Gateway Profile 6 Manual

CHAPTER 2
5
Using Windows Vista
•Using the Windows desktop
•Working with files and folders
•Searching for files
•Working with documents
•Shortcuts
8512031.book  Page 5  Tuesday, January 9, 2007  2:15 PM 

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows Vista
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Using the Windows desktop
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.
The desktop contains the taskbar, the Start button, and the Recycle Bin icon.Help
For more information about the Windows desktop,...

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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:  
1Click  (Start) on the lower left of the Windows desktop. The Start menu opens, showing 
you the first level of menu items.
2Click All Programs to see all programs, files, and folders in the Start menu. If you click 
an item with a folder   icon, the programs, files, and subfolders appear.
3Click a file or...

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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:  
1Click  (Start), then click All Programs.
2Right-click (press the right mouse button) the program that you want to add to the desktop.
3Click Send To, then click Desktop (create shortcut). A shortcut icon for that program 
appears on the desktop.
Identifying window items
When you double-click the icon for a drive, folder,...

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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...

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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:  
1Click  (Start), then click Computer on the Start menu.
2Double-click the drive where you want to put the new folder. Typically, Local Disk (C:) is 
your hard drive.
3If you...

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6Click Paste. A copy of the file or folder appears in the new location.
To move a file or folder to another folder:  
1Locate the file or folder you want to move. For more information, see “Viewing drives” on 
page 9 and “Searching for files” on page 12.
2Right-click (press the right mouse button) the file or folder that you want to move. A pop-up 
menu opens on the desktop.
3Click Cut on the pop-up menu.
4Open the destination folder.
5With the pointer inside the destination folder,...

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To empty the Recycle Bin:  
1Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. The Recycle Bin window opens.
2Click Empty the Recycle Bin. Windows asks you if you are sure that you want to empty 
the bin.
3Click Ye s. Windows permanently deletes all files in the Recycle Bin.
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...

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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:
•Name or part of a name
•Creation date
•Modification date
•File type
•Tag
•Author
•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...

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Creating a new document
To create a new document:  
1Click  (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click WordPad. Microsoft WordPad starts 
and a blank document opens.
2Begin 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:  
1Click File, then click Save. The Save As dialog box opens.
2Click...