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The Complete Idiot's Guide® To PC Basics, Windows 7 Edition

The Complete Idiot's Guide® To PC Basics, Windows 7 Edition

by Joe Kraynak
Publisher: Alpha Books
Release Date: March 2011
ISBN: 9781615640676
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Book Description

The down and dirty basics for computer newbies.

For those with a blank slate when it comes to computer know-how, this guide teaches readers how to get started on a PC, including: easy instructions on starting, setting up, and organizing the PC; navigating the Windows 7 desktop and folder system; getting up and running with email; working with music, photos, and video; plus an introduction to Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, eBay, blogging, instant messaging; and more!

* Focuses on software-and the practical and fun things new users want to do with their PCs

* A large number of people-particularly the older generation-are new to computers

* Includes troubleshooting tips

Table of Contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Dedication
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Introduction
  5. Part 1 - Getting Started
    1. Chapter 1 - Buying the Right Computer for You
      1. Assessing Your Computing Needs
      2. Focusing on Mobility
      3. Focusing on Key PC Components
      4. Going Shopping
    2. Chapter 2 - Setting Up, Starting, and Turning Off Your PC
      1. Unpacking Your Equipment
      2. Finding a Comfortable Home for Your PC
      3. Connecting Everything
      4. Turning It On
      5. Dealing with the First-Time Startup Ritual
      6. Turning It Off, Shutting It Down
    3. Chapter 3 - Taking Control with Input Devices
      1. Mastering Basic Mouse Moves
      2. Navigating with a Touchpad
      3. Pecking Away at the Keyboard
      4. Getting in Touch with Your Touch-Screen
      5. Customizing Your Mouse, Touchpad, and Keyboard
      6. Enabling Windows Accessibility Features
      7. Barking Out Commands with Speech Recognition
    4. Chapter 4 - Getting Around in Windows 7
      1. Exploring the Windows Desktop, Start Menu, and Taskbar
      2. Managing Windows on Your Desktop
      3. Ordering from Menus and Dialog Boxes
      4. Bypassing Menus by Using Toolbar Buttons
      5. Checking Out Windows Accessories and Games
    5. Chapter 5 - Getting Help
      1. Using the Windows Help System
      2. Getting Context-Sensitive Help
      3. Getting Help from Other People
      4. Getting Help with Applications and Games
  6. Part 2 - Taking Control of Your PC
    1. Chapter 6 - Changing the Look and Feel of Windows
      1. Personalizing Windows
      2. Adjusting the Display Settings
      3. Taking Control of Desktop Icons
      4. Adding Gadgets to Your Desktop
      5. Configuring the Taskbar
      6. Personalizing Your Start Menu
      7. Configuring Power-Saving Features
      8. Adjusting Your PC’s Speaker Volume
    2. Chapter 7 - Creating and Managing User Accounts
      1. Adding a New User to Your PC
      2. Making Changes to a User Account
      3. Enabling or Disabling the Guest Account
      4. Setting Parental Controls for a User
      5. Logging Off Windows
    3. Chapter 8 - Managing Disks, Files, and Folders
      1. Disk Drives: Easy as A-B-C
      2. Exploring Your Disks, Folders, and Files
      3. Managing Your Files Using Windows Libraries
      4. Finding Files and Folders
      5. Managing Files and Folders
      6. Sharing Folders and Files with Other Users
    4. Chapter 9 - Running, Installing, and Uninstalling Programs
      1. Running Your Programs
      2. Buying Software Your Hardware Can Run
      3. Where to Find Programs
      4. Installing Your New Program
      5. Removing a Program You Never Use
    5. Chapter 10 - Installing and Managing Additional Hardware Devices
      1. Upgrade or Buy a New PC?
      2. Exploring Upgrades and Optional Accessories
