Windows 10 Inside Out

Book description

Conquer Windows 10--from the inside out!
Dive into Windows 10--and really put your Windows expertise to work. Focusing on the most powerful and innovative features of Windows 10, this supremely organized reference packs hundreds of timesaving solutions, tips, and workarounds. From the new Microsoft Edge browser to the personal assistant Cortana, from security to the enhanced Start menu, discover how the experts tackle essential Windows 10 tasks--and challenge yourself to new levels of mastery.

  • Install, configure, and personalize Windows 10

  • Transition smoothly from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1

  • Discover the fast, efficient Microsoft Edge browser

  • Use the Cortana personal assistant to handle reminders and information retrieval

  • Explore cloud services

  • Find, manage, back up, and restore files

  • Use the Windows 10 Mail, Calendar, and People apps

  • Retrieve, organize, and enjoy digital media

  • Harden security and strengthen privacy

  • Add Windows Store apps

  • Fine-tune performance and troubleshoot crashes

  • Share resources and control computers remotely

  • Automate tasks and use advanced system management

  • Run Hyper-V virtual machines

  •  
    For Intermediate and Advanced Users

  • Your role: Experienced intermediate-level to advanced-level Windows user

  • Prerequisites: Basic understanding of Windows procedures, techniques, and navigation

  • Table of contents

    1. Cover
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright Page
    4. Dedication Page
    5. Contents at a glance
    6. Table of contents
    7. Introduction
      1. Who this book is for
        1. Assumptions about you
      2. How this book is organized
      3. Acknowledgments
      4. Errata, updates, & book support
        1. Free ebooks from Microsoft Press
        2. We want to hear from you
        3. Stay in touch
    8. Part 1: Getting started with Windows 10
      1. Chapter 1. What’s new in Windows 10
        1. Next-generation hardware
        2. The Windows 10 user experience
        3. Fundamental changes in core features
        4. Windows 10, the web, and cloud services
        5. Working and playing with Windows 10
        6. More updates, more often
        7. Windows 10 for IT pros and experts
      2. Chapter 2. Installing, configuring, and deploying Windows 10
        1. Before you start
          1. Check for potential compatibility problems
          2. Back up your data and settings
          3. Choose the right package
          4. Choose your upgrade method
        2. How Windows 10 Setup works
        3. Upgrading to Windows 10
          1. Using Windows Update
          2. Using Windows installation media
          3. Checking compatibility
          4. Transferring files, apps, and settings
        4. Performing a clean install
          1. Making bootable media
          2. Setup and your hard disk
        5. Configuring a multiboot system
        6. Activating Windows
          1. Entering a product key
          2. Activating a retail copy of Windows
          3. Activation requirements for OEM installations
          4. Product activation and corporate licensing
          5. Managing Windows activation from the command prompt
        7. Tweaking and tuning your Windows 10 installation
      3. Chapter 3. Using Windows 10
        1. An overview of the Windows 10 user experience
        2. Navigating Windows 10
          1. Using and customizing the Start menu
          2. Using and customizing the taskbar
          3. Controlling how notifications appear
          4. Switching tasks
          5. Switching between virtual desktops
        3. Using Windows 10 on a touchscreen device
        4. Managing and arranging windows
        5. Cortana and search
      4. Chapter 4. Personalizing Windows 10
        1. Settings vs. Control Panel
        2. Customizing the visual appearance
          1. Selecting the desktop background
          2. Selecting colors
          3. Customizing mouse pointers
          4. Configuring desktop icons
          5. Controlling the appearance of other icons
          6. Configuring the taskbar with multiple displays
          7. Customizing the lock screen
          8. Working with fonts
          9. Making text easier to read
          10. Using font smoothing to make text easier on the eyes
          11. Calibrating your display’s colors
          12. Making other small visual tweaks
        3. Working the way you like
          1. Taming your mouse or other pointing device
          2. Managing keyboard settings
          3. Selecting sounds for events
          4. Choosing a screen saver
        4. Tuning Windows to know about you
        5. Syncing your settings between computers
          1. Working with themes
          2. Synchronizing other settings
        6. Overcoming challenges
      5. Chapter 5. Networking essentials
        1. Getting started with Windows 10 networking
        2. Checking your network’s status
          1. Using the network icon and flyout
          2. Network And Sharing Center
          3. Monitoring network performance in Task Manager
        3. Setting network locations
