All Windows operations take place on the desktop. The Start button, as its name suggests, is where you begin. Online help is accessed by clicking the Help command from the Start button. The bar that resides on the desktop which includes the Start button is called the taskbar.

The mouse is essential to Windows and has four basic actions: pointing, clicking (with the left or right button), double clicking, and dragging. The mouse pointer assumes different shapes according to the nature of the current action

Every window contains the same basic elements, which include a title bar, a minimize button, a maximize or restore button, and a close button. Other elements that may be present include a menu bar, vertical and/or horizontal scroll bars, a status bar, and a toolbar.

A dialog box supplies information needed to execute a command. Option buttons indicate mutually exclusive choices, one of which must be chosen. Check boxes are used if the choices are not mutually exclusive or if an option is not required. A text box supplies descriptive information. A (drop-down or open) list box displays multiple choices, any of which may be selected. A tabbed dialog box provides access to multiple sets of option.

The first (often only) floppy drive on a system is designed as drive A. The first (often only) hard disk is drive C regardless of whether there are one or two floppy drives. Additional hard drives and/or the CD-ROM drives are labeled from D on.

A file is a collection of characters stored and named as a unit. A file name can contain up to 255 characters in length and may include spaces and other punctuation. Files are stored in folders to better organize the hundreds (or thousands) of files on a disk. A folder may contain program files, data files, and/or other folders.

The most basic way to locate a specific file or folder is to use My Computer, which opens a new window for each successive folder. The Windows Explorer is a more sophisticated tool that displays a hierarchical view of the entire system in a single window. Note that the file system is organized like a family tree.

The Delete command deletes (removes) a file from a disk. If, however, the file was deleted from a hard disk, it is not really gone, but moved instead to the Recycle Bin from where it can subsequently recovered. You can then either delete the file from the recycle bin to totally remove it from your computer or restore the file back to its original location!

1. Double-click My Computer.

2. Double-click the drive that contains the file.

3. Double-click the file or folder you want to open.

1. Click Start, and then point to Documents.

2. Click the document you want to open.

Note

Some programs cannot add files to the Documents menu. If the document you want to open is not listed, click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders. Use the Find dialog box to locate the program file.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the file or folder you want to copy.

2. On the Edit menu, click Copy.

                Alternatively, use the copy button on the toolbar.

                Alternatively, use the keyboard combination Ctrl and C.

                Alternatively, right click the file or folder and select the command Copy.

3. Open the folder or disk where you want to put the copy.

4. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

                Alternatively, use the paste button on the toolbar.

                Alternatively, use the keyboard combination Ctrl and V.

                Alternatively, right click the file or folder and select the command Paste.

Notes

To select more than one file or folder to copy, hold down the CTRL key (for consecutive elements hold the SHIFT key between clicking the first one and the last one), then click the items you want.

To select a folder in the left pane of Windows Explorer, click the folder.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the file or folder you want to move.

2. On the Edit menu, click Cut.

                Alternatively, use the cut button on the toolbar.

                Alternatively, use the keyboard combination Ctrl and X.

                Alternatively, right click the file or folder and select the command Cut.

3. Open the folder where you want to put the file or folder.

4. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

                Alternatively, use the paste button on the toolbar.

                Alternatively, use the keyboard combination Ctrl and V.

                Alternatively, right click the file or folder and select the command Paste.

Notes

To select more than one file or folder, hold down the CTRL key, and then click the items you want.

You can also move a file or folder by dragging it to the desired location.

To select a folder in the left pane of Windows Explorer, click the folder.

 

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, find the file or folder you want to move.

2. Make sure the place you want to drag the file or folder to is visible.

3. Drag the file or folder to the destination.

Notes

If you drag a file or a folder to a location on the same disk, it will be moved. If you drag it to another disk, it will be copied.

You can create a copy of a file and move it at the same time by pressing CTRL while you drag the file to a new location.

1. If you are copying a file or folder to a floppy disk, insert the disk in the disk drive.

2. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the file or folder you want to copy.

3. On the File menu, point to Send To, then click the drive you want to copy the file or folder to.

1. Click the drive in My computer or Windows Explorer where you want to create the new folder.

2. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder.

The new folder appears with a temporary name ( usually New Folder) .

3. Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER.

If you want to create a new folder within a folder, click the folder and then follow steps two and three above.

Click the drive and then click (possibly many times) the folder in My computer or Windows Explorer where you want to create the new file.

On the File menu, point to New, and then click the type of file you want to create.

The new file appears with a temporary name.

Type a name for the new file, and then press ENTER.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the file or folder you want to rename.

2. On the File menu, click Rename.

3. Type the new name, and then press ENTER.

Notes

A file name can contain up to 255 characters, including spaces. It cannot contain the following characters: \ / : * ? " < > |

To select a folder in the left pane of Windows Explorer, click the folder.

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the file or folder you want to delete.

2. On the File menu, click Delete.

You can also drag file or folder icons into the Recycle Bin. If you press SHIFT while dragging (or pressing the Delete key on your keyboard), the item will be deleted from your computer without being stored in the Recycle Bin.

1. On the desktop, click the Recycle Bin.

2. On the File menu, click Empty Recycle Bin.

Files deleted at the command prompt are not moved to the Recycle Bin.

If you want to remove only some of the files in the Recycle Bin, hold down the CTRL key and click each file you want to remove, then click Delete on the File menu.

To open a file that is in the Recycle Bin, drag the icon onto the desktop, then double-click it.

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.

2. In Named, type all or part of the file name.

Enter a word or phrase in Containing text if you do not know the name of a file.

If you want to specify the location to start the search, click Browse.

3. Click Find Now.

1. Open the Keyboard Properties dialog box by clicking Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, double-click Keyboard, and then select the language tab.

2. Click the keyboard language you want to change, and then click Properties.

3. Click the keyboard layout you want to use, and then click OK.

Use the language indicator on the taskbar.

Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut indicated in the Keyboard Properties dialog box, language tab which is either ALT and SHIFT, or CTRL and SHIFT.

Open the Keyboard Properties dialog box by clicking Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, double-click Keyboard, and then select the language tab.

2. Click the keyboard language you want to change, and then click Set as Default button.

3. Click OK button.

1. Right-click a blank area on the taskbar.

2. Click Cascade Windows, Tile Windows Horizontally, or Tile Windows Vertically.

Notes

Make sure all the windows you want to display are open. Closed or minimized windows will not be displayed.

To restore your windows to their original state, right-click a blank area on the taskbar, and then click Undo Cascade or Undo Tile.

1. Right-click a blank area on the taskbar.

2. Click Minimize All Windows.

Windows does not minimize open dialog boxes.

To open a minimized window, click its button on the taskbar.

To restore your windows to their original state, right-click a blank area on the taskbar, and then click Undo Minimize All.