Wiley Windows 7 For Seniors For Dummies
Contents
1. For a desktop computer consider using a power strip2. Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop Click Help A 2 Solitair oS Game Help View Help About Solitaire Figure 1 8 In most programs choose Help About this program to find out the name and version number of the program You may need the version number as you seek help elsewhere 4 Choose Start gt Help and Support to start the Windows 7 Help program Click blue links to see more information Type a term you want help with in the Search Help box at the top of the Help window and press the Enter key to search for that term Try this by typing taskbar or start menu for example Search the Help and Support program for what s new if you have used Windows Vista or Windows XP see Figure 1 9 25 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 Type a term you want to find more about and press Enter Windows Help 4nd Support alejes O Df WB om what s new P You re not connected to online Help which shows you our latest content Check your Internet connection and then try to connect to online Help again Tf you still see this message the online Help service might be temporarily unavailable Best 30 results for what s new m 1 What s new in Windows 7 2 What s new with the ows desktop ith the Start menu t s ney 5 What s new for computers with touchscreens 6 What s new in Windows for IT pros 7 Change what happens when you press the power button on
3. is an optional security measure If you enter a password when you create your user account that password is required each time you start the computer If someone other than you tries to start your computer he or she will have to know or guess the password to get into your files Don t put your password on a note stuck to the computer or nearby Click Next unless you need to keep someone else in the house out of your business Laptop users should always create a password however because it is easy to lose a laptop Don t make it easy for a thief to use your computer For home computers passwords may be unnecessary Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop e Use Recommended Settings After the password screen you select settings for updating and securing Windows 7 Click Use Recommended Settings e Date and Time Settings Select your time zone Check or uncheck Automatically Adjust for Daylight Saving Time as appropriate Confirm the current time Click Next e Select Your Computer s Current Location Your computer may detect an Internet connection automatically If you are at home click Home Network Otherwise click Public Network See Chapter 8 for more information about network connections After the initial setup every time you turn on the computer you may be asked to log in under the user account you created in Step 3 including a password if you created one If you are the only user o
4. three icons are for programs that aren t running Microsoft Internet Explorer Windows Explorer 22 Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop Media Player the fourth icon is for Solitaire which you started in the preceding task The mouse hovers over Solitaire to display the thumbnail or the program name Taskbar EEE Ecs Thumbnail Notification area Figure 1 7 Use the taskbar as another way to run programs in addition to the Start menu You can use the taskbar to switch between programs by clicking the icon for the program you want to use 2 Hover the mouse pointer over icons in the taskbar For programs that are running you may see a preview or thumbnail small picture of that program refer to Figure 1 7 in part on your edition of Windows 7 The Starter edition for example does not show thumbnails in the taskbar This function also depends on your computer s graphics hardware so you may not see taskbar thumbnails if you don t have the necessary hardware Whether your computer has this capability depends 3 The right end of the taskbar is an area called the Notification area or icon tray refer to Figure 1 7 which displays the current date and time as well as icons for 23 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 other programs that run automatically when your computer starts Messages called notifications pop up here from time to time Get information about these ic
5. your computer 8 Open a new tab to your home page in Internet Explorer 10 Geta new Windows product key 11 Create a new library 12 What s the difference between a touchpad and touch input 13 What is safe mode Ea More support options Offline Help v Offline Help Figure 1 9 Close Windows 7 26 7 Although you can let Windows 7 run indefinitely you probably want to turn your computer off if you aren t going to use it for a few hours To see your options for turning the computer off click the Start button to open the Start menu refer to Go with the Start Button earlier in this chapter 2 At the bottom of the Start menu to the right of the box labeled Search Programs and Files you see a button with Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop a triangle at its right end This button usually displays Shut Down although the button may be programmed to display another option 3 The Shut Down button has other options as shown in Figure 1 10 Click the triangle to the right of the button for these options For now these three options matter most you may not have all of these e Shut Down This option exits Windows 7 and saves power by turning the computer off In exiting Windows 7 Shut Down closes any programs that are currently running q Getting Started D Windows Media Center Calculator Sticky Notes gQ Snipping Tool Z Paint a Remote D
6. Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop M icrosoft Windows 7 is a special type of program or software tools for getting things done with a computer called an operating system which is the master control of a computer Windows 7 gives a computer essential functions that enable you to run other programs and work with documents photos and music Whether you already have a computer or you intend to buy a new computer with Windows 7 installed this chapter takes you into Windows 7 for the first time from turning the computer on looking around to turning it off again Get familiar with common terms and concepts such as the desktop which you see soon after you start Use the Start menu to start programs Take advantage of the taskbar to see what s going on You work with these parts of Windows 7 every time you use your computer IRapter Get ready to w Get a New Computer with Windows 7 02 oe 10 w Turn On Your Computer 12 w Check Out the Windows 7 Deskoni an a en 15 wa Try Out the Mouse 006 17 w Go with the Start Button 20 m Get Familiar with the Taskbar a cee 22 m Get Help When You Needilt aae enon are 24 wm Close Windows 7 60 26 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 In the process of exploring the major features of Windows 7 for the first time come to grips with the mouse your pet for prodding Windows 7 into action The mouse and its buttons
7. and has two buttons at one end Your mouse may have a wheel between the buttons Use the wheel in long documents or on Web pages see Chapter 9 to scroll to areas below or above the area displayed on your screen button easily without having to reposition your Hold the mouse gently so that you can click either hand Instead of a mouse a laptop usually has a touchpad a small rectangle below the keys on the keyboard with buttons below it that do the same things as the mouse buttons Drag your index finger over the touchpad to move the mouse pointer see Step 3 over the screen You can use more than one mouse or other pointing device with any computer If your current mouse is too small or big or hard to use buy a wireless mouse In addition to mice other pointing devices include trackballs which you roll to move the mouse pointer and pens that you use on a separate tablet or directly on the screen 3 As you move the mouse an arrow called the mouse pointer moves on your computer screen see Figure 1 5 Try moving that pointer over the screen With experience you ll become very comfortable using the mouse For practice pat your head while rubbing your stomach 17 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 18 Icon 3 m Recycle Bin Mouse pointer Figure 1 5 4 Try out the mouse or touchpad buttons in the following ways Move the mouse pointer on top of an icon or gadget on the
8. at the top of the list Click the Solitaire item to start the game See Chapter 11 for information about Solitaire and other games keyboard or a combination of the two Another way to display the Start menu for example is to press the Windows logo key which is located between the keys labeled Ctrl Control and Alt Alternate near the spacebar the largest key on the keyboard The Windows logo key has the same four part flag icon as the Start menu although not in color From here on I ll refer to this key as the Win key You can perform most actions with the mouse the 7 Tap and release the Win key to display the Start menu tap the Win key a second time to remove the Start menu from the screen If you want to run something else you can type the name of the program you want and press Enter or click the program name This is the easiest way to start any program you know the name of You may need to type only a few letters to run a program See Chapter 15 for information on customizing the items that appear on the Start menu Learning keystroke shortcuts is especially valuable if you don t like using the mouse or other pointing device which is a common complaint laptop users have about the touchpad Get Familiar with the Taskbar 7 The area at the bottom of the screen and to the right of the Start button is the taskbar where you see icons for some programs Figure 1 7 shows four icons in the taskbar The first
9. desktop such as the Recycle Bin Let the mouse pointer sit there for a moment this is hovering you may see a pop up message called a tooltip with information about the icon you hover over Press and release click the left mouse button This action highlights or selects that icon or gadget As you work with menus which are lists of items see Chapter 3 you put the mouse pointer on the menu item you intend to use and then click the left mouse button to select the item In this book when you see the words point or hover they mean move the mouse pointer to the specified location but don t click The word click means a single quick press and release of the left mouse button A double click is two rapid clicks of the left mouse button A right click is a single press and release of the right mouse button Place the mouse pointer on an icon and then double click the left mouse button to open the object associated with that icon such as an e mail program or a document that you want to read edit or print Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop need to click or double click One way to tell is to hover over the icon you want to use Often a lit tle bit of help info pops up telling you what the icon is for see Get Help When You Need It later in this chapter Then click the left mouse button to see whether anything happens If noth ing does double click the icon In other words you may not a
10. dows 7 Some people dismiss these visual effects as eye candy but these effects such as semi transparent 11 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 Th objects onscreen and rich colors are part of the fun of using Windows 7 Ultimate Edition This version has everything Windows 7 can provide The name says as much Ultimate may include some advanced features including options for backing up your files that you won t immediately need This is the Edition that may impress your teen aged kids or grandkids if anything does Through a program called Windows Anytime Upgrade you can upgrade from Starter to Home Premium or Ultimate See Chapter 17 for more information You can buy a DVD with Windows 7 and use that to install Windows 7 on an older computer that currently uses Windows XP or Vista Sometimes upgrades work flawlessly but the older the computer the greater the odds that some hardware or software won t work with the brand new Windows 7 It is often more reliable to get a new version of Windows on a new computer At least that s what the market ing department says Turn On Vour Computer 12 7 If your computer is a laptop find the latch on the front edge of the computer that releases the screen from the keyboard You may need to push the latch in or slide it to the right to open the laptop Raise the lid so you can see the screen and the keyboard 2 Locate the power switch On most laptop
