Tools ...................................................................................................................................................... 139 Tablet PC Accessories ........................................................................................................................................ 140 Using Windows Accessories Review ................................................................................................................. 142 Connecting to the Internet ................................................................................................................................. 145 Dial-Up Connections ........................................................................................................................................... 146 Broadband Connections ..................................................................................................................................... 148 Mobile Broadband Connections ......................................................................................................................... 150 Connecting to a Wireless Network ..................................................................................................................... 151 Using Windows to Diagnose and Repair a Connection ..................................................................................... 153 Connecting to the Internet Review ..................................................................................................................... 155 Working with Hardware and Peripherals .......................................................................................................... 157 Understanding Computer Ports .......................................................................................................................... 158 Installing New Hardware ..................................................................................................................................... 159 Installing a Printer ............................................................................................................................................... 161

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Working with USB Flash Drives.......................................................................................................................... 163 Troubleshooting Hardware ................................................................................................................................. 165 Working with Hardware and Peripherals Review .............................................................................................. 166 Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer .................................................................................................... 167 Installing Software .............................................................................................................................................. 168 Removing Software ............................................................................................................................................ 170 Shutting Down a Frozen Program ...................................................................................................................... 171 Adjusting Power Settings ................................................................................................................................... 172 Repairing Disk Errors ......................................................................................................................................... 174 Defragmenting Your Hard Disk ........................................................................................................................... 176 Freeing Up Space on Your Hard Disk ................................................................................................................. 177 Restoring Your Computer ................................................................................................................................... 179 Turning Windows Features On or Off ................................................................................................................. 181 Using Windows Update ...................................................................................................................................... 183 Setting Default Programs ................................................................................................................................... 185 Scheduling Tasks ................................................................................................................................................ 187 Running Older Programs in Windows XP Mode ................................................................................................ 189 Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer Review ........................................................................................ 191 Networking with Windows 7............................................................................................................................... 194 Understanding Networks .................................................................................................................................... 195 Browsing a Network............................................................................................................................................ 196 Mapping a Network Drive ................................................................................................................................... 197 Connecting to a Network Printer ........................................................................................................................ 199 Connecting to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) .................................................................................................. 201 Using HomeGroup .............................................................................................................................................. 203 Sharing Files and Folders .................................................................................................................................. 205 Networking with Windows 7 Review .................................................................................................................. 207


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Introducing CustomGuide Courseware Thank you for choosing CustomGuide courseware as the solution to your training needs. A proven leader in the computer training industry, CustomGuide has been the key to successful training for thousands of students and instructors across the globe. This manual is designed for computer users of all experience levels. Novice users can use it to learn skills such as formatting text, while advanced users can use it to create their own templates. All this information is quickly accessible. Lessons are broken down into basic step-by-step instructions that answer “how-to” questions in minutes. You can print a complete 300-page training manual or a single page of instructions. Here’s how a CustomGuide manual is organized: Chapters Each manual is divided into several chapters. Aren't sure if you're ready for a chapter? Look at the table of contents that appears at the beginning of each chapter. It will tell you the name of each lesson and subtopic included in the chapter. Lessons Each chapter contains lessons on related topics. Each lesson explains a new skill or topic and contains an exercise and exercise file to give you hands-onexperience. These skills can also be practiced using CustomGuide Online Learning. Review A review is included at the end of the manual. Use these quiz questions and answers to assess how much you've learned.

What People Are Saying “I have saved hundreds of hours of design time by just picking and choosing what I want from the courseware.” — Stephanie Zimmerman Lancaster County Library “We have been able to customize our training sessions on all Microsoft Office products, at all levels. The ROI of these guides is great.” — Dawn Calvin Las Virgenes Municipal Water District “All in all, the friendliest, most open and easy to understand tutorial of its type that I’ve ever seen.” — W. Boudville Amazon.com “…curriculum that is of high quality, student friendly, and adaptable to the audience.” — Sherrill Wayland St. Charles Community College “…a nice training option for almost any need. Their complete Microsoft Office package is by far the best deal on the market.” — Technical Assistance Program Purdue University “Any instructor teaching classes on Windows or Microsoft Office will definitely want to give serious consideration to this important collection of titles that will definitely fit well into their classroom learning.” — Dale Farris Golden Triangle PC Club “The materials are exceptional – I am so excited about using them! Thanks to you and your team for doing this wonderful work!” — Shannon Coleman Learning Post Ltd.

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How It Works 1. Open Microsoft Word Our customizable courseware is provided as simple-to-use, editable Microsoft Word documents—if you can use Microsoft Word you can create your own training materials in minutes! 2. Select Your Topics Select the content you need from our awardwinning courseware library. You can even mix and match topics between titles, such as Windows Vista and Microsoft Word. 3. Customize Arrange topics in the order you want—the courseware automatically updates to reflect your changes. Add your organization’s name and logo for a professional “in-house” look.

4. Print and Distribute Print as many copies as you need at your site, without paying any per-unit royalties or maintaining physical inventories. You can print single-page handouts, a group of related lessons, or a complete manual. It’s fast, convenient, and very affordable. 5. Teach and Learn You’ll love having your own customized training materials, and your users will appreciate the colorful illustrations, down-to-earth writing style, and the convenience of having a reference guide that they can use in or out of the classroom.

3rd Generation Courseware: What’s New? CustomGuide is pleased to introduce 3rd generation courseware. Completely redesigned from years of customer feedback, 3rd generation courseware features a streamlined design that is easier to customize and use as a reference tool. Take a look at the table below for more information regarding these features.

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Streamlined design

Featuring a professional-looking, easy-to-read design, 3 generation courseware appeals to instructors, students and individual users alike.

Exercise Notes

A new Exercise Notes section appears at the top of each lesson. Rather than practicing the nd topic step by step through the lesson as in 2 generation courseware, the topic can be practiced using the exercise file and exercise described here.

Table of Contents

In addition to the Table of Contents found at the beginning of each courseware title, 3 generation courseware includes a Table of Contents at the beginning of each chapter, making it even easier to locate the lessons you need.

Smart Quizzes

The Quiz section, located at the back of the book, automatically updates itself when the manual is customized. For example, if you remove a lesson regarding cutting and pasting text, there will be no questions in the Quiz section that relate to cutting and pasting text.

Easier customization

The design of 3 generation is simplified, which makes it easier to customize. All you have to do is click and drag or copy and paste, or press the key to remove a lesson, and voila; you’re done!

Use as a reference tool

3 generation courseware breaks tasks down into basic step-by-step instructions and can be used as a virtual help desk, answering “how-to” questions in minutes.

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Courseware Features Working with Shapes and Pictures

Positioning Pictures Whenever you insert a graphic into a document, it is inserted inline with text by default. This means that the text in the document moves in order to accommodate the graphic. This lesson will show you how to adjust text wrapping and how to use the grid to position objects. Tips

 Exercise 

Exercise File: AmericanHistory7-3.docx



Exercise: Select the header row containing the month labels, the Income row, the Total Exp. Row, and the Net Inc. row (use the Ctrl key to select multiple rows). Create a 2-D Clustered Column chart.

 If you want to use a graphic with other graphics or objects, they must be on a drawing canvas. See the lesson on Inserting Shapes for more information.

Adjust text wrapping To adjust how text reacts to the objects in your documents, change the object’s text wrapping. 1. Double-click the object whose text wrapping you wish to adjust. The Format contextual tab appears on the Ribbon.

Table 7-2: Text Wrapping Styles In Line with Text

This places the object at the insertion point in a line of text in the document. The object remains on the same layer as the text.

Square

Wraps text around all sides of the square bounding box for the selected object.

Tight

Wraps text tightly around the edges of the actual image (instead of wrapping around the object’s bounding box).

Behind Text

This removes text wrapping and puts the object behind text in a document The object floats on its own layer.

In Front of Text

This removes text wrapping and puts the object in front of text in a document. The object floats on its own layer.

Top and Bottom

Wraps text around the top and bottom of the object, leaving the area to the right and left of the object clear.

Through

Similar to the Tight style, this style wraps text throughout the image.

2. Click the Text Wrapping button in the Arrange group. A list of text wrapping styles appears. Take a look at the Text Wrapping Styles table for a description of each style. 3. Select a text wrapping style from the list. The text wrapping style is applied to the image. Other Ways to Adjust Text Wrapping: Right-click the image, point to Text Wrapping in the contextual menu, and select an option from the submenu.

To display/hide the grid Just like the graph paper you used to use in geometry class, the grid consists of horizontal and vertical lines that help you draw and position objects. 1. Click the View tab on the Ribbon. 2. Click the Gridlines check box in the Show/Hide group. Horizontal and vertical gridlines appear on the page. Other Ways to Display the Grid: Press + , or click the Format contextual tab on the Ribbon, click the Align button in theArrange group, and select View Gridlines from the list.

Figure 7-3: A document with the grid displayed.

Tip: Gridlines do NOT appear in the printed document.

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Lessons are presented on one or two pages, so you can follow along without wondering when a lesson ends and a new one begins.

Each lesson includes a hands-on exercise and practice file so users can practice the topic of the lesson.

Clear step-by-step instructions answer “how-to” questions. Anything you need to click appears like this.

Tips let you know more information about a specific step or topic as a whole.

Whenever there is more than one way to do something, the most common method is presented in the numbered step, while the alternate methods appear beneath.

Tables provide summaries of the terms, toolbar buttons, and options covered in the lesson.

The table of contents, index, tables, figures, and quiz questions automatically update to reflect any changes you make to the courseware.

Icons and pictures show you what to look for as you follow the instructions.



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T he Fundamentals A Look at Windows 7 ......................................... 11 Operating systems: a brief overview ....... 11 System requirements and editions .......... 11 What’s New in Windows 7................................. 12 Starting and Logging On to Windows 7 .......... 13 Understanding the Windows 7 Screen ............ 14 Using the Mouse: Pointing, Clicking, and Double-clicking .................................................. 15 Using the Mouse: Clicking and Dragging, and Right-clicking ..................................................... 17 Using the Keyboard ........................................... 18 Use a keystroke combination .................. 18 Special keys and their functions .............. 19 Understanding the Start Menu ......................... 20 Using Help and Support .................................... 22 Search for help ........................................ 22 Browse for help ........................................ 22 Turning Off Your Computer .............................. 24

1 Welcome to Windows 7! If you’re new to Windows, or to computers altogether, you’re starting at the right place. This chapter covers the “bare-bones” basics about learning how to start your computer and load Windows. You’ll learn how to operate the mouse by clicking, doubleclicking, clicking and dragging, and rightclicking. You’ll also learn about your computer’s keyboard. Finally, you’ll learn how to exit Windows and shut down your computer. Before we start, take a deep breath and relax. You may find this difficult to believe, but computers aren’t nearly as difficult and complicated as you might think they are. This chapter keeps everything as simple as possible, so you’ll be able to follow along no matter what your previous computer experience. Actually, you may find that some of the lessons in this chapter are a little too easy. When you come across something you already know, go ahead and skip the lesson. Ready? Then turn the page and let’s get started!

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The Fundamentals

A Look at Windows 7

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required.

What exactly is Windows 7? What kind of computer hardware do you need to use it? This lesson answers these questions and provides more basic information about Windows 7, Microsoft’s newest operating system.

• Exercise: Identify the Windows 7 edition installed on your computer. Understand how this edition is different from other editions.

Operating systems: a brief overview Windows 7 is an operating system. Okay, so what’s an operating system? An operating system is a software program that controls and runs just about everything on your computer, including: 





Controls Your Computer’s Hardware Windows controls the different devices on your computer system. It’s what makes your printer print, what makes graphics and text appear on your monitor, and what makes your mouse point and click. (Actually, you make the mouse point and click, but Windows is what puts the mouse pointer on the screen and electronically connects it to your mouse.) Runs Your Computer’s Programs Windows is what runs all your programs. Without Windows, your word processor, Web browser (Internet), and games wouldn’t work. Windows lets your programs talk to your hardware, so you can do things like print documents from your word processor on the printer. Organizes Files Windows stores information in files and folders on your computer’s hard disk, just as you store files and folders in a filing cabinet.

Think of the operating system as an engineer who makes sure all the parts of your computer—your hardware and programs—work together. Operating systems have been around for a long time; what makes Windows special is its ability to make computer operations easy by using a graphical user interface. With Windows, all you have to do is point and click to do something.

Table 1-1: Windows 7 Editions Home Premium

Includes dynamic usability features, such as easier desktop navigation, improved search features, and faster ways to start programs. HomeGroup networking, full system Backup and Restore, and an improved Media Center are also included.

Professional

Offers the same features as Home Premium, with additional features for business computing, such as Windows XP Mode for compatibility with Windows XP programs, Domain Join for easier and more secure connections to company networks, and the ability to backup and restore to a network.

Ultimate

Offers the same features as Home Premium and Professional, with additional features for protecting data and devices with BitLocker, and the option to work in the language of your choice.

Table 1-2: Minimum System Requirements

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

System requirements and editions Windows 7 is a significant upgrade to the Windows line of operating systems. To use Windows 7, your computer should meet the settings in the table to the right, Minimum System Requirements. Additional requirements for certain features include Internet access, audio output, and a CD/DVD drive.

Minimum 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) 16 GB free disk space Support for DirectX 9 graphics with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

If your computer doesn’t meet these requirements, you probably need to beef up your system before you make the switch to Windows 7.


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The Fundamentals

What’s New in Windows 7


Unlike Windows Vista, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 focuses mostly on improving and enhancing these features to maximize usability. The table below provides an overview of what to expect.

• Exercise: Review the new features in Windows 7.

Tips 

The features listed below are available in the Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions of Windows 7.

Table 1-3: What’s New in Windows 7 Aero updates

The Windows Aero interface is back, with many new functions and features. 

Aero Peek: Want a quick peek at your desktop? Use Aero Peek to make all open windows transparent.



Aero Shake: Click a window’s Title bar and “shake” your mouse to temporarily minimize all open windows except the active window. Shake again to revive all windows.



Snap: Click and drag a window to the right or left of the screen to snap the window to either side of the desktop. Click and drag a window to the top of the screen to maximize it.

Retooled taskbar

The taskbar has been completely redesigned for Windows 7. Now you can pin your favorite programs and files to the taskbar, rearrange taskbar buttons, and more.

Free-floating gadgets

In Windows 7 you can position gadgets anywhere on the desktop. They are no longer stuck in the Sidebar.

Jump Lists

Jump Lists contain shortcuts to popular program commands and recently used files. To open a Jump List for a program, right-click the program icon on the taskbar or open the Start menu and click the program’s list arrow. You can also customize a Jump List by pinning your own items to it.

Action Center

Pop-ups, be gone! The Action Center in Windows 7 consolidates all messages from Windows maintenance and security. Instead of bombarding you with pop-up balloons every time Windows requires your attention, a simple Action Center icon will appear on the taskbar.

Libraries

A library gathers files from different locations on your computer and displays them as a single collection, without moving them from where they’re stored. There are four default libraries in Windows 7: Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos.

Search filters

Search filters are now built right into the Search box in Windows Explorer, enabling you to fine-tune your searches quickly and easily.

Improved Windows Media Center

Use the new Turbo Scroll feature to quickly jump to songs and shows, create photo collages with the Slide Show Maker, and enjoy playback of media not supported in previous versions.

Sticky Notes

Sticky Notes has been promoted from a gadget in Windows Vista to an application in Windows 7. Now you can format a note’s text, change its color, and more.

Accessibility features

The Ease of Access Center offers a variety of new settings and programs, including Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard.

HomeGroup

HomeGroup is a new networking feature that makes it easy to share files and printers on a network. Home users can set up a homegroup that shares music, documents, pictures, and other files between all computers running Windows 7. Business users will find that it is useful for creating a network without needing a server.

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The Fundamentals

Starting and Logging On to Windows 7

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Log in to your account in Windows 7.

After taking off your jacket and grabbing a cup of coffee, you probably begin your day by turning on your computer. This lesson explains what you need to do when the Welcome screen appears. 1. If prompted, press + + . This keystroke combination is a security measure that can be turned on or off, so you may not need it to start using your computer. The Welcome screen appears with the names of active accounts on the computer. 2. Click your account. If required, a text box for the password appears. 3. Enter your password and press . Presto! You’re logged on to Windows 7 and are ready to get to work. Tip: Remember that when you enter your password, Windows will display  to protect your password from prying eyes. Tips 

Your log in process will be different if the + + or Welcome screens are not turned on.

Figure 1-1: The Welcome screen.


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The Fundamentals

Understanding the Windows 7 Screen

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Review the elements of the Windows desktop.

When you log on to your computer, the screen shown below appears. Called the desktop, this screen serves as a surface for your work. When you open programs or folders, they appear on the desktop. You can also store items on the desktop, such as files, folders, and gadgets, and arrange them however you want.

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Recycle Bin: The Recycle Bin stores all the files you delete from your computer. The deleted files remain there and can be retrieved until you empty the Recycle Bin.

Notification area: This portion of the taskbar contains various notification icons related to Windows and your computer. Action Center, Network and Volume icons appear in the notification area by default, but you can customize this area as needed.

Desktop: This is the large background area of the Windows screen. You can customize the appearance of the desktop with themes and slideshows, and you can even add Windows Gadgets to the desktop for easy access.

Taskbar: The taskbar appears at the bottom of your screen. Whenever you open a program, document, or folder, a button for that window appears on the taskbar. You can use these buttons to quickly view and switch between windows and you can also pin frequently used items to the taskbar.

Show Desktop button: Click this button to minimize all windows and display the desktop. Point to this button to temporarily minimize all windows for a quick peek at the desktop.

Start button: The Start button opens the Start menu, where you search for files and programs, and open programs and documents. You can also use the Start menu to find files and change Windows settings.


The Fundamentals

Using the Mouse: Pointing, Clicking, and Double-clicking Just like you control your television set using a remote control, you control Windows by using the mouse. A mouse is a palm-sized device that lets you point to, select, and move objects on your computer screen. The mouse is linked to the pointer on your computer screen—when you move the mouse on your desk, the pointer moves on the computer screen. Think of the mouse as an electronic extension of your hand. This lesson will show you how to perform the most basic mouse actions.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Point to the Start button and view its screen tip. Click the Start button to open the Start menu and close the menu without selecting anything. Double-click the Recycle Bin to open it.

Point Pointing is the most basic action you can do with the mouse. To point to something, simply place the mouse pointer over it by moving the mouse. 

Figure 1-2: A screen tip appears when an object is pointed at with the mouse pointer.

Move the mouse so that the pointer hovers above the object. A screen tip appears with a description of the object.

Click Clicking means pressing and releasing the left mouse button. The mouse makes a clicking noise whenever you press and release one of its buttons, hence the term “clicking”. The next steps will show you how to open the Start menu by clicking it. Also, Table 1-4: Click When You Want To… describes different times when you will want to click.

“Click” Click Press and release the left mouse button.

1. Point to the object. 2. Press and release the left mouse button. Tip: Most mice have two buttons. You will use the left mouse button whenever you see the words click or double-click. The right mouse button has its own purpose, which we’ll discuss in an upcoming lesson.

Table 1-4: Click When You Want To… Select something. Open a menu. Press a button on a toolbar or a control in a dialog box. Move to the area or field you want in a program or dialog box.


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The Fundamentals Double-click Double-clicking means pressing and releasing the mouse button twice in rapid succession. You will usually open an object, such as a file or folder, by double-clicking it. See Table 1-5: Double-click When You Want To… to find out when you will need to double-click. 

Double-click Quickly press and release the left mouse button twice, in rapid succession.

Point to the object and click the mouse button twice in rapid succession. Tip: A lot of people have problems the first time they try double-clicking. If your double-click doesn’t seem to work, it’s probably because you’re either not holding the mouse steady, or you’re not clicking fast enough. If you press the mouse button too hard, you may accidentally slide the mouse and your double-click won’t register.

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“Click” “Click”


Table 1-5: Double-click When You Want To… Open a file. Open a folder. Display the properties or settings for an object (in certain programs).

The Fundamentals

Using the Mouse: Clicking and Dragging, and Right-clicking This lesson shows you mouse commands that are a little more advanced: clicking and dragging, and right-clicking.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and click Open from the contextual menu. Click the Close button in the Recycle Bin window to close it. Click and drag the Recycle Bin icon to the middle of the desktop.

Click and drag You can move items around your computer screen by clicking and dragging them with the mouse. See Table 1-6: Things You Can Click and Drag to learn about items you can click and drag. 

Click Place the pointer over an object and press and hold down the left mouse button.

Point to the object and click. While holding down the mouse button, drag the object to the desired location on the screen. Release the mouse button.

Right-click Drag

Whenever you right-click something, it brings up a shortcut menu that lists everything you can do to the object. Whenever you’re unsure or curious about what you can do with an object, point to it and click it with the right mouse button. A contextual menu will appear with a list of commands related to the object or area you right-clicked.

Table 1-6: Things You Can Click and Drag

1. Point to the object and click the right mouse button.

Do this…

By doing this…

Move a window to a new location on the screen.

Drag the window by its title bar and drop it in a new location on the screen.

Move a file to a new folder.

Drag the file and drop it in the desired folder.

Change the size of a window.

Drag the borders or corners of the window.

Scroll a window to see something located offscreen.

Drag the scroll box (the little elevator) up or down the scroll bar and drop it in a new location.

Move just about anything on your computer’s screen.

Point to the object, click, and hold down the mouse button, drag the object to a new place, and then release the mouse button.

A contextual menu of commands that are related to the object appears. 2. Select a command from the contextual menu with the left mouse button. The selected command is issued. Tip: To close the contextual menu without selecting a command, click anywhere outside the contextual menu.

While you are still holding down the button, move the mouse to where you want to place the object and then release the mouse button.


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The Fundamentals

Using the Keyboard Now that you’ve mastered the mouse, it’s time to move on to the other device that you use to control your computer: the keyboard. The keyboard may seem more familiar and easy to use than the mouse at first, but don’t be fooled! Computer keyboards sneak in some extra keys that are very useful. This lesson explains what these extra keys on the keyboard are and when to use them. Tips 

Check the menus of programs for shortcuts. If a letter is underlined in a menu, that usually means that pressing the key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect as clicking that menu item.

Use a keystroke shortcut Keystroke shortcuts are alternative ways to give commands. In many cases, they are much faster and easier to use than clicking a button or selecting commands from a menu. For example, the keystroke commands to copy, cut, and paste are great time savers. 

Press and hold down the first key, press the second key, then release both keys. The command is given.

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 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Press + + and start the Task Manager. Close the Task Manager.

The Fundamentals

Special keys and their functions Refer to Table 1-7: Special Keys and Their Functions for descriptions of some special keys. Table 1-7: Special Keys and Their Functions Press to open the Start menu, and use with other keys to issue commands. Windows 7 has many timesaving and user-friendly commands that use this key. Windows logo key

Alt

The key doesn’t do anything by itself—it needs another key to make things happen. For example, pressing the key while holding down the key switches between any programs that are currently running.

Ctrl

Just like the key, the key doesn’t do anything by itself—you need to press another key along with it to make things happen. For example, pressing the key while holding down the key cuts whatever is selected. The key is the Help key for most programs. Pressing it displays helpful information about what you’re doing and answers your questions about the program.

F1

Esc

Enter

Tab

The (Escape) key is the “Wait, I’ve changed my mind!” key. Its function is the same as clicking Cancel in a dialog box. For example, if you click something and an unfamiliar dialog box appears, you can close it by pressing the key. The key is the “Carry out my orders” key. Its function is the same as clicking OK in a dialog box. For example, after you’ve typed the name of a program you want to run in a dialog box, press to run the program. The key also adds new lines and starts new paragraphs if you’re entering text. When you’re in a dialog box, pressing the key moves to the next field. When you’re using a word processor, the key works just like you’d think it would: it jumps to the nearest tab stop whenever you press it. The arrow keys move your computer’s cursor on the screen.

Arrow Keys

Delete

Nothing surprising here. The key deletes or erases whatever you select—files, text, or graphical objects. If you’re working with text, the key erases characters to the right of the insertion point. Use the key to fix your typing mistakes—it erases characters to the left of the insertion point.

Backspace


19

The Fundamentals

Understanding the Start Menu


When you want to start working on something, the Start menu is the first place you will go. As the gateway to your computer, use the Start menu to access your computer’s programs, files, and settings.

• Exercise: Open the Start menu and explore its contents.

The Start menu has three important parts: 

Left pane The left pane displays a list of commonly used programs. Click All Programs to view a complete list of programs installed on your computer.



Search box Allows you to instantly search for files and programs on your computer. It searches file names and contents of files that match the search term. The left pane displays search results as you type.



Right pane Commonly used folders are listed here, such as Documents and Pictures. You can also access computer settings and turn off the computer here.

View the Start menu 

Click the Start button on the taskbar or press the < > key. The Start menu appears.

Windows keeps track of the programs you use most often and makes them available here for easy access. Simply click a program icon to open it.

The right pane of the Start menu gives you quick access to your documents, files, and system settings.

Click here to view a list of all programs installed on your computer. Search box

Shut down, sleep, or lock your computer here.

Figure 1-3: The Start menu.

20


The Fundamentals

Right pane

Left pane

Table 1-8: Items in the Start Menu Frequently Used Programs

Gives you quick access to the programs you use most often. If a program doesn’t appear here you will have to look under “All Programs”.

All Programs

Gives you access to all the programs installed on your computer, although you may have to wade through several submenus in order to find the program you’re looking for.

Search

Search your computer for files, folders, or programs.

User

Open folders that contain items unique to your account, such as Contacts, Favorites, and My Documents.

Documents

Opens the Documents library.

Pictures

Opens the Pictures library.

Music

Opens the Music library.

Games

Opens Games Explorer.

Computer

Provides access to the drives, folders, and files on your computer.

Control Panel

Opens the Control Panel.

Devices and Printers

Manage the devices and printers connected to your computer.

Default Programs

Modify the default programs that handle certain activities on your computer.

Help and Support

Opens Windows Help.

Shut down

Click the list arrow for other power options, including Log Off and Restart.


21

The Fundamentals

Using Help and Support When you don’t know how to do something in Windows 7, look up your question in the Help and Support files. The Help and Support files can answer your questions, offer tips, and provide help for all of the features in Windows 7.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Search a topic of your desire using Windows Help and Support, or just browse the files.

Search for help 1. Click the Start button on the taskbar and select Help and Support from the right pane. The Help and Support window appears. Other Ways to Open the Help and Support Window: Press . (This only works if no other programs are open. Otherwise, will open the Help files for another program.) 2. Type what you want to search for in the Search Help box near the top of the window and press . A list of results related to the help topics appears. 3. Click the topic that best matches the topic you’re trying to learn more about. Information regarding the selected topic is displayed.

Browse for help If you’re not totally sure what you’re looking for, browsing the Help files is a great way to learn more about your computer.

Figure 1-4: The Windows Help and Support window.

Table 1-9: Help Buttons

1. Click the Start button on the taskbar and select Help and Support from the right pane. The Help and Support window appears. There are three categories of help topics that you can access from the Home page of Help and Support:  How to get started with your computer: Help topics include features that get you started with your computer, such as adding users, backing up files, and personalizing Windows.  Learn about Windows Basics: Includes topics on basic computer functions, such as hardware (mouse and keyboard), overviews of the Windows desktop, and more.  Browse Help topics: Includes all help topics, organized by related category.

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Back

Click here to move back to the previous help topic.

Forward

Click here to move forward to the next help topic.

Home

Click here to return to the Help home page.

Print

Click here to print the current help topic.

Browse Help

Click here to browse for help using the Table of Contents.

Learn about other support options

Click here to ask for help through Remote Assistance or expand your search.

Options

Click here to change how the Help window works and is displayed.

The Fundamentals 2. Click a link to view and browse help topics. Help and Support displays the help topics that you can browse. Tips 

You can also use the “Ask someone” section of Help and Support to ask questions of a friend or co-worker through Remote Assistance, use the resources of Windows communities, or contact Microsoft Customer Support.


23

The Fundamentals

Turning Off Your Computer When you’ve finished using your computer, it’s important to turn it off properly. This ensures that files are saved correctly and your computer stays secure. It also makes the process of restarting the computer faster.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Put your computer in sleep mode, then wake it up and begin using it again.

Shut down your computer When you shut down your computer, all programs and windows are closed, along with Windows. The power to your computer and display are turned off as well. 1. Click the Start button and click the Shut down button in the right pane of the Start menu. Windows automatically closes any files or programs that are open, and shuts off the power and display. Power will be restored and Windows will restart when you press the Power button on your computer. Tip: Make sure all of your files are saved before you shut down.

Figure 1-5: The Shut down button menu in the right pane of the Start menu.

Use sleep mode Sleep mode is an alternative to shutting down. In sleep mode, the computer continues to run at a very low power so you can leave all of your programs and windows open and immediately pick up where you left off when you return to your computer.

Table 1-10: Power Modes Switch User

Allows you to work with several accounts on the computer at the same time.

Log Off

This option appears only if your computer is connected to a network. This option closes all your programs and disconnects your computer from the network, preparing your computer to be used by someone else

Lock

Locks the computer so your password is required to unlock it.

Restart

Shuts down all programs and windows, shuts down the computer, and restarts it again. Try this if your computer is acting up.

Sleep

This is the default power setting. Keeps all programs and files open on your desktop so you can jump in where you left off.

Hibernate

Hibernate goes one step further than sleep, allowing you to keep programs and documents open while shutting off power completely. Hibernate saves your desktop status to the hard disk which allows power to be turned off.

Shut Down

Select this option to turn your computer off. It saves your Windows settings and saves any information stored in memory to the local disk.

1. Click the Start button and click the Shut down button list arrow in the lower-right corner of the Start menu. A menu of options appears. Refer to Table 1-10: Power Modes for more information on the available power modes. 2. Select Sleep from the menu. The computer enters sleep mode. When in sleep mode, your computer is in a very low power setting that allows you to leave programs and files open. Tip: Make sure all of your files are saved before you use sleep mode. 3. Press the power button on your computer to wake it up. The computer display appears as it did before you put your computer into sleep mode.

24


The Fundamentals Tips 

Microsoft recommends that you always put your computer in sleep mode when you are finished using it. Use Shut Down for when you are installing new hardware or a device that does not connect to a USB port.



You may have to log in to your account from the Welcome screen upon waking up the computer. This is a security measure.


25

The Fundamentals Review Quiz Questions 1.

An operating system: A. Organizes files. B. Controls the computer's hardware. C. Runs the computer's programs. D. All of these.

2.

Which of the following is NOT a new feature in Windows 7? A. Jump Lists B. Windows Search C. Aero Peek D. Libraries

3.

What does the + + screen do? A. It's a defense against hackers or worms that might try to hack into your computer while you're not using it. B. Restarts your computer. C. Logs into a guest user account. D. Opens the Network Security dialog box.

4.

What happens when you point at an object? A. The object is selected. B. A screen tip with a description of the object appears. C. The object is opened. D. The object is deleted.

5.

You can move an object with click and drag. (True or False?)

6.

To display a contextual menu for an object, do the following: A. Point to the object and press + . B. Right-click the object. C. Touch the object on-screen with your finger. D. Click the object.

7.

A keystroke shortcut is: A. A way to lock your computer to prevent unauthorized access. B. Using the keyboard in conjunction with the mouse. C. A type of hopscotch. D. Pressing two or more keys at the same time, like pressing with .

8.

Where are the most commonly used programs in the Start menu? A. Middle B. Right pane C. Search box

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D. Left pane

9.

What key can you press to get help? A. B. C. + D.

10.

Which of these statements is false? A. When you click the Shut down button in the Start menu, the computer enters sleep mode. B. When you click the Shut down button in the Start menu, the computer shuts down. C. When you shut down the computer, all your windows and programs are closed, and power to the display and computer is turned off. D. When your computer is asleep, it runs in a low power mode so that windows and programs remain open until you wake up the computer.

Quiz Answers 1.

D. An operating system controls the computer's hardware, runs programs, and organizes files.

2.

B. Windows Search is not a new feature in Windows 7.

3.

