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Introduction to Microsoft Windows 98 Learning About the Windows 98 Desktop Learn the keywords associated with Windows 98 Shutting Down the Computer Restarting the Computer Opening a Program Finding files on your computers Locating Your Most Recent Files Creating a New Folder and Deleting a File or Folder

Introduction into Microsoft Windows 98 Microsoft Windows 98 is the application that runs all of your programs. It is your computer's operating system. Windows 98 stores files in items called Folders on different Drives. To learn more about how Windows 98 deals with files, click --> Main Keywords associated with Windows 98 This tutorial will help you get started with Microsoft Windows 98 and may solve some of your problems, but it is a very good idea to use the Help Files that come with Windows 98, or go to Microsoft's web site located at http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/ for further assistance. Back to top  Main Keywords Associated With Microsoft Windows 98 Drives Drives are devices used to store data. Most computers have at least two drives: a hard drive C:\ (which is the main means of storage) and a floppy drive (which stores smaller volumes of data (1.44 Mb) on 3.5" disks - floppy disks). The hard drive is typically designated the C:\ drive and the floppy drive is typically designated the A:\ drive. If you have an additional floppy drive, it is typically designated the B:\ drive. You will also have network drives on your computer, depending on authorization and rights of each user. This drives will typically be labeled F:\ or H:\ or G:\ Every user will have their own network drive, which is Drive O, this also display your UserID, any information stored here is accessible by you anywhere on the network. Folders Folders are used to organize the data stored on your drives. Think of your drives as filing cabinets. You want to sort your filing cabinets with folders that store different files. The files that make up a program are stored together in their own set of folders. You will want to organize the files you create in folders. You will probably want to store files of a like kind in a single folder. Directory A Directory is the path given to a folder on a drive. For example a text file called Phone Numbers is located in the My Documents directory on the C:\ drive. It would therefore read "C:\My Documents\PhoneNumbers.txt" File Extensions File Extensions are the ending letters associated with a file and an application that it can be manipulated in. This way Windows 98 knows to tell which program to open the file you want to manipulate. For example a text file has an extension of .txt, so a text file created in Notepad called Phone Numbers would look like this PhoneNumbers.txt ... You do not have to assign a file extension to a file that you create. The program you use will automatically do this for you. All you need to do is give it a filename. Some other common extensions are as follows: .doc = Microsoft Word Document .xls = Microsoft Excel Document .ppt = Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation .mdb = Microsoft Access Database .bmp = Windows Bitmap Picture .wav = Sound File .html or .htm = Internet Document Icon An Icon is a graphic image. Icons help you execute commands quickly. Commands tell the computer what you want the computer to do. To execute a command by using an icon, double-click on the icon. Back to top Windows Desktop When starting your computer, the desktop is the first thing you. The River Road Middle School image is displayed on the screen with icons for various programs. The desktop is the area you work in. NAME ICON DESCRIPTION Task Bar The taskbar is usually located on the bottom of the desktop. The Start button, active program buttons, and the system tray are located on the Taskbar System Tray You'll typically find the System Tray in the lower right hand corner of the Windows Desktop. The system tray contains a display of the current computer time, and the icons representing the programs activated when Windows first starts up. My Computer My Computer icon provides access to the different parts on your computer. You can access the different drives (Hard Drive, Floppy Drive, Network Drives) inside My Computer. Recycle Bin When you delete an object, Windows 98 sends it to the Recycle Bin. You can restore objects that are located in the Recycle Bin or you can permanently delete them by right clicking on the Recycle Bin and select Empty Recycle Bin. My Documents The My Documents folder is nothing more than a regular folder that resides on your Windows Desktop. However, it offers an easy-to-reach location where you can store and retrieve important data, and the icon is always available in Explorer Windows and on the desktop. Internet Explorer The Internet Explorer icon launches the Internet Explorer browser. The Internet Explorer browser is what you will use to access the Internet and the World Wide Web. Shortcut Icon Icons with an arrow in the lower left corner (picture on left) are shortcut icons. If you double click on them they will open up the program that the icon displays on it. Back to top Shutting Down Windows 98 Click on the Start at bottom left corner of screen Click on Shutdown (A Shut Down Windows dialog box will appear) Click on Shut Down Click on OK           Back to top Restarting Windows 98 (To shutdown and immediately restart your computer) Click on the Start at bottom left corner of screen Click on Shutdown (A Shut Down Windows dialog box will appear) Click on Restart Click on OK         Back to top Opening A Program If the program you want to open is on the desktop, simply double-click the icon and it will open. All Classroom and Lab computers running Windows 98 use a Security program that prohibits  using the Programs Menu option and requires you to access programs whose icon is on the desktop. If the program you wish is not present, please request help from the Technology Specialist. However if you are using your personal computer or one at a site that is not locked by a security program, on the desktop do the following steps Click on the Start at bottom left corner of screen Click on Programs Select the Program you want to open Back to top Finding Files On Your Computer If, for some reason, you cannot locate a file on your computer or home drive, you still might be able to locate it by using the Find Files Program. However, this option is not available on Windows 98 computers at RRMS, again due to the security program in place on the computers. You will need to notify the Technology Specialist. Click on the Start at bottom left corner of screen Click on Find Select the Find Files or Folders   Enter your search criteria. You do not need to complete every field. Only enter the criteria you want to use for your search. Switch through the different tabs (Date, Advanced, Name & Location) to further your search Click the Find Now button Back to top Locating Your Most Recent Files Windows 98 provides shortcuts to your most recent files, so you may get access to them very quickly. Click on the Start at bottom left corner of screen Click on Documents Select the file that you want Back to top  Creating A Folder Since the Classroom and Lab computers have security programs that prohibits accessing the My Computers Folder, creating new folders is handled somewhat differently.  You can and should only create new folders on your floppy disk or your O Drive. You will need to be in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and any of the Office Programs, Select "FILE" and "OPEN", with the OPEN FILE window up, you can now create a folder using the "Create New Folder" button as seen in the illustration below. Once you click the "Create New Folder" button, a New folder will appear and you then Type in the name for that Folder Deleting a file or folder You would delete a file or folder in a similar way as you create one, in the "OPEN" windows, select the File/Folder you want to delete Hit the Delete Key on the keyboard or the X beside the "Create New Folder" icon Confirm Deletion NOTE:  At no time may a program be added to any computer at River Road Middle School without the consent of the Technology Specialist. Security Programs installed prevent the installation of any program. Back to top

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