Software

COMPUTER SYSTEM

HARDWARE

SOFTWARE

Software
MS Windows 7, Vista, XP MS Word 2000-2010 Games PhotoShop Paint NotePad

Software
Software is the programs that tell the computer what to do and how to do. All programs in a computer system.

SOFTWARE

Operating System Programs

Application Programs

What is an Operating System Program?

Operating system programs are used I - to operate and control the computer parts (hardware) such as hard disk, floppy disk, printer, and display unit II - operate the other programs (applications). III manage and organize the files and information on the disk. Every computer must have at least one operating system program such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, MS DOS, Unix, Novel etc.

Facts about operating system

You can not use your computer without an operating system program. All other programs (application programs) run under the operating system programs. For example, any time when you want to write a letter, you run (start) one word processing program such as Word 2010, WordPad and you can type your letter and when you complete your work you can quit (close) the program. But any time when you want, you can not run and quit the operating system programs. When you press the power button to turn on your computer, operating system program automatically runs without asking anything you like your heart. Operating system program looks like your internal organs (heart, kidney) that always runs on the background. Application programs look like your external organs (hand, leg, foot) that any time you want you can use.

Operating System Programs

An Operating System, or OS, is a software program that controls and operates the computer hardware. It also manages all the other programs in a computer system. The other programs are called application programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as getting in the inputs from the input units, sending the outputs to the output units, managing files and folders on the disk, and controlling devices which is connected the computer such as disk drives and printers.

Operating System Programs

Operating System Programs

It is the most important program that runs on a computer. Every computer must have an operating system to run the other programs and operate the computer hardware. Without a OS program you can not operate your computer parts and you can not use the other programs. Computer users will not start it. It is loaded by BIOS automatically on booting, when you power on your computer and it will continue running like your heart at background of the computer until turning off your computer. Without a computer Operating System, a computer would be useless.

Operating system types

As computers have developed, so we have different types of operating systems. Below is a basic list of the different types of operating systems and a few examples of Operating Systems that fall into each of the categories. Many computer Operating Systems will fall into more than one of the below categories.

Different types of Operating system (OS)

Graphical Based Operating System (OS) Text Based Operating System (OS) A multi-user Operating System (OS) A multiprocessing Operating System (OS) A multitasking Operating System (OS)

Operating system types

Graphical Based OS programs; Any OS program with GUI, short for Graphical User Interface, contains graphics and icons and is commonly used by using a computer mouse. Below are some examples of GUI Operating Systems. Windows 7 Windows XP Windows 2000

Operating system types

Text Based OS programs; Any OS program with text based user screen. You should type the commands to do anything. Below are some examples of Text Based Operating Systems. MS DOS UNIX NOVELL

Operating system types

Multi-user A multi-user Operating System allows for multiple users to use the same computer at the same time and/or different times. Below are some examples of multi-user Operating Systems. Linux UNIX Windows NT Windows 2000

Operating system types

Multiprocessing An Operating System is able to use more than one computer processor. Below are some examples of multiprocessing Operating Systems. Linux UNIX Windows 2000, Windows 7, Windows 8 BeOS

Operating system types

Multitasking An Operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software processes to run at the same time. Below are some examples of multitasking Operating Systems. UNIX Windows 2000, Windows 7, Windows 8 Windows XP

Application Programs
They are the optional programs which means doesnt require to operate your computer. If you want to do anything such as playing game, typing a letter, listening a music, drawing a picture, you can use one application program which meets with your needs. Computer users starts and quit any time any application programs. They look like your external organs like hand, leg, eyes. It is a program to perform a specific task or operation for users such as MS Word, Paint, games

Application Programs
Some application programs come with (integrated or bundled) the Operating System Programs. Windows Explorer - Allows you to see and access all the folders and files on your HDD, FDD, CDD and Local Area Network. Internet Explorer - This is a browser program that enables you see web pages on the Internet. Notepad - Simple word processor with limited features used to make and modify text (.txt) files. Wordpad - Word processor with more features than Notepad. It can handle large document (.doc) files. Paint - Allows you to make, modify and save image files.

