Basic Windows 95

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Basic Windows 95
Key Terms Format Disk Copy Files Manage
Files Organize Files
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Key Terms
Desktop - This is the main screen. It generally
has a few icons on it and a START button in the
lower left corner. Everything you will do in
Windows 95 will start with this screen. Icon - A
small picture that represents a program you use
often or a file you access often. If you used
Power Point frequently, it would make sense to
have a Power Point icon on your desktop. Just
like your classroom desktop, you use your stapler
often, so you keep it on your desktop. We put
icons on the Windows desktop if the program is
used often. File - This is a document that you
have created. The computer knows it as a file,
even if it is a test for your 3rd hour class, it
is a file to the computer. It could also be
called a document. Double click - This is two
quick clicks of the left mouse button. The first
click selects a program or a file and the second
one opens it for you. If you are not real good
at double clicking, click the mouse once and
then hit Enter on the key board. Drag - Using
the mouse, a person can click and hold down the
left mouse button, drag a file to someplace on
the desktop, let off the mouse button, and the
file will be moved. This will be discussed in
the file management portion. We use this a lot
to copy a file from one disk to another disk, or
to copy a file from a disk to the desktop. It
also works well to drag a file and put it into
the recycle bin (trash). Recycle Bin - This is
just what it sounds like. This is where all
deleted files from the C drive go to. The
reason it is called Recycle Bin and not Trash
is that if a file is placed in it, you can still
recycle it if you change your mind. It will
stay in the bin until you empty it. Files
deleted from a floppy disk do not go into the
Recycle Bin. Open - Under File on the menu
bar. Once a program is opened, go to File then
down to Open to access on of your files. 31/2
Floppy - A drive - This is your disk. A drive
is a place to store your work. Students are only
allowed to store work on this drive. C drive -
This is the hard drive of the computer. It is
the main filing cabinet. Just like a filing
cabinet in your classroom, it has a few drawers.
One is the desktop, one is My Documents, or
My Briefcase and finally just C.
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Windows 95 Desktop
My Computer Icon
Looks like a little computer
Recycle Bin Icon
Looks like a little trash can
Program Icon
Microsoft Word
File as an Icon
Start button
Although this is not a real clear picture, it is
the Desktop you will see on our network
computers. Some computers may have more or less
icons on the desktop. If the program you need is
not on the desktop, click the Start button,
then select Programs to get a list of all the
programs on that computer.
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Using a Windows 95 Program
If you have ever shopped for software, or for
that matter heard a computer advertisement, the
term for Windows is said. What does this
mean? Basically, this means that all the programs
are similar as far as using them. The will all
have, for example, the same methods for saving,
or the same steps for printing. You open the
programs and close the programs the same
way. This section will define and illustrate some
basic Windows 95 terms and functions. Lets
start with some pictures.
Menu Bar Tool Bar
Save button Bold
Underline
Print Spell Check
The Menu Bar is along the top of all Windows 95
programs. File and Format are used the most.
By clicking once on the word, and menu pulls
down. The basic functions of any Windows 95
program like Open, Save, Save as, Print, Close,
Exit and Properties can be found under the File
It makes sense because those are all things you
do with a file. The other popular one is
Format. Any function having to do with the
format of you page like Font, margins, line
spacing are found in this menu. The Tool Bar
has buttons that resemble the function they do.
The little disk is the button you can use to
save a document. The ABC is the spell
check. In some cases, you can use a button on the
tool bar to do something in the File menu. For
example, under the File menu is the Print
command however, on the tool bar is a button
that will work as well. Pull down the other menus
to see what functions they can do.
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Format Disk
Format a disk simply means that you are going to
have the computer divide the disk into sectors so
that programs or files may me organized on it.
Although you cannot see it, a disk is blank and
formatting it will divide the disk into equal
squares, like a tile floor would look. Some disks
come formatted. Look on the disk and see if it
says preformatted. It it is not formatted,
follow the steps below.
Insert disk into "A" drive

• Once disk is in the A drive, go to the My
  Computer icon
• and double click. The screen will look like the
  image below.

• Now, click (Only one click) on 3 1/2 floppy

• With 3 1/2 selected, go to the word File and
  click once. A menu will pull down with some
  choices that look like the image below.

