Windows 7 Basics

1
Windows 7 Basics

• By Jane Maringer-Cantu
• CSIS 572

2
What is a Computer?

• A computer is composed of 2 main parts.
• Hardware
• Sometimes called peripheral device.
• Software
• Refers to the programs, or applications, that a
  computer uses to perform tasks.
• Instructions that tell your computer what to do.

3
Parts of a Computer
Monitor
CD/DVD Drive
Mouse
CD-ROM / DVD-ROM
Flash Drive
Printer
4
Components of a System Unit

• CPU Central Processing Unit or Microprocessor
• Acts as the brain of your computer
• RAM Random Access Memory
• Temporarily stores information when the computer
  is on
• Stored information is erased when the computer is
  turned off

5
Hard Drive vs. Memory

• Your hard drive can be considered a large
  bookshelf. Just as you store books and papers on
  that shelf, you store applications on the hard
  drive.
• (The larger the bookshelf you have, the more
  items you can fit onto it.)

6
Hard Drive vs. Memory

• We can think of random access memory (RAM) as the
  surface of a desk. This is where you actively
  work with items from the bookshelf.
• (The bigger your desk, the more books you can
  open at one time.)

7
Storage

• Your computer has disk drives or devices that
  store information even when your computer is
  turned off.
• Hard disk drive (c) the hard drive is inside
  the system unit serves as your computers
  primary means of storage
• CD / DVD drives use devices such as CD DVDs

8
Storage (continued)

• CD Drives
• CD drives use lasers to read (retrieve) data
  from a CD
• Many CD drives can also write (record) data onto
  CDs
• Recordable Disk Drives you can store (burn)
  copies of your files on blank CDs or play music
  CDs
• CD-R (compact disc recordable)
• CD-RW (compact disc writable)

9
Storage (continued)

• DVD Drives
• DVD drives can do everything that CD drives can
  do, plus read DVDs
• You can watch movies on your computer
• You can record data onto blank DVDs
• DVD-R DVDR (recordable) write-once format
• DVD-RW DVDRW (rewritable formats)

10
Storage (continued)

• Removable Storage Devices
• Portable devices on which you can store files
• USB flash drive
• Flash memory card
• External hard drive

11
Bytes

• Bytes are used to measure the amount of
  information a device can store.
• One byte is one character.
• A character can be a number, letter or symbol.
• One byte consists of 8 bits (binary digits).
• A bit is the smallest unit of information a
  computer can process.

12
Bytes (continued)

• Kilobyte (K)1,024 characters. This is
  approximately equal to one page of double-spaced
  text.
• Megabyte (MB)1,048,576 characters. This is
  approximately equal to one novel.

13
Bytes (continued)

• Gigabyte (GB)1,073,741,824 characters. This is
  approximately equal to 1000 novels.
• Terabyte (TB)1,099,511,627,776 characters. This
  is approximately equal to 1,000,000 novels.

14
Bytes (continued)
1 Bit Binary Digit
8 Bits 1 Byte
1024 Bytes 1 Kilobyte
1024 Kilobytes 1 Megabyte
1024 Megabytes 1 Gigabyte
1024 Gigabytes 1 Terabyte
15
Can you talk to your computer?

• There are 2 ways in which you can communicate
  with your computer.
• Using the keyboard
• (Typing information into the computer)

• Using a pointing device such as a mouse
• (Selecting moving items)

16
Windows 7 developed by Microsoft Corp.

• is an operating system, which is software that
  helps the computer carry out operating tasks,
  such as
• displaying information on the computer screen,
  and
• saving data on disks.

17
Windows 7

• Provides you with access to all the parts of your
  computing environment.
• Hardware (keyboard mouse)
• Documents Files
• Applications or Programs
• Lets you set up use printers
• Provides you access to network servers

18
Windows

• Windows 7 environment is centered around windows.
• A window is a rectangular area onscreen that
  presents information.
• You can open, close, maximize, minimize, move
  resize windows.

19
Graphical User Interface(GUI or GOO-ee)

• GUI uses graphics such as an image of a file
  folder or wastebasket that you click or
  double-click to activate the item represented.
• Desktop
• Pointer
• Icons

20
ICONS

• Windows 7 uses small graphical icons, or
  pictures, to represent objects.
• Most icons also have text labels.

21
Windows Explorer

• Is a program within Windows 7 that displays the
  contents of libraries, folders and files on your
  computer
• Windows Explorer helps you copy, move and rename
  your files and folders
• Windows Explorer is at work any time you are
  viewing the contents of a library, a folder, or a
  file

22
Using a Mouse

• 4 Basic Actions
• Pointing-Using the mouse as an extension of your
  hand.
• Clicking- Pressing and releasing the mouse button
  one time.
• Double-clicking-pressing and releasing the mouse
  button two times quickly.
• Dragging-pressing and holding the left mouse
  button over the object, move the mouse to desired
  place and release.

23
Selecting Objects

• You can select or highlight an object.
• If the object is not a menu selection, you click
  the object
• Move the mouse cursor onto the icon and press the
  left mouse button once.
• A selected icon is highlighted its label is
  darkened and has a dotted line.

24
Choosing an Object

• You choose an object by double-clicking its icon
  
• move the mouse cursor onto the icon and press the
  left mouse button rapidly twice.
• If the object is a menu selection or command
  button, you choose it with a single click.
• For example, the command button cancel.

25
Moving an Object

• To drag and drop an object onto another object,
  move the mouse cursor onto the icon of the object
  to be dragged.
• Press and hold the left mouse button while you
  move the mouse cursor to the destination objects
  icon.
• Then release the mouse button.

26
Context Menu or Shortcut Menu

• If you move the mouse over an object on the
  desktop or in a window and click the right mouse
  button, Windows 7 displays a menu called a
  context menu, or right-click menu, with the
  objects common commands.

27
Any Questions?