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Windows Vista
Introduction
Windows Vista Introduction
Table of Contents
Desktop Search ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Searching for Applications, Files and Other Items .................................................................................. 5
Showing All Results................................................................................................................................. 6
Searching with Wildcards ........................................................................................................................ 6
Searching using Keywords ......................................................................................................................... 7
Using AND, OR and NOT ........................................................................................................................ 7
Additional Keywords ................................................................................................................................ 8
Advanced Search ....................................................................................................................................... 10
Adding Advanced Options to a Search ................................................................................................. 10
Searching a Particular Folder ................................................................................................................ 11
Using the Start Menu ................................................................................................................................. 12
Launching the Start Menu ..................................................................................................................... 12
Opening an Application using the Start Menu ....................................................................................... 13
The Programs Pane .............................................................................................................................. 13
The Links Pane ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Controlling Windows ................................................................................................................................. 15
Returning to the Desktop .......................................................................................................................... 16
Switching between Windows .................................................................................................................... 16
Stacking and Cascading Windows ........................................................................................................... 18
Copying and Linking between Applications ............................................................................................ 19
Copying between Applications .............................................................................................................. 19
Linking Applications............................................................................................................................... 19
Using the Task Manager ............................................................................................................................ 20
Using the Side Bar ..................................................................................................................................... 21
What is the Sidebar? ............................................................................................................................. 21
Closing & Re-opening the Sidebar ........................................................................................................ 21
Keeping the Sidebar in View ................................................................................................................. 21
Adding Gadgets to the Sidebar ............................................................................................................. 21
Shutting Down ............................................................................................................................................ 22
Sleep ..................................................................................................................................................... 22
Log Off................................................................................................................................................... 22
Restart ................................................................................................................................................... 22
Shut Down ............................................................................................................................................. 23
Setting Default Programs .......................................................................................................................... 23
Default Programs .................................................................................................................................. 24
Associating Programs ........................................................................................................................... 24
AutoPlay Settings .................................................................................................................................. 25
Program and Computer Settings ........................................................................................................... 25
Windows Calendar ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Launching the Calendar ........................................................................................................................ 26
Creating Appointments .......................................................................................................................... 27
Creating Tasks ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Windows Contacts ..................................................................................................................................... 29
Launching Contacts............................................................................................................................... 29
Adding Contacts .................................................................................................................................... 29
Emailing Contacts ................................................................................................................................. 30
Desktop Search
Searching for Applications, Files and Other Items
The Search box at the bottom of the Start menu can be used to locate any item in Windows Vista, including
applications, documents, pictures, email messages and website links. This means that you can now locate
any file or email message simply by typing any part of the name or content into this box.
To start a search:
As you type, all matching programs, files and email messages will display in the Start menu, split into
sections for Programs, Files and email Communications.
The following shows an example of the text Remote typed in the Search box. All applications containing
"Remote" in their name have been found, as well as any files and emails that contain this word in their file
name or content.
Click on the See All Results link to open a new window on screen with all results showing:
Click on an item in the Show Only menu to show only that type of result e.g. only emails, documents
or pictures
Right-click over a found file for options to work with the file e.g. to print, open, delete or create a
desktop shortcut to the file
Wildcards allow you search for applications, files or other items by entering only some of the characters
from the item name. The wildcards are used to indicate that other characters could be inserted at the
wildcard position.
These keywords allow you to choose exactly what sort of match you want for your search text. If you
searched for the words Remote Working for example, all files or items that contain both words will be
found, although these words would not need to appear next to each other in the item.
NB: When using the above keywords, always type them in capital letters.
OR Remote OR Working This would find items containing the word Remote, or the word
Working, or both
AND or + Remote AND Working This would find all items named or containing Remote and
Working, but not necessarily in that order. This is the same as
typing Remote Working into the Search box.
NOT or - Remote NOT Working This would find items containing the word Remote but not
containing Working. Any items containing both words would not be
returned in the results.
"" "Remote Working" This would only return files, messages, etc. that contain these two
words next to each other. Items only containing Remote, or only
containing Working, would not be returned. Items containing both
words but not appearing next to each other would also not be
returned
When searching for applications, only applications with names matching all search text will be found. Typing
Outlook 2007 will find only Outlook, and not Word, PowerPoint or Excel 2007.
Additional Keywords
You can use specific keywords if you are looking for specific information in your files e.g. all files created by
a specific person, or all email messages received on a certain date.
kind: docs This would return all files that are word processing
documents
kind: spreadsheets This would return all files that are spreadsheets e.g. Excel,
Lotus
foldername foldername: budgets This would return all files in the budgets folder
size size: >10 MB This would return all items with a size over 10 MB
size: <200 KB This would return all items with a size under 200 KB
size: >500 KB <1 MB This would return all items between 500 KB and 1 MB in
size
filename filename: budget This would return all files with budget in their name
ext: url This would return all stored web page URLs
author author: John This would return all items created by a person named
John
author: "John Smith" This would return all items created by a person named
John Smith
before before: 01/12/2006 This would return all items modified before the end of 2006
after after: 01/01/2007 This would return all items modified after the start of 2007
title title: "HP Education" This would return all items with the title property set to HP
Education
date date: 31/12/2007 This would return files or items created on 31/12/2007
datemodified datemodified: yesterday This would return files or items modified yesterday
When searching for email messages, you can use the following keywords:
from: from: "john smith" This would return all messages sent from John Smith
from: This would return all messages sent from the given email
"john.smith@hp.com" address
subject: subject:budget This would return all messages that contain the word
budget in the subject line
about: about:budget This would return all messages that contain the word
budget in the subject line, body or attachment contents
hasattachment: hasattachment:yes This would return all messages that contain attachments
attachments: attachments:budget.xlsx This would return all messages that contain attachments
with the file name budget.xlsx
cc: cc:"john smith" This would return all messages with John Smith in the Cc
line
bcc: bcc:"john smith" This would return all messages with John Smith in the Bcc
line
messagesize: messagesize:>5 MB This would return all messages that are larger than 5MB in
size
messagesize: verylarge This would return all messages between 500 KB and 1MB
in size
received: received: 1/1/2007 This would return all messages received on 1/1/2007
received: yesterday This would return all messages received on the previous
day
received: last week This would return all messages received during the
previous week
followupflag: followupflag: follow up This would return all messages that are flagged for follow-
up
due: due: tomorrow This would return all messages that are flagged for follow-
up with a due date of the next day
sent: sent: yesterday This would return all messages that were sent on the
previous day
You can combine a number of keywords to find exactly what you are looking for. To find all Excel 2007 files
created by John Smith yesterday, you could search for ext: xlsx author: "John Smith" date: today
Advanced Search
You can view the Advanced Search options of Windows Vista to add further criteria to your search e.g. to
specify modification dates, sizes or other options to find. Advanced Search works in a separate window,
allowing you to view and sort file results when they are displayed.
When you use the Search box in the Start menu, all results will be displayed on the left of the menu, and
followed by two links to See all results or Search the Internet.
