European Computer Driving Licence Module 2 – Using the Computer and Managing Files Chapter 2.1 – The Desktop

Switching On ZMake sure that the floppy disk drive is empty ZPress the Power switch on the front of the system unit ZYou may also need to switch on the monitor ZIf working on a network, you will need to type in a user name and password (for security reasons the password will not display) ZAfter a short period, the Windows desktop will appear

The Windows Desktop Icons Taskbar Start button System Tray

Desktop Icons A directory/folder icon Double-click on one of these to open the folder and select a file A file iconDouble-click on this to open the file in the application that created it, eg Word An application icon Double-click on this to launch the application Recycle binIf you delete a file, it is stored here. You can retrieve it later if you change your mind Printer iconYou will learn more about printing later in this module

Taskbar ZThe most important part of the taskbar is the Start button – click on this to access all programs, documents and computer settings ZQuick launch toolbar shows icons for frequently used programs Z The main part of the taskbar will show which programs are currently running – each button represents a program Z In the bottom right hand corner is the System Tray – if you hover your mouse over the time, today’s date will appear! ……..……………Main taskbar area…………………. Start button Quick launch toolbar System Tray

Using the mouse ZDepending on where the mouse pointer is on screen, a different icon appears This is the general pointer and means that the computer is ready to do something The hourglass shows that the computer is busy, so you should wait until it goes back to normal When the pointer changes to a two-headed arrow you can resize a window

Mouse clicks ZLeft click - this means press the left mouse button once. Clicking once selects an item. ZDouble click - this means press the left mouse button twice quickly. Double-clicking is used to launch a program from the Desktop Z Right click – this means press the right mouse button once. This opens a pop-up menu. Left click on a menu item to perform that action. Z Drag - Click on the item, hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse – as soon as you release the mouse button, the item will move to its new position Single click – press this button once Double click – press this button twice Right click – press this button once, a pop-up menu appears

The Start Button ZUse the Start button to start an application ZMove the mouse pointer over it and click once The Start menu appears ZIf your chosen application doesn’t appear in the Start menu, click on All Programs ZMove the mouse pointer to your required application and click once The application will start!

The Parts of a Window Title bar Status Bar Menu bar Minimise, maximise & close buttons

What They All Mean Title barThis shows the name of the program. Menu barHas labels which when clicked on produce drop down menus with options to choose from Status barGives information about the current status of the program you are working in Minimise iconClicking on this makes the window disappear but a button appears on the taskbar. To restore the window, click once on the taskbar button. Maximise buttonClicking on this makes the window fill the screen. Restore buttonClick on the restore icon will restore a maximised window to its previous size Close buttonClick this once to close a window.

Moving and Resizing a Window ZTo move a window, click on the title bar and drag the window to its new position Z To resize a window, move the mouse pointer to any of the borders – a two-headed arrow will appear – drag to make the window bigger or smaller

Scroll Bars ZIf a window is too small to display the full contents, scroll bars will appear ZTo move to the top of the window, click on the up arrow ZTo move to the bottom of the window, click on the down arrow ZTo move quickly up or down, drag the scroll bar ZYou can also scroll from left to right if a window isn’t wide enough Click here to scroll up Drag the scrollbar up and down to move quickly Click here to scroll down

Working with more than one window ZIf you have two windows on screen, you can switch between them by clicking anywhere inside each window ZOr you can click on the taskbar buttons ZTo display 2 windows side by side, right click on the taskbar and select Tile Windows Horizontally or Tile Windows Vertically

Switching off your computer ZClose all open programs ZClick on the Start button ZClick on Turn Off Computer ZClick on the Turn off icon ZMost modern computers will switch themselves off automatically ZHandy Hint: Alt + F4 will also bring up the Turn Off Computer Dialogue box!

Restarting your computer ZClick on the Start button ZClick on Turn Off Computer ZIn the dialogue box that appears, click on Restart ZClick on OK ZHandy Hint: Pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete twice in quick succession will do the same job on a stand-alone PC!