After starting your computer the first place you will go to each time is either the Desktop (to double click on an Icon) or to the Start Menu. The start menu is where you launch most of your programs, switch off the computer and carry out common tasks.

You can see the Start Menu by clicking on the START button, located in the bottom-left corner of the desktop (screen) - Move the mouse pointer towards the START button until the mouse pointer is hovering over it (Fig 1.0). Keep the mouse pointer still, whilst over the START button, and then click (press) the left mouse button once. This will reveal the Start Menu (Fig 1.1).

 

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

 

Fig 1.1  The Start Menu

The Start Menu is split into four main areas. On the left is the Programs area where you access the commonly used programs (i.e Microsoft Office, Paint, NotePad, Calculator, Printer Software, etc) and on the right is the Commonly Used Folders/Files/Settings area where you access commonly used folders/files (i.e your Documents, Music and Pictures) and system settings (the computer's hardware and software settings). Towards the bottom-right is the Shutdown area which allows you to Shutdown, Restart, Log-Off and so on the computer and towards the bottom-left is the Quick Search area which is a program that allows you to do an initial quick search of the computer for your files.

The Folders and Files section explains folders and files in detail. However. So you can continue with these lessons all you need to do now is imagine a Dentist's Filing Cabinet. Inside that filing cabinet each patient has his/her own File (Dental Record), which may consist of one piece of paper or many pieces of paper. To avoid one patient's file from getting mixed up with another patient's file the Dentist puts each patient's file into its own Folder, with the patient's name on the cover. Therefore, each patient has one Folder with their File (paper/s) inside it.

It is the same with Windows Vista. Certain folders are created/named for a general use, such as the Pictures folder for storing your picture files in and the Music folder for storing your music files in. However. Unlike a normal filing cabinet folder, a Windows Vista folder can contain many other folders inside it. These are called Sub-Folders. For example. If the main folder is called Mother you could have folders inside the Mother folder (sub-folders) named after each of her children. So if the mother has 10 children you would have the main Mother folder with 10 children folders (sub-folders) inside it. So a computer Folder is basically a storage place (like a normal filing cabinet folder). A Sub-Folder is a folder that is inside another folder. And a computer File is like a dental record, except the patient's details are written as Data (0s and 1s) instead of on paper using ink.

I will now explain the Commonly Used Folders/Files/Settings area, on the right side of the Start menu, which is made up mostly of main folders.

Documents is the main folder for storing document files, such as Microsoft Word 2007 documents, by you or other programs. It is the main folder (place) where Microsoft Office programs, System programs and so on first look when opening/saving a document file.

Documents on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the actual Documents sub-folder, which is stored inside the C:\ hard drive. Clicking on Documents takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Documents sub-folder. More information on Documents can be found in the Folders and Files section.

This main folder works in the same way as Documents except it is the main folder for storing Picture files. Picture files from a Paint package, Digital Camera, Scanner and so on. A paint package, for example, will normally use this main folder when opening/saving a photograph file.

Pictures on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the actual Pictures sub-folder, which is stored inside the C:\ hard drive. Clicking on Pictures takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Pictures sub-folder. More information about Folders and Sub-Folders can be found in the Folders and Files section.

This is the main folder for storing Music files. Music from the Internet, a CD and so on. Windows Media Player 11, for example, uses this main folder as the first place to look for music.

Music on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the actual Music sub-folder, which is stored inside the C:\ hard drive. Clicking on Music takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Music sub-folder.

Search is an actual program built-in to Windows Vista that allows you to search the hard drive, and the sub-folders within it (such as Documents, Pictures and Music), for the files you have asked for By Name. If the files can be located, by name, you will be shown where they are. Otherwise it is assumed the files do not exist. Search has an Advanced option that allows you to search for files By Date for example.

This main folder shows you what devices (hardware components) are inside the computer. Permanent devices such as the Hard Drive, the Floppy Drive and the DVD Recorder. Removable devices such as a Flash (Memory) Drive, a Digital Camera and so on. As well Shared folders.

Computer on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the actual Computer folder. Clicking on Computer takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Computer folder, where you can then gain access to the hardware's media (i.e DVD, Floppy Disk, Memory, etc) as long as the media is not passworded of course.

The network folder is for the advanced user. It shows you the currently connected network (i.e wireless network) and gives you options to manipulate that network (i.e add a network printer and/or wireless device to it).

