Windows Basics

Read this chapter to learn how to:

Use the Windows desktop

Manage files and folders

Work with documents

Use shortcuts

About the Windows environment

After your computer starts, the first screen you see is the Windows desktop. The desktop is like the top of a real desk. Think of the desktop as your personalized work space where you open programs and perform other tasks.

Your desktop may be different from this example, depending on how your computer is set up.

Help and Support

For more information about the Windows XP desktop, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword Windows desktop in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Using the desktop

The desktop contains the taskbar, the Start button, and the Recycle Bin icon.

Desktop elements	Description
	The taskbar is the bar at the bottom of the computer display containing the Start button on the left and a clock on the right. Other buttons on the taskbar represent programs that are running. Click a program's button on the taskbar to open the program's window.
	The Start button provides access to programs, files, help for Windows and other programs, and computer tools and utilities. Click the Start button, then open a file or program by clicking an item on the menu that opens.
	The Recycle Bin is where files, folders, and programs that you discarded are stored. You must empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them from your computer. For instructions on how to use the Recycle Bin, see Deleting files and folders.

Using the Start menu

You can start programs, open files, customize your system, get help, search for files and folders, and more using the Start menu.

To use the Start menu:

1. Click the Start button on the lower left of the Windows desktop. The Start menu opens showing you the first level of menu items.

2. Click All Programs or Programs to see all programs and files in the Start menu. When you move the mouse pointer over any menu item that has an arrow next to it, another menu, called a submenu, opens and reveals related files, programs, or commands.

3. Click a file or program to open it.

Help and Support

For more information about the Windows XP Start menu, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword Windows Start menu in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Adding icons to the desktop

You may want to add an icon (shortcut) to the desktop for a program that you use frequently.

To add icons to the desktop:

1. Click Start, then click All Programs.

2. Right-click (press the right touchpad button) the program that you want to add to the desktop.

3. Click Send To, then click Desktop (create shortcut). A shortcut icon for that program appears on the desktop.

Help and Support

For more information about desktop icons in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword desktop icons in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Identifying window items

When you double-click the icon for a drive, folder, file, or program, a window opens on the desktop. This example shows the Local Disk (C:) window, which opens after you double-click the Local Disk (C:) icon in the My Computer window.

Every program window looks a little different because each has its own menus, icons, and controls. Most windows include these items:

Window item	Description
	The title bar is the horizontal bar at the top of a window that shows the window title.
	Clicking the minimize button reduces the active window to a button on the taskbar. Clicking the program button in the taskbar opens the window again.
	Clicking the maximize button expands the active window to fit the entire computer display. Clicking the maximize button again restores the window to its former size.
	Clicking the close button closes the active window or program.
	Clicking an item on the menu bar starts an action such as Print or Save.

Help and Support

For more information about windows in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword window in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Working with files and folders

You can organize your files and programs to suit your preferences much like you would store information in a file cabinet. You can store these files in folders and copy, move, and delete the information just as you would reorganize and throw away information in a file cabinet.

Viewing drives

Drives are like file cabinets because they hold files and folders. A computer almost always has more than one drive. Each drive has a letter, usually Local Disk (C:) for the hard drive and 3½ Floppy (A:) for the diskette drive. You may also have more drives such as a CD, DVD, or recordable drive.

To view the drives on your computer:

In Windows XP, click Start, then click My Computer on the Start menu.

- OR -

In Windows 2000, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.

To see the files and folders on a drive:

Double-click the drive icon. If you do not see the contents of a drive after you double-click its icon, click Show the contents of this drive.

Help and Support

For more information about files and folders in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword files and folders in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Creating folders

Folders are much like the folders in a file cabinet. They can contain files and other folders.

Files are much like paper documents--letters, spreadsheets, and pictures--that you keep on your computer. In fact, all information on a computer is stored in files.

To create a folder:

1. In Windows XP, click Start, then click My Computer on the Start menu.

- OR -

In Windows 2000, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.

2. Double-click the drive where you want to put the new folder. Typically, Local Disk (C:) is your hard drive and 3½ Floppy (A:) is your diskette drive. If you do not see the contents of the drive, click Show the contents of this drive.

