SECTION 1 (MODULE 1 THEORY)

UNIT 1:
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS
BASIC DEFINITIONS

Computer
A computer is an electronic device that accepts user input (data), to manipulate it under a set of
instructions (programs) to produce a desired output (information).
It’s referred as electronic since utilizes electronic signals to process data.
Data
Refers to raw facts about any object that are less meaningful to both user and computer.
Examples include names of people, prices of products, integers, etc.
Information
Refers to data that has been converted into a more meaningful form. It is defined as data that
can be used for decision making and analysis.
Programs/software
This are a set of computer instructions that enable the computer hardware to accomplish its task
System Unit
This is the component that houses the brain of the of the computer
Peripheral Devices
Devices connected via ports to the System unit of the computer e.g. Mouse, Keyboard

Computer Parts
1. Monitor
2. System unit
3. Mouse
4. Keyboard

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTERS

Historical development of computers can be tracked back to the time when humans were
trying to invent tools that could simplify mathematical calculation. Those tools included:

1. Abacus:
Chinese counting instrument which dates back to 3000BC.

2. Nappier Bones:
Developed by John Napier, Scotish Mathematician in the 17th Century to
help in counting. Its made up of bones placed side by side to each other.

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3. Slide Rule:
Invented by William Oughtred in the 17th Century. Can be used to perform mathematical
operations.

4. La Pascaline Machine:
Made by Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. It could add and subtract numbers.

5. Weaving loom:
In the 19th century, Joseph Jacquard built a weaving loom which could be programmed using
punched cards to pick out threads and weave them into patterns.

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6. Analytical Engine:
Charles Babbage an English Mathematician also referred as the father of computing, designed the
analytical engine that could calculate a long series of numbers and print the outcome He called it
the difference engine.

ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS
The age of modern electronic computers can be tracked back to the year [Link] was
first invented by Charles Babbage.
They are classified into five generations:

A. First Generation Computers(1951-1957)

-Emitted a lot of heat
-Were very large in size
-Consumed a lot of power
-Used magnetic drum memories to store data
-Used vacuum tubes or thermionic valves to process data.
Examples: Electronic Numeric Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC),
Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC).

B. Second Generation Computers(1958-1963)

-Emitted less heat compared to first generation computers
-Were smaller in size than first generation computers
-Consumed less power compared to first generation computers
-Used magnetic core memories to store data.
-They used transistors to process data.
Examples: IBM 1401, UNIVAC etc.

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 [Link] Generation Computers (1964-1969)
-Emitted less heat compared to second generation computers.
-Were smaller in size compared to second generation-Consume less power compared to second
generation -Used Integrated circuits to process data.
Examples: IBM 360.

D. Fourth Generation Computers(1970-1990)

-Consume less power
-Emitted less heat compared to third generation -Are very smaller in size.
-Used Very Large Scale Integrated Circuits (VLSI)

E. Fifth Generation Computers

-Use artificial Intelligence
-Massive connectivity to internet and intranet
-Superior hardware and software devices that are very small in size.
-Emitted negligible heat.
Example: PCs.....

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
Computers may be classified according to:
A. Physical size and processing power
B. Purpose
C. Functionality

A. Classification according to physical size and processing power.

There are FOUR categories of computers on this basis:
a) Supercomputers

-They are the largest in physical size.

-They have the greatest processing power.
-They have the fastest processor
speed. -Have the largest memory
capacity.
-They are very expensive to acquire
.They are mainly found in research
institutions

b) Mainframes computers

-They are smaller in size than supercomputers.

-They are slower in processor speed compared to
supercomputers.
-They have a low processing power compared to
supercomputers
-They are cheaper than supercomputers
-Smaller memory capacity than supercomputers
-Mainly used in large businesses as network servers

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 c) Minicomputers (Small scale mainframe Computers)

-Smaller in size than mainframe computers.

-They have low processing power than mainframe
computers.
-They have a slower processing speed than mainframe
computers.
-Less expensive than mainframe computers
-Low memory capacity than mainframe computers
-Used to automate operations in industries
-Also can be used as autopilots in aeroplanes

d) Microcomputers/Personal Computers

-They are the smallest in size.

-They are the slowest in speed.
-They are lowest in processing power.
-Cheapest in price.
-Lowest Memory Capacity.

Are called Microcomputers since their processor is very tiny.

They are further classified into:

i. Desktop Computers

Are called Desktop since they are usually placed on the desk or table.
They are relatively cheap.
ii. Palmtop/Pocket Computers

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 -They are the smallest PCs.
-They are made to fit in the pocket –
Examples;
PDAs, Smartphones.

iii. Notebook/Laptops

Are small computers, usually the size of notebook 8.5” by

11” and are intended for private use. Are fully functional
computers and can be made to run on current or specially
designed batteries. Laptops are more expensive than
desktop.

B. Classification according to purpose

On this basis, computers can be classified according to:
i. Special/Dedicated Computers
These are computers that are designed to perform a single task or a few related tasks.
Examples are Calculators, Routers, Robots, etc.
ii. General Purpose Computers.
They can be programmed by the user to perform many tasks such as word processing,
desktoppublishing, Accounting, Multimedia application etc.

C. Classification according to Functionality

On this basis, computers are classified according to the type of data they can handle. That is:

i. Analog Computers
They process data that is continuous in nature.
This is analogue data. Examples are speed, temperature, Volume, Weight, etc.
ii. Digital Computers
They process data that is discrete in nature. Digital data changes from one value to another without a
time transition. It’s usually represented by 0s (OFF) and 1s(ON).
iii. Hybrid Computers
They process both analogue and digital data.

Computer Uses
1. Retail Stores: For stock management and control
2. Offices: prepare and print office documents
3. Banks: Keep client details, issue cash transactions at ATMs
4. Industries: Perform automated manufacturing process like cooling robots
5. Hospitals: Keep patient records and control functionality of high specialized machines like life
support systems.
6. Transport: Perform traffic control at airports and busy towns
7. Communication: Aid in sending and receiving messages over internet
8. Law Enforcement: Performing biometric mapping activities like fingerprint matching,
forensic analysis etc.
9. Education: Provides e-learning facilities to learners
10. Home: Prepare domestic documents like budgets, communication etc.

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11. Library: Keep electronic catalogues and track book circulation.
12. Entertainment: To generate and edit computer graphics in movies and games
13. Military: To design weapons and control flight
14. Research: to process and analyses data.

Advantages of Computers
a) Accurate – They provide accurate information as long as they are fed with correct data.
b) Flexible – Can perform a variety of jobs as long as there is a well-defined procedure.
c) Efficient – Can tackle huge volumes of data effectively.
d) Reliable – Can work for longer period, since it never gets fatigued or worked up.
e) Compact Storage – Saves a lot of space in terms of document storage and number clerical
staff.
f) Privacy – Most of the computer records are stored in invisible form and they have security
features like passwords.
g) Fast – Simplifies problem solving by using programs designed for the purpose thereby saving a
lot of time.
h) Entertainment/Games – Offers wide range of computer games as well as interactive TV and
Radio.

Disadvantages of Computers
a) Cost – The initial cost of installation is very high.
b) Technology – Due to fast changes in technology the bought machines could become obsolete in a
couple of months.
c) Maintenance – The cost of maintenance is also high.
d) Social unrest – They need special training of staff and at times cause redundancy.
e) Pollution: Can pollute the environment if not correctly disposed.

Computer Laboratory and Computer Uses Computer Laboratory

This refers to a special room that is set aside and prepared specifically for safe installation and use
of computers.

SAFETY PRACAUTIONS AND PRACTISES.

Measures that protect the computers
i. Burglar proofing: by installing grills, intrusion detection alarm systems, and employing
security guards.
ii. Fire prevention and control: by installing smoke detectors, gaseous fire extinguishers etc
iii. Provision of stable power: by installing surge detectors, power extension cables,
Uninterruptible Power supply (UPS), power backup generator etc
iv. Void of Thunder storms: by installing thunder arrestors
v. Spacious and well laid out: by laying cables in trunks and away from the paths to avoid
stumbling on them
vi. Dust Free room: by having air conditioning systems and dust covers to cover computers when
not in use.
vii. Well insulted cables to avoid electrical circuits.
viii. Users should avoid eating in the lab since fallen food particles may clog moving parts while
liquids may cause short circuits.

Measures that protect the user

i. All the cables should be insulted avoid electric shock
ii. Cables should be laid away from the paths to avoid tripping on them
[Link] furniture: Seats should have an upright backrest and a tables of right height
iv. Provision of antiglare screens and adjustable screens to avoid eye strain caused by over bright
Cathode Ray Tubes.
v. Well ventilated room to avoid dizziness due to lack of enough oxygen
vi. Avoid overcrowding in the room since it may case suffocation

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 vii. Running and playing in the lab is not allowed.
viii. The walls if the computer lab should not be painted with over bright and reflective paints and
the screens should face away from the window to avoid glare caused by bright backgrounds.
Basic Computer Hand on Skills

Booting a Computer
Once you put on the computer, you may hear the sound of the cooler fan running.
After a few seconds, lines of text begin to run on the screen. This is referred to as Power-on-Self-
Test (POST).POST checks on the existing storage, basic input and output devices. If any of these
devices has a problem, the process may stop or halt and an error message is displayed on the screen.
POST is accomplished by a special firmware program called

Basic-Input-Output-System (BIOS) which is held on the ROM chip mounted on the motherboard.
After POST, the computer reads some instructions such as the current time and date from a special
memory known as the

Complementary metal oxide Semiconductor (CMOS).CMOS is powered by a dry cell. If the cell is
down, the computer would always require the user to enter the current time and date.
Lastly, the OS is read from the hard Disk and loaded to the memory in a process called booting. In
MS Windows, once the OS is successfully loaded, a user interface called Desktop is displayed.
Therefore, booting is the process of starting or restating a Computer.

TYPES OF BOOTING
A) Cold Booting:
This refers to starting the computer which was initially off from the main switch.
B) Warm Booting: This refers to restarting the computer. It’s also called soft boot. On the
PCs, you can warm boot by pressing the Control, Alt and Del. keys simultaneously.
Reasons for Warm Booting
i. When there is power failure.
ii. When the computer hangs-stops responding to commands
iii. When the computer hibernates.

The Computer Keyboard

It’s a device used to instruct and enter data into the computer Keyboard Layout
A) Functional Keys: Labelled f1 to [Link] used as shortcuts to specialized operations in
application programs e.g. f1 is used to invoke help.
B) Alphanumeric keys: Consists of letters A-Z,0-9,Caps Lock,Backspace,Enter,Spacebar and
special characters like =,/>#,@&*&%$!():;’”<+
C) Numeric Keys: Consists of 0-9, Num Lock, Arithmetic operators (-, +,*, /), and Enter.
D) Navigation keys: They include Home, End, Page up, Page down and arrow keys.
E) Editing keys: They include Delete and Insert Keys.
F) Special PC keys: They include Ctrl, Alt, Shift and Esc keys. Some have also Windows, Internet
and Shortcut keys.
THE MOUSE
It got its name from its shape and long interface cable which makes it look like a biological mouse.
It can be abbreviated for Mechanically Operated User Signal Encoder.
Mouse Skills
Clicking: Pressing the left mouse button once to select
Double Clicking: Pressing the left mouse twice in quick succession to execute a command
like opening an application.
Drag and Drop: Refers to selecting an item, holding down the left mouse button moving the
item to a new location and then releasing.

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 Right Click: Pressing the right mouse button once to display the shortcut menu.
Triple click: Pressing the left mouse button thrice in quick succession to select a paragraph.
NOTE: Some mousses have a scroll wheel which can be used in scrolling.

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 UNIT 2
COMPUTER SYSTEM

A computer system is a collection of three components namely hardware, software and liveware
that work together to receive, process and present information in a meaningful way.
i. Hardware: Are the physical and tangible parts of the computer.
ii. Software: Are the sets of instructions that direct a computer on what to do.
iii. Liveware: It is the user who dictates what task he/she wants the computer to perform
instructions.

COMPUTER HARDWARE

Instructions Instructions
CONTROL UNIT

INPUT Arithmetic and Logic OUTPUT

Unit

STORAGE

Indicate flow of information and instructions.

COMPUTER HARDWARE
It’s classified into four categories namely:
Input Devices
Central Processing Unit
Output Devices
Storage Devices

INPUT DEVICES
They convert user input which is in human language form into machine language that a computer
can process. They are classified into:
Keying Devices
Pointing Devices

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 Scanning Devices
Voice input Devices
Digitizers
Digital Cameras

KEYING DEVICES
Keying devices convert typed numbers, letters and characters to machine readable form. They
include: Keyboard and keypad.
A keypad is a miniature keyboard used in portable devices [Link],laptopsamd mobile phones.

TYPES OF KEYBOARDS
Standard/QWERTY:

Keyboard:Has 3 special PC Keys,12F Keys etc.

Braille Keyboard:

Designed for the [Link] got raised keys.

Flexible Keyboard:
It is a portable keyboard that can be folded and packed into a bag.

Cordless Keyboard:
It is a wireless keyboard that uses infrared waves to transmit data.

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 POINTING DEVICES
1. Mouse
A mouse is a small handheld device pushed over a horizontal surface.
It moves the graphical pointer by being slid across a smooth surface.

A computer mouse with the most common standard features: two buttons and a scroll wheel, which
can also act as a third button.

2. Trackball
A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball housed in a socket containing sensors to detect
rotation of the ball about two axes, similar to an upside-down mouse: as the user rolls the ball with a
thumb, fingers, or palm the mouse cursor on the screen will also move. Tracker balls are commonly
used on CAD workstations for ease of use, where there may be no desk space on which to use a
mouse. A gamepad with a trackball.

3. Joystick

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A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or
direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks are often used to control video games, and usually
have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the computer. A popular variation of
the joystick used on modern video game consoles is the analog stick.

4. Pointing stick
A pointing stick is a pressure sensitive small nub used like a joystick. It's usually found on laptops
embedded between the 'G', 'H', and 'B' keys. It operates by sensing the force applied by the user.
The corresponding "mouse" buttons are commonly placed just below the spacebar. It is also found on
mice and some desktop keyboards.

5. Touchpad
A touchpad or trackpad is a flat surface that can detect finger contact. It's a stationary pointing
device, commonly used on laptop computers. At least one physical button normally comes with the
touchpad, but the user can also generate a mouse click by tapping on the pad. Advanced features
include pressure sensitivity and special gestures such as scrolling by moving one's finger along an
edge.

6. Graphics tablet

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A graphics tablet or digitizing tablet is a special tablet similar to a touchpad, but controlled with a pen
or stylus that is held and used like a normal pen or pencil. The thumb usually controls the clicking via
a two way button on the top of the pen, or by tapping on the tablet'ssurface.

7. Light pen
A light pen is a computerinput device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a
computer's CRT TV set or monitor. It allows the user to point to displayed objects, or draw on the
screen, in a similar way to a touch screen but with greater positional accuracy.

A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch
within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or
hand.

8. Stylus
In computing, a stylus (or stylus pen) is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands
to a computer screen, mobile device or graphics tablet. With touchscreen devices a user places a
stylus on the surface of the screen to draw or make selections by tapping the stylus on the screen.

Common styluses

SCANNING DEVICES [Keywords]

Scanning means capturing data from an object and then converting it into digital form. There Are
two types of scanners namely: Optical and Magnetic.

OPTICAL SCANNERS
They capture data using optical or light technology.
Examples are:
a. Optical Mark Recognition.(OMR)

Detect marks on paper using ink or a soft pen. They are used mark
multiple choice questions,analyses responses etc.

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 b. OpticalBar Recognition(OBR)

Used to capture data in bar codes. Bar codes are lines of different
thickness that contain a product’s details like country, manufacturer,
price etc. Examples is the wand

c. Optical Character Recognition(OCR)

Used to capture computer printed, type written and hand written characters. Example is
the flatbed Scanner.

MAGNETIC SCANNERS
Are used to capture data written using magnetic ink or coded into a magnetic strip.

TYPES OF MAGNETIC SCANNERS

1. Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

Used to read characters written using magnetic ink. Example is the cheque reader used in banks.

2. Magnetic Card Reader

Used to read data coded on a magnetic strip on a plastic card like that of the ATM and Credit Card.

Voice Input Devices

These devices directly enter data into the computer by capturing voice. They include the
microphones.

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 OTHER DIGITAL DEVICES
TOUCH SCREENS
Works by allowing the user to touch the screen in order to select an item.

DIGITIZERS
Also referred as graphic tablet. Allows the user to draw an image using a stylus. The drawn image
does not appear on the tablet but on the computer screen

DIGITAL CAMERAS
They capture data and store it in digital form. The pictures are stored on a memory card instead of a
film.

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT

It is also referred to as the “brain” of the computer.
It is the central part of the computer where data processing takes place and it comprises of:
Control Unit
Arithmetic and Logic Unit
Main Memory

Control Unit
It’s responsible for controlling all the activities in the computer.

Arithmetic and logic Unit.

Performs arithmetic and logic operations on data as directed by the control unit.

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Maim Memory
Stores data and instructions that are directly accessible to the processor.
The two types of main memory are:
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Read Only Memory (ROM)

1. Random Access Memory (RAM)

Mostly referred as Working storage. Its volatile, temporary hold data entered into the computer for
processing.
There are two types of RAM i.e. Static and Dynamic.

Static-RAM (S-RAM)
Faster access to the CPU
Large in size
Expensive
Its content does not require refreshment

Dynamic-RAM (D-RAM)
Offers slower access to the CPU
Requires constant refreshment
Smaller in size compared to SRAM
Cheaper compared to SRAM

2. Read Only Memory (ROM)

Contains non-volatile, relatively permanent data and instructions that cannot be easily changed.

Characteristics of ROM:
a) Cannot write new data or instruction
b) Its non-volatile hence permanent
c) The contents cannot be modified

TYPES OF ROM
i) Mask ROM (MROM)
Once written by the manufacturer, it cannot be changed afterwards.

ii) Programmable ROM (PROM)

Can be written only once by the user after which it cannot be changed again.

iii) Erasable programmable ROM (EPROM)

Can be erased and reprogrammed again by exposing it to ultra-violet light.

iv) Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM(EEPROM)

It’s programmable under software control and can support selective modification of its contents.

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SPECIAL PURPOSE MEMORIES
These are memories embedded on the microprocessor in order to enhance its processing
speed. They include:
1. Cache Memory:
It’s mounted on the motherboard to optimize system performance

2. Buffers:
They are found on the input/output devices like the printer where they can store massive data sent by
the CPU for printing hence releasing the CPU to do other urgent tasks as the printer continues to print
in the background.

3. Registers:
Located inside the CPU. They hold data just before and after processing in the ALU.

PROCESSORS
What is a microprocessor?
A microprocessor is an integrated circuit on a tiny silicon chip that contains thousands or
millions of tiny on/off switches, known as transistors.

What is a microprocessor?
A microprocessor is an integrated circuit on a tiny silicon chip that contains thousands or
millions of tiny on/off switches, known as transistors.

OUTPUT DEVICES
These are devices that make it possible to get processed information from the Computer. They
are classified into:
Softcopy
Hardcopy.

Softcopy Output Devices

They provide output that is seen or heard but cannot be touched e.g. Monitors, Projectors and
sound output devices.
1. Monitors

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Also called Visual Display Unit (VDU) or the screen. They help the user to see/monitor what the CPU
has accomplished.