11. enable you to point and click your way to happiness From time to time I emphasize when the key board provides a good alternative to the using the mouse Get a New Computer with Windows 7 Although this is not the book to tell you everything there is to know about buying a new computer I do have a few suggestions for you as you shop The first consideration is what style or size of computer do you want Choose from these types of computers see Figure 1 1 Desktop Laptop Netbook Figure 1 1 w gt A desktop computer is usually shoebox sized or larger Often a desktop computer is a vertical tower that sits under a desk or table This desktop box usually accepts numerous hardware upgrades internally but not everyone wants to open the box and insert new hardware A desktop has a separate screen also called a display or monitor that displays what the computer is doing a keyboard for typing plus a mouse for doing things onscreen More on these components shortly um A laptop computer is not only smaller than most desktop computers it is portable Even if you never intend to leave the house with your computer you may enjoy taking the computer from one room to another A desktop computer requires you to connect Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop i a few different parts during setup A laptop computer is ready to go when you get it A netbook is a small laptop computer that may be less powerfu
12. esktop Connection sj Solitaire ae Magnifier ea System Configuration gt All Programs Documents Pictures Music Games Computer Control Panel Devices and Printers Switch user Default Program Log off Lock Restart Sleep Hibernate Click the triangle for more options Figure 1 10 27 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 28 e Sleep This option reduces the computer s power consumption without exiting Windows 7 or closing programs As a result when you wake the computer by moving the mouse or touching the keyboard everything is exactly as you left it programs and documents are open if they were before Sleep e Hibernate This option combines Sleep and Shut Down Hibernate records which programs are running but completely shuts down the computer When you start the computer Windows 7 opens all programs you were using just like Sleep they save the same amount of power Sleep is a little less green but saves time in returning to a task you re in the middle of Hibernate or Shut Down are equally green options 4 Choose Shutdown to turn off the computer shuts down the computer On a laptop closing the lid may shut down the laptop or put it into Sleep or Hibernation mode On most computers pressing the power switch also to plug in the computer the monitor and the printer After you shut down or hibernate the computer turn the power strip off This saves the most power
13. f the computer and did not create a password Windows 7 logs you in automatically Check Out the Windows 7 Desktop 7 After you turn on the computer and log in with your user name and if necessary password you see a screen indicating that Windows is starting Then you see the Windows desktop Figure 1 4 shows a common desktop setup although yours may be different Often an interesting picture or photo is displayed on the desktop You see how to change this picture in Chapter 14 15 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 Icon Icons Desktop Figure 1 4 2 Examine your desktop for icons small pictures that represent programs which perform functions or documents such as letters and photos Icons provide a way to run a program or open a document The Windows 7 desktop displays an icon for the Recycle Bin where deleted documents go The Recycle Bin may be the only icon on your desktop or you may see others 3 Finally the desktop displays gadgets which are usually larger than icons Gadgets display information such as the time in a clock or the current weather report See Chapter 5 for more about using gadgets 16 Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop Try Out the Mouse 7 If your computer came with a mouse pad which is a thin flexible rectangle with a very smooth surface place the mouse pad under the mouse 2 Move the mouse which is typically about the size of a bar of soap
14. l than a more expensive laptop A netbook is a great beginner s computer because netbooks are much cheaper than other machines 250 to 400 The small size of a netbook may suit you perfectly but look closely at the size of any laptop or netbook Is the computer too big to carry comfortably Will your hands fit the keyboard In the rest of the book when I use the words computer or machine I mean any style of computer I use the words desktop or laptop including netbook to emphasize differences between those machines as needed For more information on buying a computer see Computer For Seniors For Dummies by Nancy C Muir When you buy a new computer check the ad or the box or talk with a salesperson to find out whether that computer comes with Microsoft Windows 7 installed Ask which edition you re buying The various editions of Windows 7 have different features and capabilities You are most likely to see one of these editions i Starter Edition Many of the Windows 7 visual effects are missing from the Starter Edition and so are some of the useful accessories discussed in Chapter 5 This edition may be too stripped down to give you the real benefits of using Windows 7 Home Premium Edition This is a good choice for most computer users and is likely to be the version already installed if you are buying a new PC It has media options such as music and video Home Premium supports all the slick visual effects of Win
