On this page,I will do my best to break down each and
every ICON in the Control Panel of Windows 2000.There
are two main ways to open the Control Panel in W2K.
1)Click START,point to SETTINGS,Click CONTROL PANEL,
and then double click the appropriate icon.
2)Alternate click (right click) My Computer,Click OPEN,
double-Click Control Panel and then double click the
appropriate icon.

1) ACCESSIBILITIES OPTIONS

You can adjust the appearance and behavior of Windows 2000 to enchance accessibility for some vision-impaired,hearing impaired,and mobility-impaired users without requiring additional software or hardware.

WINDOWS 2000 INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY.

A) Magnifier enlarges a portion of the screen for easier viewing. B) Narrator uses text-to-speech technology to read the contents of the screen aloud.This is useful for people who are blind or have low vision. C) On-Screen keyboard provides users with limited mobility the ability to type on-screen using a pointing device. D) Utility Manager enables users with administrator level access to check an Accessibility program's status,start or stop an Accessibility program,and designate to have the program start when Windows 2000 starts.

USING ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS IN CONTROL PANEL,YOU CAN EASILY SET UP HOW YOU WANT TO USE YOUR KEYBOARD,DISPLAY,AND MOUSE FUNCTIONS.

2) ADD/REMOVE HARDWARE

ADD/REMOVE HARDWARE enables you to add new hardware,unplug or remove hardware from your computer,or troubleshoot any hardware related problems.( HARDWARE WIZARD ) A) You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the administrators group to complete this procedure.If your computer is connected to a network,network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.

3) ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS

First off,let me say that this Window when opened is completely different from 9X.For one there is no startup disk capabilities in the 2000 ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS.You have three choices once inside,
1) change or remove programs,
2) Add new programs.
3) Add/remove Windows Components.

ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS helps you manage programs on your computer.It prompts you through the steps necessary to add a new program,or to change or remove an existing program.

You can use ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS to add Windows 2000 components you chose not to include in the original installation (such as Networking Options or Indexing Service files),programs (such as Microsoft Excel or Word),or Windows updates and new features from the Internet.

4) ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS

A)COMPONENT SERVICES :
Used by system administrators to deploy and administer COM+ programs from a graphical user interface,or to automate administrative tasks using a scripting or programming language.Software developers can use Component Services to visually configure routine component and program behavior,such as security and participation in transactions,and to integrate components into COM+ programs.

B)COMPUTER MANAGEMENT :
Used to manage local or remote computers from a single,consolidated desktop utility.Computer Management combines several Windows 2000 administrative tools into a single console tree,providing easy access to a specific computer's administrative properties.Such as System Tools,Event Viewer,System Information,Performance Logs and Alerts,Shared Folders,Device Manager,Local Groups and Users,Storage,Disk Management,Disk Defragmenter,Logical Drives,Removeable Storage,Services and Applications.

C) DATA SOURCES ( ODBC ):
Open Database Connectivity is a programming interface that enables programs to access data in database management systems that use Structured Query Language (SQL) as a data access standard.

D) EVENT VIEWER :
Used to view and manage logs of system,program,and security events on your computer.Event Viewer gathers information about hardware and software problems,and monitors Windows 2000 security events.

E) LOCAL SECURITY POLICY :
Used to configure security settings for the local computer.These settings include the Password policy,Account Lockout policy,Audit policy,IP Security policy,user rights assignments,recovery agents for encrypted data,and other security options.Local Security Policy is only available on Windows 2000 computers that are not domain controllers.If the computer is a member of a domain,these settings may be overridden by policies received from the domain.

F) PERFORMANCE :
Used to collect and view real time data about memory,disk,processor,network,and other activity in a graph,histogram,or report form.

G) SERVICES :
Used to manage the services on your computer,set recovery actions to take place if a service fails,and create custom names and descriptions for services so you can easily identify them.

5) DATE / TIME :

Basic,Date/Time/Time Zone

6) DISPLAY OPTIONS

Use display to customize your desktop and display settings.These settings control how your desktop looks and how your monitor displays information.