Application Programs
CD Player - Simple CD player. Sound recorder - If you have a microphone plugged into your sound card you can record sounds and play them back with option of adding effects like echo. Windows Media Player - Plays video (.mpg) and audio (.wav) files.

Application Programs
In addition to integrated application programs, there are thousands of third party application programs you can buy and install to your computer system them any time when you want. MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Access Corel Draw Adobe Photoshop Games Adobe Acrobat

Application Programs Types

Word Processing Programs Spreadsheets Presentation programs Database Programs Graphics and Photo Editor Programs Multimedia Programs Utilities

Application Programs Types

Word Processing Programs Word Processor is a program to write, edit, format, and print a document (text). Typing a letter, an example task which you can do with a word processing program.

Application Programs Types

Spreadsheets It is a program to work with financial data, and to make tables, to draw charts.

Application Programs Types

Spreadsheets Drawing a table and performing some calculations like finding percentage and differences which can be done automatically by a spreadsheet program. Drawing a chart, an example task which it can be handled easily by a spreadsheet program.

Application Programs Types

Presentation programs It is a program to present (show to people) information, pictures, charts, graphics.

Application Programs Types

Database Programs It is a program to make and manage databases. Database means any information that can be categorized into the specific groups example records about student in a school, address books

Application Programs Types

Database Usually a database file keeps track of the large amount of information that can be categorized into the groups (columns) such as name, surname

Application Program Types

Graphics and Photo Editor Programs It is a program to draw computer graphics and to edit pictures.

Windows 7
Windows 7, the version of Microsoft Windows, was produced for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs, and media center PCs. Windows 7 is succeeded by Windows 8, which has been released.

 Some Features of Windows 7: Libraries Aero Peek Aero Shake Aero Flip Jump Lists Taskbar Icons

New Themes Snapping Internet Explorer 9 Windows Media Player 12 Gadgets Desktop Slideshow

 Aero Peek - Aero Peek lets you preview the desktop in an X-Ray vision mode.

 Aero Shake - You can use Aero Shake to quickly minimize all open windows except the one youre shaking.

 Jump Lists - Jump lists give you the option of viewing a list of recently accessed files by application.

 Taskbar Icons You can close any application using its preview window. You can pause Media Player using its thumbnail.

 Snapping Snapping is a new way of resizing open windows.

 Gadgets - are mini-programs that come with Windows.

 Windows 7 Desktop Components

 The desktop is composed of the contents of your computer screen after Windows 7 has been started.

Desktop
Taskbar The taskbar is the long horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen. Unlike the desktop, which can get obscured by open windows, the taskbar is almost always visible. It has four main sections. Parts of Taskbar are:

Desktop - Taskbar
Four main sections: 1. The Start button , which opens the Start menu. 2. The middle section, which shows you which programs and files you have open and allows you to quickly switch between them. 3. The notification area, which includes a clock and icons (small pictures) that communicate the status of the certain programs and computer settings.

Desktop - Taskbar
Four main sections: 4. The show desktop button minimizes all open windows to show the desktop. < >+<D> key combination can also be used to show desktop. Hovering over a Show Desktop button, will preview desktop using Aero Peek feature of Windows 7.

Desktop
Start Button The Start button is located on the left edge of the taskbar, and it is the most important component on the Windows desktop. It is used to open the Start Menu.

Desktop
Start Button

Start Menu
You can open Start menu by clicking the start button , or by using <Ctrl>+<Esc> key combination. Start menu lets you easily access the most useful items on your computer. All programs items opens a list of programs currently installed on your computer. Programs are added to the most frequently used programs list above All Programs items when you use them.

 Another feature of Start menu is search box. You can search a program, file, or folder by typing a word or a phrase into a search box.

Desktop
Taskbar Buttons Taskbar buttons are icons representing open and pinned programs, folders, or files. Whenever you open a program, folder, or file, Windows creates a corresponding button on the taskbar. The button shows an icon that represents the open program.

