Lesson5

  Youdon'thavetobeacomputergeniustouseWindowsXP,butifyouknowsomethingabouthowtosetupsomebasicfeaturesandfunctions,itwilldoalotmoreforyou.WindowsXPmakesthiseasierthaneverwiththeControlPanel.TheControlPanelfeaturesanumberoftoolsthatwillhelpyoucontrolhowWindowsXPfeatureslookandact.ButfirstyoumustlearnhowtoaccesstheControlPanel.

  ClickStart.  ClickControlPanel.  TheControlPanelopens.OR  TypeControlPanelintheAddressdialogbox

foundonanyWindowsXPwindow.OR  ManyfoldersfeaturealinktotheControlPanel

intheSeeAlsodialogbox(onlyinXPview).  NomatterhowyougettotheControlPanel,it

willlooklikethisuponfirstviewing:

  Ifyou'reusedtoapreviousversionofWindows,you'llnoticethattheControlPanelinWindowsXPlooksverydifferent.

  TheWindowsXPControlPanelisdividedintoCategories.IfyouclickaCategory,thewindowpresentsaListofTasksandrelatedControlPanelicons.

  Note:TaskandControlPaneliconsperformbasicallythesamefunctions.Forexample,noticethatyoucan"Chooseascreensaver"inthePickaTasklist.ClickingthislinkopenstheDisplayPropertiesdialogbox.However,ifyouweretochoosetheDisplayicon,theDisplayPropertiesdialogboxopens.

  Ifyoulookattheleftsideofthewindow,you'llnoticethattheSeeAlsoandTroubleshootersdialogboxesprovidesseveralmorerelatedoptions.

  ThenewControlPaneldesignprovidesmultiplewaystodosomething,therebymakingitmoreuser‐friendly.However,thenewControlPaneldesigndoesn'tprovideyouwithaccesstoeveryavailableControlPaneltool‐itonlyprovidesyouaccesstothemostcommonlyusedtools.

  ToaccessALLofyourControlPaneltools,youmustswitchtoClassicView.

  ClicktheClassicViewlinkontheleftsideofyourControlPanel.

  ClicktheSwitchtoCategoryViewlinktoswitchback.

 UsethemenubarandtoolbarbuttonstonavigateandfurtherexploreControlPaneloptions.

  OpentheControlPanel(locatedinStartmenu).

  UnderPickaCategory,clickDate,Time,Language,andRegionalOptions.

  UnderPickaTask,clickChangethedateandtime.

  TheDateandTimePropertiesdialogboxopens.

  Usethedropdownboxtosetthemonthandyear.

  Clickthecorrectdateonthecalendar.

  Clickandselectthecurrenttimetomakeachange.

  Ifnecessary,clicktheTimeZonetabandusethedropdownboxtochangethetimezone.

  ClickOKtoclosethedialogbox.

OR  Right‐clickthetimeinthelower

rightonyourdesktop.  ChooseAdjustDate/Time.  TheDateandTimeProperties

dialogboxopens.  Followabovesteps5‐9.

Wallpaperisthebackgroundimagethatappearsonyourdesktop.WindowsXPoffersmanywallpaperchoices.

  OpentheControlPanel(locatedinStartmenu).  UnderPickaCategory,clickAppearanceandThemes.  UnderPickaTask,clickChangethedesktopbackground.  TheDisplayPropertiesdialogboxopenswiththeDesktop

tabselected.  IntheBackgroundbox,clickorusethearrowkeystoview

thechoices.  Usethedropdownboxestoalterwallpaperpositionorcolor.  ClickOKtoclosethedialogbox.

  ClickBrowsetochooseapicturefromtheMyPicturesfolder(ornavigatetoapicturelocatedinanotherfolder.)

  ClicktheCustomizeDesktopbuttontoalteryourdesktopiconsordisplayawebpageonyourdesktop.

  OpentheControlPanel(locatedinStartmenu).  UnderPickaCategory,clickAppearanceandThemes.

  UnderPickaTask,clickChooseascreensaver.  TheDisplayPropertiesdialogboxopenswiththeScreenSavertabselected.

  Clickthearrowtoopenadropdownbox.Clickorusethearrowkeystoviewthechoices.Or,clickPreviewtovieweachoptiononyourcomputerscreen.Pressanykeyonyourkeyboardtoreturntothedialogbox.

  ClickSettingstocustomizetheappearanceoryourchosenscreensaver

  OpentheControlPanel(locatedinStartmenu).  UnderPickaCategory,clickAppearanceandThemes.  UnderPickaControlPanelicon,clickTaskbarand

StartMenu.  TheTaskbarandStartMenuPropertiesdialogbox

openswiththeTaskbartabdisplayed.  Usethecheckboxestocustomizeitsappearanceand

clickOK.ClicktheStartMenutabtoswitchbetweentheXPStart

menuandClassicStartmenu.ClassicStartmenuistheStartmenufeaturedinolderversionsofWindows.

  Ifnecessary,adjustthedateandtimeonyourcomputer

  Choosenewwallpaperandascreensaverforyourdesktop