You can completely customize the colors and fonts that are used in Windows on your screen.You can also set a picture,pattern,or HTML document as your wallpaper,or set up a screen saver with a password to protect your work.Visual effects are available to smooth fonts or enhance the appearance of menus and file commands when you open and close them.

The Active Desktop feature in Windows 2000 makes your desktop look and work like a Web Page.Using the Web tab in the Display Properties dialog box,you can add Active Desktop items to display on your screen,or to work on offline.

YOU MUST BE LOGGED ON AS AN ADMINISTRATOR TO THE LOCAL COMPUTER TO MAKE CERTAIN CHANGES IN DISPLAY.

7) FOLDER OPTIONS

Folder Options enables you to change the appearance of your desktop and folder content,and specify how folders open.For example,you can select whether you want a single window to open (instead of cascading windows)when you open folders that are within the selected folder.Additionally,you can desinate whether folders open with a single-click or double-click.

You can also use Folder Options to turn on the Active Desktop or display hyperlink text in folders (General Tab),change the program used to open certain types of files (File Types tab),or make files available when you're not connected to the network (OFFLINE FILES tab).

Changes you make in Folder Options apply to the appearance of the contents of Windows Explorer (including My Computer,My Network Places,My Documents,and Control Panel) windows.However,Folder Options settings do not apply to the Folder Toolbars.

YOU CAN CONFIGURE ADDITIONAL FOLDER VIEWS BY CLICKING THE VIEW MENU IN WINDOWS EXPLORER.

8) FONTS OPTION

Fonts are used to display text on the screen and print text.In Windows 2000,a font is the name of a typeface.Fonts have font styles such as Italic,Bold,and Bold Italic.

WINDOWS 2000 PROVIDES THREE BASIC FONT TECHOLOGIES;

1)OUTLINE FONTS :
TrueType and the new OpenType fonts are outline fonts that are rendered from line and curve commands.OpenType is an extension of TrueType.Both can be scaled and rotated.Both look good in all sizes and on all output devices supported
by Windows 2000.
Windows 2000 provides a selection of OpenType fonts.Windows 2000 also ships a CD-ROM collection of Asian OpenType fonts,which you can install to view or print Asian documents and Web pages.
Type 1,by Adobe Systems,Inc.,is an outline font that is designed to work with PostScript devices.The outlines can be scaled and rotated.With OpenType Technology,Windows 2000 fully supports Type 1 fonts.

2) VECTOR FONTS :
Vector fonts are supported because a number of programs still depend on them.
Vector Fonts are rendered from a mathematical model.They are used primarily with plotters.Windows 2000 supports three vector fonts.

3) RASTER FONTS :
Raster fonts are supported because a number of programs still depend on them.
Raster fonts are stored in files as bitmap images and are created by displaying a series of dots on the screen and on paper.Windows 2000 supports five raster fonts.

9) GAME CONTROLLERS

I have to be honest here.I am not a Game person.However,I do know that you can CALIBRATE,INSTALL,NAME OR RENAME,ACTIVATE PEDALS AND RUDDERS,REMOVE,TEST,and TROUBLESHOOT HERE.

10) INTERNET OPTIONS

IS WHERE YOU GO TO CHANGE INTERNET PROPERTIES.THERE ARE SIX TABS INSIDE:

A)GENERAL:Used for Home Page Address,Temporary Internet Files,and History settings.As well as colors,fonts,languages,and accessibility

B)SECURITY:Used to set level of Web Security,Low,
Medium Low,Medium,and High.

C)CONTENT:c1)Content Advisor=Which is the rating that
helps you control the Internet content that can be viewed
on that computer.
c2)Certificates=Use certificates to positively identify yourself,certification authorities,and publishers.
c3)Personal Information=Where you can let Autocomplete
make suggested matches for you from previous entries.
Or let Microsoft Profile Assistant do it.

D)CONNECTIONS:Use the Internet Connections Wizard to
connect your computer to the Internet.And also make
LAN settings.