A. The + + screen is a defense against hackers or worms that might try to access your computer while you're not using it.

4.

Most of the time, a description is revealed when you point at an object.

5.

True. Click and drag an object, like a window or an icon, to move it.

6.

B. Right-clicking most objects in Windows displays a list of options for the object.

7.

D. A keystroke shortcut is when you press two or more keys at the same time.

8.

D. The most commonly used programs are in the left pane of the Start menu.

9.

A. Press the key to open Help and Support.

10.

A. When you click the Shut down button in the Start menu, the computer shuts down. You must click the list arrow and select Sleep to enter sleep mode.


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Wor king with a W indow Understanding the Parts of a Window ............. 29 Using Windows Aero ......................................... 31 Aero Peek ................................................ 31 Aero Shake .............................................. 31 Snap......................................................... 32 Using Window Sizing Buttons.......................... 33 Maximize a window .................................. 33 Restore a maximized window .................. 33 Minimize a window ................................... 33 Restore a minimized window ................... 34 Moving and Resizing a Window ....................... 35 Move a window ........................................ 35 Resize a window ...................................... 35 Switching Between Windows ........................... 36 Taskbar buttons ....................................... 36 Flip 3D...................................................... 36 Jump to a window .................................... 37 Arranging Windows Automatically .................. 38 Show the desktop .................................... 38 Closing a Window .............................................. 39

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2 No doubt about it: computers are sophisticated, complex machines. To make computers easier to use, Microsoft designed Windows to operate similar to how you work at the desk in your office. When you work at your desk, you spread everything out, grab a piece of paper, work on it for a while, and then shuffle another piece of paper on top of it. That’s how Windows works, except instead of working with papers, you work with windows—boxes that contain programs and information. You can shuffle these windows around the screen just like you shuffle papers on your desk—which is why the main Windows screen is called the desktop. Just like your desk, if you’re working with a lot of things at the same time, the Windows desktop can become messy and it can be very difficult to find things. This chapter explains how to manage the windows and programs on your screen. First, you’ll learn how to open a window. Next, you’ll discover the parts that constitute a window (which are A LOT different than the ones on your house). Then you’ll learn how to change the size of a window—minimizing it to a little button that appears only on the taskbar and maximizing it so that it fills the entire screen. You’ll also learn how to “shuffle” windows around, sending some to the background and bringing others to the forefront. Let’s get started!

Working with a Window

Understanding the Parts of a Window

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open a window and identify its parts.

Most windows have the same basic parts, whether they are displaying a program, file, or folder. 

To open a program window, click the Start button, select All Programs, and click the program you want to open.



To open Windows Explorer, click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar or press < > + .

Take a look at the diagrams below for an overview of these windows.

Parts of a program window

Title bar: Displays the name of the program or window, and the name of the document or file that’s being used.

Ribbon: Controls what the program does. The commands displayed on the Ribbon change from program to program, but the Ribbon’s location doesn’t—it’s always perched at the top of a window, right below the title bar.

Minimize button: Hides the window from your screen but still runs it in your computer’s memory, ready for quick use. You can minimize a window you’re not using so that it is still running but is hidden in the taskbar.

Border: Click and drag a border or corner of a window to change its size.

Maximize/Restore button: Depending on the size of the window, this button toggles between maximize and restore.

Zoom controls: Click and drag the zoom slider to zoom in or out of the document area.

Close button: Closes the window or program when you’re finished working with it, removing it from the screen and the computer’s memory.

Status bar: Displays information about the document, window, or program being used.


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Parts of the Windows Explorer window

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Back/Forward buttons: Jump back/forward to locations you have previously visited.


Address bar: As you navigate, the file path is shown in the Address bar. Each location in the path is a link; click the link to open it in the window.

Details pane: Displays common properties associated with the selected drive, library, folder, or file.

Folder list: Displays the contents of the selected drive, library, or folder. Double-click an item to open it.

Navigation pane: Displays the drives, libraries, and folders on your computer. Click the tiny arrow to the left of an item to expand it, and then click the drive/folder you want to view.

Scroll bar: There are both vertical and horizontal scroll bars; use them to move around in the window and view more information.

Command bar: Here you can access common commands related to the selected drive, library, folder, or file. Options change according to the item that is selected.



Using Windows Aero


The Windows Aero user interface was introduced in Windows Vista. It returns in Windows 7, but with many new functions and features.

• Exercise: Use Aero Snap to maximize or restore an open window.

Tips 

Before completing this lesson, check to make sure Windows Aero is enabled on your system. Rightclick the desktop, select Personalize, and ensure that the Windows 7 theme, located under Aero Themes, is selected.

Aero Peek Aero Peek is a handy new feature in Windows 7. It makes windows temporarily transparent so you can view a window or the desktop. 1. Point to the program on the taskbar that contains the file or window you want to preview. A thumbnail preview appears for each open file or window. 2. Point to the thumbnail preview for the file or window you want to reveal. The file or window is enlarged and every other open window is made transparent. Other Ways to Activate Aero Peek: Point to the Show Desktop button on the right edge of the taskbar or press < > + to take a quick “peek” at the desktop. Tip: Depending on your taskbar settings, the procedure for revealing a buried window might be different from the one listed above.

Aero Shake Another new Aero feature in Windows 7 is Aero Shake. Aero Shake allows you to temporarily minimize all open windows except the active window. 1. Point to the title bar of the active window. 2. Click and drag the window’s title bar quickly from side to side, or “shake” it. All open windows are minimized except for the active window. Tip: To revive all minimized windows, repeat the steps above. Figure 2-1: Use Aero Peek to take a quick peek at an open window or the desktop.


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Working with a Window Snap Probably the most useful of the new Aero features, Snap is a quick way to maximize, compare, and restore open windows, simply by clicking and dragging.  To Maximize an Open Window: Click and drag the window’s title bar to the top of the screen, or double-click the window’s title bar, or press < > + .  To Compare Open Windows Side by Side: Click and drag the window’s title bar to the left or right side of the screen, or press < > + or .  To Restore a Maximized or Compared Window: Click and drag the window’s title bar toward the middle of the screen, or double-click the window’s title bar, or use the < > + .

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Using Window Sizing Buttons

 Exercise • Exercise File: WordPad window.

One of the benefits of Windows is that it enables you to open and work with several windows at the same time. To make this easier, you can change the size of the windows. You can maximize, or enlarge, a window so it takes up the entire screen; or minimize, or reduce, a window so that it only appears as a button on the taskbar. This lesson explains how to change the size of a window by maximizing, minimizing, and restoring.

• Exercise: Maximize the WordPad window then restore it to its original size. Minimize the WordPad window and open it again from the taskbar.

Table 2-1: Window buttons

Maximize a window

Maximize

Maximizing a window enlarges the window so that it fills the entire screen.

Minimize



Restore Down

Click the Maximize button on the title bar. The window fills the computer screen. Tip: If the Maximize button is not available, the window is already maximized. Other Ways to Maximize a Window: Double-click the title bar or press < > + .

Restore a maximized window You can change a maximized window back to its original size by clicking the Restore button. The Restore button appears in place of the Maximize button whenever a window is already in a maximized state. 

Click the Restore Down button on the title bar. The maximized window returns to its original size. Tip: If the Restore Down button is not available, the window is not in its maximized state.

Figure 2-2: A maximized window fills the entire screen.

Other Ways to Restore a Maximized Window: Double-click the title bar or press < > + .

Minimize a window You can tuck windows away—keeping them running and ready for use, yet out of view—by minimizing them. 

Click the Minimize button on the title bar. The window shrinks to a button located on the taskbar. The window is still open and running—it’s just hidden from view, ready for future use. Other Ways to Minimize a Window: Press < > + .

Figure 2-3: A window restored to its original size.


33

Working with a Window Restore a minimized window It’s easy to display a minimized program or window when you’re ready to use it again. 

Click the window’s button on the taskbar. The window appears on the screen.

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Moving and Resizing a Window

 Exercise

This lesson explains how to move a window and change the size of a window by clicking and dragging.

• Exercise: Move the WordPad window to another location on the desktop.

• Exercise File: WordPad window in a restored state (not maximized or minimized).

Move a window If you have several programs or windows open, you may find that one window covers the other windows or other items on your screen. When this happens, you can simply move a window to a new location on the screen, just like you would move a report or folder to a different location on your desk 1. Click and drag the window by its title bar. 2. Release the mouse button to drop the window in the desired location on the screen. Other Ways to Move a Window: To quickly snap a window to the left or right side of your screen, press < > + or < > + . Tip: A window cannot be moved if it is in a maximized or minimized state.

Resize a window Manually resizing a window enables you to modify a window’s size to meet your needs. 1. Hover the mouse pointer over the window’s borders or corners until the pointer changes to a doubleheaded arrow ( ).

Figure 2-4: To resize a window, click and drag its borders or corners.

2. Click and hold down the mouse button and drag the border or corner until the window reaches the desired size.


35


Switching Between Windows You can have several programs or windows open and running simultaneously, but you can only work in one window at a time. The window you’re working with is called the active window and always appears on top of any other windows that you have open. If you think about it, you do the same thing at your desk. When you want to work on a piece of paper, you place it on top of everything else.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Have the WordPad program window, the Documents folder window, and an Internet Explorer window open. You may have other windows open as well. • Exercise: Use the taskbar buttons to make each window active. Use Flip 3D and flip through the stack of open windows. Press + and cycle through the windows as a list.

This lesson shows you how to manage multiple windows so you can get to the window you want more quickly.

Taskbar buttons

Click a window thumbnail to open the window.

All open windows are represented by taskbar buttons. Switching between windows by clicking its taskbar button is fast and easy. 

Click the window’s taskbar button to make it active. The window becomes the active window. Other Ways to Activate a Window: Click any part of the window you want to make active. Tip: If several windows of the same type are open, Windows will group them into one taskbar button to conserve space. For example, if you have several WordPad documents open, a Live Preview thumbnail-sized window appears when you click on or point to the WordPad taskbar button.

Flip 3D Flip 3D is a great way to quickly preview all your open windows. Flip through the stack of windows until the window you want to make active appears on top. 1. Press the < > + . Flip 3D opens and the windows are shown in a stack. 2. Hold down the < > and press to cycle through the windows. A preview of the window appears as you cycle through the stack. Other Ways to Cycle through Flip 3D: After starting Flip 3D, press the < > key while rotating the mouse wheel.

36


Multiple open windows grouped into one taskbar button have a “stacked” appearance.

Figure 2-5: Working with taskbar buttons.

Working with a Window 3. Release < > to make the window in front of the stack active. Or, click a window in the stack to make it active. Flip 3D closes and the window is displayed as the active window on the desktop. Tips 

To keep Flip 3D open without holding down the Windows logo key, press + < > + . Use Tab, the mouse wheel, or arrow keys to cycle through windows. Press to close Flip 3D.

Jump to a window You can also jump to another open window using + . This method displays a list and thumbnails of the open windows on your computer. 1. Press + . A list of the open windows appears. Each window is represented by a thumbnail preview. 2. Hold down the key: press to cycle forward through the windows; + to cycle backward. 3. Release the key to make the selected window active. The selected window is displayed as the active window on the desktop.

Figure 2-6: Pressing + displays thumbnails of all open windows.

Tips 

Press + + to keep the list open and use , the mouse wheel, or the arrow keys to cycle through the windows. Press to make the selected window active, press to close without changing windows.



+ and Flip 3D are especially useful when you use programs that fill the entire computer screen. When you can’t see the taskbar or any part of another window, these methods are the only way you can switch between programs and windows.


37


Arranging Windows Automatically When you have several windows or programs open, you can have Windows automatically arrange them for you, instead of manually resizing and pushing them around yourself. Your windows can be arranged by stacking, cascading and side by side.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Have the WordPad program window, the Libraries folder window, and an Internet Explorer window open. You may have other windows open as well. • Exercise: Experiment with arranging windows and minimizing the windows by showing the desktop.

This lesson shows you how to arrange multiple windows in a way that makes sense and is easy to work with. 1. Right-click an empty area of the taskbar. A contextual menu appears. There are three arrangements to choose from.  Cascade windows: Windows neatly overlap each other.  Show windows stacked: View the contents of all open windows in a horizontal fashion.  Show windows side by side: View the contents of all open windows in a vertical fashion.

Cascade

Tip: If a lot of windows are open, click the small blank area between the last taskbar button and the notification area. 2. Select the arrangement you want to use. The windows are arranged on the desktop. Tips 

Windows that are minimized are not included in the automatic arrangement.



To go back to how your windows were arranged before, right-click the taskbar and select the Undo (arrangement) command. Stacked

Show the desktop Sometimes if you have many windows open, it can be overwhelming to sort and sift through the taskbar buttons to find the windows you want. Start with a blank slate by showing the desktop, and then click the taskbar buttons for the windows you want to work with. 

Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select Show the desktop. All the open windows are minimized into the taskbar. Other Ways to Show the Desktop: Press the < > + or click the Show Desktop button on the taskbar. Side by Side

Figure 2-7: Window arrangements.

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Closing a Window When you’re finished working with a window or program, you can close it to remove it from the screen and computer’s memory. You can close any window or program by clicking its Close button, which appears in the upper-right corner of the window. 

 Exercise • Exercise File: Open windows. • Exercise: Close all open windows on the desktop.

Click the window’s Close button. Other Ways to Close a Window: Click the Program button and select Exit from the menu. Or, point to the window’s button on the taskbar, point to the window preview, and click the Close button that appears. Or, right-click the window’s button on the taskbar and select Close window from the Jump List. Or, press + .

Close button

The window button no longer appears in the taskbar.

Figure 2-8: Clicking the Close button is one way to close a window.


39

Wor king with a W indow Review Quiz Questions 11.

The area that displays the program or folder name and is found at the top of a window is called the: A. Windows bar B. Title bar C. Program bar D. Very-top-of-the-window bar

12.

Use Aero Snap to: A. Take a quick peek at the desktop. B. Maximize a window. C. Minimize all open windows except the active window. D. None of the above.

13.

You start your favorite word processing program to type a letter, but the program appears in a window that's too small to use. How can you maximize the window so it fills the entire screen? A. Click the Maximize button located in the right side of the window's title bar. B. Select Window > Full Screen from the menu. C. Click the program's button on the taskbar. D. Click the window's title bar.

14.

You can restore a minimized window by clicking its button on the taskbar. (True or False?)

15.

How do you move a window on the Windows desktop? A. Select the window and use the keyboard arrow buttons to move the window. B. Select File > Move from the menu. C. You can't move a window. D. Click and drag the window by its top border to a new location on the screen.

16.

To change the size of a window, click and drag by the window's borders or corners. (True or False?)

17.

Which of the following won't allow you to switch between windows? A. Use + to scroll through a list of open windows. B. Click the program's button on the taskbar. C. Click the window icon in the notification area. D. Use Flip 3D to preview open windows.

18.

Cascaded windows are arranged so that you can view the content of all the windows at the same time. (True or False?)

19.

When you use the Show the Desktop arrangement, all open windows are closed. (True or False?)

20.

Close a window by clicking the Close button. (True or False?)

40


Quiz Answers 11.

B. The Title bar appears at the top of a window and displays the name of the program or folder.

12.

B. Use Aero Snap to maximize, restore, and compare open windows.

13.

A. Clicking the window's Maximize button will maximize the window so it fills the entire screen.

14.

True. Clicking the taskbar button of an open window restores the minimized window.

15.

D. To move a window, click and drag the window by its top border to a new location on the screen.

16.

True. You must click and drag by the window's borders or corners to change the size of a window.

17.

C. Clicking the window icon in the notification area is not a way to switch between windows.

18.

False. Windows shown stacked or side by side are arranged so that you can view the content of all the windows at the same time.

19.

False. Show the desktop minimizes all open windows to the taskbar; it does not close them.

20.

True. The easiest way to close a window is by clicking its Close button.


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Wor king with a Pr o g r am Opening a Program ........................................... 43 Understanding the Program Window .............. 44 Understanding the Ribbon ............................... 45 Tabs ......................................................... 45 Groups ..................................................... 45 Buttons ..................................................... 45 Using the Program Button and Quick Access Toolbar ................................................................ 46 Program button ........................................ 46 Quick Access Toolbar .............................. 46 Understanding Controls.................................... 47 Entering and Editing Text in WordPad ............ 49 Opening a File .................................................... 50 Saving a File ....................................................... 51 Save a new document ............................. 51 Save document changes ......................... 52 Save a document under a different name and/or location ......................................... 52 Save a document as a different file type . 52 Selecting and Replacing Text ........................... 53 Using Undo and Redo ....................................... 55 Undo an action ......................................... 55 Redo an action ......................................... 55 Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Text ................. 56 Previewing and Printing a Document .............. 58 Getting Help ....................................................... 60 Search for help ........................................ 60 Browse for help ........................................ 60

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0 Up until now, we’ve been focusing on how to use the Windows 7 operating system. In this chapter, you’ll be working with a program. This chapter explains how to control programs using the ribbon. You’ll also learn what a dialog box is (you’ll see a lot of them in Windows) and how to use its controls. While each program is different, the procedure for doing things in all programs is much the same. This chapter explains these basic tasks using the WordPad program. You’ll learn how to enter, edit, and delete text; how to open, save, and print a file; and how to get help when you need it. Once you’ve learned these basic skills in WordPad, you can apply them to just about every other Windows program. Let’s get started…

Working with a Program

Opening a Program


In order to work with a program, you have to open—or launch—it first.

• Exercise: Open the WordPad program (this is located in the Accessories folder under All Programs).

1. Click the Start button. The Start menu appears. 2. Click All Programs. The All Programs menu appears, listing all of the programs that are installed on your computer.

Commonly used/pinned programs appear here. If the program you want to open appears in this list, click it to open it.

3. Click the name of the program you want to open. Tip: You may have to open several subfolders in order to find the program you’re looking for. Other Ways to Open a Program: The left-hand side of the Start menu contains a list of recently used/pinned programs. If the program you want to open appears in this list, click it to open it. You can also use a keystroke to start programs by the order in which they are pinned on the taskbar. Press < > + , with the number corresponding to the position of the pinned icon on the taskbar.

Figure 3-1: Point to or click All Programs to display a list of all the programs that are installed on your computer.


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Understanding the Program Window All Microsoft program windows have the same basic parts. This lesson will help you become familiar with the most common parts of a program window.

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 Exercise • Exercise File: Have the WordPad program open onscreen. • Exercise: Understand and experiment with the different parts of the WordPad window.

Title bar: Displays the name of the program and the name of the document or file that’s being used.

Ribbon: Controls what the program does. The commands displayed on the Ribbon change from program to program, but the Ribbon’s location doesn’t—it’s always perched at the top of a window, right below the title bar.

Minimize button: Hides the window from your screen but still runs it in your computer’s memory, ready for quick use. You can minimize a window you’re not using so that it is still running but is hidden in the taskbar.


Maximize/Restore button: Depending on the size of the window, this button toggles between maximize and restore.

Zoom controls: Click and drag the zoom slider to zoom in or out of the document area.

Close button: Closes the window or program when you’re finished working with it, removing it from the screen and the computer’s memory.

Status bar: Displays information about the document, window, or program being used.



Understanding the Ribbon


Many of the programs included with Windows 7 provide easy access to commands via the ribbon, which replaces the menus and toolbars found in previous versions of Windows. The ribbon keeps commands visible while you work instead of hiding them under menus or toolbars.

• Exercise: Click each tab on the Ribbon to view its commands.

The ribbon is made up of three basic components: Command tab

Tabs

Program tab

Commands are organized into tabs on the ribbon. Each tab contains a different set of commands. There are three different types of tabs:  Command tabs: These tabs appear by default whenever you open a program.  Program tabs: If you switch to a different authoring mode or view, such as Print Preview, program tabs replace the default command tabs that appear on the ribbon.

Group

Button

Figure 3-2: The ribbon as shown in WordPad.

Groups The commands found on each tab are organized into groups of related commands. For example, the Font group contains commands used for formatting fonts.

Buttons One way to issue a command is by clicking its button on the ribbon. Buttons are the smallest element of the ribbon and change color when clicked. Tips 

The ribbon shrinks or expands depending on your screen resolution and the size of the program window.



You can hide the ribbon so that only tab names appear, giving you more room in the program window. To do this, double-click the currently displayed command tab. To display the ribbon again, click any tab.

Figure 3-3: Hiding the ribbon gives you more room in the program window.


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Using the Program Button and Quick Access Toolbar Near the ribbon at the top of the program window are two other tools you can use to give commands: the Program button and the Quick Access Toolbar.

Program button

 Exercise • Exercise File: Have the WordPad program open. • Exercise: Click the WordPad button to open it. Move the Quick Access Toolbar below the ribbon, then move it back above the ribbon.

WordPad button

The Program button appears in the upper-left corner of the program window and contains basic file management commands including New, which creates a new file; Open, which opens a file; Save, which saves the currently opened file; and Close, which closes the file that is currently open. Tips 

The Program button replaces the File menu found in previous versions of Microsoft programs.



The Program button is named differently depending on the program in use. For example, in WordPad, it is called the WordPad button, while in Paint it is called the Paint button.

Quick Access Toolbar The Quick Access Toolbar appears above the ribbon and provides easy access to the commands you use most frequently. By default, the Save, Undo and Redo buttons appear on the toolbar; however, you can customize this toolbar to meet your needs by adding or removing buttons. To customize it: 

Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button at the end of the Quick Access Toolbar and select the commands you want to add or remove.

Figure 3-4: The WordPad button menu.

Save Undo Redo

Customize

Tips 

You can change where the Quick Access Toolbar appears in the program window. To do this, click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button at the end of the Quick Access Toolbar. Select Show below the ribbon or Show above the ribbon, depending on the toolbar’s current location.

Figure 3-5: The Quick Access Toolbar.

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Understanding Controls Some commands are more complicated than others. For example, saving a file is a simple process—all you have to do is click the Program Button and select Save from the menu, or click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar. Other commands are more complex.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Have a blank document open in the WordPad program. • Exercise: Open the Print dialog box (Ctrl + P) and explore the various controls that are available.

Whenever you want to do something relatively complicated in Windows, you need to fill out a dialog box. Filling out a dialog box is not much different from filling out a paper form. 

See Table 3-1: Command Controls in Windows 7 for a description of the various tools you will come across and how to use them. Other Ways to Select a Dialog Box Control: Press to move to the next control in the dialog box or + to move to the previous control until you arrive at the desired control. Press to choose the control.

Figure 3-6: An example of a dialog box and its wide variety of controls.

Table 3-1: Command Controls in Windows 7

Scroll bars

Click on the arrow buttons on either end of the scroll bar to move a small amount at a time. Click and hold the arrow buttons to scroll continuously. Click and drag on the scroll box to move quickly through a document. In addition, some input devices (such as a mouse) will have a wheel that you can turn to scroll up and down a page.

Command buttons

When a dialog box appears, you will often need to click a command button to close it or continue to the next dialog box.

Text boxes

Simply type the information directly into the text box at the insertion point. If there is no insertion point visible, click in the box first.

Drop-down list

Click the arrow button in a drop-down list to display a list of options. Use the scroll bar or the arrow keys to move up and down through the options and click on your selection.

List boxes

A list box is similar to a drop-down menu, but the list box displays several options. Again, use the scroll bar or the arrow keys to move up and down through the options that are not displayed and click to make a selection.


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Working with a Program Table 3-1: Command Controls in Windows 7

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Option button

Select an option by clicking one of the buttons. A marker will appear in the button once it has been selected. Only one option button may be selected.

Check box

Unlike option buttons, several check boxes may be selected. Select options by clicking in one or more of the boxes. A check will appear in the box once it has been selected.

Sliders

Click the slider control and drag it left and right (or up and down) to select from a range of options.

Tabs

Tabs are separate pages that overlap one another. Click on a tab display its page in front of the rest.



Entering and Editing Text in WordPad

 Exercise

This lesson explains how to create and edit a document using the WordPad program.

• Exercise: Type the first paragraph in this lesson, “This lesson explains how to create a document using the WordPad program. Actually, there isn’t much to explain. All you have to do is type!” Then delete the last sentence.

Enter text

• Exercise File: A blank document in the WordPad program.

Entering text is as easy as it sounds: all you have to do is type! 1. Place the insertion point (the blinking bar) in WordPad by clicking in the WordPad screen. 2. Type your text. Trap: Don’t press when you reach the end of a line—WordPad will automatically move the text to the next line for you. This feature is called word-wrap.

Edit text After typing a document, you will often discover that you need to make some changes to your text. Editing a document by inserting and deleting text is very simple. 1. Move the insertion point by clicking where you want to remove text.

Insertion point

Figure 3-7: The insertion point in a WordPad document.

Other Ways to Move the Insertion Point: Use the arrow keys on your keyboard. 2. Press key to delete the text behind (to the left of) the insertion point one character at a time. The text is deleted one character at a time. Press and hold the key to quickly delete text. You can quickly delete a large amount of text as well. Select the text by clicking at the point where you’d like to start deleting, holding the mouse button and moving the cursor to the point immediately following the section you want to delete. Then just press or . Other Ways to Delete Text: The key deletes text before (to the right of) the insertion point one character at a time. 3. Type the text you wish to insert. Other Ways to Insert Text: When you press the key, all text you enter at the insertion point will automatically overwrite the text already in place. To turn this feature off, press the key a second time.


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Opening a File

 Exercise • Exercise File: Resume.rtf

Opening a document lets you work on a document that you or someone else has previously created and then saved. This lesson explains how to open a saved document.

• Exercise: Open the Resume.rtf file.

1. Click the WordPad button and click Open. The Open dialog box appears. Next, you have to tell WordPad where the file you want to open is located.

Navigation pane

Address bar

Search box

Other Ways to Open a Document: Press + . 2. Navigate to the location of the saved file. The Open dialog box has several controls that make it easy to navigate to locations and find files on your computer:  Address bar: Click a link in the Address bar to open it. Click the arrow to the right of a link to open a list of folder within that location. Select a folder from the list to open it.  Navigation pane: Navigate to other drives, locations, libraries, and folders on your computer.  Search box: This searches the contents— including subfolders—of that window for the text that you type. If a file’s name, file content, tags, or other file properties match the searched text, it will appear in the search results. Search results appear as you enter text in the search box. 3. Select the file you want to open and click Open. The file is displayed in the program window. Tips 

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WordPad and other programs will store the most recently used documents in the Program button menu to make them easier to find.


Figure 3-8: The Open dialog box. To open a file, you must first navigate to the folder where it is saved.


Saving a File After you’ve created a document, you need to save it so that you can use it again. You can even save a copy of a document by saving it under a new name, in a different location, or under a different file type.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Resume.rtf • Exercise: Save the file under the name “Cover Letter”.

Save a new document A document that is being saved for the first time needs a new name, and you also need to specify where you want the file to be saved so you can find it again. 1. Click the WordPad button and click Save. The Save As dialog box appears. Other Ways to Save: Press + . Or, click the Save button on the toolbar. Trap: The Save As dialog box in WordPad may open with Folders collapsed. Click Browse Folders so you can navigate to other locations on the computer. 2. Navigate to the drive and/or folder where you want to save your document.

Click Browse Folders to view controls that allow you to navigate to other locations on your computer.

Figure 3-9: The Save As dialog box with folders collapsed.

Navigation pane Address bar

The Save As dialog box has several controls that make it easy to navigate to locations on your computer:  Address bar: Click a link in the Address bar to open it. Click the arrow to the right of a link to open a list of folders within that location. Select a folder from the list to open it.  Navigation pane: Navigate to other drives, locations, libraries, and folders on your computer. 3. Enter the file name in the File name text box. The file name should indicate the contents of the file. File names can be up to 255 characters long and contain letters, numbers, and some symbols. You can’t use the symbols " \ / : * | < > in a file name.

Figure 3-10: The Save As dialog box has controls that make it easy to navigate through your computer’s drives and folders.

4. Click Save. The document is saved.


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Save document changes When you make changes to a document, make sure you save them. The program will not automatically save them for you. 

Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar. Any changes you have made to the document are saved. Other Ways to Save: Press + . Or, click the Program button and click Save.

Save a document under a different name and/or location Saving under a different name or in a different location will not only save a copy of the file, but also keep the file you started with in its original location. 1. Click the WordPad button and click Save as. The Save As dialog box appears. 2. Enter a different name for the file in the File name text box and/or navigate to a new location to save the file. 3. Click Save.

Save a document as a different file type Just as some people can speak several languages, programs can read and write in other file formats. Saving a document in a different file type makes it easier to share information between programs. See Table 3-2: Common WordPad Formats for brief descriptions of file types available in WordPad. 1. Click the WordPad button and click Save As.

Table 3-2: Common WordPad Formats Rich Text Format (RTF)

The default format for WordPad. Although it uses formatting, this file type can be read by many different programs.

Text Document

Only text is saved in this file type. Any document formatting is removed.

Text Document – MS DOS Format

A command line interface that can be used to control internal computer functions.

Unicode Text Document

Unicode format includes a set of letters, numbers, and symbols that represents almost all written languages in the world.

OpenDocument Text

An XML-based file format that allows documents to be shared between different word processing applications.

Office Open XML Document

As above, an XML-based format developed by Microsoft that allows documents to be used by different word processing programs.

The Save As dialog box appears. 2. Click the Save as type list arrow and select a file format. 3. Click Save. The document is saved.

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Selecting and Replacing Text

 Exercise • Exercise File: Resume.rtf

Whenever you want to edit more than one character at a time, you must select the text first. A lot of editing and formatting techniques—such as formatting, cutting, copying and pasting text—also require that you select the text you want to modify. There are many reasons to select text in many Windows-based programs, so it pays to be an expert at it.

• Exercise: Select the first sentence in the first paragraph. Delete it and replace it with the sentence, “I can help Central TechWork meet the changing demands of Administrative Coordinating Managers.” 1. Position the cursor before or after the text that you want to select.

Select text Whenever you want to edit or format text, you first need to select it. See Table 3-3: Text Selection Shortcuts for different methods of selecting text.

2. Click and hold down the left mouse button, drag the mouse across the text you want to select, and then release the mouse button.

1. Click at the beginning or the end of the text you want to select.

3. If you want to replace the selected text, simply type in the new text – it will overwrite the selected text.

Selecting text is a useful skill because once text is selected you can work with it by replacing, deleting, or formatting it.

Figure 3-11: Selecting and replacing text.

2. Click and hold the left mouse button and drag the insertion point across the text. Release the mouse button once the text is selected. The text is highlighted to indicate that it is selected. Other Ways to Select Text:  Keystrokes: Press and hold the key while using the arrow keys to select characters (Right and Left arrow keys) or lines (Up and Down arrow keys). Add the key to select by words (Right and Left arrow keys) and paragraphs (Up and Down arrow keys.  Multiple blocks of text: Select the first block of text and hold down the key as you select the remaining block(s) of text. Tip: Selecting multiple blocks of text may not work in all Windows programs. If it does not work, you will have to select and edit the blocks individually.

Figure 3-12: Text in this document has been selected. Table 3-3: Text Selection Shortcuts A word

Double-click the word.

Several bits of text

Select the first block of text, then press and hold as you select the remaining blocks of text.

A sentence

Press and hold and click anywhere in the sentence.

A line of text

Click in the selection bar next to the line.

A paragraph

Triple-click in the paragraph, or double-click in the selection bar next to the paragraph.

The entire document

Triple-click in the selection bar, or press and hold and click anywhere in the selection bar, or press + , or click the Select button in the Editing group of the Home tab in the ribbon and select Select All.


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Deselect text If you have selected a group of text and decided that you do not want to make any changes to it, all you need to do to deselect the text is simply click the mouse. 

To deselect text, click anywhere on the computer screen. Other Ways to Deselect Text: Press an arrow key to move the insertion point.

Replace text When you start typing after you select text, the selected text is automatically deleted and replaced with the new text you type. 

Replace text by first selecting it, then type the new text. The selected text is replaced by the new text.

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Using Undo and Redo You don’t need to be afraid of making a mistake because you can use the Undo feature to erase your actions. The Undo and Redo commands are very useful when working with text in a document.

