Windows Vista Basics

This guide introduces new users to some of the things that have changed between Windows XP and Windows Vista. If you need help with your PlusNet broadband service, but are not familiar with how Windows Vista works, this guide will help you.

1. Start button
2. Run window
3. My Computer
4. Shutdown and Restart
5. Control Panel
6. View network status and tasks
7. Command Prompt
8. User Account Control
9. How to find out what version of Vista you are using

Start - In Vista the button for the Start Menu has changed. It now looks like the Windows flag logo.

Start button

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Run - You can used the Start Search box for typing in run commands. If you prefer to use the old prompt -> Start > All Programs > Accessories >Run.
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My Computer - Is now called "Computer", by default isn't on the desktop like XP but on the Start Menu. The address bar now uses "breadcrumbs" to aid navigation and the status bar gives information about files as you click on them.

My Computer





My Computer - Inside

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Shutdown and Restart - Are still in the Start Menu, but the default "off" command is now Hibernate so you have to click on the little arrow next to the Lock icon to get to them.

Shutdown and Restart

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Control Panel - The easiest way to get to it is by clicking Start -> Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel Home is like the Category View in XP, whilst the Classic View maintains the approach of providing an alphabetical list of icons for all features.

Control Panel




Control Panel - Classic view

Clicking Network and Internet gives various options to set up and view the network status, share files, get to Internet Options and turn the Firewall on and off amongst other things.

Control Panel > Network and Internet

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View network status and tasks in Control Panel Home or Network and Sharing Centre in Classic View takes you to Network and Sharing Centre page. This will give you a visual representation of your network and a set of status lights for the sharing settings.

There will also be a list of the Networks Connections, you should have a View Status link to get to the configuration page. You can view a diagram of your network setup by clicking on View full map.

Network and Internet > Network Sharing Centre

Network Sharing Centre > View Full Map

Clicking Properties gives the usual properties page, with a few new additions like IPv6. The Properties page for IPv4 are the very similar to the one featured in recent windows versions.
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Command Prompt - Located under Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt

All the usual commands like, ping, tracert, pathping, ipconfig, finger are present, with the exception of telnet. Telnet can be installed by doing the following - Click Start > Control Panel > Programs, and then Turn Windows Features on or off. In the list, scroll down and select Telnet Client. Click OK to start the installation.

Note that Vista has native support for IPv6, the next generation Internet Addressing system, but will default to the current IPv4 if this isn't yet supported across your network.
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User Account Control

One significant change in Vista is the introduction of a feature called User Account Control. If you try and run an administrative function and are logged in as an administrator then Windows will prompt for confirmation that you want to do this before allowing you to continue. A shield icon identifies commands that require administrator privileges.

User Account Control

This is part of a much better approach to system security, but is a big change from the way that previous versions of Windows have worked. Read Microsoft's Account Control Overview for more information.

How to find out what version of Vista you are using

To find out which edition of Windows Vista is running on your computer, do the following:

Open Welcome Center by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel.

Control Panel

Click on System and Maintenance.

Control Panel > System and Maintenance

Then click Welcome Center.

System and Maintenance > Welcome Centre

The edition of Windows Vista you are running is displayed with your computer details near the top of the window.

Welcome Center > Windows Edition

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