Connect To allows you to connect to a Network (i.e wireless network). Connect To should be used by network engineers and people who are computer advanced. It should not really be used by a novice user.

This folder shows you the core programs needed to add/remove hardware/software from the computer as well as the core programs for changing hardware/software settings. It is a powerful collection of programs that, in the beginners hands, could mess up the computer so it no longer works. Meaning. If you need to change hardware/software settings and/or need to add/remove hardware/software you should leave the Control Panel programs to a computer engineer or advanced user.

Control Panel on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the actual Control Panel folder. Clicking on it takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Control Panel folder, where you then have access to the Control Panel programs.

Default Programs on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the Control Panel program called Default Programs. Clicking on Default Programs takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Control Panel folder and then launches the Default Programs program.

The actual program called Defaults Programs allows you to choose which programs Windows Vista uses as its own default (normal) programs. For example. You can tell Default Programs to make Internet Explorer the default (normal) web browser for use with the internet and to make Windows Media Player 11 the default (normal) media player for certain types of audio and video file. Default Programs is slightly advanced, so use it with care.

This folder shows you what Printers and/or Faxes are installed on the computer. For each printer and fax installed you get a program for it that allows you to change its settings and manage its print jobs (printouts) or fax jobs.

Printers on the Start menu is just a menu-item that acts as a shortcut/link to the actual Printers folder. Clicking on it takes (shortcuts/links) you inside the actual Printers folder, where you can then delete or add a printer for example.

Help and Support is one of the most unused programs available, yet it is one of the best to help you in a whole manner of situations. Basically. It tells you how to do things. You type in a keyword or phrase (i.e CD) and it returns results based on that keyword or phrase (i.e Copy files and folders to a CD), if it can. The program also has a pre-defined index of general topics (Windows Basics, Security and Maintenance, Troubleshooting and so on) which when clicked on open up other helpful topics.

Clicking on Help and Support launches the actual Help and Support program.

Run allows you to run (execute/start) a file. For example. You could run a system file like Paint.exe or WordPad.exe or you could run a file that is on the hard drive, floppy disk or other media such as a Flash Disk. Run is used mainly by programmers and engineers to diagnose problems, but there is nothing stopping you from using it.

Clicking on Run opens the RUN Edit Box, where you can type in your command(s).

The Personal folder is a folder set aside just for you, the account holder. This folder contains sub-folders/links to some of the above mentioned folders (i.e Documents, Pictures and Music) as well as sub-folders/links to other folders such as Contacts (Address Book contacts), Video (Sample Videos) and Favorites (favourite Website Links).

These folders are for your personal use. So you could put your Microsoft Word 2007 documents (files) into the Documents folder, add people to your Address Book and put your homemade movies into the Video folder for example. It is up to you.

The Programs area is split between programs that are pinned-to the Start menu and commonly installed/used folders and files (programs) that only show when you use the ALL PROGRAMS folder and file viewer. A pinned-to program is a program, and more specifically its icon, that is permanently pinned-to the left side of the Start menu whenever you click on the START button. In this example the 10 Icons from Windows Update to Notepad (Fig 2.0).

An icon is simply an image that is designed to represent a file, or folder, so that you have some idea of what that file does or what is inside the folder. For example. An icon with a Document image might be representing the Letter (data) file itself or the Word Processor (program) file. Whereas an icon with a Paint Brush image might be representing a painting (program) file or just the photograph (data) itself. An icon with a Folder image though normally represents a folder and more importantly what is inside that folder. When you double click (press the left mouse button twice, quite fast on the same spot) on an icon Windows Vista first determines what file is associated with that icon. If it is a Paint (program) file for example (i.e Paint.exe) Windows Vista will launch that painting program only, but if it is a Photograph (data) file (i.e John.jpg) Windows Vista will launch the painting program before instructing it to automatically open/display the photograph file for you.

Clicking on, or hovering over, ALL PROGRAMS (Fig 2.0) clears the pinned-to list of programs and then displays the list of commonly installed/used folders and files (programs) instead (Fig 2.1). I call it the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List as this part of the Start menu is primarily used to execute (open/launch) programs, as opposed to primarily opening folders.

Fig 2.0  Click on, or hover over, ALL PROGRAMS....

Fig 2.1  ....to display commonly installed/used folders and files.