E)PROGRAMS:Here you can specify which program Windows
automatically uses for all of your Internet Services.
HTML editor,E-Mail,Newsgroup,Internet Call,calendar,
and contact list.

F)ADVANCED:Used to make detailed settings for your Internet Properties:Accessibility,Browsing,HTTP settings,
Microsoft VM.Multimedia,Printing,and Security.

11) KEYBOARD OPTION

Allows you to set SPEED - INPUT LOCALS - HARDWARE.

12) MOUSE OPTION

THERE ARE FOUR THINGS YOU CAN SET WITH YOUR MOUSE IN HERE.
1) BUTTONS - Right/Left handed
FILES AND FOLDERS - Single/Double click
Speed
2)POINTERS - Scheme or customize
3)Motion - Speed,Acceleration,and snap to default.
4)HARDWARE - Device Properties and Troubleshoot.

13) NETWORK AND DIAL-UP CONNECTIONS

Network and Dial-up Connections provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet,a Network,or another computer.With Network and Dial-up Connections,you can gain access to Network resources and functionality,whether you are physically located at the location of the network or in a remote location.Connections are created,configured,stored,
and monitored from within the Network and Dial-up
Connections folder.

Each connection in the Network and Dial-up Connections folder contains a set of features that you can use to create a link between your computer and another computer or Network.Outgoing connections contact a remote access server by using a configured access method (LAN,modem,ISDN line and so on) to establish a connection with the Network.Conversely,an incoming connection enables a computer running Windows 2000 Professional or a stand-alone computer running Windows 2000 server to be contacted by other computers.This means your computer can operate as a remote access server.Whether you are connected locally (LAN),remotely (dial-up,ISDN,and so on),or both,you can configure any connection so that it can perform any needed Network function.For example,you can print to network printers,access network drives and files,browse other networks,or access the Internet.

Because all services and communication methods are configured within the connection,you do not need to use external management tools to configure connection settings.For example,the settings for a dial-up connection include features to be used before,during,and after connecting.These include the modem you use to dial,the type of password encryption you want to use upon connecting,and the network protocols you use after you connect.Connection status,which includes the duration and speed of a connection,is viewed from the connection itself;you do not need to use an external status tool.

14) PHONE AND MODEM OPTION

Configures your Telephone dialing rules,and Modem Properties.

15) POWER OPTIONS

In Power Options you can reduce the power consumption of any number of your computer devices or of your entire system.You do this by choosing a power scheme,which is a collection of settings that manages the power usage by your computer.You can create your own power schemes or use the ones provided with Windows 2000.

YOU CAN ALSO ADJUST THE INDIVIDUAL SETTINGS IN A POWER SCHEME.DEPENDING ON YOUR HARDWARE.
a) Turn off your monitor and hard disks automatically to save power.
b)Put the computer on standby when it is idle.
c)Put your computer in hibernation.
TYPICALLY,you turn off your monitor or hard disk for a short period to conserve power.If you plan to be away from your computer for a while,you put your computer on standby,which puts your entire system in a low power state.
HIBERNATION,when you will be away from the computer for an extended time or overnight.When you restart the computer,your desktop is restored exactly as you left it.

To use WINDOWS 2000 POWER OPTIONS,you must have a computer that is set up by the manufacturer to support these features.

16) PRINTERS OPTION

Double-Clicking the Printer is where you go to ADD a Printer.Once a Printer is added you can then,remove,pause a print job,cancel a print job,set up print sharing,rename,
offline,and set printer properties.

17) REGIONAL OPTIONS

Double clicking this Icon you can change the way Windows 2000 displays dates,times,currency amounts,large numbers,and numbers with decimal fractions.You can also choose the metric or U.S.system of measurement.

You can also choose from a large number of Input Locales. When you switch to another input locale,some programs offer special features,such as font characters or spell checkers designed for different languages.

If you work in more than one language or communicate with speakers of other languages,you mightwant to install additional language groups.Each language group you install allows you to type and read documents composed in languages of that group,such as Western Europe and U.S.,Central Europe,Baltic,and more.