Undo an action

 Exercise • Exercise File: Resume.rtf • Exercise: Delete the first paragraph. Then undo the deletion.

Undo Redo

Undo does just that—it undoes actions as though they never happened. 

Click the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar. Your last action is undone. For example, if you had deleted an item and then decided you wanted to keep it after all, undo would make it reappear. Other Ways to Undo: Press + . Tip: Click the Undo button multiple times to undo multiple actions.

Redo an action Redo is the opposite of undo: it redoes an action you have undone. For example, if you decide that you do, after all, want to delete an item that you have just brought back with undo, you can redo the action. 

Click the Redo button on the Quick Access Toolbar Your last undone action is redone. For example, if you decided that you did want to delete it after all, redo would make it disappear once again.

Figure 3-13: The Undo and Redo Buttons.

Other Ways to Redo: Press + . Tip: Press the Redo keystroke multiple times to redo multiple actions.


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Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Text The Cut, Copy, and Paste commands are very useful when you work with and edit your text. These commands let you easily work with and rearrange text in the document.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Resume.rtf • Exercise: Select and cut the first sentence. Paste it after the last sentence.

Tips 

You may cut, copy, and paste any item in a document, such as clip art, a table, or an AutoShape—not just text.

Cut text When you cut text, it is removed from its original location and placed in a temporary storage area called the Clipboard. Cut

1. Select the text or object you want to cut. Copy

2. Click the Home tab on the ribbon and click the Cut button in the Clipboard group. The text is removed from the document and added to the Clipboard. Other Ways to Cut Text: Press + . Or, right-click the selection and select Cut from the contextual menu.

Copy text When you copy text, the selected text remains in its original location and is also added to the Clipboard. 1. Select the text or object you want to copy. 2. Click the Home tab on the ribbon and click the Copy button in the Clipboard group. The text is added to the Clipboard. Notice that unlike cutting, the original text remains in the document. Other Ways to Copy Text: Press + . Or, right-click the selection and select Copy from the contextual menu.

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Figure 3-14: The Cut, Copy, and Paste commands are located in the Clipboard group on the Ribbon.


Paste text After cutting or copying, move the insertion point to a new location in a document and paste the item that you last cut or copied into the document. 1. Click where you want to paste the cut or copied text. 2. Click the Home tab on the ribbon and click the Paste button in the Clipboard group. The cut or copied text is inserted in the new location. Other Ways to Paste Text: Press > + . Or, right-click where you want to paste and select Paste from the contextual menu. Tips 

You may also specify what you want to paste by using the Paste Special command. Click the arrow beneath the Paste button and select Paste Special from the drop-down menu. Select a paste option from the Paste Special dialog box.

Figure 3-15: The Paste Special dialog box.


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Previewing and Printing a Document Once you have created a document, you can print a copy of it—if your computer is connected to a printer. But before you do this, it’s usually a good idea to preview how it’s going to look.

 Exercise Notes • Exercise File: Resume.rtf • Exercise: Print preview the Resume document and print two copies of it.

Preview a document 1. Click the WordPad button and select Print  Print Preview from the menu. The document is shown in Preview mode. Refer to Table 3-4: Print Preview Options for a description of the options available in this mode. Tip: Use the commands in Print Preview to adjust margins and page setup settings. Click the 100% button to enlarge your view of the document. 2. Click the Close print preview button to return to the document. Tip: You can print directly from the Print Preview window by clicking the Print button in the Print group on the Print Preview tab.

Quick print a document Quick printing a document bypasses the Print dialog box and sends the document directly to the printer. 

Click the WordPad button and select Print  Quick print from the menu.

Figure 3-16: A document in Print Preview mode.

The document is sent to the printer and is printed. Table 3-4: Print Preview Options

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Print

Click Print to open the Print dialog box and specify print options before printing.

Page setup

Click Page setup to open the Page setup dialog box and specify page options, like margins, before printing.

Zoom

Click 100% for a larger display. Click One Page to preview one page at a time, Two Pages to preview two pages at a time.

Preview

Click Previous page and Next page to navigate between pages. Click Close print preview to exit Print Preview mode.


Print a document 1. Click the WordPad Button and select Print  Print from the menu. The Print dialog box appears. Here you can specify printing options, such as number of copies and which pages to print. Other Ways to Print: Press +
. Tip: If you select text before printing the document, click the Selection option in the Print dialog box to print only the selected text. For a description of the Print dialog box, see Table 3-5: Sections in the Print Dialog Box. 2. Specify printing options, then click Print. Figure 3-17: The Print dialog box. Table 3-5: Sections in the Print Dialog Box Select Printer

Select which printer to send your document to when it prints. If you are connected to more than one printer, the currently selected printer is highlighted. Preferences button: Displays a dialog box with options available to your specific printer. The Properties dialog box will change according to the type of printer you use, but here are some common print properties: Tray Selection: Change the type of the paper you’re printing to, or whether pages will be fed into the printer by hand or run automatically. Orientation: Change the paper orientation (portrait or landscape) or print on both sides of the sheet. Color: Print in black and white or choose how you want to print colors in your document. Page Format: If you’d like to fit more than one page of the document onto a sheet of paper, use this command to set the page layout. Print to file: Prints the document to a file instead of sending it to the printer.

Page Range

Allows you to specify what pages you want to print. There are several options here: All: Prints the entire document. Current Page: Prints only the page you’re currently on. Selection: Prints only selected document content. Pages: Prints only the pages you specify. Select a range of pages with a hyphen (5-8) and separate single pages with a comma (3,7).

Number of copies

Specifies the number of copies you want to print. If you print multiple copies you can choose to have them collated, that is, printed in order all the way through before the second copy begins printing.


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Getting Help When you don’t know how to do something in WordPad (or any of the other programs in Windows), look up your question in the Help and Support files. The Help and Support files can answer your questions, offer tips, and provide help for all of WordPad’s features.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Explore the Help menu in WordPad.

Search for help 1. Click the Help button ( ) located in the upper-right hand corner of the window. The Help and Support window appears. See Table 3-6: Help Buttons for an explanation of the buttons that you can use here. Other Ways to Open Help: Press . 2. Type what you want to search for in the Search Help box near the top of the window and press . A list of results related to the help topics appears. 3. Click the topic that most closely addresses the topic for which you’re searching. Information regarding the selected topic is displayed.

Browse for help If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, browsing the Help files is a great way to learn more about WordPad. 1. Click the Help button ( ) located in the upper-right hand corner of the window.

Figure 3-18: The Windows Help and Support window displays relevant articles about WordPad.

Table 3-6: Help Buttons Back

Click here to move back to the previous help topic.

Forward

Click here to move forward to the next help topic.

Help and Support home

Click here to return to the Help home page.

Print

Click here to print the current help topic.

Browse Help

Click here to browse for help using the Table of Contents.

Learn about other support options

Click here to find other sources for help.

Options

Click here to change how the Help window works and is displayed.

The Help and Support window opens. 2. Click the Browse Help button. Five topics are displayed. Since WordPad is not a very big program, there aren’t many help topics to browse here. 3. Click the link you want to browse. Help and Support displays information regarding the selected question or sub-topic. Tip: If you cannot find an answer to your question, click the back button to browse another category.

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Wor king with a Program Review Quiz Questions 21.

How do you access the All Programs menu? A. Click the Start button and select Programs > All Programs from the menu. B. Click the Start button and select All Programs. C. Right-click the taskbar and select All Programs. D. Right-click the desktop and select All Programs.

22.

The area that displays the name of the program and the name of the file that is being used is called the: A. Windows bar B. Title bar C. Program bar D. Very-top-of-the-window bar

23.

The ribbon can be hidden so that only tab names appear. (True or False?)

24.

The Program Button contains basic file commands. (True or False?)

25.

What is the Quick Access Toolbar? A. There are no toolbars in WordPad. B. What appears when you select text. C. A customizable toolbar of common commands that appears above the ribbon. D. An extension of the Windows taskbar.

26.

How do you enter information into a text box? A. Click the box and it will fill in automatically. B. Press + . C. Click the tabs until the information appears. D. Type text in it with the keyboard.

27.

At the end of a line of text, WordPad automatically moves text to the next line. This is called: A. Text-drop B. Word-wrap C. Line-break D. Type-down

28.

The Delete key deletes text to the left of the insertion point. (True or False?)

29.

Opening a document allows you to work on a document that was previously saved. (True or False?)

30.

When you save a document with a different name, the old document is deleted. (True or False?)


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31.

Which of these is not a way to select a word? A. Double-click the word. B. Click and drag with the mouse to select the word. C. Click the word and press + . D. Place the insertion point next to the word, press Shift, and use the arrow keys to highlight the word.

32.

What happens when text is selected and you begin to type? A. The selected text is deleted and is replaced with the typed text. B. The text is copied onto the clipboard. C. The text is deselected. D. A new keystroke shortcut is created.

33.

Redo reverses the actions of undo. (True or False?)

34.

What is a keystroke shortcut that you can use to paste text? A. + B. + C. +
D. +

35.

You can cut and paste text between documents. (True or False?)

36.

The text or object that was last cut or copied is what appears when you paste. (True or False?)

37.

The feature that allows you to see how your printed document will look is called ______. A. Print View B. Print Layout C. Print Sampling D. Print Preview

38.

Which of the following is NOT a way to print a document? A. Press +
. B. Select the WordPad button, then Print, then Quick Print. C. Press + . D. All of these.

39.

There are two ways to use a program’s help files: search or browse. (True or False?)

Quiz Answers 21.

B. Click the Start button and select All Programs to access the All Programs menu.

22.

B. The Title bar appears at the top of every program window and displays the name of the program and the file you are working on.

23.

True. Double-click the currently displayed tab to hide the ribbon, then click any tab to view it once again.

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24.

True. The Program Button contains basic file commands, such as Open, Save, New, and Print.

25.

C. The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar of common commands that appears above the ribbon.

26.

D. Enter information into a text box by typing text with the keyboard.

27.

B. Word-wrap drops the text to the next line automatically, so there's no need to press Enter.

28.

False. The Backspace key deletes text to the left of the insertion point. The Delete key deletes text to the right of the insertion point.

29.

True. Opening a document allows you to make changes to a file that you or somebody else has created.

30.

False. The original document remains intact, with its original name.

31.

C. Pressing + does not select text. You can select a word by double-clicking it or by highlighting it with the mouse or arrow keys.

32.

A. The selected text is deleted and is replaced with the typed text.

33.

True. Redo reverses the actions of Undo.

34.

B. You would think +
would paste text — but it's + .

35.

True. You can cut and paste text between two documents.

36.

True. Typically when you paste, you paste the last item that was cut or copied.

37.

D. The Print Preview feature allows you to preview how your printed document will look.

38.

C. Pressing + is not a print command.

39.

True. Two of the ways you can use a program’s help files is by doing a search or browsing help topics.


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Wor king with Folders and Files Understanding What’s in Your Computer ....... 66 Icons ........................................................ 66 Drives, folders, and files .......................... 66 Memory units ........................................... 67 Opening Drives, Folders and Files .................. 68 View an item’s properties ......................... 68 Understanding the Windows Explorer Window ............................................................................. 69 Using Windows Explorer to Navigate Your Computer ............................................................ 70 Address bar ............................................. 70 Favorites .................................................. 70 Back and Forward buttons ....................... 71 Folder and File Basics ...................................... 72 Create a new folder ................................. 72 Rename a folder or file ............................ 72 Delete a folder or file................................ 73 Restore a deleted folder or file ................ 73 Using and Creating Libraries ........................... 74 Open a library .......................................... 74 Create a new library................................. 74 Modifying and Deleting Libraries ..................... 75 Add a folder to a library............................ 75 Remove a folder from a library ................ 75 Delete a library ......................................... 76 Selecting Multiple Folders and Files ............... 77 Select multiple items ................................ 77 Select all .................................................. 77 Copying and Moving Folders and Files .......... 78 Copy or move by clicking and dragging ... 79 Changing Window Layout and Views .............. 80 Sorting and Filtering Items ............................... 81 Sort files ................................................... 81 Filter files ................................................. 81 Using Search ...................................................... 83 Windows Explorer .................................... 83 Search filters ............................................ 83

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4 When you work at a desk, unless you make an effort to stay organized, all your papers and files begin to pile up and become disorganized. It takes a little more time, but the same phenomenon occurs when working with Windows—the files you create using your computer start to become cluttered, and are harder and harder to find. In this chapter, you’ll take your first step beyond the Windows basics and enter the world of file management. You’ll learn how Windows stores information in files and folders, just like a file cabinet does, and see how the appearance of windows have changed from previous versions of Windows. You’ll find that you will need to clean and organize your files and folders from time to time, just like you would the contents of a file cabinet. This chapter explains how to organize your computer by creating folders to store related information, how to move and copy files between folders, how to delete and rename files and folders, and how to retrieve a deleted file if you change your mind.

Start menu ............................................... 83 Working with Compressed Folders ................. 85 Create a compressed folder .................... 85 Work with compressed folder files ........... 85


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Working with Folders and Files

Understanding What’s in Your Computer Icons

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Locate the disk drives on your computer, and understand the difference between a byte and a gigabyte.

Everything in the computer is represented by its own picture, or icon. A different icon represents each item, as shown in Table 4-1: Common Icons. For example, the icons for disk drives on your computer look similar, but have details that distinguish them from each other. Folder icons almost always look like little manila folders.

Table 4-1: Common Icons

Drive

Files have more variety, because a different icon is used for each file type. This makes it easy for you to tell the difference between documents, photos, and spreadsheets for example.

Drives, folders, and files To see what’s in a file cabinet, you simply open a drawer. You can view the information stored on your computer’s disk drives in much the same way—by opening the disk drive you want to access. The contents of your computer can basically be categorized into three types of items: 

Drives are the devices that store folders and files. Drives of different types have icons that indicate the type of drive; for example, the hard disk drive for your computer is indicated by the Windows logo.

Folder

Folders are used to organize and contain files and are stored on drives. Folder views with large icons allow you to see if a folder contains other folders or files

File

Files are the items that you actually work with when you use your computer. Whether it is a program or a document, the icon that represents a file indicates its type.

Drives are like “drawers” that contain the folders on your computer. A disk drive is the part of the computer that reads and writes information to a disk, whether it is a permanent hard disk like the one inside your computer, or a removable compact disc (CD). There are three main types of disk drives that computers use to store their information, as shown in

Table 4-2: Common Computer Drives

. Table 4-2: Common Computer Drives Drive type

Drive Letter

Description

C

Local disks, or hard disks, hide permanently inside your computer. Your computer’s hard disk is its main filing cabinet—where it stores its programs and files.

D or above

Compact discs, or CD-ROMs, are like the audio discs you play in your stereo. CD-ROMs are cheap and can typically store 650 MB of information, which is why they’re used to install software for games and programs with a lot of multimedia.

Local Disk

CD-ROM, DVD, or BD-ROM

DVDs are similar to CDs, but they can hold six times more data. DVDs are the most common storage device for movies and are often used to install programs and games. Blue-ray Discs (BD) are like DVDs, but with enormous capacity. BDs can store up to six times more information than a DVD (over 20 GB) and are typically used for high-definition video and games.

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Working with Folders and Files Table 4-2: Common Computer Drives D or above Other Drives

There are also other types of drives, including network drives, removable drives, and external drives. Network drives are drives that are available through the servers on a company’s network. They have an almost unlimited storage size. Removable storage drives include CD and DVD drives, and USB flash drives. External hard drives are like having another computer of storage space: 100 GB or more.



Folders contain other folders and files. Folders allow you to keep related information in the same place. If anything happens to a folder—if it is moved or deleted, for example—everything contained in the folder goes with it.



Files are the “meat” of your computer: drives and folders exist to store files. Files cannot contain other files or folders. Table 4-3: Common Types of Files displays some of the common types of files you will encounter.

There are two parts to every file: the file name and the file extension. The file name distinguishes the file from other files. Typically, you give the file its name. The file extension tells Windows what type of file it is. Windows uses this information to determine which type of icon is used for the file, and it also tells Windows which program to use to open the file. The file extension is assigned to the file by the program in which the file was created. For example, Notepad always adds the file extension “.txt” to its files, so when you double-click a .txt file, Windows knows it has to open the file in Notepad. Tips 

By default, Windows 7 does not display file extensions. This can be changed by modifying Windows folder settings.

Table 4-3: Common Types of Files

Application (.exe)

Application or executable (.exe) files are the programs that run on your computer. When you open a program, you are opening an executable file.

Rich Text Format (.rtf)

WordPad creates files of this type: this file type can hold basic formatting properties and objects like graphics: it’s not as advanced as a Microsoft Word (.doc) file, but it’s not as simple as a Notepad (.txt) file. Most photographs are JPEGs.

JPEG

Shortcut

Shortcuts point to files and folders elsewhere on your computer so that you can quickly open that file, folder, or program without having to go to its actual location. All of the programs in the Start menu and some of the items on your desktop are actually shortcuts that point to files located elsewhere on your computer.

Memory units Just as liquids are measured in quarts and gallons, computers save their information in units called bytes. Computers use the metric system, so 1,000 bytes make up a kilobyte and 1,000,000 (one million) bytes make up a megabyte. Table 4-4: How Memory is Measured lists memory units for computers. Table 4-4: How Memory is Measured Byte

A byte is equivalent to a single character, such as the letter “J” or number “8”.

A single character

Kilobyte (K or KB)

A kilobyte is about 1,000 bytes (1,024 to be exact). A kilobyte is equivalent to a page of double-spaced typing.

1,024 bytes

Megabyte (MB)

A megabyte (MB) is about one million bytes. A megabyte is equivalent to an average-length novel.

1,048,576 bytes

Gigabyte (GB)

A gigabyte (GB) is about one billion bytes. A gigabyte is equivalent to the text in several encyclopedia sets.

1,000,000,000 bytes


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Table 4-4: How Memory is Measured Terabyte (TB)

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A terabyte (GB) is about one trillion bytes. A terabyte is equivalent to the text in a library.


1,000,000,000,000 bytes


Opening Drives, Folders, and Files To work with items in your computer, you need to open the drives, folders, and files where the data you want to work with is stored.

Open drives, folders and files Since drives, folders, and files are located in different levels of your computer’s hierarchy, accessing each of them is a little different: 

Drives: Click the Start button and select Computer from the menu. Double-click a drive to open it. Drives are places where data can be stored. This data is organized into folders and files. All the drives available on your computer are shown in the Computer window, so you can access any folder or file on your computer from this location. Other Ways to Open Computer: Press < > + or click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar and click Computer in the Navigation pane.



 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open the Computer window. View the properties of the Local Disk drive. Open the Local Disk drive, and open a folder in the Local Disk drive.

1.) A computer stores information on disks.

2.) Information on a disk is organized and grouped into folders.

3.) A folder may contain several files and subfolders.

Figure 4-1: The hierarchy of storing information on a computer.

Folders: Click the Start button and select the folder you want to open from the menu. The folder window appears, displaying the folders and files saved in the folder. Other Ways to Open a Folder: Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar and select a drive and/or folder in the Navigation pane.



Files: Open the folder where the file is located and then double-click the file icon. The file is displayed in a compatible program.

View an item’s properties If you need to know the nitty gritty details about an item, take a look at its properties. Properties contain information such as the size of the item and where it is saved on the computer. 

Right-click the item and select Properties from the contextual menu. The Properties dialog box appears. Other Ways to View an Item’s Properties: Select the item and click the Properties button on the Command bar.

Figure 4-2: The Properties dialog box for the Local Disk drive.


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Understanding the Windows Explorer Window When you open a folder or library in Windows, Windows Explorer appears. Windows Explorer makes it easy to view and work with the drives, folders, and files on your computer. 

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open Windows Explorer and use the Navigation pane to jump to another location.

Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Windows Explorer from the menu. The Windows Explorer window appears. Other Way to Open Windows Explorer: Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar or press < > + .

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Using Windows Explorer to Navigate Your Computer The process of opening drives and folders to find the file you want to work with is called navigating. A path is the sequence of drives and folders that are opened as you navigate. The path includes the drive, followed by folders, and the name of the file. There are several controls that make it easy to navigate to other locations on your computer.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open the Documents folder. Use the Address Bar to open Computer. Open a location under Libraries. Use the Forward button list arrow to open the Public folder.

Click the arrow to the right of a link to view the folders in the location.

Address bar The Address bar is a great tool for navigation. Each location in the path is a link; click the link to open its location. To…

Do this...

Open a location on the file path…

…click its link in the Address bar.

Jump to a location’s subfolders…

…click its list arrow and select a folder from the list.

To view the file path without links...

…click an empty area of the Address bar or press + .

Tips 

To open a common folder, such as Desktop or Documents, simply type its name in the Address bar.

Figure 4-3: Use the Address Bar to navigate along locations in the path.

Favorites Use the Favorites section in the Navigation pane to store your most commonly used folders and searches. Windows 7 includes three favorite locations by default: 

Desktop: Displays a list of shortcuts to the files and programs you have saved to the desktop.



Downloads: Displays a list of files that you have downloaded or saved from the Internet.



Recent Places: Displays a list of shortcuts to recently used files, folders, and programs.

Click the tiny arrow to expand or collapse the selected folder.

Figure 4-4: Favorites provides shortcuts to folders that are used most often.


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Working with Folders and Files Back and Forward buttons As you navigate your computer, Windows keeps track of the locations you have visited. Move back or forward in this list using the Back and Forward buttons. 

Click the Forward button list arrow to see a list of recent locations.

Click the Back or Forward button. The contents of the location one step behind or ahead on the path are displayed. Tip: Click the Forward button list arrow to open a list of recently visited locations.

Figure 4-5: Use the Back and Forward buttons to return to locations you visited while navigating.

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Folder and File Basics

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder

This lesson covers several simple, yet important, tasks in file management.

Create a new folder

• Exercise: Create a new folder named “Practice Folder.” Rename the folder to “My Stuff.” Delete the “grocery list.txt” file, then restore it from the Recycle Bin.

Folders allow you to group related information together. Here’s how to create a new folder in Windows 7: 1. Open the location where you want to create the new folder. 2. Click the New Folder button on the command bar. Other Ways to Create a New Folder: Right-click any empty area in the window and select New  Folder from the contextual menu. Or, press + + . 3. Type a name for the folder and press . The folder is created.

Rename a folder or file You might want to rename a folder or file to distinguish it from other copies of the same file or to change the name to something that better identifies its contents.

Figure 4-6: Enter a name for the folder or file after it is created, or after selecting the Rename command.

1. Select the folder or file you want to rename. 2. Click the Organize button on the command bar and select Rename from the menu. The name of the item becomes highlighted, indicating you can change the name. Other Ways to Rename a Folder or File: Right-click the folder or file and select Rename from the contextual menu. Or, click the file while it is highlighted. 3. Type a new name for the folder or file and press . The name of the item is changed. Trap: If you change the name of a folder, the path for anything contained in that folder also changes. For example, a shortcut to an item contained in the folder will no longer work.


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Delete a folder or file If you are certain you no longer need a folder or file, you can delete it. 1. Select the folder or file you want to delete. 2. Click the Organize button on the command bar and select Delete from the menu. Other Ways to Delete: Select the folder or file and press , or right-click and select Delete from the contextual menu. 3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Figure 4-7: Before a folder or file is deleted, you must confirm the deletion.

The folder or file is sent to the Recycle Bin. Tip: If you click No, the folder or file is not deleted and the dialog box closes. Trap: Before you delete a folder, make sure it doesn’t contain any important files. If you aren’t familiar with the contents of a folder, you shouldn’t delete it.

Restore a deleted folder or file Just like a wastebasket, the Recycle Bin stores all of the folders and files you have deleted. If you change your mind about a deleted folder or file, it’s easy to find and retrieve it. 1. Double-click the Recycle Bin on the Desktop. The Recycle Bin opens and displays all the files you have recently deleted. 2. Select the file you want to restore and click the Restore this item button on the command bar. The item is removed from the Recycle Bin and restored to its original location. Other Ways to Restore a Folder or File: Right-click the folder or file in the Recycle Bin and select Restore from the contextual menu.

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Figure 4-8: Restoring an item from the Recycle Bin.


Using and Creating Libraries


A library is a virtual folder that gathers files from the locations you specify and displays these files as a single collection. For example, you could specify that the Documents library contain all .doc files from the My Documents and Important Documents folders.

• Exercise: Familiarize yourself with the default libraries available in Windows 7. Create a new library named Practice.

Open a library Open a library just like you would any other folder. 1. Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar. The Libraries window appears. Four libraries have been created by default in Windows 7: Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos.

Folder A

Folder B

2. Double-click the library you want to view. The contents of the library appear. Other Ways to Open a Library: Click the Start button and select a library from the Start menu, or open any Windows Explorer window, click Libraries in the Navigation pane, and double-click the library you want to view.

Pictures Library

Create a new library You can create a new library that contains only the folders you specify. 1. Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar. The Libraries window appears.

Figure 4-9: A library is a compilation of files from folders you specify.

2. Click the New Library button on the command bar. A new library icon appears. Other Ways to Create a New Library: Right-click Libraries in the Navigation pane or an empty area in the Libraries window and select New  Library from the contextual menu. 3. Type a name for the library and press . The new library is created.

Figure 4-10: The Libraries window.


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Modifying and Deleting Libraries

 Exercise • Exercise File: Practice library created in previous lesson. • Exercise: Delete the Practice library.

You don’t always have to create a new library. Save time by modifying an existing library’s criteria instead. Locations link

Add a folder to a library Libraries gather their content from the folders you specify. You can include up to 50 folders in one library. 1. Open the library you want to add a folder to. 2. Click the Locations link in the Library pane. The Library Locations window appears. 3. Click Add. The Include Folder window appears. Here you need to find and select the folder you want to include. 4. Navigate to and select the folder you want to include. 5. Click Include folder.

Figure 4-11: The Documents Library open in Windows Explorer.

The folder is now included in the library. Tip: A network folder must be added to the index or made available offline before it can be included in a library. Other Ways to Add a Folder to a Library: Open or select the folder you want to add, click the Include in Library button on the command bar, and select the library you want to add it to.

Remove a folder from a library If you delete an individual item from a library, it will also be deleted from its original location. To remove an item from a library without deleting it from its original location, you have to remove the folder containing the item. 1. Open the library containing the folder you wish to remove. 2. Click the Locations link in the Library pane. The Library Locations window appears. 3. Click the folder you want to remove, and click Remove. 4. Click OK.

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Figure 4-12: The Library Locations window.

Working with Files and Folders Delete a library If you decide you no longer need a library, delete it. 1. Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar. The Libraries window appears. 2. Right-click the library you want to delete, and select Delete from the contextual menu that appears. The library is moved to the Recycle Bin. Tip: Because libraries do not actually contain files, deleting a library does not delete the files that are stored there.


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Selecting Multiple Folders and Files Before you can do anything with a folder or file, you must select it first.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder. • Exercise: Select several files by clicking and dragging a rectangle around them. Select the Paris.jpg, Accounting folder, and grocery list.txt items.

Select multiple items There are several ways to select multiple items: 

Click and drag a rectangle around the items you want to select. This works best for items that are next to each other, especially if an icon view is being used.



Click the first item you want to select, press and hold down the key, and click the last item you want to select. This works best for items in a list or Details view because of how items are arranged.



Figure 4-13: Click and drag to select multiple files.

If the items aren’t next to each other, you can select non-adjacent items by pressing and holding the key and clicking the items you want to select. This method works in any view.

Select all If you want to work with all of the items in a folder, you can select all of them at once. 

Click the Organize button on the command bar and select Select All from the menu. Other Ways to Select All: Press + . Figure 4-14: When you want to select a group of adjacent files, use the key.

Tips 

Files and folders can be selected at the same time.

 If folders and files are grouped or stacked, click the group heading or the stack to select all the folders and files in the group or stack.

Figure 4-15: Use the key when you want to select non-adjacent files.

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Copying and Moving Folders and Files You probably don’t reorganize the folders in your file cabinet very often—and you probably won’t need to move or copy the folders on your computer very often, either. When you find you do need to move or copy a folder or file, the process is very similar to copying, cutting and pasting text in a program.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder. • Exercise: Add a copy of the grocery list.txt file to the desktop. Move the copied grocery list.txt file into the Document folder.

Copy and paste a folder or file 1. Select the folder or file, click the Organize button on the command bar, and select Copy from the menu. Other Ways to Copy: Right-click the folder or file and select Copy from the contextual menu, or click the folder or file and press + . 2. Open the location where you want to copy the folder or file, then click the Organize button and select Paste from the menu. Other Ways to Paste: Right-click an empty area in the location where you want to paste the item and select Paste from the contextual menu. or press + .

Figure 4-16: Click and drag a folder or file to move it to another location. To copy a folder or file, press and hold the key while dragging.

Move a folder or file 1. Select the folder or file, click the Organize button on the command bar and select Cut from the menu. Other Ways to Cut: Right-click the folder or file and select Cut from the contextual menu, or click the folder or file and press + . 2. Open the location where you want to copy the folder or file, then click the Organize button and select Paste from the menu. Other Ways to Paste: Right-click an empty area in the location where you want to paste the item and select Paste from the contextual menu or press + .

Figure 4-17: This dialog box appears if you try to copy or move a folder or file into a location where a folder or file of that name is already saved. Choose an option or click Cancel to continue.


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Working with Folders and Files Copy or move by clicking and dragging 

Click and drag the folder or file to the desired location. Hold down the key while you drag to copy the folder or file. Tip: You can click and drag to a location in the Navigation pane, or open another window for the location to which you want to move or copy the item(s).

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Changing Window Layout and Views As you work with files and folders on your computer, you may find that you want to change how information is displayed in Windows Explorer. This lesson will show you how to change the appearance of a window and its contents.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder. • Exercise: Open the Practice folder. Change the layout to display the menu bar and Preview pane. Apply the Tiles view to the window. Return to the default layout and List view. Navigation Pane

Library Pane

Views button

Layout Changing the layout of the window allows you to choose how much information is displayed in the window. 1. Click the Organize button on the command bar and select Layout from the menu. A submenu appears with the following options:  Menu bar: Displays the menu bar found in previous versions of Windows.  Details pane: (Open by default) Displays detailed information about the selected item.  Preview pane: Displays a preview of the selected file.  Navigation pane: (Open by default) Displays the contents of your computer in hierarchical view.  Library pane: (Open by default in Library folders) Displays options for arranging the information in a library. 2. Select the layout option you want to use. The window changes accordingly.

Views You can change how the contents of a folder are displayed using the Views button on the command bar. 1. Click the Views button list arrow on the command bar. A list of views appears. See Table 4-5: Window Views for a brief description of each view. Tip: Click and drag the View slider to see a live preview of each view. 2. Select the view you want to use. The contents of the window change to reflect the selected view.

Details Pane

Preview Pane

Figure 4-18: A window with all four panes displayed. Table 4-5: Window Views Icons The Medium, Large, and Extra Large icon views are great for looking at images because the file’s icon is a thumbnail preview of the image. List Files and folders are displayed as small icons in a list. This view allows you to see the most files at a time. Details Displays information about every file and folder, such as its name, size, type, and when it was last modified. Tiles Files and folders are displayed as icons, but with more information. The type and size of a file is displayed to the right of the icon.


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Sorting and Filtering Items If you ever need to find an item, such as a file that’s buried deep inside a folder, you can quickly sort a folder’s contents by clicking one of its column headings. For example, clicking the “Date modified” column heading sorts the file list by the date each file was last modified or saved.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder. • Exercise: Sort the files by date modified. Filter the view so that only JPEG images are shown. Remove the filter.

Sort files By default, files are sorted alphabetically by name in ascending order. You can also sort your files by size, type, or date modified. First, you need to switch to Details view. 1. Click the View button list arrow on the command bar and select Details. The file list is displayed in Details view, and column headings now appear above the file list. 2. Click the column heading you want to sort by. The file list is arranged accordingly. Other Ways to Sort: Right-click an empty area in the file list, select Sort by from the contextual menu, and select an option.

