Bule Construction and Industrial College Department of ICT

Operate Personal Computer (level 1)

prepared by Instructor Desta.B

The Control Panel

The control panel enables you to view and change
settings to things like:
The Display: - Screen savers, settings, appearance,
wallpapers, and themes.
Date and Time: - enables see you to change the system
date and time.
The system: - see information about your computer
system and change settings for hardware performance,
and automatic updates.
 Printer and faxes: - it shows printers and faxes and
their settings.
 There are other options many icons that you could
use once you are more confident. The control panel
window contains many icons that represent different
controls, players or information about the computer
system. You can access any of these by double
clicking on an icon.
Customize the desktop
 Desktop is the background image of screen.
 Follow the steps below to customize the desktop on
your computer
 Step one

 Click on start menu

 Click control panel
 Double click on display icon
 Select desktop tab
 Select the picture that you went to use for your
screen image
 Clicks apply, ok.
 Step two

 Right click on the blank area of the desktop

 Select properties then the display window will
appear
Step 3
 Right click on the picture
 Click “set as desktop background.”
 Screen saver
Screen sever is a moving picture or pattern that appear
on your screen when you have not used the mouse
or keyboard for a special period of time.
 Step one

 Click on start menu

 Click control panel
 Double click on display icon
 Select screen saver tab
 Select screen saver type e.g. Select 3D text (assign
to time that the screen saver will appear MHC
 Click on setting button to change like the name, to
control the speed
 Click on preview button to see how it look like
 Click apply then click ok.
 Step two

 Right click on the blank area of the desktop

 Select properties then the display window will
appear
 To change the appearance of windows
 Step one
 Click on start menu
 Click control panel
 Double click on display icon
 Select on appearance tab
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 Click window and button select “windows style”

under “color scheme” select the color that you want
to use, under the front size select the front size for
an icon.
Tool tip
 Tool tip or screen tip is a description of text that
appears when you point a mouse on an item or icon.
 Adjusting the screen resolution

Screen resolution has to do with how much

information can fit on the computer screen you can
make all the images on your screen large or smaller.
Steps to adjust your screen resolution
Right click on the blank area of the desktop
Click properties
Click on setting tab from the display properties dialog
box
Move the side one notch to the right to 800 by 600 or
1024 by 768
Click apply, then ok.
 Date and Time

 To change your computer’s Date and Time

 Step one
 Double click the date and time icon from the control
panel
 In the date area , select the correct month, year, and
day
 Click apply, ok.
 Step two
 Right Click on the task bar time then click adjust
date/time
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 Getting online help

 Online help is a facility provided with most
application programs and operating systems.
 Using online help in windows XP
 Follow these steps to use online help in windows XP
professional.
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 Click start menu

 Click Help and Support. Help and support window
will appear
 Click in the search box then type printer and click
the green arrow
 Step 2
 Click F2 on the keyboard
 Lo3 Navigate and Manipulate Desktop
Environment

 1.1 Understanding customizes and creates of

desktop icons/shortcut
 Desktop:- refers to the basic work area you see on
your monitor’s screen after you start up windows.
Any image or item that appears on the desktop is
called an “object”
 Explore the desktop
 A graphic tool that used to represent of an objects is
called an “icon.”
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 An object always has properties, which control how

it behaves or appears. Usually you can change the
properties by right clicking the object.
 A computer desktop can display shortcuts to get to
application programs and storage devices (such as
the hard drive). There are different styles of icons
depending on what they represent.
 Standard Desktop Icons

 My computer: - gives you quick access to all the

major components of your computer system like
disk drives, scheduled tasks, printers, dial-up
networking and the control panel.
 Recycle Bin: - represents the place where deleted
files are stored temporarily. Double click this icon to
get back any files that you have deleted from your
hard disk by mistake.
 My Network Place: - allows you to browse files or
access hardware like printers that are shared in your
Local Area Network (LAN).
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 My Document: - is a folder/directory loaded by

default during the windows OS installation and
which is convenient place to store files and
documents you create on your computer.
 Internet Explorer: - used to brows internet if you
have the computer.
 Methods for creating New folder/directory
 Methods one

 Right click on any free area of the desktop

 Select/point on new
 Click folder
 Type a name for the folder then enter or click on another
place
 Methods two
 Open the place that you want to create a folder
 Click on file menu
 Select/point on new
 Click folder
 Type a name for the folder then press enter or click
another place
 Create desktop icons/ shortcuts

 Create desktop icons to open control panel

 Click on start button
 Click on the control panel icons but keep the mouse
button held down and drag to mouse pointer from
the control panel to the desktop
 Then finally the control panel shortcut icons will
appear
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 Create desktop icons to open local disk D