Each language has a default keyboard layout,but many languages have alternate layouts.Even if you work mainly with one language,you may want to try other layouts.

18) SCANNERS AND CAMERAS

Scanners and Cameras appears in the Control Panel when you install your first scanner or digital camera.Then you can use the Scanners and Cameras feature to install other scanners,digital still cameras,digital video cameras,and image capturing devices.

After a device is installed,Scanners and Cameras can link it to a program on your computer.For example,when you push SCAN on your scanner,you can have the scanned picture automatically open in the program you want.

19) SCHEDULED TASKS OPTION

Using Scheduled Tasks,you can schedule any script,program,or document to run at a time that is most convenient for you.Scheduled Tasks starts each time you start Windows 2000,and runs in the background.Using the Scheduled Task Wizard (available by double-clicking Scheduled Tasks in control panel,and then double clicking Add Scheduled Tasks),you can schedule a task to run daily,weekly,or monthly,change the schedule for a task,and customize how a task runs at a scheduled time.

20) SOUNDS AND MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS

Here you can assign sounds to some system events.A system event can occur in a number of ways.For example;when a computer program performs a task or has a problem performing a task;when you minimize or maximize a program window;or if you try to copy a file to a floppy disk but you do not have a disk inserted into your floppy disk drive.

Sounds range from a simple beep to a brief piece of music.You can assign these sounds to system events according to your perferences.For example;you can assign a specific sound that Windows 2000 plays every time you get an E-Mail message.You can also save all of your sound assignments as a sound scheme.Later,you can assign a completely different set of sounds to system events,save this scheme under a new name,and switch between the old and new schemes without losing your settings.

21) SYSTEM OPTIONS

Use SYSTEM OPTIONS TO DO THE FOLLOWING:
1)View and change settings that control how your computer uses memory and finds certain information.
2)Find information about hardware and device properties,as well as configure hardware profiles.
3)View information about your network connection and logon profile.

You can change performance options that controls how programs use memory,including paging file size and registry size,or environment variables that tell your computer where to find some types of information.Startup and recovery options indicate what operating system your computer uses when it starts and what actions it performs if the system stops unexpectedly.

Information about hardware and devices is also available in System.Use the hardware wizard to install,uninstall,or configure hardware.Device Manager shows you what devices are installed on your computer and allows you to change device properties.You can also create hardware profiles for different hardware configurations.

Using System,you can view network and logon information,such as your computer name or DNS domain name.You can also see details about your domain or workgroup membership.or start the Network Identification Wizard and connect to a Network.A user profile contains the personal settings associated with your logon configuration.

YOU MUST BE LOGGED ON AS AN ADMINISTRATOR TO THE LOCAL COMPUTER OR HAVE APPROPRIATE NETWORK PRIVILEGES TO MAKE CERTAIN CHANGES IN SYSTEM.

22) USER AND PASSWORDS OPTIONS

Double-Clicking this ICON allows you to add users to your computer and to add users to a group.In Windows 2000,
permissions and user rights usually are granted to groups.
By adding a user to a group,you give the user all the
permissions and user rights assigned to that group.

For instance,a member of the Users group can perform most of the task necessary to do his or her job,such as logging on to the computer,creating files and folders,running programs,and saving changes to files.However,only a member of the Administrators group can add users to groups,change user passwords,or modify most system settings.

Users and Passwords lets you create or change the password for local user accounts,which is useful when creating a new user account or if a user forgets a password.A local user account is an account created by this computer.If the computer is part of a Network,you can add Network user accounts to groups on your computer,and those users can use their network passwords to log on.You cannot change the password of network user.

EXTRA'S:
1)You must be logged on as an Administrator or a member of the Administrators group to use Users and Passwords.
2)You cannot create groups using Users and Passwords.Use Local Users and Groups for that purpose.
3)You can place a user in only one group.Usually you can find a group with the combination of permissions needed by any user.If you need to add a user to more than one group,use Local Users and Groups.