Windows 8 / Server 2012 Essential Knowledge

Compared to all previous Windows versions, many of the working of the GUI has changed. On this page you will learn the essentials of the new Windows Operating System. The actions are similar for both Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

• Shutdown/Restart (Ctrl+Alt+Del / Right bar / Alt + F4)
• Show all Programs (Right click / Winkey + Q)
• Power User Menu

Shutdown/Restart

There are multiple ways to shutdown, restart or put the system in sleep mode.

Ctrl+Alt+Del

Press the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination. You will now get the following screen at which you can click the shutdown icon in the lower right corner.

Right bar

1. Move your mouse to the upper right or lower right corner of the screen, a bar will now appear in which you click the Settings option.

2. The new options that appear includes the Power option which you can click to shutdown, restart or put the system in sleep mode.

Alt + F4

Go to the classic and press the Alt + F4 key combination while no application window is active. The Windows shutdown window will now appear in which you can select what Windows should do.

Show all Programs

In the classic Start menu, one could browse all applications by expanding the ‘All Programs’ item in the Start menu. In Windows 8 / Server 2012, this changed slightly.

Right click

Open the Start screen, right click somewhere at a empty spot and in the lower right choose All Apps from the bar that appears.

Windows Key + Q

Press the Windows Key + Q combination to go straight to the screen with all applications. Then click on an empty spot somewhere on the left to hide the search bar.

Power User Menu

For advanced users to quickly perform advanced system functions, it is possible to open the Power User menu by right clicking in the lower left corner of the screen. The short key to open this menu is Windows Key + X. The Power User Menu contains: Programs and Features, Power Options, Event Viewer, System (System Properties), Device Manager, Disk Management, Command Prompt [Admin], Task Manager, Control Panel, File Explorer (Windows Explorer), Search, Run and Desktop.

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