How to Do Everything

How to Do Everything

by Mary Branscombe, Simon Bisson, Eric Butow
Released March 2013
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9780071805155

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

Tap into the power of Windows 8

Maximize the versatile features of Windows 8 on all your devices with help from this hands-on guide. Discover how to customize settings, use the new Start screen and Charms bar, work with gestures on a touchscreen PC, organize and sync data in the cloud, and set up a network. How to Do Everything Windows 8 covers email, video conferencing, web access, peripheral devices, security, and troubleshooting. You’ll also get tips for using the entertainment apps to enjoy music, video, photos, games, and much more.

  • Customize Windows 8, group tiles on the Start screen, pin icons to the taskbar, and change settings
  • Manage and back up your files and sync them to the cloud
  • Share files with a Windows 8 Homegroup
  • Surf the web with both versions of Internet Explorer 10, use tabs, organize favorites, and protect your privacy online
  • Print, scan, and fax with Windows 8
  • Communicate via built-in apps—Mail and Messaging—and add Skype
  • Connect to social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, using the People app
  • Enjoy the Music and Video apps and the Xbox Music free streaming service and video store
  • View, manage, and share photos with the new Photos app—including your Facebook, Flickr, and SkyDrive photos
  • Use all the built-in Windows 8 apps and get more from the Windows Store
  • Keep Windows 8 running smoothly and securely
  • Troubleshoot problems and reset or recover your PC

