When you turn on the computer, which is known as Booting (Starting) the computer, you might see one or two black screens appear with information about the computer on them (Fig 1.0). You should then see the Windows Vista Start-Up screen with a flashing line or guage above the words (c) Microsoft Corporation (Fig 1.1). The flashing line or guage indicates that Windows Vista is preparing the start-up sequence (process). During this preparation it updates any software that previously asked you to "Reboot (restart) the computer in order for the changes to take affect". When Windows Vista starts the first thing it presents you with is the User Account (Log-On) Screen (Fig 1.2).

 

Fig 1.0  The computer is starting (booting) or re-starting (re-booting)

 

Fig 1.1  The first Start Up screen - Windows Vista is preparing the Start Up sequence.

 

Fig 1.2  Click on the User Account (User Name) you wish to use

When the User Account screen appears (Fig 1.2 above) if there is more than one User Account set up on the computer start by clicking on the Name of the User Account (User Name) you wish to use. Otherwise, if there is only one user account Windows Vista will take you straight to that user account. In this example there are two user accounts: John and Yoingco.

Fig 1.3  Type the user account's Password into the PASSWORD Edit Box

Fig 1.4  You have type an incorrect password - click on OK to continue

If the User Account you clicked on has a Password associated with it you will have to type that password into the user account's PASSWORD Edit Box (Fig 1.3 above). Click inside the edit box, with the word Password already inside it, and then type the user account's password. When you have done that continue by either pressing the ENTER keyboard key or by clicking on the Blue, Arrow, button.

If you type in an incorrect password, either because you do not know the password or because you have forgotten it, you will be given the opportunity to type in a correct password (Fig 1.4 above). Clicking on the OK button takes you back to the user account's password screen. You will also be given the opportunity to Reset the Password (Fig 1.5 below), but only if a Password-Reset Disk was created for the user account. And if you created a Hint (Clue) for what your password is it will be displayed above the Reset Password link. In this example the Password Hint is Flower. See the User Accounts section for more information.

Fig 1.5  Retype the password or click on the RESET PASSWORD link

When the correct password has been typed into the PASSWORD Edit Box and you have either pressed the ENTER keyboard key or clicked on the Arrow button you will then see the Welcome screen. If the user account has no password clicking on the user account (user name) will take you straight to the Welcome screen.

Fig 1.6  Windows Vista is loading your Personal settings

As the Welcome screen is being displayed your Personal settings are being set up. This means Windows Vista will use your Background Picture, your Chosen Colour Scheme, arrange the Desktop Icons the way you left them last time and so on. If it is your first time using Windows Vista your personal settings will use the standard Windows Vista settings.

Also at this time the start-up list is being launched. The start-up list contains a list of programs that need to be started before the desktop appears. Anti-Virus programs, Printer programs and Microsoft Office are normally in the list so that they can be available to you when the desktop does appear or shortly afterwards. As some programs might rely on other programs in the start-up list to finish before they can be launched, and because some programs finish shortly after the desktop appears, it is best to wait between 30 seconds (minimum) and 2 minutes (maximum - on a slow computer) after the desktop has appeared before trying to start any programs (in general) yourself. Take this scenario.

Turn Computer ON - Type Password, if you have one - Desktop appears. Double Click on a Microsoft Word 2007 file.

As each program in the start-up list gets launched the Desktop is almost ready to appear. What happens is, one or two programs might launch and finish before the desktop appears while the other launched programs might have to wait for the desktop to appear before they can finish - Perhaps because they rely on the desktop in some way (i.e rely on its Screen size) and/or use pieces of the other finished programs in order to work properly. This is why you need to wait for the computer to finish running the start-up list. If you open (double click on) a Micosoft Word 2007 file when the other programs Microsoft Word 2007 relies on have not finished yet (i.e an Anti-Virus program) you might get problems - For example. You could unknowingly open a virus infected Microsoft Word 2007 file before the Anti-Virus program had chance to scan it. Or you could unknowingly download a virus infected file from the Internet, turn off (shutdown) the computer as normal, start it the next day and then unknowingly open the virus infected file. All because you could not wait a short time for the computer to finish processing its start-up list.

Unfortunately, Microsoft have not put a "I am ready" message on the computer when the start-up list has finished. Simply because how would they know? A program can run in the Background, which means the computer does not wait for it to finish before running the next program. Instead it allows all programs to run at once - To speed things up. This is why the desktop appears after the first set of start-up list programs but before the final set of start-up list programs. As each program finishes the mouse pointer usually turns into the Busy Pointer, to denote a program is busy finishing, before it turns back into the Standard Pointer.

Once your personal settings have been loaded the desktop appears shortly after. Wait for the start-up list to finish, by waiting for the 30 seconds or so, before trying to start any program yourself. You will know if the start-up process has not completely finished because the mouse pointer usually keeps changing into a busy (egg timer) pointer and/or the program you start either does not show up straight away or it shows up but slows down the computer (because the start-up process and that program are fighting to use the computer). So be patient!!

Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.  As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.

All HTM files in the yoingco.com folder and its sub-folders are (c) John White, August 3rd 2005 - 2008. All Rights Reserved.    FREE Vista Helpline: Contact John