How to use Windows 95

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How to use Windows 95
 

Login on to the University of York system
 

To log on to a Dept of Health Studies computer check at the site reception for the common user name and password(each site is different)

Please note: your University of York ID and password WILL NOT allow you access to a Department of Health Studies computers
 

To log on the the University of York computer system (on campus) you will need a

User ID: ijc4 (Only needed on campus at present)

and a

Password: 12345 (Only needed on campus at present)
 

The user ID is also the first part of your e-mail address ijc4@york.ac.uk

All staff and students of the University of York have the same e-mail address @york.ac.uk - it is the user ID part that makes each e-mail address individual.
 

After entering your user ID and password, it will take some time for the login scripts to run - please be patient this will take several minutes.
 

After the login scripts have executed you will see a Windows 95 desktop.
 

Mouse Techniques

When using Windows, the mouse pointer is indicated by an arrow symbol on the screen. The hand should be positioned over the mouse and move it over a level surface (preferably a mouse mat). Practice moving the mouse around the screen.
 

Left (Primary) Mouse Button

Generally enables users to select object/item.
 

Left Button Click (Primary Button)

Pointing, clicking and then releasing the left mouse button selects an object/item in Windows 95 or runs a program.

Left Double Click

Pointing, quickly pressing and releasing the left mouse button twice, is sometimes a slightly quicker way of opening something.

If double clicking is difficult - click once then press the enter/return key
 

Left Click and Drag (Drag and Drop)

Pointing, clicking but holding down the left button on a selected object while moving the mouse is called "Dragging" - normally this is used to move an object or select a piece of text. Once something, has been moved or selected, just release the left mouse button
 

Right (Secondary) Mouse Button

Generally enables users to do things to the selected object/item

Right Button Click (Secondary Button)

Pointing, clicking and then releasing the right mouse button displays a shortcut menu for the selected object and is often a much quicker way of doing something.

Once you have clicked with the right button to display the shortcut menu, you then use the left button as usual to select any commands on the menu.


My Desktop:

Program Manager has been replaced by My desktop with most of the applications being accessed from the Start button.

There are some icons already on the desktop and you can always add short cuts to applications that you use regularly (the main icons My Computer. Recycle Bin and My Briefcase cannot be easily deleted, nor should they be.)
 

The main parts of My Desktop are the fixed icons My Computer. Recycle Bin and My Briefcase.

The Task Bar which in most cases runs along the bottom of the screen( but could be placed on the left or right of the screen) and the Start button which is positioned in the bottom left corner of the screen.
 

If you miss Program Manager it is possible to make a copy of it within Windows 95

1/ Right click the Start button.

2/ Choose Open from the Shortcut menu.

3/ The Start menu folder opens and it looks likes Windows 3.X icons for each of the Start menu programs.

4/ Double click on a Program icon to reveal other programs.

5/ When you find the program you require double click on it to open.

Desktop Objects/Icons

These are normally found down the left hand side of the Desktop area and enable you to work with different parts of your computer system
 

To Arrange Icons on the Desktop - Right click on the Desktop and choose Arrange Icons and then choose By Name.
 

AutoArrange - If this option is ticked, the icons will automatically arrange themselves into order whenever one is moved.


The Start button:

The Start button is one of the most important changes to Windows 95. Microsoft claim that users access applications three to nine times faster when using the Start button then when using the old program manager. (From top to bottom)
 

Programs - The Programs option enables you to start a program which is installed

on your computer.
 

Documents - The Documents menu lists the last 15 documents that you have been working on. Choosing a document on the menu would open the program and the file.
 

Settings (Please note The Settings option has been disabled on DoHS computers)

Settings enable customisation of Windows 95. (printers, control panel and task bar)
 

Find - If a user cannot remember where a file, program or document is stored and it does not appear on the Documents option, Find can be used to look for it.
 

Help - Windows 95 has a very comprehensive Help facility which allows users to search for help on many different aspects of the operating system.
 

Run - (Please note The Run option has been disabled on DoHS computers)

Run enables users to start programs which have not been allocated to the START menu. This is the harder way of running programs as the location of the program would need to be remembered. (On some PCs within DoHS the facility has been disabled by the Network Administrator).
 

Shut down - The shut-down button enables the user to do the following:

1/ Shut down the computer.

2/ Restart the computer.

3/ Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode.

4/ Close all programs and log on as a different user.

(See also Closing Windows 95)


The Open Application:
 

Title Bar - The Bar which runs across the top of the application. It shows the name of the program or file. If more than one window is open on the Desktop, a different coloured Title Bar denotes the "active" window. To make a different window active, simply click somewhere on it.
 

Control Menu - The icon at the far left on the Title Bar. It enables users to Restore, Minimise, Maximise and Close the Window. The buttons on the right hand side of the window do the same thing but are quicker.
 

