Take the floppy disk out. Windows always complains when you leave a disk in the drive when you switch the computer on.
If you do not shut down your computer by clicking on "Start" then "Shut Down..." there is a small chance that a file on your hard disk might be corrupted. The next time you switch your computer on, a program called ScanDisk will run to make sure everything is OK. If this worries you, let it run, but it takes a while and usually is not necessary.
If Windows thinks it has encountered a problem with your hardware, it will run in safe mode. Generally, there is no problem and you can return to normal windows by restarting ("Start", "Shut Down...", "Restart", "OK"). If the problem continues, it would probably be best to phone your technical support helpline.
Generally, anything not in "c:\windows", "c:\program files" can be deleted without causing major problems, although there may be other program files in their own folders. Any file ending ".exe" or ".dll" is a program and may not be safe to delete. Whenever you try to delete a program, you get an error warning. See Explorer Help for more information.
The Recycle Bin temporarily stores files you told Windows to delete. They are not deleted immediately, so if you accidentally delete something you did not mean to, it is not the end of the world. Do not rely on this feature, however - it is better practice to only delete files you are sure you don't need.
People have complained that Windows is full of loopholes which allow viruses to spread easily. They can however be avoided if you follow a few common sense rules:
- Be very careful of attachments in e-mails. Many modern viruses disguise themselves as the sort of e-mail you would expect from a friend or work colleague, containing an apparently harmless attachment. Check to see if the filename matches any listed below. If it does, you are allowed to reject it and ask the sender what it is about. You can't be too careful.
- Practically every file has an "extension", usually a three-letter code after a dot. This defines what type of file it is. Some types of file can contain programs which might be dangerous. These are: .exe .dll .com .bat .vbs .doc. The most irritating is .doc - Word documents - because these are exactly the sort of files you would expect as a genuine attachment. To provide some protection, in Word, click on "Tools", "Options....", click on General, and see if "Macro virus protection" is ticked.
If the "Office Assistant" is irritating you, click on "Help" then "Hide the Office Assistant". It will then disappear.
The taskbar has probably been hidden by a window moving in front of it. Press the Windows key on the keyboard (the one with the
symbol on it). This will show the Start menu, and will also show the taskbar. If this doesn't work, move your mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen, and see if it changes to a double headed arrow: 
If so, click and drag upwards a small amount until the grey bar reappears.
Click somewhere on the grey bar and drag the mouse to the bottom of the screen. If this does not work, click on a different part of the bar.
Move your mouse pointer to the top of the bar, and the pointer will change to a double headed arrow:
Drag the mouse down until the taskbar is the normal size.
This problem usually has a highly unexpected cause. What you have probably done is accidentally dragged the folder into another folder when you meant to double-click on it. Use Explorer to have a look around the folders near the one that disappeared, and you should find it. If you did in fact delete it, you should be able to find it in the Recycle Bin.
Occasionally, the clock at the bottom right of the screen simply stops. I have noticed this problem myself on numerous occasions, but cannot see a reason for it. Double-click on the clock, check to see that the time is now correct (change it if it is not) and then click "OK". The clock should now display the correct time.
This is not a very important problem, but can be irritating. If it annoys you, click on "Start", "Settings", "Folder Options". Click on "File Types", double-click on a file type (it doesn't matter which), then click "OK" twice. The icons should return to normal.
Click on "Tools", then "Autocorrect..." and change the thing that is annoying you.
"AutoFormat As You Type" makes changes to the formatting while you are typing the text. With "AutoFormat" you have to ask it to make the changes, which it does all in one go.
So people don't get confused and think the windows are real.
If you look at a window's menus, you will find that most of them have a single letter underlined, and I have tried to copy this as much as possibly in my guide. Hold down the Ctrl key and press the letter, and you will see the menu opens. Items on the menu also have one letter underlined. When the menu is open, pressing that key has the same effect as clicking on the menu item.
The dots mean that clicking on that item will cause a new window to appear, usually allowing you to make some sort of changes. Clicking on these menu items usually has no immediate effect, but clicking "OK" on the new window that appears will.