Types of Monitors:
A. Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT)
Consists of a long glass tube with an electron gun on one end and a
screen on the other end.
Types of CRT Monitors
i. Invar type; They display pixels horizontally
ii. Trinitron type; They display pixels vertically

B. Liquid Crystal Monitors (LCD)

Made up of special liquid crystals. They are less bulky, consume less
power, and have little effect on eyes.

Types of LCD Monitors are:

Passive matrix: Create images by scanning the entire screen. Have poor
clarity and consume less power.
Active Matrix: Made of Thin Film Transistors (TFT). Consume more
power but have better clarity.

C. Gas Plasma Displays

They use gas instead of liquid. Have better images since its images do
not suffer from angle distortion.

2. PROJECTORS
A device that projects computer output onto a white or silver fabric
screen that is wall, ceiling or tripod mounted. It is widely used in classrooms and auditoriums for
instruction and slide presentations.

SOUND OUTPUT DEVICES

They produce sound as their output. Examples are speakers, headphones and ear phones

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HARDCOPY OUTPUT DEVICES
They produce output which is both tangible and visible e.g. a printout. They include printers, plotters
and facsimile (fax).

1. PRINTERS
They are classified into:
 Impact printers
 Non-impact printers

a. Impact printers
Impact printers use the striking mechanism. This means they make
contact with the paper in order to print. Examples are the:

a) Dot Matrix Printers

b) Daisy Wheel printers

Advantages
•Cheaper to run
•Print for long periods without breaking down

Disadvantages
•Produce low quality printouts

b. Non-Impact Printers and Its Types

The printers that produce output on paper without striking the paper are known as non-impact
printers. They Use Electrostatic, inkjet, and thermal technologies for printing.

Non-Impact printers are faster and produce hight quality output than impact printers. They can
print up to 24 pages per minute. They produce no noise during printing. These printers are costly than
impact printers

The Examples of Non-Impact printers are :

1- Laser Printer
2- Inkjet Printer
3- Thermal Printer

Laser Printer
Laser stands for Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation.
A laser printer is the fastest and high quality non-impact printer. It works
like a photocopier. The laser printer transfers the image of output on paper using LASER technology
and toner. Toner is an ink powder. It is used in laser printers and photocopiers.

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The laser printer has a special drum inside it. First the image of output is created on the drum, and
then it is transferred from drum to paper. The image of output is created on the drum
by throwing magnetic ink powder in the form of microscopic dots. These dots can be from 300 dpi to
1200 dpi (dpi means dots per inch and these dots refers to microscopic dots).

The Laser printer can print both text and graphics in very high quality resolution. Laser printer prints
one page at a time. The laser printers are, therefore also called page printers. The printing speed of
laser printer is about 4 to 32 pages per minute for microcomputer and up to 200 pages per minute for
mainframe computers.

Ink Jet Printer

Ink-jet printer is type of non-impact printer. It creates output on paper by spraying tiny drops of liquid
ink. Inkjet printer has print-head that can spray very fine drops of ink. It
consists of print cartridge filled with liquid ink and has small nozzles in
form of matrix. Like dot matrix printer, the combination of nozzles is
activated to form the shaper of character or image on the paper by
spraying the liquid ink. These printers have resolution ranging from 300
to 720 dpi.

The ink-jet printers have low price than laser printers. They are also
slower and have low print quality than laser printer. However, they are faster and have high print
quality than dot matrix printers. The printing speed of ink-jet printer is from 1 to 6 pages per minute.

Thermal Printer
Thermal printer is another type of non-impact printer. It can only print output on a special heat
sensitive waxy paper. The image if the output is created on the waxy paper by burning dots on it.
For coloured output, coloured waxy sheets are [Link] Printer produces a high quality printout.
It is quite expensive as compared to other non-impact printers.

3. PLOTTERS
These are special purpose printers designed to print
photographsmaps and architectural designs.

SECONDARY STORAGE DEVICES/AUXILIARY

DEVICES
They are not directly accessible by the C.P.U. However, it offers a long term storage for data and
information.
Secondary storage devices can be classified in two ways:
a) Portability (as removable and fixed)
b) Technology used to store and retrieve data (magnetic, optical, magneto-optical and solid
state)

According To Portability
a. Removable

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 i. Removable Magnetic Storage
Magnetic Storage media use magnetic technology to store data. The process involves organizing
minute atomic level magnets called DIPOLES to present data on the medium. Data is read and written
into the media using a device known as a DRIVE
Examples of Removable Magnetic Media
- Magnetic Tapes
- Floppy Disks
1. Magnetic tapes
They are flexible, plastic ribbons on which data can be stored using magnetic process.
A magnetic tape resembles a whole tape recorder.
Data is stored as magnetic spots arranged in columns on the magnetic tape.
They are sequential access devices.

Merits of Magnetic Tapes

a) Stores large amount of data easily for long periods since they are compact in nature.
b) It is easy and light to carry.
c) It is effective when used to store sequential files for batch applications.
Demerits
a. It must read sequentially one record after another till it reaches the required record.
b. Environmental factors such as dust, moisture in high low humidity can destroy data stored on
magnetic tapes.
2. Floppy Diskette
It is a flexible disc held in protective cover.
It holds data in concentric tracks and is also divided into logical pie-shaped segments called sectors.
The sectors and tracks have the same storage capacity.
The area with the same track bound by 2 edges of sectors forms a block.

ii. Removable Magneto-Optical Storage

Stores data both magnetically and optically. This is achieved by heating the media to about 149
degrees Celsius using a precise laser beam which then guides the magnetic head to write on the
heated area.
Reading is done using a laser beam which can detect the polarization of magnetic dipoles on the
media.
Examples of magneto-optical media
 Zip disk
 Jaz disk
 HiFD
 LS-120
Zip Disk
Is a special type of a disk which can hold data of up to 750 MB
It stable, inexpensive and easy to work with
Zip disks are read using a zip drive which may be internal or external
Jaz Disk
Resemble Zip disks in every sense only that they have a larger storage capacity up to 2 GB
Also read using internal or external drive.
High Capacity Floppy Disk

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Simply known as HiFD disk stores up to 200 MB of data
They can read 1.44 MB diskette
Laser Servo 120 Super Disks
Simply known as LS-120 super disks can store data up to 240 MB
Can read also 1.44 MB floppy diskette
iii. Removable Optical Storage
Are called optical storage media because data is written and read from them using a laser beam.
Common types are:-
1. Compact Disk (CD)
Is made of small plastic disk with a reflective aluminium coating on one side
Can store data of approximately 700MB
Types of compact disks are:-
Compact disk read only memory
They are the CD-ROM as the name suggests contains only data that can only be read hence cannot be
written on.
Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R)
Are coated with special dye which changes color to represent data when burned using a laser beam
Once data is burned on a CD-R, it becomes a read only.
Both CD-ROM & CD-R are known as Write Once Read More (WORM) disks
Compact Disk rewritable (CD-RW)
Can be erased and written more than once
Also called Compact Disk Erasable (CD-E)
It also coated a with a special dye which allows rewriting
2. Digital Versatile Disk (DVD)
Resemble CD-ROMs in every aspect only that they can store more data
For example a typical DVD can store approximately 17 GB
Common types of DVDs:-
Read only DVDs
Recordable DVDs
Rewritable DVDs

FIXED MAGNETIC STORAGE

The following are the examples of fixed storage media;

Hard Disk (Hard Drive) -HDD

Hard disk also known as the hard drive
It is called the hard disk because some hard disks are removable and made up of metallic disk
platters housed in a protective metal case.
The read/write head moves just above the surface of the rapidly rotating disk to read or write data
Most of them are connected to the motherboard via channel controller
Some controllers in use are: integrated drive electronic (IDE), enhanced IDE or AT attachment
(ATA)

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Structure of a Hard Disk
Made up of tracks and sectors
Have more than one platter stacked on top of each other to form a cylinder

Advantages of Hard Disks

 Stores large volume of data
 Offers faster access of data

Care of a Hard Disk

Care should be taken to avoid loss of data due to crashing
 Keep the hard disk away from dust and smoke
 Switch off the computer using the correct procedure

Solid State Storage Devices

It is a kind of a nonvolatile storage media that employs integrated circuits rather than mechanical,
magnetic or optical technology.
They are regarded as solid state because they do not have moving parts but everything is electronic as
is the case of RAM or EEPROM e.g. flash disks and memory cards.

Advantages of solid state storage media over other removable media

 Are noiseless since don’t have mechanical parts
 Offer fast access to the stored data
 Very small hence portable
Caring For Magnetic Media
To avoid accidental loss of data or information held on a magnetic media the following rules must be
observed:
1. Do not expose magnetic media to strong magnetic fields. This would disorient the magnetic
dipoles causing erasure of the recorded data.
2. Do not expose magnetic media to excessive heat. Heat energy leads to loss of magnetic strength in
materials, hence magnetically recorded data can easily get lost.
3. Do not drop magnetic media on the ground because the impact weakens the magnetism.

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4. Do not bend or fold magnetic media or put heavy weights on them to avoid breaking or damaging
them.
5. Do not touch the magnetic surfaces.
6. Do not remove media from the drive when it is still being accessible by the computer because this
may result in data loss.

POWER AND INTERFACE CABLES

Computer Interface Cables
Hard Disk Cable
Notebook HDD Cable
ATA Hard Disk Cable (ATA66/100/133)
Floppy Drive Cable
CR ROM Cables
VGA Port
Serial Port Cable (COM1, COM2)
Parallel Port Cable
Sound Port Cable
MIDI Cable (15p M&F to 5p DIN)
S-Video Cable
USB Port Cable
PS2 port Cable
Game Port Cable
Serial ATA Data Cable
Serial ATA Power Cable (SATA)
Power Cords (5amp, 15amp)
Flower Power Cords for Laptops
Links Cords
VGA Monitor Cables
RGB monitor Cables
VGA Extension Cables
13W3 Cables
DVI Cables
Keyboard Cable
Keyboard Extension Cables
PS2 Keyboard Cables
Mouse Extension Cables
PS2 Extension Cables
ATX Power Cables
Power Y Cable (SMPS)
SCSI Cables (SCSI I, SCSI II, SCSI III, SCSI IV) (Internal & External)
USB Cables (USB A-B,A-A,Amale-Afemale,B-B)
USB MiniUSB (Camera cables)
Modern Cables
Data Cables
Scanner Cables
Printer Cables
IEEE 1284 Standard Printer Cable
Mobile to PC Data Cable (WLL)
PC to Mobile Charger Cable

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GPIB Cable (IEEE 488 Standards)

BASIC COMPUTER SETUP

Basic computer involves connecting the basic parts such as monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers
to the system unit. Once you have set up the computer, you can then connect it to the power supply.
The power supply serves to convert the AC current to DC.

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Connecting Main Components
The main I/O components are connected to the system unit through ports
Serial Ports: Support transmission of data one bit at a time.
Parallel Ports: Transmit more than one bit of data at a time.
Universal Serial Bus: Special type of serial port that connect as many as 127 peripheral devices to a
computer.
Video port: Where the monitor is connected to the system unit.
Ethernet Port: For connecting the network cable e.g RJ45.
Multimedia ports: For connecting speaker, microphone etc.
P/S 2 Ports: For connecting mouse and keyboard.
Power Port: For connecting to the power supply.

Criteria for Selecting Computer Hardware.

i. Memory Capacity: This will help determine the type of OS and applications that can run
efficiently on the computer. B. Cost: The cost should be reasonable and pocket friendly.
i. Warranty: It should have a warranty cover for a specific period of time. The longer the
warranty, the better the hardware.
ii. Portability: The ease with which it can be moved from one place to another. It should be
easily moved.
iii. Compatibility: It should be compatible across all platforms.
iv. Upgradability: It should be easily upgraded to increase its functionality.
v. User needs: The H/W should be able to meet the needs of the user.
vi. Processor Speed: Consider of not lower than 800MHz.
vii. Flat panel monitors are preferred to CRTs.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

These are set of instructions that govern the computer on what to do.
It is categorized into:
a) System Software
b) Application Software.

1. System Software
Performs fundamental operations that avails computer resources to user applications

It is classified into:

a. Operating System
This is a program that manages the computer hardware resources and controls the execution of
application [Link] are: MS-Windows, Linux, Unix, MacOS.

b. Networking Software:
Enables computers and other devices connected to the network to share resources and communicate.

c. Utility Software:
Are special program used to enhance the performance of the system like smooth running of the
application software.
d. Firmware:
It is a combination of both the hardware and software etched on a single silicon chip.

2. Application Software
These are programs that are designed to meet user specific needs. They are classified according to:
a) Purpose
b) Acquisition

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Classification according to Purpose.
On this basis, computers can be general or specific purpose computers.

i. General Purpose software

They perform tasks on a general basis that is more than one job.
They include: Spreadsheets, Word processors, Databases etc.

ii. Specific Purpose Software

They perform specialized tasks like publishing, video editing,

Classification according to acquisition.

They are further classified into:

i. In-House Developed/Tailor made software

They are tailored to meet specific user needs within the organization.

ii. Vendor-Off-the Shelf Software.

They are developed, packaged and made available for sale

Merits of Vendor-Off-the Shelf Software.

i. It takes less time to access company needs, buy and install them.
ii. They are less expensive to acquire and maintain.
iii. They are readily available for almost any task.
iv. They are thoroughly tested before being released hence less chance of errors.

Demerits of Vendor-Off-the Shelf software.

i. They may have some features not needed by the user may take extra storage.
ii. They may require the user to change its processes and hardware for compatibility which may
turn to be expensive.

Development software(Programming Languages)

Programming Languages
These are programs which are used to design other programs i.e. they are like the mother to other
programs e.g.
 Visual Basic
 Pascal
 C++

Programming Languages Development Environment

- Computers must be given instructions in order to perform the tasks that human beings would like
them to perform. These instructions or commands are issued to the computer by way of programs.

- A program is a series of instructions to be performed by a computer to solve a given problem.

- Programmingis the process of developing a program.
- A programming language is a language in which programs are written.
Each programming language has its own grammatical (syntax) rules, which must be obeyed in order
to write valid programs.
- Semantics are the rules that govern the meanings of words and phrases in that language.

Classification of Computer Programming Languages

Programming languages can be grouped into one of the 3 broad classes namely:

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 1. Machine language
- The language that comprises of words in a form in which the instructions formed from these words
can be executed immediately by the computer without any transformation on these words. The
instructions are binary digit (in 0s and 1s). Machine language is highly efficient and allows direct
control of each operation.
Characteristics of machine language
1. All instructions are written in binary code.
2. They need no translation whatsoever before execution
3. Are very difficult to read, edit or update from the user perspective.
4. Are machine oriented with rigid syntax and elaborate semantics.

2. Low Level or Assembly language

Assembly languages are machine oriented programming languages instructions. They make use of
mnemonics and symbolic codes in places of long lines of machines.

3. High level Language

They are machine independent, problem oriented programming languages which use syntax that
closely resembles ordinary mathematical or English like phrases, and which enables the production in
programs that can be used on any type of computer.

Types of High Level Languages

a. 3rd Generation Languages (3GL)

High level languages that have a very rigid syntax and a relatively limited vocabulary. Are largely
mathematical in orientations.
Features
1. Program and data dependence
2. Process orientation
3. Rigid, mathematical syntax
Examples:
 Basic (Beginners All purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) - Developed as a language to use in
teaching programming to students.
 COBOL - (Common Business Oriental Language). Developed purely for business and
commercial purposes.
 Pascal Named after French mathematician Blaise Pascal, it is a general-purpose language that
encourages structured programming.

b. 4th Generation Languages (4GL)

So similar to ordinary natural languages like English. And which have a very large vocabulary and
less rigid syntax.
They are designed to support on-line enquiry via query facilities built into the language. They also
facilitate increased efficiency of applications development process through in-built program
development tools.

c. 5th Generation Languages (5GL)

Language of the future which are meant to support expert systems in the employment of artificial
intelligence. Enable computers to reason in the same way as humans. They find usage in such areas as
robotics and computer aided design/manufacture.

Features of 5th Generation Languages (5GL)

1. Ability to learn and “think” (self-generating programs).
2. Total flexibility in syntax.
3. More “loose” semantics (words would have more than one making).
4. Extremely wide vocabulary and libraries of facts.
5. Total user friendliness.

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Advantages of writing a program in a high level language:
1. They are shorter than assembly language equivalents.
2. Since their statements are more like the English language statements, the programmer
concentrates on the program’s functional details rather than the hardware’s details.
3. The data are given names described as variables thus programs become easier to understand.
4. Programs are machine independent; hence, portable i.e. they can be run on any family of
computer hardware.

Disadvantages of High level languages:

1. Tend to be less efficient in the use of the CPU and facilities. Have less effective commands.
2. Runs slower due to the generality of the statements. They need a compiler for translation into
machine code.
3. The compilers and the machine code generated thereafter occupy a lot of memory space
unnecessarily.

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 COMPUTER SOFTWARE

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 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CONSIDERATION

1. Hardware Consideration
(Factors to consider when selecting and hardware device)

System
Operating
General
Computer
Accounting
Graphics
Word
Spreadsheets
Purpose
Aided Programs
Processors
SYSTEM
Packages
Packages
Design
Software
Utility SOFTWARE
SOFTWARESoftware
DTP,
Networking
Special
Photo
Software
Video
Editing
Purpose
Purpose FirmwareDeveloped
Editing, In
Software
-House Acquisition
APPLICATION
SOFTWARE Vendor
Shelf Software.
OffThe

i. Memory Capacity:This will help determine the type of OS and applications that can run
efficiently on the computer.
ii. Cost:The cost should be reasonable and pocket friendly.

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 iii. Warranty:It should have a warranty cover for a specific period of time. The longer the
warranty, the better the hardware.
iv. Portability: The ease with which it can be moved from one place to another. It should be
easily moved.
v. Compatibility:It should be compatible across all platforms.
vi. Upgradability: It should be easily upgraded to increase its functionality.
vii. User needs: The H/W should be able to meet the needs of the user.
viii. Processor Speed:Consider of not lower than 800 MHz
ix. Display:Flat panel monitors are preferred to CRTs.

2. Software Consideration
(Criteria for selecting Computers software)
i. Authenticity- One should have the manufacturer’s certificate of authenticity to avoid
purchasing pirated software.
ii. Documentation - The user should have the user, troubleshooting and installation guides
manual.
iii. User needs - One should analyses his/her needs before purchasing the software.
iv. Reliability - It should be reliable and secure.
v. Cost - It should be reasonable and friendly.
vi. Compatibility and Upgradability - It should be compatible with
the existing hardware.

UNIT 3:
OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)

This is the main program that controls the execution of user’s applications and enables the user to
access the hardware and software resources of the computer.
Examples are: Linux, MS Windows, Unix etc.

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 Resources Under OS Control.
The resources or devices under the Operating system control include:
 The processor. The OS Determines which task will be executed first.
 Main memory. The OS determines which job remains in memory and which one is
temporarily suspended.
 Input/output devices: The OS allocates requests from applications to I/O
(Input/Output)devices.
 Secondary storage devices. The OS manages the storage and retrieval of data from
backing storage.
 Communication Devices: The OS provides an environment within which these
devices operate.

Functions of an Operating System

a) Memory management
-The Operating System must keep track of what parts of memory are in use and by whom.

b) Processor Management
- The OS must decide which program will be allowed into the CPU and for how long.

c) Input/ Output Device Management

- The OS will control allocation of I/O devices and attempt to resolve any conflicts which
arises.

d) File Management
- The OS keeps track of file information, file location, use, status, etc.

e) Job scheduling:
- The OS schedules which task will use which resource and for how long.

f) Error handling:
- The OS performs an error check on data, hardware and software and it may give
suggestions.

