LESSON TWO - INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS XP

2.1 - Logging on to Windows

Steps for Logging On

1. Turn On your main switch (SIEA)
2. Turn on your UPS power button. (Note it is important your must wait until you get yellow light stops blinking)
3. Turn on the Systems Unit
4. Turn on your Monitor.
5. Now you can log on. Your tutor will give your account, Username and Password.
6. After type your password click OK or the white arrow pointing right when use the mouse or Enter button on the keyboard.

2.2 - Examining the desktop screen

When your computer has Windows XP operating system fully loaded, you will see your first page called desktop. Area on your screen where you organize your computer program or a document or a set of files (see figure 2.2 below).

Examining the desktop and take note of the following

• Note the small pictures, are called icons. Icons represent a program or a document or a set of files
• Note the My Computer icon. This icon represents a program, which you use to organize the files on your computer.
• Note the Recycle bin icon. This icon represents a temporary storage area for files that are deleted. You can use it to retrieve files deleted in error.
• Note the My Document icon. This represents a folder that stores available files and programs.
• Below the desktop, note the task bar. This shows you what programs that are running.

2.3 - Starting with the start menu

When you click the start button, you see a menu that contains every programme you need to begin using Windows. Depending on your computer, Windows version and the options you have chosen, you may see additional items in your menu.

Now we want to start a program, it is easier to use the mouse, some programs are located on the desktop however to view all program installed on the computer follow the steps given below;

1. Locate the mouse pointer on the screen, position it over the Start button on the task bar and then click.
2. Point to All Programs. An arrow next to a menu item indicates a cascading menu,
3. Point to Accessories. This menu contains several programs that are commonly used. Say you want to start the note pad program.
4. Click on the note pad. The program should load and you will see a blank document appear. Note pad is a simple word processor, which comes with Windows XP. Notice that a new button for the program appears on the task bar.

Task Bar

Every time you start a program or open a Window, a button representing that Window appears on the task bar (see figure below). You can also have several application programs running at the same time. When you close a Window, its button disappears from the task bar.

2.4 - Closing or exiting a program

There are three (3) ways we can close or exiting a program.

1. If you look at the top right hand corner of the note pad Window, you see three small buttons. The button marked X is to close the programme.
2. Point to the file on the menu bar left clicks. Select Exit for windows and Close for folders.
3. Right-click on the indicator button on the task bar and select close command from the short cut menu.

2.5 - Resizing and Moving a Window

Resizing and Moving window to a different place on the screen can make it easier to see more than one window at a time or see something the window is covering up or enable you to copy and moving files easily.

To resize your window first of all restore it smaller size. . Position your mouse pointer at any edge of your window. The mouse pointer should change in to a double- headed arrow. When the mouse pointer is in this shape, click and drag the edge of the window outwards to expand its size or drag it inwards to decrease the size of the window.

To move the window, point on its title bar and drag it to a new location you want.

On the top right hand corner of the window, you see three (3) buttons that appear in all application windows.

1. Close – is used for closing programs/windows.
2. Maximize – When window is maximized, it occupies the maximum possible space of the monitor, when it is resized or in a smaller size.
3. Minimize – when a window is minimized, it is cleared and hidden from the screen but it is not closed. Its button on the task bar usually indicates a window that is hidden.

2.6 - Switching Between Windows

Now we want to open two programs so that we can see how we can switch between them.

1. Click the start button, go to All programs, go across to Accessories then go across and click paint. This is a program that allows you to create drawings and paintings.
2. Click Start again, All Programs, Accessories, and click on Notepad. This opens another text processor program where you create or view text files.
3. Resize the windows so that you can view both of them on the screen.
4. To switch between the two programs, you can just simply click on the window you want to use.

Note: when a window is activated, its title bar turns dark blue in color. Window that is not activated, its title will turn gray in color.

1. Now maximize both your windows.
2. To switch between them, you click on the button on the task bar, of the window you want to switch to.

Another way is to minimize one window so that you can view the other, and maximize it again switch to it.

2.7 - Shutting down/Turn off Computer

You need to shut down Windows before you turn off or restart your computer. That way you can be sure your work is saved to your disk or avoid damaging files. Don’t just directly turning off the power switch of your computer.

To quit windows and shut down your computer

1. Click the start button, and then click Shut Down/Turn off.
2. Now select the shut down option and click OK to shut down. If you forget to save changes to your files, windows will prompt to save those changes.

If you still don’t want to shut down click cancel. If you want to find more information about those three options in the dialog box, select each option and click the Help button.

Computers with windows XP, you don’t need to turn the power off the system unit. It will turn off automatically once it finishes shutting down. Only the monitor you have to turn it off.