MICROSOFT WINDOWS

1. Switching on the computer

Switch on the mains
Switch on the UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply), if available
Switch on the systems box (computer)
Switch on the monitor
To log on, click on one of the user accounts (e.g. Participant), if need be
Type in the password if prompted

2. Correct procedure of switching off

Click on ‘Start’ on the Taskbar – a menu appears
Click on ‘Shutdown’
Click ‘OK’ if ‘Shutdown’ appears in the dialog box. If something else appears in the dialog
box, click in it and then click on ‘Shutdown’. Click ‘OK’
Switch off the CPU when prompted that ‘It is now safe to switch off the computer’. Some
computers (latest models) will automatically switch themselves off.
Switch off the monitor

3. Loading Programs/windows (opening a window)

A conventional window in a house has two basic options: open or shut. A Microsoft window
is similar in the sense that it can also be opened and closed. But inside each Microsoft
window there is a program running.
Using ‘Start’ option
Using icons – (three methods of opening)
Click icon (e.g. ‘My Computer’), press ‘Enter’
Right-click icon, pop-up menu appears, click ‘Open’
Double-click icon

4. Closing a window
A window can be closed in two ways:
Click on the square icon containing ‘X’ in the top right hand corner of the window
or
Click on ‘File’ and then click on ‘close’

5. Date/time setting
Double-clicking on ‘time’ on the Taskbar
Accessing time from ‘Control Panel’ under ‘My Computer’
Accessing time from ‘Start’, ‘Settings’ and clicking ‘Control Panel’

6. Background and screensaver settings

Load ‘Control Panel’ – under ‘My Computer’ or from ‘Settings’ after clicking ‘Start’
Open ‘Display’ window
Click ‘Background’ or ‘Screensaver’ whichever you would like to set
Do the settings

Page 1 of 5 PREPARED BY ANDREW BEKA NJOBVU JNR

MICROSOFT WINDOWS

7. Mouse settings
Load ‘Control Panel’ – under ‘My Computer’ or from ‘Settings’ after clicking ‘Start’
Open ‘Mouse’ icon under ‘Control Panel’
Select appropriate configuration (Right-handed or left-handed)
Click ‘Apply’ at bottom right of ‘Mouse’ window
Click ‘OK’

8. Maximizing and minimizing a window

On the top right hand corner of an open window there are three small square icons:
The left one contains a minus sign. Clicking on it minimizes the window (i.e. takes it to the
Taskbar. This does not close the window. It is merely removed from the screen and
hidden in the computer’s memory. It can be brought back to the screen by clicking on the
Taskbar)
The middle square icon does two things:
Clicking on it can maximize a restored window.
Clicking on it can restore a maximized window.
Clicking on the square on the extreme right closes the window (see item no. 4)

Note: Double-clicking on the title bar toggles a window from full-screen to smaller window
size and vice-versa.

9. Window size adjustments (Dragging and dropping)

Open/load ‘My Computer’ icon
Point the mouse pointer to the window’s edge or corner – it grows two heads.
Hold down the left mouse button
While holding the button down, slide the mouse to adjust the window to the required size.
(A restored window will assume this size until adjusted again).

10. Using the Taskbar

The taskbar lets you load programs, close programs and change your computer settings.

11. Finding the taskbar

Look for the taskbar along the bottom of the screen.
Look for a little of grey border along the edges of the screen.
Point the mouse pointer at all the four edges of the screen, pausing for a few seconds at
each edge.

12. Using the taskbar to switch between programs

Whenever Windows (95, 98, 2000, etc) loads a program, an icon for that program appears on
the taskbar.
For example, load the following programs: ‘Calculator’, ‘My Computer’, ‘Window’s Explorer’,
and ‘Paint’.
Clicking on any part of a program hidden behind other programs or on its name on the
taskbar brings the window/program to the forefront.

13. Customizing the taskbar’s location

Windows gives you three choices: you can move the taskbar to a different screen edge, drag
it slightly off the screen’s border, or make it hide itself.
Point at a blank area of the taskbar with your mouse and hold down the left button.

Page 2 of 5 PREPARED BY ANDREW BEKA NJOBVU JNR

MICROSOFT WINDOWS

Drag and drop the taskbar to the left edge of the screen.
Drag and drop the taskbar back to the bottom of your screen.
Point at the taskbar’s top border until the pointer grows two heads/arrows.
drag the taskbar upward an inch or so and then let go your mouse button – this changes
its size.
Drag the taskbar’s top border down until the taskbar disappears from the screen, leaving
only a small border.
Drag the taskbar into the position you started with.
Click on a blank area of the taskbar with your right mouse button.
Choose ‘Properties’ from the taskbar’s menu.
Click on the ‘Auto hide’ option and then click ‘OK’ – the menu disappears and the taskbar
hides itself from the desktop
Position the mouse pointer over the bottom edge of the screen. –The taskbar magically
appears whenever you lower the mouse pointer at the edge of the screen containing the
taskbar.
Click on a blank area of the taskbar with your right mouse button.
Choose ‘Properties’ from the taskbar’s menu.
Disable the ‘Auto hide’ option.

