IT Desktop Management

1
IT Desktop Management

• Microsoft Windows Vista
• February 2008
• Prepared by
• Angela Mars
• IT Education and Training

2
Table Of Contents

• What is Windows Vista? page 3
• Aero Glass, a new look and feel page
  5
• Live Thumbnails page 6
• Flip page 7
• Flip 3D page 8
• Instant Search from the Start Menu page
  10
• Windows Vista Sidebar page 11
• Snipping Tool page 12
• Starting Windows Vista page 15

3
Table Of Contents

• Logging on to Window Vista page 16
• Windows Vista Desktop page 17
• Components of the Start Menu page 20
• Starting programs from Instant Search page
  25
• Opening the Personalization Window page
  26
• Exploring the Windowws Vista Welcome Center
  page 29
• Restarting Windows Vista page 33
• Opening the Windows Vista Sidebar page 34

4
What is Windows Vista?

• Windows Vista is Microsofts sixth major release
  of the Windows operating system. Windows Vista
  has many new features that are not included in
  the last major version, Windows XP
• Stylish graphics
• Improved search and organization tools
• Easier access to information and applications
• Enhanced productivity programs

5
Microsoft Windows Vista

• New Features

6
Stylish Graphics

• Aero Glass, a new look and feel
• Aero Glass gives program windows a
  semitransparent look. The interface displays how
  open program windows are layered on your desktop.
  
• Note  Your computer must have a graphics card
  that supports the Windows Display Driver Modem
  (WDDM) to have Aero Glass.

7
Stylish Graphics

• Live Thumbnails
• When you have multiple windows open, Live
  Thumbnails makes it easier to find the exact
  window that you are looking for.
• Move the mouse pointer over the buttons of open
  windows on the Taskbar to see a preview of the
  windows.

8
Stylish Graphics

• Flip
• Using Flip, view live thumbnails of open windows
  next to each other, then switch between the open
  windows.
• Hold down the Alt key and press the Tab key to
  open Flip.
• To scroll, press the Tab key continuously while
  holding the Alt key.
• Release the Alt key to display the selected
  window or click on a window to display it.

9
Stylish Graphics

• Flip 3D
• Flip 3D allows users to switch between open
  windows in a three-dimensional view.
• Hold down the Start key (with the Windows logo)
  and press the Tab key to open Flip 3D.
• To scroll, press the Tab key continuously while
  holding the Start key.
• or
• Use the scroll wheel on your mouse.

10
Stylish Graphics

• Flip 3D, cont.
• Release the Start key to display the first window
  on the stack or click on a window to display it.
• Press the ESC key to exit Flip 3D.

11
Improved search and organization tools

• Instant Search from the Start Menu
• Instant Search allows you to find any item on
  your PC, including
• Files
• Folders
• Programs
• Email messages
• Internet Favorites
• As characters are typed into the Search box,
  Windows Vista displays options based on your
  search criteria, narrowing down the search as
  more characters are keyed in.

12
Easier access to information and applications

• Windows Vista Sidebar
• Windows Vista Sidebar allows programs to remain
  visiible on your desktop at all times.
• Programs on the sidebar are called gadgets.

13
Enhanced Productivity Programs

• Snipping Tool
• The Snipping Tool, a screenshot capture utility,
  is an improvement over Windows Print Screen. The
  Snipping Tool window has three buttons
• New choose how you would like to capture a
  screenshot.
• Cancel stop a screenshot after it has been
  started.
• Options set preferences on how you want the
  Snipping Tool to function.

14
Microsoft Windows Vista

• Using Windows Vista

15
Windows Vista Welcome Screen

• Starting Windows Vista
• Click the icon that corresponds with your Windows
  Vista username.

16
Windows Vista Logon Screen

• Logging on to Windows Vista
• Enter your Password.
• Click the right arrow button.

17
Windows Vista Desktop
Icons
Sidebar

• Icon A graphical image that represents an
  object.
• Start Button Used to open menus and run
  programs.
• Quick Launch Buttons Used to launch frequently
  used programs with a single click of the mouse.
• Taskbar Used to switch between open windows.
• System Tray Includes icons for programs that
  are running in the background. Used to send
  system notifications.

Start Button
System Tray
Quick Launch Buttons
18
Windows Vista Icons

• Changing the size of Windows Vista desktop icons
• Windows Vista desktop icons are sized medium by
  default. To change the size of Windows Vista
  desktop icons
• Right-click on the desktop.
• Select View.
• Click Large Icons or Classic Icons.

19
Windows Vista Taskbar

• Showing the Windows Vista Desktop
• To minimizes all open windows and show the
  Desktop
• Click the Show the Desktop button.

20
Windows Vista Start Menu

• Components of the Start Menu
• The left side of the Start Menu provides access
  to frequently used programs.
• Programs above the top horizontal line, that are
  bolded, always remain in view.
• Programs listed above the All Programs link
  change based on frequency of use.
• The right side of the Start Menu contains links
  to features, such as Control Panel and standard
  folders, such as Documents that Windows Vista
  automatically creates.
• To view the All Programs Menu click All Programs.