Desktop
Taskbar Buttons

Taskbar Buttons Representing Open or Pinned Items

Desktop
Taskbar Buttons When you move your mouse pointer to a taskbar button, a small picture appears to show you a miniature version of the corresponding window. This preview, also called a thumbnail, is capable of playing videos and animations.

Desktop
Taskbar Buttons

The Preview of an Open Program

WINDOWS 7 COMPONENTS
Windows 7 has three main components: Windows, menus and dialog boxes.

Title bar

Minimize button

Maximize button Close button

if you: I double-click an Menu bar icon or Tool bar II start a program Vertical Scroll bar you can see a window. On the picture you Status are seeing the Parts bar of the Window.

Horizontal Scroll bar

USING A WINDOW
Windows in Windows 7 have common controls which you can use to scroll, resize, move, and close a window. Scroll To move vertically or horizontally in a window so you can view objects that are not currently visible. You can scroll through a window by clicking the scroll arrows, by dragging the scroll box, or by clicking the scroll bar. Maximize To enlarge a window to fill the screen. You can maximize a window by clinking the maximize button, or by double-clicking the windows title bar. Minimize To reduce a window to a button on the taskbar. You can minimize a window by clinking the minimize button. To display a minimized window, click its button on the taskbar. Restore To turn a window into its previous size. You can restore a window by clinking the restore button, or by double-clicking the window title bar. When a window is maximized, the Maximize button changes to the Restore button. Close To close a window, you can click the Close button. Move To move a window, you can drag the title bar. Resize To resize a window, locate the mouse pointer right over the border of the window, when the pointer shape changes the double-headed arrow drag the windows border to the new position.

 A mouse controls a pointer on the screen. You move the pointer by sliding the mouse over a flat surface in the direction you want the pointer to move.

Point to an item just locate the mouse pointer over any item. Click an item point to the item on your screen, and quickly press and release the left mouse button. Double-click an item point to the item, and then quickly press and release the left mouse button twice. Drag an item point to an item, and then hold down the left mouse button as you move the pointer.

Icons
Files, folders, and programs are represented by small pictures called icons. A files icon is represented by the program the file was created. For example, a Microsoft Word documents icon is similar to the icon of the Microsoft Word program in which the document was created. Folder icons look like a folder. The name of the file, folder, or program is displayed under the icon.

Icons

Icon of a Folder Icon of a Word Document Icon of the Word Program

Computer Icon
You can access all your drives, removable media (e.g., DVD or flash memory), folders, and files using the Computer icon. It is the main access to all files in your computer. Your files and folders are displayed in Windows Explorer. Windows Explorer can be opened using the < > +<E> key combination.

Computer Icon

Recycle Bin
The Recycle Bin stores all the files you delete from your computer. You can use the Recycle Bin to restore files you have accidentally deleted. You get more disk space by emptying the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin is the only folder displayed on the desktop when you first start Windows 7.

 Restoring Deleted Items Delete any folder Full and or file in your Empty Recycle computer, then restore it from the Bin Icons Recycle Bin.

Network Icon
The Network icon provides handy access to the computers and devices on your network. From there, you can see the contents of network computers and find shared files and folders. You can also view and install network devices, such as printers.

 Network Window and PCs on the Network

Control Panel
You can use the Control Panel to change settings for Windows. These settings control nearly everything about how Windows looks and works, and they allow you to set up Windows so that its just right for you.

 Control Panel Window

Shortcuts
Shortcuts are a type of icon that offers quick access to files, folders, or programs. You can create a shortcut that appears on the desktop and provides faster access to a file. You use shortcuts in the same way you use other icons, double-clicking on them to open files or folders or to run programs.

 Shortcuts look similar to other icons except that they have a small, curved arrow in the bottom-left corner. You might think of shortcuts as placeholders for other icons. You can create, copy, move, and delete a shortcut without affecting the file, folder, or program itself. A Folder Shortcut

 To switch user, log off, restart, lock, sleep or hibernate, follow these steps: Step 1: Click on the Start button. Step 2: Click on the arrow next to the Shutdown button.

