Problems navigating Windows 7...Loosing things :(

werforpsu · 28 Jul 2011

Okay, so I have a new dell laptop with windows 7 home premium. I am having a lot of problems navigating windows 7 (I had XP before).
The most pressing problem associated with this is that I keep loosing things and being unable to find them. I know that seems silly, but it is true. I make a document..it is there...i email it to someone. then I go to view the document later, and it is not in the folder. This is true with several documents...documents that have been created on this computer. if they were transferred to this computer from my old system, they are still there.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Zomby88 · 28 Jul 2011

Save everything you do to your desktop. When you`re sure you`re done with it, drag and drop it into My Documents and you will never loose a file again.

werforpsu · 28 Jul 2011

I am sure this sounds stupid, but i can't figure out how to make it let me save things to my desktop. when you press "save as" in word, it won't let me get to a place where the desktop is the choice. i have tried choosing the different options listed on the left side to find the desktop and i can't...i have to assume that there is a way, but this goes back to me not understanding this system.

besides, i am 28 years old and i would rather learn how to use the damn thing then be crippled by it. i want to know WHY i can't find documents that i clearly created. I want to know HOW to fix it so that i can do this on my own in the future. I want to be able to use this computer the right way. (I am sorry if my anger is coming out, but I have been trying to do a simple document for my job for the last 3 hours!)

karlsnooks · 28 Jul 2011

werforpsu,

Let's go at it one by one.

When you create a document, you tell the program that created the document to save the document.

What program are you using to save the document?

Also I NEVER save anything to the desktop, but some people like a cluttered desktop where everything is madly lumped together.

Do me a favor please.

| on the right-hand side you should see an item labeled "Documents". Right-click on that "documents" and choose Properties. In the resulting window, where does it show your default documents location to be?

werforpsu · 29 Jul 2011

okay under library locations it has one choice and it is checkmarked
it is:
My Documents (C:\Users\Meghan)

karlsnooks · 29 Jul 2011

good.

Now,

What program are you using to save the document?

werforpsu · 29 Jul 2011

Word 2010 Starter, which came with my pc

karlsnooks · 29 Jul 2011

I do not have the starter version, but let's hope the starter is the same as the pro version in this regard.
Open word |
click on FILE in top lelt
click on Options (directly above Exit on my version)
click on Save
For Default File Location, what is shown? You might want to use the browse button, then choose Library->Documents->My Documents

werforpsu · 29 Jul 2011

okay i did that and made the default file location C:\Users\Meghan\Documents\My Documents\

karlsnooks · 29 Jul 2011

Now anytime you want to access one of your documents, then you can either click on Documents in the right-side of the start menu or with windows explorer choose Documents and then the desired file.