CLASSIFICATION OF OS.
According to the number of users handled at time.
According to the number of tasks handled at time.
According to user interface.
According to the size of the computer.

1. Classification according to number of users.

a. Single- User operating system

Designed to be used by one person at a time. Example: MS DOS

b. Multi –User Operating system

Allow more than one user to access resources apparently at the same time e.g Linux, Solaris

2. Classification according to number of tasks.

a. Single task operating System

They run only one program at a time. Examples are MS DOS

b. Multitasking Operating System

Allow more than one program to run apparently at the same time e.g MS Windows.

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3. Classification according to size of computer.

a. Embedded operating system.

They are used on hand held devices such as mobile phones and PDAs.

b. Desktop Operating System

Are meant for home users and are cheap, easier to use.

4. Classification According to User Interface.

a. Command-line user Interface

It lets the user to type a command at the prompt which is then interpreted.

b. Menu Driven Interface

Here, the user simply chooses commands from a list of menu options.

c. Graphical User-Interface Operating System

Makes use of rectangular frame called Windows, Graphical objects called Icons, and most
commands are issued using a pointing device and a Menu.

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 TYPES OF ICONS
Graphical representation of program, shortcuts, folders and files.
1. Application Icons: They are found at the lower edge of the desktop. They represent programs
running but whose windows are not open e.g Date, Time, Antivirus
2. Group Icons: They represent minimized document windows.
3. Program Icons: Represent applications you can start from windows. Normally found on the
start menu.

Menus
A menu is a list of options representing commands.

Types of Menus:
a. The start menu.
b. Pop-up Menus: These are menus which appear from bottom to top when the user right clicks.
c. Nested Menu: Represent a combination of pop up and pop down menus.

Uses of Menus:
Shutting down the computer
Starting programs
Opening and saving files.

Properties of a Window
Title Bar: Shows which program is running in the active window.
Menu Bar: Gives options of commands that can be used when the programs are running
Toolbar: Represents commands in the form of icons
Typing area: This is where all typing is done
Status Bar: Shows the current state of the program e,g line, column, section and even paragraph
Scroll Bar: Used to navigate the entire working area.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING AN OS

 Hardware configuration or provision of computer. e.g. Memory, HDD, and type of the
processor.

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 Application software intended for the computer.
 User friendliness or human computer interface i.e. it is command line based menu, menu
driven or graphical user interface.
 Availability in the market.
 Cost-how expensive is the Operating system.
 Reliability i.e. can it run without possibility of crushing or hanging.
 Users it can support.
 Documentation available.

How the operating System organizes information.

The OS organizes information into Drives, Folders and files.

1. Drives
These refers to storage media or [Link] are assigned labels A-Z as follows:
Storage Media Drive Remarks
Floppy Disk A and B Floppy disks are assigned A or B.
Hard Disk C,D,E,F HD is assigned either C,D,E,F
Optical Drives D,E,F,G These are for CD s and DVDs
Other Removable D...Z -

2. Files
A file is a collection of logically organized data given a unique names for ease of access,
manipulation and storage on a backing storage.

3. Folders
A folder is a named storage location in the computer.
N/B:A sub folder is a folder within a folder.

Types of Folders
Expandable folders: These are folders with (+) sign next to their icons meaning it has sub folders.
Collapsed Folders: These are folders with (-) sign next to their icons meaning its sub folders are
already displayed.

MANAGING STORAGE DEVICES USING WINDOWS

a. Formatting Drives
Formatting means writing tracks and sectors on a disk to make it ready for data storage.

b. Defragmenting a Disk
This is the process of re-assembling scattered bits of information on a disk in a contiguous manner.

c. Disk Compression
Disk compression dramatically increases available free space by compression files. However this
reduces performance.

Operating System Structure

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 UNIT 4:

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 DATA REPRESENATION

Units of Measurement.
i. The Bit
A bit is the smallest piece of logic that can be recognized by computer.
A bit represents an electrical state (e.g. +ve, -ve).
Digital computers recognize only two types of bits represented by 1 and 0 respectively.
ii. The Byte
A byte is equal to 8 bits (a combination of 8 bits).
iii. Nibble
A group of four bits, or half a byte, is sometimes called a nibble or nibble. This unit is most often used
in the context of hexadecimal number representations, since a nibble has the same amount of
information as one hexadecimal digit.
iv. Word or character
A group of 16 or more bits.

Derived Units
1. Bit = 0 or 1
2. Nibble=4 bits
3. Byte=8 bits
4. Word/character= 16 bits or 2 bytes
5. Kilobyte (Kb) = 1024 bytes
6. Megabyte (Mb) = 1024 Kb
7. Gigabyte (Gb) = 1024 Mb
8. Terabyte (Tb) = 1024 Gb
9. Hectobyte (Hb) = 1024 Tb

1. NUMBER SYSTEMS
Human beings use decimal (base 10) and duodecimal (base 12) number systems for counting and
measurements (probably because we have 10 fingers and two big toes). Computers use binary (base
2) number system, as they are made from binary digital components (known as transistors) operating
in two states - on and off. In computing, we also use hexadecimal (base 16) or octal (base 8) number
systems, as a compact form for represent binary numbers.

1.1 Decimal (Base 10) Number System

Decimal number system has ten symbols: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, called digits. It uses positional
notation. That is, the least-significant digit (right-most digit) is of the order of 10^0 (units or ones),
the second right-most digit is of the order of 10^1 (tens), the third right-most digit is of the order of
10^2 (hundreds), and so on. For example,
735 = 7×10^2 + 3×10^1 + 5×10^0

1.2 Binary (Base 2) Number System

Binary number system has two symbols: 0 and 1, called bits. It is also a positional notation, for
example,
10110B = 1×2^4 + 0×2^3 + 1×2^2 + 1×2^1 + 0×2^0
We shall denote a binary number with a suffix B. Some programming languages denote binary
numbers with prefix 0b (e.g., 0b1001000), or prefix b with the bits quoted (e.g., b'10001111').
A binary digit is called a bit. Eight bits is called a byte (why 8-bit unit? Probably because 8=23).

1.3 The Octal (base 8) Numbering Syst em

The Octal Number System is another type of computer and digital base number system. The Octal
Numbering System is very similar in principle to the previous hexadecimal numbering system except
that in Octal, a binary number is divided up into groups of only 3 bits, with each group or set of bits
having a distinct value of between 000 (0) and 111 ( 4+2+1 = 7 ).

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Octal numbers therefore have a range of just “8” digits, (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) making them a Base-8
numbering system and therefore, q is equal to “8”.

1.4 Hexadecimal (Base 16) Number System

Hexadecimal number system uses 16 symbols: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F, called
hex digits. It is a positional notation, for example,
A3EH = 10×16^2 + 3×16^1 + 14×16^0

Conversion from Hexadecimal to Binary

Replace each hex digit by the 4 equivalent bits, for examples,
A3C5H = 1010 0011 1100 0101B
102AH = 0001 0000 0010 1010B

Conversion from Binary to Hexadecimal

Starting from the right-most bit (least-significant bit), replace each group of 4 bits by the equivalent
hex digit (pad the left-most bits with zero if necessary), for examples,
1001001010B = 0010 0100 1010B = 24AH
10001011001011B = 0010 0010 1100 1011B = 22CBH
It is important to note that hexadecimal number provides a compact form or shorthand for
representing binary bits.

Conversion from Base r to Decimal (Base 10)

Given an-digit base r number: dn-1 dn-2 dn-3 ... d3 d2 d1 d0 (base r), the decimal
equivalent is given by:
dn-1 × r^(n-1) + dn-2 × r^(n-2) + ... + d1 × r^1 + d0 × r^0
For examples,
A1C2H = 10×16^3 + 1×16^2 + 12×16^1 + 2 = 41410 (base 10)
10110B = 1×2^4 + 1×2^2 + 1×2^1 = 22 (base 10)

Conversion from Decimal (Base 10) to Base r

Use repeated division/remainder. For example,
To convert 261D to hexadecimal:
261/16 => quotient=16 remainder=5
16/16 => quotient=1 remainder=0
1/16 => quotient=0 remainder=1 (quotient=0 stop)
Hence, 261D = 105H
The above procedure is actually applicable to conversion between any 2 base systems. For example,
To convert 1023(base 4) to base 3:
1023(base 4)/3 => quotient=25D remainder=0
25D/3 => quotient=8D remainder=1
8D/3 => quotient=2D remainder=2
2D/3 => quotient=0 remainder=2 (quotient=0 stop)
Hence, 1023(base 4) = 2210(base 3)
General Conversion between 2 Base Systems with Fractional Part
1. Separate the integral and the fractional parts.
2. For the integral part, divide by the target radix repeatedly, and collect the remainder in reverse
order.
3. For the fractional part, multiply the fractional part by the target radix repeatedly, and collect the
integral part in the same order.

Example 1:
Convert 18.6875D to binary

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Integral Part = 18D
18/2 => quotient=9 remainder=0
9/2 => quotient=4 remainder=1
4/2 => quotient=2 remainder=0
2/2 => quotient=1 remainder=0
1/2 => quotient=0 remainder=1 (quotient=0 stop)
Hence, 18D = 10010B
Fractional Part = .6875D
.6875*2=1.375 => whole number is 1
.375*2=0.75 => whole number is 0
.75*2=1.5 => whole number is 1
.5*2=1.0 => whole number is 1
Hence .6875D = .1011B
Therefore, 18.6875D = 10010.1011B

Example 2:
Convert 18.6875D to hexadecimal
Integral Part = 18D
18/16 => quotient=1 remainder=2
1/16 => quotient=0 remainder=1 (quotient=0 stop)
Hence, 18D = 12H
Fractional Part = .6875D
.6875*16=11.0 => whole number is 11D (BH)
Hence .6875D = .BH
Therefore, 18.6875D = [Link]

Exercises (Number Systems Conversion)

1. Convert the following decimal numbers into binary and hexadecimal numbers:
1. 108
2. 4848
3. 9000
2. Convert the following binary numbers into hexadecimal and decimal numbers:
1. 1000011000
2. 10000000
3. 101010101010
3. Convert the following hexadecimal numbers into binary and decimal numbers:
1. ABCDE
2. 1234
3. 80F
4. Convert the following decimal numbers into binary equivalent:
1. 19.25D
2. 123.456D

conversion, by setting it to the scientific mode. (Run "calc" ⇒ Select "View" menu ⇒ Choose
Answers: You could use the Windows' Calculator ([Link]) to carry out number system

"Programmer" or "Scientific" mode.)

1. 1101100B, 1001011110000B, 10001100101000B, 6CH, 12F0H, 2328H.
2. 218H, 80H, AAAH, 536D, 128D, 2730D.
3. 10101011110011011110B, 1001000110100B, 100000001111B, 703710D, 4660D, 2063D.
4. ??

2. COMPUTER MEMORY & DATA REPRESENTATION

Computer uses a fixed number of bits to represent a piece of data, which could be a number, a
character, or others. An-bit storage location can represent up to 2^n distinct entities. For example, a

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3-bit memory location can hold one of these eight binary patterns: 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101,
110, or 111. Hence, it can represent at most 8 distinct entities. You could use them to represent
numbers 0 to 7, numbers 8881 to 8888, characters 'A' to 'H', or up to 8 kinds of fruits like apple,
orange, banana; or up to 8 kinds of animals like lion, tiger, etc.

Integers, for example, can be represented in 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit or 64-bit. You, as the programmer,
choose an appropriate bit-length for your integers. Your choice will impose constraint on the range of
integers that can be represented. Besides the bit-length, an integer can be represented in various
representation schemes, e.g., unsigned vs. signed integers. An 8-bit unsigned integer has a range of 0
to 255, while an 8-bit signed integer has a range of -128 to 127 - both representing 256 distinct
numbers.
It is important to note that a computer memory location merely stores a binary pattern. It is entirely
up to you, as the programmer, to decide on how these patterns are to be interpreted. For example, the
8-bit binary pattern "0100 0001B" can be interpreted as an unsigned integer 65, or an ASCII
character 'A', or some secret information known only to you. In other words, you have to first decide
how to represent a piece of data in a binary pattern before the binary patterns make sense. The
interpretation of binary pattern is called data representation or encoding. Furthermore, it is important
that the data representation schemes are agreed-upon by all the parties, i.e., industrial standards need
to be formulated and straightly followed.

BCD (character encoding)

BCD (Binary-Coded Decimal), also called alphanumeric BCD, alphameric BCD, BCD Interchange
Code, or BCDIC, is a term for a family of representations of numerals, uppercase Latin letters, and
some special and control characters as six-bit character codes.

Examples of BCD codes

The following charts show the numeric values of BCD characters in octal (base-8) notation. For
example, the code for 'A", shown as '002001'B4 would be binary '01 0001'.

IBM 704 BCD code

The following table shows the code assignments for the IBM 704 computer. Unassigned code
positions appear as blanks. "+0" and "-0" represent positive and negative zero respectively, which do
not have Unicode assignments.

EBCDIC (character encoding)

Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) is an 8-bitcharacter encoding used
mainly on IBM mainframe and IBMmidrange computer operating systems.
EBCDIC descended from the code used with punched cards and the corresponding six bit binary-
coded decimal code used with most of IBM's computer peripherals of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

000 001 002 003 004 005 006 007

000 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
001 8 9 # @
002 & A B C D E F G
003 H I +0 . ¤
004 - J K L M N O P
005 Q R -0 $ *
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006 space / S T U V W X 42

007 Y Z ‡ , %
000 001 002 003 004 005 006 007
ASCII (character encoding)
The American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII is a character-encoding scheme
originally based on the English alphabet that encodes 128 specified characters - the numbers 0-9, the
letters a-z and A-Z, some basic punctuation symbols, some control codes that originated with
Teletype machines, and a blank space - into the 7-bit binary integers.
ASCII codes represent text in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that use text.
Most modern character-encoding schemes are based on ASCII, though they support many additional
characters.

DATA PRESENTATION.
1. Decimals to Binary.
No.72
72
72
2 36 0
2 18 0
2 9 0
2 4 1
2 2 0
2 1 0
2 0 1

BINARY=10010002
NOTE: Follow this arrow on how you are supposed to write down your answer in Binary after
calculation.

2. Decimals To Binary (Decimal numbers)

No 0.375

0.375
X2
=0.75 0
0.75
X2
=1.5 1
0.5
X2
= 1.0 1
BINARY=0.0112

NOTE: Follow this arrow on how you are supposed to write down your answer in Binary after
calculation.

3. Conversion from Binary to Decimal.

BINARY 10100010

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 7
=1 06 15 04 03 02 11 00

(1x27) + (0x26)+ (1x25) + (0x24)+(0x23)+(0x22)+ (1x21) + (0x20)

i.e. =128+0+32+0+0+2+0

=16210

BINARY TO DECIMAL
Binary numbers with decimal places
No.0.011
(0x1/21)+(1x1/22)+(1x1/23) = 0+0.25+0.125=0.37510

Integer Representation
Integers are whole numbers or fixed-point numbers with the radix point fixed after the least-significant
bit. They are contrast to real numbers or floating-point numbers, where the position of the radix point
varies. It is important to take note that integers and floating-point numbers are treated differently in
computers. They have different representation and are processed differently (e.g., floating-point
numbers are processed in a so-called floating-point processor). Floating-point numbers will be
discussed later.
Computers use a fixed number of bits to represent an integer. The commonly-used bit-lengths for
integers are 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit or 64-bit. Besides bit-lengths, there are two representation schemes
for integers:
1. Unsigned Integers: can represent zero and positive integers.
2. Signed Integers: can represent zero, positive and negative integers. Three representation
schemes had been proposed for signed integers:
1. Sign-Magnitude representation
2. 1's Complement representation
3. 2's Complement representation

BINARY ARITHMETIC

1. ADDITION
06
00110 11 
01011+ 17
10001

Carry
What happens if we run out of digits?
• Adding two numbers each stored in 1 byte (8 bits) may produce a 9-bit result

156
10011100
10100111+ 167 +
101000011
323

Added 15610 + 16710 and expected to get 32310

• 8-bit result was 010000112 or 6710
• Largest number we can represent in 8-bits is 255
• The “missing” or “left-over” 1 is called a carry (or carry-out)
2. SUBTRACTION

A–B

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 00110110
00110100-
00000010

A + (TC(B))
00110110
11001100+
100000010

NOTE: When performing a subtraction operation, if the Carry bit is set then a borrowdid not occur,
otherwise...

SECTION 2 (MODULE 1 PRACTICAL)

INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS

The Windows XP Desktop

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Windows XP is an operating system that lets you use different types of applications or software. For
example, it allows you to use a word processing application to write a letter and a spreadsheet
application to track your financial information.
Windows XP is a graphical user interface (GUI). It has pictures (graphical) that you use (user) to
communicate (interface) with the computer. This type of system is popular because it's logical, fun,
and easy to use.
This operating system has multi-tasking capabilities, meaning it can run several applications at the
same time. Multi-tasking allows you to view this lesson on the Internet at the same time you practice
using other applications with Windows XP.
Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP. To learn more about what this means for you, check
out our blog article How to survive the end of Windows XP support.

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Discuss the parts of the Windows XP desktop
 Discuss the parts of the Start menu
 Locate the taskbar
 Locate the Recycle Bin
 Log off and switch users
 Restart and turn off the computer properly

The Windows XP desktop

Like previous versions of Windows, Windows XP uses a desktop for the standard interface. Think of
the desktop as a workspace where you can access everything you need to operate your computer, such
as system components, applications, and the Internet.

The desktop contains:

 Start button: This is one of the most important tools you will use while working with
Windows XP. The Start button allows you to open menus and start applications.
 Taskbar: This is primarily used to switch between open windows and applications. Learn
more about using the taskbar in a later lesson.
 Icons (or graphical pictures): This represent applications, files, and other parts of the
operating system. By default, Windows XP provides you with one desktop icon, the Recycle
Bin. Learn more about the Recycle Bin in a later lesson.
Your desktop's appearance may vary from the example shown below, especially if you bought a
computer with XP preinstalled.

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The Start menu
To begin exploring Windows XP, click the Start button.

When you click the Start button, the Start menu appears. The Start menu is your gateway to the
applications on your computer. The left side of the Start menu lists programs, while the right side
allows access to common Windows folders (My Documents, for example). It also provides access to
Help and Support, Search, and Run.

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If you select All Programs, a pop-up menu appears. Pop-up menus like this are called cascading
menus. If a cascading menu is available, a small black triangle appears next to the name of the
application or function.
In the example below, the Word program has been selected.

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To explore the Start menu:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Move the mouse pointer to each option, and view the various cascading menus.
3. Click (or roll your mouse pointer over) All Programs.
4. Move the mouse pointer to the right, and view other cascading menus.
5. To exit the menus, click outside the menu area or press Esc on your keyboard.
The Start menu remembers items you've recently opened and places each icon on the Start menu so
you can easily open them the next time you open the Start menu. For example, if you recently opened
Microsoft Word using Start All Programs Microsoft Word, the next time you open the Start
menu simply click the Word icon on the left side of the Start menu.
Understanding icons
The small pictures on the desktop are called icons. One type of icon is an object icon. Examples of
object icons are My Computer, Recycle Bin, and Internet Explorer. These icons allow you to open
files and programs on your computer.

Shortcut icons allow you to open applications quickly. These icons appear on your desktop and with
little arrows in the left corner. Desktop shortcuts are links to files and programs. You can add or
delete shortcuts without affecting the programs on your computer. You'll learn about creating
shortcuts in a later lesson.

