Microsoft Windows Vista introduces a breakthrough user experience that is designed to help you intuitively view, find, and organize information on your computer. Windows Vista delivers better personal productivity and digital entertainment on your computer. Before you get started with Windows Vista, check out the new features, which includes the Windows Aero user experience, Instant Searches, Explorers, Sidebars and gadgets, improved Internet Explorer, Windows Media Center, and advanced security and protection. A complete description of each new feature appears in the New Features guide in the back of this book.

Microsoft Windows Vista is an operating system, a computer program that controls the basic operation of your computer and the programs you run. A program, also known as an application, is task-oriented software you use to accomplish a specific task, such as word processing, managing files on your computer, or performing calculations. Windows Vista displays programs in frames on your screen, called windows (thus the name of the operating system). A window can contain the contents of a file and the application in which it was created, icons (picture representations of a program or a file), or other usable data. A file is a collection of information (such as a letter or list of addresses) that has a unique name, distinguishing it from other files. This use of windows and icons is called a graphical user interface (GUI, pronounced “gooey”), meaning that you (“user”) interact (“interface”) with the computer through the use of graphics: icons and other meaningful words, symbols, and windows.

Windows Vista automatically starts when you turn on your computer. When you first start Windows Vista, you see a Welcome screen that you use to log on to Windows. The Welcome screen displays all the user accounts on the computer. Unlike Windows XP, the Welcome screen can’t be turned off. After you click a user name, and enter a password, you see the Windows Vista desktop and the Welcome Center window (New!), which displays options to view basic computer details, transfer files and setting, add new users, connect to the Internet, install Windows Ultimate Extras, view new feature in Windows Vista, and view Microsoft offers available on the Web.

Start Windows Vista Using the Welcome Screen

1. Turn on your computer, and wait while Windows Vista loads and displays the Welcome screen.

2. If prompted for added security, press and then release the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time.

3. Click your user name.

4. Type your password. Be sure to use the correct capitalization.

5. Click the arrow, or press Enter.

   The Windows Vista desktop appears and the Welcome Center window opens.

Did You Know?

The Windows password is case-sensitive. Windows makes a distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters. Your password should be at least seven characters long, the optimal length for encryption, which is the process of logically scrambling data to keep a password secure.

When you first start Windows Vista (New!), you see the Windows desktop, or a Welcome screen (a way to identify yourself on the computer), depending on your installation. The desktop is an on-screen version of an actual desk, containing windows, icons, files, and programs. You can use the desktop to access, store, organize, modify, share, and explore information (such as a letter, the news, or a list of addresses), whether it resides on your computer, a network, or the Internet. The long vertical bar on the right-side of the desktop is called the Windows Sidebar (New!). It contains mini-programs called gadgets (New!), which provide easy access to frequently used tools and information at a glance. The bar at the bottom of your screen is called the taskbar; it allows you to start programs and switch among currently running programs. At the left end of the taskbar is the Start button, which you use to start programs, find and open files, access the Windows Help and Support Center, and much more. Next to the Start button is the Quick Launch toolbar, which contains buttons you use to quickly show the desktop, switch between windows and start your Internet browser. At the right end of the taskbar is the notification area, which displays the time, the date, and program related icons. If icons in the notification area are not used for a while, an arrow appears to hide the icons and reduce clutter. You can click the arrow to display and hide the icons. When you use a hidden icon, it reappears in the notification area. If you upgraded your computer to Windows Vista from a previous version of Windows, your desktop might contain additional desktop icons and toolbars.

A mouse is a handheld input device you roll across a flat surface (such as a desk or a mouse pad) to position the mouse pointer, the small symbol that indicates the pointer’s relative position on the desktop. When you move the mouse, the mouse pointer on the screen moves in the same direction.

The shape of the mouse pointer changes to indicate different activities. Once you move the mouse pointer to a desired position on the screen, you use the mouse buttons, right or left, to tell your computer what to do.

A typical mouse has two mouse buttons. You use the left one to click buttons, select text, and drag items around the screen. When you click an item with the right button, such as an icon, text, or graphic, a shortcut menu appears with a list of commands related to the selected item. For example, when you right-click a file icon, a shortcut menu appears with a list of file commands, such as Open, Explore, Search, Delete, and Rename. Instead of searching for commands on the main menus, you can save time and get quick results by using a shortcut menu.

Use the Shortcut Menu Command

1. Right-click an item.

2. Click a command from the shortcut menu.

Did You Know?

You can swap the functions of the right and left mouse buttons. Click the Start button on the taskbar, click Control Panel, double-click the Mouse icon in Classic view, click the Buttons tab, select the Switch Primary And Secondary Buttons check box, and then click OK.