To view your results in a new window, and allow advanced search criteria to be added, click on the
See all results link
To show the advanced search options, click on the Advanced Search button in the Show Only line
To search by date, click on the Date button and choose to search by Date Created or Date Modified
Click on the Any box next to this and choose how you want to search by date e.g. your file was
created/modified before a specific date, or after a specific date
Click on the drop-down arrow of the date button and choose the date you are searching for
To search by item size, click on the Any box next to Size and choose how you wish to search by size
e.g. is greater than a specific size. Click in the box next to this and type the size you are looking for
Enter any text in the Name, Tags or Authors boxes to search by this text
Click on Search when complete
All results will display in the search window. Remember that you are still searching for documents
containing the search text originally typed in the Search Box of the Start menu. This can be changed by
editing the text in the search box in the top-right of the window.
If you quickly want to perform a basic or advanced search on a particular folder, you can do this in Explorer
or any window in Vista.
A new search window will open - type the text you are looking for in the search box which is activated
automatically. As you type, matching items will be displayed
To specify further criteria, click on Advanced Search
Add any extra criteria to the search, then click on Search to show the results
This is the main point of access to your computer's programs, folders and settings. Click on the Start
Button at the left side of the task bar at the bottom of the Windows Vista desktop to open the Start Menu.
You can also launch the Start Menu by pressing the Windows logo key on your keyboard
Most of the applications on your computer can be found in the Programs Pane on the left side of the Start
Menu. If the application isn't immediately visible, follow these steps (using Word as an example):
The list above the button will be replaced by one containing all the program files and folders on your
PC
Click on the Microsoft Office folder
On first use, the Programs Pane will show a list of Windows default applications, topped with links to launch
Outlook and Internet Explorer. Any applications that you launch will be added to the list until the empty
space is filled. Thereafter only the nine most recently-used applications will be displayed. Placing your
mouse over or clicking on the All Programs button will replace the list with another containing all the
applications installed on your computer, in alphabetic order.
Right-clicking on an item in the Programs Pane will give you the options to:
The right-hand section of the Start menu holds links to frequently-used parts of Windows Vista
Button Links To
The Personal Folder, which contains all the files (documents, music, etc) that
belong specifically to you. It will have the name of the person logged on to the
computer
The Pictures Folder, a subfolder of the Personal Folder, containing image files
that belong specifically to you
The Music Folder, a subfolder of the Personal Folder, containing music files
that belong specifically to you
The Search Folder, giving more advanced options than the Search Box
The Control Panel, where you can change your computer's settings. You may
need Administrative access to make any changes
The Default Programs Folder, in which you can decide which programs would
launch when you double-click on a file, internet address, etc
The Help and Support Folder, with further information on Windows Vista
The equivalent of the Standby setting in Windows XP, this button switches
your computer to a low-powered state so you can resume work quickly
The Lock Button is used for security when you will be away from your desk for
a short while; lock your computer rather than switching it off
Choose to switch off or restart your PC, or put it into "sleep" state
Controlling Windows
A bar is located along the top of each window, displaying the Minimise, Maximise, Restore Down and Close
Buttons.
Click on Minimise to hide the window. Click on the relevant Task bar button to restore the window.
Click on Maximise to enlarge the window so that it fills the entire screen. This button is only visible
when the window is not maximised
Use the Restore Down button to return the window to its original size. This button is only visible when
the window is maximised
Click on the Close button to close the window
Double-clicking on a blank area of the Top Bar when the window is not maximised will maximise it, and
vice versa.
Non-maximised windows can also be resized manually by positioning the mouse pointer at the edge of the
window and dragging as required.
To change the height of the window, position your mouse over its top or bottom edge and drag it to the
required size
To change the width of the window, position your mouse over its left or right edge and drag it to the
required size
To change both the width and height of the window, position your mouse over the bottom right corner
and drag it to the required shape and size
To switch to another open application, click on the application's icon on the task bar along the bottom
of the screen.
Alternatively hold down the [Alt] key and press the tab key repeatedly to cycle between all the open
applications and the desktop. Release the [Alt] key to open the highlighted choice
You can also hold [Ctrl] and [Alt] and press the tab key to show the applications currently open. The
window will stay on screen, allowing you to press the arrow keys to choose the application you wish to
view. Press [Enter] to view the application
Right-click on the Task Bar and choose between Cascade Windows, Show Windows Stacked and
Show Windows Side by Side
Option Description
Cascade Shows all open applications' windows in an overlapping manner. Choose the desired
application by reading the title bars
Stacked Divides the screen horizontally between all the open applications
Side by Side Divides the screen vertically between all the open applications
Click on the Flip 3D button to view all the open applications and the desktop in a 3D stack, which
allows you to preview them before deciding which one you wish to open
Maximise a window to return it to the normal screen view
The Copy, Cut and Paste buttons in the Home ribbon can be used to copy data from one application to
another.
Button Description
The Copy button makes a copy of the highlighted source item for pasting into the target
application
The Cut button deletes the highlighted source item when pasting into the target
application
The Paste button inserts the cut or copied item into the target application
In the source application, select the text or item you wish to move or copy.
Click on the Copy button in the Home ribbon.
Activate the target application and ensure the correct document position is selected.
Click on the Paste button in the Home ribbon.
If the data does not paste in the correct format, click on the small arrow beneath the Paste button and choose
Paste Special for more options e.g. Unformatted text or Picture.
Linking Applications
It is possible to insert 'live' information from one Office application into another so that, when the source file
is amended, the target file automatically shows the updated information.
Linking keeps document sizes to a minimum as the original data is stored in the source file while only a
representation of it is contained in the target document
In the source application, select the text or object you wish to copy.
Click on the Copy button in the Home ribbon.
Activate the target application and ensure the correct document position is selected.
Click on the small arrow beneath the Paste button and choose Paste Special.
Click on Paste Link. Ensure the correct paste format is selected and click on OK
Right click in a blank area of the task bar and choose Task Manager.
To activate an application, choose the application on the list and click on Switch To. The Task
Manager will minimise to the Task Bar Tray
If an application is not running correctly, it can be terminated by choosing the application in the Task
Manager and clicking on End Task.
Close the dialog box using the button in the top-right corner when complete.
You can also display the Task Manager by pressing [Ctrl Alt Delete] and clicking on the Task Manager
button. This is particularly useful if your computer has "hung" and your mouse is not working.
The Sidebar is a feature new to Windows Vista. It groups a number of small applications (called gadgets)
into one area of your desktop where they are continuously running and easily accessed. The gadgets are
typically frequently-updated programs, such as news headlines and the weather.
The Sidebar is opened by default; however, it can be closed and reopened again:
Press the Windows Key and spacebar together to show the sidebar at any time.
By default, the Sidebar will be concealed behind any window that is opened in front of it. It can, however,
be set to remain on top of all open windows:
You can find more gadgets on the Vista website by clicking on Get more gadgets online
Shutting Down
Sleep
Sleep saves all your open documents and puts your PC into a low-power state, ready for quick waking.
Click on the Shut Down button at the bottom right of the Start Menu
Choose Sleep from the pop-up menu. Your computer will power down
To wake from sleep, press your PC's power button once.
Log Off
Logging off closes all open applications and allows another user to log on. This is done without switching
the computer off
Click on the Shut Down button at the bottom right of the Start Menu
Choose Log Off from the pop-up menu. Your computer will close all open applications and the desktop
and go to the log on screen
Restart
Occasionally you may need to restart (reboot) your computer to stop it responding incorrectly - for example,
your mouse may begin to react oddly. Restarting forces your computer to reload the operating system and
this will usually correct the fault.
