- Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional in 10 Minutes
- Table of Contents
- Copyright
- Tell Us What You Think!
- About the Authors
- Introduction
- Conventions Used in This Book
- Lesson 1. Navigating Windows 2000 Professional
- What Is Windows 2000 Professional?
- Starting Windows 2000
- Understanding the Windows Desktop
- Using the Mouse
- Using the Start Button
- Using the Taskbar
- Shutting Down Windows 2000 Professional
- Lesson 2. Working with a Window
- What Is a Window?
- Opening a Window
- Sizing a Window with Maximize, Minimize, and Restore
- Sizing a Window's Borders
- Using Scroll Bars
- Moving a Window
- Viewing a Window's Contents
- Closing Windows
- Lesson 3. Using Menus
- Using Toolbar Buttons
- What Is a Menu?
- Choosing Menu Commands
- Reading a Menu
- Using Shortcut Keys Instead of Menus
- Using Shortcut Menus
- Lesson 4. Using Windows 2000 Professional Help
- Getting Help in Windows 2000
- The Help Window
- Using Windows Online Help
- Using Web Help
- Lesson 5. Using Dialog Boxes
- What Is a Dialog Box?
- Using the Components of a Dialog Box
- Using the What's This? Feature
- Using Text Boxes
- Using Option Buttons
- Using Check Boxes
- Using Command Buttons
- Using Property Sheets and Tabs
- Lesson 6. Working with Multiple Windows and Applications
- Opening a Windows Application
- Viewing an Application's Window
- Exiting an Application
- Arranging Windows on the Desktop
- Moving Between Applications
- Moving Between Windows in the Same Application
- Lesson 7. Copying, Moving, and Linking Between Windows and Applications
- Using the Clipboard
- Selecting Text for Copying or Moving
- Selecting Graphics
- Copying Information Between Windows
- Moving Information Between Windows
- Sharing Information Between Applications
- Understanding Linking
- Creating Links
- Understanding Embedding
- Embedding Objects
- Using the ClipBook Viewer
- Lesson 8. Using My Computer
- What Is My Computer?
- Browsing Folder Options
- The My Computer Menu
- The My Computer Toolbars
- Customizing View Columns
- Lesson 9. Managing Files with My Computer
- Selecting Files and Folders
- Moving Files and Folders
- Copying Files and Folders
- Deleting Files and Folders
- Renaming Files and Folders
- Using Windows Explorer
- Creating Shortcuts
- Searching for Files and Folders
- Lesson 10. Using WordPad
- What Is WordPad?
- Moving the Text Insertion Point
- Inserting and Deleting Text
- Selecting, Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Text
- Formatting a Document
- Saving a Document and Exiting WordPad
- Lesson 11. Understanding File Properties and the Recycle Bin
- Filenames
- File Size
- File Creation Date and Time
- File Attributes
- Viewing Properties
- Managing the Recycle Bin
- Opening the Recycle Bin
- Emptying the Recycle Bin
- Restoring Files
- Recycle Bin Properties
- Lesson 12. Printing
- Installing a Printer
- Printing from an ApplicationControlling the Print Job
- Working with the Print Folder
- Controlling the Print Job
- Using Drag and Drop
- Lesson 13. Using My Network Places
- What Is a Network?
- About Clients and Servers
- What Is My Network Places?
- Logging On to a Network
- Accessing My Network Places
- Logging Off a Network
- Lesson 14. Using the Control Panel
- What Is the Control Panel?
- What Can You Accomplish in the Control Panel?
- Selecting a Screen Saver
- Configuring Video Options
- Configuring Sound Options
- Configuring Multimedia Devices
- Configuring Your Keyboard and Mouse
- Lesson 15. Using Outlook Express Mail
- Opening and Closing Outlook Express Mail
- The Outlook Express Mail Window
- Sending a Message
- Using the Windows Address Book
- Retrieving and Reading Your Messages
- Saving a File Attached to a Message
- Replying to a Message
- Deleting Old Messages
- Lesson 16. Sharing Workstations and Setting Passwords
- Assigning Passwords to Screen Savers
- Changing Your Password
- Sharing Resources on Your Computer
- Sharing Folders and Disk Drives on Your Computer
- Setting File Permissions
- Creating and Sharing a Printer
- Sharing an Already-Defined Printer
- Setting Printer Permissions
- Lesson 17. Using Internet Explorer 5
- Starting Internet Explorer 5
- Navigating the IE5 Window
- The IE5 Toolbars
- Navigating a Web Page
- Reading URLs
- Visiting a Web Site
- Understanding Links
- Understanding Caching
- Lesson 18. Web Site and Document Searching
- Understanding Searches
- Creating a Web Search
- Searching for Text on a Web Page
- Lesson 19. Troubleshooting, Restarting, and Disaster Planning
- Task Manager
- Restarting Windows 2000
- What is a Computer Virus?
