"Windows" is the name for the software program operating system generally used on Intel-based computers.  It serves as a convenient interpreter between  the human computer user and the computer itself.  Windows is known as a "GUI"  (sounds like "gooey") type program, which is an acronym meaning "Graphic User Interface" because of its use of visual  pictures or "icons" tto cue the user toward specific actions.  The most recently developed  versions of Microsoft Windows are  "Windows 98" (used primarily for stand-alone computers) or "Windows NT 4.0" (used when several computers are linked together with a wire to form a "network."

When you turn on your computer, the Windows program is "loaded," and the startup screen will appear. This screen contains "icons" or small pictures which represent the various software application programs which you have available to use on your computer. In addition to AutoCAD, you will have Microsoft "Word" (a word processing program), "Excel" (a spreadsheet program), "Access" (a database program), and a few miscellaneous utility programs. To start up one of these programs, "double-click" on the icon for the program. To "double-click" means to place the visible arrow (called the "cursor") on the icon, and depress the left button twice quickly in succession (with a mouse, you would double-click with the left button).

The reason this program is called "Windows" is that you can have several rectangular areas of the screen visible at the same time, with different programs or files visible at the same time. Only one of those "windows" is the active window. (It is the one "on top." or active) but you can switch easily between them by simply clicking on the window you want to make active. One of the great advantages of using Windows is the ability to switch quickly between programs or files. Windows also forces a consistent discipline in using software application programs, since the interface is the same in each, regardless of what it does. By contrast, in DOS, every program has a different way of using it, and a unique set of instructions. In a sense, once you learn one Windows program, you will know them all.
 
 

Normally, you will save all your files to a "Folder" that you will create for your work on the network (the M:/ drive).  If you want to take one or more of your files home with you, you should copy them to a floppy disk from the network drive using the Windows Explorer.
 

Do not open your file in AutoCAD from a floppy disk or save your file to a floppy disk (in the A:/ drive) from AutoCAD because floppies are much too slow to respond, and are too small in capacity to hold both the files and the temporary files that AutoCAD needs to store on it while operating.

This procedure will only lead to a plethora of problems.
 
 
 
 

How to copy your drawing from your network folder (on the M:\ drive) to your floppy disk:

1. Place your floppy disk into the A: drive.

 
2. Open the Windows Explorer program by double-clicking on its icon on the desktop.

 
3. At the top of the window you will see a colored or shaded bar with the words "Exploring - C:\" in it. Just below the title, you will see a line of pull down menu items, such as "File" "Edit" "View" "Tools," and "Help." Below that you will see two "windows" with the left window labeled "All Folders" and containing a list of drives and "folders" within those drives. The right window is labeled "Contents of C:\" and includes a list of files contained in the current drive (the "C:" drive).  Find your folder and open it by clicking on it once.

 
4. Find the file you want to copy in your folder, click on it ONCE with the left button of the mouse - this will highlight it.  Drag the highlighted file to the A:\ drive on the left window (you may have to scroll up within this window to find it). Release the left button over the A:\ drive in the list.  This will copy it onto the hard drive so you will be able to go to work on it.

 

1. Place your floppy disk into the A: drive.

 
2. Open the Windows Explorer program by double-clicking on its icon on the desktop.

 
3. At the top of the window you will see a colored or shaded bar with the words "Exploring - C:\" in it. Just below the title, you will see a line of pull down menu items, such as "File" "Edit" "View" "Tools," and "Help." Below that you will see two "windows" with the left window labeled "All Folders" and containing a list of drives and "folders" within those drives. The right window is labeled "Contents of C:\" and includes a list of files contained in the current drive (the "C:" drive).

 
4. Scroll up the list of drives on the left window until you see the words "32" Floppy (A:)" appear. Click on this once. This will then log the Explorer onto the A: floppy drive and you will be able to see the file contents of this drive. Find the file you want to copy and drag it to your folder of the M:\ drive on the left window (you may have to scroll down or up within this window to find it). This will copy it onto the hard drive so you will be able to go to work on it.