Click on the Shut Down button at the bottom right of the Start Menu
Choose Restart from the pop-up menu. Your computer will close all open applications and restart
Log in to your computer again in the normal way
Shut Down
If you are leaving your desk for a considerable time - e.g., overnight - you should switch your computer off.
Click on the Shut Down button at the bottom right of the Start Menu
Choose Shut Down from the pop-up menu. Your computer will close all open applications and switch
off
Restart the computer by pressing the power button
Log in to your computer again in the normal way
Default Programs
A number of programs, such as web browsers and email clients, have default settings recorded on your
computer. These settings can be changed:
Click on the Set this program as default to ensure that this application will be used whenever an
associated file is opened
Click on Choose Defaults for this Program
Choose each file type to open with this program
Click on Save, then on OK
Associating Programs
AutoPlay Settings
Windows Calendar
Windows Calendar lets you keep track of your appointments and tasks, allowing you to create, edit and
delete new items and print or publish them for easy viewing.
The calendar will launch and show the current day. You can switch between views using the View button in
the toolbar, or the following shortcut keys:
Work Week Shows Monday to Friday as columns, split into hours Ctrl Shift 2
Week Shows Monday to Sunday as columns, split into hours Ctrl Shift 3
When navigating the calendar, click on the Today button on the toolbar to return to the current date.
Creating Appointments
Before creating a new appointment, ensure the details pane is displayed by clicking on the View button and
choosing Details Pane.
Click on the date you wish to create the appointment on, then click on the New Appointment button
on the toolbar
Type a name for the appointment
In the Details pane, complete all other information for the appointment, such as the location, start time
and end time
If you want to receive a reminder before the appointment, click on the drop-down Reminder box and
choose how long before the appointment this should be received e.g. 1 hour
Add any Notes about the appointment
Click away from the appointment, on another date or time in the calendar, to set the appointment
At the specified time, the reminder will display a dialog box similar to that below:
Click on Dismiss to cancel the reminder so that it's not shown again
Click on Dismiss All to clear all reminders currently showing in the window
Click on Snooze to repeat the reminder at intervals specified in the box to the left
Creating Tasks
Edit a task or appointment by clicking on the item and changing the details as required. Remove a task or
appointment by right-clicking over the item and choosing Delete.
Windows Contacts
The Windows Contacts program can be used to store contact information such as names, email addresses,
postal addresses and notes.
Launching Contacts
You can view the contact list using the standard Windows Vista views e.g. Large icons or Details.
Adding Contacts
To create a new contact:
Click on the New Contact button on the
toolbar
Enter a First Name and Last Name for
the contact
Enter a Personal Title and Nickname if
required
Enter the E-mail address of the contact
with care as this will be used when
sending messages to the contact
Click on the Home and Work tabs to
enter home and work address details for
the contact
Click on the Notes tab to add additional
notes
To add a photograph of the contact, click on the Name and E-mail tab and click on the drop-down
arrow of the image placeholder. Choose Change Picture then locate the image file to use. Click on
Set
Click on OK when all details have been added
Emailing Contacts
When a contact is selected in the contact list, their details will show in the Details pane. Click on the email
address in this pane to create a new message to the contact.
If the details pane is not displayed, click on the Organise button and choose Layout. Click on Details Pane.
Windows Defender
Windows Defender protect your computer against pop-ups and security threats caused by spyware and
other unwanted software.
Windows Defender is not an antivirus application. Always ensure you have third-party antivirus software
installed on your computer.
When the scan is complete, you will be told if any harmful software was detected.
Scheduling Scans
You can move the media player to the task bar, so that it appears as a small set of controls:
Click on the minimise button in the title bar of the media player
If asked if you want to add the player to your task bar, click on Yes
You can play a media file by dragging it from Windows Explorer to the Drag
Press [Ctrl O]
Locate and select the files you wish to play - select multiple files by clicking on the first and holding
[Ctrl] while clicking on each additional file
Click on Open
When you play a file in Windows Media Player it will be added to the media library. To play the file again,
click on the Library button on the toolbar and locate the file by artist, album or recently added.
Selecting Files
Files can be selected in any Vista window or dialog box.
To select multiple files that are not listed continuously, click once on the first file and hold [Ctrl] while
clicking on each remaining file
To select all files in the current folder, choose Edit, Select All or press [Ctrl + A].
To select all files in the current folder except those currently selected, turn on the Menu Bar by clicking
on Organize, Layout, Menu Bar then invert the selection by choosing Edit, Invert Selection
Viewing Documents
The visual style of a window can be changed to suit your personal preference or current task:
Click on the Views button near the top left corner of the window to cycle through all the different view
choices
To select a specific view, click on the small arrow to the right of the Views button. The More Options
menu will appear.
View Example
View Example
Organising by Layout
Windows can be organised to show or hide the Details, Preview and Navigation Panes:
Click on the Organize button near the top left corner of the window
No options selected:
Navigating Folders
By default, your files will commonly be saved into your Documents Folder. To browse the folder:
The Documents Folder will open. Double-click on any sub-folders to view their contents
A single file or folder can be deleted or recycled by simply clicking on the file or folder and choosing one of
the following options. Multiple files must be selected before they can be deleted or recycled in a single step.
A confirmation dialog box will be displayed. Click on Yes to delete the file(s) or No to leave the files as is.
If the following message box is displayed, the file will not be deleted immediately. Instead, it will be placed
in the Recycle Bin where it can be restored at a later stage if required.
The selected files can be deleted permanently without placing them in the Recycle Bin:
Renaming Files
Renaming Files
Ensure that the Menu Bar is visible: click on Organize, Layout, Menu Bar if it isn't
Click once on the file or folder you wish to rename.
Choose File, Rename.
Type a new name for the file and press [Return].
Click once on the file you wish to rename, wait a second and click on the file again. Alternatively, press
[F2].
A box will appear around the file name.
You can rename a number of files in a single step in Windows Vista. The files will be named in sequence
e.g. if you change the name of the first file to report.doc other files will be named report (1).doc, report
(2).doc, etc.
Click on the first file you wish to rename, then hold [Shift] and click on the last file in the list. All files in
between will be selected
Right-click over the first file and choose Rename from the shortcut menu displayed
Type a name for the series of files - remember to end this with a full stop and the file extension
Press [Return]
Note that file extensions (.doc, .ppt, etc) cannot be renamed in this way
Naming Conventions
Windows Vista can accept filenames up to 260 characters in length, although this must include the drive
letter and folder path. File names can include spaces, but cannot include the following characters:
Always take care when using long filenames if you use applications that were created for Windows 3.1 or
MS DOS. These programs will not accept long filenames and will rename the files. A file named Letter to
Smith.doc would be renamed LETTER~1.DOC A second document named Letter to Jones.doc would be
renamed LETTER~2.DOC There is no way to see which is which from the DOS file names.
If you wish to undo a name change, click on Edit, Undo Rename to repeatedly until you have returned to the
name that you require. This command will only work if you do not browse away from the current folder or close
the window.
