AMID-UNIVERSAL COMPUTER INSTITUTE

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MICROSOFT WINDOWS

First Edition

FOR BIGINNERS

COMPILED BY : AMID MANSARAY

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 Introduction

An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware. An

operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory

management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices

such as disk drives and printers.

An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the
computer's memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. It also allows you
to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's
language. Without an operating system, a computer is useless.

The computer's operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the
computer. Most of the time, there are several different computer programs running at the same
time, and they all need to access your computer's central processing unit (CPU), memory
and storage. The operating system coordinates all of this to make sure each program gets what it
needs.

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Operating systems usually come pre-loaded on any computer you buy. Most people use the
operating system that comes with their computer, but it's possible to upgrade or even change
operating systems. The three most common operating systems for personal computers
are Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Modern operating systems use a graphical user interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey). A GUI
lets you use your mouse to click icons, buttons, and menus, and everything is clearly displayed
on the screen using a combination of graphics and text.

All computers and computer like devices have operating systems, including your laptop, tablet,
desktop, smartphone, smart watch, router etc. Windows is operating system from Microsoft Inc.
It is a system program that controls, coordinates and manipulates overall desktop publishing
operations. It serves as an interface between the hardware and other software on the computer
system. It allocates memory locations to data and other computer programs. It controls other
computer resources like files and programs, input/output devices, computer memories etc.,
during data processing operations. It also performs the hardware and software diagnosis to detect
faults and errors. Following are some of the important functions of an operating System.

 Memory Management
 Processor Management
 Device Management
 File Management
 Security
 Control over system performance
 Job accounting
 Error detecting aids
 Coordination between other software and users

Applications of Operating System

Following are the major applications of an operating system −
 An operating system is accountable for the formation and deletion of files and
directories.
 An operating system manages the process of deletion, suspension, resumption, and
synchronization.
 An operating system manages memory space by allocation and de-allocation.

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  An operating system stores, organizes, and names and protects the existing files.
 Further, an operating system manages all the components and devices of the computers
system including modems, printers, plotters, etc.
 In case, if any device fails, the operating system detects and notify.
 An operating system protects from destruction as well as from unauthorized use.
 An operating system facilitates the interface to user and hardware.

Types of Operating System

Following are the major types of operating systems −

 Disk Operating System (DOS)

 Windows Operating System

 Unix Operating System

 Macintosh Operating System (MacOS)

MS-DOS Operating System

Short for Microsoft Disk Operating System, MS-DOS is one of the oldest and widely used
operating system. DOS is a set of computer programs, the major functions of which are file
management, allocation of system resources, providing essential features to control hardware
devices.

MS-DOS is a non-graphical command line operating system derived from 86-DOS that was
created for IBM compatible computers. MS-DOS originally written by Tim Paterson and
introduced by Microsoft in August 1981 and was last updated in 1994 when MS-DOS 6.22 was
released. MS-DOS allows the user to navigate, open, and otherwise manipulate files on their
computer from a command line instead of a GUI like Windows. DOS commands can be typed
in either upper case or lower case.

Today, MS-DOS is no longer used; however, the command shell, more commonly known as
the Windows command line is still used by many users. The bottom image is an example of a
Windows command line window running in Microsoft Windows 10. Most computer users are
only familiar with how to navigate Microsoft Windows using the mouse. Unlike Windows, MS-
DOS is navigated by using MS-DOS commands. For example, if you wanted to see all the files

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in a folder in Windows you would double-click the folder to open the folder in Windows
Explorer. In MS-DOS, you would navigate to the folder using the cd command and then list the
files in that folder using the dir command.

Features of DOS
Following are the significant features of DOS −

 It is a single user system.

 It controls program.

 It is machine independence.

 It manages (computer) files.

 It manages input and output system.

 It manages (computer) memory.

 It provides command processing facilities.

 It operates with Assembler.