After clicking on, or hovering over, ALL PROGRAMS you can go back to the pinned-to programs list at anytime by clicking on BACK (Fig 2.1 above). You can also hover back to the pinned-to programs list but you need to come away from BACK and then hover over BACK again.

When you first use ALL PROGRAMS the last program (or folder) you used is normally the first program (or folder) to be highlighted, in blue. This is just your starting point, you do not have to do anything with the first program (or folder) though. In fact, as soon as you move the mouse pointer over the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List the highlighted program (or folder) is un-highlighted and the program (or folder) you are now hovering over becomes highlighted. In this example (Fig 2.1 above) AVG 7.5 is the first highlighted folder. I will now show you how to use the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List to open the program (text editor) called Notepad.

With the Start menu already showing the All Programs programs list (Fig 2.1 above), and the mouse pointer hovering over BACK, start moving the mouse pointer upwards until it reaches the folder (yellow icon) called Accessories (Fig 2.2 below). As you do this each folder in turn will become highlighted as the mouse pointer hovers over it, but only until you hover to the next folder and then finally reach the Accessories folder. When you reach the Accessories folder simply click on it (Fig 2.3 below) to reveal what programs (files), and sub-folders if any, there are inside it.

Fig 2.2  Move the mouse pointer upwards, towards the Accessories folder.

Fig 2.3  Click on the Accessories folder to view its contents

After clicking on the Accessories folder the programs, and any sub-folders, inside it are revealed (Fig 2.3 above). In this example the programs inside the Accessories folder go from Calculator down to Wordpad. And the sub-folders inside the Accessories folder go from Ease Of Access down to Tablet PC as far as we can see. To check if there are any more sub-folders inside the Accessories folder you need to scroll down the All Programs programs list, which is done by clicking on the Down-Arrow button of the scrollbar that is attached to the All Programs window (Fig 2.4 below).

Fig 2.4  Click on the Down-Arrow button to move the All Programs programs list up one item

Each time you click on the Down-Arrow button of the scrollbar the All Programs programs list moves the top item upwards, out of view, in order to bring the next bottom item into view....If you have not reached the bottom of the All Programs programs list of course. So in this example Windows Meeting Space, which was the top item, went out of view and the folder AVG 7.5 came into view at the bottom of the All Programs programs list. This means the Accessories folder has no more sub-folders inside it.

In Fig 2.3 above a slightly different thing happened. When I clicked on the Accessories folder it opened, to show me its contents (15 files and 3 sub-folders), but to do this the All Programs programs list had to move 11 items upwards out of view (Adobe Reader 8 to Windows Media Player) and 7 items downwards out of view (the folders AVG 7.5 to Games) so that the 18 items that make up the contents of the Accessories folder could be shown (Calculator to Tablet PC).

Getting back to the example of opening Notepad from Fig 2.3 above, after clicking on the Accessories folder four items down you should see the program (text editor) called Notepad (Fig 2.5 below). The mouse pointer will probably be underneath the Accessories folder, but regardless of where the mouse pointer is the Accessories folder will still be highlighted in blue. So the next thing to do is move the mouse pointer, four items downwards, until it is hovering over Notepad. At this point keep the mouse pointer still, whilst over Notepad, and click the left mouse button. This will execute (open/launch) the program (text editor) called Notepad (Fig 2.6 below).

 

Fig 2.5  Move the mouse pointer over Notepad and then left click on it....



Fig 2.6  ....to execute (open/launch) the program (file) called Notepad.

Once the program called Notepad has been executed (opened/launched) you can start typing something into it. In this example I used it truely as a Note Pad, to take note of the Things To Do Today, but it can be used to write Letters as well.

Above I used the ALL PROGRAMS route to execute Notepad, but as Notepad was already pinned (added) to the pinned-to programs list I could of just executed Notepad from there instead. It would of been quicker as well.

Fig 2.7  Move the mouse pointer over to Notepad, on the pinned-to programs list, and then left click.

To execute Notepad from the Pinned-To programs list begin by clicking on the START button. Then move the mouse pointer upwards towards Notepad until the mouse pointer is hovering over Notepad (Fig 2.7 above). Keep the mouse pointer still, whilst over Notepad, and then click the left mouse button to execute (open/launch) Notepad.

To get Notepad pinned to the Pinned-To programs list you need to go to the Accessories folder and expand its view, so that you can see its contents (as in Fig 2.3 above) and in particular so that you can see Notepad. Once you have Notepad highlighted, with the mouse pointer kept still over it, right click on Notepad to bring up its Options menu.

