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VISTA
OPERATING SYSTEM
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VISTA OPERATING SYSTEM
• Software that helps the computer carry out operating tasks
• Similar to a “Air Traffic Controller”– Manages input/output
– Displays info on the monitor
– Saves data on disks
– Allocates computer resources
• Includes the Start menu, Taskbar and Control Panel.
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FILE MANAGEMENT
• Is the process of creating, copying, moving, or deleting files and folders to arrange your information
– File
• something that you create or download e.g. mp3 or
word document
– Folder
• a group of related files
• Folders can be created inside of folders
FILE MANAGEMENT cont.
1. Two file managers
1. My Computer - Double click icon
2. Windows Explorer - right click Start button and choose “Explore”
2. Shows the contents of the selected drive
or folder
3. “Tree Pane” very useful!
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SHOW FILE NAME EXTENSIONS
• An extension is a 3 or 4 letter ending after a
filename that indicates the kind of file you are
looking at
– Common extensions
• mp3
• docx
• xlsx
• Pptx
• htm/html
• START > CONTROL PANEL >APPEARANCE and
PERSONALIZATION > FOLDER OPTIONS
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FILE EXTENSIONS cont.
• ORGANIZE button > FOLDER AND SEARCH
OPTIONS > the VIEW tab, > ADVANCED
SETTINGS
• Clear the HIDE EXTENSIONS FOR KNOWN
FILE TYPES > OK
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“SKY DRIVE”• Store your documents, photos, and videos
– 25 GB of free, password-protected online storage.
– Access from any web browser.
• Free Office “Web Apps”:
– Create and work online - WORD, EXCEL, PPT
– even if you don't have the latest version of
Microsoft Office installed!!
• Access via Live@AC link on Student Portal
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“SKYDRIVE”• “Cloud Computing” service
– Account available “forever”! (as alumni)
– Access from any PC, mobile phone etc.
• COLLABORATIVE facility– Can SHARE files (Share > Send a Link)
– Other person gets the link» EDIT IN BROWSER
» OPENS OFFICE WEB APPS (no need for MS
Office)
» ALL people (that you have given the “rights
to”) can open file SIMULTANEOUSLY
» See “edit history” when needed
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WINDOWS EXPLORER • Right-click on “START” > “EXPLORE”
– note: PROGRAM is: “Windows Explorer”,
• BUT you are viewing contents of “START MENU”
folder
– VIEW > DETAILS
– Click on the “MODIFIED” button (Header
button)-to put info sorted in ascending order OR
in descending order
• Click on the “NAME” button
• Click on the “SIZE” button
WINDOWS EXPLORER
• Windows Explorer's task panel has been replaced by:
• The address bar has been replaced with a breadcrumb navigation
system.
A "Favorite links" panel has been added, enabling one-click access to
common directories.
WINDOWS EXPLORER cont.:
• At the left is the navigation pane, which lists the commonly used
folders:
– Recently changed:
• a list of all files and e-mail messages that you have edited in
the last 30 days
– you can access a list of additional folders by clicking on the
FOLDERS button (at left—underneath FAVORITE LINKS list)
» if you use a folder on a regular basis, you can
drag it to the FAVORITE LINKS pane
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WINDOWS EXPLORER cont.:
• when you select a file, a pane opens at the bottom of the window
called: DETAILS PANE, displaying: PROPERTIES
• PREVIEW PANE--live preview at right
– Must be turned on: ORGANIZE button >
LAYOUT > PREVIEW PANE
– if it’s a PowerPoint presentation, using the
scroll bar, you can preview every slide in
the presentation!!
• By clicking on the LIVE ICON of a folder, you can
then get a visual look at the files contained inside
it!!