14. Controlling the volume up or down

Windows has an easily accessible switch to turn your computer’s sound up or down.
Click on the taskbar’s little speaker located next to the clock – a menu appears.
With the mouse drag and drop the little bar up and down the shaft.
Note: When the mouse’s arrow rests over the clock on the taskbar, Windows displays
the current day and time.

15. Tiling/cascading windows

There are two quick ways of acquiring windows on your desktop: tiling and cascading.
Right-click on a blank area on the taskbar and click on ‘Cascade windows’ from the menu
that appears – Windows arranges the open windows like playing cards.
Right-click on a blank area on the taskbar again.
Click on the taskbar’s ‘tile windows horizontally’ – Windows tiles the windows across the
screen, giving each one equal space.

Note: These commands work only on open windows. However they do not affect programs
that are minimized as icons on the taskbar.

16. Creating shortcuts

Example: Create a shortcut for the ‘Paint’ program.
Click on ‘Start’.
Go to ‘Programs’
Go to ‘Accessories’ – a sub menu appears.
Right-click on ‘Paint’ – a pop-up menu appears.
Click on ‘Create shortcut’ – ‘Paint (2)’ appears below the first one.
Drag the created shortcut while holding down the button – ‘Paint (2)’ should appear on
the desktop.

17. Creating Folders

A folder can be created either on the desktop or in any drive such as ‘3½ Floppy’, ‘My
Briefcase’, ‘My Documents’, etc.
(a) Desktop
Right-click on a blank space on the desktop

Page 3 of 5 PREPARED BY ANDREW BEKA NJOBVU JNR

MICROSOFT WINDOWS

Click ‘New’ – a sub menu appears

Click ‘Folder’ – A new folder appears on the desktop
Press ‘Delete’ on the keyboard
Type in a name e.g. your first name
Press ‘Enter’ – a folder will have been created.

(b) Other Drives

Load ‘My Documents’
Repeat the procedure in (a)

18. Restoring deleted documents

Create a shortcut to the ‘Calculator’ program on your desktop.
Drag and drop the ‘Calculator’ shortcut into the ‘Recycle Bin’
Open the ‘Recycle Bin’ – all your recently deleted programs are listed.
Drag and drop the ‘Calculator’ shortcut back onto the desktop.
Note: You can also undelete (restore) the file by clicking on its name with the right mouse
button and choosing ‘Restore’.
Right-clicking on the ‘Recycle Bin’ icon and choosing ‘Empty Recycle Bin’, creates
more space on the hard disk.

19. Finding lost programs

Windows comes with a great Find program that can snoop through all the parts of the
your computer, looking for lost files.
Find command on the start menu can search for all the files you created at any particular
day.
It can also search for files containing specific words to find files and programs:
Choose find from the start menu and then choose files or folders
Type frog in the Name box, and click on the find the now button
- Windows 2000 searches through your computer’s hard drive and bring up a list
of all the files with word Frog in their names.
When you spot your file on the list, double click on it.
- Windows 2000 loads the program that created your file, loads the file into the
program and brings them both to screen.
- If the date is known when the file was created but not its name. Click on the
date tab.
- Tell Windows the period and dates
- Click on find now

20. Working with Windows Explorer

‘Explorer’ and ‘My Computer’ do the same things. Everything that applies to ‘My Computer’
also applies to ‘Windows Explorer’.
For example:
Open ‘My Computer’ and view what’s contained in it.
Open ‘Windows Explorer’ from ‘Start’ and do the same thing.
View the contents of the C drive’s Windows folder.

Page 4 of 5 PREPARED BY ANDREW BEKA NJOBVU JNR

MICROSOFT WINDOWS

21. Formatting a Diskette

This sis a process of preparing a diskette for use by a particular computer. Nowadays floppy
diskettes are factory formatted because most computers run on Microsoft Windows.
N. B. Formatting a diskette containing information erases all the
information contained on it.
Insert a diskette in drive ‘A’ (floppy disk drive)
Open ‘My Computer’ program
Right-click ‘3½ Floppy’ and a pop-up menu appears
Click ‘Format’
Click ‘Start’

22. Saving a document

(a) Saving a document for the first time
Click on ‘File’ on the menu bar or ‘Save’ icon (picture of a diskette)
Click in ‘Save in’ dialog box
Select the drive you wish to save on (e.g. ‘3½ Floppy’, ‘C’ Drive (Hard disk),
‘My Documents’
(both of these are on the hard disk)
‘My Briefcase’
Click in the ‘File name’ dialog box
Delete the message appearing in the dialog box
Type in the file name you wish to give the document
Click ‘save’ at the bottom right of the ‘Save’ window
(b) Re-saving an edited document

23. Copying
(a) Sending to another destination
Example: Copying from ‘My Documents’ to ‘3½ Floppy’
Open ‘My Computer’ program
Right-click on file/document to copied – a pop-up menu appears
Go to ‘Send To’ – a sub-menu appears
Click on ‘3½ Floppy’.

(b) From one diskette to another

Insert a source diskette into drive ‘A’
Open ‘My Computer’ program
Right-click ‘3½ Floppy’ and a pop-up menu appears
Click ‘Copy Diskette’
Click ‘Start’
Click ‘OK’
Remove source diskette and insert destination diskette after being prompted
Click ‘OK’

Page 5 of 5 PREPARED BY ANDREW BEKA NJOBVU JNR