Creating Folders
Instead of storing all files in one place, which would make it difficult for you and the computer to find them,
files are stored in folders on the various drives.
The following is a typical folder structure - the Desktop contains a folder named User which in turn contains
five sub-folders, including one named Documents which contains a further 3 folders.
Folders can be created in any Vista window, including the Personal Folder and Computer Folder:
You can also move files using the Move to Folder or Copy to Folder option:
The following shortcut keys can be used to move and copy files:
Keystroke Action
Ctrl C Copy
Ctrl X Cut
Ctrl V Paste
Files can also be moved or copied using drag and drop. This is especially useful with the Navigation Pane
visible, with all folders displayed:
To copy the file(s), hold [Ctrl] while dragging and release the mouse button before releasing the [ Ctrl] key.
It is also possible to drag files between folders using the right mouse button. When the mouse button is
released, you will be given the choice to move or copy the file.
Choose Move Here to move the file from the original to the new location
Choose Copy Here to leave the file in the original location while placing a copy in the new location. If
either copy is updated in any way, the other will not be affected.
Choose Create Shortcuts Here to leave the file in the original location while creating a pointer to that
file in the new location. Regardless of which copy is accessed, all changes will be made to the original
file.
The contents of a folder can be reordered and grouped to suit the way you work. Using the Details View
will give you more choices:
Click on one of the headings above the list of files to immediately sort by name, date, size, etc
Click on the same heading to invert the sort sequence
By default, alphabetic sequences (such as file names) are arranged in ascending order on the first click,
while numeric sequences (such as file size) are arranged in descending order.
Grouping Files
Place your mouse over the heading by which you want your files grouped. A small arrow will appear.
Click on the arrow to open the Sorting and Grouping Menu
Clicking on a heading while grouping is enabled will group the folder's contents by that property
Filtering Files
You can filter a folder to only show those files that match your requirements:
Place your mouse over the heading by which you want your files grouped. A small arrow will appear.
Click on the arrow to open the Sorting and Grouping Menu
Select the options to filter the files that are displayed. A tick will show next to the heading to indicate
that the files are being filtered by that property
It is possible to filter the file list by more than one property at a time
Click on Organise
Choose Layout
Choose Menu Bar
You can also show the menu bar temporarily by pressing the [Alt] key in any document window.
Stacking Files
File stacking creates virtual groups of files, allowing you to easily view all files that meet a certain criteria. If
you stack files by author, for example, all files on your drive will be shown in stacks of author. You can click
on any stack to access all files by that author.
Ensure the menu is displayed before stacking files. If not already displayed, choose Organise, Layout, Menu
Bar.
To stack files:
In any window e.g. My Computer or My Documents, choose View, Stack By and the way you wish to
stack files e.g. author or file type
To return to view all stacks, click on the Back button at the top of the screen
To stack by a different field, click on the heading of the field you wish to stack by e.g. Folder or Name.
To recycle files
Select the file, drag it to the recycle bin icon and drop it on top
Select the file and press the [Delete] key
Select the file, right-click and select Delete from the pop-up menu
Click on Yes to send the file to the Recycle Bin or No to cancel the operation.
To delete a file without moving it to the Recycle Bin, press [Shift + Delete]. Note that this will permanently
remove the file and you will require specialist assistance to recover it. You will be presented with the
following dialog box:
To restore files
Double-click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop. The Recycle Bin folder will open.
Backing up Data
Windows Vista has a built-in backup system that lets you run an automatic backup on your documents,
images, music, etc. at regular intervals.
Backup versions of your files take up a minimal amount of disk space. If only part of your document
changes, a single page of a longer document, for example, only the changed page will be saved during the
next backup.
The first time you open the Backup and Restore Centre, you will be asked to set your backup options.
The first part of the wizard asks where you wish to store your backup e.g. on a hard drive, CD-ROM or
network drive.
Choose the drives you wish to backup by clicking on the check box in front of the drive to add or
remove it from the backup schedule
Click on Next
Choose the types of files you wish to backup by checking each type on the list
Choose the schedule for your backups by changing the How Often, What Day and What Time boxes
You can now click on the Backup Files button to run the backup that you set up in the above steps, or the
Backup Computer button to backup your entire PC. Click on Change Settings to change your automatic
backup settings at any time.
The Backup Computer button will make a full backup of your entire Windows Vista installation. This can be
used to restore your computer in full e.g. after a hardware failure.
Restoring Data
Windows Vista has a built-in backup system that lets you run an automatic backup on your documents,
images, music, etc. at regular intervals. You can use this backup copy to restore files that have been
deleted, or to return to previous versions of files that have changed incorrectly.
The backup and restore centre will give details of the last backup that was made:
To restore files:
Click on Next when all files and folders have been added
Choose to restore the files to their original location, or click on Browse to restore to another drive and
folder
Click on Start Restore to restore the files
When you restore a file, you will be prompted to replace the original in the folder, or to stop the copy. Click
on Copy and Replace to restore the file.
You will be told when the restore has been successful - click on Finish.
Windows Vista also makes shadow copies of the files you work on. These files use a small amount of disk
space and are created automatically while you work. Shadow copies enable you to return to previous
versions even if you haven't performed a backup of your data.
All previous versions will be listed. Versions created as shadow copies can be opened directly from this
window, while versions from backups must be restored before they can be opened.
To view a shadow copy of the file, click on the copy, then on the Open button
To restore a backup copy of the file, click on the backup, then on the Restore button
When you restore a file, you will be prompted to replace the original in the folder, or to stop the copy. Click
on Copy and Replace to restore the file.
Document Properties
The Details Pane
The properties of a file can easily be seen with the Details Pane open. This pane runs along the bottom of
the window and lists the properties of the selected file, or common properties if more than one file is
selected.
Click on the bold text next to the property name in the Details Pane
A box will appear around the text
Type in the new property data
Not all properties are able to be changed - for example, the size of a document is dependent on its content and
therefore cannot be altered without amending the contents.
The Read-only and Hidden properties are useful features. The former can prevent files from being accidentally
overwritten or deleted and the latter allows you to hide files from view without deleting them
Viewing Images
Images can be viewed in all the same styles as other files, although the Extra Large to Medium Icons styles
offer the easiest way to determine the content of the image:
Click on the Views button near the top left corner of the window to cycle through all the different view
choices
To select a specific view, click on the small arrow to the right of the Views button. The More Options
menu will appear.
View Example
View Example
View Example
Printing Images
Images can be printed in a number of ways, without first opening the program that created them. After
selecting the image(s) you wish to print:
Right-click on the image and select Print from the popup menu
Click on the Print button
Choose File, Print in the menu
In each instance the Print command will open the Print Pictures window
Click on the Print button to send the image to the selected printer
The slide show can be controlled while it's running by right-clicking on an image. A popup menu will appear
with a list of options available to the slide show:
Button Function(s)
Button Function(s)
Close the Photo Gallery by clicking on the X at the top right corner of the window
A number of different options quick grouping are listed in the pane to the left of the image thumbnails. Click
on the different icons to sort by:
You can also browse to different folders by clicking on the Folders icon.
Groups can also be filtered by clicking on the icons beneath each of the parent icons. For example, you
could display only images created in 2006 by clicking on the 2006 icon beneath the Date Taken parent
icon.
