Windows Vista: The Complete Reference (Complete Reference Series)

ISBN: 0072263768
EAN: 2147483647

Year: 2004
Pages: 296

Authors: Margaret Levine Young, John Levine

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Table of Contents
Back Cover
Windows Vista-The Complete Reference
Introduction
What s in This Book?
Conventions Used in This Book
New and Improved Features in Windows Vista
Differences Between Windows Vista Editions
Talk to Us
Part I: Working in Windows Vista
Chapter 1: The Basics of Windows Vista
What Appears on the Screen?
How Do You Configure Windows and Other Programs?
Starting Up Windows
Choosing Lock Button Modes
Setting Windows to Shut Down by Itself
Choosing Between Single-Click and Double-Click
Chapter 2: Running Programs
Starting Programs
Controlling the Size and Shape of Your Windows
Giving Commands
Choosing Settings on Dialog Boxes
Switching, Exiting, and Canceling Programs
Running Programs in Compatibility Mode
Chapter 3: Installing Programs
Installing Programs
Associating a Program with a File Extension
Uninstalling Programs
Chapter 4: Getting Help
Displaying Help Screens
Finding Out What an Onscreen Object Is
Allowing a Friend to Control Your Computer
Chapter 5: Copying, Moving, and Sharing Information Between Programs
Sharing Information Using OLE
Chapter 6: Sharing Your Computer with Multiple Users
What Password Protection Does Windows Offer?
What Is a User Account?
Setting Up a Computer for Multiple Users
Creating, Modifying, and Deleting User Accounts
Using a Shared Computer
Chapter 7: Managing Appointments and Schedules with Windows Calendar
Using Windows Calendar
Configuring Windows Calendar
Understanding Appointments in Windows Calendar
Creating a Task in Windows Calendar
Printing a Calendar
Sharing Calendars in Windows Calendar
Part II: Managing Your Disk
Chapter 8: Using Files and Folders
What Is Windows Explorer?
Working with Windows Explorer
What Is the Recycle Bin?
Making and Working with Files and Folders
Rearranging Files and Folders
Making Your Own CDs
Fixing Your Mistakes
Chapter 9: Managing Files and Folders
What Is a Shortcut?
What Are Properties of Files and Folders?
What Are Attributes?
What Are Compressed Folders?
What Are Hidden Files and Folders?
What Is a Folder Template?
Configuring Windows Explorer
Working with Shortcuts
Working with Compressed Folders
Searching for Files and Folders
Managing the Recycle Bin
Chapter 10: Backing Up Your Files with the Backup Utility
What Is Backing Up?
Backing Up a Few Files or Folders
Running Windows Backup Status and Configuration
Backing Up Files with Windows Backup Status and Configuration
Restoring Files with Windows Backup Status and Configuration
What Is the Removable Storage Service?
Part III: Configuring Windows for Your Computer
Chapter 11: Setting Up Your Start Menu and Taskbar
What Is the Programs Menu?
What Can Appear on the Taskbar?
Searching the Start Menu
Customizing the Start Menu
Customizing the Taskbar
Chapter 12: Setting Up Your Desktop
Choosing a Desktop Theme
Changing the Vista Welcome Center
Changing the Background
Setting Up a Screen Saver
Choosing a New Color Scheme
Finding the Perfect Color
Changing Windows, Buttons, and Fonts
Changing Icons
Changing the Desktop s Visual Effects
Changing the Desktop s Sound Effects
Changing Display Settings
Setting Up the Windows Sidebar and Gadgets
Getting Along with Your Monitor(s)
Chapter 13: Configuring Your Keyboard, Mouse, Game Controller, and Regional Settings
Configuring Your Mouse
Configuring Your Game Controller
Windows Regional Settings
Setting the Current Date and Time
Chapter 14: Adding and Removing Hardware
What Is Plug and Play?
What Is the Device Manager?
What Types of Hardware Can You Install?
Configuring Windows for New Hardware
Troubleshooting Your Hardware Configuration
Adding Memory
Chapter 15: Printing
How Does Windows Handle Printers?
What Are Fonts?
Setting Up a Local Printer
Printing a Document
Managing Printer Activity
Installing and Using Fonts
Chapter 16: Running Windows Vista on Laptops
Using Windows Vista Mobile PC Tools
Deferring Printing from a Laptop
Accessing Other Computers with Remote Desktop Connection
Managing Your Computer s Power
Using a Docking Station
Chapter 17: Ease of Access Center
Using the Ease of Access Center to Turn Features On or Off
Making the Keyboard More Accessible
Displaying the On-Screen Keyboard
Setting Sound Ease of Access Features
Setting Display Ease of Access Features
Making Internet Explorer Accessible
Part IV: Working with Text, Pictures, Sound, and Video
Chapter 18: Working with Documents in Windows Vista
Taking Advantage of Free Word Processing with WordPad
Using Calculator
Using Special Characters with Character Map
Chapter 19: Working with Graphics
What Tools Does Windows Provide for Working with Images?
Viewing Images on Your Computer
Using the Windows Snipping Tool
Adding Information to Digital Images
Creating and Editing Images with Microsoft Paint