Fig 2.8  Right click on a program, Left click on the PIN TO START MENU menu-item.

The Options Menu has no Menu Title, only Menu-Items. In this example menu-items from OPEN (at the top) to PROPERTIES (at the bottom). If you look about halfway down the menu you should see a menu-item called PIN TO START MENU. Moving the mouse pointer over the PIN TO START MENU menu-item and then clicking on it with the left mouse button (Fig 2.8 above) will pin Notepad to the Start menu, on the Pinned-To programs list.

A program can only be pinned to the Start menu, on the Pinned-To programs list, if it has the PIN TO START MENU menu-item available on its Options menu. Also. A program does not have to be on the Start menu itself in order to be pinned, it could be on the desktop or inside a sub-folder for example.

To unpin Notepad from the Pinned-To programs list you simply go back to Notepad (either on the Pinned-To programs list itself or via the Accessories folder), right click on it to bring up its Options menu and then select (left click on) the UNPIN FROM START MENU menu-item. In the example below I used Notepad from the Pinned-To programs list as it is quicker than going back to the Accessories folder.

Fig 2.9  Right click on Notepad, Left click on the UNPIN TO START MENU menu-item.

Unpinning a program only removes it from the Pinned-To programs list, more precisely it is only the program's icon that is removed. Most programs on the Pinned-To programs list, and on the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List, are just icons that represent their program. So unpinning Notepad really means removing its greenish-blue icon from the Pinned-To programs list only - The Notepad program (file) itself stays inside its system (Windows Vista) folder. Windows Vista uses the technique of using a program's icon only, instead of its real program (file), to avoid the user (you) from deleting the real program. The same applies to pinning - Only the program's icon is pinned. When you execute a program it is the icon that actually executes the program - In other words, the icon goes and finds the real program (i.e Notepad.exe) and then launches it. This is known as a Link.

With an icon, such as the Notepad icon, you do not necessarily care where its associated program (Notepad.exe) is on the computer. You just click, or double click, on the icon and its associated program (Notepad.exe) is executed (opened/launched). Behind the scenes though the icon finds out the location of the associated program and then makes a link to the associated program, which includes its location. This is known as "linking". The icon itself is then known as a Link or a Shortcut Icon. In the case of the Start menu Notepad icon, which can be refered to as a Link or Shortcut Icon, it is linked (associated) to the Notepad.exe program (file) that is inside the sub-folder called System32. When you click on the Notepad icon it looks inside the System32 sub-folder for the program called Notepad.exe and then executes (opens/launches) it.

To get inside the System32 sub-folder you start by going inside the main Computer folder. From there you go inside the C:\ Hard Drive sub-folder, which is inside the main Computer folder. You then go inside the Windows sub-folder, which is inside the C:\ Hard Drive sub-folder. Finally. You go inside the System32 sub-folder, which is inside the Windows sub-folder. So to execute Notepad.exe yourself each time would mean going through four folders and clicking at least nine times (Computer = 1 Click, three Sub-Folders = 2 clicks each and Notepad.exe = 2 clicks), whereas to click on the Start menu Notepad icon to execute Notepad.exe would mean 1 click and not having to go inside any folders.

A Shortcut Icon (Link) does not have to be associated with a particular program (file). It can be associated to a Folder or a File. For example. If you created a sub-folder for your Italian Holiday pictures, called Italy 2007, inside the Pictures folder you could create a Shortcut Icon (Link) for that sub-folder on the Desktop.

Fig 3.0  Right click on your folder and then use the SEND TO, Options menu, sub-menu to create a desktop Shortcut Icon.

The easiest way to create a shortcut icon that goes on the Desktop is to use the SEND TO sub-menu. Assuming you have created a folder inside the Pictures folder (see the Folders and Files section for folder creation) start by placing the mouse pointer over that folder so that it becomes highlighted, in blue. Then, with the mouse pointer kept still whilst over the folder, press (click on) the right mouse button. This will bring up the folder's Options menu (Fig 3.0 above). From there. Go down the Options menu with the mouse pointer until you reach (highlight) the SEND TO sub-menu (denoted by a black right-arrow) and then move the mouse pointer rightwards, in a straight line, towards the black arrow. When you reach the black arrow the SEND TO menu-items will appear. All you need to do then is move the mouse pointer down the menu-items until you have the DESKTOP (CREATE SHORTCUT) menu-item highlighted and then left click on it. If you did everything correctly you should end up with a Shortcut Icon on the desktop that has the name of your folder on it.

