Configuring and Managing Windows

. Supplemental Objectives: Manage and configure Windows

Cram Saver

1. Which of the following is the primary tool to manage and configure Windows 7?

❍ A. Registry Editor ❍ B. Windows Explorer ❍ C. Control Panel ❍ D. System Manager

2. Which applet in the Control Panel do you use to change the computer name?

❍ A. Name ❍ B. System ❍ C. Workgroup ❍ D. Administrative Tools

3. What do you use to enable features so that disabled people can better use Windows 7? (Choose the best answer.)

❍ A. Accessibility applet ❍ B. Ease of Access Center ❍ C. Administrative Tools ❍ D. System applet

Answers

1. C is correct. The primary program used to configure Windows is the Control Panel. Answer A is incorrect because the Registry Editor is used to manually change the registry, which should rarely be done. Answer B is incorrect because Windows Explorer is used to manage the files and fold- ers. Answer D is incorrect because there is no System Manager that comes with Windows 7.

2. B is correct. To change the name of a computer to add the computer to a domain, you need to use the System applet in the Control Panel. Answers

A and C are incorrect because there are no Name or Workgroup applets. Answer D is incorrect because Administrative Tools are more IT-oriented tools used in managing your computer.

Configuring and Managing Windows

3. B is correct. To configure accessibility options, you use the Ease of Access Center. Answer A is incorrect because the Accessibility applet was the name used in Windows XP. Answers C and D are incorrect because the Administrative Tools and System applet are not used for accessibility options.

To simplify the process of setting up a new computer, Windows 7 includes the Welcome Center/Getting Started screen, as shown in Figure 3.1. This screen pulls all the tasks you most likely want to complete when you set up your computer into a single location. Such tasks include adding user accounts for different people, transferring files and settings, backing up your files, person- alizing Windows, and changing the size of the text on your screen. You can also use Homegroup to share files and printers with other computers in your home and go online to get Windows Live Essentials. You can also go online to find out what’s new in Windows 7.

FIGURE 3.1 The Windows Welcome Center.

The Control Panel is a graphical tool used to configure the Windows environ- ment and hardware devices, as shown in Figure 3.2. To access the Control Panel, you can click the Start button on the taskbar and select Control Panel. You can also display the Control Panel in any Windows Explorer view by clicking the leftmost option button in the Address bar and selecting Control Panel.

CHAPTER 3: System Management

FIGURE 3.2 Windows 7 Control Panel in Category view.

Of the eight categories that are listed, each category includes a top-level link, and under this link are several of the most frequently performed tasks for the category. Clicking a category link provides a list of utilities in that category. Each utility listed within a category includes a link to open the utility, and under this link are several of the most frequently performed tasks for the utility.

As with Windows XP and Windows Vista, you can change from the default Category view to Classic view (Large Icon view or Small Icon view). Icon view is an alternative view that provides the look and functionality of Control Panel in Windows 2000 and earlier versions of Windows, as shown in Figure 3.3.

FIGURE 3.3 Windows 7 Control Panel in Small Icon view.

Configuring and Managing Windows

Viewing Basic Information

You can view a summary of important information about your computer by opening System in Control Panel by clicking one of the following:

. If you are in Category view, click System and Security and click View amount of RAM and processor speed.

. If you are in Classic view, double-click the System applet. . Right-click Computer and select Properties.

At the top of the screen, you see the Windows edition you have and the system type (32-bit or 64-bit) in the middle of the screen. Toward the bottom of the screen, you see the computer name and domain (if any), the Product ID, and if Windows is activated.

As Figure 3.4 shows, in the System section you find the Windows Experience Index (WEI) base score, which is a number that describes the overall capabili- ty of your computer. Your computer’s processor type, speed, and quantity (if your computer uses multiple processors) are listed. For example, if your computer has two processors, you see “(2 processors)” displayed. Also displayed is how much random access memory (RAM) is installed and, in some cases, how much of the memory is usable by Windows.

Configuring and Managing Windows