INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS 7

Introduction to Windows 7

Contents What’s changed in Windows 7?.............................................................................................................. 2 Start Button......................................................................................................................................... 2 Start Menu .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Taskbar buttons .................................................................................................................................. 3 What’s New in Windows 7? .................................................................................................................... 4 Jump Lists – Similar to Open Recently Used Files ............................................................................... 4 View a Jump List .................................................................................................................................. 4 Pinning a file to a Jump List................................................................................................................. 4 Unpinning a file from a Jump List ....................................................................................................... 5 Windows desktop environment.............................................................................................................. 5 Aero Peek – Similar to Grouped Task bar items in XP ........................................................................ 5 Viewing the desktop ........................................................................................................................... 6 Advanced Windows Desktop Environment ............................................................................................ 8 Browse open windows: ....................................................................................................................... 8 Snapping Windows ........................................................................................................................... 10 Minimizing windows using Aero Shake............................................................................................. 13 Pinning items..................................................................................................................................... 13 Notification area ............................................................................................................................... 14 Personalising your Windows 7 .............................................................................................................. 15 Gadgets ............................................................................................................................................. 16 Removing a Gadget ........................................................................................................................... 16 Adding a printer .................................................................................................................................... 17 Wireless................................................................................................................................................. 20 Problem Solving – Problem Steps Recorder ......................................................................................... 20 Action Centre ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Help and Support .................................................................................................................................. 22 Useful Windows 7 shortcuts ................................................................................................................. 23

__________________________________________________________________________________ Computer Training Centre – [email protected] – 4903749/3751/3752

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Microsoft on Windows 7 Windows 7 is the most advanced Windows operating system for business PCs, designed to meet the evolving needs of the users and IT professionals—both in and out of the office. With exclusive features and benefits, Windows 7 drives lower total cost of ownership by helping your users stay productive anywhere, enhancing security and control, and simplifying PC management across your organization.

Computer Centre UCC on Windows 7 The Computer Centre is planning to roll out Windows 7 to provide UCC staff and students with the fastest and most intuitive Windows operating system. The features of Windows 7 make it easier to organize your data, view documents and work in a less cluttered desktop environment. New security features ensure that your work data and personal information is more secure and gives you more control than ever before. Standard applications used by staff and students have been tested and a comprehensive compatibility list is available on the Computer Centre website.


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What’s changed in Windows 7? Start Button The Start button from Windows XP has been replaced: XP Start Button

Windows 7 Start Button

Start Menu In the start menu you can type directly into the search box to find the application you are looking for – from applications and documents to songs, just by typing a few letters of what you are looking for.

You can search for applications by entering all or part of the name to return results.

Click on a result to open the desired item.


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Taskbar buttons Taskbar buttons have a new look and do more than just show you which applications are running. In XP the taskbar showed the open applications:

In Windows 7 open application icons will be visible on the taskbar. In addition to this, application icons can be “pinned” to the taskbar. The icons will be displayed on the task bar even when closed.

The icons can be rearranged so they appear in a desired order To rearrange the order of buttons on the taskbar:  Click and hold the mouse button on the icon to be moved

 Drag the icon from its current position to the preferred position on the taskbar.

 You can rearrange buttons as often as you like.


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What’s New in Windows 7? Jump Lists – Similar to Open Recently Used Files Jump lists are similar to the “recent items” in XP They are lists of recently or frequently opened items, such as files, folders, tasks, or websites, organized by the application that you use to open them. In addition to being able to open recent items using a Jump List, you can also pin favorite items to a Jump List so you can quickly get to the items that you use every day. Jump Lists appear for applications that you've pinned to the taskbar and applications that are currently running. View a Jump List  Right-click the application button on the taskbar  The Jump List will display  Click on an item in the list to open it. Pinning a file to a Jump List  Right Click on the Application Icon to display the jump list  Rest the mouse over the file you want to pin to the list  Clip on the Pin Icon that appears – this file will now always appear in the jump list.


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Unpinning a file from a Jump List  Right Click the Task bar Icon to display the Jump List  Rest the mouse pointer over the file to be unpinned from the list  Click the Unpin from list button

Windows desktop environment When you open multiple windows on the desktop, sometimes it can be a challenge to view separate windows and switch between them. Aero Peek – Similar to Grouped Task bar items in XP Aero Peek allows the user to take a quick look at other open windows; without clicking away from the window they are currently working on.  Rest the mouse over a taskbar button  Thumbnail previews of any open windows associated with that button appear above the taskbar.  Click on a thumb nail to make it the active file/applications


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Viewing the desktop In Windows XP, the ‘show desktop’ icon was located beside the Start button:

In Windows 7, there are 3 methods of viewing the desktop:

Method One The Show desktop button has been moved to the opposite end of the taskbar from the Start button, making it easier to click or point at the button without accidentally opening the Start menu.

Method Two You can also get a sneak peek of the desktop by holding the Windows Key and the Space bar together

This is what the Windows Key looks like – It is sometimes called the Win key


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Method Three Hold down the Win Key + the D key together to go to desktop using your keyboard


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Advanced Windows Desktop Environment Browse open windows: Method One  Hold down the Windows button and the Tab Button  Release the tab key and then press it again to cycle through all open windows  Release all buttons when the window required is to the front

Method Two  Hold down both the Alt Key and the Tab Key  Release and the tab key and the press it repeatedly until the required window is selected  Release all keys


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Method Three It is also possible to cycle through instances of specific applications without using your mouse for the “live preview”: The open application icons in the figure below are numbered in the order you can see them; E.G. Word is number 3.  Selecting Win + 3, the word application will become active  If multiple documents are open, select Win + (number) and keeping Win held, press the number until you preview the document you want, and then release the keys to go to that open document.