 Switching Users or Logging Off User switching makes it possible for you to quickly switch between users without actually logging off from the computer. Multiple users can share a computer and use it simultaneously, switching back and forth without closing the programs they are running.

Power Button Options

Turning Off the Computer

When youve finished using your computer, you need to shutdown Windows. When you give a command to tell Windows to shut down, it tidies up after itself, saves information in the computers memory, cleans up temporary files, and verifies that youve saved any changes you made to any files you worked on. To turn off the computer, click on the Start button, and then click the Shut down button.

Turning Off the Computer

Another way to perform all these operations is to use the Shut Down Windows dialog box. Before opening the dialog box, be sure that youve saved your files and closed all applications. To open the dialog box after all applications are closed and the desktop is displayed use the <Alt>+<F4> key combination.

 The Shut Down Windows Dialog Box

Parts of a Window

 The navigation pane is used to access libraries, folders, saved searches, and even entire hard disks. You can use the Favorites section to open your most commonly used folders and searches, the Libraries section to access your libraries, and the Computer folder to browse folders and subfolders.

 A search box is included at the top of each open window or on the Start menu. It is used for looking for any item in the current folder or library. When you start typing, the search starts automatically. For example, if you just type the letter B in the search box, all items beginning with a B or containing a B (in lower or upper case) will appear in the file list.

 The address bar is used to navigate to a different folder or library or to return to the previous one.

 Back (<-) and Forward (->) buttons are used to navigate to other folders or libraries that youve already opened without closing the current folder. These buttons work together with the address bar; after you use the address bar to change folders, for example, you can use the Back button to return to the previous folder. You can also use the Backspace key to return to the previous folder.

 The details pane displays the most common properties related to the selected item. File properties are information about a file, such as its size, the date you last modified it, and any descriptive tags you might have added to the file. The details pane can be resized using the mouse.

 The preview pane displays the contents of most files. If youve selected a picture, music, or a text file, you can see their content without opening them in a program. If the preview pane is not displayed in Windows Explorer, click on in the toolbar to turn it on.

 The menu bar is a long bar where function menus are located. You can use function menus to perform several operations, such as opening, copying, or moving a file or folder. Almost every program has a specific menu bar. If a menu bar is not displayed in Windows Explorer, use the Organize button / Layout.

 A program icon is located at the left edge of a title bar of a program. The program icon displays a pop-up menu. This menu lets you access the minimize, maximize, close, restore, resize, and move the window options. To display the program or folder icon pop-up menu, click on the program or folder icon in the title bar or press <Alt> + <Spacebar>

Manipulating Windows
Closing a Window Closing a window ends a program or closes a file or folder. To close any window: Click the Close button( ) on the title bar, or Click the program icon on the title bar. From the pop-up menu, select Close, Or Press <Alt>+<F4>.

Manipulating Windows
Minimizing a Window Minimizing windows is useful if you need to view the desktop or just want to temporarily hide the open window. Minimizing a window displays the window in the taskbar as a button. The most common ways to minimize an open window are: Click the Minimize button ( ) on the title bar, or Click the program icon on the title bar. From the pop-up menu, select Minimize, or Right-click on the title bar. From the pop-up menu, select Minimize, or In order to minimize all open windows, use the < logo key>+<M> key combination.

Manipulating Windows
Maximizing a Window A maximized window fills the entire screen. To enlarge a window to fill your computer screen, maximize it using one of the following steps: Click the Maximize button ( ) on the title bar, or Click on the program icon on the title bar; from the pop-up menu, select maximize, or Double-click the title bar, or Drag a window to the top of the screen until the pointer of the mouse reaches the top edge of the screen. Maximizing the window in such a way is called snapping. If a window is open but not maximized, use < logo key>+<Up Arrow>.

Manipulating Windows
Snapping a Window Snapping is a new way of resizing windows. All you have to do is drag a window until the mouse pointer reaches the left, right, or top edge of the screen. You can snap windows to arrange them side by side, which can be especially helpful when comparing two documents or when moving files from one folder to another. When you snap a window to the left or right edge of the screen, it fills half of the screen. When you snap a window to the top edge, the window is maximized. Shortcut keys for snapping are: <logo>+<Left Arrow>, <logo>+<Right Arrow> and <logo>+<Up Arrow>.