Types of DOS Commands

Following are the major types of DOS Command −

 Internal Commands − Commands such as DEL, COPY, TYPE, etc. are the internal
commands that remain stored in computer memory.
 External Commands − Commands like FORMAT, DISKCOPY, etc. are the external
commands and remain stored on the disk.

Windows command prompt window

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Microsoft Windows
Windows operating system is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows you to visually
interact with your computer’s functions in a logical, fun, and easy way. Microsoft Windows
operating system is an extension of the disk operating system. It is the most popular and simplest
operating system; it can be used by any person who can read and understand Basic English, as it
does not require any complex training. However, the Windows Operating System requires DOS
to run the various application programs initially. Because of this reason, DOS should be installed
into the memory and then window can be executed.

Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. There have been many
different versions of Windows, but the most recent ones are Windows 10 (released in
2015), Windows 8 (2012), Windows 7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007). Windows comes pre-
loaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world.

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Elements of Windows OS
Following are the significant element of Windows Operating System (WOS) −

 Graphical User Interface

 Icons (pictures, documents, application, program icons, etc.)

 Taskbar

 Start button

 Windows explorer

 Mouse button

 Hardware compatibility

 Software compatibility

 Help, etc.

Versions of Windows Operating System

Windows provides a graphical user interface (GUI), and support many peripheral devices. In
addition to windows operating system for personal computers, Microsoft also offers operating
system for servers and personal computers.

i. Windows 1.0- 2.0 (1985-1992). Windows 1.0 allowed users to point and click to access
the windows. Window 2.0 added icons, keyboard shortcuts and improved graphics.
st
ii. Windows 3.0-3.1 (1990-1994). Support better icons and program manager (1 version of
“look and feel” screen of Microsoft windows).
iii. Windows 95 (August 1995). It runs faster and has ability to automatically delete and
configure installed hardware (plug and play).

iv. Windows 98 (June 1998). It offers supports for new technology FAT32, AGP, MMX,
USB, DVD. It is an active desktop which integrates the web browser (internet Explorer).

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 v. Windows ME- Millennium Edition (September 2000). Booting is in Dos option.
Windows NT 3.1-4.0 (1993-1996). It supports pre-emptive multi-tasking. They are
Windows NT and Windows NT SERVER.
vi. Windows 2000 or W2k. (February 2000). It is an operating system for business desktop
and laptop systems to run software applications.
vii. Windows XP (October 2001). It has a better look and feel. There are two versions Home
and professional.
viii. Windows Vista (November 2006). It offered an advancement in reliability, security and
ease of deployment.
ix. Windows 7 (October 2009). Improved performance and start-up-time and windows
media centre.
x. Windows 8 (August 2012). It was developed with touch screen use in mind. Better
startup. Start screen replaced look and feel screen made up of “live Tiles”
xi. Windows 10 (2015). Fast start-up, Microsoft edge, Microsoft new browser.
xii. Window server (2003). Designed for corporate networking, internet/intranet, hosting,
data bases and similar functions.
xiii. Windows Home Server (January 2007). This is a “consumer Server” designed to use with
multiple computers connected in the home.

Aside from Windows operating system designed for personal computers (PCs) and laptops,
Microsoft has also developed operating system for services, handheld devices and mobile
phones.

i. Window CE (November 2006): it is designed for small devices such as PDAs for
handheld computing devices.
ii. Windows mobile (April 2000) designed for smart phones and mobile devices.
iii. Windows phone 7-10 (November 2010) or win phone 7 designed for smart phones and
mobile devices but targeted more to the consumer market than enterprises market.

Major Features of Windows Operating System.

The following are the attributes and characteristics of the Windows OS:

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Interactive Package: It ensures a flow of communication between the user and the computer.
Hence, it serves as an intermediary between the two parties.

Menu Driven Package: MS-Windows ensure flexibility in that the user can perform several
functions or task without remembering the commands, simply by the click of an option of a
menu or sub-menu.

Program Manager: MS-Window serves as a manager to other programs since it controls, co-
ordinates and manipulates their processing.