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To open a program using an icon:
1. Place your mouse over the icon.
2. Text appears identifying its name or contents.
3. Double-click the icon.

Understanding the taskbar

The taskbar is the small blue bar you see at the bottom of your desktop. It contains the Start menu
and the Quick Launch bar, which contains icons for Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and
Show Desktop. Click an icon to open a program. Click Show Desktop to quickly view your desktop
without closing any programs or windows.

The box on the right is called the Notification Area. Here, you'll find the clock and several other
icons, depending on what you have installed on your computer. Other icons appear in the Notification
Area detailing the status of your activity. For example, when you're printing a document, a printer
icon appears. Microsoft also uses the Notification Area to remind you when software updates are
available for download.

When you open or minimize a window or program, a rectangular button appears on the taskbar that
shows the name of the application. These buttons disappear when you close a window.
You can learn more about switching between windows in the Moving and Sizing Windows lesson.

Log off and switch users

More than one person can use your computer. For example, many family members might use the
same computer at home, while several coworkers may be able to access your computer on a computer
network. Windows XP allows everyone who uses your computer to have separate computer accounts.
A computer account tracks each person's unique settings, documents, and email accounts.
Windows XP even enables you to log off the computer so someone else can log in without having to
restart the computer.

To log off or switch users:

1. Click the Start menu, then click Log Off.
2. A dialog box appears asking you if you want to Switch User or Log Off.
3. Switch User allows someone else to log on to the computer. If you choose to Switch User,
your applications will continue to run in the background while the new user logs on.
4. If you choose Log Off, your applications will close.
5. In either case, you're taken to a Windows XP log on screen, where you're prompted to enter
your username and password.

Turn off and restart your computer

When you've finished using Windows XP, be sure to turn off (or shut down) the computer correctly.

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To turn off the computer:
1. Click the Start menu.
2. Click Turn Off Computer.
3. A dialog box opens. Click Turn Off.

If you're experiencing computer problems or have installed something new, you can simply restart
your computer.

To restart the computer:

1. Click the Start menu.
2. Click Turn Off Computer.
3. A dialog box opens. Click Restart.
It's generally safest tor turn off or restart your computer using the methods above. However, many
computers are designed to safely shut down when the power button is pressed. Consult your manual to
read about the recommended shutdown procedure.

ASSIGNMENT
 View the Start button, taskbar, and icons on the Windows XP desktop.
 Click the Start button, and view the cascading menus.
 Practice logging off and switching between users.
 Shut down your computer properly.

Launching Programs from the Start Menu

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Launch programs from the Start menu
 Launch Internet Explorer from the Start menu
 Launch Outlook Express from the Start menu

Exploring programs
Programs enable you to do work on the computer. For example, a word processing program like
WordPad allows you to create a basic document. You can easily open a program from the Start menu
using the All Programs button.
To open a program using the Start menu:
1. Click Start.
2. Click All Programs, and slide your mouse pointer until you've selected the program you
want to open (it turns blue).
3. Click to open the program you've selected. (Remember, programs with small black arrows
beside them will open another cascading menu. Simply drag your mouse pointer to make your
selection.)
4. To close a program, click the located at the top-right of the window.

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Launching Internet Explorer from the Start menu
Internet, another choice on the Start menu, opens Internet Explorer; the web browser that comes
bundled with Windows XP.
To launch Internet Explorer from the Start menu:
1. Click Start.
2. Choose Internet.
3. Click to open Internet Explorer.
4. To close a program, click the located at the top-right of the window.

Note: You must be connected to the Internet for Internet Explorer to open a webpage.

Launching Microsoft Outlook Express from the Start menu

Email, another choice on the Start menu, opens Microsoft Outlook Express, the email client that
comes bundled with Windows XP.
To launch Outlook Express from the Start menu:
1. Click Start.
2. Choose Email.
3. Click to open Microsoft Outlook Express.
4. To close Outlook Express, click the located at the top-right of the window.

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ASSIGNMENT
 Open the Calculator on your computer. (It's located under All Programs Accessories.)
 Close the Calculator.
 Launch Internet Explorer from the Start menu.
 Close Internet Explorer.
 Launch Outlook Express from the Start menu.
 Close Outlook Express.

Getting Familiar with the Windows XP Window

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Recognize and use commonly used Windows XP toolbars
 Recognize and use commonly used Windows XP buttons
 Scroll

Windows XP bars and buttons

Windows XP got its name from one its most basic elements: the window. The rectangular work area
for a program, file, or other task is called a window.
Below is an example of a Microsoft Word window. While Word is a word processing program, the
example below features many of the elements common in Windows XP.

The workspace is the white area inside the window. This is where you do your work with a program,
such as writing a letter. Depending on what program you're working with, the workspace will appear
differently.

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More Windows XP bars and buttons
Windows XP offers several tools, menus, and commands that make the operating system easy to use.
The title bar is the horizontal bar at the top of a window. It's displayed as white text on a blue
background by default.

The Control menu button is the icon at the far left end of the title bar. The Control menu button
opens a menu you can use to control the window.

The Close button is at the far right end of the title bar. It looks like a box with an X in it. Click the
Close button to close a window or exit a program. Next to the Close button, you'll see the Minimize
and Maximize buttons. Learn more about these buttons in the next lesson.

More Windows XP bars and buttons

The menu bar is the below the title bar. It contains several menus, which let you see a list of
commands.

Some menu options are followed by ellipsis, or ... Choosing a menu option followed by an ellipses
will open a dialog box, which feature helpful tools to help you perform tasks.

Some Windows XP programs have toolbars across the top of the window. The toolbar buttons allow
you to print, cut, paste, and perform other tasks. The options vary depending on the program.

To review taskbar functionality, see Lesson 1.

Scrolling
The scroll bar appears at the right side or the bottom of a window when all information in that
window cannot be seen at the same time. Use the scroll bar to view hidden information.
The scroll bar features scroll arrows that allow you to move easily through a document. It's especially
convenient when viewing a long document.

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To scroll:
 Click the arrow to scroll up.
 Click the arrow to scroll down.
 Click the arrows to scroll up one page at a time.
 Click the arrows to scroll down one page at a time.
 Click the button to open a browse menu.
OR
 Click and drag the scroll bars to view your document.

ASSIGNMENT
 Click Start.
 Choose All Programs Accessories Notepad.
 Choose File from the menu bar.
 While holding down the left mouse button, move the mouse pointer over the other menus
(Edit, View, etc.) to view their drop-down menus.
 Choose Format Font to open the Font dialog box.
 Close the Font dialog box.
Moving and Sizing Windows
Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Use and understand the function of the Minimize, Maximize, and Restore buttons
 Move a window using the Title bar
 Click and drag to resize a window
 Tile and cascade windows
 Switch between windows
Minimizing, maximizing, and restoring windows
Windows allows you to easily enlarge, hide, or shrink a window using the Minimize, Maximize, and
Restore buttons.
The Minimize button is among the three buttons at the right end of the title bar. This button has a
small dash (or minus sign). The Minimize button shrinks the window and places it on the taskbar
while leaving the program running.

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The Maximize button, which looks like a small window, is used to enlarge a window to cover the
entire desktop.

After a window is maximized, the Maximize button changes to the Restore button. It looks like two
windows near one another. If you click the Restore button, the maximized window shrinks to its
previous size (the size it was before you maximized it).

Sizing windows
Sizing windows is slightly different from minimizing, restoring, and maximizing. Note: You cannot
size a window if it has been maximized.

To change the size of a window:

1. Hover the mouse pointer over any corner of the window. (You can also place the pointer
over the borders of the window.)
2. The mouse pointer changes into a double-headed arrow.
3. Click and hold down the left mouse button.
4. Drag the arrow out or in to make the window larger or smaller.
5. Release the mouse button when the window is the size you want.

Make sure the mouse pointer changes into a two-headed arrow before you try to size the window.

Moving a window using the title bar

Sometimes a window may obscure an item you want to click on or view.
To move a window:
1. Place the mouse pointer over the title bar (located at the top of the window).
2. Click and hold down the left mouse button. (You cannot move a window that has been
maximized other than to use the Minimize button.)
3. Drag the window to the place where you want it, then release the mouse button.

Tiling and cascading windows

Sometimes moving and sizing multiple windows can create confusion. To keep better track of
multiple windows, try cascading or tiling the windows.
 Cascading windows are layered on top of each other.
 Tiled windows are next to each other. Windows can be tiled horizontally or vertically. If
windows are tiled horizontally, they appear one above another. If windows are tiled vertically,
they appear side by side.
To cascade or tile windows:
1. With two or more windows open, right-click on a blank area of the taskbar.
2. Choose Cascade Windows, Tile Windows Horizontally, or Tile Windows Vertically.
To return to your previous window arrangement:
1. Right-click on a blank area of the taskbar.
2. Select the Undo command.

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To show the desktop:
1. Right-click on a blank area of the taskbar.
2. Choose Show the Desktop.

Switching between windows

Windows XP allows you to have more than one program open at the same time. It also allows you to
easily move between open windows. The window you select becomes the active window. When a
window is active on the desktop, its title bar (and button on the taskbar) is blue. When a window is
inactive, the title bar is light blue.

To switch between windows:

1. Open more than one program.
2. Size the windows so they're open on the desktop.
3. Click on any part of the window you want to work with.
OR
 Click the program buttons on the taskbar to activate the window you want to work with.
Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows XP keeps the taskbar from getting too cluttered. It
groups the buttons when too many accumulate on the taskbar. For example, when you open Outlook
Express you'll see one button on the taskbar. However, if you have three or more email message
windows open, one button represents the Outlook Express's open windows.
Simply click the button to select from the pop-up list of open windows.

Switching using the keyboard method

When you have more than one window open, you can also switch between them using the keyboard.
To switch between windows using the keyboard method:
1. Open more than one program or window.
2. Press and hold down the Alt key while pressing the Tab key.
3. A menu featuring file and program icons appears.
4. Tab to the window you want to view. Once it's outlined with a box, release both keys.

ASSINGMENT
 Practice minimizing, maximizing, and restoring windows.
 Move a window using the title bar.
 Click and drag to resize a window.
 Practice tiling and cascading windows.
 Switch between windows using both methods described in this lesson.

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Customizing Windows XP Using the Control Panel
Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Navigate the Control Panel
 Set the time and date
 Customize the screen with a screensaver and wallpaper
 Customize the screen resolution
 Customize the taskbar

Introduction to the Control Panel

You don't have to be a computer genius to use Windows XP, but if you know something about how to
set up some basic features and functions it will do a lot more for you. Windows XP makes this easier
than ever with the Control Panel. The Control Panel features a number of tools that will help you
control how Windows XP features look and act. But first you must learn how to access the Control
Panel.
To access the Control Panel:
1. Click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. The Control Panel opens.
OR
 Type Control Panel in the Address dialog box found on any Windows XP window.
OR
 Many folders feature a link to the Control Panel in the See Also dialog box (only in XP
view).
No matter how you get to the Control Panel, it will look like this upon first viewing:

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Navigate the Control Panel
If you're used to a previous version of Windows, you'll notice that the Control Panel in Windows XP
looks different.
The Windows XP Control Panel is divided into Categories. If you click a category, the window
presents a List of Tasks and related Control Panel icons.

Note: Task and Control Panel icons perform basically the same functions. For example, notice
that you can "Choose a screen saver" in the Pick a Task list. Clicking this link opens the Display
Properties dialog box. However, if you were to choose the Display icon, the Display Properties
dialog box opens.
If you look at the left side of the window, you'll notice that the See Also and Troubleshooters dialog
boxes provides several more related options.
The Windows XP Control Panel is designed to provide multiple ways to do something, thereby
making it more user friendly. However, the new Control Panel design doesn't provide you with
access to every available Control Panel tool—it only provides you with access to the most
commonly used tools.
To access ALL of your Control Panel tools, you must switch to Classic View.
To switch to Classic View:
 Click the Classic View link on the left side of your Control Panel.
 Click the Switch to Category View link to switch back.

Use the menu bar and toolbar buttons to navigate and further explore Control Panel options.

Set the time and date

In the following pages, we'll explain how to perform some common Control Panel tools.
To change the time and date:
1. Open the Control Panel (located in Start menu).
2. Under Pick a Category, click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options.
3. Under Pick a Task, click Change the date and time.
4. The Date and Time Properties dialog box opens.
5. Use the drop-down box to set the month and year.
6. Click the correct date on the calendar.
7. Click and select the current time to make a change.
8. If necessary, click the Time Zone tab and use the drop-down box to change the time zone.
9. Click OK to close the dialog box.
OR
1. Right-click the time in the lower-right on your desktop.
2. Choose Adjust Date/Time.
3. The Date and Time Properties dialog box opens.
4. Follow steps 5-9 from above.

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Changing the wallpaper
Wallpaper is the background image that appears on your desktop. Windows XP offers many
wallpaper choices.
To change the wallpaper:
1. Open the Control Panel (located in Start menu).
2. Under Pick a Category, click Appearance and Themes.
3. Under Pick a Task, click Change the desktop background.
4. The Display Properties dialog box opens with the Desktop tab selected.
5. In the Background box, click or use the arrow keys to view the choices.
6. Use the drop-down boxes to alter the wallpaper position or color.
7. Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Advanced users:
 Click Browse... to choose a picture from the My Pictures folder (or to navigate to a picture
located in another folder).
 Click the Customize Desktop button to alter your desktop icons or display a webpage on
your desktop.

Changing the screensaver

In the early days of computing, screensavers helped prevent images from being burned into the
monitor. Now screensavers entertain us, provide some privacy, and enhance our work or home
environment. Windows XP comes with several screensavers.
To change the screensaver:
1. Open the Control Panel (located in Start menu).
2. Under Pick a Category, click Appearance and Themes.
3. Under Pick a Task, click Choose a screen saver.
4. The Display Properties dialog box opens with the Screen Saver tab selected.
5. Click the arrow to open a drop-down box. Click or use the arrow keys to view the choices.
Or click Preview to view each option on your computer screen. Press any key on your
keyboard to return to the dialog box.
6. Click Settings to customize the appearance of your chosen screensaver. (A dialog box will
notify you if your choice doesn’t have any options.)
7. In the Wait box, determine how many minutes should pass before your screensaver turns on.
8. Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Customizing the taskbar
You already know about the taskbar, but did you know you can customize its appearance?

To customize the Start menu:

1. Open the Control Panel (located in Start menu).
2. Under Pick a Category, click Appearance and Themes.
3. Under Pick a Control Panel icon, click Taskbar and Start Menu.
4. The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box opens with the Taskbar tab displayed.
5. Use the check boxes to customize its appearance, then click OK.

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Click the Start Menu tab to switch between the XP Start menu and Classic Start menu. Classic
Start menu is the Start menu that was featured in older versions of Windows.

ASSIGNMENT
 If necessary, adjust the date and time on your computer.
 Choose a new wallpaper and screensaver for your desktop.

Files, Folders, and Drives

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Create a file
 Create a folder
 Discuss drives

What is a file?
Files are collections of information. In fact, almost all of the information stored in a computer is
stored in files. There are many different types of files, including operating system files, program files,
and more.
Different types of files store different types of information. Each file is given a file name and has a
three-letter file name extension that identifies the file type. (The file name and file name extension
are separated by a period.) For example, a document created using WordPad might have the file name
letter to [Link].
Some common file name extensions include:
 doc or docx: Word or WordPad document
 jpg or jpeg: Picture file
 txt: Notepad text file
 xls or xlsx: Excel spreadsheet
 htm or html: HTML file (webpage)
 ppt: PowerPoint presentation
 mdb or accdb: Access database

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Creating, renaming, and deleting Files
With Windows XP, you can create a file using different programs such as WordPad or Notepad.
To create a file using Notepad:
1. Click Start.
2. Choose All Programs Accessories Notepad.
3. Notepad opens.
4. Type, "This is my new document".
5. Choose File Save from the menu bar (Ctrl + S).
6. The Save As dialog box appears.
7. Save your file to the desktop.
8. Name your document new document.
9. In the Save as type drop-down box, be sure your document is saved as a text document.
10. Click Save. Your file is now saved to the desktop.

Once you've created a file, you can rename it.

To rename a file:
1. Locate your file (in this case, the file is located on the desktop).
2. Right-click the file icon.
3. Choose Rename.
4. The filename is highlighted in blue, ready to be retyped.
5. Type a new name, then press Enter.
6. The file is renamed.

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You can also select Delete from the menu to delete a file.
To delete a file:
1. Locate your file (in this case, the file is located on the desktop).
2. Right-click the file icon.
3. Choose Delete.
4. A Confirm File Delete dialog box appears asking you if you are sure you want to send the
file to the Recycle Bin.
5. Choose Yes.
6. The file is moved to the Recycle Bin.
Get into the habit of periodically saving changes to documents you're working on in case of power
outages or other problems.

What is a folder?
When you first start using Windows XP, you may only create a few files. Over time, you'll create
MANY files. To keep your files organized, create folders. Windows XP uses various folders to store
and manage files. To become more familiar with the structure of a Windows XP folder, let's open a
folder called My Documents.

To open and view the contents of the My Documents folder:

1. Double-click the My Documents icon on the desktop.
2. The My Documents folder opens.
OR
1. Right-click the My Documents icon (on the desktop).
2. Choose Open.
OR
 Open the Start menu and choose My Documents.

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Your My Documents folder looks something like this:

All Windows XP folders include the following features:

 Title bar: Contains the name of the folder
 Menu bar: Contains the File, Edit, View, Favorites, Tools, and Help menus
 Navigation bar: Contains the Back, Forward, Up, Search, Folders, and Views buttons
 Address bar: Shows current folder location (use the drop-down arrow to navigate your
computer's places)
 White space: Displays contents of a folder (folders and files)
 File and Folder Tasks list: A convenient list of tasks
 Other Places: A convenient list of your computer's places
 Details: Describes the folder
Learn more in the Using My Documents, My Computer and Windows Explorer lesson.

Creating, renaming, and deleting folders

At some point, you may want to create a folder within a folder. Here, practice creating a Job Search
folder in the My Documents folder.
To create a new folder in the My Documents folder:
1. Open My Documents.
2. Choose File New Folder.
3. A new folder icon appears in My Documents, with its name highlighted. (The default is New
Folder.)
4. Type a new, more descriptive name, then click Enter.

OR
1. Open My Documents.
2. Choose the Make a New Folder link from the File and Folder tasks menu.

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To rename a folder:
1. Locate your folder.
2. Right-click the folder icon.
3. Choose Rename.
4. The folder name is highlighted in blue, ready to be retyped.
5. Type a new name, then press Enter.
OR
1. Open your folder.
2. Click the folder icon.
3. Choose Rename this folder from the File and Folder Tasks menu.
To delete a folder:
1. Locate your folder.
2. Right-click the folder icon.
3. Choose Delete.
4. A Confirm Folder Delete dialog box appears asking you if you are sure you want to send the
file to the Recycle Bin.
5. Choose Yes.
6. The folder is moved to the Recycle Bin.
OR
1. Open your folder.
2. Click the folder icon.
3. Choose Delete this folder from the File and Folder Tasks menu.

What is a drive?
A drive, or disk drive, is hardware on which you can store files and folders. Disk drives are assigned
a letter.
 Your hard drive (the drive inside your computer) is known as the (C:) drive.
 Your floppy disk drive is known as the (A:) drive.
 If your computer has a CD-ROM drive, it is usually called (D:).
Choose where you'll save your files during the Save As process. Most users store their files on the
(C:) drive.