Further options for grouping can be found by clicking on the button next to the Search Box, and
choosing Group by
Sorting images
To sort images, click on the button next to the Search Box, and choose Sort by. The options to
sort by include:
Date taken
Date modified
File size
Image size
Rating
Caption
File name
If the images are grouped, sorting them will apply to each group separately
Fixing Images
The Photo Gallery has some basic image-adjusting tools
Tool Result
Changes the colour and brightness of the image based on the overall
image properties
Adjust the colour temperature between cool blues and warm reds,
change the tinting of the image and adjust the saturation between
black-and-white and intensely coloured, using sliders
Cut the image to a smaller size by dragging the handles on the box
that appears on the image. You can also choose a default size by
clicking on the Proportion button, and rotate the cropping frame 90°
by clicking on the Rotate frame button
The photograph below was edited using only the tools in the Photo Gallery
Before:
After:
To rate an image:
Open the image in Photo Gallery or open the Details pane in the image folder
Locate the rating stars
For the lowest rating, click on the first star on the left. For the highest, click on the star on the extreme
right. The stars will highlight to show the image's rating
To tag an image:
Tags are a useful way to save extra information about an image. There are two ways to tag an image:
Open the image in Photo Gallery and click on the Add Tags button
Open the Details pane in the image folder and click on the highlighted text next to the Tags: heading
Type in whatever descriptive tag you wish and press [Enter] to save the tag.
Tags and ratings are good ways to sort and group images. Note that not all image file types can be tagged or
rated.
Making Movies
Windows Movie Maker can combine image, video and audio files into one long video with titles, effects and
transitions.
To open Windows Movie Maker, either select Windows Movie Maker under the All Programs menu in the
Start Menu, or click on the Make a Movie button in Windows Photo Gallery.
Button Task
Launches a wizard to help you through the process of outputting a video file
The contents of the Task Pane to the left of the preview window changes according to the task you are
performing. Tasks include:
Use the Import Media button to import all the content you require
Drag the imported content to the Storyboard pane along the bottom of the window
Drag the different frames in the Storyboard pane around until the content is in the order you prefer
If required, click on Effects and choose one of the inbuilt styles. Drag it to the Storyboard pane and
drop it on top of the frame you want it to apply to
Transitions can be applied in the same way, except that they are dropped between the content frames
Audio files can only be added with the storyboard changed to Timeline view. Click on the small arrow
to the right of either Storyboard or Timeline to switch between the different views
Choose between the inbuilt options for creating titles and credits
Preview your movie by clicking on the round Play button beneath the large image
Once you are satisfied with the setup of your movie, publish it using one of the options in the Tasks
pane or by clicking on the Publish Movie button
Right-click on a clear area of the desktop and choose Personalize from the popup menu. Choose
Desktop Background from the Personalization window that opens. Either choose one of the default
images on display or click on the Browse button to select another picture. Double-click on the desired
image to set it as your desktop picture
Right-click on an image file and choose Set as Desktop Background
Using the first option above also gives you the opportunity to fit the image to your screen, tile it to fill the screen
or simply display it at its actual size
Compressing Files
Also known as "zipping", compressing files makes them much smaller and therefore easier to copy or send
via email. This is especially true of many image files. It is also a handy way to email or copy a batch of files
in one go, rather than singly, even if the overall size is the same.
The three images above have been compressed into the Winter Leaves.zip folder.
Certain file types, such as .jpg and .gif image files, already have a large amount of compression built into them
and compressing them further will make little or no difference to their size.
The contents of a compressed folder can be viewed by double-clicking on the folder icon and browsing in
the normal manner. Files can also be opened, copied and pasted from within a compressed folder.
To unzip the compressed folder, right-click on it and choose Extract all from the popup menu. The Extract
Compressed (Zipped) Folders window will open, allowing you to browse to where you would like the
contents to be placed. Tick the Show extracted files when complete checkbox to open the destination
folder when the files have been unzipped.
The internet is a collection of local, regional and national computer networks that are linked together to
exchange data and distribute processing tasks. The idea is similar to a Wide Area Network (WAN) although
each network is independently administered. The usage and physical size of the Internet grows every day.
Click on the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop to launch the application. Alternatively, use the
links in the Quick Launch toolbar or the Start Menu
Internet Explorer always starts up by displaying your Home Page. This will be your company's intranet
home page by default but can be changed. Click here to find out more.
To open a web page, click on the address bar along the top of the screen and type in the web address -
known as the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - of the page you wish to visit. An example of an URL is
http://www.bbc.co.uk/, which will take you to the BBC's home page.
If you don't know the address of the site you want to view or wish to browse several sites, type in a word or
phrase in the address bar and Internet Explorer will search the Internet for you. Be warned that you may
end up with millions of results if your search term is too loosely defined.
You can use other search engines to find information on the Web, such as Google
(http://www.google.co.uk/) or Ask (http://uk.ask.com). As different search engines use differing
methods of finding Web pages, you may find the information you are looking for more easily at one of these
sites.
Adding Favorites
Viewing Favorites
Click on the Favorites Centre button
Ensure that the Favorites button is pressed
Browse amongst the shortcuts and folders to find
the Favorite you require
Organising Favorites
Use the buttons to make changes to the way your Favorites are displayed
Your Favorites can also be found in your Personal Folder. Click on the Favorites icon to browse through
the list.
Favorite Shortcuts
Action Shortcut
To subscribe to a feed:
Open an RSS feed page such as the BBC's News RSS Feed
Click on the Subscribe to this feed button
Make any changes you require in the Subscribe to this feed dialog box.
Click on Subscribe. The feed will be added to the list of RSS feeds found under the Favorites Center
button
Your feeds can be viewed at any time by clicking on the Favorites Center button and selecting the required
feed.
Amend your feeds list by right-clicking on the list and using the tools in the pop-up menu.
Internet Explorer keeps a record of recent web pages you have viewed. You can use this list to return
quickly to a page you have viewed before.
Type in your search word or phrase. You will be presented with a list of all the links in the history list
that match your query
Click on any of the links to open that page
You may occasionally need to clear pages from your browser history. To do this:
To clear your entire history, click on the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. Ensure the General tab is
selected and click on the Delete button under Browsing History. Click on Delete History and click on Yes to
confirm. Click on OK to close the Internet Options.
Opening a web site in a new window allows you to resize and move the new window without affecting
any other open web sites
Opening a web site in a new tab keeps your desktop uncluttered and makes switching between open
web sites easier
Alternatively right-click on a link and choose Open in New Tab or hold down [Ctrl] and click on the link
The default new tab page will open, with some instructions on how to use it
You can set multiple tabs to open when you open Internet Explorer. Click here for more information.
A new instance of Internet Explorer will open for each of the above methods.
Closing Tabs
Click on the tab of the web page you wish to close. A small X will appear at the right-hand side of the
tab.
Click on the X to close the tab
Internet Explorer always requires at least one tab to be open. To close the final tab, close the application in the
normal way.