Multi-tasking Package: With windows operations, a user can make use of two or more package
while shifting from one package to another e.g. A user can be working in MS-excel, and at the
same time involve in PageMaker etc.

Appearance of Windows Screen: The appearance of Windows screen depends on how the
computer is being set-up. A windows screen always contains various items or ICONS depending
on the windows version. Hence, an authentic windows screen consists of the following: major
icons and other additional icons.

My computer Icon: This is a container for disk drives. My computer icon displays windows
with Icons representing object in the computer system.

Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer (IE) is a World Wide Web (WWW) browser that comes
bundled with the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS). The browser was deprecated in
Windows 10 in favour of Microsoft's new Edge Browser. It remains a part of the operating
system even though it is no longer the default browser. This is a shortcut for launching the
internet explorer program, which is web browser. A web browser is a software program for
navigating, WWW (World Wide Web).

Network Neighbourhood: Network neighbourhood icon serves as container for network

resources of another computer. it might include items such as disk drive, printer and CD-ROMS.

Network: A network is a collection of several computers connected together with the aim of
sharing the same resources and component e.g. printer.

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Recycle Bin: This is a computer object for files that are no longer needed in the computer or, this
is a temporary storage location where all deleted files are kept. When you delete
a file or folder in Windows, it is placed in the Recycle Bin. Items are temporarily stored in the
Recycle Bin before they are permanently deleted by the user. The user can retrieve such files if
deleted by error. The Recycle Bin is located on the Windows desktop. When it is empty,
the icon is an empty recycle bin. If it contains one or more items, the icon changes to a recycle
bin with papers in it. You can move items to the Recycle Bin by either dragging them to the
Recycle Bin icon or by selecting the items and pressing the delete key. You may also right-
click an item and select "delete" from the pop-up menu.

Windows Screens: The windows’ screen consists of several icons arranged according to the
computer set up by the user.

Icons: Icons are the little pictures such as folder, files, disk-drive etc., which you double click on
the windows screen to access a program or sub folder. Icon is an image or picture representing a
particular function on the window’s screen. It is like a command or instruction to perform a
particular task. Some of the icons noticed on the windows screen include my computer, network
neighbourhoods, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer, Start button etc. To access an icon, double click
on such, and window responds by displaying the operation under the icon. Icons are only
signposts, if you delete an icon, the program or folder is not deleted. Similarly, if you destroy the
signpost pointing to your town or village, the town/village is not destroyed.

Accessing Windows: when a computer system is switch on, the memory tent is performed until
the window screen appears automatically. Window screen is divided into two parts; the upper
layer which contains several icons and the lower layer called the status /bar which contains the
start button, task bar and time.

Status Bar: This is the lower part of the windows. It consists of the start button, task bar and
time.

For the purpose of this book, much emphasis is made on the Windows operating system with in-
depth overview of the three most popular versions of windows: Windows 7, Windows 8, and
Windows 10.

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Windows 7
Windows 7 is the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS) released to manufacturing on July
2009 and commercially in October 2009 as a part of the Windows NT family of operating
systems. It is the successor to Windows Vista as well as the predecessor to Windows 8.

The first screen that appear after you turn on the power of computer is a desktop

If it is a shared PC; more than one user use it or one user with password protected, you will
arrive at Welcome Screen.

Or

Windows 7 Editions
Windows 7 has six editions available; they are Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic,
Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7
Ultimate.

Windows 7 Starter is a version of Windows 7 with minimal functionality. It only works for 32-
bit versions, excluding Windows Aero themes. And its desktop wallpaper and visual style

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(Windows 7 Basic) are not user-changeable. Meanwhile, RAM over 2GB is not supported. This
version can be pre-installed on computers, especially netbooks or Windows tablets, through
system integrators or computer manufacturers using OEM licenses.

Windows 7 Home Basic provides a 64-bit version and supports up to 8GB of RAM.

