Powered By Blogger

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Managing your Windows accounts

1. Setting up a user account
2. Activating parental controls
3. Change your account picture
4. Changing your password

Setting up a user account. Setting up a user account is a good way of protecting your files from others. It separates each user and assigns a workspace for each. This is especially good if you have one computer for everyone in your household. We are going to assume that you already have an administrator account for your computer. Nowadays, when you buy a new PC, it comes loaded with your Operating system. Once you boot the PC for the first time, you are greeted with the Initial setup wizard. There you create the first user account. Only this account will have admin rights. Now you are ready to create a user.

Click on Start then go to Control Panel. From the options, choose User Accounts and Family Safety. Now click on Create a new account. Choose a name for your new user, make sure Standard user is selected, and then click on Create Account. Now that you've created a new user account you can manage that account with options like: Creating a password for the account, Change the picture, and Set up Parental Controls, which we will discuss next.


Return to top

Activating Parental Controls. If you have children, this is a good option for you. This will allow you to specify what your children will have access to. You can control which programs and games will be accessible to them. In addition, you can control which games your child plays by rating. For example, there are ratings for Ec - Early Childhood, E - Everyone, T - Teen, and M - Mature. Choose the one that is appropriate for your child. Click on Start then go to Control Panel. From the options choose User Accounts and Family Safety. Then click on Parental Controls. Select the user account you've just created and select On, enforce current settings. Now you are ready to configure Parental controls. Take a look at the video tutorial.


Return to top

Change your account picture. You can change your user account picture to add some character to your account. Click on Start then click on the icon above your user name at the top left of the Start Menu. This will automatically bring you to your account. Click on Change your picture, then select either from the default pictures or browse for a picture of your own. Click Ok.


Return to top

Changing your password. If you have a weak password on your computer, like your dog's name or your birth date, consider changing it to a more robust and secure password. A good example would be, picking a word or phrase that is special to you and only known by you. ( Example, New0rle@s.991 ). Use special characters and numbers in between letters to help strengthen your password. Protecting your important documents and files on your computer starts with a good password. Click on Start then go to Control Panel. Go to User Accounts and Family Safety then under User Accounts, click on Change your Windows password. Next click on Change Your Password. Enter your Current password, then enter New password, Confirm new password. After that, create a password hint. This is something that will remind you of your password, in case you forget it. Click Change password to submit your changes.


Return to Table of Contents

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Customizing your desktop

Let's take a look at some of the things you can do to customize your desktop. These simple tips will help the look and feel of your system.

1. Adding icons to desktop
2. Re-sizing icons
3. Adding and removing gadgets
4. Changing your background image
5. Creating a new folder on desktop
6. Changing the screen resolution
7. Change color of window borders
8. Using a screensaver


We'll start with the icons on the desktop.

Adding icons to desktop. By default the only icon on your desktop is the Recycle Bin. You can add icons of your favorite programs by simply dragging and dropping programs to your desktop. You can also add icons to your desktop by right clicking on a program, then clicking on Send to - Desktop (Create Shortcut). Your icons are shortcuts to the programs installed on your computer. Double clicking an icon on your desktop will launch the application. Here is a video tutorial on how to add icons to your desktop.



Return to top

Re-sizing icons. If you need to make your icons appear larger or smaller on the screen, you can do that, by right clicking on the desktop, click on View, then choose between Large icons, Medium Icons and Small Icons.



Return to top

Adding and removing gadgets. Gadgets are programs on your desktop that offer a quick refernce to system monitoring, weather alerts, news feeds and many more. You can enable gadgets by right clicking on the desktop and selecting gadgets. Then choose from the list of default gadgets or get more online.



Return to top

Changing your background image. This feature allows you to add a unique touch to your desktop. You can choose from the various images that come default with your system, or you can use your own. Right click on the desktop and select Personalize. While on the Personalization screen, click on Desktop background on the bottom left. Then select the background image you want. You can also choose multiple images at once and choose a time interval to automatically change. Your selected images will shuffle through the desktop. To select your own, click on the Browse button on the top of the page, then navigate to the folder containing your personal picture. You can also select from the drop down menu of Picture Location: and choose Pictures Library. Click on Save Changes after you are done.



Return to top

Creating a new folder on desktop. Your desktop will eventually get cluttered with many files. Keep them organized by creating a new folder and placing them in your new folder. Right click on the desktop and select New then select Folder. A new folder will be created. Give your new folder a name and hit enter.



