Dell Microsoft Windows Vista Getting Started Guide

Getting Started Guide for Microsoft® Windows Vista™

What's New in Microsoft® Windows Vista™
Switching to Classic View
Turning Your Computer On and Off
User Accounts and Switching Users
Conserving Battery Power for Portables
Personalizing Your Desktop
Working With Files
Working With Programs
If Your Computer Stops Responding

Notes and Notices

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. A NOTE indicates

important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the

problem.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
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Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell and the DELL logo are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Microsoft, Internet Explorer, and Windows are registered

trademarks and Windows Vista is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their

products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
September, 2006

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1. Click the Start button.

What's New in Microsoft® Windows Vista™

Getting Started Guide for Microsoft® Windows Vista™

Start Button
Wizard for Transferring Files
Sleep Option Replaces Standby
New User Account Control Improves Security
New Menu Bar and Window Design Replace Classic Menu Bar
More Options When Right-clicking the Desktop
New Sidebar Displayed on Desktop
Tabbed Browsing in Internet Explorer
Application Launch from Start Menu Search Text Box
Run Programs Removed from Start Menu
Enhanced Navigation

Users familiar with previous versions of Microsoft® Windows® will notice some differences in the Microsoft Windows Vista
features and user interface. So that you can quickly perform common computing activities, this document describes
notable differences in Windows Vista compared to previous versions of Windows. This document assumes that you have
Windows Vista Home Basic installed.

NOTE: For complete documentation of Windows Vista, refer to the Microsoft Windows Vista documentation. The

Windows Vista Help and Support provides online documentation. Click the Start button and select Help and Support
to access this information. Use the Search text box to search for a topic.

NOTE: Different versions of the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system provide different features and have

different system requirements. Your hardware configuration may also determine the Windows Vista features
available to you. Refer to the Microsoft Windows Vista documentation for specific details and system requirements.

NOTE: A variety of documentation is provided with your computer system. You may notice that some

documentation references Windows XP. In general, documentation referencing Windows XP is applicable to your
Windows Vista system. In some cases, the names of menu options or other screen elements are somewhat different
in Windows Vista. In addition, the Windows Vista Start menu provides faster access to many functions than
available in Windows XP.

Start Button

The Windows Vista Start button has a similar function and location as in previous Windows versions. The appearance of
the Start button has changed, however.

The following illustration shows the Windows Vista Start button.

Windows Vista Start Button

The following illustration shows the Start button as displayed in previous versions of Windows.

Classic Start Button

Wizard for Transferring Files

Previous versions of Windows provided a Files and Settings Transfer wizard. This wizard has been renamed to Windows
Easy Transfer and is easier to access in Windows Vista. To launch the Windows Easy Transfer wizard, do the following:

2. Click Windows Easy Transfer. If prompted, click Continue.

3. Follow the instructions displayed by the Windows Easy Transfer wizard.

Sleep Option Replaces Standby

When leaving your computer unattended for a short duration, you may wish to avoid shutting the system down. Previous
versions of Windows provided Standby option that enabled you to leave your system and resume computing without
having to shutdown and reboot.

In Windows Vista, the Sleep option replaces the Standby option. For more information, see Using the Sleep Mode

.

New User Account Control Improves Security

In previous versions of Windows, user accounts were usually a member of the Administrator group and had access to
Administrator privileges. Because administrator privileges provide access to all operating system resources, user accounts
with Administrator privileges pose a security risk by providing access to operating system resources that can be exploited
by malicious software (or “malware”).

To improve system security, Windows Vista provides User Account Control (UAC) which limits the operating system access
available to standard user accounts. A standard user account does not have access to operating system resources that
may pose a security risk.

When enabled, User Account Control requires that standard users provide a password when performing functions that
require more extensive access to the operating system. For example, you may be required to provide an Administrator
password when installing software or making other changes to the operating system.

When using an Administrator account, User Account Control prompts Administrator users to click “Continue” or “Cancel”
when performing functions that may entail a security risk.

NOTE: For more information on User Account Control, see the Microsoft Windows Vista documentation. You can

search the online help for this topic. Click the Start button and select Help and Support to access this information.
Use the Search text box to search for User Account Control.

New Menu Bar and Window Design Replace Classic Menu Bar

You may notice that some of the Windows Vista applications no longer display the Classic menu bar when first launched.
In previous versions of Windows, the Classic menu bar typically displayed options such as File, View, and so on. In
particular, the following applications have a different display than in previous versions of Windows:

Windows Explorer
Internet Explorer®
Computer (formerly My Computer)
Media Player

In some cases, Windows Vista provides an option for displaying the Classic menu bar. For other applications, the Classic
menu bar is not available. Instead, the Classic menu bar options are replaced by new menu bar options, new right-click
options, and a new display within the window pane.