Manipulating Windows
Shaking a Window A new feature in Windows 7 is Aero Shake. You can use the Aero Shake feature to quickly minimize every open window except the one youre shaking. This feature can save time when minimizing all open windows except one. You can then restore all of those windows by shaking the open window again. To use this feature, shake the pane of any window. You can also use the <logo>+<Home> key combination to minimize all windows except the active one. Use the same key combination to restore windows.

Manipulating Windows
Restoring a Window Restoring a window returns the maximized or minimized window back to its previous size. To restore a window: Click the Restore Down button ( ) on the title bar, or Click on the program or folder icon on the title bar; from the pop-up menu, select Restore, or Double-click the title bar when the window is maximized, or Use the <logo>+Down Arrow key combination.

Manipulating Windows
Switching Between Windows You can have several programs or windows open and running simultaneously, but you can only work in one window at a time. The window youre working with is called the active window and always appears on top of any other windows that you have opened. There are several ways of switching between open windows.

 Switching between Windows Switch between windows using <Alt>+<Esc>, <Alt>+<Tab>, <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Tab>, <logo>+<Tab> and <logo>+<Ctrl>+<Tab>. What are the differences between those shortcut keys?

Tiling and Cascading Windows

When you have several windows or programs open, you can have Windows 7 automatically arrange them for you, instead of manually resizing and pushing them around. Windows can organize your windows in two different ways by tiling and cascading.

Tiling Windows Horizontally or Vertically

Tiling windows resizes open windows (not windows minimized to the taskbar) so that each window is arranged and displayed on the desktop horizontally or vertically. Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar to tile windows horizontally. Then, from the shortcut menu, select Show windows stacked.

Arranging Open Windows Options Windows Tiled Horizontally

 In order to tile windows vertically, after rightclicking on a taskbar, select Show windows side by side.
Windows Tiled Vertically

 Cascading windows arranges all open windows (not windows minimized to the taskbar) so that title bars are listed under each other. In order to cascade windows, after rightclicking on the taskbar, select Cascade windows.

Cascading Windows

Cascaded Windows

Running Programs
There are different methods for opening or running programs. You can start a program by clicking the Start button, pointing to All Programs, then clicking the program. You can start a program opening Windows Explorer, pointing to the program icon, then double-clicking the program. However, this method is a bit long since you have to find the location of the program on the hard disk, usually in C:\Program Files\... You can also start a program by using the Run command.

Running Programs
The Run Command The Run command is a more technical way to start a program. Use <logo>+<R> to open the Run dialog box. When the Run dialog box is open, type in the name of the program, then click the OK button. You can use the Browse button to run a program by finding its icon in the Program Files folder. The Program Files folder, which is generally located in the C:\ drive, is a special folder where files needed to execute programs are kept.

<logo>+<R>

Run the following programs using the Run dialog box: 1. Word Pad (wordpad) 2. Paint (pbrush) 3. Calculator (calc) 4. Notepad (notepad) 5. On-Screen Keyboard (osk) They all have -.exe file extension.

Windows Menus
Using menus is the most common way. Window menus change according to the current file, folder, or program opened. If a menu has the (...) sign, it means that a submenu will open when you click on this menu. When you click on a menu with an ellipsis, a dialog box appears. This section discusses Windows Explorer menus displayed in an open folder. You can select a menu item with mouse or you can use the Alt key to use menu bar. After the Alt key is pressed, the first item of a menu bar is highlighted. Arrow keys can then be used to select a certain command.

Windows Menus
File Menu Edit Menu View Menu Tools Menu Help Menu

Dialog Boxes
Some commands in menus include additional options. Such commands have a () sign after the command text. When you select such a command, a dialog box appears.

Dialog Boxes
Dialog boxes have controls to help selections, including text box, list box, combo box, check box, button, radio button, tab, panel, and section. You can save the changes you made by clicking the Apply or OK button.