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WINDOWS EXPLORER cont.:– You can further personalize by going to: ORGANIZE button >
LAYOUT
• (MENU BAR—XP menu headings)
• Can hide: DETAILS , PREVIEW & NAIVGATION panes
• Choices are SAVED when you close the window
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•Can select multiple adjacent files by
click-shift-click method
•Can select multiple non-adjacent files
by ctrl-click method
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VIEWING ICONS IN WINDOWS EXPLORER
• click on button OR drop-down arrow
in “Windows Explorer” & “Computer” to change
VIEW:
– Extra large icons, Large,Medium &
Small icons List, Details, Tile
– SORT BY:
• Clicking on the COLUMN HEADINGS
• ORGANIZE button
allows creation of new
folders
»BURN button
BREADCRUMB NAVIGATION
– folder names on address bar are links –which will
take you back and open a folder
– Click on the folder name to open it
– Click on the white arrow beside folder name,
to view other subfolders/folders
– back & forward buttons
for easy navigation
» a list of recently visited websites or folders, by
clicking on “previous location button” (down-
pointing arrow at end of address bar)
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TRIANGLES BESIDE FOLDERS:
• They just show you the FILE HIERARCHY (pathnames of folder & file locations)
• Does not open FILE CONTENTS
• ADDRESS BAR:
– Click on triangles beside , will bring up folders which reside 1 folder up
– The folder name which is bolded, is the one in which the 1st folder in the
address bar resides
– Click on triangle besideFOLDER names:
» Lists subfolders
FOLDERS:– Some folders automatically there by default e.g. “Documents”,
“Program Files”
– CREATING a folder –pay attention to where it is being created
• ORGANIZE folder > NEW FOLDER OR
» Right-mouse click on an empty space on right-hand side of split screen > NEW > FOLDER
• Can also COPY, MOVE, & RENAME FOLDERS
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•SEND TO:
START MENU
• List of folders embedded in left pane
• No longer submenus
– TREE VIEW DIRECTORY:
• “Branch off” to start any program
• Can expand and collapse any folder
• Even multiple folders
– INSTANT SEARCH FEATURE
• Can key in a program/document “incrementally”:
» As you type in each letter of the name of the
program/document, the list is then
constrained to display your search string
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PIN/UNPIN/HIDE A PROGRAM ON
THE START MENU
1. To pin a program, find the program you want
2. Right-click the program > PIN TO START MENU
3. To unpin a program Right-click the pinned program
> UNPIN FROM START MENU
• To HIDE items on the START MENU:
1. Right-click the START button > PROPERTIES
1. In the PRIVACY section, clear the
check boxes to HIDE recently open
documents/programs19
ADD YOUR FAVORITES LIST TO
START MENU
• Your FAVORITES list from Internet Explorer can be
added to the START button
1. Right-click the START button > PROPERTIES
2. Click the: CUSTOMIZE button
3. Check the FAVORITES MENU check box > OK >
OK
» Now, when you select one of your
FAVORITES, IE will automatically
launch, and the desired page will open!!20
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OPENING A PROGRAM/FILE1. STARTPROGRAMSSelect the program you want to open
2. START RECENT ITEMS
– lists the last 15 documents accessed OR:
3. Open “COMPUTER” (previously: “MY Computer”) OR “Windows Explorer”
– Open the folder containing the file you want to open anddouble-click the file
– The application opens, then the file
RUN command
» START button > in the SEARCH textbox
» Key in the name of the program > i.e. “ winword.exe (MS WORD) ENTER
SHADOW COPY• If you accidentally SAVE OVER a critical file and you have no Undo
option?
• automatically creates point-in-time copies of files as you work
• While you work, VISTA makes backup copies of your work files:
SHADOW COPIES, that you can restore from earlier versions, copy,
or save with new file names.• It is a good idea to save all important files to a separate physical location, e.g. external hard drive, memory
stick, dvd, etc
– Only works if System Restore points are created. To make sure
this feature is on:
• START > type: systempropertiesprotection > ENTER
(Click Continue if you're prompted.)
– Check the disk you want shadow copies created to,
>APPLY
» Each drive must have at least 300MB of free space
» You can create a restore point manually in this dialog
box by clicking: CREATE > Type a name for the
restore point > CREATE, again. 22
SHADOW COPY cont.• When you need the previous version of a file or folder, right-click it in
Windows Explorer and choose RESTORE PREVIOUS VERSIONS
– For a full restoration, select the version you want and click
RESTORE
• If you're not sure which version to choose,
– select one and click OPEN to see it in read-only form.