Windows 7 Home Premium has 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Windows 7 Professional is for fans, small business users and schools. It contains all the
functions of Windows 7 Home Premium and adds the function that participating in the Windows
Server domain. It also has 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Windows 7 Enterprise is targeted at the enterprise segment of the market and is sold to
companies that sign Software Assurance contracts with Microsoft through batch licensing.

Windows 7 Ultimate includes the same functionality as Windows 7 Enterprise, but unlike
Windows 7 Enterprise edition, home users can use it on a personal license basis.

As of Jan uary 2015, Microsoft officially ended mainstream support for all Windows 7 versions
(new features and bug fixes), but extended support (security updates) continued until January
2020. Although Windows 7 is no longer produced or sold by Microsoft, you can find copies
floating around on Amazon.com or eBay if you need one.

Windows 7 Minimum Configuration Requirements

Windows 7 requires at least the following:

1 GHz or higher-level CPU

1 GB RAM (32 bits) or 2 GB RAM (64 bits)

16GB available hard disk free space (32 bits) or 20GB available hard disk free space (64 bits)

Features of Windows 7 - As a successor to Windows Vista, Windows 7 has made a

major breakthrough in terms of ease of use. The design of Windows 7 focuses on five key points:
the unique design of notebook computers; the design based on application services; the
individuation of users; the optimization of audio-visual entertainment; and the new engine of

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user usability. Windows 7 simplifies many designs, such as fast maximization, half-screen
display of windows, Jump List, rapid system failure repair, etc. These new features make
Windows 7 easier to use.

Simple - Windows 7 makes it easier to search and use information, including local, network
and Internet search functions. The intuitive user experience will be more advanced. It also
integrates automated application submission and cross-program data transparency.

Efficiency - In Windows 7, the search function of system integration is very powerful. As

long as the user opens the start menu and starts to input the search contents, the search function
can run automatically regardless of the application, text documents, etc., which brings great
convenience to the user's operation.

Gadget - Windows 7 gadgets don't have sidebars like Windows Vista, and they are placed on
the desktop alone, which is convenient and easy to use. However, in September 2012, Microsoft
stopped technical support for downloading Windows 7 gadgets because of serious vulnerabilities
in Windows 7 and Windows Vista sidebar platforms. Microsoft has disabled this feature in
Windows 8 and subsequent versions. Hackers can always use these gadgets to damage your
computer, access your computer files, display disgusting content or change the behaviour of the
gadget. Hackers may even take over your computer entirely with a gadget.

Efficient search box - The search box of Windows Explorer of Windows 7 is on the right
side of the menu bar, which can adjust the width flexible. It can quickly search documents,
pictures, programs, etc. in Windows. The search of the Windows 7 system is dynamic. When you
enter the first word in the search box, the search of Windows 7 has already started, which greatly
improves the search efficiency.

The Desktop - The Desktop is the main Windows 7 screen (see image below). It is the work
area where dialog boxes, windows, icons, and menus appear. Like an office desk, the Windows 7
desktop contains items you can use to do your job. For instance, from your desktop, you can
perform file-management tasks and run software applications. You can customize the appearance
of the desktop to suit your preferences.

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Desktop Icons - The Desktop is where you will find icons (small pictures) for many of your
most frequently used programs. You will most likely see icons for Computer, Documents,
Recycle Bin, and Internet Explorer.

My computer or this PC Icon – allows you to see what drives are attached to your
computer (for example, your local hard disk drive, your CD/DVD drives, any networked shared
drives, and external drives, such as a USB flash drive). You can also view the files that are
located on these drives.

Document Icon – it Supplies a ‘catch-all’ place for your personal files. Within here you can
see your files, any shared files from other computer users and any music or pictures you may
have stored. The Documents folder will sometimes be identified by your name instead of the
word “Documents.”

Recycle Bin – this icon stores any files you delete until you empty its content.
Internet Explorer - Contains Windows’ built in web browser that integrates with other
Windows components (such as your folders and Documents).