• Double click on Format and you will get another
  box.

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Format Con't

• Once you double click on Format, a final box
  will appear. It looks like the image below.

A Quick will erase the disk. A Full will
erase and format the disk. This is the one you
want, but quick will work. Once you choose by
clicking with the mouse, click start and the
process will begin. Remember, a disk format will
erase all old items on the disk.
When should I format a disk???

• Once a disk has been used by a student for a long
  time, it is possible that some of the sections
  will be damaged. Also, if a disk has been used a
  lot by a student, files erased often, I will make
  a copy of the disk, reformat the old one, and
  then copy files back to the original. It is
  just a way to prevent files from being lost as a
  result of bad sectors on the disk.
• I also reformat old disks. If they have not been
  used in a while, I will reformat just to be safe.
  
• Just remember, if you reformat a disk, it does
  erase the disk before it formats, so always make
  a copy before you reformat.

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Disk Copy

• If someone has a disk with many files on it and
  you would like a copy of that disk, it is very
  easy to make a duplicate. Follow the steps
  below.
• If you simply want one or two files off a
  friends disk, I will address that in the next
  section.

Insert Disk to Copy

• Place the disk that you wish to copy into the 3
  1/2 floppy drive.
• Double click on the My Computer icon
• You will get a box that looks like the one below

• Click the 3 1/2 floppy once (Only Once)

• With the 3 1/2 selected, go to File and click
  once to pull down the File menu.
• It will look like the image below.

• Double click the Copy Disk and you will get a
  final box

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Disk Copy Con't

• The last box in the process will look like the
  one below

The disk that you wish to copy is already in the
3 1/2 floppy drive. Simply click Start and
the process will begin. The computer will read
all the files off from the source disk. It will
then ask you to put in the disk that you want the
files on (destination disk.) At that point,
take out the source disk and put in you blank
disk. Click the button to continue the process.
It will tell you when it is done.
When do I use this???
I use this process when a fellow teacher has a
number of files, like tests, quizzes, worksheets,
etc. and I would like a copy of the disk. With
your own copy, you can access the files anytime
you wish without getting the disk from a fellow
teacher. You can also use this process to copy a
disk before you reformat a disk that is giving
you or a student problems. This is also a quick
and easy way to back up your floppy disks. I
always have at least two copies of all my disks
to prevent any unforeseen computer screw ups.
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Managing Files
Once you have created a file from, lets say,
Microsoft Word or Microsoft Power Point, or any
program, your will need to save it. This section
will discuss the long and short of managing your
files using Windows 95. Here goes nothing.
What is a program ?? What is a file??
A program is like Power Point or Word. A file is
what you created using the program. If you are
using Word, for instance, you are using a word
processing program to create a test, or type an
essay. If you are using Power Point, that is the
program, and the presentation or newsletter you
make is the file. For the purpose of this
section, lets define and discuss the three most
commonly used PROGRAMS being used on our network.
Microsoft Office 97
Also called Office 97 for short, this software
package contains three main programs used by
teachers and students. One is a very fancy word
processing program (Microsoft Word). One is a
very nice presentation program(Microsoft Power
Point). And the last is a chart and graph
program (Microsoft Excel). There are others, but
these are the big three. In order to manage your
files, you must understand how the computer saves
these to you disk. Once you understand this,
managing your files from these programs will be a
snap.
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Managing Files Con't
Saving to a disk

• Using any of the three programs, Saving to a disk
  is the same. Follow the steps below.
• Once a document has been created, it will need to
  be saved to your floppy disk which will then make
  it a File.
• Never wait until the end of a document to save it
  to a disk. Believe me, if the power goes out
  while you or a student is working on a document,
  or if a cord is disconnected, the document is
  gone. If you create a little, and save, create
  some more, and save some more, you will save
  yourself and your students a very large headache.
• O.K., you are using a program, you have created
  part of a document, and you want to Save it.
• Use your mouse and go to the menu bar and click
  once on File. In that menu box, your will
  select Save by clicking once.

