You have changed to Windows 8 operating system! Getting used to it gradually! In old Windows start menu you could add Control Panel as a drop down list. However with Windows 8, you can just pin Control Panel to start screen and taskbar.

Normally when a new OS comes up we hear comments like ‘where did this go’, same is with Windows 8. People were initially in a fix when they saw that Windows 8 removed Start button as well as Menu. Basically start menu was a reliable place where you could find any stuff. Suddenly when it disappeared it surely caused a stir among people.

You can access the Control panel of Windows 8 through four ways.

A ‘charms’ bar has been introduced in Windows 8 which is accessible from the top or even bottom right corner. You need to drag the mouse pointer to either corner until all the five Charms appear on the screen’s right edge. Just drag the mouse pointer and click on Search.

When the search pane pops out you type Control Panel and select it from the results towards the left. You can begin typing from the Start Screen.

In Windows 8, you can click on Open Control Panel and you would find that toolbar has been replaced but the toolbar has been replaced by the Ribbon.

After accessing charms bar drag mouse pointers drag the mouse pointer to and click thereafter on Settings. This pane would pop out and then choose Control Panel.

One of the easiest ways most probably is by right-clicking on in the bottom left corner. This would allow you to switch between Start and desktop screen. You would also get a context menu with wide array of options. From the bottom control panel is the fifth.

The Windows 8 task Manager has undergone a sea change. Now it has become more easy to use. The task Manger has been much better than before. Task Manager in Windows 8 shows the IP address, manages startup programs as well as displays professional resource usage graphs. The new color-coding also highlights the process with the help of system resources which you can see at a glance.

You can Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete just from anywhere and you would see a link to launch Task Manager.

You can even right-click the taskbar as well as select Task Manager. The default interface of the Task Manager allows you to easily view and end active applications, without any mess getting in the way. This shows both desktop apps and Metro-style apps.

Click “More details” button and you would get to see more information. In order to see the windows you can expand the app. The processes are divided into three categories – background process, apps, and Windows system process.

In case you are unsure about any process then right click as well as select search online in the default search engine. The Performance tab shows the graphs of your system information. At the right you can select either of the options to see more information. The new interface shows more information compared to the old one. Without going to control panel you can your system’s IP address.