Windows 7: The Missing Manual

Windows 7: The Missing Manual

by David Pogue
Released March 2010
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9781449388874

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Book description

In early reviews, geeks raved about Windows 7. But if you're an ordinary mortal, learning what this new system is all about will be challenging. Fear not: David Pogue's Windows 7: The Missing Manual comes to the rescue. Like its predecessors, this book illuminates its subject with reader-friendly insight, plenty of wit, and hardnosed objectivity for beginners as well as veteran PC users.

Windows 7 fixes many of Vista's most painful shortcomings. It's speedier, has fewer intrusive and nagging screens, and is more compatible with peripherals. Plus, Windows 7 introduces a slew of new features, including better organization tools, easier WiFi connections and home networking setup, and even touchscreen computing for those lucky enough to own the latest hardware.

With this book, you'll learn how to:

  • Navigate the desktop, including the fast and powerful search function
  • Take advantage of Window's apps and gadgets, and tap into 40 free programs
  • Breeze the Web with Internet Explorer 8, and learn the email, chat, and videoconferencing programs
  • Record TV and radio, display photos, play music, and record any of these to DVD using the Media Center
  • Use your printer, fax, laptop, tablet PC, or smartphone with Windows 7
  • Beef up your system and back up your files
  • Collaborate and share documents and other files by setting up a workgroup network

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Table of contents

  1. Windows 7: The Missing Manual
  2. A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
  3. The Missing Credits
    1. About the Author
    2. About the Creative Team
    3. Acknowledgments
    4. The Missing Manual Series
  4. Introduction
    1. What’s New
      1. The Bummers
        1. Upgrading from Windows XP
        2. The Matrix of Windows versions lives on
        3. Missing Apps
    2. About This Book
      1. System Requirements for Your Brain
      2. About the Outline
      3. About→These→Arrows
    3. The Very Basics
      1. Windows Defined
      2. The Right Mouse Button is King
      3. Wizards = Interviews
      4. There’s More Than One Way to Do Everything
      5. You Can Use the Keyboard for Everything
      6. The Start Menu is Fastest
      7. About Shift+Clicking
      8. You Could Spend a Lifetime Changing Properties
      9. Every Piece of Hardware Requires Software
      10. It’s Not Meant to Be Overwhelming
      11. About MissingManuals.com
  5. One. The Windows 7 Desktop
    1. 1. Getting Started, Desktop, & Start Menu
      1. Getting Started
      2. The Windows Desktop—Now with Aero!
      3. The Start Menu
        1. Anatomy of the Start Menu
        2. Keyboard Navigation
          1. Use the arrow keys
          2. Use the Search box
      4. The All Programs List
        1. Folders
          1. Software-company folders
          2. Program-group folders
          3. The Startup folder
      5. Start Menu: The Right Side
        1. Start→[Your Name]: The Personal Folder
        2. Start→Documents
        3. Start→Pictures, Music
        4. Start→Games
        5. Start→Computer
        6. Start→Control Panel
        7. Start→Devices and Printers
        8. Start→Default Programs
        9. Start→Help and Support
      6. Start→Shut down (Sleep, Restart, Log Off…)
        1. Three Triggers for Sleep/Shut Down—and How to Change Them
        2. Commands That No Longer Appear
      7. Customizing the Start Menu
        1. Start Menu Settings
          1. The hide/show switches for things in the Start menu
          2. A note about “Display as menu”
          3. More options for the Start menu
          4. Below the scrolling list
        2. Add Your Own Icons to the Start Menu
          1. The “free” sections of the Start menu
          2. Method 1: Drag an icon directly
          3. Method 2: Use the Start menu folders
        3. Removing Icons from the Start Menu
        4. Renaming Start-Menu Items
        5. Reorganizing the Start Menu
          1. Add folders to hold submenus
      8. Jump Lists
        1. Pinning
        2. Jump List Caveats
        3. Jump List Settings
      9. The Run Command
        1. Open a Program
        2. Open Any Program or Document
        3. Open a Drive Window
        4. Open a Folder Window
        5. Connect to a Web Page
    2. 2. Explorer, Windows, & the Taskbar
      1. Universal Window Controls
        1. Sizing, Moving, and Closing Windows
          1. Maximized
          2. Minimized
          3. Restored
        2. Moving a Window
