PC and Windows Basics Workshop
A personal computer, or PC, is a system of interrelated
parts. In this workshop we will discuss the main parts of the
PC system. Once we have an overall understanding of these
parts, or hardware, that make up the PC, we will address the
‘Windows’ operating system software that enables us to use
the PC via the graphic user interface, or ‘Desktop.’
PC Components
Processor
At the heart of every PC is the central processing unit, or CPU. The CPU plugs into a
“motherboard” which has a lot of other chips and electronics on it. These are the guts of
the computer. The CPU and other components work together to schedule, compute and
control everything that happens. For example, the slogan, 'Intel Inside' appears in many
computer ads. They are referring to the Intel CPU, which usually contains a Pentium
processor.
Memory
Memory is temporary storage used by the CPU to store results of calculations or files
brought in from the hard drive. Memory is very fast and volatile which means it loses its
information when power is removed. The memory cells are housed in integrated circuits
or chips. The amount of memory is measured in units of Random Access Memory, or
RAM (512MB, 1GB…)
Storage
Storage devices retain information magnetically (i.e. Hard Disk Drive, Floppy Disks, Zip
Drives, and USB Drives) or optically (i.e. CD, DVD). They are not as fast as memory
but can store much more data. They are also much more stable and do not lose their
information when power is removed. Most people simply save their files to the hard
drive, which is the computer’s primary storage device.
Peripherals
There are two kinds of peripherals for your computer. Input devices allow you to direct
the action of the PC. For example, the keyboard and mouse enable you to control the
computer by giving it directions. Output devices display or produce results for you. The
video monitor, speakers, and printer are your primary output devices.
Software
These are collections of instructions that the CPU follows. Software is to the CPU, as
knowledge is to our human brains. Software is also known as programs or code. The
CPU and software work very closely together and each by itself is useless. Only when
they work properly together can they direct and execute activities in a productive way.
Examples of popular software include Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, Explorer, etc.
PC and Windows Basics
1
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
Operating System
The most common piece of software that all PC users must have is an operating
system. Most of you probably use a version of Microsoft Windows. Oftentimes, users do
not even realize that this software is what allows them to use their PC. The operating
system is what allows you to interface with your machine. It creates the desktop and
the other user-interface features that we all take for granted. Before the advent of these
user-friendly graphic user interfaces (GUI), computer users had to do everything using
a complicated, text-only interface called DOS.
Hardware Overview
This chart shows the components we've talked about, grouped together functionally.
Arrows show how they interconnect.
File Sizes
File sizes are an important thing to understand since they allow you to know the relative
size of any files or programs you use on your computer. The measurement system
follows the metric base of ten.
PC and Windows Basics
2
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
The smallest basic unit is the byte. This is a tiny amount of information. Next is the
Kilobyte (KB). This is 1000 times the size of a byte. For example, a short Word
document is about 30KB. Next is a Megabyte (MB) which is 1000 times larger than a
Kilobyte. For example, a typical MP3 music file is about 4MB. Finally we have the
Gigabyte (GB). This is huge. It is 1000 times bigger than a Megabyte. The entire hard
drive of your computer is probably between 20 and 80 Gigabytes in size.
Gigabyte (GB)
Megabyte (MB)
Kilobyte (KB)
Byte
1
1,000
1,000,000
1,000,000,000
Mouse Terminology
Click
Press and release the left mouse button once. Note that unless you are specifically
instructed to use the right mouse button (as in right-click or right-drag-and-drop) you
always use the left button. Clicking is useful for highlighting (selecting) an object on the
desktop or in a window, activating buttons, selecting items from menus, etc.
Right-click
Press and release the right mouse button once. Right-clicking often gives you access to
special advanced shortcut menus relevant to the current activity.
Double-click
Press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid succession. Make sure you don’t
move the mouse at all between clicks. Double-clicking an object lets you open it.
Drag-and-drop
Depress the left mouse button and, while keeping it depressed, move the mouse pointer
to another location, then release the mouse button. Drag-and-drop is used to move
items about on the Desktop or within programs, for copying or moving files, and for
placing one object onto another. You can tell when you have the dragged object
correctly positioned over the target because the target becomes highlighted. Once the
target is highlighted you then release the mouse button to drop the object in place.