The Desktop Components

The desktop for Windows 7 consists of two main components
i. Desktop that contains many components like icons "file, folder, shortcut.
Etc…)
ii. Task Bars

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Desktop Components

Icons: An icon is a graphic image, a small picture or object that represents a file, program, web
page, or command. Icons help you execute commands, open programs or documents quickly. To
execute a command by using an icon, click or double-click on the icon. It is also useful to
recognize quickly an object in a browser list. For example, all documents using the same
extension have the same icon. We can classify icons as the following:

• Shortcut Icons
• Folder Icons • File Icons

What is the difference between a File, a Folder, and a Shortcut?

All the data on your hard drive consists of files and folders. The basic difference between the two
is that files store data, while folders store files and other folders. The folders, often referred to as
directories, are used to organize files on your computer. The folders themselves take up virtually
no space on the hard drive. Files, on the other hand, are a collection of data stored in one unit,
identified by a filename. And filename period file extension can range from a few bytes to
several gigabytes. They can be documents, programs, libraries, and other compilations of data.
File name consists of two parts - name and extension.

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 A shortcut is a link that points to a program on the computer. Shortcuts allow users to create
links to their programs in any folder, Start bar, Taskbar, Desktop or other locations on their
computer. A shortcut in Windows is commonly identified by a small arrow in the
bottom corner of the icon.

Special Icons on the desktop

Recycle bin:
The Recycle Bin is a location (Folder) where deleted files are temporarily
stored on Microsoft Windows. The Recycling Bin allows users to recover files that
have been deleted in Windows.

My Computer/this PC
My Computer or this PC allows the user to explore the contents of their computer
drives as well as manage their computer files. Once My Computer is open you will
see all available drives on your computer. For most users, you'll only be concerned
with the Local Disc (C:) drive, which is the hard drive and what stores all your
files.

Icon Operations
 Arrange Icons On the Desktop
To change the arrangement of icons on the desktop do the following
1 - Right Click the desktop
2- Click Sort by

3- Select one of the 4 options to

arrange icons from sub-menu

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  View/Hide Icons
i. Right Click the desktop
ii. Click View
iii. Check to see if Auto Arrange
has a check mark
iv. If it does uncheck it

 Change Icon size

i. Right Click the desktop
ii. Click View
iii. Show the required size

 Auto Arrange Icon

i. Right Click the desktop
ii. Click View
iii. Check to see if Auto Arrange
has a check mark
iv. If it does uncheck it

 Start Menu Parts

The Start menu for Windows 7 consists of many Parts, to show use
the Start menu to do these common activities:

i. Start programs
ii. Open commonly used folders
iii. Search for files, folders, and programs
iv. Adjust computer settings
v. Get help with the Windows operating system
vi. Turn off the computer
vii. Log off from Windows or switch to a different user account

Shutting Down the Computer System

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At the bottom of the right pane is the Shutdown button. Click the Shutdown button to turn off
your computer. Clicking the arrow next to the Shutdown button displays a menu with additional
options for switching users, logging off, restarting, or shutting down.

Switch user: If you have more than one user account on your computer, Fast User Switching is
an easy way for another person to log on to the computer without logging you off or closing your
programs and files.

Log off: When you log off from Windows, all of the programs you were using are closed, but the
computer is not turned off.

Lock: Locking your PC is a good option if you will be back soon. You will have to enter your
password when you come back, which helps keep your work more secure.

Restart: The Restart button "reboots" your computer (it is sometimes called a "warm boot" or
"soft boot.") That means it saves your information to the hard drive, turns off the computer for a
moment, and then turns it back on again.

Sleep: Clicking on Sleep puts your computer in a low-power state, but doesn't turn it off. The
main advantage is that it allows you to get back to work quickly, without having to wait for the
computer to do a full reboot.

Working with Windows

Whenever you open a program, file, or folder, it appears on your screen in a box or frame called
a window (that's where the Windows operating system gets its name). Because windows are
everywhere in Windows, it's important to understand how to move them, change their size, or
just make them go away.