If you have a number of tabs open, you can quickly select one by either:
Clicking on the Quick Tabs button at the left side of the tabs to see a thumbnail view of all open tabs
Clicking on the Tabs List button to select the page from a list
Pressing [Ctrl Q]
Press [Ctrl] and tab to cycle through the tabs that are currently open
To go to a specific tab, press [Ctrl] and the number of that tab from the left e.g. press [Ctrl 1] to show
the first open tab
Print Preview is used to see what the web page will look like before printing it:
Choose File, Print Preview or click on the arrow to the right of the Print button and select Print
Preview
Print Document Prints the web page with the current settings
View Full Page Zooms out until the entire page is visible in the window
Click on the Print button to send the page directly to the printer with the default settings
Click on the Print button in the Print Preview window to print the document with the current settings
Click on the Use Current button to change your existing home page to the one currently on view
Click on Use Default to revert to Internet Explorer's default home page
Click on Use Blank if you don't want a home page opening when you launch Internet Explorer
Browse to a page that you would like to open alongside your home page
Click on the arrow next to the Home Page button
Click on the Change Zoom Level button near the bottom right corner, in the Status Bar
Shortcuts
Click on the Tools menu or Tools button to launch the Internet Options dialog box
Websites can be made more accessible for people with disabilities. Click on the Accessibility button
in the General tab to view the options
The default web browser can be changed in the Programs tab to a preferred application, or back to
Internet Explorer if required
The Advanced tab has an option to notify you when downloads are complete
Pictures can be blocked in order to speed up download times by choosing the option in the Advanced
tab
Webpage sounds can be turned on or off in the Advanced tab
Background colours and images can be turned on or off for printing in the Advanced tab
If you find that Internet Explorer no longer functions correctly after making changes to the Internet Options
dialog box, click on the Reset... button in the Advanced tab. This will reset all the changes you have made and
revert back to the original settings. Use this button with care.
To open a web page that the Pop-up Blocker is blocking, press [Ctrl] and click on the link. The page will open in
a new window.
Allow all pop-ups on specific sites by entering their URLs in the Address of website to allow: box and
clicking on Add. The sites will appear in the Allowed Sites list
Remove one or all of the sites from the Allowed Sites list by clicking on either the Remove or
Remove all... button
Visual and audible notifications of blocked pop-ups can be enabled or disabled by ticking or clearing
the appropriate checkboxes
The level of blockage can be set between low (allows pop-ups from secure sites), medium (blocks
most automatic pop-ups) or high (blocks all pop-ups) by choosing one of the options under the Filter
Level button. The default level is medium
Security Settings
Security settings in Internet Explorer control how potentially unsafe content in websites is handled. You can
have different settings for external Internet sites and internal Intranet sites. You can also add sites that you
can always trust, so that all content is always allowed from that site. Similarly, you can block any sites from
which you never wish to download any active content.
Click on the Tools menu of Internet Explorer and choose Internet Options
Click on the Security tab
Click on the Internet zone and choose the level you wish to set for this zone. Medium-high is the
default setting and will prompt before downloading potentially unsafe content, while still allowing you to
view most websites
Click on the Local Intranet zone and choose the level you wish to set for internal websites. Medium-
low is the default setting and will run most internal sites without any prompts or error messages
To set trusted sites, click on the Trusted Sites zone, then on the Sites button. Type the URL of the
site you trust and wish to view all active content from, then click on Add
To set restricted sites, click on the Restricted Sites zone, then on the Sites button. Type the URL of
the potentially unsafe site, then click on Add
Click on OK when complete
When adding trusted sites, only add those that start with https:// rather than http://. This means that any content
entered into the page is encrypted before it is sent to the server, making the website more secure.
Privacy Settings
You can set your Internet Explorer privacy settings to control whether cookies are allowed to be saved on
your computer.
Cookies are files that store information about your visits to a website. A cookie can store the date and time
you visited the site, and can also be used to store information such as your preferences on that site, or
choices you wish to display.
Cookies are not necessarily a bad thing. As long as they are used to store only basic information, they can be
allowed from sites you trust.
Click on the Tools menu of Internet Explorer and choose Internet Options
Click on the Privacy tab
Choose the level of privacy you wish to work with, using the guidelines in the table below
If there is a particular site you trust and wish to allow it to use cookies, click on the Sites button. Type
the URL of the site, then click on Allow. Click on OK
Likewise, If there is a particular site you do not trust and never wish to allow it to use cookies, click on
the Sites button. Type the URL of the site, then click on Block. Click on OK
Click on OK
Privacy Settings:
Setting Description
Accept all cookies All cookies will be saved, regardless of the website they originate from
Low Third party cookies without a privacy policy will not be allowed
Medium Third party cookies without a privacy policy will not be allowed, and first party
cookies that save data that can be used to contact you without consent are
restricted
Medium High Third party cookies without a privacy policy will not be allowed, and first party
cookies that save data that can be used to contact you without consent are
blocked
Setting Description
High All cookies without a privacy policy are blocked, and all cookies that save data
that can be used to contact you without consent are blocked
Block all cookies All cookies are blocked. Note that this setting could restrict the websites you could
visit and view correctly
Cookie terminology:
A compact privacy policy is a set of code that the browser can read to ensure the cookies are from a
registered source
First party cookies are written to your computer by the website you are currently visiting
Third party cookies are written to your computer by a website or domain other than the site you are
visiting
Phishing Filter
Phishing uses email messages and web pages to look like they are legitimate, while deceiving users into
disclosing personal information, usually of a financial nature. A web page could be set up to look like a
bank's page, asking for account numbers and other information, while taking the information for criminal
purposes.
Internet Explorer contains a phishing filter that you can turn on to find phishing websites automatically.
If you find a site that you suspect is phishing, you can submit the website to Microsoft for checking. Choose
Tools, Phishing Filter and Report this Website.
Option Description
Send Page by Email A new email message is created with a copy of the full web page in the body
of the message. The email subject will be the title of the web page.
Send Link by Email A new email message is created with only the URL of the web page in the
body of the message. The email subject will be the title of the web page.
To send a page:
Emailing Files
Files can easily be emailed to colleagues
and associates, without opening Outlook first:
Sharing a folder will transfer the share settings to all the files within it
Click on the drop-down box next to the Add button and select the class of user to share with
The new class will be added to the main window. Click on the Permission Level button next to it to
change the permissions to Reader or Co-Owner or to delete the share permission. Readers are
restricted to viewing the item without being able to make changes, while Co-Owners can edit it.
Click on the Share button to complete the process
By default, sharing in the Public Folder is turned off. If you turn it on, all the files within the Public Folder will
be accessible to anyone who logs on to your computer or is on the same network.
Cut, copy or drag any documents or folders you want to share into the Public Folder
All the items in the Public Folder will be available to other users, with permissions according to those
you set earlier
By default, users must have an account and password registered on your computer in order to access your
shared files. If this is not feasible:
Click on the button next to Password Protected Sharing to view the available options
Click on Turn off password protected sharing
Click on Apply
Click on Continue in the confirmation dialog box that follows
If you are unable to find a file or folder that you know to be shared, click on the Network button in the Start
menu. Browse the computer(s) or use the Search Box to find the item - only shared files and folders will be
displayed.