15. lways have to double click to open a document or run a program so don t assume that you have to until you get more familiar with when one click is sufficient Sometimes you don t know for sure whether you e Place your mouse pointer over any object on the screen and right click click the right mouse button one time You see a menu of options related to the item your mouse pointer is over This menu is called a context menu because it changes with the context or the position of the mouse pointer and is different for different items Right clicking a photograph s icon for example displays a menu of options for viewing that photo and right clicking a music file s icon displays a menu of options for playing the music A few options such as Open and Properties appear in most context menus but others change depending on the context what the mouse pointer is pointing at because of context menus Try right clicking various areas of the screen You almost never double click the right mouse button though The right mouse button is the key to the kingdom 5 With the mouse pointer over an icon such as the Recycle Bin click and hold down the left mouse button then move the mouse to the right or down the screen As you move the mouse the icon moves in the same direction on the screen This process is called click and drag When you release the left mouse button the icon stays where 19 Part I Getting to Know Window
16. n the All Programs menu find a yellow icon for Games or Accessories and click that icon to display more programs Later to play a game or open an accessory you click its name Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop Click an item to start that program P Getting Started D Windows Media Center maii Calculator Sticky Notes Snipping Tool S p Paint s Remote Desktop Connection Magnifier Solitaire i System Configuration All Programs win7 Documents Pictures Music Games Computer Control Panel Devices and Printers Default Programs Help and Support Start typing to find the program you want Start button Figure 1 6 5 Click Back near the bottom of the All Programs menu to return to the first Start menu You can also press the Esc Escape key to back up through the menus 6 You don t have to dig through menus by clicking as you did in the preceding steps Instead you can type part of the name of the program you want to run When the Start menu opens the cursor which is a vertical or horizontal line indicating where words you type will appear is automatically in the box labeled Search Programs and Files Start typing solitaire and you see several programs listed including the game Solitaire Note that the game appears in the list as soon as you 21 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 type the letter s By the time you type sol Solitaire is
17. ons by hovering the mouse pointer over them Click any icon in the icon tray to open the associated program and right click an icon to see a menu of available options such as those to change settings or exit the program Before too long you see a pop up notification in the icon tray to Activate Windows Now Windows 7 needs to phone home to Microsoft to check in that s activation Ignore this message until you have an Internet connection See Chapter 8 for informa tion on connecting to the Internet and Chapter 17 for steps to activation icons on the desktop or icons in the taskbar Switch between programs you have started by clicking their icons in the taskbar To recap Start a program by using the Start menu Get Help When Vou Need t 24 1 Hover the mouse pointer over anything on the screen to see a pop up box or tooltip with a brief explanation of the item 2 Look for information on the screen A How to Play box appears briefly when you start Solitaire for example The bottom edge of the screen called the status bar may dis play help text that changes as you highlight different items on the screen Some screens display blue links you can click for more information 3 Many programs including the one shown in Figure 1 8 have a Help menu Click the Help menu to see a list of help options You can also press the F1 key near the top of your keyboard to see help information Chapter 1 Getting
18. s the switch is located near one of the hinges of the lid On a desktop computer the power switch is usually on the front of the computer box or tower see Figure 1 2 Push in or slide Chapter 1 Getting Comfortable with the Windows 7 Desktop the power switch from left to right then release the switch to turn on the computer You should hear some noise from the fan or see lights on the keyboard or screen soon after you turn it on Power button Laptop netbook Desktop Figure 1 2 3 The very first time you turn on a computer running Windows 7 you may have to create a user account with the following information e User name and computer name Your user name appears throughout the system from the log in screen to the Start menu to the folder containing all your documents Use a simple clear name Your first name is just fine Your computer needs a name as well Windows 7 suggests your user name plus PC but you can change that if you wish See Figure 1 3 Click Next 13 Part I Getting to Know Windows 7 14 Enter a user name and computer name GO j Set Up Windows Y Windows 7 Home Premium Choose a user name for your account and name your computer to distinguish it on the network Type a user name for example John Type a computer name PC Copyright 2009 Microsoft Corporation All rights reserved And then click Next Figure 1 3 e Password A password
19. s 7 you moved it Click and drag the Recycle Bin or any other icons you see on the desktop to some other places on the desktop Fun huh 6 You can also click and drag with the right mouse button Hover the mouse pointer over an icon such as the Recycle Bin or any other icon or gadget on the desktop click and hold down the right mouse button and move the mouse When you release the right mouse button a small context menu pops up You use this menu to copy or move documents in Chapter 4 click and drag by using your finger on a touchpad and the buttons near it Keep in mind too that you can use a mouse with a laptop though it s not easy if you have the laptop on your lap If you have a laptop you can click double click and Go with the Start Gutton 20 7 The Start button located in the bottom left corner of the screen provides easy access to all the programs you use This circular button displays the Windows logo a four colored flag Click the Start button to display the Start menu which is a list of options see Figure 1 6 2 Move your mouse pointer slowly over each item on the left side of the menu As you hover some menu items display a tooltip A menu item with a triangle to the right displays a pop out list called a jump list See Chapter 15 for more information about using jump lists 3 Click the All Programs item to display a menu of all the available programs on your computer 4 O
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