- Curing and Preventing Computer Viruses
- Creating a Startup Disk
- Troubleshooting Windows 2000
- Lesson 20. Customizing the Windows 2000 Environment
- Creating Shortcuts
- Arranging Icons
- Choosing Colors and Backgrounds
- Changing Fonts
- Customizing the Taskbar
- Changing the Time or Date
- Creating Custom Toolbars
Understanding the Windows Desktop
After Windows 2000 starts, you will see various items on the screen, as shown in Figure 1.1. The items you see enable you to open applications, manage files, send and receive mail, and perform many other tasks throughout your work day. Depending on your installation, you may or may not see all of the items shown in the following figure.

Figure 1.1 Common components of the Windows 2000 Professional screen.
The components of the Windows screen include
- Desktop: This is the background on which all other elements appear. You can think of the Windows desktop like the top of your own traditional office desk. Just as you can move papers around, hide certain items in drawers, and add and remove things on your desk, you can manipulate items on your Windows desktop.
- Icons: Icons are pictures that represent programs (such as, Word for Windows, Excel, and so on), folders, files, printer information, and computer information. Most often, you use icons to open folders and files.
- My Computer: The My Computer icon represents the contents of your computer, including the hard drive, floppy and CD drives, applications, folders, files, and so on. Double-click an icon to open it and view its contents.
- My Documents: Shortcut to the folder containing documents created by you. This folder is the default location for saving files in most Windows programs.
- Internet Explorer: Program used to view Web pages and surf the Internet. This kind of program is called a Web browser.
- Recycle Bin: The Recycle Bin is a place in which deleted objects remain until you empty the trash. You can retrieve items—files, programs, pictures, and so on—from the Recycle Bin after you delete them. Once you empty the trash, however, you can no longer retrieve items from the bin.
- Connect to the Internet: A step-by-step guide to configuring your computer and connecting to the Internet.
- Start Button: The Start button displays a menu from which you can choose to open an application, open a document, customize Windows, find a file or folder, get help, or shut down the Windows 98 program.
- Taskbar: The taskbar contains the Start button, any open application or window buttons, and the time. You can click a taskbar button to open the window or application it represents. Use the Start button to open programs, documents, help, and so on.
- Show Desktop: Click to minimize all windows and view the Desktop.
- Launch Internet Explorer Browser: Starts the Internet Explorer program.
- Launch Outlook Express: Starts the Outlook Express program. The Outlook Express program works with Internet Explorer and allows you to send e-mail, participate in chat groups, and work in newsgroups over the Internet.
- Volume Control: Controls the volume of the computer's speakers.
- Status Area: Displays Volume Control (Optional) Date and Time, shows status of Printing when you are printing. Icons for programs that are active the entire time your computer is on, such as virus programs, will display here.
- Time/Date: Displays time and date when you hold the mouse over the time.
- My Network Places: This icon displays network connections and dialup connections available to your computer on a Microsoft or other type of network, such as NetWare.
- Folder: A folder contains files, programs, or other folders on your computer; for example, the Online Services folder contains programs that let you sign up for an online service like CompuServe. A folder is the same thing as a directory.
- Pointer: The pointer is an onscreen icon (usually an arrow) that represents your mouse, trackball, touchpad, or other selecting device. You use it to select items and choose commands. You move the pointer by moving the mouse or other device across your desk or mouse pad. You learn how to use the mouse in the next section.
You'll be surprised how quickly these terms and components will become second nature to you. Once you've mastered using the mouse, you'll find that navigating the Windows program is very easy.