Figure 4-19: Column headings only appear in Details view.

Tip: Click the column heading again to toggle between ascending and descending order.

Filter files By applying a filter to a folder you can display only the files that meet your criteria and hide the files that do not. For example, you could apply a filter that would only display files that were modified yesterday. First, you need to switch to Details view. 1. Click the View button list arrow on the command bar and select Details. The file list is displayed in Details view, and column headings now appear above the file list. 2. Point to the column heading you want to filter by and click the list arrow that appears. A list of filtering options appears. Filtering options will vary depending on which column heading is selected. Figure 4-20: You can filter by more than one property.

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Working with Folders and Files 3. Click the check box next to the property or properties that you want to filter the file list by. The file list is rearranged accordingly and a checkmark appears next to the column heading that is being filtered. Tips 

To remove a filter, follow the same steps you used to apply it.


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Using Search It’s just as easy to misplace a folder or file on your computer as it is to misplace your car keys—maybe even easier! The Search feature is a powerful solution for finding your lost folders and files.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder. • Exercise: Search the word “expenses” in the Practice folder. Open the Search folder and search for files modified on 3/22/07. Search “music” from the Start menu.

Windows Explorer If you have an idea regarding where the folder or file you’re looking for is located, use the Search box in Windows Explorer. The Search box appears at the top of every Windows Explorer window and searches the contents, including subfolders, of that window for the text that you type. If a file’s name, content, tags, or other properties match the searched text, it will appear in the search results.

Filter options Search box

1. Open the folder or library where the file you’re looking for is located. 2. Type a keyword for the file in the Search box. As you type, items that match the keyword become highlighted. Tip: Once the file you want appears, you can stop typing: there is no need to press to submit your search text.

Search filters You can quickly refine your searches in Windows 7 with Search Filters. Use a search filter to display only those files that meet the criteria you specify. 1. Click in the Search box. A list of search filters appears. Tip: The filters available will vary depending on the contents of the folder. 2. Click the filter you want to use, and then specify the filter criteria. The contents of the folder are filtered.

Start menu The Search box in the Start menu can also be used to perform a search. Searching from the Start menu finds files, folders, e-mails, and programs. 1. Click the Start button. An insertion point appears in the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu.

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Figure 4-21: Search results appear highlighted.

Working with Folders and Files 2. Type a keyword in the Search box. As you type, items that match the keyword appear in the Start menu.

Preview Pane button

Tip: Once the item you want appears, you can stop typing: there is no need to press to submit your search text. Tips 

To clear a search, click the Close button ( ) in the Search box.



Use the Preview pane to preview your search results without having to open the actual file. Click the Preview Pane button on the command bar to display the Preview pane.



Now you can save your searches and return to them later. Click the Save search button on the command bar, enter a name for the search, and click Save. Figure 4-22: Use the Preview pane to preview search results without having to open the actual file.


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Working with Compressed Folders You can reduce the size of a folder and its contents by using a compressed, or zipped, folder. Working with a compressed folder and its contents is just like working with a regular folder.

 Exercise • Exercise File: Windows 7 Practice folder • Exercise: Create a compressed folder named “Zip” and add the Seniors.txt file to it. Extract the file to your Documents folder.

Create a compressed folder Compressed folders require less memory, which makes them easier to transfer and share with other computers. 1. Right-click an empty area on the desktop or in a folder window and select New  Compressed (zipped) Folder from the contextual menu. The compressed folder is created. 2. Type a name for the folder. 3. Click and drag items into the compressed folder. A copy of the item appears inside the zipped folder. Other Ways to Create a Compressed Folder: Right-click an existing folder or file (or select multiple folders and files) and select Send To  Compressed (zipped) Folder from the contextual menu.

A compressed folder has a zipper on the folder icon.

Figure 4-23: A zipped folder in the Practice folder.

Work with compressed folder files If you open a file directly from the compressed folder, it will open in read-only format. If you want to work with and make changes to a file, you need to extract it. 1. Double-click the compressed folder and click the Extract all files button on the command bar. The Extract Compressed (Zipped) Folders dialog box appears. Other Ways to Extract Files: Click and drag the folders or files out of the compressed folder. Or, right-click the compressed folder and select Extract All from the contextual menu. 2. Click the Browse button and specify where you would like the extracted files to be located and click Extract. The files are extracted to the specified location. Tips 

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Extracting a file returns the file to its original size.


Figure 4-24: Extracting files from a compressed folder.

Wor king with Folders and Files Review Quiz Questions 40.

Which of the following computer devices does not store information? A. Hard disk drive B. Discus disks C. Network drive D. Removable disks

41.

How much text is equal to a byte? A. A single character B. A novel C. A library D. An encyclopedia set

42.

Do this to display the contents of a drive, folder or file: A. Right-click the item. B. Triple-click the item. C. Click the drive or folder while holding down the Alt key. D. Double-click the item.

43.

To view an item's properties, right-click the item and select Properties from the contextual menu. (True or False?)

44.

Windows Explorer automatically appears when you open a folder or another location on your computer. (True or False?)

45.

You can create a new folder using the + shortcut. (True or False?)

46.

The process for renaming and deleting a folder is the same for a file. (True or False?)

47.

Delete a folder or file by clicking it, pressing the Delete key, and confirming the deletion. (True or False?)

48.

Which of these will NOT select multiple files or folders? A. Click and drag a rectangle around any adjacent files you want to select. B. Click the first file you want to select, press and hold down the Shift key and click the last file you want to select. C. Hold down the key and click the files you want to select. D. Click the Organize button and select Select Multiple Files, and then click the files you want to select.

49.

If you hold down the key while clicking and dragging a folder, what happens? A. The folder is copied to where it is dropped. B. The folder is moved to where it is dropped.


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C. The folder is deleted. D. The Organize button is clicked.

50.

Which of the following methods is incorrect? A. To copy a file, press and hold down the key as you click and drag the file to a new location. B. To move a file, click the Organize button and select Move from the menu. C. To copy a file, click the Organize button and select Copy from the menu. D. To move a file, right-click the file and select Cut from the contextual menu.

51.

The menu bar appears in windows by default in Windows Vista. (True or False?)

52.

Which of these is not a view you can use in a window? A. Picture B. List C. Details D. Tiles

53.

You can filter only by one property. (True or False?)

54.

You must be in Details view in order to sort or filter items. (True or False?)

55.

The compression ratio is the same for all file types. (True or False?)

56.

Which of the following is NOT true? A. When a file is moved into a compressed folder, a compressed version of the file is made and the original file is not effected. B. Compressed files are damanged after being extracted. C. A compressed folder icon is marked with a zipper. D. A compressed folder has a .zip file extension.

Quiz Answers 40.

B. The discus is more suited for track and field than a computer.

41.

A. A byte is equal to a single character.

42.

D. Double-click an item to open it and display its contents.

43.

True. You can view any item's properties by right-clicking and selecting Properties.

44.

True. Windows Explorer automatically appears when you view the locations on your computer. You don’t need to launch it from the Accessories folder to browse your computer.

45.

False. You can't create a new folder using a keystroke shortcut, but you can right-click a window and select New > Folder to create a new folder.

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46.

True. If you know how to rename and delete a folder, you know how to rename and delete a file.

47.

True.

48.

D. Select Multiple Files is not a command under the Organize button.

49.

A. A folder is copied if the key is pressed when the folder is clicked and dragged. The same is true with a file.

50.

B. The command to move a file under the Organize button is Cut, not Move.

51.

False. If you want to use menus in windows, you must change the layout so that the menu bar is displayed.

52.

A. Picture is not a view you can use, but there are several sizes of Icon views you can apply.

53.

False. You can filter by several properties; simply click each property you want to filter by.

54.

True. You must be in Details view before you can sort or filter items.

55.

False. The amount a file can be compressed varies with each file.

56.

B. Compressed files are NOT damanged after being extracted. They are quite safe and stable.


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Wor king with the Taskbar and Desktop Customizing the Taskbar .................................. 90 Pin a program to the taskbar ................... 90 Rearrange icons on the taskbar .............. 90 Resizing and moving the Taskbar.................... 91 Resize the taskbar ................................... 91 Move the taskbar ..................................... 91 Hide the taskbar ....................................... 91 Using Jump Lists ............................................... 93 Open a program’s jump list ...................... 93 Pin items to a jump list ............................. 93 Customizing the Start Menu ............................. 94 Working with Desktop Icons ............................ 96 Arrange desktop icons ............................. 96 Create a shortcut ..................................... 96 Using Gadgets ................................................... 97 Add a gadget to the desktop .................... 97 Move a gadget ......................................... 97 Customize a gadget ................................. 98 Starting a Program Automatically with Windows ............................................................. 99

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5 When you turn on your computer and Windows loads and eventually pops to life on your screen, the first things you see are the desktop and taskbar and Start button. These are the most important parts of Windows. The taskbar is the control center for Windows—where you start and manage all your programs. The desktop is your workspace—where you actually get your work done. Because the taskbar and desktop are so important, this entire chapter is devoted just to them. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to customize the taskbar and desktop so they work best for you. Customizing the taskbar and desktop is a lot like arranging furniture in an empty living room—there’s no right way to do it; just do whatever works best for you. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to move, resize, and hide the taskbar; how to customize the Start menu; and how to use the Windows Sidebar on the desktop.

Working with the Taskbar and Desktop

Customizing the Taskbar


Whenever you open a program, document, or folder, a button for that window appears on the taskbar; the bar that appears across the bottom of the screen.

• Exercise: Identify parts of the taskbar. Pin the WordPad program to the taskbar.

The taskbar has been completely redesigned in Windows 7 to make it more useful. Now you can more with the taskbar, such as pin your favorite programs to the taskbar and rearrange the order of icons.

Pin a program to the taskbar

Table 5-1: Main Parts of the Taskbar

In Windows 7 you can pin your favorite programs to the taskbar for easy access.

Start button

When clicked, this opens the Start menu.

1. Open the program that you want to pin to the taskbar.

Middle section

All program icons are displayed here. You can pin and rearrange program icons in this section.

Notification area

Contains the date/time and various notification icons related to Windows and your computer.

Show Desktop button

Point to/click this button to display the Windows desktop.

An icon for the program appears on the taskbar. 2. Right-click the program icon on the taskbar. The program’s Jump List appears. Other Ways to Open a Program’s Jump List: Point to the program icon on the taskbar and click and drag upward. 3. Select Pin this program to taskbar from the Jump List. The program is now pinned to the taskbar. Other Ways to Pin a Program to the Taskbar: Click the Start button, find the program you want to pin, and click and drag the program icon to the taskbar. Tip: To unpin a program, right-click it and select Unpin this program from taskbar.

Rearrange icons on the taskbar In Windows 7 you can change the order of icons on the taskbar, simply by clicking and dragging. 

Show hidden icons button

Figure 5-1: Click the Show hidden icons button in the notification area of the taskbar to view other icons associated with your computer.

Click and drag the program icon to another location on the taskbar. The overlapping of taskbar icons indicates the number of windows open in a program.

Start button: Click here to open the Start menu.

Open programs have a sheen to them.

Figure 5-2: The Windows 7 taskbar.

Show Desktop button: Point to this button to take a quick “peek” at the desktop. Click this button to switch to the desktop.

Notification area: Includes the system clock and icons that communicate the status of certain programs, settings, and connections.


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Resizing and Moving the Taskbar The taskbar is the command center for Windows, which is why it rests along the bottom of the desktop, ready for use. Still, some people think the taskbar should be located in a different location on the screen. Others don’t like how the ever-present taskbar occupies valuable desktop space, or wish the taskbar were larger so it could display more icons and buttons.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Resize the taskbar and then move it to the right side of the desktop. Move it back to the bottom of the desktop. Turn on auto-hiding for the taskbar.

This lesson will show you how to move the taskbar to a new location on the screen, change the size of the taskbar, and hide the taskbar to give you more room on the screen. Tips 

Before you can resize and move the taskbar, you must unlock it first. To unlock the taskbar, right-click it and select Lock the taskbar.

Resize the taskbar When the size of the taskbar is increased, it can display more program and window icons. 1. Position the pointer over the top border of the taskbar until it changes to a .

Figure 5-3: Click and drag to resize the taskbar.

When the pointer changes, the taskbar can be resized. 2. Click and drag the edge of the taskbar upwards. The taskbar is resized so it can display two rows of icons, rather than just one.

Move the taskbar When the taskbar is unlocked, you can move the taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom of the desktop. 

Position the pointer over a blank area of the taskbar. Click and drag the taskbar to the top, bottom, left, or right side of the desktop. The taskbar is moved accordingly.

Hide the taskbar If you don’t want the taskbar to take up valuable space on the desktop, you can hide it so that it only appears when you need to use it. 1. Right-click a blank area of the taskbar and select Properties from the contextual menu. The Taskbar tab of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box appears. See Table 5-2: Taskbar

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Figure 5-4: You can move the taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom of the screen.

Working with the Taskbar and Desktop Appearance Properties for a description of these properties. 2. Click the Auto-hide the taskbar check box and click OK. The taskbar is now hidden. To make it appear again, simply point to the location on the desktop where the taskbar is located.

Click here to hide the taskbar.

3. Point to the location (bottom, top, side) on the desktop where the taskbar is located. The taskbar appears.

Figure 5-5: The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.

Table 5-2: Taskbar Appearance Properties Lock the taskbar

Locks the taskbar at its current position on the desktop so that it cannot be moved to a new location.

Auto-hide the taskbar

Hides the taskbar from view. To display the taskbar, position the mouse pointer near the bottom of the screen, or wherever the taskbar is located.

Use small icons

Shrinks all program icons on the taskbar to make more room on the taskbar.

Taskbar location on screen

Change the location of the taskbar on the screen. Bottom is selected by default.

Taskbar buttons

Choose how you want icons to appear on the taskbar:  Always combine, hide labels: Groups items of the same type under the program they were created in (default setting).  Combine when taskbar is full: Only groups items when the taskbar is full.  Never combine: Never groups items; each item has its own button on the taskbar.


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Using Jump Lists


Jump lists are new in Windows 7. They contain shortcuts to popular program commands and recently used files.

Open a program’s Jump List

• Exercise: Open the WordPad program and view its Jump List. Close the WordPad program window using the Jump List.

Jump Lists appear whenever you right-click a program or icon on the taskbar or in the Start menu. 

Right-click the program’s icon on the taskbar. The Jump List appears. Other Ways to Open a Program’s Jump List: Point to the program icon on the taskbar and click and drag upward. You can also work with Jump Lists from the Start menu. Open the Start menu and click the program’s list arrow.

Click here to pin the item to the Jump List.

Pin items to a Jump List To give you easy access to related files, you can pin items to a program’s Jump List. 1. Open the file that you want to pin, in the program that created it.

Figure 5-6: Right-click an icon on the taskbar to open its Jump List.

2. Right-click the program’s icon on the taskbar. The program’s Jump List appears. Other Ways to Open a Program’s Jump List: Point to the program icon on the taskbar and click and drag upward. Or, click the program’s list arrow in the Start menu. 3. Point to the item you want to pin. A tiny button that looks like a pushpin appears, which you can click to pin the item. 4. Click the Pin to this list button. The item is now pinned to the program’s Jump List. Tip: To unpin an item in a Jump List, click the Unpin from this list button (the tiny pushpin icon) next to the item. Or, right-click the item and select Unpin from this list from the contextual menu.

Figure 5-7: You can also open a program’s Jump List using the Start menu.

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Customizing the Start Menu


This lesson discusses ways to customize the Start menu. Some of the Start menu’s primary duties—launching programs, providing shortcuts to frequently used files and folders—have been added to the taskbar, but you might still find it useful to continue to customize some of these settings in the Start menu.

Customize the Start menu The Start menu displays programs that are used frequently, and shortcuts to important folders, locations, and tools on your computer. Customizing the Start menu lets you control how these links, icons, and menus look and behave.

• Exercise: Open the Customize Start Menu dialog box and display Computer as a menu. Change the number of recent programs to display to 5 for both the Start menu and Jump Lists.

Control how icons in the Start menu look and behave.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Properties from the contextual menu. The Start Menu tab of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box appears. 2. Click the Customize button. The Customize Start Menu dialog box appears. You can choose how the Start menu looks and behaves using the options in this dialog box.  Control how icons in the Start menu look and behave: Here you can select which icons appear in the Start menu, and how those icons work. For example, you can specify that an icon open a menu instead of a window when clicked.  Control the number of recent programs that appear in the Start menu: Here you can control the number of recently used programs that appear in the left pane of the Start menu.

Control the number of recently used programs/items that appear in the Start menu and Jump Lists.

Figure 5-8: The Customize Start Menu dialog box.

 Control the number of recent items that appear in Jump Lists: Here you can control the number of recently used items that appear in a Jump List. This controls Jump Lists in the taskbar and the Start menu. 3. Select the appropriate options and click OK. The Start menu is customized accordingly. Tips 

The Classic Start menu, which was available in Windows XP and Windows Vista, is no longer available in Windows 7.


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Working with the Taskbar and Desktop Pin a program to the Start menu You can create shortcuts to specific programs by pinning the program icon to the Start menu.

Programs that have been pinned to the Start menu appear at the top of the frequently used programs list.

1. Click the Start button. The Start menu appears. 2. Select All Programs from the menu. A list of programs that are available on your computer appears. 3. Right-click the program icon for the program you want to pin and select Pin to Start Menu from the contextual menu. The program icon appears at the top of the frequently used programs list the Start menu. Tip: To unpin a program from the Start menu, open the Start menu, right-click the program icon, and select Unpin from Start Menu from the contextual menu.

Figure 5-9: The Windows 7 Start menu with two programs pinned to it.

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Working with Desktop Icons

 Exercise • Exercise File: Trade Show Expenses folder

When a file or folder is saved on the desktop, it is represented by an icon. This lesson discusses how to arrange icons that accumulate on the desktop, and how to create a shortcut for an icon.

• Exercise: Create a shortcut to the Trade Show Expenses folder on the desktop. Hide desktop icons, then show them again.

Arrange desktop icons Since the desktop is readily visible, it is a convenient place to save files that you are currently working on. However, things can become cluttered quickly, making it difficult to find what you need. 1. Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select Sort by from the contextual menu. A variety of sort options appears, as described in Table 5-3: Sort Options for Desktop Icons. 2. Select an option from the menu.

Table 5-3: Sort Options for Desktop Icons Name

Arranges icons for folders and files in alphabetical order.

Size

Arranges icons from largest to smallest, or smallest to largest.

Item type

Arranges icons by type, so all folders would be grouped together, all Word documents would be together, and so on.

Date modified

Arranges icons by the date the file or folder was last modified.

The icons on the desktop are arranged accordingly. Tips 

You can also change the size and location of icons on the desktop. To do this, right-click an empty area of the desktop, select View, and select an option from the submenu. See Table 5-4: View Options for Desktop Icons for a description of these options.

Create a shortcut to the desktop A shortcut is a quick way to start a program or open a file or folder without having to go to the location where it is saved. 1. With the right mouse button, click and drag the program, file, or folder to the desktop. Make sure you click and drag with the right mouse button. 2. Select Create shortcuts here from the contextual menu that appears when you release the mouse button.

Table 5-4: View Options for Desktop Icons Large / Medium / Small icons

Changes the size of the icons on the desktop.

Auto arrange icons

Arranges desktop icons automatically. Deselect this option if you want to be able to click and drag icons where you want them.

Align icons to grid

Aligns all desktop icons evenly along an invisible grid.

Show desktop icons

Show/hide desktop icons.

Show desktop gadgets

Show/hide desktop gadgets.

The shortcut is added to the desktop. Tips 

You can create a shortcut anywhere on your computer.



Since shortcuts only point to files or folders, moving, renaming, or deleting a shortcut does not affect the original program or file.


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Using Gadgets


Gadgets are mini-programs that you can add to the desktop to provide easy access to tools and information you use frequently.

• Exercise: Add the Weather gadget to the desktop.

Add a gadget to the desktop To add a gadget to the desktop, you first need to open the Gadgets gallery. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Gadgets from the contextual menu. The Desktop Gadget Gallery appears. This window displays all the gadgets that are installed on your computer. Other Ways to Open the Gadget Gallery: Click the Start button and select All Programs  Desktop Gadget Gallery. 2. Double-click the gadget you want to add to the desktop. Click here to install more gadgets over the Web.

The gadget appears on the desktop. Other Ways to Add a Gadget: Right-click the gadget and select Add from the contextual menu, or click and drag the gadget from the Gallery to the desktop.

Figure 5-10: The Gadgets gallery.

Tip: Looking for more gadgets? Click the Get more gadgets online link at the bottom of the Desktop Gadget Gallery to install more gadgets from the Internet. Close gadget

Move a gadget You can position gadgets anywhere on the desktop simply by clicking and dragging them wherever you want them to be.

Resize gadget

Gadget options



Click and drag the gadget to another location onscreen. Other Ways to Move a Gadget: Click and drag the gadget’s Move handle ( ). Tip: For a more streamlined look, drag a gadget to the edge of the screen to “snap” it in place. Tips



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If you are upgrading to Windows 7 from Windows Vista, you’ll notice that gadgets work differently: they are no longer stuck in the Sidebar.


Click and drag to move the gadget anywhere onscreen.

Figure 5-11: The Weather gadget with its option buttons displayed.

Working with the Taskbar and Desktop Customize a gadget Oftentimes you’ll find that you want to customize a gadget; for example, to change the location of the weather report. This can be accomplished by changing the gadget’s options. 1. Point to a gadget. The gadget’s toolbar appears. The buttons that appear vary depending on the gadget, but the most common buttons are:  Options: Settings for the specific gadget. For example, change the clock’s time zone.  Close: Removes the gadget from the desktop. The gadget is still saved on the computer if you want to use it in the future.  Larger / Smaller size: Enlarges or shrinks the gadget depending on its current settings. 2. Click the Options button and change the gadget settings as necessary. The new settings are applied to the gadget.


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Starting a Program Automatically with Windows

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Add the Notepad program to the Startup folder.

If you find that you start the same programs every time you turn on your computer, you can have Windows 7 start them automatically. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs from the menu. The list of the programs and program folders that are available on your computer appears. 2. Right-click the Startup folder and select Open from the contextual menu. The Startup folder window appears. To make a program start automatically with Windows, add a shortcut to the program in the Startup folder. 3. Click the Start button and select All Programs from the menu. 4. Using the right mouse button, click and drag the program icon to Startup folder window. Select Create shortcuts here from the menu that appears. A shortcut to the program is added to the Startup folder, and the program will now start automatically when Windows starts. Other Ways to Add a Shortcut: Open the location where the program is saved (such as C:\Progam Files). Right-click the program and select Create Shortcut. Click and drag the shortcut into the Startup folder. Tip: Windows 7 may not allow you to create the shortcut in the same location as the original item. In this case, Windows will ask if you want the shortcut to be placed on the Desktop instead. Click Yes to create the shortcut on your Desktop. Tips 

You can rearrange how items in the All Programs folder appear by adding folders and clicking and dragging the program shortcuts into the different folders.

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Figure 5-12: The Startup folder in Windows 7. Any program that appears in this folder will start automatically when Windows starts.

Wor king with the Taskbar and Desktop Review Quiz Questions 57.

Which of the following is NOT part of the taskbar? A. Quick Launch Bar B. Start button C. Notification area D. Show Desktop button

58.

Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. You can make the taskbar thicker by dragging its top edge until the taskbar is the size you want. B. If the taskbar is hidden, you must move the pointer to the bottom of the screen to display it. C. You can position the taskbar so that it floats in the middle of the screen. D. In order to move or resize the taskbar, it must be unlocked.

59.

Where can you access Jump Lists in Windows 7? A. Start menu and taskbar B. Taskbar only C. Start menu only D. Windows Explorer toolbar

60.

Which of these is NOT a way to customize the Start menu? A. Display an item as a menu B. Auto arrange icons C. Remove the item from the Start menu D. Control number of items in Jump Lists

61.

You can arrange desktop icons by type. (True or False?)

62.

You can only install gadgets that have been included with Windows 7. (True or False?)

63.

If you always use the same programs, you can have them start automatically with Windows. (True or False?)

Quiz Answers 57.

A. The Quick Launch Bar is NOT part of the Windows 7 taskbar as it was in previous versions.

58.

C. You can only move the taskbar to the edges of the screen.


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59.

A. Jump Lists can be accessed in the Start menu and from the taskbar.

60.

B. There is no auto arrange command in customizing the Start menu.

61.

True. You can arrange desktop icons by name, size, type, and date modified.

62.

False. You can download and install many more gadgets via the Internet.

63.

True. You can have programs start automatically with Windows, although doing so makes it take longer for Windows to start.

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Personalizing W indows A Look at the Control Panel ........................... 103 Changing Color and Theme............................ 104 Change window color ............................ 104 Change the theme ................................. 105 Save a theme......................................... 105 Changing the Desktop Background .............. 106 Using a Screen Saver ...................................... 108 Adjusting Display Settings ............................. 109 Adjust screen resolution ........................ 109 Adjust font size ...................................... 109 Adjusting Sound ...............................................111 Change system sounds .......................... 111 Adjust system volume ............................ 112 Adjusting the Mouse ....................................... 113 Change mouse pointers ........................ 113 Change mouse properties ..................... 113

6 In the old days, computers had two settings: on or off. Today, Windows lets you adjust your computer to work the way you do. This chapter will show you how to customize Windows settings to suit your needs and tastes. You’ll learn how to give your computer character by adding your own custom wallpaper, screensaver, desktop themes, and screen colors. Once you’ve decorated Windows with your personal theme, you’ll want to make sure it looks as good as possible, so you’ll learn how to adjust the screen resolution and the number of colors that appear on the screen at once. Finally, you’ll learn how to adjust the date and time on your computer, the mouse settings so you can finally slow down that blasted doubleclick speed, and the sounds your computer makes.

Changing the Date and Time .......................... 115 View the date and time .......................... 115 Change the date, time, and time zone ... 115 Add a clock ............................................ 116 Changing Language and Region Options ..... 117 Change region format ............................ 117 Change keyboard language .................. 118 Customizing Folder View Options ................. 119


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Personalizing Windows

A Look at the Control Panel


The Control Panel is the place to go when you want to change the various settings of Windows. Since this chapter deals entirely with configuring your computer, you’ll be seeing a lot of the Control Panel in the upcoming lessons. That’s why this lesson is a quick introduction to the Control Panel. No exercises here—just a guided tour of the Control Panel to help you become familiar with it. 

• Exercise: Open the Control Panel.

Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears, categorized by topic. Click on one of the categories to view all the settings under a topic. Table 6-1: Control Panel describes the controls available under each category of the Control Panel. Figure 6-1: The Control Panel window.

Table 6-1: Control Panel System and Security

Increase space on your hard drive, schedule regular maintenance checks, or configure energy-saving settings. Also maintain the security settings for your computer, such as Windows Firewall, Windows Defender, and User Account Control to protect your computer.

Network and Internet

Configure network settings, change Internet settings, connect to other computers, and share files.

Hardware and Sound

Change the system’s sound scheme or configure the settings for speakers and other sound equipment on your computer.

Programs

Install or remove programs and additional Windows components on your computer.

User Accounts and Family Safety

Change settings and passwords for individual users.

Appearance and Personalization

Change display settings, apply a theme or screen saver, or change the desktop background.

Clock, Language, and Region

Change the date, time, and time zone information on your computer, as well as the language to use and region-specific display options for numbers, currency, time, and dates.

Ease of Access

Adjust settings for an individual user’s vision, hearing, and mobility needs.

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Changing Color and Theme


One way to personalize Windows is to change the color and theme of your computer. In this lesson, you’ll learn how you can modify these elements to make your computer fit your style.

• Exercise: Change the window color, increase the color intensity, and turn off transparency. Save the settings under a new theme. Reapply the Windows 7 theme.

Change window color You can change the color of windows in Windows 7 to reflect your personality or mood. Changing window color affects window borders, the Start menu, and the taskbar. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears. Along the bottom of the window, Windows 7 displays the default settings for whatever theme is selected. 2. Click the Window Color link. The Window Color and Appearance window appears, displaying the colors you can apply. Other Ways to Open Window Color and Appearance: Click the Start button and select Control Panel. Click the Appearance and Personalization category and click the Change window glass colors link under the Personalization category.

Figure 6-2: The Personalization window.

3. Select a color and click Save Changes. The color is applied to windows, the Start menu, and the taskbar. You can also use these options to personalize colors:  Enable transparency check box: When this check box is selected, the edges of the window are made transparent so you can see other objects beneath the window.  Color intensity slider: Make the color you choose stronger or lighter by increasing or decreasing its intensity.

Figure 6-3: The Window Color and Appearance window.

 Show color mixer: Use the Hue, Saturation, and Brightness sliders to mix a new color option.


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Apply a theme

Table 6-2: Windows 7 Themes

A theme is a set of items—including the desktop background, window color, sounds, and screen saver— that you can apply to personalize your computer.. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu.

This is the default theme on your computer. It has one background and no screen saver. Windows 7 This theme cycles through images of buildings.

The Personalization window appears, displaying a variety of different themes. See Table 6-2: Windows 7 Themes for a description of each theme. Tip: Click the Get more themes online link to download more Windows 7 themes from the Internet.

Architecture This theme cycles through scenes of fictitious characters.

2. Click the theme you want to apply. The theme is applied. Other Ways to Change the Theme: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Appearance and Personalization category, click the Change the theme link under the Personalization category, and select a theme.

Characters This theme cycles through landscapes from different climates.

Landscapes This theme includes pictures of flowers and other plants.

Save a theme If you make a lot of customizations to the Windows 7 interface, you can save your changes as a new theme.

Nature This theme is a slideshow of whimsical scenes.

1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears. Other Ways to Open the Personalization Window: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Appearance and Personalization category and click the Personalization link or the Change the theme link under the Personalization category.

Scenes This theme cycles through images from across the United States.

United States

2. Make changes to the theme. 3. Click the Save Theme link. The Save Theme As dialog box appears. 4. Name your theme and click Save. The theme appears in the My Themes section of the Personalization window.

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Basic and High Contrast Themes

These themes include Windows 7 Basic and Windows Classic themes. These themes do not use images or slideshows, so they are not as graphic-intensive as the other themes.


Changing the Desktop Background Few people work at an empty desk—we decorate our desktops with pictures, plants, and calendars. Similarly, Windows lets you reflect your personal tastes on your computer desktop.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Apply a slideshow desktop background from the Windows Desktop Background collection. Apply a single picture desktop background from the Windows Desktop Background collection.

Click the Browse button to find pictures in other folders.

1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears. 2. Click the Desktop Background link. The Desktop Background window appears. First you need to select the picture location you want to browse. Other Ways to Open Desktop Background: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Under the Appearance and Personalization category, click the Change desktop background link. 3. Click the Picture location list arrow. A list of picture locations appears. See Table 6-3: Desktop Background Picture Locations for a description of each location.

Figure 6-4: The Desktop Background window.

Tip: If a picture that you want to use is not saved in any of these locations, click the Browse button to locate the picture manually. Table 6-3: Desktop Background Picture Locations

4. Select a location from the list. Images or graphics from the selected location appear. 5. Select the images(s) you want to use as your desktop background. Tip: If you select more than one image, Windows will display these images as a desktop slideshow. To configure slideshow settings, use the Change picture every and Shuffle commands located at the bottom of the window.

Windows Desktop Backgrounds

Includes background images that are formatted specifically for the desktop.

Pictures Library

Choose a picture saved in one of the folders you have added to your Pictures Library.

Top Rated Photos

Windows selects the most popular photos in your folders and collects them into the Top Rated Photos collection.

Solid Colors

Choose a solid color as the desktop background.

6. Click the Picture position list arrow and select how you want the picture to be positioned on the desktop. There are five options, as shown in Table 6-4: Desktop Picture Positions. Tip: Depending on the size of the picture, some of these options might appear differently than described.


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Personalizing Windows 7. Click Save Changes. The background appears on the desktop.