Fig 3.1  The created desktop Shortcut Icon, with your folder's name on it.

A desktop shortcut icon, as opposed to a Pinned-To Programs List link (shortcut icon), will always be creaed with an Arrow on it. In my Windows Vista colour scheme it is always a blue arrow with a square white background, as above.

Another way to create a shortcut icon is to use the Options menu, menu-item CREATE A SHORTCUT. You do the same as above but instead of using the SEND TO sub-menu you use the menu-item called CREATE A SHORTCUT on the Options menu itself (Fig 3.2 below). The difference with using CREATE A SHORTCUT is that it creates the shortcut icon in the same place as your folder (or file). In this example, inside the Pictures folder (Fig 3.3 below).

 

Fig 3.2  Right click on your folder and then left click on the CREATE A SHORTCUT menu-item....



Fig 3.3  ....to create a shortcut icon in the same place as your folder (or file).

Obviously there is no point in having the shortcut icon in the same place as your folder (or file). The whole point of the shortcut icon is to allow you to get to your original folder (or file) as quickly as possible, in the least amount of clicks. Therefore, you need to move this newly created shortcut icon. In this next example I will show you how to drag (move) the shortcut icon to the desktop from the Pictures folder.

Begin by re-sizing your Pictures folder (see the Windows section for more information) so that you can see a part of the desktop as well as the opened and re-sized (shrunken) Pictures folder (window). Next you are going to click on the shortcut icon inside the Pictures folder. However. As you click do not let go of the left mouse button. Keep it held down instead and then move the mouse pointer at the same time, away from the Pictures folder (window) and towards the desktop. When the mouse pointer is over the desktop, so no longer over the Pictures folder (window), you should see a blue arrow appear next to the mouse pointer with the words MOVE TO DESKTOP next to it (Fig 3.4 below). You might have to pause the mouse pointer for a second or two for this to happen. When it does, let go of the left mouse button. The shortcut icon will then disappear from the Pictures folder and move to the desktop.

Fig 3.4  Drag (keep the left mouse button held down as you move the mouse pointer) the Shortcut Icon onto the Desktop

As a final example, I will show you how to move the shortcut icon using the Cut & Paste method (see the Copy & Paste section for more information). Basically, the function of CUT is just the same as getting a pair of scissors and cutting out a picture of a shortut icon and the function of PASTE is just the same as pasting (gluing) that picture into a scrap book for example.

Create the shortut icon inside the Pictures folder as above (Figures 3.2 and 3.3), using the CREATE A SHORTUT menu-item on the Options menu from the Italy 2007 folder, and then right click on the shortcut icon to bring up its own Options menu. From there, move the mouse pointer over the CUT menu-item so that it is highlighted (Fig 3.5 below) and then left click on CUT. This will make the shortcut icon become faded.

Fig 3.5  Right click on the shortcut icon to make its Options menu appear and then left click on the CUT menu-item....

Now move the mouse pointer towards a clear (empty) part of the desktop - It is in this part of the desktop where the shortcut icon will be placed (pasted/glued down), so choose a good part. When you are happy with the mouse pointer's position right click on the desktop to bring up its Options menu (Fig 3.6 below). Highlight the PASTE menu-item, by moving the mouse pointer over it, and then left click on it. This will paste (move) the shortcut icon, from the Pictures folder onto the desktop, leaving the shortcut icon in a highlighted state on the desktop (Fig 3.7 below).

Fig 3.6  ....Right click on a clear (empty) part of the desktop and then left click on the PASTE menu-item.




Fig 3.7  After PASTEing the shortcut icon onto the desktop it is highlighted

By creating a shortcut icon, on the desktop, for your Holiday Pictures folder (i.e Italy 2007) it means you only have to double click (click twice) on that desktop shortcut icon to view your holiday pictures. Whereas, if you had to go inside the main Pictures folder and then inside your Holiday Pictures folder (sub-folder) to view your holiday pictures you would be clicking at least four times (two lots of double click). And if you went Start Menu (1 click), Pictures (1 click) and then your Holiday Pictures folder (two clicks) you would still be clicking four times. Now imagine your Holiday Pictures folder was buried six sub-folders deep (at least 6 double clicks) versus 1 click on a desktop shortcut icon!