        4. Connecting to a wireless network
          1. Connecting to a hidden network
          2. Wireless security
          3. Sharing wireless connections with Wi-Fi Sense
        5. Sharing files, digital media, and printers in a homegroup
          1. Creating a homegroup
          2. Joining a homegroup
          3. Browsing shared folders and files
          4. Sharing a printer
          5. Leaving a homegroup
      6. Chapter 6. Managing user accounts, passwords, and credentials
        1. Working with user accounts
          1. Microsoft account vs. local account
          2. Changing account settings
          3. Deleting an account
        2. Managing the sign-in process
          1. Setting a password
          2. Using a PIN
          3. Using a picture password
          4. Using Windows Hello for biometric sign-ins
        3. Signing out, switching accounts, or locking your computer
        4. Sharing your PC with other users
          1. Adding a user to your computer
          2. Controlling your children’s computer access
          3. Restricting use with assigned access
        5. Introducing access control in Windows
          1. Permissions and rights
          2. User accounts and security groups
        6. Managing and securing your credentials
      7. Chapter 7. Securing Windows 10 devices
        1. Understanding security threats
        2. What’s new in Windows 10
          1. Securing devices
          2. Securing data
          3. Securing identities
          4. Blocking malware
        3. Monitoring your computer’s security
        4. Staying on top of security updates
        5. Blocking intruders with Windows Firewall
          1. Using Windows Firewall with different network types
          2. Managing Windows Firewall
          3. Enabling or disabling Windows Firewall
          4. Allowing connections through the firewall
          5. Restoring default settings
          6. Advanced tools for managing Windows Firewall
        6. Preventing unsafe actions with User Account Control
          1. What triggers UAC prompts
          2. Dealing with UAC prompts
          3. Modifying UAC settings
        7. Encrypting information
          1. Using the Encrypting File System
          2. Encrypting with BitLocker and BitLocker To Go
        8. Using Windows Defender to block malware
          1. Using Windows Defender
          2. Manually scanning for malware
          3. Dealing with detected threats
        9. Stopping unknown or malicious programs with SmartScreen
    9. Part 2: Working and playing with Windows 10
      1. Chapter 8. Using and managing modern apps and desktop programs
        1. What’s in a modern app
        2. Browsing the Windows Store
          1. Finding additional information
          2. Buying an app
          3. Uninstalling an app
          4. Managing line-of-business apps
        3. Apps included with Windows 10
        4. Installing, running, and managing desktop applications
          1. Running desktop applications as an administrator or another user
          2. Dealing with compatibility issues
        5. Managing programs and processes with Task Manager
          1. Terminating a program with Task Manager
          2. Finding detailed information about a program
          3. Assigning a program to a specific processor
          4. Reviewing history
        6. Managing startup programs
          1. Suspending or removing startup items
        7. Setting default programs and file-type associations
          1. Using a nondefault program ad hoc
        8. Turning Windows features on or off
        9. Setting AutoPlay options
      2. Chapter 9. Productivity and communication tools
        1. Mail, Calendar, and People
          1. Setting up and using Mail
          2. Setting up and using Calendar
          3. Adding or editing contacts with People
          4. Downloading and using Skype
        2. Using the mobile and desktop versions of OneNote
        3. Using the mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
          1. Features common to the mobile Office apps
          2. Exploring the mobile Office apps
        4. Using Maps
        5. Using Alarms & Clock
        6. The info apps: News, Weather, Sports, and Money
          1. News
          2. Weather
          3. Sports
          4. Money
          5. Sharing and saving news stories
        7. Preserving items of interest with Windows Reading List
        8. Voice Recorder
      3. Chapter 10. Music, photos, movies, and games
        1. Managing your digital media libraries
        2. Music
          1. Groove Music
          2. Using Windows Media Player to rip CDs
        3. Managing photos and digital images
          1. Using the Photos app to crop and edit pictures
          2. Organizing photos into albums
          3. Windows Photo Viewer and Paint
        4. Watching movies, recorded TV shows, and video clips
        5. Miracast
        6. Xbox and other forms of online entertainment
      4. Chapter 11. Browsing the Internet
        1. Why the new browser?
        2. Browser basics
          1. Setting or changing your default browser
          2. User interface basics in Edge
          3. Using the Start page in Edge