        3. Closing a Window
        4. Layering Windows
      2. New Window Tricks in Windows 7
        1. Aero Snap
        2. Aero Shake
        3. The Show Desktop Button
      3. Windows Flip (Alt+Tab)
      4. Windows Flip 3D
        1. Flip 3D Without Holding Down Keys
      5. Explorer Window Controls
        1. Address Bar
          1. Components of the address bar
          2. What to type into the address bar
        2. The Task Toolbar
      6. Optional Window Panes
        1. Details Pane
        2. Preview Pane
        3. Navigation Pane
          1. Favorite Links list
          2. Libraries
          3. Homegroup
          4. Computer
          5. Network
          6. Flippy triangles
      7. Libraries
        1. Working with Library Contents
        2. Adding a Folder to an Existing Library
          1. The fine print
        3. Removing a Folder from a Library
        4. Creating a New Library
      8. Tags, Metadata, and Properties
        1. Properties
      9. Icon and List Views
      10. Sorting, Grouping, and Filtering
        1. Sorting Files
          1. Details view
          2. All other views
        2. Grouping
        3. Filtering
      11. Uni-Window vs. Multi-Window
      12. Immortalizing Your Tweaks
      13. The “Folder Options” Options
      14. Taskbar 2.0
        1. Taskbar as App Switcher
        2. Handy Window Miniatures
        3. Aero Peek
        4. Button Groups
        5. The Taskbar as App Launcher
        6. Jump Lists: Taskbar Edition
        7. The Notification Area (System Tray)
          1. Revealing the hidden status icons
          2. Reinstating the hidden icons
          3. Revealing all system-tray icons
      15. Three Ways to Get the Taskbar Out of Your Hair
        1. Auto-Hiding the Taskbar
        2. Changing the Taskbar’s Size
        3. Moving the Taskbar to the Sides of the Screen
      16. Taskbar Toolbars
        1. Address Toolbar
        2. Links Toolbar
        3. Tablet PC Input Panel
        4. Desktop Toolbar
        5. Redesigning Your Toolbars
        6. Build Your Own Toolbars
    3. 3. Searching & Organizing Your Files
      1. Meet Windows Search
      2. Search from the Start Menu
        1. The “More Results” Window
        2. Limit by Size, Date, Rating, Tag, Author…
        3. Special Search Codes
        4. Results Menu Tips
      3. Explorer-Window Searches
        1. Search filters
      4. The Search Index
        1. Where Windows Looks
        2. The Older, Slower Kind of Search
        3. Adding New Places to the Index
        4. Customizing Search
          1. Folder Options
          2. Indexing Options
          3. Advanced Indexing Options
      5. Saved Searches
      6. The Folders of Windows 7
        1. What’s in the Local Disk (C:) Window
          1. PerfLogs
          2. Program Files
          3. Program Files (x86)
          4. Users
          5. Windows
        2. Your Personal Folder
      7. Life with Icons
        1. Renaming Your Icons
        2. Icon Properties
          1. Computer
          2. Disks
          3. Data files
          4. Folders
          5. Program files
        3. Changing Your Icons’ Icons
          1. Standard Windows icons
          2. Folder or shortcut icons
      8. Selecting Icons
        1. Use the Mouse
        2. Use the Keyboard
        3. Checkbox Selection
        4. Eliminating Double-Clicks
      9. Copying and Moving Folders and Files
        1. Copying by Dragging Icons
          1. The right-mouse-button trick
          2. Dragging icons into the Navigation pane
        2. Copying with Copy and Paste
      10. The Recycle Bin
        1. Making the Recycle Bin Less Naggy
        2. Restoring Deleted Files and Folders
        3. Emptying the Recycle Bin
          1. Auto-emptying the Recycle Bin
      11. Shortcut Icons
        1. Creating and Deleting Shortcuts
        2. Unveiling a Shortcut’s True Identity
        3. Shortcut Keyboard Triggers
      12. Compressing Files and Folders
        1. NTFS Compression
          1. Compressing files, folders, or disks
        2. Zipped Folders
          1. Creating zipped folders
          2. Working with zipped folders
      13. Burning CDs and DVDs from the Desktop
        1. A Tale of Two Formats
        2. Burning, Step by Step
          1. The final steps: Mastered (ISO) format
          2. The final steps: Live File System (UDF) format
        3. Final Notes
    4. 4. Interior Decorating Windows
      1. Aero or Not
        1. Turning Off Only Transparent Window Edges
        2. Turning Off Window Snapping and Shaking
        3. Turning Off the Inch-Tall Taskbar
        4. Turn Off All Those Glitzy Animations
        5. Turning Off the Aero Look (and Aero App Switchers)