Return to top

Changing the screen resolution. Your monitor type might require you to adjust the resolution of your screen dislplay. Depending on your monitor type, CRT or LCD, the resolution on your screen might cause your icons or text to appear too small or too large. Windows will try to adjust the resolution of your screen on its own and choose the best resolution for your monitor, but that might not be the best for you. Adjust the screen resolution to the setting that feels comfortable to you. Right click on the desktop and select Screen Resolution. Then select from the resolution drop down menu and adjust accordingly. Click on Apply. Notice that your resolution has changed and you are greeted with a prompt asking to either Save changes or Revert. If you do not like the new settings, click on Revert, otherwise just click on Save changes and then click OK.



Return to top

Change color of window borders. Now let's look at another cool feature to change the color of your window borders. Right click on the desktop, then select Personalize. Then go towards the bottom of the Personalization page and click on Window color. Choose from the colors listed and click on Save changes. This will change the color of your window borders, Start menu and taskbar.



Return to top

Using a screensaver. Screensavers are good for 2 reasons. First, it helps prolong the life of your monitor screen. Second they can serve as a simple form of security to hide your desktop activity from prying eyes when you are not at your computer . Right click on your desktop and select Personalize. Then in the Personalization page go towards the bottom right of the page and click on Screensaver. The screen saver settings will appear. Choose a screensaver from the drop down menu and click on preview to get a glimpse of the screensaver. Cancel the screensaver preview by moving your mouse. You can also change the time in minutes that the screensaver will wait to activate, after detecting no activity on your desktop. Once you have picked the screensaver you like, click OK.



Return to Table of Contents

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Know the Taskbar

Here are some tips on how to customize, and make the Taskbar work for you. Click on one of the links below or scroll down to get started.

1. Drag and drop the Taskbar
2. Rearranging your quicklaunch programs on the Taskbar
3. Resizing the Taskbar
4. Unpin and pin program
5. Show desktop
6. Hide or unhide program noifications
7. Cascade and show windows through taskbar
8. Toolbars on the Taskbar
9. Toolbar Folder



Let's get right to it.

The taskbar by default is located on the bottom of the desktop. It stretches all the way accross the screen. You can change the location of the Taskbar to be on the top, left, right, or bottom of the screen.

There are a couple of ways to do this.
First lets unlock the taskbar. This will allow you to move to your desired location. Right click on the Taskbar and and uncheck Lock the Taskbar by clicking on it. Now you are ready to move the taskbar.


Drag and drop the Taskbar Simply left clicking on the taskbar and drag it to the right, left or top of the screen and then release the left click. The taskbar is now positioned at your preferred location.

Return to top

The other way of achieving this, is by right clicking on the taskbar and selecting properties. This will open up Taskbar and Start Menu Properties. On the taskbar tab go to Taskbar appearance - Taskbar location on screen. By default you taskbar location is on the bottom. Click on the dropdown list and select the new location of your taskbar. Then click apply.


Return to top

Rearranging your quicklaunch programs on the Taskbar You can arrange your quicklaunch programs by left clicking on an icon and dragging it to the left or right of the other programs on the taskbar. This will help you group your quicklaunch programs by different catagories such as, Office, Media, Internet, or Mail applications.


Return to top

Resizing the Taskbar You can adjust the width of the taskbar to almost half the screen. Put your mouse just slightly under the the top line of the taskbar until you see an up and down directional arrow. Left click on the arrows and drag the taskbar up until you reach your desired width.


Return to top

Unpin and pin program Right click on the program you want to remove from the taskbar and then click on unpin this program from taskbar to unpin the program. Right click an icon on your desktop and select pin to Taskbar.


Return to top

Show desktop This will allow you to quickly minimze all windows and show the desktop.


Return to top

Hide or unhide program notifications Some programs run in the background and regularly send notification messages to the screen. these programs normally consist of antivirus programs, software update programs, and hardware monitors. Choose which program appears on the taskbar and sends notifications.


Return to top

Cascade and show windows through taskbar You can arrange your open windows on your desktop through the taskbar. Right click on the taskbar while your windows are open on the desktop. Then click on one of the following, cascade windows, show windows stacked, or show windows side by side.


Return to top

Toolbars on the Taskbar These toolbars will give you a quick reference to your Bookmark Bar links, or an address bar to go to your favorite website. Right click on the taskbar. Click on Toolbars, then click on either Links or Address.


Return to top

Toolbar Folder Turn a folder into a toolbar for a quick reference of your files. Right click on the taskbar. Then got to Toolbars. Select New Toolbar. Then select any folder you want to appear on the taskbar.


That concludes this weeks lesson. I hope these tips were helpful. Stay tuned for more.
Thanks
Val

Return to Table of Contents