          4. Using tabs
          5. Customizing your home and startup pages
          6. Changing your default search provider
        3. Using favorites, history, and the reading list
          1. Browsing with favorites in Edge
          2. Using the reading list, an alternative to favorites, in Edge
          3. Browsing with favorites in Internet Explorer
          4. Working with pinned sites in Internet Explorer
          5. Browsing through history
        4. Managing downloads
        5. Using SmartScreen Filter to avoid phishing sites and dicey downloads
        6. Making text more readable
          1. Using Reading View in Edge
        7. Sharing webpages from Edge
        8. Annotating Edge pages with web notes
        9. Managing and troubleshooting add-ons in Internet Explorer
        10. Privacy and security issues
          1. Allowing or not allowing your browser to save sign-in credentials
          2. Blocking pop-ups
          3. Clearing your browser history and other personal information
          4. Blocking cookies and sending do-not-track requests
          5. Configuring security zones in Internet Explorer
      5. Chapter 12. Organizing and searching for files
        1. Exploring File Explorer
          1. Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar
        2. Navigating in File Explorer
        3. What’s what and where in a user profile
          1. Common profiles
        4. Working with libraries
        5. Using compressed (zipped) folders
        6. Displaying or suppressing check boxes
        7. Arranging data in File Explorer
        8. Managing file properties and metadata
        9. Recovering lost, damaged, and deleted files and folders
          1. Recovering files and folders with the Recycle Bin
        10. Relocating personal data folders
          1. Using Save locations
        11. Using Windows Search
          1. Searching everywhere
          2. Configuring search and indexing options
          3. Basic search techniques
          4. Advanced search tools and techniques
          5. Saving searches and clearing search history
    10. Part 3: System maintenance and troubleshooting
      1. Chapter 13. Hardware
        1. Adding, configuring, and removing hardware devices
          1. Installing a new Plug and Play device
          2. How device drivers and hardware work together
          3. Getting useful information from Device Manager
          4. Enabling and disabling devices
          5. Adjusting advanced device settings
        2. Updating and uninstalling drivers
          1. Disabling automatic driver updates
          2. Updating a device driver manually
          3. Rolling back to a previous driver version
          4. Uninstalling a driver
        3. Fine-tuning hardware and printer settings
          1. Printers and print queues
          2. Keyboards, mice, touchpads, and pens
          3. Displays
          4. Bluetooth devices
          5. USB devices
          6. Speakers, microphones, and headsets
      2. Chapter 14. Managing disks and drives
        1. The Windows 10 disk-management tools
        2. Running Disk Management
        3. Managing disks from the command prompt
        4. Setting up a new hard disk
          1. Installing Windows on a new disk
          2. Adding a new disk to an existing Windows installation
          3. Choosing a file system
        5. Managing existing disks and volumes
          1. Extending a volume
          2. Shrinking a volume
          3. Deleting a volume
          4. Converting a FAT32 disk to NTFS
          5. Assigning or changing a volume label
          6. Assigning and changing drive letters
          7. Mapping a volume to an NTFS folder
          8. Checking the properties and status of disks and volumes
          9. Permanently wiping all data from a disk
        6. Working with virtual hard disks
        7. Checking disks for errors
        8. Optimizing disks for better performance
        9. Working with solid state drives
          1. Optimizing solid state drives
        10. Monitoring disk usage
          1. Changing default save locations
        11. Using Storage Spaces
      3. Chapter 15. System maintenance and performance
        1. Keeping Windows up to date
        2. Mastering Task Manager
          1. Managing startup programs and services
        3. Managing disk space
        4. Power management and battery life
        5. Monitoring and improving system performance
          1. Monitoring performance with Task Manager
          2. Using Resource Monitor to pinpoint performance problems
      4. Chapter 16. Backup, restore, and recovery
        1. An overview of Windows 10 backup and recovery options
        2. Using File History to protect files and folders
          1. Setting up File History
          2. Choosing locations to back up
          3. Restoring files and folders
        3. Using the Reset option to recover from serious problems
        4. Creating and using a recovery drive
        5. Creating and restoring a system image backup
          1. Creating a system image backup
          2. Restoring a system image backup
        6. Configuring system protection options
