This document provides an overview of Windows operating systems, including their history and key features. It discusses how operating systems enable communication between software and hardware and describes early command-based systems like DOS. It then summarizes the development of graphical user interface operating systems like Windows and highlights features of modern versions such as Windows 10. The document also reviews essential Windows components like the task bar, control panel, file explorer, folders and file paths.

1. Working with Windows
Operating System.
PREPARED BY

2. Operating System
An operating system is software that enables services for software
applications to run on a computer.
An important task of an operating system is taking care of the
communication between the software applications and hardware
devices attached to your computer.
 For example, a word processor communicates with devices such as
a keyboard and mouse. In the past Operating Systems were
Command based (MS-DOS), but with development in technology led
into Graphical Icons OS (GUI).

3. Disk Operating Systems(DOS)
Command base operating system.
Disk operating systems – This were text based operating systems, they had no built-in GUI, and
worked with basic typed commands. This means that you need to understand different Windows
commands to communicate with computer.

4. Windows Versions
FIRST VERSIONS OF WINDOWS WINDOWS NT (NEW TECHNOLOGIES)

5. Windows Operating Systems (New
Technologies)
 Computers today require more and more memory, high processors
speed and more Disk Space. Disk Operating Systems (DOS) could not
handle a lot of memory and could not Multitask, so the was a need for
new Operating Systems. This has led in development of Windows NT
(New Technology).
 The current version of Windows Operating Systems are Windows 7
(to be phased out soon), Windows 8 & and latest version Windows 10.

6. Windows Operating System Today.

7. Windows 10
System Requirements for Windows 10:
 Processor: 1Ghz or faster
 Memory: 1GB(32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
 Free Hard Disk Space : 16 GB or more
 Graphic card: Microsoft DirectX 9 or Greater.

9. …..
Desktop Icons -Relegated to a mere “app” in Windows 8/8.1, the desktop is back in Windows 10 and
resumes its (rightful, in our opinion) place in the main interface as the default location for programs
and documents.
Start menu — The new Start menu is divided into two sections. On the left is a navigation section
that gives you access to your user account; your most frequently used apps; system features such as
File Explorer, Settings, and Power; and the rest of your apps (via the All Apps command). On the right
is a scaled-down version of the Windows 8/8.1 Start screen that offers quick viewing and access to
the tiles of a few apps.
Mouse Pointer-The arrow that follows the movement of the mouse (or touchpad) and highlights
icons on the screen when you point to them.
Start Button-The Start button appears in the lower-left corner of the screen, and you click it to
display the Start menu..
Task Bar- This strip along the bottom of the screen displays icons for each running app. You can also
pin an app’s icon so that a shortcut to it remains in the taskbar even when the app isn’t running.

10. ….
 Tiles- The rectangles you see on the right side of the Start menu each represent an item on
your PC—most tiles represent apps, but you can also add tiles for folders and websites—and you
click a tile to launch that item.
 Live Tiles- Many of the Start menu tiles are “live” in the sense that they display often-updated
information instead of the app icon. For example, the Weather tile shows the current weather
for your default location; the Mail tile displays recent email messages; and the Calendar tile
shows
All App- Clicking this icon displays a complete list of the apps and desktop programs installed
on your PC.
Search box- You use this box to search your PC. We’ve found that this feature is the easiest way
to launch apps, settings, and documents in Windows 10.

11. Using a Task Bar
The taskbar appears at the bottom of the Windows Desktop (although you can move it to either
side or to the top of the window).

12. Task View
In the Task Bar, Click Task view to shows small windows of your running applications and a New
desktop icon.

13. Notification Area
 This part of the taskbar displays various system icons for features such as networking, sound,
and power, as well as the notification issued by Windows.

14. Task Bar Customization
 In the Task Bar, Right Click on the empty area of task bar
to customise your Task Bar
Task Bar shortcut Menu >

15. Resizing a Tile
You can resize a tile by right-clicking it, clicking Resize, and then clicking the size you want.

16. The Windows Control Panel
o The Control Panel is the area in Windows where you can access features to customize settings
for devices on your system. To access, Type Control Panel on Search Box.

17. The Windows Control Panel: Default
View (Categories)
 System and Security-Provides options for firewall settings, power options and file history (backups).
 Network and Internet-Set up or modify how your system connects to a network or the Internet,
and to share files with others.
 Hardware and Sounds -Set up or modify devices such as printers, speakers and monitors.
 Programs -Provides access to system management tasks such as installing and uninstalling
programs.
 User Accounts -Provides options for setting the computer up to be used by more than one person.
 Appearance and Personalisation-Customize your screen with screen savers, desktop backgrounds,
and so on.
 Clock, Language and Region- Change the format of dates, times, currency, or numbers to reflect
regional standards or languages.
 Ease of Access - Provides options for changing accessibility specifications, such as turning on voice
recognition or altering visual displays.

18. File Management (File Explorer)
 Drive Letter: On a personal computer, each storage device (or location) is referred to by a drive
letter. This applies to both internal storage and externally connected storage devices. The hard drive
in a PC is drive C, and you should include the semicolon C: . This is where the operating system and
application programs are installed.
 Additional Internal Storage Devices: Computers can accommodate multiple internal storage
devices, and each is assigned a drive letter when it is installed. Usually, the next available alphabet
letter is used. Consider the following Examples :
• if your PC has two hard drives: the primary hard drive is drive C and the secondary hard drive is drive
D.
• if your PC has one hard drive and an internal DVD drive, the hard drive is drive C and the DVD drive is
drive D.
•if your PC has two hard drives and a DVD drive, the primary hard drive is drive C, the secondary hard
drive is drive D, and the DVD drive is drive E.

19. Connected Storage Devices
• When you connect an external storage device to your PC (for example, through a USB port or an
SD card slot), the operating system automatically assigns the next available drive letter to that
device. The picture below show a PC with 1 Hard drive (C:) and two USB (USB Drive D: and E:

20. Folder and Subfolders
 Folders: A folder is a container for files and provides a method for organizing information. And
a Subfolder: is simply a folder contained within another folder.
 A folder that you create is represented by a yellow icon that looks like a file folder .

21. Creating Folders
To create a folder, Right click on Desktop, Select New, the Folder.

22. The libraries in Windows 10
 Windows provides a feature called libraries to help you access files quickly. A
library is a collection of items, such as files and folders, assembled from various
locations and presented in one central location.
 The libraries in Windows 10 are: Camera Roll, Documents, Music, Pictures,
Saved Pictures, and Videos.
FILE PATH - Every file on a computer is stored in a particular location on a disk,
and that location is described by its path. A path indicates the exact route to
follow to get to the location of a file. When you write a path, you separate each
folder level with a backslash.

23. File Path
If you were to write your description of how to find the file below, it would appear as follows:
DocumentsAnnual Reports2016Balance Sheet.

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