The Control Panel Explained

The Control Panel is a system folder that contains the programs needed to change certain computer settings. Settings to do with the Display, the Mouse and Mouse Pointer, the Printer, the Sound, the Internet and so on. This section will explain what each program does and the rest of the category will show you how to use some of the programs.

If you have not read this page before continue reading it, from top to bottom, as normal. Otherwise you can click on a subject below to get near/on the subject you was reading before. Uninstall A Program is the next section - It is also linked at the bottom of this page.

Launches the Hardware Wizard, which is a program that allows you to add a new or existing piece of hardware to the computer. For example. If you have a Modem but no software for it, or its software was uninstalled for whatever reason, the wizard allows you to re/install the software. The wizard will need to know where the software is (i.e on a CD or on the Hard Drive) in order for it to know where to install from. If you do not know where the software is or do not have it the wizard can try and detect the hardware and matching software for you. Either by looking on a drive (i.e CD or Hard Drive) or by looking on the Internet. If the correct software is found the hardware will be installed, but if no software is found the hardare will be disabled - Upon rebooting the computer the hardware wizard might activate automatically, in an attempt to try and re-install the hardware again, but this depends on the hardware device and whether or not it was truely disabled.

Allows you to turn off/on the Automatic Play feature for each device (i.e Flash Drive, Digital Camera, etc) or piece of media (i.e CD, DVD, etc) you insert into the computer for the first time. AutoPlay is the requester that appears asking you if you want to Import Pictures, View Pictures, Open Folder To View Files, Play DVD and so on.

Allows you to back up (and then restore) Picture files, Music files, Videos files, Emails, Documents, Windows Media Center Recorded TV Shows and Compressed files. Note: System files, Program/Executable files and Temporary files will never be backed up.

Allows you to change the Colour Profile for a particular device such as a Printer, Monitor or Digital Camera. Because each device will probably use a different set of colours from one another it is the Colour Management's job to keep the colours looking consistent. In other words, what you see on the monitor screen should look, colourwise, more or less the same when it is printed.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only - Altering the colour profiles without knowledge can produce unwanted effects/problems.

As well as the obvious changing of the Data and Time this control panel also allows you to change the Time Zone (i.e to Hong Kong), Synchronize the time with a time server (internet clock) and have two additional times (clocks) as part of the notification area clock.

Allows you to associate a Default (normally used) Program, such as Windows Media Player, with one or more file types. For example. If you associate Windows Media Player with the MP3 file type, double clicking on a MP3 file will automatcally open Windows Media Player so that Windows Media Player can then play that MP3 file.

You can also set the actual Default Program with this control panel. For example. If you have Windows Media Player and RealPlayer both associated with the MP3 file type you can set which media player opens, as the Default Media Player, when you double click on a MP3 file.

Allows you to Install or Uninstall the driver software for a particular piece of hardware. Device Manager is good if a piece of hardware is not working correctly and needs to be Uninstalled. Or when a piece of hardware cannot be Installed because you have no Installation CD for it, that contains its driver software, and therefore need to check the Internet for its driver software. Even if the hardware is working fine sometimes you might want to disable the hardware, for whatever reason(s) - Device Manager allows you to Enable or Disable hardware as well.

Device Manager is for Very Advanced Users only - Uninstalling or Disabling hardware without knowledge can produce unwanted effects/problems.

Allows you to change certain display and audio settings, known as Accessibility settings, that are aimed mostly at people with sight and sound difficulties. For example. If you have trouble hearing there is a Narrator that can speak the text on the screen, describe your desktop and describe any windows you have open. And for those who are blind or have sight difficulties there is a screen magnifier that can magnify a part of the screen.

Allows you to change the way you open and view folders. For example. You could set up Windows Vista so that each time you open a sub-folder that sub-folder opens in its own window. Or you could just have each sub-folder open in the same, shared, window. With each sub-folder having its own window open you can view the contents of each sub-folder. Whereas when each sub-folder is sharing the same window only one sub-folder and its contents can be viewed. This control panel also allows you to change the click action for folders and files. You can set up Windows Vista so that you only use one click to open a folder or file instead of two clicks (a double click).

Allows you to open the Fonts system folder, so you can view the Fonts already installed or install new Fonts.

Allows you to change the way Windows Vista indexes files for searching. Windows Vista builds up an Index of your files in order to make searching for them easier and quicker. The index stores information such as a file's name, the date/time it was modified, author details and so on.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

This control panel, if available, allows you to configure Infrared file transfer, image transfer and hardware settings. It is for Advanced Users only.

