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Windows
Vista Operating System
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Some of the new or changed functions from previous
operating systems are described below |
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Remember, just like in previous Operating Systems, there is more
than one way to do something. Do what you are most comfortable with. |
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For more information on Vista, go to www.microsoft.com |
Sidebar and Gadgets
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First noticeable change you will
see on the desktop is the Sidebar and Gadgets |
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Sidebar is the long, vertical bar
that is displayed on the right side of your desktop. It contains
mini-programs called gadgets. |
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Gadgets are easy-to-use mini
programs that provide information at a glance and offer simple
desktop access to tools you use most often. |
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You can use gadgets to display
business data, weather information, news updates, traffic maps,
different clocks for different locations, and even slide shows of
online photo albums on your desktop. |
Getting started with gadgets
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Windows comes with a small
collection of gadgets, but only some of them appear on the Sidebar
by default |
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They are the Clock, Slide Show, and
feed Headlines |
The Clock
- You can have multiple clocks showing different time zones on your
desktop
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When you point to the clock gadget,
2 buttons appear near its upper-right corner (Close and Options) |
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Clicking the Close button removes
the Clock from Sidebar |
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The Option button allows you to
rename the clock, change its time zone, and show the second hand |
Slide Show
- When you rest the mouse pointer on this gadget, you see a
continuous slide show of pictures on your computer
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This gadget has the Close and
Option button |
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By default, Slide Show displays
items in the Sample Picture folder |
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The Option button allows you to
choose which pictures appear in your slide show, control the speed
of the show, and change the transition effect between pictures |
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In the Folder box, select the
folder of the pictures you want to display, click on OK |
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In the Show each picture list,
select the number of seconds to show each picture |
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In the transition between pictures
list, select the transition you want |
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Click OK |
Feed Headlines
- can display frequently updated headlines from a website
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The websites that supply feeds,
also known as RSS feeds, XML feeds, syndicated content, or web
feeds. |
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Websites often use feeds to
distribute news and blogs. |
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You need to be connected to the
Internet |
To see
what other Gadgets are available
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At the top of the Sidebar, click the plus sign to open the Gallery |
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Click the scroll buttons to see all the gadgets |
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Click a gadget, click Show details (at the bottom of the dialog
box) to see information about it |
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Not all Gadgets have options |
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You can get additional gadgets through the Microsoft Gadgets
website |
Add
Gadgets
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At the top of the Sidebar, click the plus sign to open the Gallery |
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Double click a gadget to add it to Sidebar |
Close
Gadget
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Right click on the gadget, click Close Gadget |
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For example: if you didn’t want the slide show gadget to be on the
Sidebar |
Open the
Sidebar
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If you always want to see the
Sidebar and Gadgets, you must set it to do so. |
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Go to Start > Control Panel >
Appearance and Personalization > Windows Sidebar Properties >
Sidebar is always on top of other windows > Click on OK |
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This works best with a large or
wide-screen monitor |
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If you don’t want to have it always
on top, but want access to it when desired, don’t have it set as
‘always on top’ and click on the ‘show desktop’ icon on the
taskbar when you want to see it |
Close
Sidebar
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Right click Sidebar > Close Sidebar |
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To reopen > right click Sidebar icon in the notification area of
the taskbar > Click Open |
What’s new on the Start menu?
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Click on All Programs to see a list of the programs installed on
your computer or use the Search Box
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The
Search Box - looks for programs installed on your computer, photos
and music you have saved, and any documents you have created.
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Open the Start menu > The cursor will be blinking in the Search Box
(You
don’t even need to click inside the box first)
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As
you type, the search results appear above the Search box in the left
pane of the Start menu
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This search may be divided into sections; the program itself or any
files you may have created with the program
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Finding Files You Create through Your Personal Folder
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The
‘My’ has been dropped from many folder names
For Example My Documents is now Documents, My Pictures is now
Pictures, etc.
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You
can find all of these folders and more in your personal folder
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Instead of hunting for Pictures, Documents, etc, just open your
personal folder and you see them all.