A mouse wheel can make scrolling fast and easy. If your mouse has a wheel between the two mouse buttons, you can roll it to quickly scroll a few lines or an entire screen at a time.

See Also

See “Changing Mouse Settings” on page 456 for information on changing the way the mouse works.

Using the Mouse with the Web Style

Windows Vista integrates the use of the Internet with its other functions. You can choose to extend the way you click on the Internet with the rest of your computer by single-clicking (known as the Web style) icons to open them, or stay with the default by double-clicking (known as the Classic style). To change from one style to the other, click the Start button, click Control Panel, click Classic View (if necessary), double-click the Folder Options icon, click the Single-click to open an item (point to select), or Double-click to open an item (Single-click to select) option, and then click OK. The steps in this book assume you are using Windows Classic style.

The key to getting started with the Windows desktop is learning how to use the Start button on the taskbar. Clicking the button on the taskbar displays the Start menu, a list of commands that allow you to start a program, open a document, change a Windows setting, find a file, or display support information. The top of the Start menu indicates who is currently using the computer. The left column of the Start menu is separated into two lists: pinned items above the separator line and most frequently used items below. The pinned items remain on the Start menu, like a push pin holds paper on a bulletin board. The most frequently used items change as you use programs: Windows keeps track of which programs you use and displays them on the Start menu for easy access.

The right column of the Start menu provides easy access to folders, Windows settings, help information, and search functionality. An arrow next to a menu item indicates a cascading menu, or submenu, which is a list of commands for that menu item. Pointing at the arrow displays a submenu from which you can choose additional commands. As you become more familiar with Windows, you might want to customize the Start menu to include additional items that you use most often.

As you continue to install programs on your computer, finding them on the Start menu can sometimes be difficult. Windows Vista makes it easy with the Instant Search box (New!), which allows you to search the Start menu to find programs and other Windows items, such as Internet favorites, history, files, contacts, e-mail messages, and appointments. To perform a search, click the Start menu, click in the Instant Search box and start typing the search text you want. As you type, the Start menu shows the possible results with priority given to the programs you use frequently. The search results continue to narrow as you continue to type. If you don’t find what you are looking for during a search, you can click Search Everywhere (NewSP1) or Search the Internet to use Windows search capabilities.

WINV-6.4

Windows Sidebar (New!) is a pane on the side of the Windows Vista desktop that gives you quick access to gadgets such as news headlines and updates, slide shows, weather information, traffic maps, Internet radio streams, and slide shows of online photo albums. Gadgets are mini-applications that can connect to Web services, such as an RSS feed (which automatically delivers Web content to your desktop), or integrate with many of your applications, such as viewing your calendar. You can customize Windows Sidebar to suit the way you work—whether you want it always on top or resting below maximized windows. You can also move gadgets off the Windows Sidebar and place them anywhere on your desktop. Windows Vista comes with a set of gadgets to get you started. However, you can easily download more gadgets from an online gadget gallery.

Add a Gadget

1. Point to the plus sign (+) at the top of the Sidebar, and then click the button.

2. Double-click the gadget you want to add.

3. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Keep Windows from Covering Sidebar

1. Point to blank area in the Sidebar.

2. Right-click the blank area of the Sidebar, and then click Properties.

3. Clear the Sidebar is always on top of other windows check box.

4. Click OK.

One of the most powerful things about Windows is that you can open more than one window or program at once. This means, however, that the desktop can get cluttered with many open windows for the various programs. A button appears on the taskbar for each open window. If there isn’t enough room on the taskbar to display a button for each open window, Windows Vista groups similar types of windows under one button. You can identify a window by its name on the title bar at the top of the window. To organize your desktop, you must sometimes change the size of a window or move it to a different location. Each window is surrounded by a border that you can use to move or resize the window. Each window has resize buttons in the upper-right corner.

Switch Among Open Windows

1. On the taskbar, click a button. If windows are grouped, a menu appears.

2. Click the window you want from the menu.

Move a Window

1. Point to the window’s title bar.

2. Drag the window to a new location, and then release the mouse button.

A menu is a list of commands that you use to accomplish certain tasks, such as when you use the Start menu to open the Control Panel. A command is a directive that provides access to a program’s features. Each Windows program has its own set of menus, which are on the menu bar along the top of the program window. The menu bar organizes commands into groups of related operations. Each group is listed under the name of the menu, such as File or Help. To access the commands in a menu, you click the name of the menu. If a command on a menu includes a keyboard reference, known as a keyboard shortcut, you can perform the action by pressing the first key, then pressing the second key to perform the command quickly. You can also carry out some of the most frequently used commands on a menu by clicking a button on a toolbar or command bar. A toolbar or command bar contains buttons that are convenient shortcuts for menu commands. A pane is a frame within a window where you can access commands and navigation controls. You can use menus, toolbar buttons, and commands in a pane to change how the Control Panel window’s contents appear. On a menu, a check mark or selected icons identifies a currently selected feature, meaning that the feature is enabled, or turned on. To disable, or turn off the feature, you click the command again to remove the check mark. A bullet mark also indicates that an option is enabled. To disable a command with a bullet mark next to it, however, you must select another command (within the menu section, separated by gray lines) in its place.