      2. A Gallery of Themes
        1. Aero Themes
        2. Basic and High Contrast Themes
      3. Desktop Background (Wallpaper)
        1. Auto–Picture Changing
        2. Making the Pictures Fit
        3. Other Ways to Choose Desktop Photos
      4. Window Color
      5. Sounds
      6. Screen Savers
        1. Choosing a Screen Saver
      7. Desktop Icons
      8. Mouse Makeover
        1. Pointer Options
          1. Pointer Options
      9. Preserving Your Tweaks for Posterity
      10. Monitor Settings
        1. Three Ways to Enlarge the Screen
          1. Change the resolution
          2. Enlarge just the type and graphics
          3. The Magnifier
        2. Colors
        3. Multiple Monitors
        4. Advanced Settings
    5. 5. Getting Help
      1. Navigating the Help System
        1. Search the Help Pages
        2. Drilling Down
      2. Remote Assistance
        1. Remote Assistance: Rest Assured
        2. Starting Up Remote Assistance: If You’re Both on Windows 7
          1. Instructions for the novice
          2. Instructions for the expert
        3. Starting Up Remote Assistance: If You’re Not Both on Windows 7
          1. Instructions for the novice
          2. Instructions for the expert
        4. Once You’re Connected
      3. Getting Help from Microsoft
  6. Two. Windows 7 Software
    1. 6. Programs, Documents, & Gadgets
      1. Opening Programs
      2. Exiting Programs
      3. When Programs Die: The Task Manager
      4. Saving Documents
        1. The Save Dialog Box
        2. Saving into Your Documents Folder
        3. Saving into Other Folders
        4. Navigating the List by Keyboard
        5. The File Format Drop-Down Menu
      5. Closing Documents
      6. The Open Dialog Box
      7. Moving Data Between Documents
        1. Cut, Copy, and Paste
        2. Drag-and-Drop
        3. Export/Import
      8. Speech Recognition
        1. Take the Tutorial
        2. Dictating.
        3. Controlling Windows Speech Recognition
        4. Controlling Windows and Its Programs
          1. Show numbers
        5. Controlling Dictation
          1. Correcting errors
          2. More commands
          3. Speech Recognition tips
      9. Gadgets
        1. Gadget Tip-o-Rama
        2. Gadget Catalog
          1. Calendar
          2. Clock
          3. CPU Meter
          4. Currency
          5. Feed Headlines
          6. Picture Puzzle
          7. Slide Show
          8. Weather
        3. More Gadgets
          1. Installing a gadget
          2. Uninstalling a gadget
      10. Filename Extensions and File Associations
        1. Displaying Filename Extensions
        2. Hooking Up an Unknown File Type
        3. Hooking Up a File Extension to a Different Program
          1. Method 1: Start with the document
          2. Method 2: Start with the program
          3. Method 3: Start with the file type
      11. Installing Software
        1. The Preinstallation Checklist
        2. Installing Software from a Disc
        3. Installing Downloaded Software
        4. Installing Windows Components
      12. Uninstalling Software
        1. When Uninstalling Goes Wrong
      13. Program Compatibility Modes
        1. Warning When You Upgrade to Windows 7
        2. Warning Right When You Install an Older App
        3. Compatibility Mode
          1. Compatibility mode: the wizardy way
          2. Compatibility mode: the manual way
      14. Windows XP Mode
    2. 7. The Freebie Apps
      1. Windows Live Essentials
      2. Default Programs
      3. Desktop Gadget Gallery
      4. Internet Explorer
      5. Windows Anytime Upgrade
      6. Windows DVD Maker
      7. Windows Fax and Scan
      8. Windows Media Center
      9. Windows Media Player
      10. Windows Live Movie Maker
      11. Windows Update
      12. XPS Viewer
      13. Accessories
        1. Bluetooth File Transfer
        2. Calculator
        3. Command Prompt
      14. Connect to a Network Projector
        1. Connect to a Projector
        2. Getting Started
        3. Math Input Panel
        4. Notepad
          1. Notepad basics
          2. About Word Wrap
        5. Paint
        6. Remote Desktop Connection
        7. Run
        8. Snipping Tool
        9. Sound Recorder
          1. Recording a new sound
          2. What to do with sounds
        10. Sticky Notes
          1. Creating notes
          2. Formatting notes
          3. Deleting notes
        11. Sync Center
        12. Windows Explorer
        13. Windows Mobility Center
        14. WordPad
          1. Using WordPad
        15. Ease of Access
          1. Ease of Access Center
          2. Magnifier
          3. Narrator
          4. On-Screen Keyboard
