Exercise01

Ex 2.1.1 - Operating System First Steps

KNOWLEDGE

FIRST STEPS WITH THE COMPUTER

Start the Computer Shut down the Computer using an appropriate routine Restart the computer using an appropriate routine Shut down a non-responding application Use available Help functions

Start the Computer
Assuming that the computer and monitor have been connected correctly to the mains, and the Windows operating system software has been installed, the computer can be started by pressing the power on button on the computer base unit and, if necessary, the power on button on the monitor (depending on how the power is supplied to the monitor there may or may not be a power switch).

Shut down the Computer using an appropriate routine
It is NOT advisable to shut down the computer by switching the machine power buttons off (this may however be the only way with older machines). Instead, when using Microsoft Windows, it is best to click the Start button followed by the menu option to Turn Off Computer the computer. Closing down in this way allows the system to "park" the computer hard disc and prevents possible damage to it.

Restart the computer using an appropriate routine
The machine can be switched off and restarted as detailed above. This method is however generally used where the machine is to be left for some time before additional use. If you wish to shut down and then restart the computer immediately this is best down by selecting Start followed by the menu option to Turn Off Computer and choosing the option to Restart the computer. The most common reason for taking this course of action is when the computer has been used for some time and it is starting to operate slowly or an application is causing problems and the machine keeps "hanging" - i.e. a program stops working.

Shut down a non-responding application
Where a machine is causing difficulty in that a program is not operating correctly and/or it closes itself down it is often a good idea to restart the machine as detailed above. If it is not possible to restart the machine using the Start and Turn Off Computer options don't revert to switching the power off just yet. Instead, hold down the Ctrl, Alt and Del keys all at the same time. The system should either restart or give you a window asking you are you sure you want to restart the system. Say yes. This method of restarting the machine is better for the system as a whole than switching the power off. If all else fails and the machine will not restart with either of the above methods you will have to resort to switching the power off - do this as a last measure only.

Use available Help functions
There is an abundance of help resources available at the finger tips of any computer user. The two main sources of information are the Help systems built into all application software and the Internet. Application Help Menu All software applications have built in Help systems which include a wealth of information, some of which is very good, some of which is less helpful for the beginner and more geared to the professional user. Usually the Help system can be found on the main menu at the top of the screen. A number of Help options are usually available including access to Help on the Internet for that particular application. In Microsoft Office applications, and other Microsoft programs, the first item on the Help menu is usually labelled Microsoft ### Help (where ### is Word, Excel, Access, etc.). It can also be accessed by pressing the F1 function key. This is the most useful source of Help. On opening up Help you will typically get the choice of how you look for help on that particular application. The choices include looking at: Contents - here you can select a document to read from a number of pages of information Answer Wizard - here you type in your own question and the Help system gives you various pages which could be useful Index - here you type in a key word from which you can then access pages of information on that topic It should be noted that the information found in an application Help system is specific to that application, that is it is about how to do something in that application.

Internet The growth of the Internet in the late 1990's has led to a wealth of information available to all who have access. Literally billions of pages of information can now be found on the Internet. Information can be found on specific companies such as McDonalds or Ford motor cars. Government reports' and local authority information can be quite easily accessed. Regulation documents concerning Health & Safety at Work or VAT rules can be read or downloaded. Search engines can be used to find even the most obscure information - if you are interested in the little known "South American lesser spotted dung beetle" you will probably find a web page about it somewhere. And then there are sites which offer encyclopaedic information such as www.webopedia.com or www.dictionary.com which are very useful for computing terms. Any kind of information that you want can now be found at the click of a mouse.

FURTHER INFORMATION

To read further information about the topic(s) discussed in this exercise try visiting the following web site(s): www.microsoft.com/office - Microsoft Office Help www.webopedia.com - Online Dictionary