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If you want to move from one application to a specific instance of another, there is another useful keyboard shortcut:  Select Win + T to bring you into the taskbar  From here use the left/right arrow key to move through the applications.  To select a specific instance of an application use the UP arrow and from there your right/left arrow again to cycle through specific instances.  Hit enter to display a specific screen.


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Snapping Windows You can use Snap to arrange windows side by side, which can be helpful when comparing documents or dragging files across windows. Option 1:  Click on the Title of the Open Window

 Drag the window to the left or right and side of the screen on either side  The window will snap to the edge of the screen.


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Option 2:  Press and hold the Window button + Left/Right arrow Your window will then display on the left/right side of the screen Note: If you drag a window to the top corner of the screen it will maximise the window.

Displaying documents – Side by Side  Snap one file to the left and the other to the right using either of the methods described below.


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Snap Vertically  Click the top edge of the window  Drag the window up to the top of the screen  The window will snap to be the length of the screen


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Minimizing windows using Aero Shake If you have multiple windows open in different sizes, you can minimize all windows bar the one you wish to keep open quite easily:  Click and hold the top of the window you wish to keep open  Drag the mouse back and forth quickly  Any other open windows will now minimise – leaving only the selected window open on screen

Pinning items Pinning programs to the taskbar complements pinning applications to the Start menu, like in earlier versions of Windows. When you pin a favorite application to the taskbar, you can always see it there and easily access it with a single click.  Right Click on the Application you want to be to the task bar  Select Pin to Taskbar from the menu that appears  This application will now always appear on the task bar

Unpin an item from the taskbar  Right click on the icon on the task bar  Select Unpin this program from taskbar  The icon will no longer appear on the taskbar __________________________________________________________________________________ Computer Training Centre – [email protected] – 4903749/3751/3752

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Notification area A new way of managing the notification area on the end of the taskbar means you get fewer notifications, and the ones you get are collected in a single place in Windows. In the past, the notification area could sometimes become cluttered with icons. Now, you can choose which icons appear visible at all times. And you can keep the rest of the icons on hand in an overflow area, where they are accessible with a single mouse click.


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Personalising your Windows 7  Right click on the desktop  Click Personalise to view a range of display items  From here you can select different backgrounds, window colours, sounds and screen saver settings

From this window you can also choose what icons to display on your desktop. The links to these options are on the left hand side of the window.  Click the Change desktop icons link  Tick Computer to have the equivalent of the My Computer Icon displayed on the desktop at all times


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Gadgets Gadgets are small applications that carry out various functions. Some are very useful such as displaying the weather for your location. Others are just a bit of fun such as the picture puzzle gadget. You can add gadgets to your screen in the following way  Right click on your desktop  Choose gadgets

 From the window that displays double click a gadget to add it to your desktop  Click on the x to close the window Removing a Gadget  Right click on the Gadget on the desk top  Select Close Gadget from the menu that appears


Get more gadgets online here

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Adding a printer  Click on the Start Button  Go to Devices and Printers in the Start menu.

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From the window that appears click Add Printer

 Select the type of the printer you wish to add o Local - if the printer is attached to your machine o Networked - if it is not attached directly


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Enter the IP address of the printer


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Windows 7 will attempt to add the printer now.


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Wireless With Windows 7, wireless setup is easier than ever. There is a comprehensive wireless guide in PDF format on the staff website: http://www.ucc.ie/en/staffitservices/wireless/join/Windows7WirelessStaff.pdf

Problem Solving – Problem Steps Recorder Along with many other new features Windows 7 incorporated a new unique feature named Problem Steps Recorder. Problem Steps Recorder is very useful if you want to show the steps that need to be followed to accomplish one or more tasks to someone else.


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In simple words, you can use Problem Steps Recorder to automatically capture the steps you take on a computer, including a text description of where you clicked and a picture of the screen during each click. Launch this feature by typing in “psr” to the search box, and then clicking on the result:

Another advantage of PSR is that you can view the recorded steps as a slide show as well.


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Action Centre Action Center is a single area that collects important notification messages about security and maintenance settings. You can review these messages later if you don’t want to be interrupted. When you click the Action Center icon and then click Open Action Center, you’ll see information about the things you need to take action on, and find helpful links to troubleshooters and other tools that can help fix problems.

Help and Support

Click here in the Start menu to launch help and support function


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Useful Windows 7 shortcuts Win + 1-5 - opens that number application Win + Tab – Cycles through open applications Alt + Tab – Alternative cycle method Ctrl + Click – Clicking on an application while holding ctrl cycles through windows in that application only Win + Space – Temporarily shows the desktop Win + D - Shows Desktop Win + Down Arrow – reduces window size Win + Up Arrow – Maximises window Win + Left Arrow – Snaps the window to the left Win + Right Arrow – Snaps the window to the right Win + L – Locks your computer


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Win + T – Brings the focus to the taskbar where you can then cycle through the applications using the arrows; hit enter to launch; hit esc to exit the feature Win + S - Launches the Snip tool to cut slices of the screen for images Win + P - Brings you into presenter/projection mode Win + ‘+’ - Zoom in Win + ‘-’ - Zoom out


INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS 7

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