Working with the Vista Desktop

by Peter Y. Moss.
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When you open programs or folders, they appear on the desktop. You can arrange open programs and folders on the desktop by right-clicking an empty area of the taskbar and then selecting an appropriate option. Options available include Cascade Windows, Show Windows Stacked, and Show Windows Side By Side. If you click Show The Desktop, Windows minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop. Clicking Show Open Windows restores the minimized windows to their previous states.

You can put files, folders, and shortcuts on the desktop. Any file or folder you save on the desktop appears on the desktop. Any file or folder you drag from a Windows Explorer window to the desktop stays on the desktop. You can add a shortcut to a file or folder to the desktop by rightclicking the file or folder, pointing to Send To, and then selecting Desktop (Create Shortcut).

By default, the only item on the desktop is the Recycle Bin. You can add or remove common desktop icons by right-clicking an empty area of the desktop and then selecting Personalize. In the Desktop Icon Settings dialog box, you can then add or remove Computer, Control Panel, Internet Explorer, Network, Recycle Bin, and User’s Files icons by selecting or clearing the related option. You can use these icons as follows:

  • Computer Double-clicking the Computer icon opens a window where you can access hard disk drives and devices with removable storage. Right-clicking the Computer icon and selecting Manage opens the Computer Management console. Right-clicking the Computer icon and selecting Map Network Drive allows you to connect to shared network folders.

  • Control Panel Double-clicking the Control Panel icon opens Control Panel, which provides access to system configuration and management tools.

  • Internet Explorer Double-clicking the Internet Explorer icon opens the Internet Explorer window with your default home page. Right-clicking the Internet Explorer icon and then selecting Start Without Add-Ons starts Internet Explorer without using browser extensions or other add-ons.

  • Network Double-clicking the Network icon opens a window where you can access the computers and devices on your network.

  • Recycle Bin Double-clicking the Recycle Bin icon opens a window where you can view files and folders you’ve marked for deletion. By selecting Empty The Recycle Bin, you can permanently delete all the items in the Recycle Bin.

  • User’s Files Double-clicking the User’s Files folder opens your personal folder.

    Tip

    If you no longer want an icon or a shortcut on the desktop, right-click it, and then select Delete. When prompted, confirm the action by clicking Yes.
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