Chapter 2:
INTRODUCTION TO
MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP
Part - B
What is an Operating System? 2
The Operating System is a set of computer
instructions, computer program, that controls the
allocation of computer hardware (memory, disk
devices, printers, CD and DVD drives) and provides
the capability for you to communicate with the
computer.
Microsoft Windows XP is one of the most popular
and widely used operating system.
Graphical User Interface
3
Graphical User Interface (GUI) – (pronounced gooey) is a user interface that
displays graphics in addition to text when it communicates with the computer.
Allows you to interact with the software using graphics
and icons
Controls how you enter data and how the screen
displays information
User-interface – is the combination of hardware and software that you use
to communicate with and control the computer
User-friendly – means that the software can be used easily by individuals
with limited training.
Terms
4
Welcome Screen – Shows the name of every
computer user on the computer.
Logging On to the Computer
5
Logging on - process that makes the
computer available for use by opening your
user account.
Turn
on the computer and wait for the
Welcome screen
Type your student ID number in the user id
text box.
Type in the password Box your passward
Desktop
6
Recycle Bin - is used temporarily to hold items deleted from
the desktop and hard drive ONLY.
Taskbar – at the bottom of the screen and contains the Start
the taskbar button area, the notification area, Show
hidden icons button and the notification icon.
Desktop
7
Each item on the desktop, and the desktop itself, is
considered an object.
Windows XP desktop is supposed to look like a work area
— an electronic version of the top of a desk, where users
can place objects, move them around, examine them, and
then put them away.
Taskbar
Start button – Allows you to start 8
programs quickly, find open
documents, change the computer
settings, obtain Help, shut down
the computer, etc.
taskbar button area – contains
buttons that indicates which
windows are open on the desktop.
notification area – contains the
show hidden icons button,
notification icons and the current
time.
Show hidden icons button –
indicates that one or more inactive
icons are hidden from view in the
notification area.
notification icon – provides quick
access to programs on the
computer.
Displaying the Start Menu
9
Click the Start button
Start menu - is designed to access the
most useful items on the computer with
Pinned Items List
the greatest possible ease.
contains the default Web
browser program (Internet
Explorer) and default e-
mail program (Outlook
Express)
most frequently used
programs list programs
as they are used, up to six
items may appear in this
list.
Right arrows indicates a
submenu
Terms
10
Menu – is a list of related commands
Command - performs a specific action (searching for files,
obtaining help)
Folder – is a named location on a disk where files are
stored.
The My Computer Window
11
System menu – contains commands
that carry out actions associated with
the active window.
Menu bar – horizontal bar below the
title bar (file, edit, view, favorites,
tools, and help)
Standard buttons toolbar – allows
you to perform often-used task more
quickly than using the menu bar.
Back, Forward, Up, Search , Folders,
and Views)
Text Labels – identifies the function
of the button (Back, Search, and
Folders)
The My Computer Window
12
Address bar – allows you to start an
application, display a document, open
another window, and search for
information on the internet.
To Minimize and Redisplay a Window
13
Minimize button – the
active window is no longer
displayed on the desktop
and is moved to the
taskbar as a non-recessed
medium blue button
Close button – closes the
window and removes the
taskbar button from the
taskbar
Maximize button –
maximizes the window so
that it fills the screen
making it easier to see the
contents of the window.
Windows Explorer
14
Windows Explorer – is an application program included
with Windows XP and allows you to view the contents of
computer, the hierarchy of drives and folder on the
computer, and the files and folders in each folder.
Windows Explorer
15
Status Bar – appears at the
bottom of the windows and
contain information about
the documents, folders, and
programs in a window
Folder Pane (Folder Bar)
– displays the hierarchical
structure of folders and
drives on the computer.
Title Bar – at the top of the
active window and contains
a small icon much like the
icon on the desktop and the
window title.
Window title – identifies
the window.
Expanding Folders
16
Hierarchical Format – an organized series of folders and
files on the computer.
Point to the plus sign in the small box to the left of the
Disk (R:) icon in the Folders pane
Click the plus sign
Plus Sign
indicates that the
drive or folder
represented by the
icon has more
folders within it
but do not appear
in the folder pane.
Closing Expanded Folders
17
Minus Sign – indicates that the drive, folder, or category
represented by the icon next to it contains additional
folders or drives and appear below the icon.
Click the minus sign to the left
File Management in Windows Explorer
18
File Management – includes copying, moving, renaming, and
deleting files and folders on the computer.
Source Drive and Source Folder – contains the files to be copied
Destination Drive and Destination Folder – are the drives and
folder to which the files are copied.
Rename – You can rename a file or folder by right-clicking it and then
clicking rename. You may need to rename a file or folder so that you
can distinguish it from another file or folder that was copied, or you
may just need a better name for the file or folder.
Move Here – on the shortcut menu of the right-drag command. Files
are placed in the destination drive or destination folder and are
permanently removed from the current location.
Copy Here - on the shortcut menu of the right-drag command. Files
are copied to the destination drive or destination folder and remain in
the current location
Naming a Folder
19
A folder name can contain up to 255 characters, including spaces.
Upper case and lower case characters is valid.
Folders and Files cannot include:
Backslash (/)
• Less Than Symbol (<)
Slash (\) • Greater Than Symbol (>)
Colon (:) • CON
Asterisk (*) • AUX
• COM 1, COM 2, COM 3, COM 4
Vertical bar (|)
•LPT 1, LPT 2, LPT 3
Question Mark (?)
•PRN
Quotation Mark (“) •NUL
Creating a Folder on a Drive
20
Click the Student Drive
(R:) icon in the Folders
pane of My Computer,
right-click an open area of
the right pane to display
a shortcut menu, point to
New on the shortcut
menu, and then point to
Folder on the New
submenu
Click Folder on the New
submenu, type PCAPPS in
the icon title text box,
and then press the ENTER
key
Finding Files or Folders
21
Search Companion – allows you
to search for file and folders by
name, type, size, date last
modified, or containing specific
text.
Terms
22
Tooltip – is a short onscreen note associated with the
object to which you are pointing. (5 seconds). Hold the
mouse over the button without clicking
Text Box – is a rectangular area in which you can enter
text.
Control Panel – allows you to create a new user, change
(user icon, user name, passwords, and account type) or
remove an existing user, and change your information.
Shared Documents Folder – contains documents and
folders that are available (shared) to other computer users
on the network.
Drive Icon – represents a hard disk drive (C) , 3½ floppy
disk drive (A), compact disk drive (D), network drives (R, P)
and removable drives if plugged in (E, F).
Terms
23
My Documents – is a central location for the storage and
management of documents
File and Folder Task area – is located in the My
Documents window and contains three tasks.
Make a new folder
Publish this folder to the Web
Share this folder
Collapsing an Area
24
Point and click the double up arrow
Deleting a Desktop Icon 25
by Right-Dragging
Right dragging - means
point to the item, press the
right mouse button, move the
item and release the mouse
button.
Move Here - on the shortcut
menu will move an icon from
its current location to the new
location.
Cancel Command – will reset
(terminate) anything you have
done during the right drag
operation
Logging Off from the Computer Link
26
Click the Start button on
the taskbar and then point
to Log Off on the Start
menu
Click Log Off
Point to the Log Off button
in the Log Off Windows
dialog box
Click the Log Off button
Turn off the computer link
on the Welcome Screen is
used to turn off the
computer.
THANK YOU!
ANY QUESTION?
