CompTIA A_ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, Seventh Edition - Michael Meyers [48]
Figure 4-38 Typical user accounts folder in Windows Vista
No matter what your version of Windows decides to call it, My Documents/User’s Files is an incredibly critical part of your computer’s directory structure. Not only does this store your most personal (and important) documents, it also stores most of the personalization settings for each user. You’ll see more of My Documents/User’s Files in the next section.
Recycle Bin
In Windows, a file is not erased when you delete it. Windows adds a level of protection in the form of a special folder called the Recycle Bin. When you delete a file in Windows, the file moves into the Recycle Bin. It stays there until you empty the Recycle Bin or restore the file, or until the Recycle Bin reaches a preset size and starts erasing its oldest contents.
To access the Recycle Bin’s properties, right-click the icon and select Properties. The Recycle Bin’s properties look different in different versions of Windows, but they all work basically the same. Figure 4-39 shows the properties of a typical Windows XP Recycle Bin. Note that you set the amount of drive space to use for the Recycle Bin, 10 percent being the default amount. If a hard drive starts to run low on space, this is one of the first places to check.
Figure 4-39 Windows XP Recycle Bin Properties
My Network Places/Network
Systems tied to a network, either via a network cable or by a modem, have a folder called My Network Places in XP or simply Network in Vista (see Figure 4-40). This shows all the current network connections available to you. You’ll learn about My Network Places in Chapter 23, “Local Area Networking.”
Windows Sidebar
Windows Vista comes with a UI feature called the Windows Sidebar, a tool that sits on the desktop and enables small helper applications—called Microsoft Gadgets—to run. You can display a clock, for example, or a dynamic weather update. Vista comes with a handful of Gadgets, but developers have gone crazy with them, enabling you to add all sorts of useful tools, such as the Twitter feed and World of Warcraft search and realm status Gadgets in Figure 4-41.
Figure 4-40 Network in Windows Vista
Figure 4-41 Windows Sidebar in action
Hot Keys
In Windows, you can use key combinations to go directly to various programs and places. Here’s a fairly extensive list of general-purpose commands for Windows. Be aware that some applications may change the use of these commands.
Function Keys
F1 Help
F2 Rename
F3 Search menu
F5 Refresh the current window
F6 Move among selections in current windows
Popular Hot Keys
CTRL-ESC Open Start menu
ALT-TAB Switch between open programs
ALT-F4 Quit program
CTRL-Z Undo the last command
CTRL-A Select all the items in the current window
SHIFT-DELETE Delete item permanently
SHIFT-F10 Open a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object)
SHIFT Bypass the automatic-run feature for optical media (by pressing and holding down the SHIFT key while you insert optical media)
ALT-SPACE Display the main window’s System menu (from this menu you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)
ALT-ENTER Open the properties for the selected object
Working with Text
CTRL-C Copy
CTRL-X Cut
CTRL-V Paste
CTRL-Z Undo
Windows Key Shortcuts
These shortcuts use the special Windows key:
WINDOWS KEY Start menu
WINDOWS KEY-D Show desktop
WINDOWS KEY-E Windows Explorer
WINDOWS KEY-L Locks the computer
WINDOWS KEY-TAB Cycle through taskbar buttons (or Flip 3D with Windows Aero in Vista)
WINDOWS KEY-BREAK Open the System Properties dialog box
* * *
NOTE I’ve covered only the most basic parts of the Windows desktop