3. If you want to create a new folder inside an existing folder, double-click the existing folder. If you do not see the contents of the folder, click Show the contents of this drive or Show the contents of this folder.

4. Click File, New, then click Folder. The new folder is created.

5. Type a name for the folder, then press Enter. The new folder name appears by the folder icon.

Help and Support

For more information about creating files and folders in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword creating files and folders in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

For information about renaming folders, see Shortcuts.

Copying and moving files and folders

The skills you need to copy and move files are called copying, cutting, and pasting.

When you copy and paste a file or folder, you place a copy of the file or folder on the Windows clipboard, which temporarily stores it. Then, when you decide what folder you want the copy to go in (the destination folder), you paste it there.

When you cut and paste a file or folder, you remove the file or folder from its original location and place the file or folder on the Windows clipboard. When you decide where you want the file or folder to go, you paste it there.

Important

The clipboard stores whatever you cut or copy until you cut or copy again. Then the clipboard contains the new information only. Therefore, you can paste copies of a file or folder into more than one place, but as soon as you copy or cut a different file or folder, the original file or folder is deleted from the clipboard.

To copy a file or folder to another folder:

1. Locate the file or folder you want to copy. For more information, see Viewing drives and "Searching for files".

2. Right-click (press the right touchpad button) the file or folder that you want to copy. A pop-up menu opens on the desktop.

3. Click Copy on the pop-up menu.

4. Open the destination folder.

5. With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click.

6. Click Paste. A copy of the file or folder appears in the new location.

To move a file or folder to another folder:

1. Locate the file or folder you want to move. For more information, see Viewing drives and "Searching for files".

2. Right-click (press the right touchpad button) the file or folder that you want to move. A pop-up menu opens on the desktop.

3. Click Cut on the pop-up menu.

4. Open the destination folder.

5. With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click.

6. Click Paste. The file or folder you moved appears in its new location and is removed from its old location.

Help and Support

For more information about copying files and folders or moving files and folders in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword copying files and folders or moving files and folders in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Deleting files and folders

When you throw away paper files and folders, you take them from the file cabinet and put them in a trash can. Eventually the trash can is emptied.

In Windows, you throw away files and folders by first moving them to the Windows trash can, called the Recycle Bin, where they remain until you decide to empty the bin.

You can recover any file in the Recycle Bin as long as the bin has not been emptied.

To delete files or folders:

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the files or folders that you want to delete. For instructions on how to select multiple files and folders, see Shortcuts.

If you cannot find the file you want to delete, see Searching for files.

2. Click File, then click Delete. Windows moves the files and folders to the Recycle Bin.

Help and Support

For more information about deleting files and folders in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword deleting files and folders in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

To recover files or folders from the Recycle Bin:

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. The Recycle Bin window opens and lists the files and folders you have thrown away since you last emptied it.

2. Click the files or folders that you want to restore. For instructions on how to select multiple files and folders, see Shortcuts.

3. Click File, then click Restore. Windows returns the deleted files or folders to their original locations.

To empty the Recycle Bin:

Caution

Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently erases any files or folders in the bin. These files cannot be restored.

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. The Recycle Bin window opens.

2. Click File, then click Empty Recycle Bin. Windows asks you if you are sure that you want to empty the bin.

3. Click Yes. Windows permanently deletes all files in the Recycle Bin.

Help and Support

For more information about emptying the Recycle Bin in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword emptying Recycle Bin in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Browsing for files and folders

A file or folder that you need is rarely right on top of your Windows desktop. It is usually on a drive inside a folder that may be inside yet another folder, and so on.

Windows drives, folders, and files are organized in the same way as a real file cabinet in that they may have many levels (usually many more levels than a file cabinet, in fact). So you usually will have to search through levels of folders to find the file or folder that you need. This is called browsing.

To browse for a file:

1. In Windows XP, click Start, then click My Computer. The My Computer window opens.

- OR -

In Windows 2000, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop. The My Computer window opens.

2. Double-click the drive or folder that you think contains the file or folder that you want to find. If you do not see the contents of a folder, click Show the contents of this drive or Show the contents of this folder.

