Over the next few bolgs we will be taking a look at the features of Windows Visa. Vista has gotten a bad rap because when it was in beta testing most of the hardware drivers were not available. They are now and if you haven't upgraded to Vista yet I encourage to do so.
How to use Welcome Center
When you start the new Windows Vista the first difference you will notice is the Welcome Center which is supposed to help you setting up your Operating System.
It is quite useful at first,you can transfer all the your personal documents from the old computer together with all the settings clicking on Transfer Files and Setting and following the wizard . You can also use it to connect to the Internet and to create new Users,but if you don't want it to appear anymore, uncheck the box in the bottom left corner (Run at start Up)
When you will want it back , all you have to do is :
- Click Start > Control panel
- System Maintenace
- Welcome Center
Not all the tasks are shown, if you want to see them all click Show all Items at the bottom of the Get Started pane. Not all the tasks appear in the same way,for example Windows Ultimate Extra is only on Vista ultimate.
Vista's new search feature will change the way you used to navigate through yourhar drive in the earlier versions of Windows. Specially when you downloaded some file and you can't remember where you saved it or in many other cases,instead of opening Windows Explorer it's much easier and faster just typing the name of the file in the search box and the results will pop up as you typing.
Searching from the start menu
- Click on Start and then ,type the name of what you searching in the Search box located at the bottom of the start menu(Figure 1),you won't have to click on the search button,as you type the results appear on the left pane of the start menu.
- To open the item you were looking for,click on it,or select it and press enter
- To open a Search folder with the complete list of results,click See all Results,or you can search the internet as well just clicking Search the Internet (see Fig 2)
- To undo the search just press Esc or backspace over the search text or click the X button
Figure 1
Figure 2
To find files by extension just type *.extension.For .doc files type *.doc and all the words documents will pop up.
You can also type the kind of file,for instance Documents for word Picture or Music and so on.
Search is case insesitive,alex Alex or aLEx will return the same results .
You can use wildcard characters like ? for any single character or * for zero or more characters.Type *.jp?,for example to find all the files with extension .jpeg or .jpg or type page*.doc to find all the word documents beginning with page followed by any character.
Search from Control Panel
The search box in the control panel is to search only control panel related tasks.You won't find any file or folder from this search.
- Start /ControlPanel and look in the right corner
- Start typing in the search box and the results will come up in the CP window
- To open a task , just click on it
Search from the Search folder
When you want to use multiple criteria or choose the location where you want to search,then it's better using the search folder
- Go to Start / Search or from the Desktop or windows explorer press F3
- As the window opens ,don't click in the search box but just type,the result will start popping up
- Filter your results by clicking one of the buttons next to show only
- Use Advanced Search to refine your searches, click Advanced Search on the right corner
- Refine your search by location,date or any option.
Natural language Search
You Using natural language search you don't have to be worried about searching operators like AND,OR,NOT but ,for example,an advanced search like kind:country OR rock gives the same results as country or rock music with natural-language.
- To turn on natural-language go to start/ControlPanel / Appearance and personalisation / Folder Option / Search Tab
- Check Use Natural Language Search(see Figure 4)
Figure 4
Next we will look at the Start Menu and the new side bar