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
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							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, click Start, then click Help and 
Support. Type Windows desktop in the Search Help box, then press Enter.
Desktop elementsDescription
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” on page 11.
The Windows Security Center icon may 
appear on the taskbar near the clock. The icon 
changes appearance to notify you when the 
security settings on your computer are set 
below the recommended value or when 
updates are available. Double-click this icon to 
open the Windows Security Center. For more 
information, see “Modifying security settings” 
on page 65.
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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 program to open it. Help
For more information about the Windows Start menu, click Start, then click Help 
and Support. Type Windows Start menu in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
ShortcutStartÖ All ProgramsÖ
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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, 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 Computer window.
Every program window looks a little different because each has its own menus, icons, and 
controls. Most windows include these items:Help
For more information about the desktop icons, click Start, then click Help and 
Support. Type desktop icons in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
ShortcutStartÖ All ProgramsÖ right-click programÖSend ToÖ Desktop (create shortcut)
HelpFor more information about windows, click Start, then click Help and Support. 
Type window in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
Window itemDescription
The title bar is the horizontal bar at the top of a window that shows 
the window title.
The Search box lets you search for 
a word or phrase in the current 
window.
Minimize Maximize Close
Title bar
Menu barSearch box
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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 (C:) for the hard drive. You may 
also have more drives such as a CD or DVD drive.
To view the drives, folders, and files on your computer:  
1Click  (Start), then click Computer.
2Double-click the drive icon.
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.
HelpFor more information about files and folders, click Start, then click Help and 
Support. Typefiles and folders in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
Window itemDescription
Disc drive Hard drives
Diskette drive
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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 want to create a new folder inside an existing folder, double-click the existing folder.
4Click Organize, then click New Folder. The new folder is created.
5Type a name for the folder, then press ENTER. The new folder name appears by the folder 
icon.
For information about renaming folders, see “Shortcuts” on page 16.
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.
To copy a file or folder to another folder:  
1Locate the file or folder you want to copy. 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 copy. A pop-up 
menu opens on the desktop.
3Click Copy on the pop-up menu.
4Open the destination folder.
5With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click.Shortcut
FileÖNewÖFolderÖtype name
ImportantThe 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.
Folders
Files
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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, right-click.
6Click Paste. The file or folder you moved appears in its new location and is removed from 
its old location.
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:  
1In the Computer or Windows Explorer window, click the files or folders that you want to 
delete. For instructions on how to select multiple files and folders, see “Shortcuts” on 
page 16.
If you cannot find the file you want to delete, see “Searching for files” on page 12.
2Click Organize, then click Delete. Windows moves the files and folders to the Recycle Bin.
To recover files or folders from the Recycle Bin:  
1Double-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.
2Click the files or folders that you want to restore. For instructions on how to select multiple 
files and folders, see “Shortcuts” on page 16.
3Click Restore. Windows returns the deleted files or folders to their original locations. Help
For more information about copying files and folders or moving files or folders, click 
Start, then click Help and Support. Type copying files and folders or moving files 
and folders in the Search Help box, then press E
NTER.
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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 drive, you can use 
the Search utility. to search by:
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
To find files and folders using the Search:  
1Click  (Start), then click Search. The Search Results window opens.
2If you want to search on your computer by file or folder name, type in all or part of the 
file or folder name in the Search box in the top right 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.
3Open a file, folder, or program by double-clicking the name in the list.Caution
Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently erases any files or folders in the bin. These 
files cannot be restored.
HelpFor more information about emptying the Recycle Bin, click Start, then click Help 
and Support. Type emptying the Recycle Bin in the Search Help box, then 
press E
NTER.
HelpFor more information about searching for files and folders, click Start, then click Help 
and Support. Type searching in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
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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 deleted directly 
from the list in the results window.
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:  
1Click  (Start), then click Computer. The Computer window opens.
2Double-click the drive or folder that you think contains the file or folder that you want to 
find.
3Continue double-clicking folders and their subfolders until you find the file or folder you 
want.
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 Corel® WordPerfect®, Microsoft 
Word, and Microsoft Excel.
For more information about using a program, click Help on its menu bar. Help
For more information about browsing for files and folders, click Start, then click Help 
and Support. Type files and folders in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
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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 Browse Folders to open the Folders list, then click the folder where you want to 
save the file.
3Type a new file name in the File name box.
4Click Save.
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:  
1Start the program.
2Click File, then click Open. Help
For more information about saving documents, click Start, then click Help and 
Support. Type saving in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.
File name
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