      3. Installing External Devices
      4. Installing Internal Devices and Upgrades
      5. Upgrading Laptops, Notebooks, and Netbooks
    6. Chapter 11 - Networking Your PC at Home and on the Road
      1. Exploring Your Networking Options
      2. Networking Hardware Checklist
      3. Setting Up Your Network
      4. Sharing Files in a Homegroup
      5. Installing a Printer on Your Network
      6. Securing Your Network
  7. Part 3 - Getting Down to Business
    1. Chapter 12 - Typing and Other Word Processing Chores
      1. Starting with a Document Template … or Not
      2. Making the Transition to the Electronic Page
      3. Controlling the Look and Layout of the Text
      4. Save It or Lose It
      5. Editing Your Letters and Other Documents
      6. Checking Your Spelling and Grammar
    2. Chapter 13 - Working with Graphics
      1. Laying Out Pages in a Desktop Publishing Program
      2. Inserting Ready-Made Clip Art Images
      3. Wrapping Text Around Images
      4. Resizing and Reshaping Images
      5. Inserting Other Pictures
      6. Scanning Photos, Drawings, and Illustrations
      7. Drawing and Painting Your Own Illustrations
      8. Adding Text in a Box
      9. Manipulating Overlapping Objects
    3. Chapter 14 - Crunching Numbers with Spreadsheets
      1. A Computerized Ledger Sheet
      2. Building a Spreadsheet from the Ground Up
      3. Instant Charts (Just Add Data)
      4. Special Spreadsheet Printing Considerations
    4. Chapter 15 - Creating an Address Book and Printing Mailing Labels
      1. Creating a Data Source with Names and Addresses
      2. Using Mail Merge to Generate Mailing Labels
      3. Creating Return Address Labels
      4. Printing on Envelopes
    5. Chapter 16 - Managing Your Finances
      1. Banking Online (Without a Personal Finance Program)
      2. Choosing and Setting Up a Personal Finance Program
      3. Automating the Check-Writing Process
      4. Reconciling an Account with a Statement
      5. Banking Online (with a Personal Finance Program)
      6. Setting Up Recurring Entries
      7. Tracking Your Budget
      8. Tapping the Power of Financial Calculators
      9. Preparing Your Annual Tax Return
    6. Chapter 17 - Printing Documents and Other Creations
      1. Connecting Your Printer to Your PC
      2. Setting Up Your Printer in Windows
      3. Preprint Checklist
      4. Setting Your Margins and Page Layout
      5. Adding a Header or Footer
      6. Sending Documents to the Printer
      7. Managing Background Printing
      8. Hey, It’s Not Printing!
  8. Part 4 - Tapping the Power of the Internet
    1. Chapter 18 - Getting Wired to the Internet
      1. Understanding How This Internet Thing Works
      2. Picking a Connection Type
      3. Shopping for an Internet Service Provider
      4. Establishing a Connection
      5. Testing Your Connection Speed
    2. Chapter 19 - Poking Around on the World Wide Web
      1. Browsing for a Web Browser
      2. Steering Your Browser in the Right Direction
      3. A Word About Web Page Addresses
      4. Finding Stuff with Google and Other Search Tools
      5. Locating People Online
      6. Navigating Multiple Pages with Tabs
      7. Going Back in Time with the History List
      8. Marking Your Favorite Web Pages
      9. Changing the Starting Web Page
    3. Chapter 20 - Searching the Web Google Style
      1. Performing a Basic Search
      2. Focusing on Specific Content
      3. Performing an Advanced Search
      4. Browsing the Website Directory
      5. Adjusting Your Search Settings
      6. Cool Google Search Tips and Tricks
      7. Creating a Google Account
      8. Checking Out Other Search Sites and Tools
    4. Chapter 21 - Sending and Receiving E-Mail
      1. Using an E-Mail Program
      2. What About Free, Web-Based E-Mail?
      3. Emoticons and E-Mail Shorthand
      4. E-Mail No-No’s