Table of contents

  1. Cover 
  2. About the Authors
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Contents at a Glance
  6. Contents 
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. Introduction
  9. CHAPTER 1: Get to Know Windows 8
    1. Compare the Four Versions of Windows 8
      1. Windows 8
      2. Windows 8 Pro
      3. Windows 8 Enterprise
      4. Windows RT
    2. Install Windows 8
    3. Set Up Windows 8
      1. Why You Want a Microsoft Account
    4. Log In to Get Started
      1. Shut Down Your Windows 8 Computer
    5. Explore the Start Screen
      1. Access the User Menu
      2. View the Charms Bar
      3. Run Windows Store Apps
    6. Switch Between the Start Screen, Windows Store Apps, and the Desktop
      1. Quickly Change Settings and Options
    7. Work with Gestures
      1. Swipe
      2. Drag and Slide
      3. Tap and Press
      4. Pinch and Stretch
      5. Rotate
  10. CHAPTER 2: Learn How to Get Around Windows 8
    1. Use the Windows 8 User Interface
      1. Customize Tiles on the Start Screen
      2. Move Tiles on the Start Screen
      3. Group Your Tiles
      4. Run Two Apps at Once
    2. Add and Rearrange Icons on the Desktop
      1. Pin Icons to the Taskbar
    3. Change the Look of the Start Screen and Desktop
      1. Change the Start Screen
      2. Change the Lock Screen
      3. Change the Desktop
  11. CHAPTER 3: Make Windows 8 Your Own
    1. Change Common Options with the Settings Charm
      1. Choose Network Settings
      2. Change the Volume
      3. Change Screen Brightness and Rotation
      4. Hide Notifications
      5. Turn Off Your PC with the Power Menu
      6. Choose Keyboard Settings
    2. Change PC Options in PC Settings
      1. Personalize Your PC
      2. Manage User Accounts
      3. Configure Notifications
      4. Choose Search Settings
      5. Choose Share Settings
      6. Change General Settings
      7. Choose Privacy Settings
      8. Add Devices to Windows
      9. Change Wireless Settings
      10. Choose Ease of Access Settings
      11. Sync Your Settings
      12. Choose HomeGroup Settings
      13. Configure Windows Update
      14. Change Your Password
      15. Make a Picture Password
      16. Change Your User Picture
      17. Add a New Account
    3. Change Settings in the Control Panel
      1. Change Account Types and Manage Other User Accounts
      2. Set Up Family Safety
      3. Change User Account Control Settings
  12. CHAPTER 4: Manage, Back Up, and Sync Your Files
    1. Navigate File Explorer
      1. Use the Ribbon Bar
      2. Delete (and Recover) Files and Folders
    2. Back Up Files with File History
      1. Set Up File History
      2. Restore Files
    3. Copy Files to CDs and DVDs
    4. Sync and Share Files with SkyDrive
      1. Upload Files to SkyDrive
      2. Share Files on SkyDrive
      3. See Files Shared with You on SkyDrive
    5. Sync Your Music, Video, and Images
    6. Sync Your Settings Between PCs
    7. Make Your Computer a Trusted PC
  13. CHAPTER 5: Share Files Among Computers with a Windows 8 Homegroup
    1. Understand Different Network Connections
    2. Set Up an Internet Connection
    3. Connect to a Network
      1. Find Out Whether Your Computer Is Connected to a Network
      2. Choose Whether to Share Devices on a Network
      3. Connect to a Wi-Fi Network
      4. Troubleshoot Your Network Connection
    4. Share Files and Peripheral Devices in a Homegroup
      1. Set Up Your Homegroup
      2. Join an Existing Homegroup
      3. Open Files from Your Homegroup
      4. Choose How to Share Files and Folders with Your Homegroup
      5. Change the Homegroup Password
  14. CHAPTER 6: Browse the Web
    1. Understand the New Windows 8 Version of IE
      1. Open a Web Page
      2. Search the Web
      3. Manage Multiple Web Pages with Tabs
      4. Pin a Website to the Start Screen
      5. Print a Web Page from the Devices Charm
    2. Change Your Home Page
    3. Work with Internet Explorer on the Desktop
      1. Manage Tabs and Tab Groups
      2. Pin Websites to the Taskbar
      3. Add and Organize Favorites
      4. Find Files You’ve Downloaded
      5. Manage Add-ons
    4. Protect Your Privacy While You Browse the Web
      1. Choose a Tracking Protection List
      2. Browse Without Leaving a Record
    5. Stay Safe While You Browse the Web
      1. Use SmartScreen
      2. Use ActiveX Filtering
  15. CHAPTER 7: Print, Scan, and Fax with Windows 8
    1. Set Up Your Hardware
    2. Add a Printer, Scanner, or Other Device by Hand
      1. See More Details About Your Devices
      2. Share Your Printer
    3. Print a Document
    4. Scan a Document
      1. Fax a Document from Your Dial-up Modem
  16. CHAPTER 8: Send and Receive Email
    1. Set Up Other Email Accounts
      1. Set Up an Outlook Account
      2. Set Up an IMAP Account
      3. Set Up a Gmail, Hotmail, AOL, or Yahoo Account
      4. Set Up an EAS Account
      5. Set Up Another Email Account
      6. Switch Between Accounts
    2. Receive Emails
    3. Send Emails and Reply to Emails
      1. Write and Send an Email Message
    4. Edit an Existing Account
    5. Set Up Your Calendar
      1. Change the View to Month, Day, or Week
      2. Add a New Appointment
  17. CHAPTER 9: Send and Receive Instant Messages
    1. Launch the Messaging App
    2. Set Up Your Messaging Account
    3. Change Your Online Status
    4. Invite People to Your Contacts List
      1. Set Permissions
    5. Send and Receive Instant Messages
      1. Create a New Message Conversation
      2. Delete Message Threads
    6. Update Your Account Settings
      1. Change Windows Messenger Settings
      2. Change Social Network Account Settings
    7. Use Facebook Chat from Messaging
  18. CHAPTER 10: Make Phone and Video Calls
    1. Make Skype Phone and Video Calls
      1. Set Up Audio, Video, and Profile Settings
      2. Add a Contact in Skype