Parts of windows
Although the contents of every window are different, all windows share some things in common.
For one thing, windows always appear on the desktop - the main work area of your screen. In
addition, most windows have the same basic parts.

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Menu bar – Contains items that you can click to make choices in a program.

Title bar – it displays the name of the document and program (or the folder name if you're
working in a folder).

Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons – These buttons hide the window, enlarge it to fill the
whole screen, and close it, respectively (more details on these shortly).

Scroll bar – it let you scroll the contents of the window to see information that is currently out
of view.

Borders and Corners - You can drag these with your mouse pointer to change the size of the
window.

Moving a window
To move a window, point to its title bar with the mouse pointer . Then drag the window to
the location that you want. (Dragging means pointing to an item, holding down the left mouse
button, moving the item with the pointer, and then releasing the mouse button.)
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Changing the size of a window

 To make a window fill the entire screen, click its Maximize button or double-
click the window's title bar.
 To return a maximized window to its former size, click its Restore button of
the Maximize button). Or, double-click the window's title bar.
 To resize a window (make it smaller or bigger), point to any of the window's
borders or corners. When the mouse pointer changes to a two headed arrow
(see picture below), drag the border or corner to shrink or enlarge the
window.
 A window that is maximized cannot be resized. You must restore it to its
previous size first.

( this appears in place

Hiding a window
 Hiding a window is called minimizing it. If you want to get a window out of the way
temporarily without closing it, minimize it.
 To minimize a window, click its Minimize button. The window disappears from the
desktop and is visible only as a button on the taskbar, the long horizontal bar at the
bottom of your screen.
 To make a minimized window appear again on the desktop, click its taskbar button. The
window appears exactly as it did before you minimized it.

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Closing a window
 Closing a window removes it from the desktop and taskbar. If you're done with a
program or document and don't need to return to it right away, close it.
 To close a window, click its Close button
 If you close a document without saving any changes you made, a message appears that
gives you the option to save your changes.

Switching between Windows

If you open more than one program or document, your desktop can quickly become cluttered
with windows. Keeping track of which windows you have open isn’t always easy, because some
windows might partially or completely cover others.

Using the Taskbar.

The taskbar provides a way to organize all of your windows. Each window has a
corresponding button on the taskbar. To switch to another window, just click its
taskbar button. The window appears in front of all other windows, becoming the
active window—the one you're currently working in. To easily identify a
window, point to its taskbar button. When you point to a taskbar button, you
will see a thumbnail-sized preview of the window, whether the content of the
window is a document, a photo, or even a running video. This preview is especially
useful if you cannot identify a window by its title alone.

 Using Alt +Tab – you can switch to the previous window by

pressing Alt+Tab, or cycle through all open windows and the
desktop by holding down Alt and repeatedly pressing Tab. Release
Alt to show the selected window.
 Using Aero Flip 3D – Aero Flip 3D arranges your windows in a three
dimensional stack that you can quickly flip through. To use Flip 3D:
 Hold down the Windows logo key & press Tab to open Flip 3D.

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Dialog boxes
A dialog box is a special type of window that asks you a question, allows
you to select options to perform a task, or provides you with information.
You will often see dialog boxes when a program or Windows needs a
response from you before it can continue. Unlike regular windows, most
dialog boxes can't be maximized, minimized, or resized. They can, however, be
moved.

Understanding the parts of a window

When you open a folder or library, you see it in a window. The various parts of this window are
designed to help you navigate around Windows or work with files, folders, and libraries more
easily. Here's a typical window and each of its parts:

Windows Parts and their Functions

Navigation Pane – use the navigation pane to access libraries, folders, saved searches, and
even entire hard disks. Use the Favorites section to open your most commonly used folders and

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searches; use the Libraries section to access your libraries. You can also expand Computer to
browse folders and subfolders.