          5. Windows Speech Recognition
        16. System Tools
          1. Character Map
          2. Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)
          3. Private Character Editor
        17. Tablet PC
        18. Windows PowerShell
      15. Games
        1. Chess Titans
        2. FreeCell
        3. Games Explorer
        4. Hearts
        5. Internet Backgammon, Internet Checkers, Internet Spades
        6. Mahjong Titans
        7. Minesweeper
        8. Purble Place
        9. Solitaire
        10. Spider Solitaire
      16. Maintenance
      17. Startup
      18. Windows Live
        1. Windows Live Writer
        2. Windows Live Messenger
        3. Building the Buddy List
        4. Text Chats
          1. They invite you
          2. You invite them
          3. Text chatting
          4. In-Chat Fun
        5. Audio Chats
        6. Video Chats
        7. Cosmetic Tweaks
    3. 8. The Control Panel
      1. Many Roads to Control Panel
        1. The Control Panel Itself
          1. Category view
          2. Classic view
        2. Control Panel via Search
      2. The Control Panel, Applet by Applet
        1. Action Center
        2. Administrative Tools
        3. AutoPlay
        4. Backup and Restore Center
        5. BitLocker Drive Encryption
        6. Color Management
        7. Credential Manager
        8. Date and Time
        9. Default Programs
        10. Desktop Gadgets
        11. Device Manager
        12. Devices and Printers
        13. Display
        14. Ease of Access Center
        15. Folder Options
        16. Fonts
        17. Getting Started
        18. HomeGroup
        19. Indexing Options
        20. Internet Options
        21. iSCSI Initiator
        22. Keyboard
        23. Location and Other Sensors
        24. Mouse
          1. Buttons tab
          2. Pointers tab
          3. Pointers Options tab
          4. Wheel tab
          5. Hardware tab
        25. Network and Sharing Center
        26. Notification Area Icons
        27. Parental Controls
        28. Pen and Input Devices
        29. Performance Information and Tools
        30. Personalization
        31. Phone and Modem
        32. Power Options
          1. Creating your own plan
        33. Programs and Features
        34. Recovery
        35. Region and Language
          1. Formats tab
          2. Location tab
          3. Keyboards and Languages tab
          4. Administrative
        36. RemoteApp and Desktop Connections
        37. Sound
          1. Playback and Recording tabs
          2. Sounds tab
          3. Communications tab
        38. Speech Recognition
        39. Sync Center
        40. System
        41. Taskbar and Start Menu
        42. Troubleshooting
        43. User Accounts
        44. Windows CardSpace
        45. Windows Defender
        46. Windows Firewall
        47. Windows Mobility Center
        48. Windows Update
  7. Three. Windows 7 Online
    1. 9. Hooking Up to the Internet
      1. Your New Network Neighborhood
        1. Network Icon
        2. Network and Sharing Center
      2. Wired Connections
        1. Automatic Configuration
        2. Manual Configuration
      3. WiFi Hot Spots
        1. When You Can’t Get On
        2. Commercial Hot Spots
        3. Memorized Hot Spots
      4. Cellular Modems
      5. Dial-Up Connections
      6. Connection Management
    2. 10. Internet Security
      1. Microsoft Security Essentials
      2. Action Center
      3. Windows Firewall
        1. How It Works
        2. Firewall Settings
        3. Punching Through the Firewall
        4. Advanced Firewall
      4. Windows Defender
        1. Real-Time Protection
        2. Scanning
          1. Scan
          2. History
          3. Tools
      5. SmartScreen Filter
        1. Phine-Tuning the Philter
      6. Privacy and Cookies
        1. The Terminology of Cookies
        2. Cookie Options
      7. History: Erasing Your Tracks
      8. The Pop-Up Blocker
        1. Overriding the Pop-up Block
      9. InPrivate Browsing
      10. InPrivate Filtering
      11. Internet Security Zones
        1. Security Levels
        2. Classifying Sites by Hand
      12. Hot Spot Security
      13. Protect Your Home Wireless Network
      14. Parental Controls
        1. Time Limits, Game Limits, Software Restrictions
        2. Family Safety
        3. Customizing Family Safety
    3. 11. Internet Explorer 8
      1. IE8: The Grand Tour
        1. The Raw Basics
        2. Menus and Gizmos
        3. The Address Bar
        4. Topside Doodads
        5. Window Controls
      2. Tabbed Browsing
        1. Shortcut-O-Rama
        2. Quick Tabs (Thumbnails)
        3. Tab Settings
      3. Favorites (Bookmarks)