Table 6-4: Desktop Picture Positions Enlarges and crops the image to fit the entire desktop background.

Tips 

If you’re surfing the Web and happen to see a picture you like, you can use it as your desktop background. Simply right-click the picture and select Set as Desktop Background from the contextual menu.

Fill Fits the image to span the screen and fills empty areas with a background color. Fit Stretches the image so that it fits the entire desktop background. Stretch Repeats the image across the desktop background. Tile Centers the full size of the image on the desktop. Center

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Using a Screen Saver


A screen saver is a moving image that appears when you haven’t used your computer for a while. You can add security to your computer by requiring the logon screen to appear after the screen saver has started.

• Exercise: Apply a screen saver. Change the wait time for the screen saver to 10 minutes.

1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears.

Click here to view more options for the selected screen saver.

2. Click the Screen Saver link at the bottom of the window. The Screen Saver Settings dialog box appears. Other Ways to Open the Screen Saver Settings Dialog Box: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Appearance and Personalization category and click the Change screen saver link under the Personalization category. 3. Click the Screen saver list arrow and select a screen saver from the list. A preview of the screen saver you selected is shown in the dialog box. Tip: To view a full-screen preview of the screen saver, click the Preview button. 4. (Optional) In the Wait text box, specify the amount of time that must elapse before the screen saver is displayed. This will determine the amount of time the computer sits idle before Windows switches to the screen saver.

Figure 6-5: The Screen Saver Settings dialog box.

5. (Recommended) Click the On resume, display logon screen check box. Turning on this option requires you to enter a password to get back into your computer after the screen saver has started. Tip: You can also lock your computer so it is password protected without having to wait for the screen saver to turn on. Press < > + to lock your computer. 6. Click OK.


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Adjusting Display Settings You can’t change the size of your monitor, but you can change how it displays information. These display settings help you adjust your monitor for your optimum working conditions.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open the Screen Resolution window and review its settings. Increase the font size.

Adjust screen resolution Screen resolution determines the amount of information that displays on your monitor. Windows automatically sets your screen resolution, but you can change it to fit your needs. A high resolution can fit a lot of information on the monitor, but the information looks smaller. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Screen Resolution from the contextual menu. The Screen Resolution window appears. Other Ways to Open Screen Resolution: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Appearance and Personalization category and click the Adjust screen resolution link under the Display category.

Figure 6-6: The Screen Resolution window.

2. Click the Resolution list arrow. A slider for the different resolutions you can apply appears. 3. Click and drag the Resolution slider to the resolution you want to use.

1280 x 800

The size of the monitor icon changes as you drag the slider. The resolutions you can display depend on how much memory is installed on your video card. Tip: Try to match screen resolution to your monitor size for best results. A wide screen monitor looks better with a wide resolution, like 1280 x 760, than 1024 x 768. 4. Click OK.

Adjust font size

800 x 600

While high screen resolutions are great for multitasking with several windows, they make it difficult to see text. You can increase the dots per inch (DPI) scaling so that text is easier to read while still maintaining a high screen resolution. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears.

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Figure 6-7: The image on top shows the desktop in 1280 x 800 resolution. The image on the bottom shows the desktop in 800 x 600 resolution. Notice that while the images on bottom are larger and easier to read, there isn’t as much space on the desktop as the example on top.

Personalizing Windows 2. Click Display under the See also section of the Tasks list. The Display window appears. Other Ways to Open the Display Window: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Appearance and Personalization category and click the Make text and other items larger or small link under the Display category. 3. Select the setting you want to use. You have three settings to choose from:  Smaller – 100%: This is the default setting. It keeps your text and other items on your screen at their normal size.

Figure 6-8: The Display window.

 Medium – 125%: This setting resizes text and other items to 125% of their normal size.  Larger – 150%: This setting resizes text and other items to 150% of their normal size. You will only see this option if your monitor supports a resolution of at least 1200 x 900 pixels. Tip: Some older programs are not optimized for high DPI. To accommodate these programs, click Set Custom Text Size (DPI) and adjust the DPI as needed. 4. Click OK. To see the changes in DPI, restart the computer.

Figure 6-9: The image on the left shows a document window at 100%, the default font size. The image on the right shows the same document window enlarged to 125%. Notice that the text and commands inside the window on the right are larger and easier to read.


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Adjusting Sound


Sounds alert you to changes in your computer, incoming e-mails and messages, and more. This lesson shows you how to control the system sounds on your computer.

• Exercise: Listen to the sounds for Windows Default asterisks and default beep. Adjust the volume on your computer.

Change system sounds Your computer “speaks” to you by making different sounds as you work. You can easily change these sounds to meet your needs. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears. 2. Click the Sounds link. The Sounds tab of the Sound dialog box appears. Now you need to select the program event whose sound you wish to change. Other Ways to Open the Sound Dialog Box: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Change system sounds link under the Sound category. 3. In the Program Events list, select the event whose sound you wish to change. Now you need to select the sound you want to apply. 4. Click the Sounds list arrow and select the sound you want to apply. The sound icon next to the event changes color, indicating that the sound scheme has been modified. Now you need to save the new sound scheme. Tip: Click the Test button to play a preview the selected sound. 5. Click the Save As button, enter a name for the new sound scheme, and click OK. A new sound scheme is created. 6. Click OK. Your new sound scheme is saved.

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Click here to browse for sounds on your computer.

Figure 6-10: The Sound dialog box.


Adjust system volume Changing the volume can be as simple as changing the volume control on your computer’s speakers. But if the system volume control is very low or muted, your speakers won’t be effective. Click to control the sounds from specific programs.

1. Click the Speaker button in the notification area. The Volume slider appears. Other Ways to Change System Volume: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Adjust system volume link under the Sound category. Tip: To view the Volume Mixer, click the Mixer link in the Volume slider. You can control the sounds from specific programs here.

Figure 6-11: The Volume slider.

2. Click and drag the volume slider to change the system volume. A sound occurs when the volume is changed, previewing the new volume level. Tip: To mute system sounds, click the Mute button below the volume sliders.

Mute button

Figure 6-12: The Volume Mixer dialog box.


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Adjusting the Mouse Many users complain that they don’t like how the mouse works. This lesson teaches you how to change the mouse pointer’s appearance and how to adjust the mouse.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Change the mouse pointer scheme and adjust the mouse click speed.

Change mouse pointers Give your computer a personal touch by changing the mouse pointer scheme. 1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize from the contextual menu. The Personalization window appears. Other Ways to Open Mouse Pointer Properties: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Mouse link under the Devices and Printers category. 2. Click the Change mouse pointers link in the sidebar. The Pointers tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box appears. 3. Click the Scheme list arrow to select a different mouse pointer scheme. When a different option is selected, a preview of the mouse pointers in the scheme is displayed in the dialog box. 4. Click OK.

Change mouse properties Maybe the mouse moves too fast, does not respond well to double-clicks, or, if you’re left-handed, its buttons are in the wrong places. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Mouse link under the Devices and Printers category. The Mouse Properties dialog box appears. See Table 6-5: Other Mouse Properties for a description of the options available in this dialog box. 3. Make the necessary changes and click OK.

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Figure 6-13: The Pointers tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box.

Personalizing Windows Table 6-5: Other Mouse Properties Tab

Option

Description

Buttons

Button configuration

If you are left-handed, use this command to switch the left and right mouse buttons.

Double-click speed

Slow down or speed up the double-click speed to meet your needs.

ClickLock

Lets you highlight or drag without having to hold down the mouse button.

Motion

Change the speed at which the mouse pointer moves and enhance pointer precision.

Snap To

Automatically moves the mouse pointer to the default option in a dialog box.

Visibility

Display pointer trails (a trail of pointers that follow the mouse pointer, making it easier to see), hide the mouse pointer while typing, and more.

Vertical Scrolling

Increase or decrease the number of lines scrolled at a time to scroll faster or slower.

Horizontal Scrolling

Increase or decrease the number of lines scrolled at a time to scroll faster or slower.

Pointer Options

Wheel


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Changing the Date and Time Your computer’s clock not only tells you what time it is; it serves many different purposes, including recording when you created or modified a file and indicating when you sent an e-mail. Therefore, it’s important that the date and time are set correctly on your computer. You can also add clocks to keep track of time in other parts of the world.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: View the date by hovering over the taskbar clock in the notification area. Open the Date and Time dialog box. Add a clock that shows time from a different time zone. Check the time on the additional clock in the notification area.

View the date and time 

Click the taskbar clock in the notification area. The Date and Time tool appears.

Change the date, time, and time zone By default, your computer clock is synchronized with an Internet time server, ensuring that your clock and date are accurate. If you need to make changes, follow these steps: 1. Click the taskbar clock in the notification area of the taskbar. The Date and Time tool appears. 2. Click Change date and time settings. The Date and Time tab of the Date and Time dialog box appears. You have several options here:

Figure 6-14: Click the taskbar clock to display the Date and Time tool.

 Change date and time: Opens the Date and Time Settings dialog box where you can change date and time, down to the second.  Change time zone: Opens the Time Zone Settings dialog box. Click the Time zone list arrow to select a different time zone. 3. Make the changes to date and time as necessary. 4. Click OK. Other Ways to Set the Date and Time: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Clock, Language, and Region category and click the Set the time and date link or the Change the time zone link under the Date and Time category. Tips 

You may change the time zone for a clock, but if you want to apply other settings for a specific time zone, such as currency, language, or how time appears, you need to change your computer’s regional and language settings. Figure 6-15: The Date and time dialog box.

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Personalizing Windows Add a clock You can add up to two clocks to keep track of the time in other parts of the world. The time for additional clocks appears when you hover over the taskbar clock in the notification area. 1. Click the taskbar clock in the notification area of the taskbar. The Date and Time tool appears. 2. Click Change date and time settings. The Date and Time tab of the Date and Time dialog box appears. 3. Click the Additional Clocks tab. 4. Click the Show this clock check box. This enables another clock on the computer. 5. Click the Select time zone list arrow and select the time zone you want the clock to display. 6. Enter a name for the clock in the Enter display name text box. Repeat these steps if you want to add another clock. 7. Click OK. The clocks are added.

Figure 6-16: The Additional Clocks tab of the Date and Time dialog box.

Other Ways to Add a Clock: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Clock, Language, and Region category and then click the Add clocks for different time zones link under the Date and Time category. Tips 

Once a week, your computer’s clock is synchronized with an Internet time server to ensure that your computer stays accurate. An Internet connection is required for the synchronization to occur.


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Changing Language and Region Options Language and Region settings are very useful if you are traveling with a laptop or are communicating in other languages frequently.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open the Region and Language dialog box and explore the various options available.

Change region format The region format controls how the following are displayed and entered on your computer: 

Numbers



Currencies



Dates



Time



Keyboard language



Some screen tips

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Clock, Language, and Region category and click the Change location link under the Region and Language category.

Figure 6-17: The Formats tab of the Region and Language dialog box.

The Regional and Language Options dialog box appears. 3. Click the Formats tab. 4. Click the Format list arrow and select the country or region you want your computer’s settings to use. Trap: Changing the region format does not change the time zone on the computer clock 5. Click OK. Tips 

Click the Location tab and select a different location to enable local services in some software, such as news and weather.



To enable the keyboard layout, click the Language bar on the taskbar and select the language you want to use. If you don't see the Language bar, right-click the taskbar and select Toolbars  Language bar from the contextual menu.

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Figure 6-18: The Keyboards and Languages tab of the Region and Language dialog box.


Change keyboard language Change this setting if you want to use a different keyboard layout but don’t want to change the regional format. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Change keyboards or other input methods link under the Clock, Languages, and Region category. The Keyboards and Languages tab of the Regional and Language Options dialog box appears. 3. Click the Change keyboards button.

Figure 6-19: The General tab of the Text Services and Input Languages dialog box.

The Installed services area displays languages that have been added by selecting a certain region or country under the Formats tab. 4. If necessary, click Add to add a language. 5. Select the language you want to use and click OK. Tips 

After you change the keyboard layout, the characters on the screen may not correspond with the characters on the keyboard.



Keyboard language is not changed with the region format; it needs to be selected from the Language bar in the taskbar. If you don't see the Language bar, right-click the taskbar and select Toolbars  Language bar from the contextual menu.


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Customizing Folder View Options In addition to the many options you can customize in Windows, you can also change how you work with folders and their contents. For example, by default Windows hides all file extensions from view. If you don’t like this, you can change it.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Change folder options so that file extensions are visible.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Appearance and Personalization category. The Appearance and Personalization window appears. 3. Click the Folder Options category. The Folder Options dialog box appears. 4. Select the folder options you want to use and click OK. Refer to Table 6-6: Folder Options for a list of common folder options and their descriptions. Figure 6-20: The Folder Options dialog box.

Table 6-6: Folder Options Click items as follows

Allows you to specify whether or not you want to single-click or double-click to open a file or folder.

Always show icons, never thumbnails

Allows you to use static icons instead of thumbnails. Use this setting if thumbnail previews are slowing down your computer’s performance.

Always show menus

Gives you access to the classic menus (the menus above the toolbar), which are hidden by default.

Display file size information in folder tips

Displays the size of a folder in a ScreenTip when you point to a folder with your mouse.

Show hidden files and folders

Displays files and folders marked as hidden.

Hide extensions for known file types

File name extensions are hidden by default. Uncheck this option to display file name extensions so that you can be sure what type of file you are working with.

Show drive letters

Show/hide the drive letter of each drive or device in the Computer folder. Use this setting if you only want to see the name of each drive.

Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items

Show/hide ScreenTips that appear when you point to files.

Show preview handlers in preview pane

If you don’t use the Preview pane, turn off this option to improve the performance of your computer.

Use check boxes to select items

Adds check boxes to file views to make it easier to select several files at once.

Use Sharing Wizard

Enables the Sharing Wizard so you can share files with other linked users in your homegroup.

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Personalizing W indows Review Quiz Questions 64.

Used only for advanced networking settings, the Control Panel should never be touched by ordinary users. (True or False?)

65.

The Window Color and Appearance window changes the color of windows, the Start menu, and the taskbar. (True or False?)

66.

Which of the following is NOT an option found in the Screen Saver Settings dialog box? A. How many minutes to wait before displaying the screen saver. B. A list of screen savers you can use. C. Controls to change how your mouse works. D. Options to show the logon screen on resume.

67.

The highest resolution you can display depends on what? A. How large your monitor is. B. How much free memory is available on your hard drive. C. The amount of memory on your video card. D. Your version of Windows.

68.

The Volume icon appears in the Windows 7 notification area by default. (True or False?)

69.

You can change the double-click speed of your mouse by clicking the Mouse link in the Hardware and Sound category of the Control Panel. (True or False?)

70.

To display the current date, simply point to the clock on the taskbar for a few seconds. (True or False?)

71.

An additional clock changes the time zone for your computer's clock. (True or False?)

72.

What is the Language bar? A. Create other languages in the Language bar. B. Select a different keyboard input language from the Language bar. C. A ribbon that translates languages for you. D. A toolbar that allows you to display information in other languages.

73.

What is a file extension? A. Three letters after the file name that identify the file type. B. Something added to a file name to make it longer. C. A feature that appears when working with HTML files. D. Something granted by your boss if you miss a deadline.


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Quiz Answers 64.

False. The Control Panel is where you go to make changes to Windows and your computer. While there are a few technical areas in the Control Panel, most of it is straightforward and easy to understand.

65.

True. Changing the window color affects the color of windows, the Start menu, and the taskbar.

66.

C. The Screen Saver Settings dialog box doesn't have any mouse options.

67.

C. The highest resolution you can display depends on how much memory is installed on your video card.

68.

True. The Volume icon appears in the notification area by default.

69.

True. The double-click speed is probably one of the first things you should adjust if you're having trouble doubleclicking with the mouse.

70.

True. Point to the taskbar clock for a few seconds to display the system date.

71.

False. An additional clock is merely a resource that allows you to view the time in another area of the world.

72.

B. To change to a different keyboard language, you must select it from the Language bar.

73.

A. A file extension is the three letters after a file name that identify the file type.

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Using Windows Accessories Calculator ......................................................... 123 Connect to a Projector .................................... 124 Connect to a network projector.............. 124 Connect to a projector ........................... 124 Getting Started ................................................. 125 Notepad ............................................................ 126 Paint .................................................................. 127 Remote Desktop Connection ......................... 129 Find the computer name ........................ 130 Connect to a remote computer .............. 130

7 Windows 7 doesn’t really do much by itself—you need to run a program whenever you want to do something with your computer. But before you rush off to the local computer store to buy a software program to let you type a letter or paint a picture, read this chapter! Microsoft has included a handful of small but useful programs with Windows 7. This chapter explores the programs that Microsoft tossed in with Windows 7. You’ll learn what all the “freebie” programs are, what they do, and if they’ll work for your purposes.

Snipping Tool ................................................... 131 Sound Recorder ............................................... 132 Sticky Notes ..................................................... 133 Sync Center ...................................................... 134 Offline files ............................................. 134 Sync your files ....................................... 134 Windows Explorer ........................................... 135 Windows Mobility Center ................................ 136 WordPad ........................................................... 137 Ease of Access ................................................ 138 System Tools.................................................... 139 Table PC Accessories ..................................... 140 Math Input Panel.................................... 140 Other Tablet PC Accessories ................. 140


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Using Windows Accessories

Calculator


The Calculator accessory is one of the more useful programs included with Windows. You use the Calculator just like you would use any other calculator. The only difference between the two is that instead of pressing the calculator’s keys with your fingers, you click them with your mouse. You can also use the number keys or the numeric keypad on your keyboard to enter numbers into the Calculator program. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Calculator from the menu.

• Exercise: Use the Scientific calculator to multiply pi (π) by 4.

Click a calculation to view its result.

The Calculator program window opens. 2. Use the mouse to click the calculator buttons or type the numbers in with your keyboard. The numbers are displayed in the calculator’s text box. Tips 

New in Windows 7 is the History feature. Select View  History or press + to view and access past calculations.



The Calendar program has four different modes; Standard, Scientific, Programmer, and Statistics. To change modes, click View on the menu bar and select a mode from the menu.

Figure 7-1: New in Windows 7 is the History feature, which lets you view and access past calculations.

Figure 7-2: The Scientific calculator.

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Connect to a Projector


To show the wonderful presentations you have created using your computer, you need to connect to a projector.

• Exercise: Understand the difference between a network projector and regular projector.

Connect to a network projector Network projectors let you connect your computer to a projector on a network. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Connect to Network Projector from the menu. The Connect to a Network Projector wizard appears. You have two options to find a network projector:  Search for Projector: Search the network for all available projectors. The five recently used projectors appear at the top of the list.  Enter Projector Address: Type the Web address or file path of a specific projector. 2. Select an option to find to a projector and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the connection.

Figure 7-3: The Connect to a Network Projector wizard.

Your computer is connected to the projector.

Connect to a projector Usually you’ll deliver presentations in the same room as the projector. Once the projector is turned on and plugged in to your computer, follow these steps to configure the projector: 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Connect to Projector from the menu. There are four ways to use the projector. Refer to Table 7-1: Choices for Desktop Projection for more information on each of these choices. 2.

Select how you want your desktop to be projected. Your computer screen and projected image change depending on the option you have selected. Tips



Table 7-1: Choices for Desktop Projection Disconnect Projector Your desktop appears on your computer screen and not as a projected image. Duplicate Displays the same image of your desktop on both your computer and the projected image. Whatever you do on your desktop, your audience will see on the projected image. Extend Extends your desktop from your computer screen to the projected image. While this option is not ideal for presentations, you might use it if you connect your computer to another monitor. Projector Only Displays your desktop on the projector only.

If you have dual monitors, use Connect to a Projector to change how your monitors display information.


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Using Windows Accessories  Exercise

Getting Started

• Exercise File: None required.

The Getting Started accessory is like a to-do list for setting up your computer: it introduces you to Windows 7, guides you through setting up user accounts, transferring files, personalizing your computer, and a number of other tasks.

• Exercise: Explore some of the links in Getting Started.

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Getting Started from the menu. The Getting Started window appears. 2. Click a link to learn more about Windows 7. Read the table below, Table 7-2: Getting Started, to find out more about each link in the Getting Started window.

Figure 7-4: The Getting Started window.

Table 7-2: Getting Started Go online to find out what’s new in Windows 7

Click this link to go to the Windows 7 Web site. The Windows 7 Web site provides tutorials, information about hardware and software, and tips and tricks.

Personalize Windows

Change your wallpaper, Window color, sound scheme, and screen saver.

Transfer files and settings from another computer

Move files and folders between computers using an Easy Transfer cable, a network, an external hard disk, or an USB flash drive.

Use a homegroup to share with other computers in your home

Network computers that are running Windows 7. Networking your computers allows you to share files such as music, documents, and pictures among computers without having to manually transfer files.

Choose to be notified about changes to your computer

Choose how often you want to be notified about the changes programs make to your computer.

Go online to get Windows Live Essentials

Previous versions of Windows came with helpful programs like Windows Mail, Messenger, Movie Maker, and Photo Gallery. Click this link to open the Windows Live Essential Web site and download these programs and others, for free.

Back up your files

Create backup copies of your files. It’s important to back up your files so that if your computer crashes, you can restore your computer to its most recent settings.

Add new users to your computer

Create user accounts for everyone logging in to your computer. If you share your computer with multiple people, you can create a separate user account for each person.

Change the size of the text on your screen

Make the text and icons on your computer display larger or smaller.

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Notepad

 Exercise • Exercise File: Birthday Announcement.rtf

You can use Notepad to create or edit simple notes or text files that do not require any type of formatting. Text opened in Notepad is stripped of any formatting, making it a useful tool for transferring text from one program to another. 

• Exercise: Open the Birthday Announcement.rtf file in WordPad. Copy all of the text from the document and paste it into Notepad.

Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Notepad from the menu. The Notepad program window opens. Tips



Notepad can only open or read files that are less than 64K. If you need to create or edit a file that requires formatting or is larger than 64K, use WordPad or a different program.



The Notepad program opens and saves text in ASCII (text-only) format, thus stripping any formatting that has been applied in other programs. Figure 7-5: Text that is pasted or opened in Notepad is stripped of any formatting.


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Paint


Paint is one of the most complex accessories in Windows 7. You can use Paint to create drawings on a blank drawing canvas or over existing pictures. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Paint from the menu. The Paint program window appears, with a blank drawing canvas displayed.

• Exercise: Draw a box and fill it with a blue color.

Fill color, eraser color. Brush color, shape outline color.

Tip: New in Windows 7 is the Ribbon; the command bar that appears across the top of the window. 2. In the Shapes group on the Home tab, click the shape you want to insert. The arrow pointer changes to a cross hair. Tip: To view all available shapes, click the More button ( ) in the Shapes group. 3. Click and drag until the shape reaches the desired size. Tip: To draw a straight line, perfect square or circle, or to constrain the dimensions of other shapes, press and hold down the key as you drag. 4. Release the mouse button. The shape is inserted onto the drawing canvas. There are a variety of commands you can use to format a shape or object, as described in Table 7-3: Paint Tools. 5. Format the object as desired.

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Figure 7-6: The Paint program window.

Click here for more color options.

Using Windows Accessories Table 7-3: Paint Tools Tool

Name

Description

Submenu

Select

Select part of the image with a frame. Once you have selected an area, you can cut, copy, or move it.

Select an area of the image using Free Form or Select. Free Form lets you use the mouse to draw a freehand outline to select part of an image, while Select lets you select part of the image with a rectangular frame.

Crop

Cut around the image so all you see is the area you selected.

None

Resize

Resize the area you have selected.

Resize an image by percentage or pixels. Skew an image by degrees.

Rotate

Rotate or flip the image you have selected.

Rotate the image by 90 degree increments or completely flip it horizontally or vertically.

Pencil

Draw freeform objects with a fine tip, just as if you were using a real pencil.

None

Fill With Color

Fill an enclosed area (or the whole frame) with the selected color from the color palette.

None

Text

Create a box in which you can type and format text.

The Text Tools contextual tab displays when you insert a text box into an image. You can choose the font type and size, opaque or transparent background, and font color.

Eraser

Erase portions of the current picture by replacing it with the background color.

None

Pick Color

Copy the color of one object to use on another.

None

Magnifier

Zoom in or out of the current image.

None.

Brushes

Paint freeform objects, just as if you were using a real paintbrush.

Brushes are available in 9 different styles.

Shapes

Draw various shapes, including straight lines, triangles, rectangles, and stars.

There are 18 different shapes you can choose from.

Outline

Select the kind of brush you want to use for the shape outline.

There are 7 different options for outlines.

Fill

Select the kind of brush you want to use to fill in the shape for the shape.

There are 7 different options for fill.

Size

Control the size of whatever tool you use to draw.

The options vary based on the tool you have selected.


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Remote Desktop Connection


Remote Desktop Connection lets you log in to a remote computer from another computer (sometimes called a client computer).

• Exercise: Understand how to log in to a remote computer using Remote Desktop Connection.

Before you can use Remote Desktop Connection, several criteria must be met: 

Both the client computer and the remote computer must be on the same network.



The remote computer must be configured to allow remote desktop connections.

Allow Remote Desktop connections Here’s how to enable remote desktop connections: 1. Click the Start button, select Control Panel from the menu, and click the System and Security link. The System and Security window appears. 2. Click the Allow remote access link under the System category. The Remote tab of the System Properties dialog box appears. See Table 7-4: Remote Desktop Connection Options for a description of the options available on this tab.

Figure 7-7: The System Properties dialog box.

3. Select a Remote Desktop option. Now you need to specify who has permission to view the computer remotely. 4. Click the Select Users button. The Remote Desktop Users dialog box appears. 5. Click the Add button. The Select Users dialog box appears. There are two ways to add users:  Locations button: Click to browse through and select the location you want to search.  Enter the object names to select: Type the name of the user you want to add and then click the Check Names button to verify the person is in the correct location. 6. Click OK. The specified users now have permission to access the computer remotely.

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Table 7-4: Remote Desktop Connection Options Don’t allow connections to this computer

Prevents anyone from connecting to your computer remotely.

Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop

Allows people using any version of Remote Desktop or RemoteApp to connect to your computer. This is a good choice if you don’t know the version of Remote Desktop Connection that other people are using, but it is not as secure as the third option.

Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication

Allows people with computers running versions of Remote Desktop or RemoteApp with Network Level Authentication to connect to your computer. Select this option if everyone that will be connecting to your computer is running Windows 7.

Using Windows Accessories Find the computer name In order to connect to a remote computer, you must know the computer’s name. 1. Click the Start button, right-click Computer and select Properties from the contextual menu. The System window appears. 2. Find the computer name under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings.

Connect to a remote computer Once the computer has been configured to allow Remote Desktop, it is ready for remote connection. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Remote Desktop Connection from the menu.

Figure 7-8: Find the name of the remote computer in the System window.

The Remote Desktop Connection dialog box appears. 2. Enter the computer name in the Computer field and click the Connect button. The Windows login screen appears. 3. Enter the user name and password for the remote computer and click OK. You are now logged in to the remote computer. Tip: When you are finished using the remote computer, log off the remote computer. Tips 

In order for a computer to be accessed remotely it must be turned on and NOT in sleep or hibernate mode.



When you are finished using a remote computer, log off the remote computer.

Figure 7-9: The Remote Desktop Connection dialog box.


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Snipping Tool


Every so often, something will appear on your screen that you want to share. The Snipping Tool allows you to take a screen capture, or snip, of your computer screen. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Snipping Tool from the menu. The Snipping Tool program window opens and your desktop fades slightly.

• Exercise: Use the Rectangular Snip tool to capture the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.

Click here to display a list of capture tools.

2. Click the New button list arrow and select the capture tool you want to use. See Table 7-5: Capture Tools for a description of each tool. 3. Select the area you want to capture.

Figure 7-10: The Snipping Tool window.

A red border appears around the area to be captured. Tip: Don’t worry if the Snipping Tool program window appears inside the area you want to capture; this window will disappear as soon as the capture is recorded. 4. Click the mouse button to capture the selected area. The capture opens in the Snipping Tool mark-up window. Tips 

Use the commands on the menu bar to modify, copy, or save your captures.

Figure 7-11: The Snipping Tool mark-up window.

Table 7-5: Capture Tools

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Free-form Snip

Lets you draw freehand around the area you want to capture (ideal for non-rectangular areas).

Rectangular Snip

Lets you draw a box around the area you want to capture.

Window Snip

Automatically captures any open window you select.

Full-screen Snip

Automatically captures everything displayed on your screen.


Sound Recorder


The Sound Recorder program works like a computerized tape recorder, but you need to have the right equipment to use it. To use the Sound Recorder program, you must have a sound card, speakers, and a microphone installed on your computer.

• Exercise: Record the first sentence of this lesson: “To use the Sound Recorder program, you must have a sound card and speakers installed on your computer.”

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Sound Recorder from the menu. The Sound Recorder program window opens. 2. Click the Start Recording button.

Figure 7-12: The Sound Recorder program window.

The program begins to record sounds into your computer’s microphone. The green volume level bar indicates the level of sound being recorded and the clock to the left of the green bar indicates how long the recording is. Trap: If you don’t see a green volume bar, the program is not recording. Make sure that you have a sound card and microphone properly installed. 3. Click the Stop Recording button when finished. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Select the location where you want to save the recording, enter the name of the recording, and click Save. The Sound Recorder saves the recording in Window Media Audio File (.wma) format by default. You can listen to your recording in Windows Media Player or any other program that supports .wma files.


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Sticky Notes


Sticky Notes are a convenient way to keep notes on your screen. The Sticky Notes program has been promoted from a gadget in Windows Vista to an application in Windows 7.

• Exercise: Create a sticky note that says, “Send out Company Newsletter.” Change the color of the sticky note to Purple.

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Sticky Notes from the menu.

Click here to discard the note.

A yellow sticky note appears on the screen. 2. Type your note.

Click here to create a new note.

Tips 

To change the color of a sticky note, right-click it and select a color from the contextual menu.



When you close the Sticky Notes program, all open notes are saved and will reappear the next time you open the program.

Right-click a note to display different color options.

Figure 7-13: Use sticky Notes for reminders, to-do’s, and often-used text.

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Sync Center


Windows 7 uses offline files and the Sync Center to make working with network files easier. The Sync Center syncs your offline files with network files. Before we can understand how to use the Sync Center, we need to understand offline files.

• Exercise: Define offline files and understand how to work with them using the Sync Center.

Offline files An offline file is a copy of a network file that is stored on your computer’s hard disk. Offline files allow you to work on network files when you are not connected to your network. When you reconnect to your network, these copies sync with the network files.

Sync your files The Sync Center lets you manage the syncing process. When you want to see the results of a recent sync, open the Sync Center. 

Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Sync Center from the menu. The Sync Center opens. From the Sync Center, you can view can also create new sync partnerships and manage your offline files.

Figure 7-14: Manage your offline files and sync settings in the Sync Center.

Trap: Sync Center can sync files between mobile devices that support Sync Center. If you have a mobile device that does not support Sync Center, you can use Device Stage to sync information between that device and your computer. Device Stage automatically appears when you connect a mobile device to your computer.


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Windows Accessories

Windows Explorer


When you open a folder or library in Windows, Windows Explorer appears. Windows Explorer makes it easy to view and work with the drives, folders, and files on your computer. 

• Exercise: Open Windows Explorer and use the Navigation pane to jump to another location.

Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Windows Explorer from the menu. The Windows Explorer window appears. Other Way to Open Windows Explorer: Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar or press < > + .

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Windows Mobility Center


Laptops are great for mobility, but the configuration you use at home might not be the configuration you use in the office. For example, brightness and volume are two settings that laptop users often adjust throughout the day. To adjust these and other settings all at once, use the Windows Mobility Center.

• Exercise: Explore the settings in the Windows Mobility Center. To see all the options for a setting, click the setting’s icon.

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility Center appears. Other Ways to Open Windows Mobility: Press < > + . 2. Select an option and adjust it to your preference. The table below, Table 7-6: Windows Mobility Center Settings, provides more information about each setting in Windows Mobility Center.