Minimise - The minimise button reduces the window to a button on the Taskbar. The program is NOT closed, think of it as being put to one side.
 

Maximise - The maximise button enlarges the window so that it displays full screen.
 

Restore - When the window has already been maximised, the button is replaced with a restore button which re-sizes the window to its previous size (usually a medium size, half of the screen).
 

Close - Closes the active window. Pressing this when running a program will closethe program although a warning will appear if work has not been saved.
 

Scroll Bars - On the right hand and bottom of the window, scroll bars allow you to move around within a file when the entire file is not showing in the window. If the entire file is visible in the window, the scroll bars will often not appear.
 

Border - The outer edge of the window has a border surrounding, it which enables the window to be resized. To resize the window, hover the mouse pointer over the border. The pointer will change to a double-headed arrow, you should then click and drag until the window is the required size.
 

Move the Window - Click and drag the Title Bar to move the whole window to the required position.
 


The Task Bar:
 

The Task Bar shows all the open applications. task switching can be done between open applications by clicking on the button that represents the application the user want to switch to. The user can also use ALT+TAB as in Windows 3.x
 

The Taskbar usually sits at the bottom of the screen and its role is to manage the programs that you use everyday.

Moving the Taskbar - Position the mouse pointer at a point on the Taskbar where no icons are sitting and click and drag the Taskbar to the top. left or right of the screen. -
 

Re-Sizing the Taskbar - Position the mouse pointer on the top border of the Taskbar. The mouse symbol should change to a double-headed arrow, click and drag the Taskbar to the size you require.
 

Taskbar Properties - Right click on the Taskbar where no icons are sitting and choose the Properties command. The Taskbar Properties dialogue box appears and it is possible to change the following:
 

Always on top - Ensures that the Taskbar is always visible, even when you run a program in a full screen. This option should always be ticked.

Auto hide - Activating, this option means the Taskbar will be hidden until you point with the mouse to the thin line where the Taskbar was. Only then will it reappear.

Show small icons in Start menu - Reduces the size of the menu that appears when you click the Start button.

Show Clock - Taking this option off removes the clock from the Taskbar.
 


My Computer (Please note The My Computer option has been disabled on DoHS computers)
 

My Computer icon contains a window of drives and resources available on your computer.

It is via My Computer that the user can format, copy and in the case of DoHS computers scan for viruses. All of these facilities are available via the file menu.

Other facilities available are computer drives A, C and D (in most cases), Networked drive, printers and control panel


Network Neighbourhood (Please note The Network Neighbourhood option has been disabled on DoHS computers)
 

Network Neighbourhood shows the computers / Netware servers that the users computer is connected to. In the case of DoHS most users will not have to use Network Neighbourhood, the network administrator has installed a Novell-delivered application window for staff use (see Dept of Health Studies applications)


My Briefcase (Please note The My Briefcase option has been disabled on DoHS computers)
 

The idea of My Briefcase is that it is a temporary storage area for a file or document while it is being worked on. This is particularly useful if the user has more that one copy of the document. After the document is finished it can be filed elsewhere.


Recycle Bin: (Please note Recycle Bin option has been disabled on DoHS computers)
 

The Recycle Bin is a temporary storage area for deleted files. it can be used to retrieve files that are deleted in error. Deleted files will stay in the Recycle Bin until the user decides to empty it.


Windows Explorer: (was File Manager)

(Please note The Windows Explorer option has been replaced on DoHS computers by A_Drive , C_Temp and Format floppy)
 

File Manager in Window 3.x is now called Windows Explorer, the easiest way of accessing Windows Explorer is to do the following:
 

Single click the Start Button.

Hold the mouse over Programs (program menu appears)

At the bottom is Windows Explorer - (single click).
 

Unlike File Manager, Windows Explorer shows drives and directories from top to bottom. (File Manager shows the drives along the top of the open window and the directories top to bottom)
 

Please Note: Do not get confused between Internet Explorer and Widnes Explorer.

Internet Explorer is Microsofts Internet Web browser.


Help:
 

Windows 95 provides help for every function. There are various ways to obtain help: Choose the START button and select the help command
 

Contents

This will display a list of main Help Topics with sub-topics within.

Index

This will display a list of entries where it is possible to search for specifictopics directly. Just type in the first few letter of the word you are looking for and a list of topics will be displayed.

Find

This allows users to run simple word searches to list Topics.
 

Working with Help Topics

Once a topic has been selected, a window will be displayed on the screen to enable you to view the topic.
 

Help Topics - Goes back to the Main Help Topics, i.e. Content, Index and Find.
 

Back - Takes you back through the Help topics you have been viewing.

Options - Displays a shortcut menu. Alternatively, press the right mouse button anywhere in the Help Topic and the same menu will appear.
 