      3. Make a Voice Call
      4. Make a Video Call
    2. Manage Contacts and Favorites
      1. Add a New Contact to Skype
    3. Edit Skype Settings
      1. Change and Test Microphone Settings from Windows
      2. Change and Test Speakers and Change Speaker Volume
      3. Change Video Settings
  19. CHAPTER 11: Access Online Social Networks
    1. Add Your Social Network Accounts to the People App
      1. Connect a Microsoft Account to Your Social Networks
    2. Manage Your Address Book in the People App
      1. Link Multiple Contacts for the Same Person
      2. Give Friends Their Own Live Tiles
      3. Edit Contact Information
      4. See Recent News in a Contact Card
      5. Choose How You See Contacts
    3. Use the People App to Stay in Touch on Social Networks
      1. Read Updates from Friends on Social Networks
      2. Read Messages Sent Directly to You
      3. Post an Update to Facebook or Twitter
      4. Send Messages and Make Skype Calls from the People App
    4. Share to Social Networks from the Share Charm
    5. Use Windows Store Apps for More Social Networks
  20. CHAPTER 12: Find and Play Music and Other Audio Files
    1. Play Your Music in the Music App
      1. Select Songs and Albums to Play
      2. See What You’re Listening To
      3. Set the Mood with Playlists
      4. Play Music in the Background
      5. Stream and Buy Music in the Music App
    2. Play, Organize, and Rip Music in Windows Media Player
      1. Listen in Windows Media Player
      2. Manage Playlists in Windows Media Player
      3. Rip Your CDs in Windows Media Player
    3. Take Your Music with You
      1. Burn Music to a CD
      2. Sync Music to Other Devices
  21. CHAPTER 13: View and Manage Photos
    1. View Your Pictures in the Photos App
      1. See Facebook, SkyDrive, and Flickr Photos in the Photos App
      2. Browse Your Photos
      3. View a Selection of Photos in a Slideshow
      4. Edit Pictures in the Photos App
      5. Use Your Photos in Windows
    2. Add Pictures to the Photos App
      1. Import Images in the Photos App
    3. Share Your Photos
      1. Share Photos with Mail and SkyDrive
      2. Share Photos to Facebook and Twitter
    4. Save Your Photos on a CD or DVD
  22. CHAPTER 14: Watch and Organize Videos
    1. Find and Watch Videos in the Video App
      1. Set Up Your Xbox LIVE Account
      2. Play Videos You’ve Bought in the Xbox Music Store
    2. Open Your Own Video Files
      1. Manage Your Videos Library
    3. Watch Videos in Windows Media Player
    4. Stream Videos to Your Xbox 360
      1. Stream Videos from Windows Media Player
      2. Stream Videos from File Explorer
      3. Stream Videos from the Video App
      4. Stream Videos from Internet Explorer
    5. Add Windows Media Center to Windows 8
  23. CHAPTER 15: Read, Navigate, and Connect
    1. View PDF Documents in Reader
      1. Open a PDF Document in Reader
      2. Find Information Inside a PDF Document
      3. Save the Document
      4. Open Another Document
    2. Search with Bing
    3. Find Places and Routes in the Maps App
    4. Stay Up to Date with Bing Apps
      1. Check the Forecast with the Weather App
      2. Stay Informed with the News App
      3. Follow Your Favorite Teams with the Sports App
      4. Track Markets with the Finance App
      5. Plan a Vacation with the Travel App
  24. CHAPTER 16: Get More Apps and Games for Windows 8
    1. Explore the Windows Store
      1. Improve Your Search Results
      2. Use Family Safety to Make the Windows Store Child Safe
      3. Enter Your Credit Card Details
    2. Download and Install Apps
    3. Find Your Downloaded Apps
      1. Remove a PC from Your Account
    4. Download Games for Windows 8
      1. Buy an Xbox 360 Game
      2. See Your Games, Friends, and Achievements
      3. Control Your Xbox 360 with SmartGlass
  25. CHAPTER 17: Keep Windows 8 Tuned Up
    1. Keep Windows 8 Running Smoothly
    2. Keep Your PC Up to Date
      1. Update Windows 8
      2. Update Apps in the Windows Store
      3. Find Third-Party Updates
    3. Check Your PC with Action Center
      1. Check Security Settings in Action Center
      2. Check Maintenance Settings in Action Center
    4. Use Windows Defender to Detect and Remove Malware
    5. Make the Most of Your Disk Space
      1. Optimize Your Disk Drives
      2. Uninstall Programs and Windows Features
    6. Make Windows 8 More Your Own
      1. Get the Best Display Settings
      2. Adjust the Colors You See on Your Screen
      3. Control Power Settings and Screen Brightness
      4. Make Windows More Accessible
  26. CHAPTER 18: Troubleshoot Problems in Windows 8
    1. Monitor Your System with Task Manager
      1. Restart Explorer or Run a Process
      2. Manage Which Software Starts Automatically
      3. View Your App History
      4. View More Details in Task Manager Tabs
    2. Find and Fix Problems
      1. Use the Troubleshooters
      2. Ask a Friend for Help Using Remote Assistance
      3. Look Up Your Problem in Windows Help and Support
      4. Check Reports in Action Center
      5. Check Program Compatibility Settings
      6. Check Your System Information
      7. View System Events
      8. Start and Stop Services
      9. Start in Safe Mode
      10. Allow Applications Through Windows Firewall
    3. Solve Hardware Problems
      1. Look in Devices and Printers
      2. Diagnose Memory Problems
  27. CHAPTER 19: Reset or Recover Your PC
    1. Go Back in Time with System Restore
      1. Run System Restore
      2. Configure System Restore
    2. Refresh Your PC
    3. Reset Your PC
    4. Create a Recovery Drive
    5. Move to a New PC
      1. Transfer Files and Settings to Another Computer
  28. Index

Product information

  • Title: How to Do Everything
  • Author(s): Mary Branscombe, Simon Bisson, Eric Butow
  • Release date: March 2013
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
  • ISBN: 9780071805155