Allows you to change the Internet Settings - Settings such as Security, Privacy, Content, History, Connections and so on.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

Allows you to change the speed of the keyboard and the speed of the flashing cursor.

Allows you to change Mouse and Mouse Pointer settings. For example. You can change the look of the mouse pointer, the speed of the mouse, whether or not the mouse is left-handed or right-handed, the number of lines scrolled when using a wheel mouse and so on. One very good setting is the ability to go the Default Button on a program. For example. If a requester is asking YES or NO, and you do not know which one to choose, the mouse pointer goes to the default (normal) option. The default option is not always the one to choose but it does give you an idea of what you should be choosing.

Manages the Network side of Windows Vista. You can set up and then connect to a network, check a network's status, change network settings and set preferences for sharing files and printers amongst other things.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

Allows you to set Limits on a Standard User account. The standard user account, which should preferably belong to a child, can be limited to the amount of hours it is logged on to the computer, what types of Games it can play, what websites it can visit (based on an age group) and so on. The limits are set up using filters, hopefully by a sensible adult.

Allows you to configure (Drawing) Pen settings for a Tablet PC. Settings to do with the point of the Pen for example, with regards to a Click and Double Click.

Allows you to connect to people (computers) near you, using Windows Meeting Space and other features and programs that use peer-to-peer technology. People Near Me is like Net Meetig and a Private Messenger Service but more. It allows you to share documents, programs, or your desktop with other people.

Shows you Information based on the Performance of your computer. For example. It might show your Memory as good (with a rating of 3.8 for example) or as bad (with a rating of 2.0 for example). The same applies to your Processor, Graphics, Gaming Graphics and Primary Hard Drive. When each piece of hardware has been given a rating, the lowest rating is used as your Computer Score. Meaning. If your lowest rating is 2.0, for your Graphics for example, your Computer Score will be rated as 2.0.

To improve individual ratings you could install more Memory or a better Graphics Card for example, but this might not improve the Computer Score. In other words, you would have to install a better piece of hardware for the lowest rated piece of hardware in order for the Computer Score to improve. Software in the near future will use the Computer Score system so that you can determine whether or not that software will work on your computer, and more importantly how it will perform on your computer. This control panel also has Tools to help you fine-tune/clean-up your computer's general performance.

Allows you to change the way Windows Vista looks and sounds by allowing you to change the appearance of the Desktop (background, windows, menus, colours, screen size and so on) and Mouse Pointer, and the Default Sound scheme.

Allows you to change the settings for your Internal (Dial-Up) Modem amongst other things.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

Allows you to change the way the Power is used. For example. You can tell the Monitor and Hard Drive to switch off after a certain period of time, in order to save power/energy, as well as programme the Sleep/Shutdown buttons. This is good for Laptop users and for protecting the monitor and hard drive against unnecessary power usuage.

This is a system folder that allows you to configure existing Printers installed on the computer. You can also add or delete a Printer, as well as set a printer as the Default (normally used) Printer.

If a program stops working or responding, Windows Vista can automatically report the problem to Microsoft and check for an online solution. This control panel allows you to check online for a solution and download/install any software that may fix the problem.

Allows you to Repair or Uninstall a single program or a whole software package, as well as make Changes to that program or software (i.e add or remove certain features). You can see which Windows Updates are installed from here too.

Allows you to change the language used for displaying Text in Wizards, Requesters, Menus and so on, as well as the region used by the keyboard for example. Other languages can be added by downloading the relavent LIP (Language Interface Pack) file and then later removed if need be.

This is a system folder that allows you to configure existing Scanners and Cameras installed on the computer. You can also add or delete a Scanner and Camera.

Allows you to configure the security settings for the Windows Vista Firewall, Malicious Protection (i.e your installed Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware software), Windows Vista Automatic Updates and Other Security Settings (i.e Internet Security Settings). It also gives advice/support on how to protect your computer in general.

Allows you to configure the Sound and Audio Devices (Sound Themes, Volume and so on).

Sync Center allows you to keep information in synchronization between your computer and a mobile device for example. A mobile device such as a mobile phone, digital camera or music player. It can also synchronize between your computer and a network server file, and any programs that support Sync Center.

One example of Sync Center is to use a Flash (Memory) Drive that can synchronize with Windows Media Player (i.e with Playlists). The idea of sync is to have two or more files, in seperate locations, that are automatically updated at the same time (synchronized).

Allows you to configure the system (Windows Vista, the computer's Hardware and the computer's Software). It gives you access to the System Properties window where you can Install/Uninstall/Change Hardware Settings, Rename the computer, Change the performance/appearance of Windows Vista and so on.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

Allows you to configure the TouchPad (Handwriting Surface) of a Tablet PC (Mobile Computer, or Mobile Device, that uses a Plastic Pen to write data onto its screen).