21
Windows Vista Start Menu

• Opening the All Programs Menu
• The Windows Vista All Programs Menu is a
  composite of all the programs available on your
  computer.

22
Windows Vista Start Menu

• Expanding the Accessories program group
• The Accessories program group displays useful
  programs that are built into Windows Vista.
• Click the Accessories folder to view programs and
  utilities available on your computer.

23
Windows Vista Start Menu

• Adding a program to the first page of the Start
  menu
• To easily access a program from the first page of
  the Start menu
• Find the program name in the All Programs menu.
• Right-click the program name. A context menu
  appears.
• When the menu appears, click Pin To Start Menu.
  The program will appear on above the horizontal
  line on the Start Menu.

24
Windows Vista Start Menu

• Removing a program from the first page of the
  Start menu
• To remove a program from the first page of the
  Start menu
• Click the Start button.
• Right-click the program name.
• When the menu appears, click Unpin from Start
  Menu.

25
Instant Search

• Starting programs from Instant Search
• Windows Vista allows you to start programs from
  Instant Search
• Type all or part of the name of the selected
  program into the search box from the Windows
  Vista Start Menu. Windows Vista will display your
  search results as you type.
• When the selected program appears in the Programs
  results section, click on the shortcut to start
  the program.

26
Changing The Appearance Of Windows Vista

• Opening The Personalization Window
• Click the Start button.
• Click Control Panel.
• When the Control Panel window appears, click
  Appearance and Personilization.
• When the Appearance and Personalization window
  appears, click Personalization.

27
Changing The Appearance Of Windows Vista

• Opening The Personalization Window, cont.
• Other ways to open the personalization window
  are
• Double-click Personalize Windows in the Welcome
  Center.
• or
• Right-click the desktop.
• Select Personalize.

28
Changing The Appearance Of Windows Vista

• Changing The Desktop Background
• Open the Personalization window.
• Click Desktop Background.
• When the Desktop Background window opens, click
  the image you want to use.
• Click OK.

29
Windows Vista Welcome Center

• Exploring Windows Vista Welcome Center
• The Windows Vista Welcome Center will display
  each time you restart your PC.
• The Welcome Center provides
• Details about your PC, such as computer name.
• Information about Windows Vista.
• Offers from Microsoft.

30
Windows Vista Welcome Center

• Exploring Windows Vista Welcome Center, cont.
• To turn off the Windows Vista Welcome Center,
  remove the check next to Run at startup.

31
Windows Vista Welcome Center

• Exploring Windows Vista Welcome Center, cont.
• If the Windows Vista Welcome Center does not
  appear when you start your computer
• Click the Start button.
• Click Control Panel.
• Click System and Maintenance.
• Click Welcome Center.
• Check the Run at Startup checkbox.

32
Windows Vista Welcome Center

• View basic information about your computer
• Click the
• link from the upper right hand corner of the
  Welcome Center to display the system page with
  more information about your computer.

33
System Restart

• Restarting Windows Vista
• A computer may need to be restarted after
  installing new software or to recover from system
  issues. To shutdown and immediately restart a
  computer
• Click the Start button.
• Click the arrow button next to the lock button.
• Click Restart.

34
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Opening the Windows Vista Sidebar
• Click the Start button.
• Click All Programs.
• Click Accessories.
• Click Windows Sidebar.

35
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Opening the Gadget Gallery
• Display which gadgets are available on your
  computer by opening the Gadget Gallery
• Click the Add Gadgets button in the Sidebar.
• Or
• Right-click on the Sidebar.
• Click Add Gadgets on the shortcut menu.

36
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Selecting gadgets to add to the Windows Vista
  Sidebar
• When the Gadget Gallery appears, click on a
  gadget.
• Click on Show details to see a description of the
  gadget.

37
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Adding gadgets to the Windows Vista Sidebar
• Right-click on the chosen gadget to display a
  shortcut menu.
• Click Add.
• Note  You can also double-click on a gadget to
  add it to the Sidebar or click on a gadget and
  drag it to the Sidebar.

38
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Choosing gadgets to add to Windows Vista Sidebar,
  cont.
• Windows Vista adds the gadget to the Sidebar.
• Click the Close button.

39
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Detaching a gadget from the Windows Vista Sidebar
• Right-click on the selected gadget.
• Click Detach from Sidebar.
• or
• Click on the gadget and drag it to the desktop.

40
Windows Vista Sidebar

• Removing a gadget from the Windows Vista Sidebar
• Place the mouse pointer over the selected gadget.
• When the gadget menu appears, click the Close
  Gadget button (x).
• or
• Right-click on a gadget and then click Close
  Gadget.

41
QA?Educational RequestsContact Angela
Marsangela.mars_at_ctcd.edu

• Technical QuestionsContact the IT Help
  Deskhelp.desk_at_ctcd.edu254-501-3103