3. Continue double-clicking folders and their subfolders until you find the file or folder you want.

Help and Support

For more information about browsing for files and folders in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword files and folders in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Searching for files

If you are looking for a particular file or folder or a set of files or folders that have characteristics in common, but you do not remember where they are stored on your hard drive, you can use the Search utility to search by:

Name or part of a name

Creation date

Modification date

File type

Text contained in the file

Time period in which it was created or modified

You can also combine search criteria to refine searches.

Files and folders found using this utility can be opened, copied, cut, renamed, or deleted directly from the list in the results window.

Using the Windows Search utility

To find files and folders using the Search utility:

1. In Windows XP, click Start, then click Search. The Search Results window opens. Click All files and folders.

- OR -

In Windows 2000, click Start, Search, then click For Files or Folders. The Search Results window opens.

2. If you want to search by file or folder name, type in all or part of the file or folder name in the name box in the left pane of the window.

If you type all of the name, Search will list all files and folders of that name.

If you type part of the name, Search will list all of the file and folder names containing the letters you typed.

3. Click Search or Search Now. When the search is completed, Windows lists the files and folders whose names contain the text that you searched for.

4. Open a file, folder, or program by double-clicking the name in the list.

Help and Support

For more information about searching for files and folders in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword searching in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Using advanced search options

Search can find files meeting more criteria than file name. You can narrow your search by selecting the search options that you want. You can search by the:

Date the file was created or modified.

Size of the file.

Type of file, such as a program or a text document.

Working with documents

Computer documents include word processing files, spreadsheet files, or other similar files. The basic methods of creating, saving, opening, and printing a document apply to most of these types of files.

The following examples show how to create, save, open, and print a document using Microsoft® WordPad. Similar procedures apply to other programs such as WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel.

For more information about using a program, click Help on its menu bar.

Creating a new document

To create a new document:

1. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, then click WordPad. Microsoft WordPad starts and a blank document opens.

2. Begin composing your document. Use the menus and toolbar buttons at the top of the window to format the document.

Saving a document

After you create a document, you need to save it if you want to use it later.

To save a document:

1. Click File, then click Save. The Save As dialog box opens.

2. Click the arrow button to open the Save in list, then click the folder where you want to save the file. If you do not see the folder you want, browse through the folders listed below the Save in list.

3. Type a new file name in the File name box.

4. Click Save.

Help and Support

For more information about saving documents in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword saving in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Opening a document

To view, revise, or print an existing document, first you need to open it. Open the document in the program that it was created in.

To open a document:

1. Start the program.

2. Click File, then click Open.

3. Click the arrow button to open the Look in list, then click the folder you want to open. If you do not see the folder you want, browse through the folders listed below the Look in list.

4. Double-click the document file name. The document opens.

Help and Support

For more information about opening documents in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword opening files in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Printing a document

To print a document, you must have a printer connected to your computer or have access to a network printer. For more information about installing or using your printer, see the printer documentation.

To print a document:

1. Make sure that the printer is turned on and loaded with paper.

2. Start the program and open the document.

3. Click File, then click Print. The Print dialog box opens.

4. Set the print options, then click OK. The document prints.

Help and Support

For more information about printing documents in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword printing in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Shortcuts

The following table shows a few shortcuts that you can use in Windows and almost all programs that run in Windows. For more information on Windows shortcuts, see your Windows or program documentation.

To...	Do this...
Copy a file, folder, text, or graphic	Click the item, then press Ctrl + C.
Cut a file, folder, text, or graphic	Click the item, then press Ctrl + X.
Paste a file, folder, text, or graphic	Click inside the folder or window where you want to paste the object, then press Ctrl + V.
Select multiple items in a list or in a window	Click the first item, press and hold down the Ctrl key, then click each of the remaining items.
Select multiple adjacent items in a list or window	Click the first item in the list, press and hold down the Shift key, then click the last item in the list.
Permanently delete a file or folder	Click the file or folder, then press Shift + Delete. The file or folder is permanently deleted. The file or folder is not stored in the Recycle Bin.
Rename a file or folder	Click the file or folder, press F2, type the new name, then press Enter.
Close the active window or program	Press Alt + F4.
Switch to a different file, folder, or running program	Press Alt + Tab.

Help and Support

For more information about Windows keyboard shortcuts in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword Windows keyboard shortcuts in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.