Windows 95 is going to offer you a place to save
your document. We are going to now tell the
computer where we want to save the document.
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Managing Files Con't
When you click on Save Windows 95 will give you
a place to save the document. At this point we
need to Click on the down arrow next to the Save
in box (see below) and chose the 3 1/2 floppy.
This is the down arrow Click it to get this
picture.
Click here to save your document on the 3 1/2
floppy disk. You will get another box to name
your document. (see bottom of page)
It is very important that you tell the computer
to save your document on the 3 1/2 floppy disk.
If you do not, or if a student does not, the
document will be saved, but not on your disk,
making it very difficult to find and retrieve
later. In our computer labs, and in the Media
Center, the computers will only allow students to
save to a disk. But it is still very important
to do this just in case.

• In the next box, you will be asked to name your
  document. Click in the little area and type a
  name. It can be up to 25 characters.

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Managing Files Con't

• Once you have typed in a name, click on the save
  button (on the right, just above the cancel
  button) and the computer will save your document
  to the 3 1/2 floppy drive. Your document just
  became a file on your disk.
• Now, the computer will jump you back to the
  program, and the file you just saved will be on
  the screen. You can keep working on the file.
  After adding more information, you will need to
  save it again.
• This time, since you have already saved it once,
  just go up to the tool bar and click on the
  save button. It looks like a little disk. (See
  the picture below)

Menu Bar
Tool Bar
Save button
Windows 95 will automatically then save your file
to the assigned drive. Keep adding to your file
and saving periodically until the file is
complete.
Why is this such a big deal???
While using a program, create some of your
document and save that portion. The first time
you save, you must go through the proper steps to
save it to the proper drive, under a name that
you give it. Add more to your file and click the
save button every so often. Do this because, as
we all know, Murphys law applies to computer
use. If you have saved a little at a time, and
something goes wrong (computer locks up, power
goes out - - sound familiar) you will only lose
what you have done to your file since you last
saved. This process will keep you or your
students from losing everything.
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Organizing Files
A disk that has a bunch of files on it is like a
filing cabinet with many sheets of paper in it.
To find specific files in that cabinet is a tough
process. Many of us use a filing cabinet to
organize our important documents to do this we
use folders. The same thing happens when we use a
disk. For this segment, think of your disk as a
bunch of papers (files) and lets give that disk
some organization.
How much will fit on my disk?
A disk will hold a lot of text, but presentations
are a different story. To check out how much
space is on a disk, follow the steps below.
Put your disk in the 3 1/2 floppy drive. Double
click the My Computer icon.
Next, click 3 1/2 floppy once.
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Organizing Files Con't
With the 3 1/2 floppy selected (Click only once
to highlight it), go to File on the menu bar
and click it once. You will get the following
picture.
Use the mouse to click Properties one time.
Your are asking the computer to evaluate how much
space is left on the disk.
The pie chart will show in one color how much of
the disk is use and how much is free space.
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Organizing Files Con't
Putting files into folders

• Insert your disk into the 3 1/2 floppy drive
  (A drive)
• Double click the My Computer icon.
• In the box that appears, double click the 3 1/2
  floppy drive
• The screen will show you all the files on your
  disk. Some of your files will have something in
  common. Certain ones may be from one class hour,
  or maybe three or four are from one unit.
  Whatever the case, it is easy to place these
  files into a common folder.
• With the 3 1/2 floppy opened, go to the File on
  the menu bar and click it one time.
• Use your mouse to select New and click it one
  time.
• Another box will appear.
• In that box, one of the choices is Folder.
  Click on the word.
• A folder will appear, and you will be given the
  opportunity to name that folder.

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Organizing Files Con't
I named mine Pictures
Drag and Drop using the mouse

• Now that you have a bunch of files on the disk,
  and you have a folder that has been named, you
  can put all like files in that folder.
• The example above shows my 3 1/2 floppy and all
  the picture files I used for this packet. I made
  a folder and titled it Pictures (for obvious
  reasons).
• Now, using the mouse, I take my arrow to one of
  the files and click and hold down the left mouse
  button. While holding the mouse button down,
  Windows will allow me to Drag the file. Drag
  it over to the folder. When the title of the
  folder lights up, let off the mouse button and
  the file will be placed into the folder.
• If you do not believe the computer, or you just
  want to check inside the folder, double click on
  the folder and your file will appear.

This is so cool
Repeat the process to get as many folders as you
need.