Table 7-6: Windows Mobility Center Settings Brightness

If you want to adjust the brightness of your computer screen, use the Brightness setting. Move the slider to make your screen dimmer or brighter.

Volume

If have your volume turned up when you are listening to the music on your computer, you probably want to turn down or mute your computer when you to go a meeting. Move the slider to increase or decrease the volume or click the Mute check box to mute your computer.

Battery Status

In the Windows Mobility Center, you can view your battery status so that you know how much power your computer has. You can also select a power option from the list arrow. Balanced offers full performance and display brightness when you need it, but conserve power when the computer is idle. Power Saver extends your battery life, but causes slower performance and lower display brightness.

Wireless Network

There are some places, such as an airplane, where you can work on your laptop but you cannot have your wireless on. Use the Wireless Network setting in the Windows Mobility Center to quickly disable your wireless adapter, enable your wireless adapter, and connect to a wireless network.

Screen Rotation

This is for Tablet PC users. Change the orientation of your screen.

External Display

Many people connect their laptop to another monitor. If you have another monitor connected to your laptop, click the Connect Display button to select how you’d like your desktop to display on both monitors.

Sync Center

The Sync Center manages the sync between your network files and the offline files. Click Sync settings to open the Sync Center to view the last sync between your network and offline files

Presentation Settings

How embarrassing is it to be in the middle of an important presentation, only to have your system notify you it’s time to run a virus scan? You can turn on Presentation Settings to temporarily disable all system notifications. When you’re done giving your presentation, turn your Presentation Settings off to enable your system notifications.


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WordPad


WordPad is a stripped-down word processor, and it is one of the best freebies Microsoft included with Windows 7. You can use WordPad to create letters, memos, and documents. You can also format your WordPad documents with various font and paragraph styles.

• Exercise: Type your name into the WordPad program. Save it as Practice.rtf.

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  WordPad from the menu. The WordPad program window opens. 2. Enter text using the keyboard. Tip: Many commonly asked questions about WordPad can be answered by going into the WordPad help file. To open the file, click Help  View Help from the toolbar or press . 3. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar to save the document. WordPad documents can be saved in four different formats:  Rich Text Format: The default format for WordPad. Although it uses formatting, this file type can be read by many different programs.  Text Document: This format is most commonly used in Notepad and does not allow text formatting.  Text Document – MS DOS Format: A command line interface that can be used to control internal computer functions.  Unicode Text Document: Unicode format includes a set of letters, numbers, and symbols that represents almost all written languages in the world.

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Figure 7-15: A document open in the WordPad program.


Ease of Access


Windows 7 offers many settings and tools you can use to make your computer easier and more comfortable to use.

• Exercise: Open the Ease of Access Center and familiarize yourself with the various accessibility tools.

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Ease of Access from the menu. A list of accessibility tools appears. See Table 7-7: Accessibility Tools in Windows 7 for a description of these tools. 2. Select the tool you want to open. Other Ways to Access the Accessibility Tools: Click the Start button and click Control Panel. Click Ease of Access and select the appropriate option.

Figure 7-16: The Ease of Access Center window.

Table 7-7: Accessibility Tools in Windows 7 Ease of Access Center

The accessibility tools hub. Here you can access all options and settings related to accessibility.

Magnifier

Use this tool to enlarge hard-to-see text and pictures on the screen. You have three modes to choose from: 

Full-screen mode: Magnifies the entire desktop.



Lens mode: Magnifies only the areas you choose, similar to using a real magnifying glass.



Docked mode: Magnifies only a set portion of the screen, leaving the rest of the desktop in a normal state.

Even while using the Magnifier tools you can click buttons and input text as you normally would. Narrator

Narrator reads on-screen text aloud and can even describe some events (such as error messages), enabling you to use your computer without the display.

On-Screen Keyboard

Displays a virtual keyboard on the screen that you can click, hover over, or scan to input text. If you have Windows Touch and the right hardware installed, you can tap directly on the screen.

Windows Speech Recognition

Speech has been enhanced in Windows 7 to include more programs and features. Now you can start an email by speaking a recipient’s name, surf the Internet without a keyboard, or dictate your documents.


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System Tools


Sometimes it can take a little elbow grease to make sure your computer runs just the way you want it to. The System Tools folder is the home of the Disk Defragmenter, System Restore, and a number of other programs designed to let you customize your computer and keep it running smoothly, even letting you bring it back to life after a computer crash. 

• Exercise: Identify the programs in the System Tools menu.

Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  System Tools from the menu. The System Tools menu appears. Refer to the table below for a description of the programs included in the System Tools menu.

Table 7-8: System Tools Accessories Character Map

Computer

Each font has a list of characters and symbols that don’t appear on the keyboard listed in the character map. Open a Windows Explorer window with links to system information.

Control Panel

An entire menu of programs to help you set preferences in everything from parental controls and Internet options to input devices and monitor appearance.

Disk Cleanup

This program deletes temporary files to free up disk space for other uses.

Disk Defragmenter

Files that were split into pieces are regrouped so the computer can access them faster.

Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)

This is a version of Internet Explorer that has no cookies or add-ons. It should always perform like new.

Private Character Editor

Create your own characters or edit existing characters and insert them into documents using the Character Map.

Resource Monitor

View information about how your computer is using hardware and software. You can also use Resource Monitor to troubleshoot non-responsive programs and devices.

System Information

Show a snapshot of what’s going on with your computer, including things like model numbers, directory names, and available memory.

System Restore

Use System Restore if your computer is acting buggy. It will revert the system back to what was on it yesterday, last week, or just before the trouble started.

Task Scheduler

Create a schedule for backing up drives, disk defragmenting, automated e-mails, and more.

Windows Easy Transfer Reports Windows Easy Transfer

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View reports about all your Windows Easy Transfer files transfers.

If you need to transfer to a different computer, files, settings and all, use this program to make the process easy.



Tablet PC Accessories


A tablet PC lets you use a use a writing instrument called a stylus to write and tap directly on a computer screen instead of using the keyboard or mouse. Windows 7 includes tools for using a tablet PC.

• Exercise: Explain the differences between the Math Input Panel, Personalize Handwriting Recognition, the Tablet PC Input Panel, and Windows Journal.

Math Input Panel The Math Input Panel is a tool for anyone who has tried to include a mathematical equation, physics derivation, or chemistry formula in a document. Instead of typing and formatting these complicated expressions, the Math Input Panel lets you handwrite and then insert them into a word processing or computational program that supports Mathematical Markup Language (MathML). 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Math Input Panel from the menu.

Preview area

Correction buttons

The Math Input Panel appears. 2. Write the expression in the Writing area. As the expression is written in the Writing area, it appears in the Preview area. The Preview area shows how the expression will appear when inserted into a program. Tip: You can correct your expression by tapping the Select and Correct button and then tapping the incorrect symbol or circling the part of the expression that was incorrectly read. 3. When the expression is finished, tap the Insert button.

Writing area Insert button

Figure 7-17: The Math Input Panel.

The expression is inserted into a word processing or computation program.

Other Tablet PC Accessories Windows 7 includes three more programs for tablet PC users: Personalize Handwriting Recognition, Tablet PC Input Panel, and Windows Journal. 

Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  Tablet PC. The Tablet PC menu appears. Refer to Table 7-9: Other Tablet PC Accessories for descriptions of the programs included in the Tablet PC menu.


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Using Windows Accessories Table 7-9: Other Tablet PC Accessories Personalize Handwriting Recognition

Tablet PC Input Panel

Use Personalize Handwriting Recognition to train your tablet PC to recognize your handwriting. You can choose to train your tablet PC in two ways: 

Target specific recognition errors: Select this option if you notice that your tablet PC is frequently misreading specific words or characters.



Teach the recognizer your handwriting style: Select this option if you notice frequent issues with your tablet PC recognizing your writing.

Even though you can write directly on a tablet PC, you can’t write directly in a program. The Tablet PC Input Panel translates your handwriting into typing in a program. After you open a program, open the Tablet PC Input Panel to start writing. You can write your text directly into the Tablet PC Input Panel Writing area using the Writing pad. If you have messy handwriting, you can use the Touch keyboard to tap keys on a standard keyboard on the computer screen.

Windows Journal

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The Windows Journal lets you write journal entries in your own handwriting. You can change the kind of pen you are working with, highlight text, flag entries, draw pictures, erase content, and insert pictures into your entry.


Using Windows Accessories Review Quiz Questions 74.

If you want to perform advanced calculations such as calculating factorials or finding arc tangents, what should you do? A. Use the Standard calculator. B. Abandon any attempts to perform advanced calculations. C. Use Notepad. D. Use the Scientific calculator.

75.

The Standard calculator will only work with numbers less than 1,000. (True or False?)

76.

You must be in the same room as a network projector to deliver your presentation. (True or False?)

77.

You can do which of the following using Getting Started: A. Add a new user to your computer. B. Change your wallpaper. C. Create a homegroup. D. All of the above.

78.

When text is copied from another source and pasted into Notepad: A. Only the text (and not the formatting) is transferred. B. Only the formatting (and no text) is transferred. C. Both formatting and text are transferred. D. An error message appears.

79.

Although you can't create a photograph in Paint, you can still view and edit one. (True or False?)

80.

Which of the following is NOT true of connecting to a computer using Remote Desktop Connection: A. You can only use Remote Desktop if you are in the same building the remote computer. B. Remote Desktop can be used to work remotely and to troubleshoot issues on a remote computer. C. The remote computer must be turned on and cannot be in sleep or hibernate mode to use Remote Desktop Connection. D. The remote computer must have Remote Desktop enabled.

81.

Once you have created a snip it cannot be changed. (True or False?)

82.

A snip is also called a: A. Screen capture B. Freeze frame C. Pictobox D. Highlighter Tool


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83.

When you click the Start Recording button: A. Nothing happens unless you say the word Start into the microphone at the same time. B. Sound Recorder starts to record, and the button automatically changes to Stop Recording. C. Sound Recorder starts to record, and automatically records for exactly one minute. D. A menu will appear asking how long the recording should last.

84.

If a green volume bar doesn't appear while you are recording, you should: A. Click View > Volume Bar in the menu. B. Restart your computer. C. Make sure that your sound card and microphone are installed properly. D. Abandon your dreams of becoming a recording star.

85.

Sticky Notes remain on your desktop until when? A. 7 PM. B. You turn off your computer. C. You delete the note. D. Forever.

86.

The Sync Center displays the results of the most recent sync between your network files and your offline files. (True or False?)

87.

Windows Explorer is what is used to view folders, drives, and other locations on your computer. (True or False?)

88.

Which of the following is not an option in the Windows Mobility Center? A. Brightness B. Wordpad C. Presentation Settings D. Volume

89.

Which of the following cannot be done in WordPad? A. Printing a document. B. Spell-checking a document. C. Saving a document. D. Copying and pasting text in a document.

90.

The Character Map only contains proofreaders marks and copyright information. (True or False?)

91.

Once a character has been copied to the Character Map clipboard, it can be pasted into other programs, including WordPad, NotePad, and Microsoft Word. (True or False?)

92.

If you wanted to use a tablet PC to insert text into a program, which tablet PC accessory would you use? A. Personalize Handwriting Recognition B. Tablet PC Input C. Windows Journal D. Character Map

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Quiz Answers 74.

D. The Scientific calculator is able to perform more advanced mathematics, including factorials and arc tangents.

75.

False. The Standard calculator can perform basic calculations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing with large numbers as well as with small numbers.

76.

False. If you are connected to a network projector, you can deliver your presentation from anywhere.

77.

D. You can add a new user account, change your wallpaper,and create a homegroup from the Getting Started window.

78.

A. Notepad strips away the formatting from text that is copied from another source.

79.

True. Paint can open drawings and photographs as long as they are saved in a format that Paint recognizes.

80.

A. You do not need to be in the same building as a remote computer to connect to it using Remote Desktop.

81.

False. You can label a snip with the pen tool or highlight an important area with the highlghter.

82.

A. Snips are often referred to as screen captures.

83.

B. Sound Recorder will start recording as soon as the Start Recording button is clicked. When the Stop Recording button is clicked, it will stop.

84.

C. If the green volume bar does not appear in Sound Recorder, make sure that your sound card and microphone are installed properly, and that the sound is loud enough to be picked up by the microphone.

85.

C. Sticky Notes remain on your desktop until you delete the note.

86.

True. Open the Sync Center to see the result of your most recent sync.

87.

True. Windows Explorer is what you use to display folders, drives, and other locations on your computer. You do not need to open it from the Accessories folder to use it.

88.

B. You cannot open Wordpad from the Windows Mobility Center.

89.

B. Spell-check is not available in Wordpad.

90.

False. The Character Map contains characters for foreign languages, currency notation, fractions, bullets, symbols, and more.

91.

True. Characters taken from the character map can be used in many different word processing programs.

92.

B. The Tablet PC Input program lets you write information on a tablet PC and then insert what you wrote into the program.


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Connecting to the Inter net Dial-Up Connections ....................................... 146 Setting up a dial-up connection ............. 146 Connect automatically in Internet Explorer ............................................................... 147 Broadband Connections ................................. 148 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) ................ 148 Cable Internet access ............................ 149 Mobile Broadband ........................................... 150 Connecting to a Wireless Network ................ 151 Locating a wireless network .................. 151 Connecting to a wireless network .......... 152 Using Windows to Diagnose and Repair a Connection ....................................................... 153

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8 So you feel like you’ve mastered the inner workings of your computer. You know how to navigate the folder and file system. You even know the different ways you can customize the appearance of your computer. But now you’re ready to get into the good stuff! You want to know how you can get onto the Internet and see what the hype is all about. You want to e-mail your friends and family and share your pictures and videos. To do that, you’re going to need to find a way to connect to the Internet. In this chapter you will learn about the different ways you can connect to the Internet using your phone, cable, or even your cell phone provider. You’ll also learn how you can get away from your desk and access the Internet wirelessly from your laptop. Finally, you’ll learn about some ways to troubleshoot your Internet connection should something go wrong.

Connecting to the Internet

Dial-Up Connections


Dial-up is one of the oldest ways to connect to the Internet. It uses your telephone line to connect to the Internet. While most users have replaced dial-up connections with high-speed broadband connections, dial-up connections are still popular in remote or rural areas where broadband is unavailable.

• Exercise: Understand how to set up a dial-up connection on your computer.

You will need the following items in order to use a dial-up connection: 

An Internet Service Provider: An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a lot like a phone company. Instead of letting you make telephone calls to other people, an ISP lets your computer connect to the Internet. Just like your telephone company, ISPs charge for their services. Some popular dial-up services include NetZero and EarthLink.



A Web Browser: A Web browser is a program that lets your computer interact with the World Wide Web. Windows comes with a built-in Web browser— Internet Explorer.



A modem: A modem is like a telephone for your computer. It lets your computer talk to other computers on the Internet. Your ISP provides this when you sign up for service.

Figure 8-1: The Set Up a Connection or Network Wizard.

Setting up a dial-up connection 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Network and Internet category. The Network and Internet window appears. 3. Click the Network and Sharing Center category. The Network and Sharing Center window appears. 4. Click the Set up a new connection or network link. The Set up a Connection or Network Wizard begins. 5. Click Set up a dial-up connection and click Next. Windows detects your modem and the Create a Dialup Connection window appears. 6. Enter the Dial-up phone number, User name, and Password provided by your ISP and click Create.

Click this check box to have Windows automatically enter your password for you.

Figure 8-2: The Create a Dial-up Connection window.

Your dial-up connection is created.


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Connecting to the Internet Connect automatically in Internet Explorer Once your dial-up connection is created, you can setup your computer to dial your ISP automatically whenever you open Internet Explorer. 1. Click the Internet Explorer button on the taskbar. The Internet Explorer window appears. 2. Click Tools on the Command bar and select Internet Options from the menu. The Internet Options dialog box appears. 3. Click the Connections tab. The Connections options appear. 4. Click the name of your dial-up Internet connection listed under the Dial-up and Virtual Private Network settings The name of your connection is now highlighted. 5. Click the Always dial my default connection option and click Set default. The name of your dial-up connection appears to the left of the Set default button. 6. Click OK. Internet Explorer will now automatically dial your default connection whenever you start the program. Tips 

Setting up automatic dial-up connections may differ among Web browsers. See the Web browser’s help menu to set up automatic dialing.

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Figure 8-3: The Connections tab in Internet Options with default connection set.


Broadband Connections


Broadband connections are one of the most popular ways to connect to the Internet. The advantage to using broadband is that it allows larger chunks of data to be transmitted at a time. The result is a connection that is many times faster than dial-up connections.

• Exercise: Understand how broadband connections work with your computer.

There are three things you’ll need to connect to the Internet with a broadband connection: 

An Internet Service Provider (ISP): An Internet Service Provider lets your computer connect to the Internet. Your broadband ISP is typically also your cable television provider or your landline telephone provider.



A Web Browser: A Web browser such as Internet Explorer.



A Cable or DSL Modem or Other Connection: A cable or DSL modem lets your computer talk to other computers on the Internet. Most ISPs provide your modem for a nominal fee.

We will now review the two most popular types of broadband connections: digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable.

Digital Subscriber Line Internet Access A digital subscriber line (DSL) uses your local telephone network to transmit digital data at broadband speeds. Your ISP provides you with the equipment and landline connection you need to connect your computer to the Internet. Some ISPs also send out a technician to complete the installation for you. 1. Connect the DSL modem to the telephone line and power outlet.

Figure 8-4: A DSL or cable modem connects to your computer through an Ethernet cable.

Your DSL modem powers up and attempt to synchronize with the ISP. You should notice a flashing light on your DSL modem. Once synchronization is complete, the light will stop flashing. 2. Plug an Ethernet or Cat5e cable into your computer and the DSL modem. This completes your computer’s physical connection to the Internet. 3. Closely follow any other instructions provided by your ISP. Your computer now has an Internet connection.


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Connecting to the Internet Cable Internet Access Cable Internet uses a cable modem to connect to your existing cable television line. You can typically get cable Internet access through your local cable provider. 1. Connect your cable modem to the cable outlet and power outlet. Your cable modem will power up and attempt to synchronize with the ISP. You should notice a flashing light on your cable modem. Once synchronization is complete, the light will stop flashing. 2. Plug an Ethernet or Cat5e cable into your computer and the cable modem. This completes your computer’s physical connection to the Internet. 3. Closely follow any other instructions provided by your ISP. Your computer now has an Internet connection. Tips 

Keep your ISP’s technical support phone number close at hand in case you have problems with your Internet connection. If your Internet connection fails, you won’t be able to look the phone number up online.



Once your broadband connection is established, Windows 7 will automatically connect to it the next time you start up your computer.

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Mobile Broadband Connections Mobile broadband is a new technological development. It allows you to use your mobile phone provider, like Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, to connect to the Internet wirelessly at broadband speeds. The speed of these networks varies, depending on the type of technology used in these networks.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how mobile broadband connections work.

Mobile broadband is an excellent option for business travelers and laptop users who need high-speed Internet access on the go. However, mobile broadband should not be an alternative to your DSL or cable broadband connection for two main reasons: 



Coverage: Mobile broadband coverage depends on the coverage area of the service provider, as is the case with mobile phones. You probably won’t get dependable coverage in remote or rural areas. Coverage and connection speeds in cities may also vary widely. Usage Caps: Mobile broadband carriers typically cap your usage rates on a monthly basis. When you go above and beyond your limit, expect to be charged fees by your carrier.

There are several types of devices that one can use to connect their computer to the Internet: 

 

PC Data Cards: Also known as ExpressCards, these devices are connected to your computer via the ExpressCard slot on the side of your laptop. USB Modems: These are external modems that plug into any USB slot on your computer. USB Sticks: Like the USB modems, these devices plug into your USB port.

Figure 8-5: A mobile broadband card

Table 8-1: A Comparison of U.S. Mobile Broadband (3G) Providers Carrier

Avg. Download Speed

Avg. Upload Speed

Max. Download Speed

Max. Upload Speed

AT&T

755kb/s

484kb/s

1.3Mb/s

1.2Mb/s

Sprint

1.4Mb/s

800kb/s

3.1Mb/s

1.8Mb/s

TMobile

n/a

n/a

1.0Mb/s

n/a

Verizon

1.4Mb/s

800kb/s

3.1Mb/s

1.8Mb/s

Some newer laptops can even be customized to have the mobile broadband functionality built-in, eliminating the need for a separate piece of hardware. Installing mobile broadband on your computer will vary among the providers, but it most likely involves plugging in the device and following onscreen instructions. 1. Plug the mobile broadband device into your computer. Once plugged in, your computer will detect the device and begin to install the device software. 2. Install the software for your broadband device.

Table 8-2: Usage Caps for a Typical Mobile Broadband Plan File type

Size of 1 file

Files allowed per month

E-mail

3 KB

1,700,000

Digital Photo

500 KB

10,000

Music (1 Song)

3 MB

1,667

Movie

700 MB

7

Follow the instructions provided. When it’s finished, open your browser to begin using the Web.


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Connecting to a Wireless Network There may come a time when you want to free yourself from the wires and cables of your physical connection and browse the Internet away from your desk. Laptop users in particular have the freedom to access the Internet where wireless—or Wi-Fi—networks are available, such as airport terminals or coffee shops. Other users have wireless networks set up in their homes. In this lesson, you will learn how to connect to a wireless router in order to access the Internet.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how to connect to a wireless network.

You will need three things to connect to a wireless network: 

An Internet connection: A broadband connection is required to get the most out of your wireless network.



A wireless router: A wireless router provides a bridge between your computer and the modem.



A wireless networking card: Many laptop computers have a wireless networking card built-in. Few desktop computers have wireless networking cards, but you can purchase and install them to make wireless networks available.

Figure 8-6: The Network and Sharing Center.

Locating a wireless network Windows makes finding a wireless network easy. If you have a wireless networking card, Windows automatically searches for available networks in your vicinity. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Network and Internet category. The Network and Internet window appears. 3. Click the Network and Sharing Center category. The Network and Sharing Center appears. 4. Click the Connect to a network link. A list of available wireless networks appears under the Wireless Network Connection section. Other Ways to Locate a Wireless Network: Click the Internet Access icon located in the notification area of the Windows taskbar.

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Internet Access icon

Figure 8-7: Windows lists the available wireless network connections.


Connecting to a wireless network Now that you have located all of the available wireless networks in your area, you may connect to one. 1. Click the name of the wireless network to which you want to connect. The Connect button appears Tip: The number of green bars next to the network name indicates the signal strength. The more green bars, the stronger and more reliable the signal.

Select this option to have your computer connect to this network automatically whenever it is within range.

2. Click Connect. If the network is secure, you will be prompted to enter the network security key. Tip: If you want your computer to sign-in to the network automatically, click the Connect automatically check box.

Figure 8-8: Connect to your network of choice.

3. Enter the security key or password and click OK. You are now connected to the wireless network. Tip: If you don’t know the network security key, contact the network administrator. Trap: Whenever possible, it is advisable to connect only to security-enabled networks. Unsecure wireless networks are vulnerable to eavesdropping. Table 8-3: Wireless Network Security Type explains the differences between the types of security used on wireless networks. Figure 8-9: Enter the network security key.

Table 8-3: Wireless Network Security Type Unsecured

Unsecured wireless networks do not protect information you send to or receive from the wireless router. As a result, these networks are vulnerable to eavesdropping. Other users can browse through your folders and files when you’re connected. Any data you transmit, including passwords, e-mails, and chats, can be captured.

WEP

WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, was the first form of data encryption available for wireless networks. It provides very limited protection for your data. There are several known vulnerabilities to WEP, making it easy to crack. Connecting to WEP-protected networks may be as risky as connecting to an unsecured network.

WPA

WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, was an interim replacement for the WEP protocol. WPA uses an intermediate level of encryption to protect your data. While some flaws have been found in the encryption method, WPA is still a good alternative to unsecured networks.

WPA2

WPA2 is the most advanced form of encryption available on wireless networks. WPA2 provides government grade security by using the AES encryption algorithm. Whenever possible, it is advised to sign in to these types of networks as they provide the greatest guarantee of data security.


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Using Windows to Diagnose and Repair a Connection Windows 7 is generally very intuitive when it comes to setting up Internet connections, but if you are having trouble, use the troubleshooter in Windows 7 to help diagnose and fix the problem.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how to use Windows to troubleshoot connection problems.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the View network status and tasks link under the Network and Internet category. The Network and Sharing Center window appears. 3. Click the Troubleshoot problems link near the bottom of the window. The Troubleshoot problems – Network and Internet window appears. A list of network and printing items you can troubleshoot appears. Other Ways to Start the Network and Internet Troubleshooter: Right-click the Internet Access icon ( or ) in the notification area of the taskbar and select Troubleshoot problems from the contextual menu.

Figure 8-10: Select the item you wish to troubleshoot in the Troubleshoot problems – Network and Internet window.

4. Select Internet Connections from the menu. The Internet Connections troubleshooter begins. 5. Click Next. Windows 7 attempts to detect problems with your Internet connection. When complete, Windows asks you which issue it should troubleshoot. 6. Click Troubleshoot my connection to the Internet. Windows 7 will attempt to connect to the Microsoft website (http://www.microsoft.com). If Windows succeeds, the troubleshooter will indicate that “Troubleshooting couldn’t identify the problem.” If Windows 7 is unsuccessful, it will try to identify potential problems and provide you with some possible solutions.

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Figure 8-11: Completed Internet Connections Troubleshooter window showing results of the troubleshooter.

Connecting to the Internet 7. Follow the troubleshooter’s instructions. Windows will try to detect a configuration error on your computer and ask questions to solve the problem. When you’re finished, close the troubleshooter window. 8. Click Close the troubleshooter. You are now connected to the Internet. If Windows can’t fix your problem, the problem may lie outside your computer. See Table 8-4: Common Internet Connection Problems for common problems and their solutions. Table 8-4: Common Internet Connection Problems Can’t connect

Make sure you are dialing the correct number. Make sure you are dialing any outbound access numbers, such as 9. Make sure the phone number is not busy.

Dial-up

Check the phone line by plugging a phone into the phone line and checking for a dial tone. Make sure the phone line is plugged into both the wall and the modem correctly. Disconnecting

Call waiting can disrupt dial-up connections. Try disabling it and dialing again. Make sure your modem is working properly. Check the information that came with the modem or contact the manufacturer. ISPs will sometimes automatically disconnect if you leave your connection idle for long periods of time. Try again.

Broadband (Cable/DSL)

Make sure no one picked up the phone while you were online. Can’t connect

Make sure that the Ethernet, or Cat5e, cable is plugged into the modem and computer correctly. Some broadband connections can be fixed by unplugging the modem’s power cable, waiting for all of the lights on the modem to turn off, waiting at least ten seconds after that, and then powering the modem back up. Call your ISP and ask if its service is working properly. Ensure that you have an ISP user account and access. Some cable and DSL ISPs use Media Access Control address (MAC address) filtering. If you’re using a new device, your ISP may need to add your new device to its list of approved devices. Your ISP can walk you through the process of finding your MAC address. Can’t find or connect

Wireless

Make sure that your cable or DSL modem is turned on.

Make sure that the wireless networking card in your computer is turned on. Some laptops have a switch on the front or side of the computer to turn the card on and off. Make sure that you are close enough to the router or wireless access point. You may also need to connect an external antenna to your wireless network adapter to enhance your reception of the signal. If possible, make sure that the wireless router is turned on. If it is turned on, try resetting the wireless router and trying again. Make sure that you entered the correct network security key, or password, when you were prompted. The router or access point may be busy. Too much traffic from too many sources can disrupt connectivity. If possible, try turning off other computers that use the router as an access point.


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Connecting to the Inter net Review Quiz Questions 93.

Where under the Network and Internet category of the Control Panel can you set up a dial-up Internet connection? A. The Internet Options menu B. The HomeGroup menu C. The Network and Sharing Center D. None of the above. You must always use Internet Explorer.

94.

An ISP is: A. An Internet Service Provider, a device inside your computer that connects to the Internet. B. An Internet Service Provider, a company that charges you to connect to the Internet. C. An Information Sending Protocol, an encrypted language that is used to access the Internet. D. An Information Sending Protocol, a device that determines whether your computer uses Dial-up or Broadband access.

95.

The two types of broadband Internet connections are: A. DSL and cable B. Dial-up and cable C. DSL and satellite D. ISP and dial-up

96.

Mobile broadband is an excellent alternative to DSL and cable broadband for anyone who wants to access the Internet from anywhere. (True or False?) True False

97.

Which of the following do you need to locate a wireless network? A. A satellite dish B. A wireless router C. A wireless networking card D. A government-issued guidebook listing all available wireless Internet connections.

98.

Windows will always automatically connect you to the closest wireless network available. (True or False?) True False

99.

Which of these is false? A. If your computer is not connecting to the Internet, make sure your cables are connected and all your devices are turned on. B. The troubleshooter in Windows 7 can detect and fix problems with your Internet connection. C. The Windows 7 troubleshooter can fix problems with many different types of connections, such as HomeGroup, and shared folders, D. Your ISP provides a troubleshooter for help when you have connection problems.

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Quiz Answers 93.

C. The Network and Sharing Center gives you the option of setting up a dial-up connection by setting up a new connection or network.

94.

B. ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. It is a company, like a phone company, that charges you to connect to the Internet.

95.

A. The two types of broadband Internet connections are DSL and cable.

96.

False. While mobile broadband is convenient for people who need to access the Internet on the go, it is not a good alternative for typical users due to inconsistent coverage areas and usage caps.

97.

C. A wireless networking card is needed to locate wireless networks in your vicinity.

98.

False. Windows will only automatically connect you to those wireless networks for which you asked for an automatic connection.

99.

D. Your ISP does not provide a troubleshooter for your connection problems. However, you may call your ISP if the Windows 7 troubleshooter and other problem-solving methods don’t work.


157

Wor king with Hardware and Peripherals Understanding Computer Ports ..................... 158 Installing New Hardware ................................. 159 Using the Add Hardware Wizard ........... 160 Installing a USB flash drive .................... 163 Windows ReadyBoost............................ 164 Disconnect a USB flash drive ................ 163 Troubleshooting New Hardware..................... 165 Using the Device Manager .................... 165

9 Adding new hardware or peripheral devices can vastly increase the usefulness of your computer and keep it up-to-date in the face of the ever-changing world of technology. The difference between hardware and peripheral devices can be explained simply. Basically, a peripheral device is anything that is connected to the outside of your computer, like digital cameras and printers. Hardware, on the other hand, is anything on the inside of your computer that is needed to make your computer work, like a video card. In the past, adding new devices to your computer was a difficult task almost exclusively reserved for hardware savvy computer technicians. Today, things are much different. With Plug-and-Play technology, Windows 7 makes adding new hardware and peripheral devices to your computer very easy. Now you can add printers, external hard drives, and even second monitors without much difficulty. Making great improvements to your computer can be as easy as finding the right connection. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to identify various ports on your computer, and how you can add devices like printers, external hard drives, and digital cameras.

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Working with Hardware and Peripherals  Exercise

Understanding Computer Ports


When you look at the back or front of a computer, you will notice various slots or holes. These are known as computer ports. They allow you to connect peripherals and other devices to your computer. Ports are sometimes also called jacks or connectors.

• Exercise: Identify a USB port on your computer. Identify the VGA port. Find the Ethernet port.

Table 9-1: What are common computer ports? lists the most common ports, what they look like, the icons that represent them, and what they do. Table 9-1: What are common computer ports? Port

Icon

Description The USB, or Universal Serial Bus, is the most common port on your computer. It is not unusual for computers to have anywhere between two and six of these ports. Many standard devices can hook up to a USB port, including mice, keyboards, printers, digital cameras, and more. No wonder it’s “universal!”

USB

—IEEE1394—

A FireWire (IEEE 1394, i.LINK, Lynx) port lets you connect such devices as highdefinition digital camcorders and audio devices to your computer.