ASSIGNMENT
 Create a new file in Notepad, and name it Things To Do List.
 Save it on your desktop.
 Create a new folder in the My Documents folder, and call it Task Folder.

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 Working with Windows Explorer
Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Discuss My Documents, Windows Explorer, and My Computer
 Navigate files, folders, and drives
 Move files and folders
 Copy files and folders
 Select more than one file or folder.

Introduction to My Documents
My Documents is a folder that provides you with a convenient place to store your important files and
folders. Remember, you can quickly reach My Documents in the Start menu or by double-clicking
the My Documents icon on your desktop.

The My Documents folder looks something like the example below:

My Documents includes a few default subfolders called My Music, My Pictures, and My Videos.
Feel free to use, rename, or delete these folders.
When you save a file in Microsoft Office, the file is automatically saved in My Documents unless
you've chosen a different folder or drive.

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Exploring Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is a file management tool that lets you create, rename, and delete folders. It
also allows you to copy, print, move, delete, rename, and manage files.
To open Windows Explorer:
1. Open My Documents.
2. Click the Folders button on the Navigation toolbar.
3. A list of folders opens in the left pane.
To explore Windows Explorer:
1. With Windows Explorer open, scroll until you see the Control Panel icon in the left pane.
2. Click the Control Panel icon. The contents (of the Control Panel folder) display in the right
pane.
3. Practice viewing other folders in the list.
4. To close Windows Explorer, click the small black X in the upper right of the list OR click
the Folder button.

Exploring My Computer
My Computer is another tool you can use to manage files and folders. With this tool, you can create,
rename, and move folders and copy, print, move, delete, and rename files. It also allows you to
gain access to other system tools.
To open My Computer:
1. Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.

2. My Computer opens.

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OR
1. Right-click the My Computer icon (on the desktop).
2. Choose Open.
OR
 Open the Start menu and choose My Computer.

Copying files and folders

Windows offers several ways of working with files and folders. Copying and moving are two useful
techniques.

To copy a file or folder:

1. Open My Documents. Locate the file or folder you want to copy in My Documents or its
subfolders.
2. Click the file or folder you want to copy. The file or folder darkens when you select it.
3. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file or Copy this folder.
4. In the Copy Items dialog box, select the place where you want to copy the file or folder.
5. Click the Copy button.

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OR
 Choose Edit Copy (Ctrl + C).
OR
 Right-click the file or folder and choose Copy.
THEN
 Locate the file or folder you want to copy and choose Edit Paste (Ctrl + V).
OR
 Right-click the file or folder and choose Paste.

Moving files and folders

Moving files and folders is relatively easy using My Computer or Windows Explorer.

To move files and folders:

1. Open My Documents. Locate the file or folder you want to move in My Documents or its
subfolders.
2. Click the file or folder you want to move. The file or folder darkens when you select it.
3. Under File and Folder Tasks, click Move this file or Move this folder.
4. In the Move Items dialog box, select the place where you want to move the file or folder.
5. Click the Move button.

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OR
 Choose Edit Cut (Ctrl + X).
OR
 Right-click the file or folder and choose Cut.
THEN
 Locate the file or folder you want to copy and choose Edit Paste (Ctrl + V).
OR
 Right-click the file or folder and choose Paste.

Selecting more than one file or folder

You may need to copy or move multiple files and folders.
To copy or move more than one file or folder:
1. Hold down the Ctrl key, then click to select the files or folders you want to move or copy.
2. The files or folders darken as they are selected.
3. Copy or move the file or folder using one of the methods explained on the previous pages.
To select a consecutive group of files, click the first file, press and hold down the Shift key, and click
the last file. All of the files will be selected.

Choosing views
You can choose how you want to display files and folders. Display them as thumbnails, tiles, large
icons, small icons, as a list, or as a list with details including size, type, and date last modified.
To choose the view for your files or folders:
1. Open My Documents.
2. Click the Views button.
3. A drop-down menu appears. Choose your view.
4. A large black dot appears next to your current choice.

OR
 Open the View menu and choose your view.

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ASSIGNMENT
 Create a shopping list in WordPad. Type some items on your list, name it Shopping List, and
save it on the desktop.
 Open Windows Explorer.
 Open the desktop folder icon in the left pane, and move Shopping List to the My Documents
folder.
 Choose how you want to view your files and folders: thumbnails, tiles, large icons, small icons,
list, or list with details.

Adding Shortcuts
Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Define a shortcut
 Add a shortcut

What is a shortcut?
A shortcut offers a way of performing a task more quickly, such as starting a program or accessing a
document. The shortcut icon has a small arrow in the left corner to help you distinguish it from the
actual icon that represents programs and files.

The icon above is a desktop shortcut for the Things to Do document that's actually stored in this
particular user's My Documents folder.
When you delete a shortcut, the original item still exists on your computer in its original location.

Adding a shortcut
In this lesson, you will learn three ways to create a shortcut. Choose the one that works best for you.
To add a shortcut to the desktop using Windows Explorer or My Computer:
1. Open Windows Explorer or My Computer.
2. Double-click a drive or folder.
3. Click the file, program, or folder for which you want to make a shortcut. The item darkens
when you select it.
4. Choose File Create Shortcut.
5. Resize the window so you can see the desktop.

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 6. Hover the mouse pointer over the shortcut icon, then hold down the left mouse button and
drag the shortcut onto the desktop (in the left pane).
7. Release the left mouse button, and a shortcut is moved to the desktop.
Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift while dragging the file to the desktop to create a shortcut.

Right-click to add a shortcut

One method to create a shortcut works in both My Computer and Windows Explorer. This method
requires you to right-click.
To add a shortcut by right-clicking:
1. Open Windows Explorer or My Computer.
2. Double-click a drive or folder.
3. Right-click the file, program, or folder for which you want to make a shortcut.
4. A pop-up menu appears. Choose Create Shortcut.
5. Resize the window so you can see the desktop.

6. Hover the mouse pointer over the shortcut icon, then hold down the left mouse button and
drag the shortcut onto the desktop (in the left pane).
7. Release the left mouse button, and a shortcut is moved to the desktop.

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ASSIGNMENT
 Add a shortcut for your Shopping List to your desktop (created in the previous lesson).
 Open My Documents.
 When the folder opens, resize the window so you can see the desktop.
 Create a shortcut for Shopping List on the desktop using one of the three methods described
in this lesson.

Using the Recycle Bin

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Discuss the function on the Recycle Bin
 Put files in the Recycle Bin
 Retrieve files from the Recycle Bin
 Empty the Recycle Bin

What is the Recycle Bin?

Sometimes files and folders can clutter your computer. The Recycle Bin, the desktop icon that
resembles a wastebasket, is where you put a file or folder if you want to delete it.
You can open the Recycle Bin anytime and see what's inside by double-clicking the Recycle Bin
icon located on the desktop or by using Windows Explorer.
Inside, you'll see a list of deleted items.

Placing files in the Recycle Bin

To move an item to the Recycle Bin from the Desktop, Windows Explorer, or My Computer:
 Click and drag the file or folder to the Recycle Bin.
OR
1. Right-click the file or folder you want to delete.
2. When the pop-up menu appears, choose Delete.
3. A dialog box appears asking whether you are sure you want to send the file or folder to the
Recycle Bin.
4. Click Yes.

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To move an item to the Recycle Bin from Windows Explorer or My Computer:
1. Click the file or folder you want to delete.
2. The file or folder darkens.
3. Choose Delete this file (or Delete this folder) from the File and Folder Tasks list.

Retrieving files from the Recycle Bin

Placing an item in the Recycle Bin doesn't mean you can't retrieve it at a later date. Using the Restore
all items link (located in the Recycle Bin Tasks list) will move all files and folders in the Recycle Bin
back to their original locations on your computer.

To restore all items in the Recycle Bin:

1. Click the Restore all items link in the Recycle Bin Tasks list.
2. The items are restored to their original locations.

To restore one file, click to select the file.

1. Restore all items changes to Restore this item.
2. Click Restore this item.
3. The item is restored to its original location.

Emptying the Recycle Bin

Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently deletes items. From this point, they cannot be recovered.
Empty your Recycle Bin periodically to keep your computer running smoothly.

To empty the Recycle Bin:

 Click the Empty the Recycle Bin link in the Recycle Bin Tasks list.

ASSIGNMENT
 Open the shortcut for Shopping List. (You created it on the desktop in an earlier lesson.)
 Delete the shortcut by dragging it to the Recycle Bin.
 Open the Recycle Bin, and permanently delete the Shopping List shortcut.
 The original Shopping List remains on your computer.

Searching for Files and Folders

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Search for files and folders using the Search Companion
Opening the Search Companion
When you have trouble finding a file or folder on your computer, search for it using Microsoft XP's
Search Companion.
To open the Search Companion:
 Open and Start menu and choose Search.
OR
 Open My Documents and click the Search button.

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OR
1. Open My Computer and click the Search button.
2. The Search Companion opens in the left pane and presents the following list of options:

Using the Search Companion

Depending on which option you choose, you're presented with various ways to conduct your search.
Let's say you choose to search for a particular file. The Search Companion
prompts you with questions to help you refine your search. It's helpful if you can remember
something about the missing file, such as all or part of the file name, file type, when you last worked
with the file, a word or phrase in the file, or what drive it's on. The more criteria contained in your
search, the more refined the search becomes.

To search using the Search Companion:

1. Enter as much information as you can remember into the Search Companion.
2. Click the drop-down arrows to add more criteria.
3. Use the Back button if necessary.
4. Click Search.

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Using the Search Companion
1. Once you click Search, the Search Companion tells you what it's searching.
2. Your search results display in the white space.
3. The Search Companion tells you when the search is complete and prompts you with more
Search options.
4. If your search is complete, click Yes, finished searching.
5. Simply double-click the file to open it.

Finding a file can take seconds, minutes, or much longer depending on the type of search and where
you look. If you don't find the file or folder you're looking for on the first try, type in a different name
and/or location.

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To quickly review files listed in your search results, hover your mouse pointer over the file name. A
yellow pop-up window displays, telling you its location, the file type, and size. Double-click the file
to open it.

Previewing image files

You can preview image documents (including fax documents) using the Windows Picture and Fax
Viewer without opening an image-editing program. This is especially useful when browsing through
a list of no descriptive file names. For example, let's say you have a file named [Link]. You may
wonder what the file looks like.

To preview an image file:

1. Right-click the file, then choose Preview from the pop-up menu.
2. The Windows Picture and Fax Viewer opens, displaying the image file.
3. Use the control buttons at the bottom of the window to perform basic tasks without opening
an image-editing program.
4. Use the arrow buttons to view images as a slideshow.

ASSIGNMENT
 Using the Search Companion, search for Shopping List (created in an earlier lesson).
 If possible, use the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer to preview an image file.

Managing User Accounts

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Understand the nature of user accounts
 Create a new account
 Change an account
 Change the way users log on and off
Understanding user accounts
A user is someone who uses a computer. A user account defines what a user can do using Windows
XP. In Windows XP, there are three types of user accounts.
 Administrator account. The administrator can do everything with the computer and can go
anywhere he or she desires essentially giving that person control over the entire computer,
including other accounts. The administrator account can never be disabled or deleted.

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 Standard account. Users with standard accounts can install programs and hardware, change
pictures and related personal data, and create, change, or remove passwords.
 Guest account. A guest account doesn't require a password, can't add or remove programs from
the computer, and is disabled by default. This account type is ideal for kids and students.
Managing user accounts
To easily manage user accounts, click the User Accounts icon in the Control Panel.

The User Accounts window presents you with an easy-to-use interface.

Creating a new account

You can create new user accounts as needed, giving others access to your computer (without sharing
your password).
To create a new account:
1. Click Create a New Account in the User Accounts window.
2. A User Accounts window appears. Enter the name of the new account, then click Next.
3. The next window asks you to pick an account type. Choose Computer Administrator or
Limited by clicking the appropriate radio button.
4. If you're not sure, click each one and read the list of actions that can be performed by the
account type.
5. When finished, click the Create Account button.
6. The new account now appears in the User Account window.

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Changing an account
Any account can be easily edited or changed from the User Accounts window.
To change an existing user account:
1. Click Change an Account in the User Accounts window.
2. A window appears asking you which account you want to change.
3. The next window (figure below) allows you to change the name on the account, the picture,
and the account type; create a password; and delete the account. Make necessary changes.
4. Use the Back button to return to the original list to make any additional changes.

Passwords provide security and prevent unauthorized users from logging in by using someone else's
user account. For more information on passwords, see our Password Tips lesson.

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Changing user log on and log off procedures
You can also select the way users log on and log off.
To change log on and log off options:
 Click Change the way users log on and off in the User Accounts window.
 You'll see two check boxes that allow you to enable the Welcome screen and Fast User
Switching. Fast User Switching allows you to switch to another user account without
closing any programs.

ASSIGNMENT
 Open the Control Panel.
 Click the User Accounts link.
 Change the picture associated with your user account.
 Familiarize yourself with the concepts explained in this lesson.

Taking Advantage of Accessibility Options

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Use the Accessibility Options dialog box
Accessibility and the Accessibility Options dialog box
As you know, a computer functions with both input (keyboard and mouse) and output (monitor and
printer) devices. In this lesson, we'll focus on how Windows XP allows you to configure your
computer's input and output behaviors to accommodate people with a range of disabilities.
To access the Accessibility Options dialog box:
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click the Accessibility Options link.

3. The Accessibility Options window opens.

4. Under Or pick a Control Panel icon, click the Accessibility Options link.
5. The Accessibility Options dialog box opens.

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Adjusting the keyboard
When you open the Accessibility Options dialog box, notice that it is equipped with five tabs:
Keyboard, Sound, Display, Mouse, and General.
The Keyboard tab allows you to change the way your keyboard inputs information into Windows
XP.

These features are especially helpful for users who have difficulty using the keyboard:
 StickyKeys. Enable StickyKeys so you don't have to hold down several keys at once on the
keyboard. For example, if you want to use Control + Alt + Delete, StickyKeys allows you to
press one key at a time rather than having to hold them down all at once. To use StickyKeys,
check the UseStickyKeys box and click the Settings button to adjust your personal settings.
Once you enable or disable these, you can use them by pressing the Shift key five times in a
row.
 FilterKeys. Enable FilterKeys to ignore brief or repeated keystrokes. To use FilterKeys, click
the Use FilterKeys box and click the Settings button to adjust your personal settings.
 ToggleKeys. Enable ToggleKeys if you want to hear tones when pressing CAPS LOCK,
NUM LOCK, and SCROLL LOCK. To use ToggleKeys, click the Use ToggleKeys box and
click the Settings button to adjust your personal settings.

Adjusting the sound

The Accessibility Options Sound tab allows you to enable Windows sounds to help you operate
Windows XP.

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These features are helpful for users who are hearing impaired. Choose from two options:
 SoundSentry. Windows XP uses sound to alert users to certain warnings or notices.
SoundSentry enables these warnings to appear on your screen instead of as a sound. To use
SoundSentry, click the Use SoundSentry check box. Then choose the kind of visual warning
you want to receive.
 ShowSounds. Use ShowSounds to tell any programs to show text for any sounds or speech
they may use. To use ShowSounds, click the Use ShowSounds check box.

Adjusting the display

The Display tab allows you to use high-contrast colors and adjust the cursor to make reading
easier.
These features are helpful for users who are visually impaired. Choose from two options:
 To enable High Contrast, click the Use High Contrast check box. Clicking the Settings
button enables the shortcut for High Contrast, ALT+SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN.
 Use the sliders to change the cursor blink rate and width of the cursor.

Using MouseKeys
The Mouse tab allows you to use the numeric keypad on your keyboard to control the pointer. To use
MouseKeys, click the Use MouseKeys check box. Clicking the Settings button enables the shortcut
for MouseKeys, LEFT ALT+LEFT SHIFT+NUM LOCK.

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The General tab
The General tab provides additional accessibility control options.

 Automatic reset. If accessibility features are turned on, users can turn off accessibility
features after being idle for a specific period of time. Use the drop-down menu to select the
desired time.
 Notification. Receive a warning when turning a feature on, or make a sound when turning a
feature on or off.
 SerialKeys. Turn on SerialKeys so other input devices (other than the traditional keyboard
and mouse) can work with Windows XP.
 Administrative options. Computer administrators can apply all accessibility options to the
log on desktop and apply all accessibility settings for each new user.

ASSIGNMENT
 Open the Control Panel.
 Open the Accessibility Options dialog box.
 Experiment with the options explained in this lesson.
 Turn on any options that are helpful to you.

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Using the Accessibility Wizard
Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Adjust Windows XP for vision, hearing, and mobility needs

What is the Accessibility Wizard?

Wizards are helpful programs that lead you through a series of steps. Usually, each step asks you to
input some information and then uses that information to accomplish a certain task. Microsoft
Windows XP's Accessibility Wizard allows you to customize your computer with tools designed to
help meet your vision, hearing, or mobility needs.

To open the Accessibility Wizard:

1. Choose Start All Programs Accessories Accessibility Accessibility Wizard.
2. The Accessibility Wizard opens.

OR
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click the Accessibility Options link.
3. The Accessibility Options window opens.
4. Under Pick A Task, click Configure Windows to work for your vision, hearing, and mobility
needs.
5. The Accessibility Wizard opens.

While Windows XP provides basic accessibility tools to users with special needs, many users with
disabilities purchase additional programs and devices to aid in their daily computer use.

The Text Size page

Once you've successfully opened the Accessibility Wizard, click Next to beyond the welcome
screen.
In the Text Size window, click or use the arrow keys to select the smallest text you can read. Click
Next.

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The Display Settings page
On this page, you'll see some check boxes that allow you to select how your display appears. You can
choose to change the font size, use Microsoft Magnifier, and display personalized menus. You may
also be able to switch to a lower screen resolution, depending on your computer. Make your
selection(s) and click Next.

The Set Wizard Options page

On this page, select the type of disability you have so the wizard can help you select some options to
meet your needs. For example, if you choose "I have difficulty using the keyboard or mouse", the next
several pages present you with options to best meet your needs. Make your selection(s) and click
Next.

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Continue using the Accessibility Wizard until you reach a summary screen. Windows XP is now
configured for your needs.
The Magnifier
Remember, the Accessibility Wizard, working with your responses, enables such utilities as
magnifier, narrator, on-screen keyboard, and utility manager. However, you can also turn them on via
the Start menu.
Microsoft Magnifier makes the screen more readable. It creates a separate window that shows a
magnified portion of your screen.
To open the Magnifier using the Start menu:
 Choose Start All Programs Accessories Accessibility Magnifier.
Whether you open the Magnifier using the Accessibility Wizard or the Start menu, the Magnifier
Settings window opens.

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Here, you can:
 Set the magnification level. The default setting is 2. Use the drop-down arrow to select the
size that meets your needs.
 Follow the mouse cursor. By default, the Magnifier shows whatever you are pointing to with
your mouse.
 Follow keyboard focus. By default, the Magnifier follows what you do on the keyboard.
 Follow text editing. When typing a document, the Magifier follows the cursor and magnifies
the text as you type or make changes.
 Invert colors. This feature inverts the colors in the Magnifier.
 Start minimized. The Magnifier starts as a minimized option on your computer.
 Show the Magnifier. By default, the Magnifier shows at the top of the screen.

The Narrator
The Narrator can read items on the screen to you. However, the Narrator works only in English and
may not work with every program installed on your computer. Your computer will also need to be
equipped with a sound card and speakers in order for the narrator to function properly.