 Tabs Radio Button Button List Box Combo Box

Check Box OK Button Cancel Button Text Box

Windows Controls in the Folder Options Dialog Box

Windows Controls in the MS Word Font Dialog Box

Basics of Files and Folders

A file is a collection of information, such as a program, a set of data used by a program, or a usercreated document. For example, the music youre listening to, a picture of your family, or a document that you created are all files. Each file is created by a program. A folder (directory) is a container of related files and subfolders.

File Extensions
A file extension is a suffix applied to the file name to indicate the file format. Each type of file has its own extension. A file extension is usually three or more characters at the end of the computer file name. File extensions are useful for computer operating systems, like Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac OS X, and basically tell them what kind of data file it is and with which application it is associated. Although files have extensions, folders dont have any extensions since they are directories.

Recognizing Common Files

We can recognize files according to their icons and extensions. Some common files with their icons and extensions are included in the following table. Note that file icons can differ depending on the default programs with which theyre working.

 Text files can be created, opened, and modified using word processors such as Notepad, Word Pad, and Microsoft Word 2010.

Previous version of Word Document 97-2003 Word Document 2007 - 2010

 Audio files can be played using multimedia programs such as Winamp, Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic, and GOM Player.

 Video files can be played using multimedia programs such as Winamp, Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic, and GOM Player.

 Image files can be opened using applications such as Windows Photo Viewer, Picasa, and Adobe Acrobat Reader; they can be edited and created using applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo Impact, or Microsoft Paint.

Other Files
Presentation files can be opened and edited using programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Persuasion, and Corel Presentations. Web pages are files that can be displayed in browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Opera; they can be edited in programs like Dreamweaver or Expression Web. Spreadsheet files work with programs such as Excel, Lotus, or Corel Quattro Pro. Executable files run applications to which they correspond. Each program has its own icon.

Other Files

Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer displays the hierarchical structure of files, folders, and drives on your computer. It also shows any network drives that have been mapped to drive letters on your computer. All media drives such as hard disk drives, DVDROM or Flash memory are displayed in a Windows Explorer and each is shown by a letter. Using Windows Explorer, you can copy, move, rename, and search for files and folders.

Windows Explorer
For example, you can open a folder that contains a file you want to copy or move, and then drag the file to another folder or drive. Use Computer icon on the Desktop, or +E key combination to open Windows Explorer.

Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer

Creating a New Folder

To create a new folder, From the File menu select New, and then click Folder. When folder is created, give it the name you want, and then press Enter key.

Creating a New Folder

Creating a New Folder

You can also create a new folder by clicking New Folder button, which is located on a toolbar.

Right-click on any empty space in a folder or desktop to create a new folder. When shortcut menu opens, select New, and then click Folder. Ctrl+Shift+N key combination can also be used to create a new folder.

Changing the Name of a File or Folder

To change the name of a file or folder, first of all select the item (file or folder). Right click the item, then from the shortcut menu, select Rename. Type the name, and then press Enter, but note that file names cannot contain the following characters: \ / : * ? < >|. You can also use F2 key, or a File menu to rename an item.

Selecting Files and Folders

Selecting multiple files or folders helps you to copy, move, delete, and compress these files. These are some methods to select files and folders: To select non-consecutive files or folders, press and hold down Ctrl key, and then click each item. To deselect an item, click it again.

Selecting Files and Folders

To select consecutive files or folders, click the first item, press and hold down Shift key, and then click the last item. You can also select consecutive items using Shift and arrow keys. To select all the files and folders in a window, from the Edit menu click Select All, or use Ctrl+A key combination, or click and draw a rectangle around any adjacent files you want to select. To cancel selection, click a blank area in the window.

Copying a File or a Folder

Copy operation duplicates the file or the folder. To copy any item, click the item, and then select Copy from the Edit menu. Then, go to the destination folder, and select Paste (Ctrl+V) from the Edit menu. Another way of copying an item is dragging an item from source folder to destination folder, by pressing and holding down a Ctrl key.

