This section offers Microsoft Windows help for topics that I am asked about most often by Word users. Knowing Windows basics will help you be a more efficient Microsoft Word user!
Software is dependent on the operating system to function, and Microsoft Office programs are no exception. The Windows operating system is software that works as a middleman between the user, the installed software programs, and the computer hardware.
Microsoft Windows allows you to perform housekeeping functions such as naming files and folders and saving them to the hard drive.
Windows Explorer
The Windows file system is called Windows Explorer.
This is the part of the operating system that allows you to manage files and folders.
By default, file name extensions are not visible in Windows folders.
To get used to the new file names in Word 2007, I recommend changing the settings to show file extensions. This helps you find the exact file you need if files with different extensions share the same name.
Windows system utilities
The operating system is a toolbox that contains all the system tools needed to keep your computer running at peak performance.
One function of the operating system is to allow you to install and uninstall software. Before installing Microsoft Office or any other software, you need to know how to find the computer specs so you can make sure the software will run on your system.
If your computer is running slow, you will have difficulty working with Microsoft Word files. You can speed up your computer by regularly running the disk defrag utility.
Use the Microsoft Windows update utility regularly to receive the latest bug fixes and security patches for all of your Microsoft Office programs.
Finally, it is important to protect your valuable Word documents. Most versions of Microsoft Windows include a backup utility. I also recommend that you save your Word files to a USB drive or CD either for backup or to work with it on a different computer. You can never have too many backups!
