Make it yours
"Appearance
and Personalisation" (Windows 7 and Vista)
In this
category, we have focused on how to use Windows, but there are many ways to
customize it. The available number of customization options depends on which
version of Windows, but all versions will allow settings such as changing
wallpapers and screensavers. All visual settings can be adjusted in the Control
Panel. Use the Overview Category, click on the option "Appearance and
Themes" (Windows XP) or "Appearance and Personalisation"
(Windows 7 and Vista) and select "Change desktop background". Now,
take the box down, choose one of the preloaded wallpapers or click the Browse
button to select a picture of you.
To select a
screensaver, go back to the previous window and select the option "Change
screen saver" (or screensaver tab in XP) and select from the list. Other
options for the specific screensaver may be available by clicking on the
Settings button.
Uninstall the programs
The best
way to keep your PC running smoothly is to uninstall programs you no longer
use. Deleting program files is not enough . Instead,
you will need to uninstall them properly from Windows. This will free up the
disk space, remove trash and help the Windows PC run fast.
Fortunately,
the uninstall program in all versions of Windows are easy tasks. In XP, click
Start, Control Panel then select the Add / Remove. Vista and Windows 7 users
should click the link "Uninstall a program" in Control Panel.
A list all
currently installed programs will be presented at this time, and you just find
the program you want to remove, click it and choose Remove (XP) or Uninstall
(Vista and Windows 7). After a while, uninstall wizard for that program will
appear and guide you through the process. When you finish, you may need to
restart the PC.
Use Control
Panel to uninstall programs that you no longer want to use in PC
Libraries
of Windows 7 can organize the same category of files into one place
Shut down safely
Mentioning
rebooting, what is equally important is knowing how to
turn off Windows computers. It sounds long, but let Windows handle the shutdown
process allowing it to perform many clean-up operations before shutting down,
for example, ensuring that all appropriate programs are closed. Just unplugging
the computer can lead to job loss or harm to the programs and Windows.
Follow the
right process and you will be prompted to save your work before shutting down.
Click Start, then Shutdown button in Windows XP. In Windows Vista, you will
need to click the small arrow to the right of what seems to be the shutdown
button, then select Shut Down from the list that appears. Fortunately,
Microsoft has made these options become clearer in Windows 7.
Windows
also uses the shutdown process as an opportunity to install important security
updates. If your PC has never shut down properly, these updates may not be
installed, making your computer at risk.
Another
option to turn off PC is to use Sleep mode. Instead of closing all programs, in
Sleep mode, Windows will hang them. In this state, programs and materials are
still open, so you will not lose data. Then the screen turns off and all
necessary hardware in the PC will not turn off. The advantage of using Sleep
mode compared to shutdown is that it only takes a few seconds to re-open. And everything
will be exactly the same when you leave so you do not need to re-open any
program. Unlike a PC is turned off in Sleep mode, the computer still consumes
some energy. However, it is usually less than 5 watts, significantly lower
compared with 50 watt PC that it most needs when being re-opened.
Sleep
mode allows you to hang all the currently running programs
Understand the basics
At this
stage, we have outlined all the skills you need to know from Windows, whether
you are a novice or a regular user who is honing the basic skills. So, with the
basics already equipped, you will be in a better position to solve any problem
you encounter in the future. Of course, there are hundreds of options, tips and
other advice hidden in each version of Windows. If you have recipes that you
want to share with other readers, why don’t you write to us?
Step-by-step
instruction: access the printer and solve the common problems
1.
In XP, select "Printers and other hardware" from the Control Panel
and click "Printers and Faxes". In Vista and Windows 7, type
"printers" in the Start menu search box and hit Enter. Move the
mouse on the printer icon and its status will be presented. If it is
"offline", make sure the printer is open and the USB cable is
attached to the printer and PC.
2.
If you still are having printing problems, delete all documents sent to the
printer. Double-click the printer icon and all current print jobs will be
presented (in Windows 7, click the icon and select "See what's
printing"). To delete all documents from printer queue, click Printer
menu and select "Cancel all documents".
3.
Windows 7 has some troubleshooting tools which often solve advanced problems
in common. To use them, click the printer and select Troubleshoot. Windows 7
will perform many tests on the printer and after a while, it will report any
errors it finds. If this fails, restart the computer and printer.
