The document provides an overview of basic computer hardware and software components. It defines hardware as the physical parts of a computer like the keyboard, monitor, mouse, and CPU. It describes common internal components like the CPU, hard drive, disk drives, and modem. It also outlines external peripherals like the monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and scanner. The document then explains functions of the operating system, desktop interface, files, folders, and basic navigation techniques in Windows like using icons, menus, and windows.

1. 1

2.  All the pieces of your computer are referred
to as hardware. Hardware includes your
keyboard, monitor, mouse, printer, scanner,
CPU, disk drives, memory and everything
else that makes up the physical
components of your computer.
2

3. Inside the Computer:
 CPU (Central Processing Unit)
 Hard Drive
 Disk Drives –Floppy Disk Drive, CD, DVD
 Modem
Outside the Computer:
 Memory Stick (Flash Drive)
 Monitor
 Keyboard
 Mouse
 Scanner
 Printer
NOTE: these are not complete lists.
3

4.  The CPU is the devise that processes all
of the data and information.
4

5.  The Hard Drive located inside the
computer case is the main storage area
for programs and files. The hard drive is
often referred to as the “C drive.”
5

6.  The disk drives located in the computer
case are used to read files from portable
media such as Floppy Disks, CDs, DVDs
and USB. These drives are also used to
save a file onto portable media so that
the files can be used on another
machine or stored away as a backup of
important information.
6

7.  Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry
standard which defines the cables,
connectors and protocols used for
connection, communication and power
supply between computers and
electronic devices.
7

8.  The modem is located inside the
computer case and allows the computer
to connect to the Internet.
8

9.  The Monitor is the viewing device that
allows the user to see text, images, and
video relating to the software being
used.
9

10.  The Keyboard is an input device that
allows the user to enter information into
the computer.
 Try these internet sites for free typing tutorials.
 www. GoodTyping.com
 www.learn2type.com
 www.sense-lang.org
10

11.  A Memory Stick, also called “Flash Drive”
is used to store information, can be
plugged into the USB Port located in the
computer case.
11

12.  The Mouse is also an input device that
allows the user to communicate with the
programs on the computer. The mouse
controls the movement and position of
the POINTER on the screen. A typical
mouse consists of 2 buttons and a scroll
wheel.
12

13.  The Left Button of the Mouse is used for
Single Clicking, Double Clicking, and
Click-and-drag operations.
13

14.  The Right Button of the Mouse is used for
accessing special menus and only
requires a Single Click.
14

15.  The Scroll Wheel is used to browse
through pages in a document or web
page.
15

16.  Software is the programs you run on the
computer to perform certain tasks.
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and
Internet Explorer are examples of
software.
16

17. The Operating System on the Roanoke
Public Library computers is Windows XP.
Windows XP is a program that controls
the overall activity of your computer and
how you interact with it. Some of the
other operating system options are Vista,
Windows 7 and Windows 2000.
17

18.  The graphical image that is seen on the
monitor is referred to as the Desktop.
You can place files, folders and your
most frequently used programs on it.
18

19. On the Windows Desktop are:
 Pointer
 Icons
 Start Button
 Task Bar
 System Tray
19

20.  The Mouse is represented as a pointer on
the desktop.
 As the pointer is moved across the
screen it will change shape depending
on what part of the screen it is positioned
over. The Pointer can be an Arrow, a
Hand with a Pointing Finger, an “I” shape
or an Hourglass.
20

21.  The arrow will appear when the pointer is
not resting over anything in particular.
21

22.  The hand will appear when the pointer is
resting over a link (text or graphic) that
will move to another page when clicked
one time.
22

23.  Hourglass is the shape of the mouse
pointer while the computer is too busy to
accept any input from the keyboard or
mouse. The pointer returns to its usual
shape when the wait is over.
23

24.  An “I” shape (sometimes referred to as
an “I-Beam” appears when the pointer is
resting in an area where typed words
appear.
24

25.  Find the mouse pointer on your screen. It
will be the arrow.
 Move your mouse until the arrow is on
top of what you want to click on.
 Click once with your LEFT mouse button.
If nothing happens, click two times VERY
QUICKLY. This is called double clicking.
25

26.  An Icon is a picture representing a
shortcut to a file, folder or program.
Double-Clicking the icon opens the file,
folder or program associated with it.
26

27.  The Start Button brings up the menu to
access the programs and files that are
on your computer. Left Click the Start
Button to see the Start Menu.
27

28.  The Start button is a Menu and menus in
Windows have similar properties. One of
these properties is the symbol that
comes after the command name. The
command name may be followed by an
arrow (>), an ellipse (…) or nothing.
28

29.  You see an arrow (>) after clicking the
Start button and selecting Programs or
Connect To. The arrow means that
selecting the command will bring up a
submenu.
29

30.  An Ellipse (…) like after Run, means that
Windows will bring up another window
called a Dialog Box to prompt you for
more information. You usually have a
choice to execute the command (by
clicking on OK) or to cancel the
command (by clicking on Cancel).
30

31.  Nothing after a command, like Help and
Support, means that command will be
executed. In this case, the Windows
Help system will run.
31

32.  The Task Bar shows the programs that are
open.
32

33.  This shows the clock and any active
programs such as antivirus software,
printer monitoring software, chat
programs, etc. that may be running in
the background.
33

34.  Open Microsoft Office Word 2007
1. Go to your desktop
2. Find the Microsoft Office Word 2007 icon
3. Double click the icon
34

