Introduction to Computers and the Windows Operating System

1. Introduction to Computers and the Windows Operating System Part 2 Instructor: Shayna Keces 236-0302, ext. 441 February 2004

2. Agenda • Handling files • Using Windows Explorer • Saving files • Opening files • Deleting files • Creating shortcuts • Hard drive maintenance • Appendix -- customizing your desktop • Further study

3. Handling files • Organized hierarchy • My Documents (equivalent of filing cabinet) • Folders (drawers) (eg. House related items) • Subfolders (folders within drawer, eg. Letters) • Documents (eg. letter to landlord)

4. Windows Explorer • Open from “Programs” menu or right click on “Start” button or “My Computer” and click on Explore • Left-hand pane is hierarchical organization of your computer (includes folders only, no files) • + means subfolders are available under heading • - means all folders have been displayed • Right-hand pane lists all folder or files of the highlighted folder

5. Saving Files • Saving files for first time is “Save as” • “Save” will save previously saved item in same place as before wiping out original • When saving a file always remember to check that “Save in” box is correct, (i.e. my documents) • Failure to change to correct folder can make it difficult to find file when needed

6. Hands on practice • Open Internet Explorer and try to save the page on your “C” drive in a folder called “Internet Pages” inside the “My Documents Folder. • Press on down arrow beside the “Save in” box to reveal the menu • Click on “C”drive • Double click on My documents Folder in the big white box underneath the “Save In” box so that it appears in “Save in” box

7. Hands on practice cont. • Click on icon for Create New folder • Type “Internet pages” • Double click on folder labeled “Internet pages” so that “Internet pages” appears in “Save in” box • Click on Box entitled “File Name” • Erase what’s there and type “Sample page” • Click on “Save” button

8. Opening files • Put cursor on word “File” in file menu and click. Move down the drop-down menu to “Open” and click • If you do not get the Dialog box with the “Look in” box in it, click on the box labeled “Browse” • Make sure you have the correct folder in the “Look in” box and file should appear in the big white box below the “Look in” box • You can also open a file by finding it in Windows Explorer and double clicking on it

9. Hands on practice • Open the web page you saved, using Windows Explorer • Open Windows Explorer by right clicking on “Start” button and select “Explore” • On the left pane, select “C” drive by clicking it • The content of the C drive will be displayed on the right pane • Double click on the folder “My documents”

10. Hands on practice cont. • Double click on the folder Internet pages • Double click on the file with the “Internet Explorer” icon to open the web page

11. Deleting files • Deleting files must be done from a place where a file can be highlighted (eg. Windows Explorer or the big white box when you are opening or saving files) • Highlight the file you want to delete and press the delete key. • You can also, if your screen is not taking up the whole screen left click on the file and drag it to the recycle bin.

12. Hands on practice • Delete the web page you saved from the “C” drive • Close Internet Explorer • In Windows Explorer, highlight the file you wish to delete if it’s not already highlighted • Press delete on the keyboard and click yes to delete the file

13. Creating Shortcuts • A shortcut is a pointer to a file or program on your hard drive • A shortcut can be identified by an arrow in the icon • Shortcuts can be deleted without deleting the original program • To create a shortcut, open Windows Explorer

14. Creating Shortcuts, cont • Find the file or program you want to make a shortcut for and click on it once to highlight it. • Then right click on the item and select “Copy” • Next open the folder where you want to put the shortcut and right click again. • Highlight and click on “Paste Shortcut”

15. Hands on practice • Open Windows Explorer • In the left hand pane: • Click on the + sign in front of the “C” drive • Click on the + sign in front of “Program Files” • Double-click on the “Accessories” Folder • In the right hand pane: • Right-click on the icon Mspaint • Left-click on “Copy”

16. Hands on Practice cont. • In the left-hand pane click on Desktop (on the right you will see the contents of the Desktop) • Right-click in the right-hand pane and left click on “Paste Shortcut” • Minimize Windows Explorer and you will see you have added a shortcut for Paint to your Desktop

17. Hard Drive Maintenance • Monthly scan of your hard drive • Checks your drive for bad segments and marks them so that hard drive does not try to save things there • Monthly or semi-annual defragmentation • Checks to make different parts of same file are not stored in different places on hard drive (happens when files are resaved many times) in order to improve performance of hard drive

18. Step By Step • Double-click on “My Computer” • Right-click on the “C” drive • Click on Properties • Click on folder labeled “Tools” • Click on “Check now” under “Error-checking Status” (Will take a few minutes) • Click on “Defragment Now” under “Defragmentation status” (Will take at least an hour and maybe longer)

19. Customizing Your Desktop • Windows allows you to make adjustments to your desktop • Double-click on the icon “My Computer” • Double-click on the icon “Control Panel” • Double-click on the icon “Display” • Allows you to change background and screen saver • Allows you to fool around with the colours for your window panes and bars (be very careful with changes to this, as you may have to live with it

20. Customizing Your Desktop cont. • Settings is where you change the number of colours and size of screen (usually set to optimize your monitor but some programs may require you to change the settings).

21. Changing Your Background/Wallpaper • Click on the “Background” tab • On left side is pattern that you can use instead of the standard green • You can also use any other picture by saving it as bmp (bitmap) file in the Windows folder on the “C” drive • Scan it or take it from internet and save it using “Paint” program • Can save as bitmap directly if you have a graphics program that will do it. • Can usually use right click to save as wallpaper immediately if do not need to edit.

22. Hands on practice • Go to Altavista (www.altavista.com) • Select images tab • Enter a search term in Find box • Select picture size (Wide wallpaper, -800X600) • Right click on picture • Left click on Set as Background

23. Adding a Screen Saver • A screen saver produces a constantly moving screen after a computer has been idle for a certain amount of time to prevent a single image from burning itself onto the screen • To access screensavers available, click on tab that says “Screen Saver” • Then click on down arrow in box under the title “Screen Saver”

24. Adding a Screen Saver, cont. • Choose the screen saver you prefer (You can see how it will look on your screen by clicking on the Preview button) To exit Preview just move your mouse. • You can adjust the amount of time it will take for the screen saver to be implemented by clicking on the up and down arrows in the box beside the word “Wait”

25. Further Study - Books • Russ, Walter. The secret guide to computers : the world's top-rated computer tutorial 004.16 W233 2001 • Gookin, Dan. PCs for dummies 004.16 G659pc 1998 • Microsoft Windows 98 step by step 005.4469 W5cat2 • Maran, Ruth. Windows 98 simplified 005.4469 W5mar6 • Ericksen, Linda. Quick simple Microsoft Windows 98 005.4469 W5er

26. Further Study - Videos • Microsoft Windows 98 video tutorial [videorecording] V005.4469 W5n • Learning Microsoft Windows 98 [videorecording] V005.4469 W5Lp • Teach yourself Windows 95/98 [videorecording] V005.4469 W5vi • Working with Windows 95. Volume 1. Getting to know the new Windows environment [videorecording] V005.4469 W5v1 Volume 3. Managing your documents [videorecording] V005.4469 W5v3

27. Further Study – Internet Sites • Using Windows 98 http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/usingwindows/default.asp • Using computers http://www.elmlane.com/usingcomputers/index.asp • Windows help www.plugandwork.com/Help/Windows_Help.htm • How to use Windows Explorer http://www.learnthat.com/courses/computer/windows/explorer.shtml