• If the file you want to restore was moved or deleted from its original
location, or if it has a different name:
– select the folder that formerly contained the version you want to
restore.
– If the folder no longer exists, select the next highest folder that
contained the missing folder.
» Right-click it and choose RESTORE PREVIOUS
VERSIONS > double-click to navigate through the
folders in the PREVIOUS VERSIONS tab to open or
copy the older version.
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ARRANGING OPEN WINDOWS.
• Right-click an open area on the taskbar.
• On the shortcut menu, click
– Cascade Windows.
– Show Windows Stacked
– Show Windows Side by Side
– Show the Desktop
• UNDO arrangement– Right-click an open area on the taskbar
– On the shortcut menu, click Undo
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CREATING SHORTCUTS
• Locate the specific file/program you want in
”Windows Explorer”
– OR: An INTERNET web address to “DESKTOP”
• Right-click and drag the file from the ”Windows
Explorer” window to:
– an open area on the desktop
» OR: right-mouse click on DESKTOP >
NEW > SHORTCUT > a Wizard will come
up > key in the name of the website >
NEXT > key in the name of the shortcut
» Wizards assist you with the installation
of software/programs/applications
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FORMATTING A DRIVE
DISPLAYING PROPERTIES
• FORMATTING:
– Makes a disk ready to receive data
– Will delete all data on a drive that has information on it, including the operating system
– Right click on the drive
– Select Format from the shortcut menu.
– Click the START button > OK > OK > CLOSE
• DISPLAYING PROPERTIES:
» Right click the drive
» Select Properties from the shortcut menu
• SYSTEM PROPERTIES– To get an overview of your operating system and the amount of
available RAM, click System Properties
– CONTROL PANEL > SYSTEM
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RECYCLE BIN
• SHOW DESKTOP icon
(on taskbar)
• RECYLE BIN
– Stores deleted items (deleted items do take up space
on hard drive)
– Can “restore” items
– If the recycle bin contains deleted files, crumpled
pieces of paper display in the icon on the desktop.
– Once you delete from the Recycle Bin—
PERMANENTLY deleted
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SEARCH FOR FILES
• SEARCH (textbox; top of window)
– Filenames
• WILDCARDS * ? e.g.. *.DOC
– Key in “SEARCH BY” in SEARCH textbox
• Click on the ADVANCED SEARCH drop-down arrow
– Location
– Date etc.
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COMPRESSING/EXTRACTING FILES
• COMPRESSING:– Makes files smaller when size is important
• e.g. email size limits
– Right-click on specific file:
– On the shortcut menu, point to Send To. (sometimes zip option appears on main choices of shortcut menu)
– Click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
– Will store the Compressed folder in the same folder/drive
• EXTRACTING:
• Right-click the Compressed folder. – Click Extract All
» Click Next on the Welcome screen of the Wizard.
» Click the Browse button.
» Select a Destination file location > OK > NEXT >FINISH
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HELP-F1; OR: START > HELP AND SUPPORT
OR: CLICK ON QUESTION MARK AT TOP OF
WINDOW
• Help & Support home
BROWSE HELP:
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ASK SOMEONE OR EXPAND
YOUR SEARCH•
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A blue compass on
a help topic indicates
that Guided help is
available.
PRINTING
• Check the “Print Status” of your print jobs:
– Double-click on PRINT icon on taskbar
• How to Change “Default Printer”
– START > CONTROL PANEL > HARDWARE
and SOUND > PRINTERS > CHANGE
DEFAULT PRINTER
»Right click on the desired printer >
SET AS DEFAULT PRINTER
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ACCESSORIES• START > ALL PROGRAMS >
ACCESSORIES
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i.e. CALCULATOR
CHANGE VIEW OF ICONS ON DESKTOP
• Right-click on DESKTOP > SORT BY
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DISPLAY COMPUTER S DATE & TIME
• CONTROL PANEL > CLOCK LANGUAGE
& REGION > SET THE TIME & DATE
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