        1. The Favorites Toolbar
      4. History List
      5. RSS: The Missing Manual
        1. Viewing an RSS Feed
      6. Web Slices
      7. Tips for Better Surfing
        1. Full-Screen Browsing
        2. Picking a Home Page
        3. Bigger Text, Smaller Text
        4. Zooming In and Out
        5. Online Photos
        6. Saving Pages
        7. Sending Pages
        8. Accelerators
          1. How to use an accelerator
          2. Turning off accelerators
          3. Adding more accelerators
        9. Printing Pages
        10. Turn Off Animations
        11. Internet Options
      8. The Keyboard Shortcut Master List
    4. 12. Windows Live Mail
      1. Setting Up Windows Mail
      2. Sending Email
        1. Mail Folders in Windows Mail
        2. Composing and Sending Messages
        3. The Contacts List
        4. Attaching Files to Messages
      3. Reading Email
        1. When Pictures are Part of the Message
        2. How to Process a Message
          1. Deleting messages
        3. Replying to Messages
        4. Forwarding Messages
        5. Printing Messages
        6. Filing Messages
        7. Flagging Messages
        8. Opening Attachments
        9. Message Rules
          1. Setting up message rules
          2. Two sneaky message-rules tricks
      4. Junk Email
        1. Junk E-Mail Safety Options
        2. When the Junk Filter Goes Wrong
      5. The World of Mail Settings
        1. General Tab
        2. Read Tab
        3. Receipts Tab
        4. Send Tab
        5. Compose Tab
        6. Signatures Tab
        7. Spelling Tab
        8. Connection Tab
        9. Advanced Tab
      6. Calendar
        1. Working with Views
        2. Making an Appointment
          1. The easy way
          2. The long way
        3. What to Do with an Appointment
          1. Editing events
          2. Rescheduling events
          3. Lengthening or shortening events
          4. Printing events
          5. Deleting events
        4. The “Calendar” Category Concept
        5. Syncing Calendars with Windows Live
        6. Publishing Calendars
      7. RSS Feeds
      8. Newsgroups
        1. Subscribing to a Microsoft Newsgroup
        2. Other Newsgroups
        3. Reading Messages
        4. Replying, Composing, and Forwarding Messages
    5. 13. Windows Live Services
      1. Home
      2. Profile
      3. Spaces
      4. Mail
      5. Photos
      6. SkyDrive
        1. Put Files Onto the SkyDrive
        2. Retrieving the Files
        3. The 50-Megabyte Email Attachment
      7. Calendar
        1. Publishing a Calendar
          1. Subscribing
  8. Four. Pictures, Music, & TV
    1. 14. Windows Live Photo Gallery
      1. Photo Gallery: The Application
      2. Getting Pictures into Photo Gallery
        1. Photos from a Digital Camera
        2. Photos from a USB Card Reader
        3. The File Format Factor
          1. Common graphics formats
          2. Movies
          3. RAW format
      3. The Post-Dump Slideshow
        1. Slideshow Themes
          1. Slideshow Themes
      4. The Digital Shoebox
        1. The Bigger Picture
        2. The Navigation Tree
        3. Working with Your Photos
        4. Category Groupings
        5. Selecting Photos
        6. Deleting Photos
        7. Duplicating a Photo
        8. The Info Panel
          1. Titles
          2. Dates
          3. Captions
      5. Tags and Ratings
        1. Editing Tags
        2. Applying Tags and Ratings
        3. Using Tags and Ratings
        4. Searching for Photos by Text
      6. Editing Your Shots
        1. Ways to Zoom
        2. Ten Levels of Undo
        3. Auto Adjust
        4. Cropping
        5. Red Eye
        6. Rotate
        7. Exposure and Color Adjustments
          1. Exposure
          2. Color balance
        8. Reverting to the Original
      7. Finding Your Audience
        1. Make Prints
        2. Slideshows
        3. Email
        4. Burn to a Disc
        5. Make a Slideshow Movie
        6. Build a Photo Screen Saver
        7. Make a Blog Post
        8. Publish a Web Photo Gallery
    2. 15. Windows Media Player
      1. The Lay of the Land
      2. Importing Music Files
      3. Music Playback
        1. Fun with Media Player
          1. Fun with Media Player
        2. Playing Music CDs
        3. Ripping CDs to Your Hard Drive
      4. Playlists
        1. Deleting things
          1. Deleting things
      5. Burning Your Own CDs
        1. Copying Music or Video to a Portable Player
          1. Automatic sync
          2. Manual sync
      6. Sharing Music on the Network
        1. Browse One Another’s Collections—Homegroup Method
        2. Browse One Another’s Collections—Manual Method
        3. “Play to”