FireWire The PS/2, or keyboard and mouse, jacks are the old standard for connecting a keyboard or mouse to your computer. Most new mice and keyboards connect via the USB port. PS/2

These ports appear similar, so colors and icons are used to differentiate the two. You can connect your computer to a network device, such as a cable modem, DSL modem, or router using the network port.

Ethernet

A Cat5e cable is used for the connection. The modem or phone jack is where you connect your computer to the phone line.

Modem/Phone

Headphone/Speaker

/

Connect your speakers or headphones to this port.

Connect a microphone to this port to record sounds on your computer or do voice chat. Microphone You plug your monitor into the VGA port. Video/VGA An HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) port allows you to connect your computer to a high-definition (HD) monitor or television. HDMI SD Card Readers allow you to insert SD memory cards from portable devices, such as digital cameras, directly into your computer. SD Card Reader


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Working with Hardware and Peripherals

Installing New Hardware


Connecting additional hardware and devices to your computer, such as printers, scanners, and webcams, is vital to extending the capabilities of your computer. Fortunately, most hardware is Plug and Play enabled, making installation a snap. But if you are having trouble, the Add Hardware wizard can help install the hardware.

• Exercise: Understand that Windows 7 can automatically install Windows-ready devices when they are plugged into the computer.

Install with Plug and Play Windows Plug and Play makes installing new hardware very easy. When you plug one of these devices into your computer, Windows 7 recognizes it and automatically installs the drivers needed for the device. 1. Follow the instructions that came with the device. In some instances, you may have to install a driver before plugging the device into your computer, or they will ask you to insert an installation disk into the computer before connecting.

Figure 9-1: When the device is plugged in, Windows detects the device and automatically begins installing the drivers required for the device.

2. Plug the device into its corresponding port on your computer. Many devices require a USB port, but some devices such as monitors, headphones, and microphones have designated ports on your computer. After plugging in, Windows detects the device and begins to identify and install the drivers that it requires. When the device is installed, a notification appears, indicating that the device is ready to be used. Tips 

Make sure you are connected to the Internet when installing devices so that Windows can download the drivers that are required for a device.



A driver is a small piece of software that allows your computer to interact with the hardware. It acts as a translator between your computer and the device.

Install a wireless device Since wireless devices can’t be plugged into your computer, you must specify which wireless devices you want to install. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Add a device link under the Hardware and Sound category. Windows searches for available wireless devices and lists them in the window.

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Figure 9-2: When the device is installed, Windows notifies you that the device is ready to use.

Working with Hardware and Peripherals 3. Select the device you want to install and click Next. 4. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the device. When the device is installed, a notification appears, indicating that the device is ready to be used.

Install with the Add Hardware Wizard There may come a time when you want to install an older device that does not support Plug and Play technology and is not automatically recognized by Windows. The Add Hardware wizard can help you install these devices. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Hardware and Sound category. The Hardware and Sound window appears. 3. Click the Device Manager link under the Devices and Printers category. The Device Manager appears. 4. Select the type of device that you want to install. For example, if you want to install a DVD drive, select “DVD/CD-ROM drives.”

Table 9-2: If Windows Does Not Detect a Wireless Device…

 Make sure the device you're trying to pair with (connect to) isn't turned off, low on battery power, or in sleep mode.  Make sure you haven't already added the device to your computer. Devices that have already been added aren't displayed in the list of devices you can connect to in the Add a device wizard.  Make sure the device is within wireless range of your computer, typically within six to nine feet for most Bluetooth devices, or within 100 feet for a Wi-Fi device.  Make sure there are no other devices interfering with the wireless device, such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, or other wireless devices.  If your computer uses an external Bluetooth or Wi-Fi adapter, make sure the adapter is working correctly and is attached and installed properly.  Some Wi-Fi devices need to be put into a discovery mode known as Wireless Protected Setup (WPS) before they can be detected. To learn more, check the information that came with the device or go to the manufacturer's website.

5. Select Action  Add Legacy Hardware from the menu. The Add Hardware wizard appears. Other Ways to Open the Add Hardware Wizard: Click the Start button and type run in the Search box. Click Run from the search results. Type hdwwiz in the Run dialog box and click OK. 6. Follow the instructions of the Add Hardware wizard. 7. Click Finish. The hardware appears in the Device Manager to indicate that it is installed and is working properly. Tips  

If an installation disk came with your hardware or peripheral device, use that to install the device.

Figure 9-3: The Add Hardware Wizard.

Some hardware and peripheral devices may not be compatible with Windows 7. Research this carefully before attempting to install any new hardware.


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Installing a Printer


Printers are one of the most common devices to connect to your computer. They can be connected directly to your computer, or be available over a network or wireless signal. Once installed, you can set a printer as a default, or remove a printer that you no longer use.

• Exercise: View the printers installed on your computer.

Install a local printer A “local” printer is one that is directly connected to your computer. Printers connected to your computer via USB port are usually installed automatically by Windows. 1. Plug the printer into your computer’s USB port. Printers that are connected to a computer through USB port are plug and play compatible. 2. Turn the printer on.

Figure 9-4: Printers connected to your computer via USB are usually plug and play: just plug in the printer and Windows will automatically install it.

Windows automatically detects the printer and begins the installation process. The notification area displays updates on the status of installation, but you generally don’t have to do anything to install the printer. Once the printer is installed, it appears in the Printers and Devices window.

Set the default printer The default printer is the printer that appears by default whenever you try to print something from a program on your computer. Set the default printer to be the one you print from most often. 1. Click the Start button and select Devices and Printers from the menu. The Devices and Printers window appears. All printers installed on your computer are listed. You can choose any one of them to be your default printer. 2. Right-click the printer you want to set as the default and select Set as default printer from the contextual menu. The default printer is set, and is indicated by a green check mark.

Remove a printer If you no longer use a printer, delete it from the Devices and Printers list. 1. Click the Start button and select Devices and Printers from the menu. The Devices and Printers window appears.

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Figure 9-5: The default printer is indicated by a green check mark.

Working with Hardware and Peripherals 2. Right-click the printer you want to remove and select Remove device from the contextual menu. A dialog box appears, asking to confirm the deletion. 3. Click Yes. The printer is removed. Tips 

If your printer has more than one function, such as scanning or faxing, removing the printer does not affect the other functions.


163


Working with USB Flash Drives Flash drives are devices that plug into a computer’s USB drive and store digital data. They can also ramp up your computer’s memory with Windows ReadyBoost.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how you can increase your computer’s memory with a USB flash drive.

Install a USB flash drive USB flash drives (thumb drives, jump drives) are small, portable memory sticks that plug into your computer’s USB port. It is an easy way to physically transfer files from one computer to another. 1. Plug the USB flash drive into a USB port. Windows 7 recognizes the device and the AutoPlay dialog box appears. There are many ways to work with the files on the flash drive. Review the options to find the command for how you want to use the flash drive. 2. Select an option from the dialog box. Windows begins using the flash drive according to the option you chose. Once installed, the drive can also be accessed from the Computer window, just like a network drive or another drive on your computer. The drive is assigned its own letter, and is labeled as a Removable Disk.

Figure 9-6: The AutoPlay menu.

Disconnect a USB flash drive Once you’re done using your USB flash drive, disconnect it before unplugging to keep your files safe. 1. Save and close all open files and windows from your USB flash drive. The Safely Remove Hardware icon appears in the notification area of the taskbar. 2. Ensure that there are no blinking lights on your USB flash drive. This indicates that the drive is done saving your files. 3. Click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the taskbar and select Eject USB Mass Storage Device. A notification appears telling you that it is safe to remove the device. Tips 

Use these instructions to disconnect any device that is connected to a computer via USB port, such as an external hard drive or a digital camera.

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Figure 9-7: The Safe to Remove Hardware notification appears when it is safe to unplug a USB device.

Working with Hardware and Peripherals Speed up performance with Windows ReadyBoost You can also use the extra memory from a USB flash drive to speed up your computer with the new Windows ReadyBoost functionality. 1. Plug the USB flash drive into one of your computer’s USB ports. Windows 7 recognizes the device and the AutoPlay dialog box appears. 2. Select Speed up my system under General options. The ReadyBoost tab of the Removable Disk Properties dialog box appears. 3. Choose how you want to use the USB flash drive. There are two ways to use the device to enhance computer performance:  Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost: The USB drive will be used exclusively to speed up system performance. You will not be able to store any files on the device.

Figure 9-8: The Removable Disk Properties dialog box.

 Use this device: Windows will temporarily use the amount of space that you reserve on the USB drive. When you choose this option, you can use the slider below to decide how much space to reserve for ReadyBoost. 4. Click OK. Now your computer is prepared to use the USB flash drive to enhance performance.


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Troubleshooting Hardware You’ve plugged in your new device and it isn’t working properly. What are you supposed to do now? One possible problem is that Windows does not have the proper device driver. A device driver is a small piece of software that allows your computer to interact with the hardware. It acts as a translator between your computer and the device.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open the Device Manager and review the hardware that is connected to your computer.

You can manage your devices and their drivers by using the Device Manager.

Using the Device Manager The Device Manager shows you all of the hardware that is currently connected to your computer. You can also use it to update the driver software for your devices and check to see if your devices are working properly. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Hardware and Sound category. The Hardware and Sound window appears. 3. Click the Device Manager link under the Devices and Printers category. The Device Manager appears. It lists all of the internal and external devices currently connected to your computer.

Figure 9-9: The Device Manager.

4. Find the device you are attempting to install in the list and double-click it. The Properties dialog box appears. Tip: You may need to expand the device type heading by clicking on the arrow next to the device type. 5. Click the Driver tab. The device driver information appears. 6. Click the Update Driver button and select Search automatically for updated driver software in the Update Driver Software Wizard. Windows attempts to find an updated driver both on your computer and on the Internet. Once found, Windows will automatically install the drivers.

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Figure 9-10: The Driver tab.

Wor king with Hardware and Peripherals Review Quiz Questions 100. Which type of port is the most common port on today’s computers? A. FireWire ports B. USB ports C. PS/2 ports D. Ethernet or network ports

101. What does the Plug and Play technology in Windows allow you to do? A. Plug and Play allows you to automatically install new peripherals and hardware. B. Plug and Play allows you to start up your computer by only plugging it in. C. Plug and Play makes you go through a long and tedious installation process for anything you connect to your computer. D. Plug and Play allows you to plug in a Microsoft Xbox 360 controller to play video games.

102. Which new feature to Windows 7 allows you to speed up your computer with the use of a USB flash drive? A. ReadyFlash B. FlashBoost C. ReadyBoost D. AeroFlash

103. For what can the Device Manager in Windows by used? A. Updating your hardware drivers B. Installing hardware that is not Plug and Play compatible C. Both A and B D. None of the above. The Device Manager is only a list of devices that are connected to your computer.

Quiz Answers 100. B. USB ports. Most new peripheral hardware devices, like printers and digital cameras, connect to your computer via USB ports.

101. A. Plug and Play allows you to simply and easily install any Windows-ready device by only connecting it to your computer.

102. C. ReadyBoost technology allows you to use all or part of the memory on a USB flash drive in order to enhance your system’s performance.

103. C. You can both update your hardware drivers and install hardware.


167

Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer Installing Software ........................................... 168 Install software from a CD or DVD......... 168 Install software downloaded from the Internet ................................................... 168 Removing Software ......................................... 170 Shutting Down a Frozen Program ................. 171 Adjusting Power Settings ............................... 172 Select a power plan ............................... 172 Create a power plan .............................. 172 Repairing Disk Errors ...................................... 174 Defragmenting Your Hard Disk ...................... 176 Freeing Up Space on Your Hard Disk ............ 177 Restoring Your Computer ............................... 179 Restore your computer .......................... 179 Create a restore point ............................ 180 Turning Windows Features On or Off ............ 181 Using Windows Update ................................... 183 Turn automatic updating on or off .......... 183 Install Optional updates ......................... 184 Setting Default Programs ............................... 185 Set a program as default for all file types ............................................................... 185 Set a program as default for specific file types ...................................................... 186 Scheduling Tasks ............................................ 187 Running Older Programs in Windows XP Mode ........................................................................... 189

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10 Computers and cars have a lot in common. Cars require maintenance to keep them running at their peak performance. Some car maintenance tasks are simple and routine, such as inspecting the brake pads. These tasks are designed to keep you from needing other complicated, more expensive repairs, such as installing new brakes and rotors. Just like a car, your computer requires routine maintenance to prevent and/or correct problems and to keep it running at its best possible performance. This chapter explains how to optimize and maintain your computer. You’ll learn how to find and correct problems on your computer’s hard disk, install and remove software, backup and restore your important files, and more.

Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer

Installing Software


Though Windows has many useful programs already installed, it’s unlikely that these alone will meet all of your needs. You will need to install software on your computer that helps do your work. You can install software from a CD or DVD, or download and install software from the Internet.

• Exercise: Understand how to install software from a CD or DVD and how to download software from the Internet.

Install software from a CD or DVD CDs and DVDs hold a lot of information, and they are ideal for packaging software. These steps walk you through how to install software from a CD or DVD. 1. Insert the CD or DVD into the computer. Windows detects the disk, and the AutoPlay dialog box appears with options for using the disk. 2. Click the Run Setup.exe option. The User Account Control dialog box appears, asking if you want to allow the program to make changes to your computer. Tip: If you do not have administrative rights on the computer, the dialog box prompts you to enter an administrator user name and password.

Figure 10-1: The AutoPlay dialog box lets you run the installation file or open a folder to view the files on the disk.

3. Click Yes in the User Account Control dialog box. The program’s installation wizard appears. 4. Follow the instructions to install your software. Tips 

Always keep software documentation close by if you have questions during the installation process.

Install software downloaded from the Internet You can download many programs, some for free and some for purchase, from the Internet. Downloading software from the Internet is convenient because you can use the software as soon as it is downloaded and installed. Tips 

Be careful when downloading software. Some downloads include spyware or computer viruses. Table 10-1: Is this Program Safe to Download? lists questions to ask before downloading software.

Figure 10-2: Download instructions look different on each Web site.


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Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer 1. Browse to the Web page with the software you'd like to download. Scroll through the Web page until you find the program’s download instructions. Each Web page displays downloads differently. 2. Click the link or button to download the program. The File Download – Security Warning dialog box appears. You have two options to download the installation file:  Run: Downloads the software and installs it when the download is complete.  Save: Downloads the installation file to a specific location. You must begin the installation later. Save all your downloads to the same location so you can easily find them later. Tip: If you’re concerned about a file’s security, save the installation file to your computer and scan it with your anti-virus and/or anti-spyware software. 3. Click Run or Save to download the installation file. A dialog box appears, displaying the progress of the download.

Figure 10-3: Decide if you want to download and run the installation file now or later in the File Download – Security Warning dialog box.

4. When the download is complete, follow the instructions to install your software, or double-click the install file and then follow installation instructions. When the installation wizard is complete, you can begin using the program. Table 10-1: Is this Program Safe to Download? Do I know this software?

The publisher’s Web site usually provides technical information as well as user and professional reviews. If you want more information, research the software using a search engine. If after researching software you can’t find any information, that is a sign that the software is unknown and might harm your computer.

Do I know this Web site?

Many software publishers have software available for download from their Web sites. For example, you can download Internet Explorer from Microsoft’s Download Center. Some Web sites, like CNET.com, serve as hubs to download many different kinds of software. If you are downloading from a general download site, research the Web site first. Make sure you know who runs it and how contact the Web site provider or software publisher if you have any problems with the software.

Did I click anything to download this software?

Most programs ask your permission before downloading; at the very least, you need to click a link or button to start the download. If a program starts to download without your permission, cancel the download and leave the Web site. Research the program to make sure it’s safe for your computer. You can always return to the Web site and restart the download later.

Does the software have a digital certificate?

A digital certificate verifies that the software you are downloading is from the publisher. Click the Publisher link in the File Download - Security Warning dialog box to view the digital certificate.

Does the Web site display a lot of pop ups?

If you notice multiple pop ups on an unfamiliar Web site, beware. Pop ups can contain spyware, and if the pop ups have spyware, the software you want to download might have spyware too.

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Removing Software


If you have a lot of software you no longer use on your computer, you are wasting valuable disk space and slowing down your computer. You should occasionally review the programs on your computer and remove software you no longer use to free up disk space.

• Exercise: Open the “Uninstall or change a program” window and review the software listed. Understand how to uninstall software.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Uninstall a program link under the Programs category. The Uninstall or change a program window appears, listing the programs installed on your computer. 3. Select the program you want to remove and click the Uninstall button on the toolbar. Tip: Some programs group the Uninstall and Change commands on the same button. The Change button lets you configure or remove options for a program. A dialog box appears confirming the uninstall.

Figure 10-4: Buttons for uninstalling and changing a program appear on the toolbar when a program is selected.

4. Click Yes to confirm that you want to remove the program. A wizard appears to help you remove the program from your computer. 5. Follow the instructions to remove your software. The program is removed from the computer. If the program still appears after you have followed these instructions, see Table 10-2: Troubleshooting Removing Software.

Figure 10-5: Click Yes to confirm that you want to uninstall the program before beginning the process of uninstalling the program.

Tips 

These steps cannot be used to remove spyware or computer viruses. To remove malware, you must download specialty software.



Software designed for older versions of Windows may not appear in the program list. Review the documentation included with the software for information on uninstalling the program.

Table 10-2: Troubleshooting Removing Software



Uninstall the program again.



Restart Windows in safe mode and uninstall the program again.



If the program was recently installed, use System Restore to restore your computer to a date before you installed the program.


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Shutting Down a Frozen Program Although computers have improved over the years, you may still find that programs “freeze.” A frozen program stops working or responding for many reasons: you might not have enough memory or disk space to run the program, or there could be an issue with your computer’s hardware or software. When a program freezes, don’t give up--shut down the program and try restarting it.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Open WordPad, and then force WordPad to close using the Windows Task Manager.

1. Right-click the taskbar and select Start Task Manager from the contextual menu. Other Ways to Open the Task Manager: Press + + and select Start Task Manager from the Welcome screen. The Applications tab of the Windows Task Manager appears. The Task column lists all open programs, and the Status column indicates if the program is running. A frozen program has a status of “Not Responding”. 2. Select the program that is not responding and click the End Task button. The Program dialog box appears and displays two options:  Close the program: Force the program to shut down. You will lose any changes you have made since your last save.  Wait for the program to respond: Give the program more time to resolve the problem. 3. Select Close the program. The program shuts down. After the program shuts down, you can restart it and begin to work with it again. Tips  If you are still experiencing problems after you have shut down a frozen program, or if multiple programs freeze, restart your computer.  To prevent any loss of work, make sure to save your work frequently. If you are working in a program that has an AutoSave feature, configure and enable it.

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Figure 10-6: Use the Task Manager to check the status of a program and to shut down a frozen program.


Adjusting Power Settings


Many users want to conserve energy, whether they are using a laptop or a desktop computer. Windows provides options that maximize system performance while using a minimal amount of energy, letting you save dollars and battery life.

• Exercise: Understand what a power plan is and the settings it can control. Create a custom power plan and name it “Practice Power Plan”.

Select a power plan A power plan is a collection of hardware and system settings that you can use to manage the amount of energy your computer uses. Windows includes power plans that are optimized for performance, energy saving, and everything in between, and switching between them is easy. If a plan does not appear, click the Show additional plans arrow.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Power Options category. The Power Options window appears. Other Ways to Open the Power Options Window for Laptop Users: Click the battery icon in the notification area, and then click the More power options link Windows has three system power plans. Table 10-3: Available Power Plans describes each plan. 3. Select a power plan and close the window.

Figure 10-7: The Power Options window without the additional options displayed.

You have changed your computer’s power plan. Tips 

Your computer manufacturer may have included other system power plans on your computer.

Create a power plan Your power plan determines your computer’s brightness as well as when your computer dims, your monitor turns off, and your computer goes to sleep. If you don’t like the system power plans, you can create a custom power plan.

Table 10-3: Available Power Plans Balanced

Offers full performance when you need it and saves power during period of inactivity.

Power saver

Reduces system performance and screen brightness in order to save power.

High performance

Maximizes screen brightness and might increase the computer’s performance.

Tips 

If you use your computer to give presentations, it’s a good idea to create a power plan that keeps your computer awake an active at all times.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears.


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Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer 2. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Power Options category. The Power Options window appears. Other Ways to Open the Power Options Window for Laptop Users: Click the battery icon in the notification area, and then click the More power options link 3. Click Create a power plan in the sidebar. The Create a power plan window appears. 4. Select a power plan to use as a template. You may use one of the three system power plans to begin. 5. Enter a name for the plan in the Plan name text box. Click Next.

Figure 10-8: Configure a custom power plan in the Edit Plan Settings window.

The Edit Plan Settings window appears. Here you can configure your power plan settings. Read more about these settings in Table 10-4: Power Plan Settings. Table 10-4: Power Plan Settings

6. Click the list arrows to configure your power plan and click Create. Your new power plan appears in the Power Options window.

Dim the display

Reduces screen brightness.

Turn off the display

Turns off the monitor, but leaves the computer on. If you use your computer for presentations, select Never to keep the display turned on during presentations.

Put the computer to sleep

Activates sleep mode for your computer. If you use your computer for presentations, select the Never for to keep your laptop awake during presentations.

Adjust plan brightness

Increase or decrease your screen’s brightness.

Tip: You can delete a custom power plan, but you cannot delete a system power plan.

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Repairing Disk Errors Over time, errors appear on your comptuer’s hard drive. These errors affect your computer’s perfomance. While errors to your hard disk might sound serious, they are not; a hard drive repair program can easily diagnose and fix most of these errors.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how Error-checking can help you monitor your computer’s performance.

Windows includes a hard drive repair program called Error-checking. Error-checking is a preventative maintenance task that you should do at least once a month. This lesson shows you how to use Error-checking to diagnose and repair errors on your computer. 1. Click the Start button and select Computer from the menu. The Computer window appears. You can run Errorchecking on any drive connected to your computer, including external hard disks and flash drives, as well as your computer’s hard drive. The drive we want to repair is your computer’s hard drive. On most computers, this is called Local Disk (C:), but your hard drive may be called something different, depending on how your computer is set up. 2. Select the Local Disk (C:) drive and click the Properties button on the command bar. The Disk Properties dialog box appears.

Figure 10-9: The Drive Properties dialog box.

Other Ways to Open the Disk Properties Dialog Box: Select a drive, then right-click it. Select Properties from the contextual menu. 3. Click the Tools tab and click the Check now button on the Error-checking area. The Check Disk dialog box displays two scan options:  Automatically fix file system errors: Scans the disk and repairs problems with files and folders. If you do not select this option, Error-checking still scans the disks and reports problems, but it does not repair any problems. You may be required to restart your computer if you select this option.

 Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors: Attempts to find and repair physical errors on the drive. This option will make the scan and repair take longer.

Figure 10-10: Select how you want your computer to scan the disk in the Check Disk dialog box.

4. Select the option(s) you wish to use and click Start. The scan begins. Trap: If you are logged on your computer, you are using its hard disk. Windows will alert you that it cannot run Error-checking because the disk is in


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Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer use. You can schedule a disk check for another time. When the scan is completed, the Results window appears reporting any errors or bad sectors. 5. Click OK to close the Results window and click OK to close the Disk Properties dialog box. Tips 

When you schedule a disk check, Error-checking runs the next time you start your computer. The results display before the Windows Welcome screen appears.



If Windows reports any bytes in bad sectors, you have a hardware problem. Back up your disk and run Error-checking every few days. If subsequent scans show more bytes in bad sectors, your hardware is failing. You should not use any hard disk that has bad sectors.

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Defragmenting Your Hard Disk


A file is usually saved in one location on your hard drive. However, over time a disk fragments a file and saves the pieces in several places instead of saving a single file to one location. When that happens, your computer must read one file from several different areas of a disk, and your computer slows down.

• Exercise: Understand how to manually defragment a disk.

The Disk Defragmenter improves your computer’s performance by consolidating fragmented files in one location. Follow these steps to defragment your computer’s hard disk. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  System Tools  Disk Defragmenter from the menu. The Disk Defragmenter appears. Other Ways to Open the Disk Defragmenter: Click the Start button and select Computer from the menu. Select a drive, then right-click it. Select Properties from the contextual menu. Click the Tools tab in the Disk Properties dialog box, and then click the Defragment now button in the Defragmentation area. The Disk column lists the disks that can be defragmented. If a disk does not appear, it cannot be defragmented. See Table 10-5: Reasons a Disk Cannot be Defragmented to learn why a disk cannot be defragmented.

Figure 10-11: The Disk Defragmenter can analyze a drive to see if it needs to be defragmented.

Next, analyze the disk to see if defragmenting is necessary. 2. Select a disk and click the Analyze disk button. Disk Defragmenter displays the percentage of the disk that is fragmented in the Last Run column. If the disk is fragmented at 10 percent or more, you should defragment the disk. 3. Click the Defragment disk button. Defragmenting can take minutes or hours depending on the disk’s size. You can continue to use your computer while it is defragmenting.

Table 10-5: Reasons a Disk Cannot be Defragmented



The drive is a network location. You cannot defragment network locations.



The drive is formatted using a file system other than NFTS, FAT, or FAT 32.



The drive contains an error. If that is the case, run Errorchecking and try to defragment that drive again.

When you are finished, close the Disk Defragmenter. 4. Click Close. The Disk Defragmenter closes. Tips 

You can defragment external hard disks and flash drives as well as your computer’s hard drive.


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Freeing Up Space on Your Hard Disk Any time you work on your computer, you create files in the background. These background files accumulate on your hard drive and can slow your computer down. Disk Cleanup identifies these extra files and deletes them, making your computer faster.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Use Disk Cleanup to delete your Temporary Internet Files.

1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  System Tools  Disk Cleanup from the menu. The Disk Cleanup: Drive Selection dialog box appears. Other Ways to Start Disk Cleanup: Click the Start button and select Computer from the menu. Select a drive, then right-click it. Select Properties from the contextual menu. Click the Disk Cleanup button on the General tab of the Disk Properties dialog box.

Figure 10-12: Click the Drives list arrow to select the drive you want to clean up.

2. Click the Drives list arrow and select a drive. Disc Cleanup calculates how much space you can free up on the drive. 3. Click OK. The Disk Cleanup for dialog box appears. It lists types of files you can delete to help your computer run faster. For more information about these files, see Table 10-6: Types of Files You Can Delete to Save Space. Tips  Click the Clean up system files button to display the Disk Cleanup for dialog box with the More Options tab. You can remove programs and delete restore points from the More Options tab. 4. Select check boxes for the files you want to delete and click OK. The Disc Cleanup dialog box appears, confirming that you want to delete the files permanently. 5. Click the Delete Files button. The Disc Cleanup dialog box displays the progress of the cleanup. When Disc Cleanup finishes deleting files, the dialog box closes. Tips 

You can use Disk Cleanup on external hard disks and flash drives as well as your computer’s hard drive.

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Figure 10-13: Select the types of files you want to delete in the Disk Cleanup for dialog box.


Table 10-6: Types of Files You Can Delete to Save Space Downloaded Program files

Small programs downloaded from the Internet and used to view certain Web pages. Deleting these files does not affect your browser settings.

Temporary Internet Files

A collection of Web sites stored on your computer for quicker viewing. Deleting these files does not affect your browser settings.

Offline Webpages

Web pages stored on your computer so you can view them without connecting to the Internet. Deleting these files does not affect your browser settings.

Recycle Bin

Files you have deleted from your computer, but that haven’t been emptied from the Recycle Bin.

Setup Log Files

Files created by your computer. These files can be used to troubleshoot installation files.

Temporary files

Temporary information stored by programs.

Thumbnails

Files used to store thumbnail images for Windows Explorer’s Thumbnail view. You can safely delete these files.

Per user archived Windows Error Reports

Files generated by Windows Error Reporting when an application error occurs. These files are saved to the user profile.

System archived Windows Error Reports

Files generated by Windows Error Reporting when an application error occurs. These files are saved to the system.


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Restoring Your Computer Sometimes we make changes that hurt our computer’s performance. System Restore lets you rewind your computer to a time when everything worked.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how to restore your computer. Create a restore point.

Every time you install software or update your computer, a restore point is created. Think of a restore point as a snapshot of your computer at a specific time. Restore points record system settings, registry files, and installed programs. Your computer also creates restore points at scheduled times. If your computer isn’t working, use System Restore to return your computer to a specific restore point without affecting individual files, such as documents and e-mail. Tips 

System Restore does not recover individual files, such as documents and images. Make sure you backup your individual files regularly.

Restore your computer 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  System Tools  System Restore from the menu.

Figure 10-14: Undo a previous restore or select a new restore point from the System Restore window.

The System Restore window appears. 2. Click Next. The System Restore window lists available restore points. Select a restore point that was created before you noticed the problem. 3. Select a restore point and click Next. The “Confirm your restore point” screen appears. 4. Click Finish to restore your computer. Windows displays a warning telling you that System Restore cannot be interrupted. 5. Click Yes. The System Restore dialog box appears and your computer restarts.

Figure 10-15: System Restore lists restore points with the time and date of their creation as well as a description.

When you log in to your computer, Windows displays a message informing you that System Restore was successful. 6. Click Close. Tips 

If the problem is not resolved, open System Restore and undo the restore or select another restore point.

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Figure 10-16: When you restart your computer, a message appears letting you know that System Restore was successful.

Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer Create a restore point Your computer creates restore points at regular intervals and whenever Windows detects the beginning of a change to your computer (such as installing a new program). However, you can create restore points manually. Tips 

It’s a good idea to create a restore point before you install new software on your computer. This lets you restore the computer to a time before the installation program was downloaded.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the System and Security category and click the System category. The System window appears.

Figure 10-17: The System Properties dialog box.

3. Click the System protection link on the sidebar. The System Properties dialog box appears. 4. Click the Create button. The System Protection window appears. 5. Type a description in the Create a restore point text box and click Create. The System Protection window appears. A message appears when the restore point is created successfully. 6. Click Close. The restore point saved on your computer. Trap: Restore points are saved until the disk space System Restore reserves is full. At that point, old restore points are deleted as new restore points are created.

Figure 10-18: Name your restore point so you remember why you created it.


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Turning Windows Features On or Off Windows features are programs included with your computer that enhance its capabilities. You’re probably familiar with at least one Windows feature: Games. But Windows includes many other useful features. You can easily turn features on or off as needed in the Windows Features dialog box.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand how to turn Windows features on and off.

Tips 

Turning off a Windows feature does not uninstall it. The feature remains on your computer’s hard drive so you can easily turn it on again.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Programs category and click the Turn Windows features on or off link under Programs and Features. The Windows Features dialog box appears. Tip: If you do not have administrative rights on the computer, the User Account Control dialog box prompts you to enter an administrator user name and password. 3. To turn on a feature, select its check box. To turn off a feature, clear its check box. After making your selections, confirm the changes in Windows. 4. Click OK. The Microsoft Windows dialog box appears. You may have to wait while Windows configures your changes. After the changes have been configured, the Microsoft Windows dialog box asks you to restart the computer. 5. Click the Restart Now button. Your computer restarts, and the changes take effect. Tip: If you want to restart your computer later, click the Restart Later button. Table 10-7: Windows Features describes these features. Because many of these features are intended for developers, most users should not need to change the default settings.

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Figure 10-19: The Windows Features dialog box. If a check box is filled in, only part of the feature is turned on, as in the highlighted example.


Developer Features

Common Features

Table 10-7: Windows Features Games

Lists all games in Windows, including Internet games.

Indexing Service

Locates, indexes, and updates documents to provide full-text searching.

Internet Explorer 8

Adds or removes Internet Explorer from the Start menu and taskbar.

Media Features

Adds or removes Windows DVD Maker, Windows Media Center, and Windows Media Player.

Print and Document Services

Enables the features associated with printer and scanner sharing.

Tablet PC Components

Adds or removes the tablet PC components from the Start menu.

Telnet Client

Adds or removes the Telnet client. Telnet is a text-based program that allows you to connect to another computer using the Internet.

Windows Search

Allows you to search the contents of your computer.

XPS Services

Allows you to set permissions for and digitally sign XML Paper Specification (XPS) files.