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Go
to Start > Personal Folder (it displays the name that you use to log
on)
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If
you know what sub-folder the file is in, locate the file and double
click on it to open it
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If
you don’t remember the exact name of the file or what sub-folder you
saved it in, use the Search box in the folder
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As
you type in the Search box, the contents of the folder will be
filtered to reflect each successive character you type. When you see
the file you want, you can stop typing. You don’t need to press
Enter since searching happens automatically
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Documents vs. Personal Folder
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The difference
between these 2 are that in Documents you only see files you created
where as in Personal Folder you see files you created plus Pictures,
etc.
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Changing Desktop Background, Screen Savers, and Mouse Options
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Right click on desktop
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Left click on Personalize (bottom of drop down menu)
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Right click on Desktop Background, Screen Saver, Mouse Pointers to
make changes
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Change the Size of Desktop Icons
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To make the icons
larger
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Right click
anywhere on the Desktop
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Hover the mouse
over View
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Left click on Large
or Medium
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Add System Icons to Desktop (Recycle
Bin or Computer)
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Right click
anywhere on the Desktop
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Left click on
Personalize (bottom of menu)
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Left click on
Change Desktop Icons (on left side of window)
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Under Desktop
icons, Click in the box before Recycle Bin or Computer
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Permission to Perform
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When doing various functions such as adding and deleting programs,
changing some settings or performing some functions, Windows will
ask permission to continue.
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You must click on Continue to perform the desired function.
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Control Panel
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The
Control Panel has undergone many changes
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When you open it, you will see ten categories (the most common
tasks)
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You
can change it to look more like the Control Panel in XP by clicking
on ‘Classic View’
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The
Control Panel is now searchable. For Example if you want to change
something about your monitor, type Monitor into the Control Panel
Search box; type mouse if you want to change the mouse settings,
etc.
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Adding Printers
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Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Printers
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No change once in
this window
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Deleting Programs
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Start > Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program
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Locate program > Click on Uninstall
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Compatible Programs
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Most of your old programs will be compatible with Vista and you
won’t have to do anything
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For
some programs, you will have to go to their web site and download an
update
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For
really old programs, there may not be any updates and you will no
longer be able to use them
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When buying new software, be sure it is compatible with Vista (most
that are compatible with XP will be compatible with Vista - no
guarantee) -- Go to their web site first if you are not sure
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Norton 2008 is one of the programs that is compatible for Vista but
you will need to be sure to have Service Pack2 on your computer if
you are still working with XP - so compatibility works both ways
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The Esc key no longer
works to exit a window
System Restore
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Start > Search box > System Restore
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No
change once in this window
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Disk Cleanup
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Start > Search box > Disk cleanup
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No
change once in this window
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Power Options
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This is different for a laptop and a desktop
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Start > Control Panel > Search for Power Options
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Change as desired
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Lock and Shut Off Options
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When you click the new Power button
on the Start menu, Windows saves your work and programs in their
current state, and then puts the computer into sleep mode.
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The Start menu also has a new Lock
button. Locking your computer is a quick way to prevent anyone else
from using your files and programs while you are away from your
computer, such as when you take a break. (Anyone with their own user
account on that computer can still log on to their own account.)
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The arrow next to the Lock button
opens a menu that displays the Log Off and Shut Down options that
are on the Start menu in Windows XP, plus five other commands
previously not on the Start menu.
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The
following table describes the options on the Lock button menu:
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Menu Option |
What it Does |
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Switch User |
Enables you to switch between
users without closing programs and files first. Makes it easier
to share a computer with others |
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Log Off |
Closes all your files and
programs and logs you off from Windows without turning off your
computer |
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Lock |
Locks your computer which
prevents anyone from using your files and programs without
requiring you to log off |
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Restart |
Closes all your files and
programs, turns off your computer, and restarts it |
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Sleep |
Saves all open documents and puts
your computer to sleep while still allowing the computer to
quickly resume full-power (typically within several seconds)
when you want to start working again. Sleep replaces the Standby
option in XP |
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Hibernate |
Puts your computer into a
power-saving state, but saves your work to your hard disk so
that you can turn off your computer. |
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Shut Down |
Turns off the power to your
computer. Use this option only when you want turn off the power
to your computer. Example when you don’t plan to use the
computer for several days. |
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