Select the class of user from the Group or user names box
Amend the selected class permissions in the Permissions for... box
The following permissions are available to files:
Permission Level
Read & execute Files cannot be changed but program files can be launched
Special permissions More advanced options are available by clicking on the Advanced button
Select the class of user from the Group or user names box
Amend the selected class permissions in the Permissions for... box
Permission Level
Read & execute Files cannot be changed but program files can be launched
List folder contents Allows the user to view the contents of the folder only
Special permissions More advanced options are available by clicking on the Advanced button
Burning Files to CD
Windows Vista has the ability to burn CDs and DVDs without a third party application being installed:
Click on Burn files to disc. The Burn a Disc dialog box will open
The Disc Title defaults to the current date. This can, however, be changed to anything you like, with a
maximum of 16 characters
Click on the Show formatting options to choose between the Live File System, which allows later
amending of the disc but may prevent the disc from being useable on older computers, or Mastered,
which locks the disc, preventing further amendment but allowing a much wider range of computers to
access the data
Click on Next
The disc will next be formatted
Click on File, Close Session if you are burning an amendable disc, or File, Burn to Disc if you are
locking the disc
Computers require the correct hardware to burn CDs or DVDs - not all disc readers can write to them.
Choose a drive letter for the connection by clicking on the Drive button
Type the full path of the drive in the Folder box or use the Browse button to find it
Ensure the Reconnect at logon checkbox is ticked to always maintain a connection to the drive
Click on Finish. The newly-mapped drive will open in a new window
Disconnecting Drives
You may occasionally need to remove a mapped drive from
your computer:
You will need to set up WMS before you first use it. To do this:
Starting a Meeting
People near you will see the meeting in their own meeting space and will be able to join if they have the
meeting password. You can also invite specific people to the meeting as follows:
This file will have the ,wcinv extension and can be double-clicked by anyone to start the Meeting Space and join
the meeting.
Joining a Meeting
If you are specifically invited to a meeting, you will receive a message asking if you wish to accept or
decline.
Click on View to join the meeting - you will be asked to enter a password
Click on Decline to decline the meeting and inform the organiser that you cannot attend. A cross will
appear next to your name in the meeting participant list
Click on Dismiss to decline the meeting without notifying the organiser - you will show as "pending" in
the meeting participant list
You can also join meetings set up by people near you, by starting the Windows Meeting Space and clicking
on a meeting in the list.
Meeting Tools
Once in the meeting, you can set your status to show whether you are available or away from your
computer.
Click on the drop-down arrow next to your name in the participants list
Choose your status from the choices displayed:
The person you have sent the note to will receive a new message window displaying the note text. They can
click on the Reply button to send a message back to you.
You can share your desktop with meeting participants to demonstrate an application or work on a file
together.
Click on the Share a program or your desktop link in the middle of the meeting space page
You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to share your desktop - click on OK
Choose the program you wish to share. If you wish to share all open programs, choose Desktop
Click on Share
All participants will now be able to see your screen, and your mouse moving around the screen.
You can also add handouts to the meeting. Handouts are documents that all participants can view in the
meeting, or can download and save to their own computers.
Click on the Add a handout link to the right of the meeting window
You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to add a handout - click on OK
Locate the handout file and click on Open
To open the handout, double-click once on the file. You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to open
the handout - click on OK.
Sharing Printers
A printer that is directly connected to your computer can be shared to allow other users on your network to
use it. Printers that are shared have a small icon in the bottom left corner
To share a printer:
The screen will switch to the locked display, with no windows showing
All the programs that you have open when you lock your computer will still be open when you unlock it.
Switching Users
If you share your computer with other users, you can switch between users to keep your own settings and
documents separate.
To switch users:
Click on the arrow button at the bottom right corner of the Start Menu
The computer will open with all your settings and documents available.
You can only switch to user accounts that are registered on the computer.
A basic map of your network will be shown on the home page of the Network and Sharing Centre. To view
a full map, click on the View full map link.
Click on Next
Choose to connect through the Internet, or to dial directly to the network
If connecting through the Internet, type the Internet address and a name for the connection. If
connecting via dial up, enter the dial-up number and a name for the connection
Click on OK
Enter your user name, password and domain, then click on Create
The connection will be created. Click on Connect Now to make the connection, or Close to return to the
Network and Sharing Centre.
To connect in the future, click on Connect to a Network in the Task Pane of the Network and Sharing
Centre. Choose the network to connect to, then click on Connect.
You will be prompted to enter the network security key or passphrase - do this now and click on OK.
You can view all of the devices on your network via the Network and Sharing Centre:
Click on the View Computers and Devices link on the left-hand menu
All devices currently connected will be listed. Click on Add a Wireless Device to add a new device from
this screen.
With your device connected, double-click on the Sync Centre icon in the task bar tray
Your device will be listed in the Sync Centre. Double-click on your device to open the Mobile Centre
The Mobile Centre will open with options for your device showing:
Click on Mobile Device Settings to view settings for synchronising with Outlook:
Click on Change Content Sync Settings to choose the items you wish to synchronise on your device:
Check each item you wish to synchronise, clicking on Sync Settings for more options for each. Click
on the Save button when complete
To synchronise your device, click on the Synchronise button in the lower left corner of the Mobile Centre
window.
The status of the synchronisation will be shown - click on the Stop button to cancel the synchronisation if
required.
You can also synchronise your device by right-clicking over the Sync Centre button on the task bar tray:
In addition to this:
You are responsible for ensuring that no one else knows your network password. Do not write down or
store network passwords where others can find them.
Drag and drop or copy and paste your frequently-used folders into the Favorite Links pane
The folders you add to the Favorite Links pane are not moved or copied there. Shortcuts are created when they
are added so that clicking on one will take you to the original folder
The Favorite Links pane can also be accessed in your Personal Folder main window, where it's known simply as
"Links"
Type the search criteria in the Search box at the top right corner of the Search folder. The results of
your search will display in the pane below as you type
To save the search, click on the Save Search button on the toolbar
You will be given the options of changing the name of the search, the author and tags. Click on Save
when you are satisfied with your changes
The following are the controls that you are most likely to use:
Icon Description
Set the default action for different media inserted into your
PC
Icon Description
computer
There are many other applications in the Control Panel but be cautious when making any changes as you may
cause your computer to behave erratically or not at all.
You will be presented with the following options. There is more information on each of these further in this
document.
Windows Colour and Choose between inbuilt colours for window borders, the Start
Appearance Menu and the Taskbar, or mix your own
You can also change the time by right-clicking on the clock in the Sidebar, if it is open.
Creating Shortcuts
Shortcuts can be created for commonly used applications, files, folders and printers. They can be placed in
any folder but are most useful on the Desktop, where they are readily accessible, and are opened by
double-clicking the icon. If the shortcut is deleted, the original file will remain in its original location.
A shortcut can be identified by the curved arrow at the bottom-left corner of the icon.
A keystroke can be assigned to a shortcut. When the key is pressed with [Ctrl] and [Alt] held down, the
shortcut will be launched.
If you always want the shortcut to be launched as a minimised window, choose Minimized from the Run drop-
down list in the shortcut's Properties dialog box
The Display as a link option will open the item in a new window when it is selected in the Start Menu
The Display as a menu option will open a sub-menu when it is selected in the Start Menu. Choose a
file or folder in the sub-menu to open that item
The Don't display this item option will clear the item from the Start Menu
Clear the Use large icons at the very bottom of the list to fit more options on the Start Menu
By default, the Start menu will show the last 9 programs you have accessed. You can increase or
decrease this number if required
Ensure the Internet and Email icons are checked to add these icons permanently to the top of the Start
menu
The Quick Launch Bar can be customised to contain shortcuts to commonly used applications and files.