        4. Play over the Internet
      7. Online Music Stores
        1. Internet Radio
      8. DVD Movies
        1. Ditching the remote control
          1. Ditching the remote control
      9. Pictures and Videos
    3. 16. Windows Media Center
      1. Your Gear List
      2. Setup
        1. Express
        2. Custom
          1. Required Setup
          2. Optional Setup
      3. The Main Menu
      4. Extras
      5. Pictures+Videos
        1. Slideshows
          1. Adding music
          2. Slideshow settings
        2. Editing Pictures
        3. Burn a CD of Pictures or Videos
      6. Music: Your PC as Jukebox
        1. Playback Fun
        2. Ripping CDs
        3. Playlists
          1. Creating playlists
      7. Now Playing
      8. Movies
      9. TV: Your PC as TiVo
        1. internet tv
        2. guide
        3. recorded tv
          1. Save a show onto a DVD
        4. guide
        5. live tv
        6. search
        7. Tricks with Live TV
      10. Sports
      11. Tasks
      12. Settings
        1. General
        2. TV
        3. Pictures
        4. Music
        5. Start Menu and Extras
        6. DVD
        7. Extenders
        8. Media Libraries
  9. Five. Hardware & Peripherals
    1. 17. Print, Fax, & Scan
      1. Installing a Printer
        1. USB Printers
        2. Network Printers
        3. Parallel, Serial, and Infrared Printers
        4. The Devices and Printers Window
      2. Printing
        1. Printing from Programs
        2. Printing from the Desktop
      3. Controlling Printouts
      4. Fancy Printer Tricks
        1. Printing at 39,000 Feet
        2. Sharing a Printer
        3. Printing to a File
          1. Creating a printer file
          2. Printing a printer file
        4. Limiting Hours of Access
        5. Add a Separator Page
      5. Printer Troubleshooting
      6. Fonts
        1. Managing Your Fonts
      7. Faxing
        1. Sending a Fax from Any Program
        2. Faxing Using Windows Fax and Scan
        3. Receiving Faxes
      8. Scanning Documents
    2. 18. Hardware
      1. External Gadgets
        1. USB Jacks
        2. Other Jacks
        3. Connecting New Gadgets
      2. Device Stage
      3. Installing Cards in Expansion Slots
      4. Troubleshooting Newly Installed Gear
      5. Driver Signing
      6. The Device Manager
        1. The Curse of the Yellow ! Badge
          1. Duplicate devices
          2. Resolving resource conflicts
        2. Turning Components Off
        3. Updating Drivers
        4. Driver Rollback
    3. 19. Laptops, Tablets, & Touchscreens
      1. Laptops
        1. Battery Meter
        2. Mobility Center
      2. Tablet PCs and Touchscreen PCs
        1. Handwriting Recognition
          1. Teaching Windows how you write
          2. Handwriting anywhere
          3. Gestures
          4. Fixing mistakes
          5. The finer points of handwriting recognition
        2. Windows Journal
        3. Flicks
          1. Tablet and touch settings
      3. Windows Touch
        1. Touch Gestures
        2. Minor Tweaks
      4. Windows Mobile
      5. Offline Files & Sync Center
        1. Preparing to Leave the Network
        2. Working Offline
        3. Reconnecting to the Network
        4. The Sync Schedule
  10. Six. PC Health
    1. 20. Maintenance & Speed Tweaks
      1. The Action Center
      2. Disk Cleanup
      3. Disk Defragmenter
        1. Defragging Settings
      4. Hard Drive Checkups
      5. Disk Management
        1. Change a Drive Letter
        2. Partition a New Drive
          1. Creating a partition
        3. Turn a Drive into a Folder
      6. Task Scheduler
        1. Adding a Task
        2. Editing Scheduled Tasks