Back and Forward buttons - use the Back button and the Forward button to
navigate to other folders or libraries you have already opened without closing the current
window. These buttons work together with the address bar; after you use the address bar to
change folders.

Toolbar – use the toolbar to perform common tasks, such as changing the appearance of your
files and folders, burning files to a CD, or starting a digital picture slide show. The toolbar's
buttons change to show only the tasks that are relevant.

Address Bar – use the address bar to navigate to a different folder or library or to go back to a
previous one.

Library Pane – The library pane appears only when you are in a library (such as the
Documents library). Use the library pane to customize the library or to arrange the files by
different properties.

Column Headings – use the column headings to change how the files in the file list are
organized. For example, you can click the left side of a column heading to change the order the
files and folders are displayed in, or you can click the right side to filter the files in different
ways. (Note that column headings are available only in Details view.

File List – This is where the contents of the current folder or library are displayed. If you type
in the search box to find a file, only the files that match your current view (including files in
subfolders) will appear.

Search Box – type a word or phrase in the search box to look for an item in the current folder
or library. The search begins as soon as you begin typing. So if you type "B," for example, all the
files with names starting with the letter B will appear in the file list.

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Details Pane – use the details pane to see the most common properties associated with the
selected file. File properties are information about a file, such as the author, the date you last
changed the file, and any descriptive tags you might have added to the file.

Preview Pane – use the preview pane to see the contents of most files. If you select an e-mail
message, text file, or picture, for example, you can see its contents without opening it in a

program. If you don't see the preview pane, click the Preview pane button in the toolbar to
turn it on.

Viewing and Arranging Files and Folders

When you open a folder or library, you can change how the files
look in the window. For example, you might prefer larger (or
smaller) icons or a view that lets you see different kinds of
information about each file. To make these kinds of changes, use

the Views button in the toolbar.

Each time you click the left side of the Views button, it changes the way your files and folders
are displayed by cycling through five different views: Large Icons, List, a view called Details
that shows several columns of information about the file, a smaller icon view called Tiles, and a
view called Content that shows some of the content from within the file. If you click the arrow
on the right side of the Views button, you have more choices. Move the slider up or down to fine
tune the size of the file and folder icons. You can see the icons change size as you move the
slider.

Working with File and Folder

1. Selecting

• Single object - to select a single object, click on it once.

•Multiple Object - There are several ways to select multiple files or folders:

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  To select a consecutive group of files or folders, click the first item, press and hold down
the Shift key, and then click the last item.
 To select multiple files or folders that are near each other, drag the mouse pointer to
create a selection around the outside of all the items that you want to include.
 To select non-consecutive files or folders, press and hold down the Ctrl key, and then
click each item that you want to select.
 To select all of the files or folders in a window, on the toolbar, click Organize, and then
click Select all. If you want to exclude one or more items from your selection, press and
hold down the Ctrl key, and then click the items.

Note: – after selecting files or folders, you can perform many common tasks, such as copying,
deleting, renaming, printing, and compressing. Simply right-click the selected items, and then
click the appropriate choice from the drop-down menu.

2. Rename:
 Click the file or folder to select it
 Click the organize button on the toolbar, and then click Rename
 With the name selected highlights, type a new name, or click to position the
insertion point, and then edit the name.
 Press Enter.

Notes:
 Right-click the file or folder you want to rename, click Rename, type a
name, and then press Enter.
 You can also select the file, then press F2, type a name, and then press
Enter.
 File names can be up to 255 characters. You can use spaces and
underscores in names, but you can’t use the following characters: * : <
> | ? “ \ or /. Remember the best way to keep your files organized is
with a consistent naming convention.

3. Copying
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When you copy an item, the original item remains in its original location – plus you have the
new copy

 Open the location that contains the file you want to copy.
 Right-click the file, and then click Copy.
 Open the location where you want to store the copy.
 Right-click an empty space within the location, and then click Paste. The
copy of the original file is now stored in the new location.

