How can I save a file in Notepad and actually retrieve it?

You can't save a file "in" Notepad. If you create something in Notepad you just click File
 Save As and save it to a location of your choice.

When I try to get a simple answer to a simple question, I get instructions on how to write a webpage.

It's somewhat unclear what you are asking...  But I'll give it a shot.

1. Open notepad.
2. Type up content.
3. Choose "File" from the menu at the top and "Save As" from the drop-down menu that appears when you click on "File".
4. Choose a place to save the file you can locate later.  You can do this in several ways - such as the list of places on the left side of the dialog box or the pull-down address bar at the type (where you can also type a location.)
5. Put in a 'File Name' in the appropriate place (it's probably "*.txt" to start with, which won't work really and is not descriptive anyway) and click on SAVE.
6. Close Notepad.

Then you can either browse (using "Computer" or "Windows Explorer" for example) to the location of the new text file you just saved and double-click on it to open it OR you could open up Notepad again and...

1. Choose "File" from the menu at the top and "Open..." from the drop-down menu that appears when you click on "File".
2. Choose the location where you saved the file using the dialog box that opened.
3. Either click on the file itself once and click on "Open" or double-click on the file.

That's pretty much it...

Notepad: frequently asked questions

(The above is a clickable web page link that will explain more about Notepad.)

Hi,

Notepad - Frequently asked questions

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Notepad-frequently-asked-questions

Also accessible from the HELP in Notepad.

In Notepad use the Menu - File.

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle <- Mark Twain said it right!