To open the Narrator using the Start menu:

 Choose Start All Programs Accessories Accessibility Narrator.
Whether you open the Narrator using the Accessibility Wizard or the Start menu, the Narrator
window opens.

Here, you can:

 Announce events on screen. Narrator announces new windows that appear or system
messages.
 Read typed characters. Narrator reads typed characters aloud.
 Move your mouse pointer to the active item. Narrator moves your mouse pointer to the
active window item for you.
 Start Narrator minimized. Narrator starts as a minimized option.

The Onscreen Keyboard and Utilities Manager

The Onscreen Keyboard opens an onscreen keyboard on your screen. You can use the mouse to
click the keys. This is a limited version, but you can learn about other utilities such as this at the
Microsoft Accessibility page.
The Utilities Manager is a helpful tool that allows you to manage all Accessibility tools.

To start the Utilities Manager:

 Hold down the Windows key + U.
OR
1. Choose Start All Programs Accessories Accessibility Utilities Manager.
2. The Utilities Manager opens.

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This window tells you which Accessibility tools are currently running and can help you troubleshoot
any problems.

ASSIGNMENT
 If you have special needs, open the Accessibility Wizard to enable tools to best suit your
needs.
OR
 Open the Magnifier, Narrator, Onscreen Keyboard, and Utilities Manager to explore these
accessibility resources available to you and those who use the computer.

Using the Help and Support Center

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Use the Help and Support Center
Opening the Help and Support Center
You don't have to remember how to do everything with Windows XP. If you get stumped, Windows
XP features an easy-to-use Help and Support Center to assist you.
Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP, so some features in the Help and Support Center
may no longer work.
To access the Help and Support Center:
1. Click Start Help and Support.
2. The Help and Support Center window opens.
3. The home section is displayed.

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When you get to the Help and Support Center, you arrive in the home section. Here, you can pick a
help topic or task, search, and ask for outside assistance. Notice that the home section looks and acts
much like a webpage. As you use Help, notice that some Help files are stored on your computer,
whereas others are stored on the Internet.

The Index
Notice the buttons across the top of the home section. The Index option works like any other index,
providing you with a fast and easy way to locate topics and resources.

To use the Index:

1. Open the Help and Support Center.

2. Click the Index button.

3. The Index opens. The entire Index is displayed in alphabetical order in the left pane.
4. Type in a keyword that pertains to the topic you're interested in.
5. Double-click a topic you want to explore in the left pane. Information about the topic displays
in the right pane, or a Topics Found dialog box appears.
6. If a Topics Found dialog box appears, click Display or Cancel.
7. If you click Display, information about the topic displays in the right pane.
8. Click Cancel to close the dialog box and begin a new search.

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Favorites and History
Favorites
The Favorites option works much like Favorites in Internet Explorer. Whenever you find a help-
related page you want to visit again in the future, click the Add to Favorites button. The page will be
added to a Favorites list.

When you want to review your Help Favorites, open the Help and Support Center and click the
Favorites button.

History
The History option, as in Internet Explorer, keeps track of all of the Help and Support Center pages
you have visited online. To review pages you've visited in the past, click the History button. Double-
click any of the links to display any of the pages.
Support
If you are having trouble with Windows XP that you can't resolve on your own, there is support
available to you in the Help and Support Center. To access Support, click the Support button.

You can get support in a variety of ways:

 Ask a friend to help. If you have an Internet connection, you can invite someone you trust to
chat with you, view your desktop, and work on your computer.
 Get help from Microsoft. Using an Internet connection, you can allow a Microsoft support
professional to answer your questions via email, chat, view your screen, or work on your
computer.
 Go to a Windows website forum. Windows Newsgroups are online resources that allow to
you to communicate with other Windows users about any problems you may be experiencing.

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Help's search function
Searching for help topics is perhaps the fastest and most useful way to use the Help and Support
Center.
To use search:
1. Open the Help and Support Center.
2. In the Search box, type a keyword that pertains to the topic you're interested in, then click the
green arrow key.

3. Your search results are listed in the left pane.

4. Click to choose a result that best answers your concerns.

5. The explanation will display in the right pane.

ASSIGNMENT!
 Open the Help and Support menu.
 Explore the Help options discussed in this lesson.

Using a Printer
Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 View installed printers or fax printers
 Add a printer
 Troubleshoot common printing problems

The Printers and Faxes folder

Windows XP stores any information about any printer or fax machines connected to your computer in
a Printers and Faxes folder, making it easy to install, manage, and use printers and fax machines.

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To view the Printers and Faxes folder:
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Under Pick a Category, choose Printers and Other Hardware.
3. The Printers and Other Hardware folder opens.
4. Under Pick A Task, choose View installed printer or fax printers or Add a printer.
5. The Printers and Faxes folder opens.
6. In the left pane, you'll see several helpful links.
7. In the right pane, you see a list of any printers or faxes that are installed on your machine.

Adding a printer
Adding a printer is simple using the Add Printer Wizard available in the Printers and Faxes folder.
Before trying to add a printer:
 Make sure your printer is compatible with Windows XP. If you're buying a new printer, make
sure to do your research before you make a purchase.
 Get out your printer's manual or CD-ROM and read it.
 Set up your printer, and attach it to your computer using a printer's cable and the correct port
on your computer.
Note: Many of the latest plug-and-play printers connect through a USB port. If your printer falls into
this category, you may not need the Add a Printer Wizard. If you must use the wizard and your printer
isn't listed in the Windows XP list (which usually displays when you try to add a new printer), you
may have to contact the printer manufacturer for a driver. When you get the driver, follow the Add a
Printer instructions on your computer.

Having trouble printing?

Perhaps you've written a great report and want to share it with your boss. The problem is, you're
having trouble printing it.
Try these troubleshooting techniques:
 Take care of the basics. Make sure the printer is plugged in, turned on, and has paper in it.
 Make sure the printer cable is properly connected to the printer and to the computer.
 Check to see if there is a paper jam. Most printers have a flashing light to indicate a jam.
Also, if the paper size selected differs from the one in the paper tray, you will not be able to
print. To choose a paper size, select File Page Setup. Click the Paper Size tab.
 Check to see that the printer toner, cartridge, and ribbon are fresh and adequate. If not,
printed documents may appear streaky, blotchy, or even blank.
 Make sure the printer is switched to Online mode. There is usually a button on your printer's
control panel. If it is switched to Offline mode, it will not print.
 Make sure the computer knows what printer you are using. Check this by clicking Start
Control Panel Printers and Other Hardware View installed printers or fax printers.
If an icon for your printer doesn't appear, try restarting your computer. If you printer still
doesn't appear, you may need to add it. Click Add a Printer, then follow the instructions in the
Add Printer Wizard.

More printer troubleshooting tips

Because so many issues can affect your printer, you should also consider these problem-solving tips:
 If you work in an office environment where several people share a printer, there may be a
network problem. Contact your network support person.
 If you can find the manual for your printer, read it to see if you can find a solution to the
problem.
 If your printer still doesn't work, go to the Help and Support Center. Under Pick a Help
Topic, click Printing and Faxing, or enter the term "printer" into the Search box.
 Open the Printing Troubleshooter. Answer the questions and follow the instructions so the
computer can help you figure out what's wrong.

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To open the printing troubleshooter:
1. Click Start Control Panel Printers and Other Hardware.
2. In the left pane, open the Troubleshooters category.
3. Click Printing.
4. The printing troubleshooter opens.

ASSIGNMENT
 Open the Printers and Faxes folder.
 View the printer(s) and fax machine(s) currently installed on your machine.
 Explore the Add a Printer and Printing Troubleshooter links in the left pane.
 Add a new printer if necessary.

Using System Tools for Basic Maintenance

Introduction
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Define System Tools
 Run Disk Defragmenter
 Run Disk Cleanup
 Open the Scheduled Task Wizard
 Deal with an unresponsive computer

What are System Tools?

It's important to perform some basic maintenance from time to time to keep Windows XP running
smoothly. Luckily, Windows XP provides you with some basic tools to make the maintenance process
as painless as possible. You can access these tools via the System Tools menu.

To open the System Tools menu:

1. Choose Start All Programs Accessories System Tools.
2. A cascading System Tools menu opens.

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Disk Defragmenter
All Windows XP computers have at least one hard disk. The hard disk acts as your computer's
storage area. Almost everything installed on your computer—applications, files, folders, and the
operating system—is stored here.
With general use (creating new files, deleting files, or installing new software), your hard disk can
become fragmented. This means parts of the same disk file become scattered over different areas of
the disk. A fragmented hard disk slows down your computer and hinders its performance.
To keep your hard disk running smoothly, you must routinely defragment, or "defrag" the hard disk.
The Disk Defragmenter tool can help you do this.

To use Disk Defragmenter:

1. Choose Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Disk Defragmenter.
2. The Disk Defragmenter opens.

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To open Microsoft Management Console:
1. Open Disk Defragmenter.
2. Open the Action menu.
3. Click Help.
4. A Microsoft Management Console opens and explains how to run Disk Defragmenter.

Note: You may need to be logged in as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group
to perform some tasks associated with the Disk Defragmenter. Disk Defragmenter should be run every
three months.

Disk Cleanup
Disk Cleanup is another tool that helps keep Windows XP operating as it should. It inspects your
hard disk and looks for files that can be safely deleted. Deleting unnecessary files frees up valuable
disk space.

To run Disk Cleanup:

1. Choose Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Disk Cleanup.
2. The Disk Cleanup window opens. Click the Disk Cleanup tab if it's not showing.
3. Disk Cleanup lists several potential files that can be deleted, as well as the amount of disk space
you'll gain by emptying each one.
4. To learn more about a file category, click it and click the View Files button. A description
appears.
5. Click the check boxes next to the categories you want to delete, then click OK.
6. A dialog box appears asking whether you are sure you want to perform these actions. Click
Yes or No as appropriate.

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Disk Cleanup
The More Options tab gives you even more disk cleanup options.

Note: It's recommended that you run Disk Cleanup every three months.

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The Scheduled Task Wizard
Fortunately, you don't need to remember to run each of these utilities. Windows XP includes a
Scheduled Task Wizard that runs each of them for you.

To open the Scheduled Task Wizard:

 Choose Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Scheduled Tasks.
OR
1. Choose Start Control Panel Performance and Maintenance Scheduled Tasks.
2. The Scheduled Tasks folder opens.
3. Double-click Add a Scheduled Task.
4. The Scheduled Tasks Wizard opens.
5. Keep clicking Next to select the program(s) you want Windows to run. If the task you want is
not listed, click the Browse button to locate it. Then schedule a convenient time.

Dealing with an unresponsive computer

While performing regular maintenance on your computer should keep it running smoothly, it still may
occasionally freeze up or become unresponsive to the click of a mouse or keyboard.
 If your computer freezes, try waiting it out. Sometimes it takes your computer a few seconds
to complete a task.
OR
 Press the ESC on your keyboard.
OR
 Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete on your keyboard. The Windows Task Manager opens. Here, you
can monitor applications, processes, performance, networking, and users. If you need to
restart your computer, choose Shut Down Restart. If you need to turn off your computer,
choose Shut Down Turn Off.

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ASSIGNMENT
 Locate the System Tools menu.
 Open the Disk Defragmenter. Open the Action menu. Click Help. Learn more about running Disk
Defragmenter.
 Open Disk Cleanup. Run Disk Cleanup if necessary in order to free up hard disk space.
Having Trouble Printing?
Perhaps you've written a great report and want to share it with your boss. The problem is, you're
having trouble printing it.
Try these troubleshooting techniques:
 Take care of the basics. Make sure the printer is plugged in, turned on, and has paper in it.
 Make sure the printer cable is properly connected to the printer and to the computer.
 Check to see if there is a paper jam. Most printers have a flashing light to indicate a jam. Also, if
the paper size selected differs from the one in the paper tray, you will not be able to print. To
choose a paper size, select File Page Setup. Click the Paper Size tab.
 Check to see that the printer toner, cartridge, or ribbon is fresh and adequate. If not, printed
documents may appear streaky, blotchy, or even blank.
 Make sure the printer is switched to Online mode. There is usually a button on your printer's
control panel. If it is switched to Offline mode, it will not print.
 Make sure the computer knows what printer you are using. Check this by clicking Start
Control Panel Printers and Other Hardware View installed printers or fax printers. If
an icon for your printer doesn't appear, try restarting your computer. If your printer still doesn't
appear, you may need to add it. Click Add a Printer, then follow the instructions in the Add
Printer Wizard.
 If you work in an office environment where several people share a printer, there may be a
network problem. Contact your company's network support specialist.
 If you can find the manual for your printer, read it to see if you can find the solution to the
problem.

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If you're using Windows XP:
 If your printer still doesn't work, go to Help and Support Center. Under Pick a Help Topic,
click Printing and Faxing. Or enter the term "printer" into the Search box.
 Open the Printing Troubleshooter. Answer the questions and follow the instructions so the
computer can help you figure out what's wrong.
To open the Printing Troubleshooter:
1. Click Start Control Panel Printers and Other Hardware.
2. In the left pane, open the Troubleshooters category.
3. Click Printing.
4. The Printing Troubleshooter opens.

The Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin, the desktop icon that resembles a wastebasket, is where you put a file or folder if
you want to delete it.
Open the Recycle Bin anytime and see what’s inside by double-clicking the Recycle Bin icon located
on the desktop or using Windows Explorer.
Inside, you’ll see a list of deleted items.

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To move an item to the Recycle Bin from the Desktop, Windows Explorer, or My Computer:
 Click and drag the file or folder to the Recycle Bin.
OR
1. Right-click the file or folder you want to delete.
2. When the pop-up menu appears, choose Delete.
3. A dialog box appears asking, Are sure you want to send the file or folder to the Recycle
Bin?
4. Click Yes.
OR
To move an item to the Recycle Bin from Windows Explorer or My Computer:
1. Click the file or folder you want to delete.
2. The file or folder darkens.
3. Choose Delete this file (or Delete this folder) from the File and Folder Tasks list.

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COMMON COMMAND PROMPT COMMANDS

The Windows Command Prompt may be accessed from the Start Menu by selecting Run
and typing cmd. Through the Command Prompt, you can utilize all the Windows features (ex.
creating new directories and files, opening files, launching applications, etc), by issuing short
commands. Using the Command Prompt in Windows mirrors working with Linux and is generally
faster and more efficient than using icons with the mouse. Note that, unlike Linux, the Windows
directory slash is ‘\’. Also note that Windows commands are case-insensitive.

As with Linux, typing ‘..’, refers to the directory located one level up from the current
directory. Also, ‘*’ serves as a wild-card character. For example, if you wanted to delete all files
with extension .exe, you would use *.exe.

1) chdir (cd): With no arguments, displays the name of the current directory. If provided
with the name of a directory, chdir will switch to that directory. Example usage ->chdir c:\Perl

2)cls: Clears the command prompt window

3) comp: Compares the contents of two files or sets of files byte by byte. Can compare files
in the same directory or in different directories. Example usage -> comp c:\[Link] c:\Test\
[Link]. A sampling of options for comp is as follows:
/d :Displays differences in decimal format. (The default format is hexadecimal.)
/a :Displays differences as characters.
/l :Displays the number of the line on which a difference occurs, instead of displaying the
byte offset.
/n=number :Compares the first number of lines of both files, even if the files are different
sizes.
/c :Performs a comparison that is not case-sensitive.

4) copy: Copies one or more files from one location to another. The general form of the
command is copy dir:\File1 dir:\File2. File1 is the file to be copied and File2 is the name of the new
file to be created. If a directory is not specified, the current directory is used. Example usage ->
copy c:\Perl\[Link] c:\Java\[Link].

5) date : Displays the current date and provides a prompt to enter a new date.

6) del: Deletes specified files. You can delete one file (ex. del [Link]) or a group of files.
Example usage ->del c:\Perl\*.pl. A sampling of options for del is as follows:
/p :Prompts you for confirmation before deleting the specified file.
/f :Forces deletion of read-only files.
/s :Deletes specified files from the current directory and all subdirectories. Displays the
names of the files as they are being deleted.
/q :Specifies quiet mode. You are not prompted for delete confirmation.

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 /a [[:] attributes]: Deletes files based on specified attributes. A sampling of attributes is as
follows:
r = read only
a = archive
s = system
h = hidden
A ‘-‘ character in front of an attribute indicates ‘not’
Example usage -> del *.pl /a:r

7) dir: Displays a list of files and subdirectories within a particular directory. When no
options are specified, dir uses the current directory. When provided with a drive and a path, dir will
list contents of specified directory. By default, dir does not display hidden or system files. Example
usage ->dir c:\Java. A sampling of options for dir is as follows:
/q : displays ownership information of files and directories
/p :displays one screen of the listing at a time. To see the next screen, press any key on the
keyboard.
/a [[:] attributes] : When no attributes are listed, ‘dir /a’ list all files including hidden and
system files. Attributes are listed after the colon (ex dir /a:h). Combinations of attributes may also be
used (ex. dir /a:hs). Some example attributes are as follows:
h = show only hidden files
s = show only system files
d = show only directories
r = show only read-only files
A ‘-‘ character in front of an attribute indicates ‘not’

8) exit: exits out of the Command Prompt window

9) find: Searches for a specified string of text within a specified file or files. Will display
any lines of text that display the specified string. Example usage ->find “command” c:\Java\*.java.
A sampling of options for find is as follows:
/v :Displays all lines that do not contain the specified string.
/c :Counts the lines that contain the specified string and displays the total.
/n :Precedes each line with the file's line number.
/i :Specifies that the search is not case-sensitive.

10) help: Provides online information about system commands. When entered with no other
parameters, lists info for all commands. When entered with the name of a specific command,
provides info for that command only. Example usage -> help exit.

11) mkdir (md): Creates a directory or subdirectory. If no path is specified, mkdir creates a
new directory within the current directory. Example usage ->mkdir c:\test.
12)more: Displays one screen of output at a time. Useful for displaying contents of large
files. Example usage -> more [Link]. You can also provide multiple file names (or use the ‘*’
character) for more to output. The following commands are accepted at the more prompt:
Spacebar = show next page
Enter = show next line
f = show next file
q = quit
pn = display next ‘n’ lines
sn = skip next ‘n’ lines

13) move: Move one or more files from a directory to a specified directory. The general
form of the command is move dir:\File1 dir:\File2. Example usage -> move c:\C++\[Link] c:\C\

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test.c.

14)print: Sends a text file to a printer. The name of the printer to use is set by /d:printer
name. Example usage -> print /d:LPT1 c:\[Link]. In this example, the printer is connected to
parallel port LPT1.

15) rename (ren): Changes the name of a file or set of files. Example usage -> rename
file_badname.txt file_goodname.txt.

16) rmdir (rd): Deletes a directory. Example usage ->rmdirBaddir. A sample of rmdir
options is as follows:
/s :Removes the specified directory and all subdirectories including any files. Use /s to
remove a tree.
/q :Runs rmdir in quiet mode. Deletes directories without confirmation.

17) time: Displays the current time and provides a prompt to enter a new time.

18) tree: Graphically displays the directory structure of a path or of the disk in a drive.
Example usage: tree c:\C++. In this example, tree will graphically display the directory structure for
the C++ directory.

19) type: Displays the contents of a text file. Example usage -> type [Link].

