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SUPPORTING THE WINDOWS DESKTOP

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Supporting the Windows Desktop 2

SUPPORTING THE WINDOWS DESKTOP

Troubleshoot and customize the notification area, taskbar, and Start menu

Configure and troubleshoot accessibility options

Configure the correct currency, date, and time for a user

Configure input languages

Troubleshoot language-related problems

Chapter 4: Supporting the Windows Desktop 3

COMMON START MENU AND TASKBAR REQUESTS

Because of the amount of time the end user spends using the taskbar and Start menu, you are likely to receive numerous calls about configuring or troubleshooting these two components.

Page 120 lists some common problems and requests with the start menu and taskbar

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TROUBLESHOOTING THE NOTIFICATION AREA

Add items to the notification area if the program supports it

Hide inactive icons so that the notification area does not take up too much room on the taskbar

Remove icons, and close running programs temporarily

Remove icons, and close running programs permanently

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ADDING ITEMS TO THE NOTIFICATION AREA

Some programs include options for controlling their icons

For Microsoft Windows icons (such as icons for networking or power status), configuration happens in different places

Added by default when programs are installed.

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HIDING INACTIVE ICONS

Clicking on the arrow will show the hidden icons

Remember that even though they are hidden they are still running and using up memory.

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REMOVING ICONS AND CLOSING BACKGROUND PROGRAMS

Msconfig – Used to control startup programs

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LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE TASKBAR

When a taskbar is locked: It cannot be resized

It cannot be moved

Its position cannot be adjusted

When a taskbar is locked, less space is used

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GROUPING SIMILAR ITEMS AND ENABLING QUICK LAUNCH

Grouping similar taskbar buttons saves room on the taskbar by grouping similar entries (for example, all open Microsoft Word documents) together.

The Quick Launch toolbar allows you to add icons to the Quick Launch area of the taskbar for any program that a user accesses often.

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TROUBLESHOOTING A LOCKED, HIDDEN, OR MISSING TASKBAR

Lock the taskbar

Auto-hide the taskbar

Keep the taskbar on top of other windows

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CONFIGURING TOOLBARS ON THE WINDOWS TASKBAR

Some toolbars you can add to the Windows taskbar are: Address – Your location in Windows or the web

Windows Media Player – for playing media

Links – links to web pages

Language Bar – used for microphone support

Desktop – Will minimize everything

Quick Launch – 1 click icons on the task bar

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SUPPORTING THE START MENU

The default Windows XP Start menu includes many new features

The Classic Start menu looks and feels like previous versions

Common tasks include: Adding or removing shortcuts

Pinning items

Rearranging the menus

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UNDERSTANDING REGIONAL AND LANGUAGE SETTINGS

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CONFIGURING INPUT LANGUAGES

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TROUBLESHOOTING LANGUAGE-RELATED PROBLEMS

Most common problem by far is that the user accidentally changes the default language (usually by pressing LEFT ALT + SHIFT)

Other problems are noted in the chapter text

You should also search the Knowledge Base for articles about specific problems

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CHAPTER SUMMARY

To resolve problems involving the taskbar or Start menu, use the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box.

To allow a user to work in different languages on one computer, make changes in the Regional And Language Options dialog box.

When troubleshooting language-related problems, the most common problem is that a user has unknowingly switched to another language and is having problems with keyboard functions.