      7. Three Speed Tricks
        1. SuperFetch
        2. ReadyBoost
        3. Shutting Off Bells and Whistles
      8. Windows Update
        1. Fiddling with Windows Update
        2. Beyond the Basics
        3. Removing Updates
    2. 21. The Disk Chapter
      1. Dynamic Disks
        1. How Dynamic Disks Work
        2. Extending onto Another Disk
          1. Extending into a spanned volume
          2. Creating a striped volume
      2. Compressing Files and Folders
        1. NTFS Compression
          1. Compressing files, folders, or disks
        2. Zipped Folders
          1. Creating zipped folders
          2. Working with zipped folders
      3. Encrypting Files and Folders
        1. Using EFS
        2. EFS Rules
      4. BitLocker Drive Encryption
        1. Tweaking Windows 7 to Run BitLocker
        2. The Flash-Drive Workaround
        3. Turning on BitLocker
    3. 22. Backups, System Restore, & Troubleshooting
      1. Automatic Backups
        1. Backup Hardware
        2. Your First Backup
        3. Restoring Files from a Backup
      2. System Images
        1. Make the Image
        2. Restore the Image
      3. System Restore
        1. About Restore Points
        2. Performing a System Restore
        3. Turning System Restore Off
      4. Shadow Copies (Previous Versions)
        1. Making Shadow Copies
        2. Recovering Old Document Versions
      5. Safe Mode and the Startup Menu
      6. Troubleshooting Tools
        1. Automatic Error Reporting
        2. Automatic Solution Reporting
        3. The Diary of Windows Crashes
        4. Reliability Monitor
      7. Startup Repair (Windows Recovery Environment)
  11. Seven. Networking & Homegroups
    1. 23. Accounts & Logging On
      1. Introducing User Accounts
      2. Windows 7: The OS with Two Faces
      3. Local Accounts
        1. Administrator vs. Standard Accounts
        2. Adding an Account
        3. Editing an Account
        4. The Forgotten Password Disk
        5. Deleting User Accounts
        6. Disabling Accounts
        7. The Guest Account
      4. Authenticate Yourself: User Account Control
      5. Local Accounts on a Domain Computer
        1. Creating a Local Account for a Domain Member
      6. Local Users and Groups
        1. Opening the Console
        2. Creating a New Account
        3. Groups
          1. Creating a group
          2. Built-in groups
        4. Modifying Users and Groups
      7. Fast User Switching
      8. Logging On
        1. You Get the Accounts Screen
        2. You Zoom Straight to the Desktop
        3. You Get the “Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to Begin” Dialog Box
      9. Profiles
        1. The Public Profile
          1. Whose software is it, anyway?
        2. The Default User Profile
      10. NTFS Permissions: Protecting Your Stuff
        1. Setting Up NTFS Permissions
          1. Step 1: Specify the person
          2. Step 2: Specify the permissions
        2. Groups and Permissions
        3. When Permissions Collide
          1. NTFS permissions travel downstream, from outer folders to inner ones.
          2. NTFS permissions that have been explicitly applied to a file or folder always override inherited permissions.
          3. Permissions accumulate as you burrow downward through subfolders.
    2. 24. Setting Up a Workgroup
      1. Kinds of Networks
        1. Ethernet
          1. Network hookups
        2. Wireless Networks (WiFi or 802.11)
        3. Other Kinds of Networks
          1. Phone line networks
          2. Power outlet networks
      2. Sharing an Internet Connection
        1. Get a Broadband Router
        2. Use Internet Connection Sharing
      3. The Network and Sharing Center