Right drag-and-drop
Same as drag-and-drop, but using the right mouse button. Right dragging-and-dropping
an object pops up a menu of options that let you choose what to do with the object
when it reaches its destination. Your choices are usually Copy the object to the
destination, Move the object to the destination, or Create a Shortcut to the dragged
object at the destination.
Select
(Left) click an object once to select it.
Open
(Left) double-click an object to open it.
PC and Windows Basics
3
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
The Windows Desktop
The Windows desktop is a metaphor for your real world desktop. The desktop is highly
customizable, so no two Windows desktops look exactly the same. Windows XP is the
latest in the line of Microsoft operating systems. If you’re using any of Windows XP’s
predecessors your desktop will look a little different, but all the key features and
functions are basically the same.
The desktop is the medium you use to navigate and control your PC. Once you become
comfortable with the desktop’s features, you will feel more confident using your PC. The
image below shows a generic Windows desktop with each of the major features labeled.
A. Start Button
This button is the primary method of accessing all files and programs stored on the
computer. It is used to display the Start Menu, start a program, open a file, change
settings and shut down the computer.
PC and Windows Basics
4
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
B. Start Menu
The Start Menu provides access to all your programs and Windows settings, a Help and
Support guide, a Search function for locating documents and other items on your
computer, and several other options. Notice how some menu items have a small black
arrow to the right of their name. Selecting any of these options will display a sub-menu,
or “cascading menu” of related items. Selecting any item without an arrow beside it will
immediately activate that item.
C. Icons
The little pictures you see are called icons. Each icon represents a function, program,
folder, or document on your computer. To open an icon, double-click it. You can move
icons around the desktop by dragging and dropping them with the mouse. You can
usually discover an icon’s purpose by letting the mouse pointer linger on top of it; after a
few seconds, an info box will pop up telling you its purpose.
D. Recycle Bin
This is the equivalent of the trash bin in your office. Dump unwanted documents and
programs in here either by dragging and dropping them with the mouse or by selecting
them and then pressing the Delete key on your keyboard. This icon will hold all files and
programs that have been deleted. As long as they remain in the Recycle Bin, they can
still be restored. If you accidentally delete a file, you can ‘undelete’ it by opening the
Recycle Bin, selecting the item and choosing “Restore” from the File Menu.
E. My Documents
The icon that looks like a folder bulging with documents provides central storage for all
the documents you create or store on your computer. Think of it as a huge filing cabinet,
which you can fill with documents neatly sorted into their own folders for easy retrieval.
F. My Computer
This is an icon on the desktop that can be used as a means of accessing the files and
programs on your computer. My Computer stores information about your computer
system. It contains icons which give you access to your disk drives, removable storage
devices, network, etc. It also provides access to the Control Panel (also accessible via
the Start Menu), where you can adjust settings for your system.
G. Desktop
The vast expanse of space you see on your screen is the desktop itself. You can
rearrange the items on the desktop by dragging the icons to new positions, and you can
change the look of the desktop by adding a background image, called desktop
“wallpaper.” You can also change the desktop’s color. To see some of the options for
changing the desktop, right-click any vacant space on the desktop; you’ll see a pop-up
menu displayed. Choose Properties from the menu and a Display Properties dialog box
(an information box which requires feedback or input from you) will appear containing
settings. Once you’ve finished with the Display Properties box, click the OK button at
the bottom of the box to close it.
PC and Windows Basics
5
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
H. Notification Area
This section of the desktop not only houses the time and date function, it also contains
icons for handy little programs which run all the time your computer is on. As you install
more applications on your computer, you’ll find the Notification Area filling up with more
icons. Right-click or double-click an icon to display its functions.
I. Taskbar
This is the long blue strip at the bottom of the screen which contains the Start button,
Quick Launch bar and Notification Area. The Taskbar displays the icon and title of all
programs or folders that are currently active. Since you can run multiple programs on
your computer simultaneously, the taskbar helps you keep track of which programs you
are currently running. The Taskbar lets you quickly switch between any programs you
have running. So, if you have a Web browser and a word processor open at the same
time and the word processor window is currently obscuring your view of the Web
browser, you can click the Web browser’s button in the Taskbar to have it come to the
top and thus into view.
