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Chapter 8: The Control Panel Nefeli Karastergiou

Chapter 8: The Control Panel

What is it and what it provides

The Control Panel is a component of Microsoft Windows that provides the ability to view and change system settings. It consists of a set of applets that include adding or removing hardware and software, controlling user accounts, changing accessibility options, and accessing networking settings.

The process of how it is used

Open Control Panel

First of all you have to open the Control Panel. You can access the Control Panel from the Start menu. The Start menu can be opened by clicking the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the display, or by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard (see Figure 1).

The Start Button (windows orb)

Figure 1. Open Control Panel

System and Security

The Control Panel is typically displayed in one of two different ways: either a Category View or an Icon view. Category view will have 8 or 9 icons with a few options under each one, while Icon view will be a large list of icons. You have 2 options:

· Click the System and Security and then click any option you want from below or

· In Category view, click the “Review your computer’s status” or “Back up your computer” or “Find and fix problems” link under the “System and Security” category

Figure 2: System and security

Figure 3: Content of system and security

Network and Internet

· In category view, click “view network status and tasks” and see information about the internet you are connected, set up a new connection or fix any repair network problems that might appear.

Figure 4: Network and Internet

Hardware and sounds

· Again, click either on “view devices and printers” or on “add a device”

· See the current status of the devices- whether it is working good or not

· View information about the device itself and share it to a network

· Change settings and make tweaks on how it works as well as use all features of the device

· Fix and troubleshoot certain problems if any

Figure 5: Devices and printers

Programs

· Click “uninstall a program” if you want to get rid of a program or change a program

Figure 6: Uninstall or change a program

Different programs will have different uninstallation programs. You may get asked if you want to keep settings can configuration files. If you plan on reinstalling the program at a later date, leaving these could make getting it set up easier.

If the program refuses to uninstall, or reappears after being installed, you probably have a virus.

User accounts

· Click “change account type” if you want to manage another account or change account name.

Figure 7: Change account type

Clock and Region

The Control Panel includes an area for setting up your clock, language, and region. Microsoft designed this area mostly for travelers to different time zones and locations. Desktop computer owners will see this information only once — when first setting up your computer. It subsequently remembers the time and date, even when your PC is turned off.

Figure 8: Change date, time and number formats

Figure 9: Process of how to change date and time

Ease of access

Both Apple and Microsoft have provided more and more accessibility apps for their operating systems recently. Microsoft have collected their accessibility software in one place and called it the Ease of Access Center. This document describes the major applications within the Ease of Access Center and how to start them as well as what they do. It is then down to the reader to experiment with the applications and get them working exactly the way that the user wants.

Figure 10: Ease of access

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