Working with Digital Cameras and Scanners
Chapter 20: Working with Sound
Configuring Windows to Work with Sound
Playing and Recording WAV Sound Files with Sound Recorder
Playing Sound Files with Windows Media Player 11
Using Windows Vista Speech Recognition
Chapter 21: Working with Video
Playing Video Files with Windows
Creating and Editing Video Files with Windows Movie Maker 6
Playing Video Disks (DVDs)
Chapter 22: Working with Windows Media Center
Setting Up Media Center
Watch and Record Television with Media Center
Play Music in Media Center
View Pictures Using Media Center
Play Your Videos Using Media Center
Burn DVDs and CDs from Media Center
Part V: Windows Vista on the Internet
Chapter 23: Configuring Windows to Work with Your Modem
Configuring Windows for Dialing Locations
Setting Up Area Code Rules
Configuring Windows to Use Calling Cards
Connecting to a DSL Line
Connecting to a Cable Modem
Connecting to an ISDN Line
Chapter 24: Connecting to the Internet
What Are Network Connections?
Signing Up for a New Account
Creating a Network Connection for an Existing Account
Changing Your Dial-Up Connection Settings
Connecting to Your Account
Disconnecting from Your Account
Chapter 25: Using Windows Mail for E-mail
How Does E-mail Work?
Getting Started with Windows Mail
Sending and Receiving E-mail
Storing Addresses in Windows Contacts
Organizing Your Correspondence
Posting to Google Groups
Chapter 26: Browsing the World Wide Web with Internet Explorer
What Is HTML?
What Is a URL?
What Are Web Pages and Web Sites?
What Is a Web Browser?
Getting Started with Internet Explorer
Viewing Web Pages
Remembering Where You ve Been on the Web
Searching for Web Pages
Interacting with Web Sites Automatically
Using Windows CardSpace
Configuring RSS Feed Settings
Changing How Web Pages Look
Managing Internet Explorer s Behavior
Managing Internet Explorer s Security and Privacy Settings
Chapter 27: Internet Conferencing with Windows Live Messenger
Starting a Windows Live Messenger Conversation
Chapter 28: Other Internet Programs That Come with Windows Vista
Logging into Other Computers Using Telnet
Working with FTP
Downloading, Installing, and Running Other Internet Programs
Part VI: Networking with Windows Vista
Chapter 29: Designing a Windows-Based Local Area Network
Peer-to-Peer vs. Domain-Based Networks
Steps for Setting Up a Peer-to-Peer LAN
Choosing Between Cabled and Wireless LANs
Buying Network Hardware
Installing Your Network Hardware
Chapter 30: Configuring Windows for a LAN
Configuring and Viewing Your LAN Connections
Installing and Configuring Network Components
Checking Your Network Connection
Troubleshooting Your Network
Chapter 31: Sharing Drives and Printers on a LAN
User Accounts and LAN Security
Using Shared Drives from Other Computers
Sharing Your Disk Drives and Folders with Others
Sharing Printers on a LAN
Chapter 32: Connecting Your LAN to the Internet
Choosing Your SOHO Router
Managing Your SOHO Router
Chapter 33: Network, Internet, and Web Security
Managing Which Files Internet Explorer Downloads
Securing Your Web Communication with Encryption and Certificates
Sending and Receiving E-mail Securely
Part VII: Windows Housekeeping
Chapter 34: Formatting and Partitioning Disks
Partitioning a Disk Using Disk Management
Choosing Your Own Drive Letters
Formatting a Disk
Checking Free Space
Configuring DVD and CD Drives
Configuring DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R, and CD-RW Drives
Chapter 35: Keeping Your Disk Safe
Testing Your Disk Structure with ChkDsk
Defragmenting Your Disk
Deleting Temporary Files with Disk Cleanup
Chapter 36: Tuning Windows Vista for Maximum Performance
New Tuning Tools in Windows Vista
Inside the Windows Vista Diagnostic Console
Tuning Your Computer s Performance with the System Properties Dialog Box
Tracking System Resources
Tuning Your Hard Disk s Performance
Disabling Unnecessary Services
Chapter 37: Troubleshooting Windows Vista
The Microsoft Management Console
Returning Your System to a Predefined State with System Restore
Chapter 38: Windows Update, Windows Ultimate Extras, and Other Windows Vista Resources
Updating Your Computer Automatically with Automatic Updates
Ultimate Extras
Getting Remote Assistance
Microsoft Vista Support Resources
Other Windows Vista Web Resources
Part VIII: Behind the Scenes-Windows Vista Internals
Chapter 39: Windows Vista Configuration Files
Configuring Windows with System Configuration
Chapter 40: Registering Programs and File Types
Associating File Types with Programs
Editing the Registry
Appendix A: Installing or Upgrading to Windows Vista
What Are the Windows Vista Installation Requirements?
What Are Your Installation Options?
How Does Product Activation Work?
Preparing to Install Windows
Starting the Installation
Answering the Install Windows Wizard s Questions
Checking Your System after Installing Windows
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Sidebars