To Display the Classic Menu Bar in Internet Explorer

1. Launch Internet Explorer.

2. Select Menu Bar from the Tools drop-down menu.

To Display the Classic Menu Bar in Media Player

1. Launch the Windows Media Player.

2. Locate the Layout Options drop-down menu located in the Windows Media Player menu bar. The Layout Options
menu name may not display until you place the mouse cursor over the menu.

3. Select Show Classic Menus from the Layout Options drop-down menu.

Right-click Options Replace Some Classic Menu Bar Options

In some cases, options formerly displayed on the Classic menu bar are available with a right-click option. For example,
you can display file details in Windows Explorer by right-clicking and selecting View and Details.

Relocation of Some Classic Menu Bar Options

You may find that options provided by the Classic menu bar have been relocated. For example, you can still map a
network drive using the Computer application but this option is no longer available as a drop-down menu choice in
Windows Explorer.

More Options When Right-clicking the Desktop

The Windows Vista desktop provides quick access to functions formerly only available through the Control Panel or
Windows Explorer in previous versions of Windows. For example, you can right-click the desktop and select Personalize
to display options for changing the appearance of the Windows Vista interface. You can also right-click the desktop and
select New to display options for creating a folder, a text file, and other items.

You may want to explore the desktop right-click options to familiarize yourself with these functions.

New Sidebar Displayed on Desktop

Windows Vista displays a new Sidebar on the desktop. For your convenience and enjoyment, the Sidebar displays a slide
show, news headlines, and other items or "gadgets" that can be added or removed from the Sidebar.

To Add a Gadget to the Sidebar

Several gadgets, including a contacts list, CPU meter, calendar, and other useful items can be added to the Sidebar.

1. Right-click the Sidebar and select Add Gadgets.

2. Double-click the gadget you want to add to the Sidebar.

To Remove a Gadget from the Sidebar

Right-click the gadget you want to remove and select Close Gadget.

To Close the Sidebar

If you want to remove the Sidebar from display on the desktop, right-click the Sidebar and select Close Sidebar. When
closed, the Sidebar is iconified on the desktop Taskbar.

To Display the Sidebar

1. Locate the iconified Sidebar on the desktop Taskbar. When you pass the mouse cursor over the iconified Sidebar,
Windows Sidebar displays.

2. Double-click the iconified Sidebar to display it on the desktop.

Tabbed Browsing in Internet Explorer

The Internet Explorer display has been updated in Windows Vista to provide tabbed browsing. Instead of opening a new

Internet Explorer window, new web pages may be opened in a tab displayed within a single Internet Explorer window. You
can click the tabs to navigate quickly among the different web pages.

Application Launch from Start Menu Search Text Box

The Start menu displays a search text box. In addition to searching for folders or files, this search text box can be used to
open an application. For example, to open the Notepad application, do the following:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type notepad in the search text box and press the <Enter> key.

Run Programs Removed from Start Menu

In previous versions of Windows, the Run utility was displayed on the Start menu. This utility is available in Windows
Vista, but it is no longer displayed on the Start menu. To open the Run utility:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type run in the search text box and press the <Enter> key.

Enhanced Navigation

In Windows Vista, the Start menu and other windows are designed to provide quick access to applications and files
without displaying a series of cascading menus as did previous versions of Windows. Instead, the window display changes
based on your previous selection. For example, click the Start button and then select All Programs. The left pane of the
Start menu now displays the available programs.

Similar to an Internet browser, the Windows Vista windows display a "Back" button (displayed as a left arrow) that
enables you to return to the previous window.

In addition, the Start menu and other windows include a search text box that enables you to quickly locate wizards,
applications, files, and online help.

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To change only the Control Panel to Classic view, do the following:

Switching to Classic View

Getting Started Guide for Microsoft® Windows Vista™

Changing the User Interface to Classic View
Changing Folders to Classic View
Changing the Start Menu to Classic View
Changing the Control Panel to Classic View

You can change the appearance of your folders, Start menu, Control Panel, and application windows so that they look
more like previous versions of the Windows® operating system.

NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows Vista™ default view, so they may not work if

you set your computer to the Classic view.

Changing the User Interface to Classic View

To switch all elements (desktop, folders, application windows, and so on) to Classic view, do the following:

1. Right-click the desktop and select Personalize.

2. Click Theme.

3. Select Windows Classic from the Theme drop-down menu.

4. Click Apply and then click Ok.

Changing Folders to Classic View

To change only your folders to Classic view, do the following:

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.

2. Click Appearance and Personalization.

3. Click Folder Options or click Use Classic Windows folders which is displayed under Folder Options.

4. On the General tab, select Use Windows classic folders.

5. Click Apply and then click Ok.

Changing the Start Menu to Classic View

To change only the Start menu to Classic view, do the following:

1. Click the Start button and then click Control Panel.

2. Click Appearance and Personalization.

3. Click Taskbar and Start Menu or click Customize the Start menu which is displayed under Taskbar and Start
Menu.

4. On the Start Menu tab, select Classic Start Menu.

5. Click Apply and then Ok.

Changing the Control Panel to Classic View