J. Quick Launch bar
The Quick Launch bar provides a quick way to start programs you use frequently, such
as your Web browser and email program. You can drag shortcuts to other programs into
the Quick Launch bar to gain quick access to them as well. The icon that looks like a
desk blotter with a writing pad and pen on top is a little different. It’s called the Show
Desktop icon, and clicking it quickly hides all open program windows so you can get a
clear view of your desktop.
Customizing Desktop Icons
The Windows desktop is designed so that it may be tailored to your needs. In other
words, you can make all sorts of changes to it, both cosmetic and functional. The
purpose of desktop icons is to give you quick access to programs, documents and
important functions. This can be made easier by organizing your icons into logical
groups.
First, right click on any empty spot on the desktop. A pop-up menu will appear. Select
Arrange Icons By to display a sub-menu. In the sub-menu, make sure there is no
checkmark beside the Auto Arrange option. If there is, select the Auto Arrange option to
remove the checkmark. Now, right-click on any empty spot on the desktop again. Select
‘Arrange Icons By’ and then select ‘Align To Grid’ (unless there is already a checkmark
beside that option, in which case you can leave it as is). Now you are ready to arrange
your desktop icons as you please.
My Computer
You always want the My Computer icon to appear on your desktop, ideally in the upper
lefthand corner of the screen. If the My Computer icon is not currently displayed on your
desktop, you can display it by clicking the Start Button, right-clicking My Computer in the
Start Menu and selecting Show On Desktop.
PC and Windows Basics
6
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
Recycle Bin
The Recycle Bin is where you dump unwanted items; it makes sense to get it away from
a crowded area, so you don’t accidentally delete something you wish to keep. I place
mine in the lower-right corner of the screen. To move the Recycle Bin, drag-and-drop it
to its new location.
Other Icons
You can move all other icons to more useful positions as well. For instance, you may
want to group folders and files in one section of the desktop, put shortcuts to programs
in another section, and leave special items such as My Documents, My Computer, etc.
in the upper lefthand corner. When moving icons, be sure you don’t cover one icon with
another; only move icons to vacant areas of your desktop. Remember: You can also
create whatever additional desktop shortcuts you like, as shown in the next section.
Creating Desktop Shortcuts
A shortcut is a quick way to start a program or open a file or folder without having to
search for its exact location on your computer. A shortcut is an icon that has a tiny black
arrow in the bottom-left corner. Each shortcut points to the location of a file, folder, drive
or program.
There are several ways to create a desktop shortcut:
1. Open the folder which contains the item to which you want to create a shortcut.
2. Locate the item in the folder and right-drag-and-drop the item onto a vacant spot on
the desktop. A pop-up menu will appear asking what you want to do. Choose Create
Shortcut Here. OR…
1. Right-click on the item you want.
2. Choose Send To and Desktop (create Shortcut). OR…
1. Right-click on the item you want.
2. Select Create Shortcut (if available).
It is important to distinguish between shortcuts and the objects they represent. The
shortcut is not the same as the file, folder, or program to which it points; rather it is just a
representation that leads to the real thing. If you delete a shortcut, the file or program it
points to remains on your computer. However, if you delete the file or program itself, not
only will it be gone for good but any existing shortcuts to it will no longer work.
Renaming Shortcuts
You can rename shortcuts without affecting the objects they point to. This means you
can give shortcuts highly descriptive names. To rename a shortcut, right-click it and
choose Rename from the pop-up menu, then type in the new name and press Enter.
PC and Windows Basics
7
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
Controlling Window Views
Every program, task or folder/file list is contained in a window that you view from the
desktop. In the upper right corner of the window there are usually three small control
boxes that are used to control how the window is displayed.
Minimizing a Window
The left control box has a minus [-] sign in it. If you put the cursor over it and click the
mouse, the application is 'minimized' and placed on the task bar as a block. To expand
the minimized program, click the block and it expands to become the active program on
your desktop.
Maximizing a Window
The control box in the center has a square [ ] in it. If you put the cursor over this box
and click your mouse the application is 'maximized' and takes up the entire screen.
When maximized, this control box changes to show one square in front of another
square. Clicking this control box again restores the window back to about half size.