    5. Chapter 22 - Connecting with Friends and Family on Facebook
      1. What Is Facebook, Anyway?
      2. Putting Your Face on Facebook
      3. Touring Facebook
      4. Adjusting Your Privacy Settings
      5. Being Friends on Facebook
      6. E-Mailing Your Facebook Friends
      7. Help! Navigating Facebook’s Help System
      8. Quitting Facebook
      9. Deleting Your Account
    6. Chapter 23 - Sharing Video on YouTube
      1. Searching and Browsing on YouTube
      2. Doing More Through a YouTube Account
      3. Sharing Your Videos
      4. Getting Help
    7. Chapter 24 - Passing Notes on Twitter
      1. Creating a Twitter Account and Signing In
      2. Reading and Replying to Tweets
      3. Posting Tweets
      4. Following Users on Twitter
      5. Learning More About Twitter
    8. Chapter 25 - Communicating Oneon-One in Real Time
      1. Instant Messaging with AIM
      2. Sampling Other Chat/Instant Messaging Clients
      3. Placing Really Cheap (or Free) Phone Calls with Skype
    9. Chapter 26 - Buying and Selling Stuff Online
      1. Is It Safe?
      2. Comparison-Shopping for the Real Deals
      3. Buying Online
      4. Booking Travel Reservations Online
      5. Buying and Selling on eBay
      6. Checking Out Craigslist
    10. Chapter 27 - Touring Message Boards, Mailing Lists, and More
      1. Pulling Up Message Boards on the Web
      2. Registering for Newsletters and Mailing Lists
      3. Getting Up-to-the-Minute RSS Feeds
    11. Chapter 28 - Publishing Your Own Web Page or Blog
      1. Behind the Scenes with a Web Page
      2. Forget About HTML
      3. Creating a Free Website with Google Sites
      4. Blogging Your Way to Internet Fame
      5. Embedding a YouTube Video in a Web Page or Blog Post
    12. Chapter 29 - Protecting Your PC from Viruses and Other Online Threats
      1. Keeping Out Viruses and Other Malware
      2. Detecting and Eliminating Spyware
      3. Keeping Hackers at Bay with a Firewall
      4. Securing Your Portable PC in Public Hot Spots
      5. Updating Windows 7
      6. Opting for a Standard User Account
      7. Dealing with E-Mail Threats and Annoyances
      8. Checking Your Browser’s Security Settings
  9. Part 5 - Going Digital with Music, Photos, and Video
    1. Chapter 30 - Playing, Growing, and Managing Your Music Collection
      1. Digital Music Basics
      2. Playing, Ripping, and Burning with Windows Media Player
      3. Downloading Music from the Web
      4. Copying Music to a Portable Music Player
    2. Chapter 31 - Snapping, Enhancing, and Sharing Digital Photos
      1. Taking Digital Snapshots
      2. Getting Windows Live Photo Gallery
      3. Managing and Editing Your Photos
      4. Sharing Your Photos on the Internet
      5. Creating a Photo Slide Show and Burning It to a DVD
    3. Chapter 32 - Playing and Making DVDs
      1. Playing DVDs on Your PC
      2. Transferring Video to Your PC
      3. Converting Old Tapes into Digital Video
      4. Converting Your Photos and Videos into a DVD Slide Show
  10. Part 6 - Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your Computer
    1. Chapter 33 - Keeping Your PC Clean
      1. Tools of the Computer-Cleaning Trade
      2. Vacuuming and Dusting Your Computer
      3. Cleaning Your Monitor
      4. Shaking the Crumbs Out of Your Keyboard
      5. Making Your Mouse Cough Up Hairballs
      6. Cleaning Your Printer
      7. What About the Disk Drives?
    2. Chapter 34 - Giving Your PC a Tune-Up
      1. Eliminating Useless Files
      2. Checking for and Repairing Damaged Files
      3. Defragmenting Files
    3. Chapter 35 - PC Problems: Preparation and Troubleshooting
      1. Backing Up and Restoring Files
      2. Creating and Using a System Repair Disc
      3. Troubleshooting Problems
      4. Thank Goodness for System Restore!
      5. Identifying Troublesome Software
      6. Starting Windows in Safe Mode
  11. Index