As the task bar is always visible (although it can be set to hide itself until you place your mouse over the bottom
of the screen), these shortcuts will be available when any application is running.
Right-click on the a blank area of the bar and choose Lock the Taskbar in the pop-up menu if it is
ticked
The Taskbar separator icon will be displayed. Drag it to the right to create space for the new
shortcut
Right-click on the a blank area of the bar and choose Lock the Taskbar again if you wish it to be
locked
Find the application, file, folder or printer you wish to create a shortcut to
Click once on the object then, holding your mouse button down, drag it to the Quick Launch bar - a
vertical black line will indicate the position of the object on the bar. Release the mouse button to create
the shortcut
Shortcuts, like those in the Start Menu, can be used instead of the original file or folder
When a shortcut is created in this way, the actual file stays in its original location while the shortcut acts as a
pointer to this file. When you click on the shortcut, the original file is opened.
Add any program from the Start menu to the quick launch bar by right-clicking over it and choosing Add to
Quick Launch.
Right-click on a blank area of the Task Bar Tray and choose Properties from the pop-up menu
Tick the Hide inactive icons to de-clutter your Task Bar Tray - this is on by default
Choose whether to show the system clock, volume and network settings by ticking or clearing their
checkboxes
Click on the Customize... button to make individual changes to the items in your Task Bar Tray
Hide when inactive will only show the item when it has been activated
Hide will ensure that it is never on display
Show will ensure that it is always on display
Click on OK to save your settings, and again on the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box
Click on one of the pictures in the main window to change the background to a different default image
Click on the Picture Location button to find images in other default locations, such as the Pictures
folder
Click on the Browse button to find images elsewhere
Choose whether the image should be stretched or compressed to fill the screen, tiled to fill the screen
or displayed 'as is' by clicking on the appropriate button under How should the picture be
positioned?
Click on Change background colour to change it from the default black to any other colour you prefer
Click on OK when you've finished making changes
Click on the leftmost button under Screen Saver to choose between the nine default screen savers.
You will be able to preview the screen saver in the small screen above the button
Click on the Settings... button to change the screen saver's options, if it has any. The options will vary
for each screen saver
Click on the Preview button to launch the screen saver immediately
Change the figure next to Wait to increase or decrease the amount of minutes your computer will wait
between receiving input and launching the screen saver
Ensure the On resume, display logon screen checkbox is ticked if you sometimes forget to log out of
your computer when you leave your desk. This should not be relied on as your primary security option
Click on Change power settings... to change the way your computer conserves energy when it is not
being used
Use the Photos screen saver to view your own digital photos and add your old paper photos by scanning them
in - much better than storing them away in an old shoe box!
Customising Sounds
This is where you control the audio peripherals attached to your computer and the sounds it makes when
certain actions are performed.
Check the status of your sound output and set the default sound output device by clicking on the
Playback tab. Make further enhancements, such as individual volume and tone, by selecting a device
and clicking on the Properties button
Use the Recording tab to set the properties of any recording devices, such as microphones, attached
to your computer
Set the sounds your computer makes for different actions by choosing an option under the Sound
Scheme button or make your own scheme by selecting the different items in the Programs pane and
using the Browse... button to locate new sounds. Save your new scheme by clicking on the Save As...
button
Use the options under the Buttons tab to swap your left and right mouse buttons
Set the double-click speed by dragging the slider to the left (slower) or right (faster). Test that it's at a
comfortable speed by double-clicking on the folder icon next to the slider
Enable the ClickLock if you wish to be able to drag files or highlight them without holding down your
mouse button. Clicking on the file once will 'grab' it and clicking again will release it
Different mice have different features - you may be presented with more or less options than those listed here.
Using Themes
All the personalisations you have made can be
saved as a theme, allowing you to recall the
same settings if changes have been made. You
can have as many themes as you like.
Start-up Programs
If you always need to use the same programs or files when you first switch on your PC, you can save time
by adding them to your startup folder so that they launch automatically when Windows Vista is launched.
Click on the Start menu to locate the program you want to create a shortcut to. To add a shortcut to an
Office 2007 program, for example, choose All Programs then Microsoft Office
Right-click over the program you want to create a shortcut to
Choose Copy
Click on Back to return to the top level of the All Programs menu
Right-click on the Startup folder in the menu
Choose Open
Choose Edit, Paste Shortcut
You can also make an individual file, such as a word-processing document, open automatically by dragging a
shortcut of the file into the Startup folder.
When viewing the home page, the controls are grouped into user-friendly sections. To find power options,
for example:
In classic view, each control panel option has its own icon. To find power options, simply double-click on
the Power Options icon.
To switch from the home view to classic view, click on the Classic View link in the task pane on the left-
hand side of the screen.
Power Options
Vista has the facility to switch off your monitor and/or hard disk if they have not been used for some time.
When using a laptop, you can use different settings when your power cable is connected to when you are
working off your battery. You can also disable power settings altogether if you do not want your monitor to
turn off after a set amount of time e.g. if you are running a slide show from the PC.
You can choose one of the pre-set power plans to use on your computer:
Plan Description
Balanced Display and hard drive are turned off after 20 minutes of inactivity, and the computer
will set to sleep after an hour of inactivity.
Power Saver As above but power is saved by reducing system performance, allowing more use
from a laptop's battery.
High As with balanced, but with system performance and response maximised. This setting
Performance is not recommended for laptop users.
Click on Create a Power Plan in the task list on the left-hand side of the window
Choose the existing plan to base your plan on, then enter a Plan Name
Click on Next
Choose when the turn off the display and put the computer to sleep, then click on Create
Click on the Change Plan Settings link under your new plan's name
Click on Change advanced power settings link
Set all advanced options and click on OK
Click on Save Changes
You can also set what should happen when the power button on the computer is pressed. Click on Choose
what the power button does then choose the required action from the drop-down list. Click on Save Changes.
Folder Options
Folder options let you control how each folder in Vista is displayed
e.g. whether each new folder you click on is opened in a new
window, or whether hidden and system files are displayed.
You can set the default view used on all folders by setting any folder to show how you want the default to look.
Choose Organize, Folder and Search Options, then click on the View tab. Click on the Apply to Folders
button and click on Yes to confirm the change.
Easy Transfer
You can use Easy Transfer to make a copy of your entire PC so that all files and settings can be
transferred to another computer.
Option Description
Files and folders All data within the Documents, Pictures and Shared Documents folders will be
copied. You can also specify other folders to copy.
Email settings Account settings, messages in your mailbox, calendar entries, contacts and
tasks
User settings Colour schemes, desktop settings (e.g. background and screensaver), fonts,
Start menu settings, printers and network connections
You can copy your computer using CDs, DVDs or a USB drive.
When prompted what you want to transfer to your new computer, click on Advanced Options
Windows will estimate how much storage will be needed to make the transfer. The transfer will begin
automatically and you'll be prompted to enter new CDs and DVDs as required.