By default (normal) behaviour the programs and folders on the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List and the programs on the Pinned-To Programs List of the Start menu are automatically organized into Alphabetically order, even when you remove a program from those lists. So this side of organizing the Start menu is taken care of for you. However. Arranging the Start menu is not. For example. If you want to move the program called Wordpad from the Accessories folder into the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List or into another folder such as the Ease Of Use folder you have to do this yourself.

In the following example I have already clicked on the START button, ALL PROGRAMS, opened (clicked on) the Accessories folder and then opened (clicked on) the Ease Of Use folder. At this point I can see the programs that are inside both folders (Fig 4.0 below). From there I moved the mouse pointer over the program called Wordpad, inside the Acessories folder, so that it was highlighted. And it is at this point that you can follow the example.

Highlight the program called Wordpad, in the same way as described above, and then left click on it but do not let go of the left mouse button. With the left mouse button held down move the mouse pointer upwards towards the next program (in this example towards the program called Windows Sidebar). As the mouse pointer moves over a program in the ALL PROGRAMS Programs List that program becomes highlighted, and when the mouse pointer is moved away from a program it becomes un-highlighted (because the next program is then highlighted), but at all times Wordpad stays highlighted to let you know that it is the program you are moving/arranging. If you keep moving the mouse pointer upwards until it goes past (above) the Accessories folder (Fig 4.1) the Red Prohibited Sign underneath the mouse pointer will change into a Black Line. The red prohibied sign means you cannot move Wordpad into the current folder (because it is already in that folder) and the black line means Wordpad can be moved into the current folder. So in this example, letting go of the left mouse button when the mouse pointer is directly above the Accessories folder would mean Wordpad is moved out of the Accessories folder and into the ALL PROGRAMS folder.

Fig 4.0  Move the mouse pointer upwards/downwards, towards another folder.

Fig 4.1  The black line indicates you are inside another folder.

In this example though Wordpad is going to be moved into the Ease Of Access folder instead. So instead of going upwards with the mouse pointer you now need to be going downwards with the mouse pointer, towards the Ease Of Access folder, with the left mouse button still held down.

Fig 4.2  Move the mouse pointer downwards, into the Ease Of Access folder.

When the mouse pointer has gone past (out of) the Accessories folder and underneath (inside) the Ease Of Access folder (Fig 4.2 above) let go of the left mouse button. A message requester will then appear (Fig 4.3 below) informing you that you will need to provide Administrator Permission in order to move Wordpad out of the Accessories folder and into the Ease Of Access folder - Simply left click on the CONTINUE button to continue. Basically, Windows Vista will check that you have Administrative Rights to carry out this file-move operation.

 

Fig 4.3  Click on the CONTINUE button, using the left mouse button, to continue.

User Account Control (UAC) is a feature of Windows Vista that helps to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer, such as moving a system file like Wordpad into another folder. When this file-moving action is attempted UAC automatically blocks that action and then displays a message requester or a series of message requesters whose instructions need following.

In Fig 4.3 above you are informed that you have been denied access to the destination folder Ease Of Access because UAC will first need your permission (administrative permission) before allowing the file-move action to go ahead. By clicking on CONTINUE you are telling UAC "I know what I am doing by allowing this action to go ahead and I agree to continue with that action".

 

Fig 4.4  Click on the CONTINUE button, using the left mouse button, to continue.

After clicking on the CONTINUE button (Fig 4.3 above) the screen will fade (go dark) and you will then be presented with the actual UAC message requester that permits the file-move to go ahead (Fig 4.4 above). Again. Simply click on the CONTINUE button to continue. After clicking on the CONTINUE button this time the screen will fade-in (be clear/normal again) and another message requester, with a green progress-guage on it, will appear (Fig 4.5 below) showing you that the file-move is taking place. When the file (Wordpad) has been moved it will be viewable from its destination folder (Ease Of Access). The file will be positioned in its alphabetical order. So Wordpad will be at the bottom of the Ease Of Access folder (Fig 4.6) because it begins with a W of course.