20) xcopy: Copies files and directories, including subdirectories. Example usage ->xcopy
c:\Perl c:\Perl2. This command will copy all files within the c:\Perl directory, along with all
subdirectories and their associated files. A sampling of options for xcopy is as follows:
/p :Prompts you to confirm whether you want to create each destination file.
/c :Ignores errors.
q :Suppresses the display of xcopymessages.
/s :Copies directories and subdirectories, unless they are empty. If you omit /s, xcopyworks
within a single directory.
/e :Copies all subdirectories, even if they are empty. Use /e with the /s and /t command-line
options.
/t :Copies the subdirectory structure (that is, the tree) only, not files. To copy empty
directories, you must include the /e command-line option.
/h :Copies files with hidden and system file attributes. By default, xcopy does not copy
hidden or system files.
/o :Copies file ownership and discretionary access control list (DACL) information.

Installation of Windows Applications

a) Software with an installation disk (CD or floppy disk)

For commercial software, you simply need to insert the program CD into the drive and wait
for the installation window to appear. This window will guide you through the installation process,
enabling you to select which components to install and the directory in which to install them.
Another method for installing Windows applications, which can be used if the install window
does not automatically appear, is to use the Add or Remove Programs icon found in the Control
Panel window. Clicking on the icon brings up a listing of applications currently installed on
Windows XP. By selecting a particular application, the user may either change or remove the
program. Clicking on the Add New Programs button on the left brings up a window that will prompt
you to insert your startup CD or floppy disk. Clicking the next button will cause Windows to
automatically find and run the install program for your application.
A final method for installing a Windows application is to go to My Computer, double click
the drive in which the installation disk is housed and double click on the installation icon.

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b) Downloaded software
After downloading is complete, go to the location in which you downloaded your application.
In most instances, you will have downloaded the installation program for your application. Simple
double click this icon and follow the instructions.
In some cases, you will have downloaded a compressed file (.gz extension). For this type of
download, you must first decompress the file (see details below), in order to access and run the install
script.

Installation of Windows Hardware

For most pieces of hardware, Windows will automatically detect the new device and prompt
you to insert the start up disk. The disk will contain the necessary drivers for your hardware and will
enable you to configure your hardware component.
If auto-detection fails, you can double click the Add Hardware icon in the Control Panel
window. This will cause Windows to search for your new piece of hardware. If new hardware is
found, you will be prompted to insert the installation disk.

REVISION QUESTIONS

1. What is Windows XP?

A. Shareware software
B. An operating system
C. A mouse technique
D. Part of Office 2000
2. What menu do you use to open a program?
A. Open menu
B. File menu
C. Start menu
D. None of the above
3. What is Internet Explorer?
A. A web browser that comes bundled with Windows XP
B. A free email program that comes bundled with Windows XP
C. A free game that comes bundled with Windows XP
D. None of the above
4. True or False: You cannot size a window after it has been maximized.
A. True
B. False
5. To access the Control Panel:
A. Click Start, then click Control Panel
B. Type Control Panel in the Address dialog box found on any Windows XP window
C. Find a link to the Control Panel in the See Also dialog box (only in XP view)
D. Do any of the above
6. In Windows XP, what is a folder?
A. Space on the desktop
B. A data and graphic transmission tool
C. A location where you can store files and other folders
D. A large box kept beside your computer
7. True or False: Once you create a new file or folder, it cannot be renamed.
A. True
B. False
8. All of the following are true statements about My Documents EXCEPT:
A. My Documents is a folder that provides you with a convenient place to store your important files
and folders
B. Reach My Documents in the Start menu or by double-clicking the My Documents icon on your
desktop

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C. My Documents includes a few default subfolders called My Music, My Pictures, and My Videos
D. My Documents is hardware on which you can store files
9. To retrieve a file from the Recycle Bin, click to open the Recycle Bin, select the file you want
to retrieve, and:
A. click the Restore All Items link in the Recycle Bin Tasks list
B. click the Restore This Item link in the Recycle Bin Tasks list
C. do both A and B
D. do none of the above
10. All of the following are a type of user account featured in Windows XP EXCEPT:
A. Gaming account
B. Administrator account
C. Guest account
D. Standard account

WINDOWS 7

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Windows 7 is an operating system launched by Microsoft in 2009 as an upgrade from XP or Vista.
Learn all about the new features, what you need to upgrade, and how to customize your computer's
settings to fit your needs.

Introduction

Are you wondering about the Windows 7 operating system? Perhaps you are trying to decide if you
want to upgrade from XP or Vista. Maybe you are thinking about buying a new computer and want to
learn more about Windows 7 first. With these questions in mind, we explored Windows 7 and would
like to share what we found with you.

In this lesson, we will compare Windows 7 with previous Vista and XP operating systems. In
addition, we will discuss performance improvements and review the major features.

What is Windows 7?

Windows 7 is an operating system that Microsoft has produced for use on personal computers. It is
the follow-up to the Windows Vista Operating System, which was released in 2006. An operating
system allows your computer to manage software and perform essential tasks. It is also a Graphical
User Interface (GUI) that allows you to visually interact with your computer’s functions in a logical,
fun, and easy way.

For example, in Windows 7 you can view two windows side by side by using the Aero Snap feature.
This feature automatically sizes—or snaps—two windows to fit together on the screen, allowing you
the convenience of viewing them next to each other.

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Please note that Windows 7 is designed to work on PCs and requires additional setup to run on a Mac
(Apple Macintosh computer).

To learn more, check out our Understanding Operating Systems lesson in Computer Basics.

How is Windows 7 different from Vista or XP?

Based on customer feedback, Microsoft is promoting that it has simplified the PC experience by
making many functions easier to use, such as better previewing on the Task Bar, instant searching for
files or media, and easy sharing via HomeGroup networking. It also claims improved performance
by supporting 64-bit processing, which is increasingly the standard in desktop PCs. In addition,
Windows 7 is designed to sleep and resume faster, use less memory, and recognize USB devices
faster. There are also new possibilities with media streaming and touch-screen capabilities.

The above are improvements for both Vista and XP users. If you are already a Vista user, the
improvements to Windows 7 will be more subtle. Vista users are likely already familiar with features
like the Aero visual functions, Start Menu organization, and Search. However, if you are currently
using XP, then you may require a bit of an adjustment period.

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Improvements for both Vista and XP users

 New Taskbar and System Tray

 Quick Desktop View button
 Improved Start Up, Sleep, and Resume performance
 Improved power management saves memory and battery life
 Libraries to improve file access and organization
 Action Center for system maintenance, back ups, and troubleshooting
 User Account customization of notifications
 Improved back up
 New wallpapers and themes
 Improved gadgets
 New premium games, including Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans, and Inkball
 Advanced Calculator functions, including saving history
 Improved networking via HomeGroups
 Passkey protection with networks
 Device Stage for recognizing USB devices faster
 Windows Mail replaced by Windows Live

Changes and improvements from Windows XP only

 New Start icon

 Aero Snap, Shake, and Peek
 Desktop icons like Computer and My Documents now accessed through Start Menu
 Larger icons and hidden icons in the Taskbar
 Quick Launch toolbar replaced by pinning a program to the Taskbar
 Jump Lists for easier access
 Search Bar in the Start Up Menu
 Run command accessed through Start Menu's Search Bar
 Faster and smoother gaming components
 Parental Controls for monitoring computer use
 Update feature that eliminates web surfing for patches

Will Windows 7 improve my computer's performance?

As previously mentioned, Microsoft is promoting that Windows 7 is designed to:

 Decrease Start up and Shutdown times by 20 seconds

 Go to Sleep and Resume faster
 Use up less memory
 Pop up Search results faster
 Reconnect to your wireless network more quickly
 Recognize USB devices faster

This is promising news, because slow wait time appeared to be one of the chief complaints regarding
Windows Vista. Windows 7 also saves time by not booting up various devices during Start Up unless
they are currently being used. In other words, if you are not using a Bluetooth device when you start
the computer Windows 7 will not waste time by running that program in the background; it will wait
until you have plugged it in.

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However, performance tests of Windows 7 indicate that actual improvements vary and depend
greatly on the conditions of your specific computer and the programs you are running. We will go into
more detail regarding your computer's ability to run Windows 7 in future lessons.

For more information, see the PC World Windows 7 Performance Tests or PC Mag Windows 7 vs.
XP Performance articles.

What can you do in Windows 7?

Aero

Aero is an interface that makes your visual interactions with the desktop fun and easy.

 Aero Peek makes your open windows transparent so you can see your desktop. It also allows
you to peek at items in your taskbar for a thumbnail preview.
 Aero Snap is a quick way to resize your windows to make them easier to read, organize, and
compare.
 Aero Flip allows you to preview all open windows from a central window or 3D view that
you can flip through.
 Aero Shake allows you to take your mouse and shake only the open window you want to
focus on, and the rest will disappear.

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Taskbar

The taskbar is now more convenient to use, with larger views and easier access.

 Jump Lists allow you to right-click an icon in the taskbar and immediately access items like
music, videos, or webpages you use on a regular basis.
 Pin allows you to place programs on the taskbar and rearrange the order of the icons.
 Action Center allows you to control the alerts and pop-ups you receive regarding
maintenance and security.

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Search

As soon as you start typing in the Search bar of the Start Menu, you will instantly see a list of
relevant options grouped by categories with highlighted keywords and text. This allows you to easily
scan for the documents, music, pictures, and emails you are looking for.

Libraries

Libraries allow you to organize your files in one place so they are easy to search and access.

Windows 7 has four default Libraries for documents, music, pictures, and videos; however, you can
customize and create you own Libraries based on your needs.

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Gadgets

You can select or download gadgets such as a slide show, calendar, or weather update to add to your
desktop. The live updates of some gadgets like weather, stocks, and feed headlines are quite
convenient.

Additional things you can do in Windows 7

 Device Stage: When you plug a device into your computer such as a camera, mobile phone,
or flash drive, a window will open up with a menu of popular tasks, status information, and
options for your device.
 Windows Live Essentials: Windows Live Essentials is free software that enhances the
Windows 7 experience. It replaces Windows Mail and allows you to email, instant message,
edit photos, and blog.
 HomeGroup:HomeGroup allows you to connect two or more PCs on a home network to
easily share and access files and printers.
 Windows Touch: You can use Windows Touch with a touch-screen PC to browse and flick
through the screen using your fingers with multi-touch technology.
 Remote Media Streaming: With Remote Media Streaming, you can access your music,
pictures, and videos stored on your home PC remotely using the Internet.

Conclusion

By now, you should have a better idea of what Windows 7 is all about. Now you can start considering
if upgrading to Windows 7 will be a good choice for you. In making this decision, you may want to
compare your desires with what your current computer is capable of.

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While Microsoft is promoting that Windows 7 can be used on older computers, this does not mean
that all of the features will be available or work the same as they will on a new computer. For
example, we have found that some of the Aero features, like Peek and 3D, do not work on one of our
older, 32-bit computers.

In addition, upgrading to Windows 7 from XP is more complicated than upgrading from Vista. In the
next lesson, we will review the cost and requirements for running Windows 7 which are important
factors in making a decision.

In the meantime, you may want to consider the following questions:

 How valuable are the new features and improvements with regard to my computer needs?
 Can I afford the upgrade, and do I have the time to devote to installing and adjusting to the new
operating system?
 What are the system requirements for Windows 7, and how will it perform on my computer?
 If I am in the market for a new computer, does Windows 7 meet my needs?

Upgrading to Windows 7

Introduction

Now that you have explored what Windows 7 has to offer, we can help you understand what's involved
in moving to the new operating system.

In this lesson, we will review the various versions of Windows 7 and the system requirements for
running the operating system. We will discuss the process of upgrading and any considerations you
need to be aware of before switching to Windows 7.

Windows 7 versions and pricing

The major upgrade versions of Windows 7 are Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Home
Premium is the most popular version of Windows 7 and will likely suit the needs of most users. The
Professional version may appeal to owners of small to medium-sized businesses because it has extras
like Windows XP mode and networking backup features. Ultimate is the most powerful version, with
added security features like Bitlocker and the flexibility of use in 35 languages.

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  You may come across a Windows 7 Starter version. This version is made for smaller laptops
(sometimes called netbooks) and will have limited performance and features compared to
Home Premium.
 There is also a Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack ($149.99) for upgrading up to
three PCs in a home.
 Full versions of the above products are more expensive but will only be required if you are
not already running Windows XP or Vista.

Windows 7 requirements for upgrade

In order to run Windows 7, your PC must have the following:

 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2GB RAM (64-bit)
 16GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20GB (64-bit)
 DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Additional System Requirements may be needed to run certain features.

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Microsoft is providing a tool called the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor so customers can determine if
their PCs are able to run Windows 7. It is a good idea to download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
before upgrading. It will analyze your computer's processor, memory, storage, graphics capabilities,
and any other compatibility issues. If possible, it will also provide guidance for resolving issues.

Please note that you should plug in and connect all USB devices, printers, and external hard drives
when running the Upgrade Advisor. This will provide the best analysis of your system.

Windows Experience Index

The Windows Experience Index is another indicator of how well your computer will respond to
Windows 7. The Windows Experience Index tests your system and rates it with a score of between 1
and 7.9. The higher the score, the better your computer's performance. Some Windows 7 features, like
Aero, need a score of at least 3 to run.

1. To check your Windows Experience Index, click the Start Menu and select Computer. The
Computer window will appear.
2. Select System Properties in the button bar at the top of the screen. The System Window
displays your computer's Windows Experience Index rating. It also shows other system info,
including whether your computer has a 32-bit or 64-bit processor.

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 3. Select the Windows Experience Index link to view the ratings of the individual computer
components that are scored. The rating is determined by the lowest subscore.

In this case, a score of 4.3 should be sufficient to experience most of the new Windows 7 features. If
your system scores lower than a 3, you may miss out on some of the digital media and graphics
features, including Window's Aero.

What to consider before you upgrade

Once you have run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor and reviewed your system's Windows
Experience Index, you will have a better idea of how Windows 7 will perform on your computer. Just
to be sure, here are a few things to consider:

 Do you have a 32-bit or 64-bit processor? The 64-bit processor can handle larger amounts
of information and increase the responsiveness of the computer. Windows 7 can run on 32-bit
and 64-bit computers, but some features may not perform as well on 32-bit computers.
 Will you be upgrading from XP or Vista? Windows 7 was designed to be upgraded from
Vista. If you are currently using the XP operating system, your upgrade experience may be
complicated. You will have to back up your current files, programs, and settings and do a
custom (clean) installation. Microsoft has subtly suggested that XP users should consider
getting a new PC for Windows 7. If this is not an option and you are going to do a custom
(clean) installation, you may want to get help from a computer service professional.
 Are you interested in gaming, multimedia, and Windows Touch? With Windows 7,
Microsoft improved graphics capabilities for gaming and the multimedia features of Windows
Media Player. Additionally, Windows 7 has touch-screen capability. If these digital media
features are important to you, make sure to review the Additional System Requirements
before upgrading.

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  Do you currently use Windows Mail or Outlook Express? Windows Mail and Outlook
Express are not available on Windows 7. You will need to replace them with Windows Live
Mail or another email program.

What kind of upgrade do you need?

If you are currently using Windows Vista, your upgrade experience should be easy. If you have XP,
upgrading will likely be more complicated. Either way, it is probably best to download and run the
Windows Upgrade Advisor before proceeding.

Based on the current version of your operating system, you will need to figure out if you have to
perform a simple upgrade or a custom (clean) installation. You can visit Microsoft's Upgrade to
Windows 7 page to determine which type of upgrade you need and what additional information
should be considered before performing the upgrade.

Even if you do not need to do the custom (clean) installation, it is a good idea to back up your files
before upgrading. For more information, read Backing Up Your Computer in our Computer Basics
tutorial.

Microsoft provides instructions for doing a custom (clean) installation. However, you may want to
consider using a computer service professional if you are not comfortable with this process.

Once you have determined which Windows 7 version you want and what kind of upgrade you need to
perform, you can go to a retail outlet or visit the Microsoft Store online to purchase your upgrade.

Conclusion
Now that you know what it takes to upgrade, you have a better idea of whether Windows 7 is right for
you. Depending on your circumstances, upgrading may be an easy or complicated process. As
previously mentioned, you should weigh any complications you may experience with your desire for
the improvements and features Windows 7 has to offer. Time and cost are also factors, especially if
you are considering purchasing a new computer.

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Installing Windows 7

Introduction

You may still be exploring Windows 7, or you may have already purchased the operating system.
Either way, we're now going to look at the installation process.

In this lesson, you will review pre-installation preparation and learn how to install Windows 7,
along with any accompanying devices and hardware.

Pre-installation preparation

There are a few things you need to check before you get started with your installation.

In Lesson 2, we discussed the considerations you needed to be aware of before upgrading to Windows
7. By now, you should have:

1. Downloaded and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to assess you computer's upgrade
needs
2. Determined if your computer has a 32-bit or 64-bit processor
3. Figured out important Upgrade Considerations, like whether you have to perform a simple
Vista upgrade or a custom (clean) installation
4. Decided upon the Windows 7 version you need

In addition, you will need to make sure you have a working Internet connection upon installation,
since you may be prompted to download and install security and hardware driver updates.

Microsoft also recommends that you update your antivirus programs. After updating, you should
run the antivirus programs and then turn them off. Once the installation is complete, you can turn the
programs back on or install new antivirus software that is compatible with Windows 7.

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Windows Mail and Outlook Express are not available on Windows 7. If you are currently using these
programs, you will need to import your data into Windows Live Mail or another email program after
installation.

Backing up and transferring your files

Before installation, it's a good idea to back up your files, even if you are only doing a simple upgrade.
This can be done by copying your files to an external source such as a CD, DVD, external drive, or
USB flash drive.
If you are doing a custom (clean) installation, you will need to back up and transfer your files and
settings. You will also need to gather your installation discs to reinstall any programs. For programs
that were downloaded from the Internet, you may be able to download them again; if not, you'll need
to back them up before upgrading.

Microsoft recommends using Windows Easy Transfer to back up and transfer your files and settings.
A detailed tutorial on this process will be linked in the next part of this lesson. As previously
mentioned, you may want to consider using a computer service professional because performing a
custom (clean) installation has the potential to become quite complicated.

Do not use the File and Settings Transfer Wizard in Windows XP because it is not compatible with
Windows 7.

Installation

Materials you'll need to begin

 The Windows 7 installation disc or the Windows 7 installation file if purchased online
 The 25-character Windows product key (found on the disc holder or confirmation email if
purchased online)

An external DVD drive will be needed for disc installation to a Netbook or PC without a DVD drive.
You should now be ready to install the Windows 7 operating system. Due to the variety of installation
circumstances, we will direct you to the Microsoft tutorials for detailed instructions.

 For a simple upgrade, visit Microsoft's Upgrade from Windows Vista tutorial for installation
instructions.
 For a custom (clean) installation, visit Microsoft's Upgrade from Windows XP tutorial for
installation instructions.

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Once again, you may want to use a computer service professional to perform a custom (clean)
installation.

Installing devices and hardware

Microsoft's tutorials should have provided specific instructions for installing devices and hardware,
but we would still like to point out a few key things you may need to be aware of.

Many of your devices, such as cameras and mobile phones, will be recognized by Windows 7 Device
Stage and can be installed by simply plugging them in to your PC. Microsoft created Device Stage to
make working with devices easier. Upon plugging in, Device Stage will provide a "homepage" with a
menu of tasks, updates, and options for compatible devices and printers.

If you are having trouble installing hardware, go to Microsoft's Update a Driver tutorial for
instructions on Windows Update, downloading drivers, and installing printers.

Windows 7 has a new Devices and Printers folder where you can view and access everything that is
connected to your computer.
 Go to the Search bar and type Devices and Printers to locate this folder.

If you want to check if the hardware you may be purchasing in the future is compatible with Windows
7, go to the Windows 7 Compatibility Center.