Annotate - Add you own notes to the Help Topic for future reference

Copy - Copy the topic to the Clipboard for pasting into other programs

Print Topic - prints the current Help Topic

Font - Change the Font size of the Topic's text to Small, Normal or Large Keep Help on Top - If On Top is checked it ensures that the Help Topic will stay on top of other windows.

Use System Colours - If Use System Colours select, when you open Help again, the background colour and text will match your system colours.
 

Help in Dialogue boxes
 

Windows 95 gives help on any options within a dialogue box. Click the Help button in the right hand corner and the pointer should now have a question mark attached to it. Point and click at the item within the dialogue box you require help on and a help topic will then appear in a window.


Print Manager: (Please note The Printers option has been disabled on DoHS computers)
 

In Windows 95 Print Manager has been replaced by the Printers Folder, this is accessed via the Start menu and then Settings.


Closing Windows 95:
 

BEFORE shutting, down Windows 95, always make sure you have CLOSED ALL YOUR PROGRAMS DOWN. Your Taskbar should have no programs on it.

Windows 95 should alway be closed using the Start Button except when using a campus computer.(there is a logout icon on the desktop)

Choose the START button and Select Shut Down

The ellipses (... ) which appear immediately after the words SHUT DOWN, indicate

that a dialogue box will appear asking you what you would like to do.
 

Choose one of the following options:

Shut down the computer?

When you wish to switch off your PC. Once chosen, you will be told when it is safe to switch the PC off

Restart the computer?

Restarts the computer back into Windows 95

Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode?

Allows users to run DOS programs that will not run under Windows 95. To return to Windows 95, type win or exit and choose the Enter key
 

Close all programs and log on as a different user

This should always be used whenever you are leaving your PC as it disconnects the computer from the network. This ensures that nobody else, other than yourself, has access to your areas of the network. It also prepares the computer to be used by someone else if you share a PC.


Switching between applications:

When you have more than one program or window open on the desktop you can

switch quickly and easily between the windows using the Taskbar.
 

To Change the Active window - When you cannot see the window you require you can switch to another program using the Taskbar by clicking on the program button you require. The programs window should now open onto the Desktop as the "Active" window.
 

To Change the Active window if you can see it -Click onto the window you require and the Title Bar should now have changed colour. This window has now become the "Active" window.

To Minimise all Windows - Right click on the Taskbar at a point where there

are no active program icons showing. Choose the Minimise All Windows commands.



Copying and Pasting between programs:

When programs run in Windows it Is possible to copy data from one program and

paste it into another program so data can be shared between them.
 

To Copy - Using the mouse, click and drag over the data which you wish to copy In

order to highlight it. Once the data is highlighted, from the Edit menu choose Copy.

Clipboard - Once something has been copied in Windows, it places that piece of data onto something called the Clipboard which will hold it until you Copy something else.

To Paste - Using the mouse, choose the program which you wish to paste the data into. Once in the program click at the point where you wish to put the data. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.


Copying a floppy disk on a DoHS computer:
 

1/ Place floppy disk in A drive slot

2/ Click on Start, then Programs, then A_Drive.

3/ highlight all the files/Folders on the floppy disk (by holding down Ctrl key then clicking on each file).

4/ Click on the word Edit in the A_drive window, then copy.

5/ Open the C_Temp window. (delete any files in C_Temp)

6/ Click on the word Edit and then Paste (all of your Files/Folders will be copied in to C_Temp)

7/ Repeat step 2 to 6 from C_Temp to A_drive (copying and pasting your Files/Folders on to your back-up floppy disk).


Customising Windows 95 - The Control Panel

(Please note The Control panel option has been disabled on DoHS computers)

To open the Control Panel:-

Choose START, Settings and then the Control Panel command.
 

Display - it is also possible to change the display of your PC by right checking on

the Desktop and choosing the Properties command.

To change the background of your Desktop - choose either a Pattern

or a Wallpaper.
 

To apply a screen saver - choose the Screen Saver tab and then choose a Screen Saver. It is also possible to change each screen saver using the Settings button. To check out the Screen Saver, click the Preview button and then hold the mouse still. Moving the mouse stops the Screen Saver preview. To change the colour scheme - choose from one of the many colour schemes in the Appearance tab. Once selected, the screen above the scheme will change to show you what the colour scheme would look like.


Dept of Health Studies applications:
 

The Department of Health Studies has its own set of applications (only installed on department computers).

These applications are automatically installed when the computer is switched on they are called Novell-delivered applications. they include the Internet, databases, e-mail and all the Microsoft Office products the department use.
 

There are three main icons under the application window:

All(shows all the DoHS application icons)

YORK.AC.UK (shows eight sub folders each with a group of icons in it)
 
 

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Created by Ian Cole

class_software@yahoo.co.uk
Last updated Nov 2001