Fig 4.5  Wordpad is now being moved from the Accessories folder into the Ease Of Access folder




Fig 4.6  Look at the bottom of the Ease Of Access folder for the Wordpad file (program)

In this example I opened the Accessories folder and Ease Of Access folder beforehand, before moving (dragging) Wordpad from the Accessories folder and into the Ease Of Access folder. However. You can also move a file, such as Wordpad, into its destination folder (i.e Ease Of Access) without opening the destination folder beforehand - As you move (drag) the file from its opened source folder (i.e Accessories) any folder you go over with the mouse pointer will automatically open to become a potential destination folder.

The SEARCH Edit Box on the Start menu (Fig 5.0 below) allows you to quickly search for previously indexed files, amongst other things, by typing one or more keywords into it. An edit box is a box that allows you to edit the text already inside it or type in some new text. See the Edit Box section for more information.

Fig 5.0  The SEARCH Edit Box

Fig 5.1  Click inside the SEARCH Edit Box....

Fig 5.2  ....and then type your Keyword(s).

The main reason for searching for something is because you have lost/mis-placed it of course. So in this example I will pretend I cannot remember where I saved my file called Time_Sheet.docx, which I created with Microsoft Word 2007. I could open (execute/launch) Microsoft Word 2007 and then use it to find/open the file but sometimes even that would not work if the file was created a long time ago and now has no associated references (history/linkage) with Microsoft Word 2007, perhaps because its associated references were deleted by you, your computer and/or Microsoft Word 2007 itself.

To use SEARCH begin by clicking inside its edit box (Fig 5.1 above). When you have done this leave the mouse pointer over the edit box until you have typed the first letter of the keyword(s) you are searching for (Fig 5.2 above). Otherwise, moving the mouse pointer away from the edit box before you have typed something will cause the edit box to reset with the words START SEARCH (Fig 5.0 above). In this example I have typed t because it is the first letter of my keyword (search word) Time_Sheet. After typing the first letter SEARCH always clears the ALL PROGRAMS Pinned-To list, as it uses the pinned-to list to display any search results. Search results are given as you type each letter. For example. Instead of typing Time_Sheet and then getting the search results for Time_Sheet, SEARCH gets the search results for each set of letters typed before the keyword Time_Sheet has been completely typed (i.e t, ti, tim, time, time_ and so on). Fig 5.3 below demonstrates this nicely.

 

Fig 5.3  Time_Sheet.docx has been found before typing the completed keyword Time_Sheet

As you can see, before I could type the keyword Time_Sheet completely SEARCH found my time_sheet.docx file by the time I had typed ti. This fast searching is possible because of the way Windows Vista indexes each file when it is added to or created on your computer.

One thing you may have noticed is that it appears that some files have nothing to do with Time_Sheet, such as the Newsagent_Postcard.pdf file for example, and you would be forgiven for thinking this. However. When you realise that Windows Vista indexes not just a file's name but also keywords within that file you can then reason why a file such as Newsagent_Postcard.pdf is listed. In this case, Newsagent_Postcard.pdf contains the words No Time Wasters. Remember. The keywords I am using here are Time and Sheet. As these are common words that could be associated with many files it is sometimes best to use an underscore in a file's name to distinguish it from similarly named files. In Fig 5.4 below I typed Time_Sh in order to get the exact file Time_Sheet.docx. If I wanted to be absolute I could of typed Time_Sheet or Time_Sheet.docx into the SEARCH edit box.

 

Fig 5.4  Click on a file to open it or Hover over a file to view its Date Modified details

When the file you want has been listed the next step is to click on it to open (execute/launch) it. In this case clicking on Time_Sheet.docx opens the file using the program Microsoft Word 2007.

If you have two files the same in two different locations (i.e one on the Hard Drive and one on a Flash Drive) you can always hover over each file only with the mouse pointer to get the Date Modified details of each file. For example. Hovering over Time_Sheet.docx tells me the file was last modified on 05/05/2007 at 12:35. Assuming I had another file listed called Time_Sheet.docx I could hover over that file as well to compare the Date Modified details in order to establish which file was saved last.

In this search example I have just shown you the basics of SEARCH but SEARCH is actually more powerful than this. If you click on SEARCH ALL RESULTS you will be taken to the SEARCH Window (below) which has more advanced search options available (not explained here).

Fig 5.5  The Advanced Search Window

The Shutdown area is explained in the Computer Off section, which also briefly explains the Standby, Hibernate, Shutdown and Sleep functions. Log Off/On and Switch User are explained in their relevant sections too.

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

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