        1. Links at the Left Side
          1. “Manage wireless networks”
          2. “Change adapter settings”
          3. “Change advanced sharing settings”
        2. Links in the Main Window
          1. “Set up a new connection or network”
          2. Connect to a network
          3. Choose homegroup and sharing options
          4. Troubleshoot problems
    3. 25. Network Domains
      1. The Domain
        1. What’s Wrong with Workgroups
        2. The Domain Concept
        3. Active Directory
        4. Domain Security
      2. Joining a Domain
      3. Four Ways Life Is Different on a Domain
        1. Logging On
        2. Browsing the Domain
        3. Searching the Domain
          1. Custom Searches
        4. Assigning Permissions to Domain Members
    4. 26. Sharing Files on the Network
      1. Three Ways to Share Files
      2. Homegroups
        1. How to Use Your Homegroup
        2. How to Share More Folders
        3. Leaving a Homegroup
        4. Editing the Shared Homegroup Libraries
      3. Sharing the Public Folders
      4. Sharing Any Folder
        1. Advanced Folder Sharing—and Disk Sharing
        2. Notes on File Sharing
        3. Hiding Folders
      5. Accessing Shared Folders
        1. Extra Credit: Universal Naming Convention (UNC)
      6. Mapping Shares to Drive Letters
    5. 27. Windows by Remote Control
      1. Remote Access Basics
      2. Dialing Direct
        1. Setting Up the Host PC
        2. Setting Up the Remote PC
        3. Making the Call
      3. Virtual Private Networking
        1. Setting Up the Host Machine
        2. Making the Connection
      4. Remote Desktop
        1. Setting Up the Host Machine
        2. Making the Connection
        3. Keyboard Shortcuts for the Hopelessly Confused
        4. Disconnecting
        5. Fine-tuning Remote Desktop Connections
  12. Eight. Appendixes
    1. A. Installing & Upgrading to Windows 7
      1. Before You Begin
        1. Hardware Requirements
        2. The Compatibility Issue
      2. Upgrade vs. Clean Install
        1. Buying Windows 7
        2. About the Clean Install
          1. Backing up
      3. Dual Booting
      4. Installing Windows 7
        1. Preparing for the Installation
        2. Performing an Upgrade Installation
        3. Performing a Clean Install (or Dual-Boot Install)
      5. Getting Started
      6. Activation
      7. Windows Easy Transfer
        1. Phase 1: Backing up the Files
        2. Phase 2: Restoring the Files
    2. B. Fun with the Registry
      1. Meet Regedit
        1. The Big Five Categories
        2. Keys and Values
        3. Backing Up Key Values
      2. Regedit Examples
        1. Encrypt/Decrypt from the Shortcut Menu
        2. A Really, Really Clean Desktop
        3. Slow Down the Animations
    3. C. Where’d It Go?
    4. D. The Master Keyboard Shortcut List
      1. Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
        1. Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
          1. Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
          2. General keyboard shortcuts
          3. Window and Program-Switching Keyboard Shortcuts
          4. -Key Shortcuts
          5. Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
          6. Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts
          7. Dialog Box keyboard shortcuts
          8. Magnifier keyboard shortcuts
          9. Remote Desktop Connection keyboard shortcuts
  13. Index
  14. About the Author
  15. Colophon
  16. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Windows 7: The Missing Manual
  • Author(s): David Pogue
  • Release date: March 2010
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9781449388874