Closing an Active Window
The control box on the right has an [x] in it. If you put the cursor over this box and click
your mouse the application terminates. To open it again you must click the program icon
for it.
Manually Resizing a Window
By manipulating either the top/bottom or the left/right side of a window, you can change
its shape. You can also reshape a window diagonally by manipulating its lower left
corner.
Display Properties Options
Wallpaper
Windows comes supplied with a selection of desktop wallpapers or you can add your
own images to use as wallpaper instead. You can also download images from many
sites on the Internet. For example, www.webshots.com offers a great choice of free
wallpapers. Alternatively, you can choose to simply have a solid color background for
your desktop. To change your wallpaper:
1. Right-click in a vacant spot on the desktop and choose Properties from the pop-up
menu to show the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Click the Desktop tab.
3. Scroll through the Background list and click each of the offerings until you find
something you want. Click Apply to see that background applied to your desktop;
click OK once you’re satisfied with your choice.
4. If you decide to choose no background (by selecting None at the top of the
Background list) you can select a color instead by clicking the down-arrow in the
Color box and then clicking one of the colors.
PC and Windows Basics
8
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
Themes
A desktop theme is a background plus a set of sounds, icons, etc. that may be used to
personalize your computer with a single click. To change your theme:
1. Right-click in a vacant spot on the desktop and choose Properties from the pop-up
menu to show the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Click the Themes tab.
3. Pick a theme of your choice from the available options. You can also purchase
alternative themes online.
4. If you are happy with the theme you’ve chosen, click Apply and then OK.
Screensaver
You can also choose your computer’s screensaver and associated settings in the
Display Properties box. Windows provides many choices to choose from and you can
also use your own third-party screensavers as well. In addition to choosing your
screensaver, you can also set the amount of time your computer waits until it initiates
use of the screensaver here.
Appearance
You also have choices as to how your Windows buttons, color scheme, and font size
appear on your desktop. Use the Appearance tab within Display Properties to alter
these attributes.
Settings
Finally, you can change the screen resolution of your display under Settings within
Display Properties. Depending on the size of your monitor (and your eyesight!), you can
choose the screen resolution that you prefer.
Managing Files and Folders
Everything you work with on your computer is stored in the form of files. Most are stored
on your hard disk unless you choose another storage medium such as a floppy disk or
USB drive. Think of a traditional office filing cabinet as an analogy. Your hard disk is the
filing cabinet. It is filled with folders, and within the folders are your files, such as Word
document, images, etc. On your PC you can even store folders within folders. This is a
great system, but you most likely have so many files that it becomes hard to keep track
of them all. That is why it is imperative that you devise a logical system of keeping track
of your files and that you stay consistent with it.
Creating Folders
To create a new folder on your desktop, or within any existing folder, simply right-click
and select ‘Folder’ from the menu. A new folder will be created. (See “Adding a New
Folder” below.)
File Paths
As you navigate through folders to the location of a specific file, you are following a
path. A path always begins with the hard drive letter (usually ‘C:’) and then lists in order
the ‘nested’ folders you go through to get to the file. File paths are often long and
PC and Windows Basics
9
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
complicated. Thus, it is much easier to use the ‘Start’ menu or a desktop icon to access
the program of file you want rather than type it out.
Naming Files
The nicely organized folder/file structure that Windows provides is useful, but only if you
name your files and folders in clearly identifiable ways, so you can locate what you want
when you want. Each file on your computer has a filename which uniquely identifies it.
There are a few characters that you can’t use in Windows’ filenames. They are: / \ : * ? "
< > |. Apart from these excluded characters, you can name your files however you like.
However, you should try to avoid very long filenames and you should establish a
consistent approach to naming files with descriptive terms.
It is important that you develop a system for naming your folders and files. Consistency
is key, so that you can always find what you are looking for on your computer. For
example: I might label a folder “Tests.” Within that folder I would place the files of my
individual tests. If I have multiple tests, then I would create subfolders within “Tests”
perhaps called, “Week_1”, “Week_2” and so on. In these subfolders I would place the
various versions of each test. I might label these files, Week_1_Test_v.01,
Week_1_Test_v.02, etc. so as not to confuse them.