 Right click on the blank area of desktop
 Point to new
 Click on shortcut
• The shortcut dialog box will appear
 Click browse button
 Select local disk D from the list
 Click ok, next, finish
Create the following folder structure in side local
disk D:/ your name
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 Create the following shortcut icons inside Local

Disk C
 My Document
 Desktop
 Rename an Icon
Step one
 Right click on the folder, that you want to change
the name the pup-up menu will appear
 Move your mouse pointer down and click on rename
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 Type the new name that you want to use for that
folder
 Press enter from your keyboard or click on any
other place
 Step two
 Select the folder that you want to rename
 Press “F2” from your keyboard
 The folder will be high lighted
 Type the new name that you want to use for that
folder

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 Press enter from your keyboard or click on any

other place
 Step three
 Double click an icon that you want to change b/n 2
or 3 seconds space gap
 The folder will be high lighted
 Type the new name that
 Press enter from your keyboard or click on any
other place
 Delete icon

 Step one
 Right click an icon that you want to delete
 Move your mouse pointer down and click on delete,
the configuration dialog box will appear
 Click Yes/Ok to confirm
• The file automatically move in Recycle Bin icon
 Step two
 Select the icon that you want to delete
 Press delete key from the keyboard
 Click Yes/Ok to confirm
 Arrange icon on the desktop

 When you have a lot of shortcuts on the desktop

you may want to organize them according to their.
 Their Name(alphabetical order)
 Their Size (the amount of data that the icon points
to)
 Their Type (group icons for file and made with the
same program)
 When they were Modified (group the icons
according to when they were last customized).
 Steps to arrange icons of the desktop

 Right click on the blank area of the desktop

 Click /point on arrange icon by, the sub menu will
appear
 Choose your performance by clicking from the
submenu
 Manipulating application windows and return

 Desktop to original condition

 There are three buttons located at the top right
corner of a windows title bar. These buttons helps to
control the window.
 Minimizing button: - click this minimize button
makes it easy to switch back and for b/n several
programs.
 Maximizing button: - click this button cause the
window the large, full screen on desktop. This called
is maximizing window.

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 Restore button: - a maximizing window can be

restored to hold parts of the screen on desktop.
Maximize and restore buttons do not appear to
gather but switch each others.
 Clouse button: - single clicking the ‘X’ button will
close the window or exit a program entirely.
 Resizing a window
 You can enlarge or shrink a window to any desired
size halting your mouse points on any corner or
edge of the chosen window.
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 The mouse cursor change to a ‘two –way- arrow’, similar to
this one () hold down the mouse button and drag the window
in the direction you want expand on contract.
Arrange multiple Windows
 Microsoft window has “GUI” to work with more than two
window at the same time.
 Title windows vertically: - arranges multiple a window with
vertical layout.
 Title windows horizontally: - this is an option that you can
choose to a high horizontally.
 Cascade windows:- arrange the active window on top of the
other window
 LO4 Organize Basic Directory Folder Structure and
file

 Folder
 A folder is simply a storage device a space on the
computer that has been given a name, it is there to
hold data. A computer’s hard drive can be compared
with a huge filing cabinet. Folder can contain other
folders (sub folders).
 System and program folder
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 Most of the folders on a computer are program

folder or system folders with files that tell the
computer how to carry out its functions. System and
program folders come with the computer operating
system or with any program that you install on the
computer.
 A plus sign (+) in front of the folder shows that it
contains subfolders.
 A minus sign (-) in front of the folder shows that it is
open, allowing you to see any subfolders.
 If there is no sign in front of the folder, it contains
no folders, only files.
 Folder view

 There are many different ways you can display your

electronic filing system. Some people like to see
their folder and files listed (with or without details)
while others prefer to have them display as icons
(larger or small). The view that gives you the most
information is details.
 The details view presents the file system as a list
with details about the files and folders. These details
include the name of file in alphabetical order (A – Z),
the size of file, the type of file (e.g., word document,
spreadsheet, and graphic document) and date and
time when it was modified, that is, created and/or
changed.
 Create the following set of folder inside local
disk D

 Imagine that you have been asked to organize a

fund-raising event. You decide to run a raffle.
 Create a set of folders and subfolders in which to
store your work
 Main folder name: raffle 2007
 Subfolder names: sponsors, publicity, ticket sales
 Sub-sub- folder names: posters, newspaper –to be
created inside the publicity subfolder
 Learning activity: - Folder view
options

 double click on raffle 2007

 Click on the view menu and see which option is
selected (look for black dot).
 If necessary, change the view to Details.
 Look at the contents area of the window (right pane)
to see what details are shown.
 Renaming a folder
 Methods 4

 Select the folder that you want to rename

 From the file menu, select rename this highlights the
current name
 Type the new name
 Press the enter key to save changes
 Moving and copying folder