XPS Viewer

Allows you to search for and view XPS files.

Internet Information Services

Includes Web and FTP support, along with support for transactions, active server pages, and database connections.

Internet Information Services Hostable Web Core

Allows you to host IIS core in your own process and serve hyptertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests.

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1

Provides a software framework as well as a library of solutions to common programming problems.

Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) Server

Enables a fast store-and-forward service that lets applications running at different times to communicate offline.

RAS Connection Manager Administrator Kit (CMAK)

Lets you create a custom installation package for VPN access.

Remote Differential Compression

Synchronizes data with a remote source using compression techniques to minimize the amount of data sent across a network.

RIP Listener

Monitors a network for updates sent by routers that use the Routing Information Protocol version 1 (RIPv1).

Services for NFS

Enables your computer to share files with UNIX/LINUX computers using the Network File System (NFS) protocol.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

Lets you manage and configure network computers from a centrally located computer rather than running network management software.

Simple TCPIP services (i.e. echo, daytime etc)

Installs the basic TCP/IP services such as echo, daytime, quote, chargen, and discard.

Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications

Installs a source-compatibility subsystem for compiling and running UNIX-based applications and scripts in Windows.

Telnet Server

Installs a Telnet server on your computer. Turning on this feature without properly configuring it could pose a significant security risk.

TFTP Client

Installs a TFTP client that you can use to download and upload files to and from a TFTP server.

Windows Gadget Platform

Provides a platform to develop Windows 7 gadgets.

Windows Process Activation Service

Manages the activation and lifetime of the worker process that contain applications that host Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services.

Windows TIFF IFilter

Allows you to search the content of Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) files.


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Using Windows Update


Microsoft is constantly making improvements to the Windows operating system, and they provides these updates to users through Windows Update. By default, Windows Update downloads and installs these updates on your computer automatically. These updates can improve performance, privacy, security, and reliability.

• Exercise: Understand how Windows Update can improve your computer’s security and performance. Turn on automatic updating.

Tips 



There are three types of Windows Updates: Important, Recommended, and Optional. Read Table 10-8: Types of Windows Updates for more information about each type.

Table 10-8: Types of Windows Updates Important

Updates that improve your computer’s security, privacy, and reliability. Windows Update can automatically install these updates or notify you when such updates are available. These updates are critical for your computer’s health and performance.

Recommended

Updates that enhance your computer, but do not address critical issues. You can choose to have Windows Update treat these updates the same as Important updates or you can download these manually as you do with Optional updates.

Optional

These updates include drivers, language packs, or new software from Microsoft to enhance your computing experience. These updates cannot be downloaded and installed automatically.

You must be connected to the Internet to use Windows Update.

Turn automatic updating on or off Windows configures your computer to receive certain updates automatically. However, you can control the settings for automatic updating and choose how updates are delivered. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the System and Security category and click the Turn automatic updating on or off link under the Windows Update category. The Change settings window appears. There are four ways to receive updates:  Install updates automatically: Installs all important and recommended updates without notifying you. You can schedule how often and when Windows downloads and installs these updates. This is the default setting and is recommended to keep your computer running at its best.  Download updates but let me choose to install them: Notifies you after updates have been downloaded so that you can review and install them.  Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them: Notifies you when updates are available so you can you review the updates and choose whether or not to download them.  Never check for updates: Select this option if you want to manually check for, download, and install updates. This setting is not recommended.

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Figure 10-20: Configure Windows Update to notify you or install updates automatically.

Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer Trap: If scheduled updates occur when your computer is offline, Windows checks for updates the next time you turn on your computer if it is connected to the Internet. 3. Click the Important updates list arrow, select an option, and click OK. If you configured Windows Update to notify you before installing or downloading updates, the Windows Update icon will display when updates are available in the notification area of the taskbar.

Install Optional updates Even though Windows does not automatically download Optional updates, you should still manually check for, download, and install them often. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the System and Security category and click Check for updates under the Windows Update category. The Windows Update window appears and displays how many of each type of update (Important, Recommended, Optional) are available.

Figure 10-21: You can check for updates at any time using the Windows Update window.

3. Click the link for the updates you’d like to review. The “Select updates to install” window appears. The updates listed depend on the type of update you selected. Tip: To learn more about an update, click it and a brief description appears in the right pane of the window. 4. Select the update(s) you want to install and click OK. The Windows Update window appears, displaying a brief summary of the selected updates. 5. Click the Install updates button. Windows begins installing the selected updates. Some software updates may require you to accept terms of use. 6. If necessary, accept the terms and click the Next button. When you get to the last set of terms, click the Finish button. Windows notifies when the updates are installed.

Figure 10-22: Windows Updates can include new drivers, language packs, and software.


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Setting Default Programs


Your computer may have several programs that run the same files. For example, both Windows Media Player and iTunes play .mp3 files. But if you open a file, your computer only opens it in one program. This is because each type of file is set to open in a certain program by default.

• Exercise: Understand the difference between setting a program as default for all file types and setting a program as default for a specific file type.

A default program opens a particular file type. Windows has already assigned default programs for every file type, but you can change these defaults anytime using the Default Programs window.

Set a program as default for all file types The easiest way to change program defaults is to let a specific program open every file type it can. For example, an image could be a JPEG, an PNG, a BMP, or a GIF file. If you want to open all images in the same program, no matter what type of file, set that program as default. 1. Click the Start button and select Default Programs from the menu. The Default Programs window appears. 2. Click the Set your default programs link. The Set Default Programs window appears and lists programs on your computer. 3. Select a program from the list. Two options appear in the Set Default Programs window:

Figure 10-23: The Set Default Programs window displays a list of programs and allows you to set defaults for a whole program or for specific file types.

 Set this program as default: The program will open all file types it supports.  Choose the defaults for this program: Specify which file types a program should open. 4. Select the option you wish to use and click OK. The program is set as default for all supported file types.

Figure 10-24: Associate a specific file type with a program in the Set Associations window.

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Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer Set a program as default for specific file types Some programs, like media players, open many types of files. Perhaps you want to open videos in Windows Media Player, but you want to open any other media files in iTunes. The Set Associations window lets you associate a specific file type with a program. Tips 

Use these steps if a program is not listed in the Set Default Programs window.

1. Click the Start button and select Default Programs from the menu. The Default Programs window appears. 2. Click the Associate a file type or protocol with a program link. The Set Associations window appears listing all possible file types. 3. Select a file type from the list and click the Change Program button. The Open with dialog box appears, displaying all the programs that can open that specific file type. 4. Select a program and click OK.

Figure 10-25: The programs displayed in the Open with dialog box depend on the file type.

The selected program can open that file type.


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Scheduling Tasks


Remembering to run all of the maintenance tasks for Windows is a hassle. Use the Task Scheduler to run these tasks automatically at any time, day or night. 1. Click the Start button and select All Programs  Accessories  System Tools  Task Scheduler from the menu.

• Exercise: Understand how to schedule a task using the Task Scheduler.

Navigation pane

Summary pane

Actions pane

The Task Scheduler appears. Tip: The Summary pane lists tasks that are scheduled on your computer. 2. Click Create Basic Task in the Actions pane. The Create Basic Task Wizard appears. Other Ways to Create a Basic Task: Click Action and select Create Basic Task from the menu. 3. Type the task’s name and description and click Next. The Task Trigger screen appears. A task trigger determines when a task will occur. You can have a task trigged by a scheduled time or you could have a task trigged by a specific event, such as turning on your computer. See Table 10-9: Task Triggers for more information about each trigger. 4. Select a trigger and click Next. The screen to configure trigger criteria appears. The screen that appears depends on the trigger you selected. For example, if you selected Monthly, you would enter the day and time the task should occur on this screen.

Figure 10-26: The Actions pane of the Task Scheduler displays several options for scheduling tasks.

Table 10-9: Task Triggers Daily

Schedule a task to occur once a day. Specify the date the task starts, the time it starts, and how often it recurs.

Weekly

Schedule a task to occur once a week. Specify the date the task starts, the time it starts, how many weeks it should recur, and the day of the week on which it should recur

Monthly

Schedule a task to occur once a month. Specify the date the task starts, the time it starts, and the months and days it should recur.

One time

Schedule a task to occur once. Specify the date and time for the task to occur.

When the computer starts

Schedule a task to occur when you start your computer. You do not need to specify anything else.

When I log on

Schedule a task to occur when your user account lots on to the computer. You do not need to specify anything else.

When a specific event is logged

Schedule a task to occur when specific event entries are added to an event log. Specify the log, the source, and the Event ID.

5. Select trigger criteria and click Next. The Action screen appears. There are three types of actions:  Start a program: Run a program automatically.  Send an e-mail: Send an e-mail to users.  Display a message: Display a message on this computer. 6. Select an action and click Next. Depending on the action selected, the Start a Program, Send an E-mail, or Display a Message screen appears.

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Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer On each screen, configure the settings for each action:  Start a Program screen: Click the Browse button to search for a program.  Send an E-mail screen: Specify who the e-mail is to, who the e-mail is from, the subject of the email, any attachments to the-mail, and the SMTP server from which the e-mail should be sent.  Display a Message screen: Type the message that you want displayed. 7. Select the settings for the action and click Next. The Summary screen appears. 8. Review the summary and click Finish.

Select the program you want to run on the Start a Program screen.

You have scheduled a task. Tips 

Task Scheduler is a very powerful tool that can also schedule scripts, batch jobs, and background processes.

Type an e-mail and specify who to send it to on the Send an Email screen.

Type a message to display on the Display a Message screen.

Figure 10-27: You can configure settings for each action on its screen.


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Running Older Programs in Windows XP Mode You want your software to work no matter which version of Windows you use. If you are using software created for Windows XP or earlier, you might find that it doesn’t work as well in Windows 7. Before you buy new software, use the Program Compatibility troubleshooter to resolve the issue.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Understand Online lesson thefile. Program Compatibility troubleshooter.

Tips 

Visit the software manufacturer’s Web site before using the Program Compatibility troubleshooter. Manufacturers may provide upgrade instructions as well as downloads (either for free or for purchase).



Use Windows Update to make sure your Windows 7 software and drivers are current.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Programs category and click the Run programs made for previous versions of Windows link under the Programs and Features category. The Program Compatibility troubleshooter appears. 3. Click Next. The Program Compatibility troubleshooter appears, listing the programs installed on your computer. Tip: If a program is not listed, select Not Listed and click Next. You can browse to specific file locations on the next screen. 4. Select a program and click Next. The Program Compatibility troubleshooter displays two options for changing the program settings:  Try recommended settings: The Program Compatibility troubleshooter examines the program and recommends settings. Use this option if you do not know what settings will affect the program.  Troubleshoot program: If you know the specific compatibility issue, you can change the settings manually. See the settings that can be changed in Table 10-10: Program Compatibility Settings.

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Figure 10-28: In the Program Compatibility troubleshooter, select a program from the list of installed programs or select Not Listed to browse to unlisted programs.

Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer 5. Select the Try recommended settings option. The “Test compatibility settings for the program” screen appears. The Program Compatibility troubleshooter tells you the settings it has applied.

Table 10-10: Program Compatibility Settings Compatibility Mode

Use settings from a previous version of Windows to run the program. This setting is useful if you know a program worked in a specific previous version of Windows.

Run in 256 colors

Older programs might use fewer colors. Select this setting to use a limited set of colors in the program.

Run in 640 x 480 screen resolution

Older programs were designed to run on smaller screens. This setting runs the program in a smaller window, which is perfect if you notice problems viewing the program.

Disable visual themes

If you see problems with menus or buttons on the program’s title bar, select this setting. It disables themes on the program.

Disable desktop composition

Windows 7 includes advanced display features that may cause program windows to move erratically or display improperly. This setting disables those advanced features for the program.

Disable display scaling on high DPI settings

Large-scale fonts help you read your screen, but they may affect how older programs display. This setting turns off automatic resizing of programs if large-scale font size is being used.

Privilege level

Some programs may only work for users with administrative rights. If you are currently logged on the computer as an administrator, you can run a program using those rights. This setting is unavailable if you are not an administrator.

Change settings for all users

Lets you select settings that will apply to all users on this computer.

6. Click the Start the program button. The User Account Control dialog box appears confirming the changes to the computer. Tip: If you do not have administrative rights on the computer, the dialog box prompts you to enter an administrator user name and password. 7. Click Yes. Test the program to see if the problem is resolved. 8. Select the Program Compatibility troubleshooter and click Next. Once you’ve tested the program, select one of the three following options:  Yes, save these settings for this program: Select this option if the program worked when you tested it.  No, try again using different settings: Select this option if the program did not work when you tested it. The Program Compatibility troubleshooter can help you diagnose the problem and suggest solutions.  No, report the problem to Microsoft and check online for a solution: Select this option if you have already tried using different settings, and the program still does not work. 9. Select an option and follow the instructions to complete the Program Compatibility troubleshooter. Click Close. Tips 

You can manually troubleshoot compatibility issues without the Program Compatibility troubleshooter. Right-click the program’s icon on the desktop, select Properties from the contextual menu, click the Compatibility tab, and select the settings you want to change.


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Optimizing and Maintaining Your Computer Review Quiz Questions 104. Windows only installs software from a CD or DVD. (True or False?) 105. Which of the following is not a way to remove software from your computer? A. Open the program and type Uninstall somewhere. B. Click the Start button, select Control Panel from the menu, click the Uninstall a program link, select the program you want to remove, and click the Uninstall button. C. Click the Start button, select the program’s menu group, and select Uninstall Program if it appears. D. Follow the uninstall directions included in the documentation that came with the software.

106. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. You can shut down a frozen program using the Windows Task Manager. B. When you shut down a frozen program, you automatically save everything you were doing in that program. C. When a program has a status of Not Responding in the Windows Task Manager, the program is frozen. D. You can summon the Windows Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar and selecting Start Task Manager from the contextual menu.

107. Which of these is not a power plan included in Windows? A. Eco-friendly B. High performance C. Balanced D. Power saver

108. When you check your disk for errors, you must always repair the errors. (True or False?) 109. How does disk defragmenting help your computer? A. It breaks up large files into smaller parts so your computer can read them faster. B. It consolidates fragmented e-mail attachments into one large file. C. It improves your computer’s performance by putting fragmented files back together in one place. D. It organizes your fragmented Word files.

110. When you remove files using Disk Cleanup, those files are moved to the Recycle Bin. (True or False?) 111. System Restore changes system settings and files without affecting your individual files. (True or False?) 112. When you turn off a Windows feature, what happens? A. The feature is uninstalled. B. The feature is turned off but remains on your computer’s hard disk. C. Windows 7 is immediately uninstalled. D. You cannot turn off Windows features.

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113. You can set which of the following as Windows Update notification update options? A. Install updates automatically B. Download updates but let me choose to install them C. Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them D. All of the above

114. You can designate a program to open specific file types. (True or False?) 115. Which of the following is NOT a task trigger? A. Yearly B. Monthly C. Weekly D. Daily

116. Use the Program Compatibility troubleshooter to fix problems with problems designed for previous versions of Windows. (True or False?)

Quiz Answers 104. False. You can install software downloaded from the Internet. 105. A. You cannot uninstall a program by typing Uninstall anywhere in the program. 106. B. If you shut a frozen program down using Windows Task Manager, the program does not automatically save the information you just entered. It will only save the information you most recently saved.

107. A. Windows does not include a power plan called Eco-friendly. 108. False. You can turn off the Automatically fix file system errors option to get a list of file system errors. 109. C. It improves your computer’s performance by putting fragmented files back together in one place. 110. False. When you remove a file using Disk Cleanup, you permanently delete the file. 111. True. System Restore changes system settings and files without affecting your individual files. 112. B. When you turn off a Windows feature, it remains on your hard disk. 113. D. All of the above. 114. True. You can designate a program to open specific file types. 115. A. Yearly is not a task trigger. 116. True. The Program Compatibility troubleshooter helps you resolve problems with programs designed for previous versions of Windows.


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Networ king with W indows 7 Understanding Networks ................................ 195 How networking works ........................... 195 Types of networks .................................. 195 Benefits of networking ........................... 195 Browsing a Network ........................................ 196 Mapping a Network Drive................................ 197 Connecting to a Network Printer ................... 199 Connecting to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) ........................................................................... 201 Set up a VPN connection ...................... 201 Connect to a VPN .................................. 202 Using HomeGroup ........................................... 203 Create a homegroup .............................. 203 Join a homegroup .................................. 204 Sharing Files and Folders............................... 205

11 A network is a group of computers that are connected so that they can share equipment and information. Networks make working and sharing information between computers faster and easier. Many workplaces have them, and home users can set them up if they have multiple computers in their home. Networking is an enormous topic— network engineers must pass tests that are every bit as difficult as a CPA or bar exam. This chapter won’t make you a Microsoft Certified System Professional, but it will explain how to perform several common networking tasks, such as how to browse the network, connect to a network printer, share files and folders on your computer with other users on the network, and connect to a private network while away from your desk. We’ll leave the more complicated networking tasks for your network administrator.


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Networking with Windows 7

Understanding Networks


What exactly is a network? A network is a connected collection of computers, printers, and other devices. When the network is created, computers and devices can communicate with each other and share information and resources such as files and printers.

• Exercise: Define a network and explain the benefits of networking computers and devices.

How networking works A network router (or a switch or a hub) connects computers together on a network. Computers can connect to the router in one of two ways: they can be connected to the router using Ethernet cables, or they can be connected wirelessly. The router links the computers together so they can share information. The router can also connect to a modem to provide an Internet connection to all the computers on the network.

Router: The router links all the computers on the network together.

Types of networks Networks are classified by how the computers connect— do they connect directly to each other (peer-to-peer) or do they connect through a central computer (client/server)? 



Peer-to-peer (Workgroups) In a peer-to-peer network, everyone stores their files on their own computer. Anyone on the network can access files stored on any other computer. Client/server (Domains) In a client/server network, everyone stores their files on a central computer called a server. Everyone on the network can access the files stored on the server.

Benefits of networking So what are the benefits of networking? There are plenty: 

Share information: You can save a file or folder onto a network and anyone with a network connection can view that information.



Share equipment: Computers connected to a network can share equipment, such as printers, to reduce costs.



Network software: Software designed for networks lets people send and receive e-mail, schedule meetings, and share databases with others on the network.

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Modem: The router connects to a modem, and the modem provides Internet access.

Your office computer is connected to a router.

Your colleague’s computer is also connected to the router.

Figure 11-1: Networks connect devices—including computers, modems, and printers—to one another.


Browsing a Network


Networking computers allows you to share information, such as files and programs, with other people on your network. You can take advantage of the information sharing by browsing the network.

• Exercise: View the computers on your network. If possible, open up a file on another computer.

Once you find the network folder you want to explore, browsing through files and folders on the network is exactly like browsing your own computer. 1. Click the Start button and select Computer from the menu. The Computer window appears. Other Ways to Browse the Network: Open the Control Panel. Click the Network and Internet category and click the View network computers and devices link. Double-click the device you want to browse.

Figure 11-2: You can browse through devices and computers connected to your network.

2. Click Network in the Navigation pane. The computers and devices on the network appear in the window. 3. Double-click the computer you want to browse. The folders available on the computer are listed. Now you can browse the folders and files on the network computer just as you would on your own computer. Tips 

Just because you can view a file or folder doesn’t mean you can make changes. Table 11-1: Network Permissions lists the permissions a network administrator can grant users.

Figure 11-3: You can use the network to access folders and files that are saved on other computers in the network.

Table 11-1: Network Permissions Full Control

You can see the contents of a file or folder, change existing files and folders, create new files and folders, and run programs in a folder.

Modify

You can change existing files and folders, but cannot create new ones.

Read and Execute

You can see the contents of existing files and folders and can run programs in a folder.

Read

You can see the contents of a folder and open files and folders.

Write

You can create new files and folders and make changes to existing files and folders


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Mapping a Network Drive


If you frequently access a specific network folder, you should consider mapping that network folder to a drive on your computer. Mapping a network drive creates a shortcut to the location so it is easily accessible in Windows Explorer and in the Open and Save dialog boxes of programs on your computer.

• Exercise: Map a location on your network to a drive on your computer.

1. Click the Start button and select Computer from the menu. The Computer window appears. 2. Click the Map network drive button on the toolbar.

Click the Map network drive button to map a drive on your computer.

The Map Network Drive dialog box appears. Other Ways to Map a Network Folder: Right-click the folder and select Map network drive from the contextual menu. First, specify the letter that signifies the drive and the folder you want to connect to here. 3. Click the Drive list arrow and select the letter you want to use to map the drive. Choose a letter that does not have a file path next to it. Drives with file paths next to them are already mapped. 4. Click the Browse button and select the network location you want to map.

Figure 11-4: The Computer window lists the drives that are mapped to your computer.

The file path for the folder to be mapped is shown in the Folder text box. Other Ways to Access the Network Location: Type the file path for the folder in the Folder text box. 5. (Optional) Select connection settings. There are two options for connection properties in this window:  Reconnect at logon: Connects your computer to the mapped drive every time you log on to your computer.  Connect using different credentials: Allows you to log on to a mapped drive with credentials not associated with your own computer. You would choose this option if you were mapping to a password-protected drive. 6. Click Finish. The network drive is mapped to your computer.

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Figure 11-5: The Map Network Drive dialog box.

Networking with Windows 7 Disconnect a network drive If you no longer need to be connected to a drive that you have mapped, you can disconnect it so it no longer appears in the Computer window. 1. Right-click the drive you want to disconnect and select Disconnect from the contextual menu. The drive disappears from the window.


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Connecting to a Network Printer

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Connect your computer to a network printer.

At work, you probably share one printer with several people. This is called network printing. Before you can take advantage of network printing, you need to connect your computer to a network printer. Tips 

You may be able to install a network printer by using the printer’s installation disk. The installation disk can install driver software and locate network printers. If that does not work, follow these steps.

1. Click the Start button and select Devices and Printers from the menu. The Devices and Printers window appears. Other Ways to Connect to a Network Printer: Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. Click the Hardware and Sound category and click the Add a Printer link. 2. Click the Add a printer button.

Figure 11-6: Use the Add Printer wizard to install network and local printers.

The Add Printer wizard appears. 3. Click the Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer link. A list of available network printers appears. Tip: If the printer you want isn’t listed, click the “The printer I want isn’t listed” link. The “Find a printer by name or TCP/IP address” screen appears. Use the available options to locate the printer. 4. Select the printer you want to add and click Next. 5. (Optional) Install additional printer software or drivers. Each printer’s driver software is required to make your computer and printer to communicate. This software may be available on the network, or you may also upload it from an installation disk. 6. (Optional) Type a name in the Name your printer text box. Most printers already have a name, so you may not need to type a name for the printer.

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Figure 11-7: The Add Printer wizard lists printers that are found on the network.

Networking with Windows 7 7. (Optional) Select the Do not share this printer option. This option makes the printer invisible to others on the network. Tip: If you are installing a network printer for the first time, you should select the “Share this printer so that others on your network can find and use it” option. 8. Click Finish to end the installation process. You have added the printer to your computer. Now, you can test the printer by printing a test page, or you can set this printer as the default printer for your computer. Tips 

You can view all the printers connected to your computer by clicking the Start button and selecting Devices and Printers from the menu. Figure 11-8: Choosing a printer driver in the Add Printer wizard.


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Connecting to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) A Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection allows you to connect to a private network remotely while keeping your folders and files secure. A VPN connection uses the Internet to communicate with the network along with additional tunnels and encryption to secure information sent through the VPN connection.

 Exercise • Exercise File: None required. • Exercise: Explain the difference between a VPN connection and a standard network connection. Connect your computer to your company’s VPN if you have one.

Set up a VPN connection Before you set up your VPN connection, talk with your network administrator to find out the information you need to connect. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Network and Internet category. 3. Click the Network and Sharing Center link.

Figure 11-9: The Set Up a Connection or Network window.

The Network and Sharing Center window appears. Other Ways to Open the Network and Sharing Center: Click the Internet Access icon in the taskbar notification area and click the Open Network and Sharing Center link. 4. Click the Set up a new connection or network link. The Set up a Connection or Network window appears. 5. Select Connect to a workplace and click Next. The Connect to a Workplace window appears. 6. Select the No, create a new connection option and click Next. Now tell the wizard how you want to connect to the VPN. There are two ways to do this:  Use my Internet connection (VPN): Enter the address of the VPN so that your computer connects to the VPN through the Internet.  Dial directly: Enter the phone number of the VPN so that your computer connects to it directly through the phone number.

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Figure 11-10: Choose how you want to connect to the VPN. This information should be provided to you by your network administrator.

Networking with Windows 7 7. Click the type of connection you want to create. The next window asks you to enter information depending on the type of connection you want to create, entering either the Internet address or the phone number of the VPN.

Current connections

8. Enter the Internet address or phone number of the VPN connection, and enter the name of the connection. Click Next.

VPN connections set up on your computer

Next, enter the user name and password you use to connect to your network. 9. Type in your network user name and password. There are two additional options that you can use to set up your connection:  Show characters: This option displays characters instead of bullets for your password.  Remember this password: This option remembers your password so you don’t have to enter it every time you connect to the VPN. 10. Click Create. The computer connects to the VPN.

Network icon

Figure 11-11: A list of networks connected to the computer.

When the connection is successful, the “You are connected” window appears.

Connect to a VPN After you’ve set up your VPN connection, you can connect to it any time you’re away from your office. Just follow these steps: 1. Click the Network icon in the notification area of the taskbar. A list of current connections and available connections appears. 2. Select your VPN network and click the Connect button. The Connect to VPN dialog box appears. If you asked your computer to save your password when you created your connection, you won’t need to enter it again here. Figure 11-12: The Connect VPN dialog box.

3. If necessary, enter your password. Click Connect. Your computer establishes a connection to the network and the VPN connection appears in the Network list.


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Using HomeGroup


In the past, networking computers required significant investments of knowledge, time, and money. In Windows 7, the HomeGroup feature allows you to create a network that shares files and printers quickly and easily.

• Exercise: Understand how the HomeGroup feature works. Identify situations where this feature would be useful in your computer use.

Create a homegroup A homegroup can only be created between computers that run on Windows 7. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Network and Internet category. Click the HomeGroup link. The HomeGroup wizard appears. 3. Click the Create a Homegroup button. The Create a Homegroup wizard appears.

Figure 11-13: If your computer does not detect a homegroup, it will prompt you to create one.

First, choose what you want to share with others in the homegroup. Include the libraries you want to share and exclude the libraries that you would like to keep private. 4. Make sure libraries you want to share are selected with a checkmark. Click Next. The homegroup password is displayed. You can click the “Print password and instructions” link to print the password so others can connect to the homegroup. 5. Click Finish. The homegroup is created. Figure 11-14: Choose which libraries you want to share with your homegroup.

Tips 

You can add computers that are part of a client/server (domain) network to a homegroup. These computers can view the files and folders on the homegroup, but they cannot share files or folders with the homegroup.



Only computers running Windows 7 can join a homegroup.

Figure 11-15: When you create a homegroup, Windows generates a password so others can join the homegroup.

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Networking with Windows 7 Join a homegroup Joining a homegroup is easy. Two things are required to join a homegroup: a computer that runs Windows 7, and “Home” as the network location setting. 1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the menu. The Control Panel appears. 2. Click the Network and Internet category and click the HomeGroup link. If you are in a Home network location that already has a homegroup, Windows will automatically detect that homegroup and ask if you want to join. Trap: Make sure that you set your network location to home to join a homegroup. 3. Click the Join Now button. The Join a Homegroup wizard appears. 4. Select the libraries you would like to share with others in the homegroup and click Next. Now you can enter the password for the homegroup. This information should be given to you by someone already connected to the homegroup. Tip: You can view the homegroup password from any computer that has joined the homegroup. Click the Start button and select the Control Panel from the menu. Click the Network and Internet category and click the HomeGroup link. Click the View or print the homegroup password link.

Figure 11-16: When you join a homegroup, it appears in the Navigation pane.

5. Type the homegroup password and click Next. You have joined the homegroup. Each homegroup user’s libraries are now available in the Navigation pane of Windows Explorer. Tips 

On computers with multiple accounts, only one account has to join the homegroup for the computer to be connected to the homegroup.



Leave a homegroup by clicking the Leave HomeGroup link in the HomeGroup wizard.


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Sharing Files and Folders

 Exercise • Exercise File: Birthday announcement.rtf

The easiest way to share files and folders is by saving them to a network drive or location that is accessible to everyone on the network.

• Exercise: Share the Birthday announcement.rtf with someone else on your network. The user should be able to read the document but not make changes.

But you can also share files and folders that are saved on your computer. This method of sharing lets you share files and folders that are saved on your computer with specific individuals or homegroups. You can share files with people in your workgroup or domain, or people in your homegroup. 1. Select the file or folder you want to share. The file or folder should be saved on your computer; you cannot share files and folders that are already on a network. 2. Click the Share with button on the toolbar and select Specific People from the menu. The File Sharing wizard appears. Other Ways to Share Files: Right-click the file or folder and select Share with  Specific People from the contextual menu. 3. Click the list arrow and select the person with whom you want to share the file. Or, if you already know the name of the person you want to share with, enter it in the text box. The user’s name appears in the list. Once the user is added, you can control the level of access the users have to the shared item. Refer to Table 11-2: Permissions Levels for information on the permissions you can assign to a user.

Figure 11-17: The Share with menu.

Table 11-2: Permissions Levels Owner

Indicates the person who created the file and who determines permissions.

Read

Allows you to view the contents of a folder and open files and folders, but not make changes.

Read/write

Allows you to view and change folders and files.

4. Click Add. The name is added to the list of people and groups that can share the file or folder. Once the name is added to the share list, you can control the permission level. Refer to Table 11-2: Permissions Levels for information on the permissions you can assign to a user. 5. Point to the permission level column, click the list arrow and select a permission level from the list. The permission level is now set. Trap: Giving a user Read/write access to a file also gives that user Read/write access to the folder that the file is in.

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Figure 11-18: Share files and folders with homegroups or specific individuals.

Networking with Windows 7 6. Click Share. Now you can let other people know that you have shared a file or folder with them. There are two ways to do this:  E-mail: Generate an e-mail with a link to the shared item that you can send to the person(s) you are sharing the file with.  Copy and Paste: Copy the path to the clipboard so you can paste the path into any program. When you’re finished sharing the file, you can close the File Sharing wizard. 7. Click Done. The wizard closes. Tips 

If you are trying to share a file or folder that is saved on a network location, you will not see the Share with button. The file or folder is already being shared through the network.



You can also share a file or folder by moving it to the Public library of your computer.



To stop sharing a file or folder, select the file or folder you want to stop sharing. Click the Share with button on the toolbar and select Nobody from the menu.

Figure 11-19: From the File Sharing wizard, you can either e-mail the link to a file or copy and paste the link into another program.


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Networ king with W indows 7 Review Quiz Questions 117. All networks must be connected by cables. (True or False)? 118. Which of these is a benefit of networking? A. Sharing resources B. Using network software C. Sharing equipment D. All of the above

119. You can only network to other computers. (True or False?) 120. Mapping a network drive does which of the following? A. Draws a graphical representation of all the network devices your computer is connected to. B. Allows you to control the order of each network folder that you access on your computer. C. Assigns a drive letter to a network folder. D. Shares folders and files with other users.

121. Networking printers means that each person to have their own printer. (True or False?) 122. What is a VPN connection? A. A program that helps you network your computers. B. A connection which uses the Internet to communicate securely with the network. C. A home network that you set up yourself. D. Any password protected network location.

123. When you share a file or folder with someone, there are three permission levels you can assign. Which of these is NOT a permission level A. Owner B. Master C. Read D. Read/write

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Quiz Answers 117. False. Networks can be connected through cables or wireless signals. 118. D. All of the above 119. False. You can network to any device on the network, including printers. 120. C. Assigns a drive letter to a network folder. 121. False. Network printing allows multiple users to share one printer. 122. B. A connection which uses the Internet to communicate securely with the network. 123. B. Master is not a permission level you can assign when sharing a file or folder


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