Conclusion

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Depending on your circumstances, you may still need to turn on your antivirus software, transfer
files, reinstall programs, or import your email data. Otherwise, you should be ready to start using
Windows 7.

Getting Started with Windows 7

Introduction

We would like to give you an overview of the desktop features of Windows 7. Microsoft has added or
improved upon several features, including introducing new themes, appealing graphic effects, and
taskbar functions.

In this lesson, we will review the Aero features, discover the new taskbar, and learn how to
personalize your desktop.
Getting started with Windows
If you've used earlier versions of Windows, you may find that Windows 7 is pretty familiar. However,
if you're new to Windows you'll need to learn about some of the basics, such as the taskbar, Start
menu, and Recycle Bin.

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Aero features
Windows 7 uses a group of features called Windows Aero. Aero is a visual desktop experience that
combines translucent windows, appealing color, and graphics effects with convenient
functionality. Aero includes Snap, Peek, Shake, and Flip.
Snap
Snap allows you to resize open windows to make reviewing and comparing easier. The images below
show two windows before and after using the Snap feature.

1. Place the mouse at the top of the window, drag to the left or right of the screen, wait for the
transparent window to appear, and let go.
2. Your window should Snap into place.
3. To return to the full view, Snap the window to the top of the screen.

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Peek
You can view your open windows on the taskbar by using Peek. Simply scroll the mouse over the
taskbar icons, and a thumbnail preview of the open windows will appear.

1. Hover the mouse over the windows in Peek, and the full window will appear on your screen.

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 2. Click the Peek preview to open the window, or click the X to close the window from the
Peek view.

Shake
When your desktop is cluttered with open windows, you can use Shake to select a single window and
close the rest.
1. Click on the top of the window you want to focus on and shake your mouse, and the rest of
the windows will disappear.
2. Simply shake the window again, and the closed windows will reappear.

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Flip
Flip and Flip 3D are two ways you can see previews of all your open windows at once. Flip will
display previews in a row, and Flip 3D will display them as a stack.

1. Press and hold the Alt key, then press Tab to open the Flip view of your open windows.
2. While still pressing the Alt key, you can flip through open windows by pressing the Tab key.
3. Stop on the window you want to open, and it will appear on the full screen.

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4. Press and hold the Windows key, then press Tab for a 3D version of Flip.
5. Use the Tab key or Arrow keys to flip through your open windows.
Instead of holding down the Windows key, you can press Control + Windows key and press Tab.
You can then release all of the keys and Flip 3D will stay open.

Taskbar features
Microsoft has improved the taskbar by making it easier to view and access files and windows.
The taskbar view
When multiple windows are open in a program, the icon will look "stacked" on the taskbar.

 Aero Peek will show you a thumbnail of each window when you hover the mouse over the
icon on the taskbar.

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  If you wish, you can change the order of the icons by clicking and dragging the icon to
whatever space you desire on the taskbar.

Pin a program to the taskbar

You can Pin programs to the taskbar and access them with a single click of the mouse.
 To Pin a program, drag it to the taskbar and release.

 To Unpin a program, simply right-click on the icon and select Unpin.

Access a Jump List

A Jump List is like a mini-menu for a program. It allows quick access to recent files, frequently
viewed items, performance tasks, and more. For example, you can select frequently used websites
with a simple click from the Internet Explorer Jump List.
 Right-click an icon to open the program's Jump List.

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More taskbar features
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the additional taskbar icons.

Show desktop
To Peek at the desktop without closing windows:
1. Hover the mouse over the Show desktop button.

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 2. The windows will become transparent, allowing you to see the desktop.

3. Click the Show desktop button to close the windows.

4. Click again, and the windows will return.

Action Center
Older versions of Windows had pesky pop-up notifications that appeared whenever there was a
security issue or warning regarding an action you were taking. Windows 7 allows you to customize
how often you view these notifications through the Action Center. The Action Center icon in the
taskbar will allow you to view and take action on any notifications you have received.

Personalize Your Desktop's Background and Themes

Windows 7 has some amazing new themes and backgrounds to choose from. They include vivid
photography, digital artwork, and Aero themes that use color and glass effects in an appealing way.

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Themes and background
In the Search bar of the Start Menu, type and select Personalization. Alternatively, you can right-
click the Desktop and select Personalize.
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the options in the Personalization
pane.

Review and select a desired theme or background. You can search online for more themes by
selecting Get more themes online in My Themes.

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 Personalize font settings
You can adjust the font settings and ClearType on your desktop based on your preferences.
To change the font:
1. From the Search bar in the Start Menu, type and select Fonts.
2. Select the font you desire from the Fonts pane.

To change font size:

1. Adjust the font size by selecting Change Font Size from the menu on the left of the Fonts
pane.
2. Select the desired font size, and click Apply.

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Please note that a larger font size may interfere with how some items are displayed on the screen.

ClearType
You may also adjust the ClearType for your screen. ClearType helps improve the readability of text
on LCD monitors and screens.
 To adjust ClearType, select Adjust ClearType text from the menu on the left of the Fonts
pane, and follow the steps for selecting the text that appears the best to you.

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Gadgets
Gadgets are programs that run on your desktop so you can see information at a glance. Gadgets can
give you information about the weather, date and time, news, traffic, and more.
To add gadgets to your desktop:
1. Right-click your desktop and select Gadgets.

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 2. Select and drag the gadgets you desire, and place them anywhere you want on the desktop.
Customizing a gadget
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about customizing your gadget.

See the below options pane for an example of how you can change the face and time zone on the
Clock gadget.

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Conclusion
Now it's your turn to play. Take some time to explore the themes, customize a few gadgets, and adjust
the ClearType on your screen. Practice using the Aero features, and pin your favorite programs to the
taskbar. Change your user account picture, and choose a screen saver.

While we covered the major features, there are likely additional ways in which you can personalize
your desktop. If you want, open the Appearance and Personalization pane and continue to explore.

Managing User Accounts and Parental Controls

Introduction

With Windows 7, everyone who uses your computer can have their own user account. This allows
each person to have his or her own settings, and it allows you to set up Parental Controls to limit the
types of games and programs your children are able to use.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create new user accounts, change account settings, and set up
Parental Controls for your children's accounts.

Setting up multiple user accounts

Why should you have multiple user accounts?
If you wanted to, you could have a single account on your computer that everyone could use. But
having multiple accounts has some advantages. If each user has his or her own account, then each
person will have his or her own desktop for organizing files and folders. Each person also will be able
to choose a specific desktop background, along with other personalization features. In addition,
parents will be able to set Parental Controls for each child's account.

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Standard vs. administrator accounts
Before you start making new user accounts, it's important to understand the two types of accounts:
 Standard: Standard accounts are the basic accounts you use for normal, everyday tasks. As a
Standard user, you can do just about anything you would need to do, such as running software
or personalizing your desktop. Also, Parental Controls can be placed on Standard accounts.
 Administrator: Administrator accounts are special accounts that are used for making certain
changes to system settings or managing other people's accounts. They have full access to
every setting on the computer. Every computer will have at least one Administrator account.

As you can see, Administrator accounts are more powerful. But for the same reason, Standard
accounts are safer, so they are generally better for everyday use. In fact, you can make
Administrator-level changes while logged into a Standard account; you will just need to provide
an Administrator password when making the changes.

To go to your user accounts:

1. Go to the Control Panel from the Start Menu.
2. Click Add or remove user accounts.

3. The Manage Accounts pane will appear. You will see all of the user accounts here, and you
can add more accounts or manage existing ones.

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To create a new account:
1. From the Manage Accounts pane, click Create a new account.
2. Type an account name.

3. Select Standard user or Administrator.

4. Click Create Account.

Changing an account's settings

Once you've created a new account, you may want to add a password or make other changes to the
account's settings.
To create a password:
1. From the Manage Accounts pane, click the account name or picture.

2. Click Create a password.

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 3. Type a password in the New password field, and retype it in the Confirm new password
field.

4. If you want, you can type a password hint to help you remember your password.
5. Click Create password.
6. To go back to the Manage Accounts pane, click Manage another account.

Account passwords are case sensitive, which means capital and lowercase letters are treated as
different characters. For example, aBc1 is not the same as abc1.

To change your account picture:

You can also change the picture for any account. This picture appears next to the account name and
helps you easily identify the account.
1. From the Manage Accounts pane, click the account name or picture.
2. Click Change the picture.

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 3. Select a picture, or click Browse for more pictures to select one of your own.

4. Click Change Picture.

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Using Parental Controls
Before you set up Parental Controls
You'll need to create an account for your child, if you haven't already. It should be a Standard
account; you cannot apply Parental Controls to an Administrator account.
When you're setting up Parental Controls, it doesn't matter which account you're logged in to, but if
you're logged in to a Standard account you'll need to provide an Administrator password before
making any changes.
Make sure your children do not know your Administrator password, as it would allow them to change
or disable Parental Controls for any user account.

To set up Parental Controls:

1. Go to the Control Panel from the Start Menu.

2. Click Set up parental controls for any user.

3. Click on any Standard Account.

4. Click On to turn Parental Controls on.

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 5. Now you can click Time limits, Games, or Allow and block specific programs to set the
Parental Controls. We'll explore each of these on the next page.

Changing your Parental Controls settings

Time limits
The time limits settings allow you to control when your children can use the computer. Click and
drag from any box to allow or block a section of time. If you want, you can set different time limits on
different days. For example, you may want to allow more computer use on weekends.

Games
The Games settings allow you to select which game ratings to allow, and you can also allow or
block specific games. First, you'll have to click Yes to allow your children to play games, then you
can change your Games settings.

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Here, we have selected "Everyone" as the highest rating allowed. This means your children can play
games rated "Everyone" OR "Early Childhood."

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To allow or block specific programs:
Allow and block specific programs controls which nongame programs your children can use. By
default, your children can use all nongame programs. But there may be some programs you don't want
your children to use, like a financial or email program. Here's how to block specific programs:

1. Click Will Jr can only use the programs I allow.

2. Click Check All.
3. Uncheck the programs you want to block.

Conclusion

You can now create new accounts whenever you want, and all users will be able to easily access their
own files and customize the appearance of Windows 7 while they're logged in to their respective
accounts.

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If you're using Parental Controls, take the time to familiarize yourself with the different controls
offered. Windows 7 gives you a lot of flexibility when using Parental Controls, so you can apply them
with as much or as little detail as you want.

Finding Your Files with Search and Libraries

Introduction

At this point, you are likely ready to start organizing and accessing your files and content. Windows 7
has developed search and libraries to make it easier to find, maneuver, and customize your files.

In this lesson, we will show you how to access your content through Search and Libraries. In
addition, we will highlight the features that offer customization and convenience, including tagging,
search filters, and creating libraries.

What are Libraries?

Most users access their files through My Documents, the C drive, or from other locations like a server
or backup drive. You are likely accustomed to sorting through tiered stacks of folders to get to your
content. This process can be time consuming, especially if you cannot remember where an item is
filed. Microsoft wanted to make finding your files easier, so it developed Libraries.

Libraries are collections of your stored content that can be easily accessed through the Desktop
Search function. Libraries do not replace your folders; they simply house them in a single collection.
When files are placed in a Library, their properties are indexed by the Search function. This indexing
makes accessing files in Search quick and easy.

There are four default Libraries in Windows 7: Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos. Later in
this lesson, we will also show you how to create Libraries of your own.

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Windows Explorer
Understanding Windows Explorer will help you navigate through your content and work with your
files and folders in an easy manner.
 Click the folder icon on the taskbar to open Windows Explorer.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the Windows Explorerinterface.

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To use Windows Explorer:
 Move through your content by double-clicking folders, clicking on the Back and Forward
buttons, or by clicking on headings in the Address bar.
 Preview files by selecting the Show the Preview pane button.
 When you double-click a file, it will open in the default program.
To change the view of the content in your folders:
You have several options for how you can view content in your folders. For example, you may prefer
seeing Details when viewing file documents and Extra Large Icons when viewing pictures.
 To change the view, select the View button and choose your preference.

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To change how your content is arranged:
Depending on the Library, you can Arrange content by month, day, rating, and other factors.
 Select the Arrange by button, and choose your preference.

Using Search
To search your Libraries:
1. Locate the Search bar at the top right corner of the Windows Explorer pane.
2. Start typing a file name or keyword.
3. Search will start displaying matching items even before you finish typing.

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Search options and features

Search and Libraries have a few features that assist with identifying and arranging items. Tags can be
added to certain items in order to improve search results. You can also rate and arrange content, like
Pictures and Music, in the same manner. The Tag or Rating options are included in the Details pane,
as shown below.

Various search filters can be applied to assist with finding content or narrowing a search. Depending
on the Library, search filters might include Type, Date Modified, Tag, or Authors. Below is an
example of the search filter in the Video Library.

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For even more search options, click the Organize button near the upper-left corner of the window and
select Search and folder options.

Searching from the Start Menu

The Windows Explorer pane is not the only place you can access Search and Libraries. You will find
a Search bar in the Start Menu, along with one click access to popular Libraries.

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A new approach to accessing content
Libraries are collections of content defined by the user. They are the new entry point for accessing
your files. Therefore, when Saving items Windows 7 will direct you to Libraries. Libraries have
automatic default save folders. Unless specified, your content will be saved in the default folder of
the Library it matches.
 You can change the default save folder by selecting Locations in the Tool Bar.

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You are not required to save or access your content through Libraries. The Navigation pane gives
you access to Computer, where your folders and drives are stored. You can still sort through the
tiered stacks of folders in the classic way to save and access content.

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Setting up your Libraries
You decide which folders and content to include in your Libraries.
To create your own Library:
1. Select New Library in the toolbar, or right-click Libraries in the Navigation pane.
2. Select New and then Libraries.

To customize your Libraries:

1. Right-click and select Properties.
2. Select Optimize and choose one of the following:
o General Items
o Documents
o Music
o Pictures
o Video

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 3. The new Library will prompt you to add Folders.
To add folders to existing Libraries:
1. Select the Folder from the Navigation pane.
2. Click the Include in Library menu in the toolbar.
3. Select the desired Library.

You can also copy Folders from the Navigation pane directly into the Libraries pane based on
preference.

Conclusion
As we mentioned earlier, you determine what content goes into your Libraries. You can decide to use
the default Libraries or create your own. Either way, you will need to take the time to move folders
into the Libraries you desire.

You can still continue to access your files in the classic way of sorting through tiered stacks, but you
will not be able to take advantage of the convenience of the Search function. It's a new way of
accessing your files and may take some customization to work as effectively as you wish. Take
some time to reconsider your filing system and how you would like to access your files.

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Security and Maintenance with Action Center

Introduction

Security and maintenance are important with any computer, and Windows 7 has made several
improvements that make it easier than ever to keep your computer in good shape.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the Action Center, User Account Control Settings, and
Troubleshooting to keep your computer running as smoothly as possible. You will also learn how to
recover your system settings with System Restore to fix more serious issues.

What is the Action Center?

The Action Center is a centralized place to view security and maintenance messages, and it also
makes it easy to find and fix problems with your computer.

To use the Action Center:

If you have any important messages, the flag icon on the taskbar will display a red "X" symbol.
1. To open the Action Center, click the small flag icon on the taskbar.
2. Review the messages.
3. Click Open Action Center to respond to messages.

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To access the Action Center from the Control Panel:
1. Click Start.
2. Go to the Control Panel.
3. Click Review Your Computer's Status under System and Security.

Fixing problems using the Action Center:

Your messages are displayed in the Action Center pane. Important messages will have a red bar,
while less important ones will have a yellow bar. If a security or maintenance issue has a solution,
there will be a button on the right side of the message.

Some messages are just notifications and do not indicate a problem with your computer. These
messages will not include a solution button, but they may still have important information or
instructions.
 To fix a problem, click the (solution) button and follow the directions on the screen. When
you are done, the message will disappear from the Action Center.

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Changing your User Account Control settings
What is User Account Control?
User Account Control warns you when a program or user is trying to change your computer's
settings. It puts a temporary lock on your computer until you confirm that you want to allow the
changes. This helps to protect your computer from malicious software. When it was introduced in
Windows Vista, many users found that it generated too many disruptive pop-up warnings. Windows 7
now lets the user decide how often they will receive these warnings.

To change your User Account Control settings:

1. Open the Action Center.
2. Click Change User Account Control settings.

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 3. Use the slider to choose the level of protection you want from User Account Control. It is
recommended that you use one of the top two settings. The other two should only be used in
special circumstances. It may be best to choose the highest setting. If you end up getting too
many pop-ups, you can always lower it to the second setting.

Windows 7 troubleshooting
Not all computer problems will be shown in the Action Center. For example, you may be having
trouble with a particular program or device, or with connecting to the Internet. For these types of
problems, you will want to view troubleshooting options.

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  To get there, click Troubleshooting at the bottom of the Action Center pane.

In the Troubleshooting pane, you will see several programs called troubleshooters, which help you
identify and fix problems with your software and hardware.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to see information about some useful troubleshooters. Note
that your computer may have a slightly different list of troubleshooters.

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Recovering your settings with System Restore

What is System Restore?

Programs you install can make changes to your system settings, and occasionally this can cause
problems with your computer. System Restore is often the easiest way to fix these problems. System
Restore allows you to "rewind" your system settings to an earlier point in time, called a restore point.
Keep in mind that this will not erase your recent documents, and it cannot be used to recover lost
documents or other files. However, it can uninstall recent programs and drivers.

To run System Restore:

1. Click Recovery at the bottom of the Action Center.

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 2. Click Open System Restore.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
4. You will be asked to select a restore point. If you've just installed a program that seems to be
causing problems, you will probably want to restore your system to the point just before that
program was installed.

5. Click Next to continue working through the steps. When you are finished, Windows will
restore your system to the point you have selected.

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Conclusion

Security and maintenance are ongoing processes, so you should revisit these tools from time to time.
Try to deal with Action Center messages as quickly as possible, and even if you don't have any
messages you can always explore the troubleshooters if your computer is running slowly or if
something isn't right. Spending a little bit of time on security and maintenance can help you get
the most out of your computer, and it can even save you time in the long run by helping to prevent
serious problems.

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REVISION QUESTIONS

Which of the following is NOT a Windows 7 Aero feature?

A. Snap
B. Bump
C. Peek
D. Shake
____________ allows you to set up a home network in Windows 7 for sharing files and printers.
A. Libraries
B. HomeNet
C. HomeGroup
D. Windows Live
It is best to download and run the _________________ on your computer to analyze your system
before upgrading.
A. Windows Live Essentials
B. Windows Experience Index
C. Windows Upgrading Analysis
D. Windows Upgrade Advisor
Which of the following scores on the Windows Experience Index will enable you to use the Aero
features on Windows 7?
A. 1
B. 2.4
C. 4.9
Before installing Windows 7, you'll need to do all of the following except:
A. plug in your printer
B. back up your files
C. update and turn off your antivirus software
A ____________ is a "mini-menu" of performance tasks for an icon on the Taskbar.
A. Gadget
B. Snap
C. Jump List
D. Pin Task
Customizing the _____________ settings will have the greatest effect on your ability to read text on
your computer screen.
A. Backgrounds
B. ClearType
C. Aero glass effects
D. Screen saver
Which of the following is NOT a default library in Windows 7?
A. Documents
B. Music
C. Programs
D. Videos
_____________ puts a temporary lock on the computer when changes are being made to the
computer's settings.
A. Windows Update
B. Action Center
C. User Account Control
System Restore does all of the following EXCEPT:
A. rewind system settings
B. recover lost documents
C. uninstall recent programs and drivers

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