Selecting Files and Folders
Selecting files and folders is something that is common when using Windows. An item
must be selected before you can move, copy, or delete it. To select a file or folder, put
your cursor over the item and then left-click your mouse. The item is highlighted to
indicate you've successfully selected it. Likewise, double clicking the item opens it.
Moving Files
Using the left mouse button, select the file or folder you wish to move. Continue holding
down the button and drag the item until it is over the destination folder. Release the
button and the item is moved. Note: When you move a folder all folders and files under
it are also moved.
Copying Files
Place the cursor over the file or folder you want to copy, and right-click your mouse.
Select ‘copy’ from the menu that appears. Place your cursor over the destination folder
and again right-click your mouse. Select paste from the menu and the item is copied to
the destination folder. Note: When you copy a folder all folders and files under it are
also copied.
Adding a New Folder
Within any folder, go to the 'File' command on the menu bar at the top left of the screen.
A drop down menu appears. Select 'New' and another menu appears. Select 'Folder'
and a new folder icon appears within the selected folder with the name 'new folder'
highlighted. Type the name you want for the new folder and it overwrites the highlighted
text. Click your mouse or hit the 'enter' key and the new name is stored.
Renaming a Folder
Select the folder, wait a moment and then click again on its name. The name of the
folder becomes highlighted. Type the name you want for the new folder and it
overwrites the highlighted text. Click your mouse or hit the 'enter' key and the new name
PC and Windows Basics
10
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
is stored. You can also just right-click it and choose Rename from the pop-up menu,
then type in the new name and press Enter.
Searching for Files
Sometimes you lose track of a file or folder on your computer. If this happens to you, do
not despair, you can find it using the Windows search utility. To use Search, do the
following:
1. Click Start, then Search to open the ‘Search Results’ window.
2. On the left side of the window, click All Files and Folders, three fill-in boxes are
displayed in the window.
3. In the box labeled ‘All or part of the file name’ type in the full or partial file name you
want to locate. You can optionally search for text within each file by entering the text
you want to search for in the box labeled ‘A word or phrase in the file.’
4. Click the arrow at the right side of the box labeled “Look In’ and in the drop-down list
that opens, select the drive(s) you want to search in.
5. Click the 'Search' button and all files and folders matching your search conditions
appear in a list. The path of each folder and file is also displayed.
There are also other options available to help you better define your search criteria such
as modification date, size of file, etc.
Common File Name Extensions
A computer file extension is usually a three- or four-character suffix that follows the
name of a file. This extension helps your computer identify what program to associate a
file with and how to properly open the file. Here is a list of the most common file name
extensions you will encounter:
.DAT
.DOC
.EXE
.GIF
.BMP
.HTM
.HTML
.JPG
.MPG
.MP3
.PDF
.PPT
.TXT
.WMV
Data file (often a simple text document)
MS Word Document (and some other documents)
Executable file or program
Graphics Interchange Format for Images
Graphical Bit Mapped File for Images
Web page files containing HTML found on the Internet.
Web page files containing HTML found on the Internet.
Graphic capable of being opened by most image editors.
MPEG movie file.
Audio file generally used to record and store audio tracks
Adobe Acrobat Reader file.
MS PowerPoint presentation.
Simple text file that can be read from Windows
Windows Media Video File
PC and Windows Basics
11
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.
.XLS
.ZIP
Microsoft Excel File.
A compressed file that is extracted with various compression utilities.
Unhiding Filename Extensions
On most computers, Microsoft has hidden these file extensions from the users’ view for
simplicity’s sake. If you want to show all the filename extensions on your computer, do
the following:
Click Start Æ My Computer.
In the My Computer window, select Folder Options from the Tools Menu.
In the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab at the top.
In the list of settings, locate the option ‘Hide Extensions For Known File Types’
and, if it’s checked, remove the checkmark by clicking it.
5. Click OK and close the My Computer window.
1.
2.
3.
4.
_________________________________
Adapted from: Computer Help A to Z (www.computerhelpatoz.com), Computer Hope (www.computerhope.com), and Geek Girl’s
Plain English Computing (www.geekgirls.com).
PC and Windows Basics
12
Joshua Stern, Ph.D.