          1. Rolling back to a previous restore point
          2. System Restore do’s and don’ts
      5. Chapter 17. Troubleshooting
        1. Getting to know your troubleshooting toolkit
          1. Built-in troubleshooters
          2. Windows Error Reporting
          3. Reliability Monitor
        2. Event Viewer
          1. Types of events
          2. Viewing logs and events
          3. Filtering the log display
        3. Dealing with Stop errors
          1. Customizing how Windows handles Stop errors
          2. What’s in a Stop error
          3. Isolating the cause of a Stop error
        4. Troubleshooting with alternative boot options
    11. Part 4: Windows 10 for experts and IT pros
      1. Chapter 18. Using advanced system management tools
        1. Viewing details about your system
          1. Systeminfo
          2. Windows Management Instrumentation command-line utility
          3. System Information
        2. Managing services
          1. Using the Services console
          2. Starting and stopping services
          3. Configuring services
          4. Managing services from Task Manager
        3. Editing the Windows registry
          1. Understanding the Registry Editor hierarchy
          2. Registry values and data types
          3. Registry virtualization
          4. Backing up and restoring parts of the registry
          5. Browsing and editing with Registry Editor
          6. Using .reg files to automate registry changes
        4. Using Microsoft Management Console
      2. Chapter 19. Automating tasks and activities
        1. Using Task Scheduler
          1. Creating a task
          2. Scheduling tasks with the Schtasks command
        2. Automating command sequences with batch programs
        3. Automating tasks with Windows Script Host
      3. Chapter 20. Advanced networking
        1. Viewing network status
        2. Sharing resources with other users
          1. Understanding sharing and security models in Windows
          2. Configuring your network for sharing
          3. Sharing files and folders from any folder
          4. Sharing a printer
        3. Finding and using shared resources on a Windows network
          1. Working with mapped network folders
          2. Connecting to a network printer
        4. Connecting to another computer with Remote Desktop
          1. Configuring your network for Remote Desktop connections
          2. Enabling inbound remote desktop connections
          3. Using Remote Desktop Connection
        5. Troubleshooting network problems
          1. Troubleshooting HomeGroup problems
          2. Network troubleshooting tools
          3. Troubleshooting TCP/IP problems
      4. Chapter 21. Working with Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell
        1. Working at the command prompt
          1. Running with elevated privileges
          2. Starting Command Prompt at a particular folder
          3. Starting Command Prompt and running a command
          4. Using AutoRun to execute commands when Command Prompt starts
          5. Editing the command line
          6. Using command symbols
        2. Customizing Command Prompt windows
          1. Setting the window size and position
          2. Setting the window size and position visually
          3. Selecting a font
          4. Setting colors
        3. An introduction to Windows PowerShell
          1. Starting PowerShell
          2. Interacting with PowerShell
          3. Scripting with PowerShell
          4. Finding additional PowerShell resources
      5. Chapter 22. Running virtual machines with Hyper-V
        1. Setting up Hyper-V
        2. Using Hyper-V Manager
        3. Creating a network switch
        4. Creating a virtual machine
          1. Specify name and location
          2. Specify generation
          3. Assign memory
          4. Configure networking
          5. Connect virtual hard disk
          6. Installation options
        5. Running a virtual machine
          1. Using enhanced session mode
        6. Changing settings for a virtual machine
        7. Working with checkpoints
    12. Appendixes
      1. Appendix A. Windows 10 editions at a glance
        1. Features available in all Windows 10 editions
        2. Windows 10 Pro
        3. Windows 10 Enterprise and Education
      2. Appendix B. Help and support resources
        1. Online help
        2. Online reference material from Microsoft
          1. Microsoft Knowledge Base
          2. Microsoft TechNet
          3. Microsoft Virtual Academy
        3. Getting technical support
          1. Microsoft Community
          2. TechNet forums
          3. Free and paid support from Microsoft
      3. Appendix C. OneDrive and other cloud services
        1. How OneDrive and OneDrive for Business work
        2. Synchronizing files with Windows 10 devices
        3. Office 365 and Office Web Apps
    13. Index to troubleshooting topics
    14. Index
    15. About the authors
    16. Survey
    17. Code Snippets

    Product information

    • Title: Windows 10 Inside Out
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: October 2015
    • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
    • ISBN: 9780735698024