Notes:
 Another way to copy and paste files is to use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+C
(Copy) and Ctrl+V (Paste).
 You can also press and hold the right-mouse button and then drag the file to
the new location. When you release the mouse button, click Copy here.

4. Moving (cut)
Moving a file (or folder) is different from copying it. Moving cuts the item from its previous
location and places it in a new location. Copying leaves the original item where it was and
creates a copy of the item elsewhere. In other words, when you copy something you end up with
two of it. When you move something, you only have the one thing.

 Open the drive or folder containing the file or folder you want to move.
 Select the files or folders you want to move.
 Click the Organize button on the toolbar, and then click Cut.
 Display the destination folder where you want to move the files or folder.
 Click the Organize button on the toolbar, and then click Paste.

5. Copy or Move a File or Folder Using Drag and Drop

 Open the drive or folder containing the file or folder you want to copy or
move.
 Select the files or folders you want to copy or move.

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  In the Navigation pane, point to a folder list to display the expand and
collapse arrows.
 Click the arrows to display the destination folder, and then click the
destination folder.
 Right-click the selected files or folders, drag to the destination folder, and
then click Copy Here or Move Here.

Notes:
To move the selected items, drag them to the destination folder. To copy the items, hold down
the Ctrl key while you drag.

Another way to copy and paste files is to use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+X (Cut) and Ctrl+V
(Paste). Pay attention to pop-up messages that appear when dragging – you can use these to find
out what will happen when you release the mouse button.

6. Create a Folder
 Open the drive or folder where you want to create a folder.
 Click the New folder button on the toolbar.
 With the New Folder name selected, type a new name.
 Press Enter.

Notes:
Right-click a blank area on the desktop or in the folder window, point to New, and then click
Folder.

7. Deleting
 Select the file or folder.
 Click the Organize button and select Delete from the pull-down menu.
 After you select delete a confirmation message appears.

Notes:

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  You can also delete a file or folder by right clicking on the item and then click
delete.
 Or press Del buttons on the keyboard.
 The easiest way to delete on the desktop is by drag and drop it to recycle Bin.
 When you delete a file or folder from your hard disk, it's not deleted right
away. Instead, it is stored in the Recycle Bin until the Recycle Bin is
emptied.
 If you delete a file or folder from a network folder or from a USB
flash drive, it might be permanently deleted rather than being stored in
the Recycle Bin.
 If a file cannot be deleted, it might be in use by a program that is currently
running. Try closing the program or restarting your computer to fix the
problem.

Note: To permanently delete a file without first moving it to the Recycle Bin, select the file,
and then press Shift + Delete.

8. Permanently Delete files from the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file, it is usually moved to the Recycle Bin so that you can restore the file
later if necessary. To permanently remove files from your computer and reclaim any hard disk
space they were using, you need to delete the files from the Recycle Bin. You can delete
individual files from the Recycle Bin or empty the entire Recycle Bin at once.

Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking the Recycle Bin on the desktop and do one
of the following:
 To permanently delete one file, click it, press Delete, and then click Yes.
 To delete all of the files, on the toolbar, click Empty the Recycle Bin, and
then click Yes.

Notes:
You can empty the Recycle Bin without opening it by right-clicking on the icon and then
clicking Empty Recycle Bin. You can permanently delete a file from your computer without
sending it to the Recycle Bin by clicking the file and then pressing Shift + Delete.
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Restore Item from Recycle Bin
Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking the Recycle Bin icon on the
desktop and do one of the following:
 To restore a file, click it, and then, on the toolbar, click Restore this
item.
 To restore all of the files, make sure that no files are selected, and then, on the
toolbar, click Restore all items.
 The files will be restored to their original locations on your computer.

Note
Deleted files do not stay in the Recycle Bin indefinitely. By default, the deleted files in the
Recycle Bin can occupy 10% of your hard disk space. When you have deleted enough files to
exceed this 10%, the oldest files in the Recycle Bin are automatically and permanently deleted
from your hard disk.

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