Allows you to configure the Taskbar and Start Menu settings - Their appearance mainly.

Allows you to configure Text-To-Speech settings (Voice and Voice Speed setting).

Allows you to configure the User Accounts. Their Rights, Password, Picture and so on.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

Shows you the Welcome Center, an Easy-To-Use control panel that gets you started with the basics of Windows Vista. Welcome Center appears on the desktop after the computer has finished starting up, unless you have told Welcome Center not to appear again.

Gives you an option to upgrade to Windows Ultimate (The best Windows Vista package) and an option to view the differences between your Windows Vista version (i.e Windows Vista Home Premium) and Windows Ultimate.

Allows you to create relationships with websites and online services. The idea is you create a Membership Card with your Name, Address and Email Address on it, amongst things, and then send the membership card to a website when you wish to register with that website. For example. Instead of filling out a Registration Form everytime you book a flight you simply send the airline your membership card. They then extract only the required information from your membership card.

Note: At this time I have not fully tested Windows Card Center. I have filled in my card but have yet to send it to a website.

Executes (launches/opens) Windows Defender, Windows Vista's anti-spyware program. From there you can Scan for spyware problems (infections), check for updates, choose a scan type (i.e Quick or Full), use the Software Explorer to disable programs that run (launch/open) on start-up and so on.

Some aspects of this control panel are for Very Advanced Users only.

Allows you to configure Windows Vista's, built-in, Firewall settings.

This control panel is for Advanced Users only.

This control panel is a collection of some other Control Panel programs that relate to Mobile Devices. For example. It has the Power options for a Laptop, the Sync Center, the Volume control and so on.

Allows you to configure a few minor settings for the SideBar (Position, Top-Most Window, Start-Up and Restore Windows-Installed Gadgets).

Windows SideShow is a control panel that basically adds plug-ins/add-ons to your mobile device (i.e mobile phone) in order for that mobile device to be able to synchronize with certain programs on your computer. For example. You could read your computer's email from your mobile phone without the computer being switched on, due to the plug-in/add-on synchronization technology - It awakens your computer temporarily in order to synchronize the information (i.e emails). Once synchronized, your computer is put back to sleep.

This control panel is for Very Advanced Users only.

Allows you to turn off/on Automatic Updates. When on it automatically checks the Internet for new Critical (High Priority) Windows Updates, Security Updates and so on in order to protect Windows Vista and your computer in general. The updates are either downloaded automatically (in the background, as you are doing other things) by Windows Vista or can be manually downloaded by you, depending on the settings that have been set for Automatic Updates. When the updates have been downloaded they will either be installed automatically by Windows Vista or can be manually installed by you. Again. This depends on the settings that have been set for Automatic Updates.

To open the Control Panel window, first click on the START button (Fig 1.0) to reveal the Start Menu. Then look on the right-hand-side of the Start Menu, towards the middle, until you see the CONTROL PANEL menu-item (Fig 1.1). Click on it to open the Control Panel window (Fig 1.2).

Fig 1.0 Click on the START button to reveal the Start Menu

Fig 1.1 Click on the CONTROL PANEL menu-item to open the Control Panel window

Fig 1.2 The Control Panel window is open, in Home view - Click on CLASSIC VIEW to change to Classic view.

If this is the first time the Control Panel has been opened, or unchanged, it will be in Home view. Home view is aimed at the beginner and allows you to change certain hardware and software settingse using Links, rather than Icons. If this is the case, look towards the top-left-hand corner of the window and click on the CLASSIC VIEW link (Fig 1.2 above). This will put the Control Panel window into Classic view and display icons instead of links. There is nothing wrong with Home view, but overall Classic view goes straight to the settings - Home view splits things up into categories and therefore tends to send you through sub-categories before showing you the settings. The same could be said of Classic view in that it gives you TABs (sub-windows), but overall Classic view has the advantage in my opinion.

Fig 1.3 The Control Panel is in Classic view, full of Icons.

Do not worry if your control panel does not have all the icons as displayed in my control panel (Fig 1.3 above) because not all control panels are exactly the same. Meaning. All control panels have the standard Windows Vista settings/icons but if you install a third party piece of software, such as Java, that software might add its own icon to the control panel. Therefore, technically speaking, you would no longer have a standard Windows Vista control panel.

In the examples that follow, and in these website examples generally, I always use the Classic view. This should not stop you from using Home view though as its settings are the same as in Classic view, just layed out in a different way/view.

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

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