Copying a File or a Folder

Copy Function and Its Shortcut Key Displayed in an Edit Menu (Ctrl+C) . Alternative way of copying a file: Right-click an item, from the shortcut menu select Copy and then right click a blank area and then select Paste.

Moving a File or a Folder

Move operation transfers files or folders to a different location. To move any item, click the item and then select Cut from the Edit menu or Organize button or (Ctrl+X) . Go to the destination folder, and then select Paste from the Edit menu, or use Ctrl+V key combination. You can also transfer files and folders by dragging them from one folder to another.

Moving a File or a Folder

Alternative way of moving a file: Right-click an item from the shortcut menu, select Cut and then Right-click a blank area and select Paste.

Deleting a File or a Folder

There are two ways of deleting items. Send them to Recycle Bin, or delete them permanently. Items sent to the Recycle Bin can be restored, but the ones who are deleted permanently can be only restored using special recovery programs such Recuva, Smart Recovery, Get Data Back or PC Recovery. To delete (send to Recycle Bin) any item, rightclick on it, and then, from the shortcut menu, select Delete.

Deleting a File or a Folder

You can also delete a file using File menu or Organize button. You can also delete a file using key combination Ctrl + D or Delete key. To delete an item permanently use Shift+Delete key combination .

Deleting a File or a Folder

Restoring a File or Folder from the Recycle Bin

To restore a deleted file from Recycle Bin, open Recycle Bin, and then double-click an item you want to restore. When the dialog box opens, click Restore button, and then click OK button.

Restoring a File or Folder from the Recycle Bin

Recycle Bin uses memory space of a C:\ drive, which means that a full Recycle Bin may slow down your computer. Emptying a Recycle Bin will delete items in it, which means that items will be deleted permanently. To empty Recycle Bin, right-click its icon, and then select Empty Recycle Bin. You can also restore deleted item, by right-clicking it and then selecting Restore.

Restoring a File or Folder from the Recycle Bin

Creating a Shortcut on the Desktop

A shortcut is a file that provides immediate access to a program, a folder, or a file. Shortcut appears as icons with curved arrows on Desktop. To create shortcut of any item on the desktop, rightclick any blank area on the desktop. From the shortcut menu, after hovering over New, select Shortcut. Then, from the Create Shortcut dialog box, click Browse button and select a file or a folder. After selecting an item you want click Next button, give a name to the shortcut, and then click Finish.

Creating a Shortcut on the Desktop

Creating a Shortcut on the Desktop

Copy file or folder Go to desktop right click and choose Paste shortcut.

Creating a Shortcut on the Desktop

Alternative way to create a shortcut: right-click an item, then after hovering on Send to, select Desktop (create shortcut)

Sorting Files and Folders

Sometimes you may have too many different types of files and subfolders in a folder, and it may be a nightmare for you to find an item you want. Sorting files and folders may help you. You can sort files and folders according to their names, types, sizes or date modified. To sort your items, right-click any empty area in a folder, and then after hovering over Sort By, select any criteria you want in an Ascending or Descending order. Alternative way to sort files and folders is View>Sort By>

Sorting Files and Folders

Grouping Files and Folders

Grouping your items puts your files and folders in several groups according to your criteria. After creating groups, you can collapse or expand them by clicking little arrows which are located at the top-right edges of the groups. To group your files and folders, right-click any empty area in a folder. Hover over Group by, in a shortcut menu, and then select any criteria in an Ascending or Descending order. Alternative way to group files and folders is View>Group By>

Grouping Files and Folders

Changing the View of File and Folder Icons

You can change the view of your files and subfolders in a folder or desktop, depending which kind of view you like. To change the view of files and folders, click the little arrow next to Change your view button. To change the size of desktop icons, right-click any empty space on the desktop. Hover over View, in the shortcut menu, and the select Large icons, Medium icons or Small icons. Press and hold down CTRL key while using the scroll wheel of the mouse to change the view of items, or use View menu in a menu bar.

Changing the View of File and Folder Icons