 Sometimes you want to move a folder to a new

location and sometimes you want to create a copy of
an existing folder and move the copy to a different
location. Moving deletes (cuts) a folder from one
place and puts (pastes) it in another. Copying takes
a copy of a folder and puts (pastes) the copy where
you wish.
 The steps needed for both actions are very similar
 Moving a file or a folder

 Follow these steps to move a folder:

 Right click on the folder you want to move
 Click on cut in the shortcut menu that appear
 Find the folder you want to move your files or folder
into (the destination folder)
 Right click on an empty space in this folder
 Click on paste from the shortcut menu that appears
the moved folder than becomes a subfolder of the
destination folder
 You can also move files and folders using the
mouse drag and drop.
 LO5:- Organizing files for user and/or organization
requirements

 Files
 File:- a collection of data or information. Files come in
two basic type program files and data files.
 Program file contain instruction that tell the computer
to do something. These have been written by
programmers is one of the languages that computer
understand.
 Data file contain information that has been created a
program such as Microsoft word. A data file may be a
word document, an excel spreadsheet, a power point
presentation, a publisher or FrontPage file or a file
created by other program. The files you create as you
use the computer will be data files.
 Creating and saving files

 When you create something on computer a letter, a

photo, a drawing or a presentation it is saved as a
file. Files are something called document b/c the
majorities are word files. The most common way to
create a new file is from a software program such as
Microsoft word.
Saving a file
 When you have created a new file, it is important to
name and save it as soon as possible. When you
create a new file, it is stored temporarily on the
memory or RAM. If the computer is turned off or
loses power, your file will be lost.
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You must save this file to avoid this catastrophe.

Saving means sanding a copy of file to the hard disk so
that if the power goes off you will not lose the work
you have done. There are several ways to save a file.
Use the file menu and the save command
Use the save icon on the toolbar, or
Use the keyboard shortcut: Ctr(+) S
 Notepad

 Built in program used to create a simple text

document.
 Steps to open notepad
 Method 1
 Click on start
 Click all programs
 Point to accessories
 Click in notepad
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 Methods 2
 Click on start
 Click run
 Type “notepad”
 Click ok or press enter.
 Hardware

 The physical components of a computer, and the

various accessory devices that can be added, are
termed hardware. This section covers installing,
using, and troubleshooting hardware, and describes
the tools and programs Windows XP contains to
help you keep your computer’s hardware working
smoothly and at peak performance.
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 Instruction
 Create a new folder inside My Document with a
name Notepad
 Write the above text as it is by notepad
 Make the text size of the title = 32, font style = Bold
italic, font face Lucida bright
 Make the text size of the body = 18, font style =
Italic, font face Tahoma
 Save the file with file name “Hardware” inside the
folder that you create before
 Invalid character when naming a file

 :/\*<>?
 File types
 There are different types of files. You will notice that
in Microsoft word the files always come up with the
ending ‘.doc’, e.g., ‘job application.doc’. This ending
is called a file extension.
 Program/File Extension
 Microsoft Word = .doc
 Paint = .bmp
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 Microsoft Excel = .xls

 Microsoft Access = .mdb
 Notepad = .txt
 WordPad = .rtf
 Microsoft Paint
 Paint is drawing tools you can use to create simple
or complex drawings. These drawings can be either
Black and white color and can be saved as a
bitmaps.

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 Method 1
 Click on start
 Click all programs
 Point to accessories
 Click on paint
 Methods 2
 Click on start
 Click run
 Type “mspaint”
 Click ok or press enter.
 Calculator

 You can use calculator to perform any of the

standard operation for which you would normally
use a hand held calculator performs basic
Arithmetic such as additional and subtraction as
well as function found on a scientific calculator such
as logarithms.

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 Method 1
 Click on start
 Click all programs
 Point to accessories
 Click calculator
 Methods 2
 Logo key + R
 Click on start Click run
 Type “calc”
 Click ok or press enter
 Finding or searching for files and folder

 Search Campion efforts the most directly way to

locate files. Use search Campion. If you are looking
for common file types. If you remember all or put of
the name of the file or folder you want to file, if you
know when you last changed if you know only part
of the name. you can use search button.
 Follow these steps if you need to find a file or folder:
 Press F3 from keyboard short cut
 Click on start Click search
 Type the name of the folder or file that you want
 Click search button.
 Working with files and folders

 Using the explorer windows makes simple work of

moving and copying files and folders. Right click on
my computer and left click on explorer. A two paned
window will appear. The left pane is the folder area.
This shows an outline view of everything on your
computer system, including any portable units such
as a CD or floppy disk. The right pane is the
contents area. This displays the folders and files in
which ever component that is currently selected in
the folders area.
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