A dialog box is a window that opens when you choose a menu command followed by an ellipsis (. . .). The ellipsis indicates that you must supply more information before the program can carry out the command you selected. Dialog boxes open in other situations as well, such as when you open a program in the Control Panel. In a dialog box, you choose various options and provide information for completing the command.

Choose Dialog Box Options

All dialog boxes contain the same types of options, including the following:

• Tabs. Click a tab to display its options. Each tab groups a related set of options.

• Option buttons. Click an option button to select it. You can usually select only one.

• Up and down arrows. Click the up or down arrow to increase or decrease the number, or type a number in the box.

• Check box. Click the box to turn on or off the option. A checked box means the option is selected; a cleared box means it’s not.

• List box. Click the list arrow to display a list of options, and then click the option you want.

• Text box. Click in the box and type the requested information.

• Command buttons. Click a button to perform a specific action or command. A button name followed by an ellipsis (...) opens another dialog box. OK executes the options and closes the dialog box. Cancel ignores the options and closes the dialog box. Apply executes the options and leaves the dialog box open.

• Preview box. Many dialog boxes show an image that reflects the options you select.

Navigating a Dialog Box

Rather than clicking to move around a dialog box, you can press the Tab key to move from one box or button to the next. You can also use Shift+Tab to move backward, or Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Tab to move between dialog box tabs.

WINV-7.2.1, WINV-7.2.2

WINV-7.8.4

When you have a question about how to do something in Windows Vista, you can usually find the answer with a few clicks of your mouse. Microsoft Help and Support (New!) is a resource of information, training, and support to help you learn and use Windows Vista. Help and Support is like a book stored on your computer with additional links to the Internet, complete with a search feature, and a table of contents to make finding information easier. If you have an Internet connection, you can get online help from a support professional at Microsoft or from other users in Windows communities (an electronic forum where people share information), or you can invite a friend to chat with you, view your screen, and work on your computer to provide remote support.

Use Help and Support

1. Click the Start button, and then click Help and Support.

2. Click an icon with the type of help you want to use:

   • Windows Basics.

   • Table of Contents.

   • Security and Maintenance.

   • Troubleshooting.

   • Windows Online Help.

   • What’s New.

3. Click the item of interest.

4. Read the information.

5. If you can’t find the information you need, click the Search Help box, type a word or phrase, and then press Enter.

6. If you need additional help, click a link under Ask someone or Information from Microsoft to access resources on the Internet.

   • Windows Remote Assistance. Click the link, and then follow the wizard instructions.

7. Click the Close button.

Use Program Help

1. Click the program’s Help menu, and then click the Help command to open the Help program.

2. Click the main topic of interest. Click a subtopic, if necessary.

3. Read the Help information.

4. If you can’t find the information you need, click the Search box, and get Help information using keywords.

5. Click the Close button.

Many users are able to share the same computer. Their individual Windows identities allow them to keep their files completely private and to customize the operating system with their own preferences. Windows manages these separate identities, or accounts, by giving each user a unique user name and password. When a user selects an account and types a password (if necessary), Windows starts with that user’s configuration settings and network permissions. When you want to change users, you can log off, (which closes all running programs, saves your settings, and signs you off the computer) or switch users, which quickly switches between users without having to close programs and saves your current settings.

WINV2.1.2,

WINV-2.1.3

When you finish working on your computer, you need to make sure to turn off, or shut down, your computer properly. This involves several steps: saving and closing all open files, exiting all running programs, shutting down Windows itself, and finally, turning off the computer. However, if you shut down your computer before or while installing Windows updates (download must be complete), Windows will automatically complete the install before shutting down, so you don’t have to wait around. Shutting down your computer makes sure Windows and all its related programs are properly closed and avoid potential problems in the future. If you turn off the computer by pushing the power switch while Windows or other programs are running, you could lose important data. In addition to the Shutdown option, you can put your computer in sleep or hibernate mode, or restart if problems occur.