35. 35

36.  There are several parts to a window
within Microsoft Windows XP. The basic
window components will remain the
same or at least similar regardless of the
particular program or window being
used. Navigation in Windows XP and
Windows based software become much
easier once these basic window parts
have been learned.
36

37.  The left and right arrow buttons and the
bar at the bottom of the document
window that allows moving through the
document from side to side.
37

38.  The up and down arrow buttons and the
bar at the side of a document window
that allows moving through a document
from top to bottom.
38

39.  This button acts like a toggle button.
Clicking this button shrinks the window
down just enough to see the desktop
then clicking the button a second time
will restore the window to the full size of
the monitor screen.
39

40.  The button hides the window from view
so that the desktop or another program
can be viewed. To restore the window
to view click on the Taskbar Icon that
represents the minimized program. (If it is
the only program in use it will be located
just right of the Start Button.)
40

41.  This is the top right button on the title bar
(In Windows XP the button has a red
background with a white “x”.) This will
close the program.
41

42.  Every window in Windows has a title bar
that let you know the name of the
program you are using as well as the file
name.
42

43.  This tool bar contains all the commands
and functions available for the window.
There are no icons in the Menu bar.
43

44.  The menu bar list all the commands in
Drop Down Boxes for you to manipulate
the window.
44

45.  This is the toolbar that has icons
representing the most commonly used
tools and properties of the program. The
icons normally do not have words just
pictures. To find out what the name of
an icon is and what it does, hold the
mouse pointer over the icon until a tool
tip pops up.
45

46.  A tool tip is a short description that pops
up after the mouse has been held over
an icon or item for a short period of time.
46

47.  Back: brings you back one window to the
previous folder
 Forward: moves you ahead one window
 Up: moves you up one level in the window
hierarchy
 Search: opens a search window that allows
you to navigate between folders
 Folders: opens a window that allows you to
navigate between folders.
 Views: adjusts how the folder and files are
viewed.
47

48.  Thumbnails
 Tiles
 Icons
 List
 Details
These changes are
made by clicking the
Views Icon on the
Toolbar or the Right
mouse button and
View options.
48

49.  Instead of minimizing a window, you can
move a window to another part of your
desktop by pointing to the Title Bar
(where the folder name is) and dragging
the window to another spot. Dragging is
holding the mouse button down and
moving the pointer to the desired
position. Note: You cannot move a
minimized window. It must be restored
first.
49

50.  The area on the left side of the folder
window in which descriptive and
hyperlink text appears.
50

51.  The Address Bar tells you the folder name
you are currently working in. You can
click on the Down Arrow to move to
another folder.
51

52.  A window allows you to work with the
files and folders in it. Think of a window
as a folder in a filing cabinet. You have
to open the folder to work with whatever
has been placed inside it. There may be
a document in the folder, or there may
be another folder. In either case, to
work with something in a folder, you
have to open the folder first, and then
open whatever it is you will be working
on.
52

53.  The Folder Name is on the Title Bar in the
top left corner of the window and will
change depending on which folder you
have opened.
53

54.  Right-click on an empty space on the
desktop to open a submenu.
54

55.  Point to New, then click Folder—a new
folder will appear on the desktop.
55

56.  Type the name of your new folder and
press Enter.
New Folder
56

57.  All data on disks is stored in files. A File is
a named collection of information stored
on a disk. There are 2 kinds of files:
program files and data files.
57

58.  Program Files tell your computer what to
do. These files are copied to your hard
disk when you install a program on your
computer.
58

59.  Data Files are the files you create when
you use a program and can be stored
on the hard disk, a floppy disk, a CD, or a
memory stick.
59

60.  Files are created in the program you are
working in. If you are working on a Word
document, when you go to save the
document to get to it later. Word will ask
you what you want to call the file. It will
also ask you where (in what folder) you
want to save it.
60

61.  Think of your computer as a huge filing
cabinet with Windows as the manager of
that filing cabinet. Windows lets you
create folders to store your files. You can
have as many layers of folders as you
want. For example, in Windows there is a
folder already set up called My
Documents. You can store all your files
there, or you can create subfolders to
better manage your files.
61

62.  Windows has a hierarchy of filing. It will
be similar on all computers to start with,
but will change as you add, move,
delete and customize your folders.
 The highest level you can be is at your
Desktop. This is usually what you look at
when you start Windows. On your
desktop are a number of folders, like My
Computer, My Documents, and Recycle
Bin. These are the next level down.
62

63.  You can use Windows to open a saved
file. When you select the file to open,
the program it was saved in will also
open. For example, if you open a
Picture file, a picture editing program will
automatically open as well.
63

64.  Double Click on the folder that contains
the file you want to open.
64

65.  Double click on the file you want to
open. The program the file was saved in
will also open.
65

66.  The Recycle Bin is a folder on your
desktop. When you delete a file or folder
from your hard drive(s), the folder will be
sent to the recycle bin rather than being
permanently deleted. This allows you to
restore your files or folders if they are
deleted by accident. They stay in the
recycle bin until you either empty the
recycle bin or you select that file to be
permanently deleted.
66

67.  Unless absolutely necessary, like when
the keyboard locks up, DO NOT SHUT
DOWN YOUR COMPUTER USING THE
BUTTON ON THE CPU!!!!
67

68.  Click on the Start Button
68

69.  Click on Turn off Computer
69

70.  Click on Turn Off to completely shut it off
or click on Restart to reboot.
70

71.  Any Question?
 Please fill out the questionnaire
 For more information, contact the Library
at 260-672-2989 or
director@roanoke.lib.in.us or come in
and talk to a librarian.
71