Windows Vista: The Missing Manual

Windows Vista: The Missing Manual

by David Pogue
Released December 2006
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9780596554002

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Book description

Windows Vista is Microsoft's most important software release in more than a decade. It offers users an abundance of new and upgraded features that were more than five years in the making: a gorgeous, glass-like visual overhaul; superior searching and organization tools; a multimedia and collaboration suite; and above all, a massive, top-to-bottom security-shield overhaul. There's scarcely a single feature of the older versions of Windows that hasn't been tweaked, overhauled, or replaced entirely.

But when users first encounter this beautiful new operating system, there's gonna be a whole lotta head-scratchin', starting with trying to figure out which of the five versions of Vista is installed on the PC (Home, Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate).

Thankfully, Windows Vista: The Missing Manual offers coverage of all five versions. Like its predecessors, this book from New York Times columnist, bestselling author, and Missing Manuals creator David Pogue illuminates its subject with technical insight, plenty of wit, and hardnosed objectivity for beginners, veteran standalone PC users, and those who know their way around a network. Readers will learn how to:



  • Navigate Vista's elegant new desktop
  • Locate anything on your hard drive quickly with the fast, powerful, and fully integrated search function
  • Use the Media Center to record TV and radio, present photos, play music, and record any of the above to DVD
  • Chat, videoconference, and surf the Web with the vastly improved Internet Explorer 7 tabbed browser
  • Build a network for file sharing, set up workgroups, and connect from the road
  • Protect your PC and network with Vista's beefed up security
  • And much more.

This jargon-free guide explains Vista's features clearly and thoroughly, revealing which work well and which don't. It's the book that should have been in the box!

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Table of contents

  1. Windows Vista: The Missing Manual
  2. SPECIAL OFFER: Upgrade this ebook with O’Reilly
  3. A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
  4. The Missing Credits
    1. About the Author
    2. About the Creative Team
    3. Acknowledgments
    4. The Missing Manual Series
  5. Introduction
    1. What's New in Windows Vista
      1. Security
      2. A Cosmetic Overhaul
      3. Merged OSes
      4. New Programs and Features
      5. New Explorer Window Features
      6. Version Hell
    2. About This Book
      1. System Requirements for Your Brain
      2. About the Outline
      3. About→These→Arrows
      4. About MissingManuals.com
    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. About Shift-Clicking
      7. You Could Spend a Lifetime Changing Properties
      8. Every Piece of Hardware Requires Software
      9. It's Not Meant to Be Overwhelming
  6. 1. The Vista Desktop
    1. 1. Welcome Center, Desktop, and the Start Menu
      1. 1.1. The Welcome Center
      2. 1.2. The Vista Desktop—Now with Aero!
      3. 1.3. The Start Menu
        1. 1.3.1. Anatomy of the Start Menu
        2. 1.3.2. Keyboard Navigation
          1. 1.3.2.1. Use the arrow keys
          2. 1.3.2.2. Use the Search box
      4. 1.4. What's in the Start Menu
        1. 1.4.1. All Programs
        2. 1.4.2. Folders
          1. 1.4.2.1. Software-company folders
          2. 1.4.2.2. Program-group folders
          3. 1.4.2.3. The Startup folder
      5. 1.5. Start - (Sleep)
      6. 1.6. Start - (Lock)
      7. 1.7. Start - Log Off, Restart, Hibernate, Shut Down
      8. 1.8. Start - Help and Support
      9. 1.9. Start - Default Programs
      10. 1.10. Start - Control Panel
      11. 1.11. Start - Connect To
      12. 1.12. Start - Network
      13. 1.13. Start - Computer
      14. 1.14. Start - Recent Items
      15. 1.15. Start - Search
      16. 1.16. Start - Games
      17. 1.17. Start - Music, Pictures
      18. 1.18. Start - Documents
      19. 1.19. Start - [Your Name]: The Personal Folder
      20. 1.20. Start - Run
        1. 1.20.1. Open a Program
        2. 1.20.2. Open Any Program or Document
        3. 1.20.3. Open a Drive Window
        4. 1.20.4. Open a Folder Window
        5. 1.20.5. Connect to a Web Page
      21. 1.21. Customizing the Start Menu
        1. 1.21.1. Start Menu Settings
          1. 1.21.1.1. In the scrolling list
          2. 1.21.1.2. Below the scrolling list
        2. 1.21.2. Adding Icons to the Start Menu
          1. 1.21.2.1. The "free" sections of the Start menu
          2. 1.21.2.2. Method 1: Drag an icon directly
          3. 1.21.2.3. Method 2: Use the Add Listing wizard
          4. 1.21.2.4. Method 3: Use the Start Menu folders
        3. 1.21.3. Removing Icons from the Start Menu
        4. 1.21.4. Renaming Start-Menu Items
        5. 1.21.5. Reorganizing the Start Menu
          1. 1.21.5.1. Add folders to hold submenus
    2. 2. Explorer, Windows, and the Taskbar
      1. 2.1. Universal Window Controls
      2. 2.2. Explorer Window Controls
        1. 2.2.1. Address Bar
          1. 2.2.1.1. Components of the Address bar
          2. 2.2.1.2. What to type into the Address bar
        2. 2.2.2. The Task Toolbar
        3. 2.2.3. Column Headings
      3. 2.3. Optional Window Panes
        1. 2.3.1. Search Pane
        2. 2.3.2. Details Pane
        3. 2.3.3. Preview Pane
        4. 2.3.4. Navigation Pane
          1. 2.3.4.1. Favorite Links list
          2. 2.3.4.2. Folders list
      4. 2.4. Tags, Metadata, and Properties
        1. 2.4.1. Properties
      5. 2.5. Icon and List Views
      6. 2.6. Sorting, Grouping, Stacking, and Filtering
        1. 2.6.1. Sorting Files
        2. 2.6.2. Grouping
        3. 2.6.3. Stacking
        4. 2.6.4. Filtering
      7. 2.7. Uni-Window vs. Multi-Window
      8. 2.8. Immortalizing Your Tweaks
      9. 2.9. The "Folder Options" Options
      10. 2.10. Sizing, Moving, and Closing Windows
        1. 2.10.1. Moving a Window
        2. 2.10.2. Closing a Window
        3. 2.10.3. Layering Windows
      11. 2.11. Windows Flip (Alt+Tab)
      12. 2.12. Windows Flip 3D
        1. 2.12.1. Flip 3D Without Holding Down Keys
      13. 2.13. The Taskbar
        1. 2.13.1. The Notification Area (System Tray)
        2. 2.13.2. Taskbar Buttons—Now with Thumbnails!
        3. 2.13.3. Button Groups
        4. 2.13.4. The Quick Launch Toolbar
        5. 2.13.5. Customizing the Taskbar
          1. 2.13.5.1. Moving the taskbar
          2. 2.13.5.2. Resizing the taskbar
          3. 2.13.5.3. Hiding the taskbar
      14. 2.14. Taskbar Toolbars
        1. 2.14.1. Address Toolbar
        2. 2.14.2. Windows Media Player Toolbar
        3. 2.14.3. Links Toolbar
        4. 2.14.4. Tablet PC Input Panel
        5. 2.14.5. Desktop Toolbar
        6. 2.14.6. Quick Launch Toolbar
        7. 2.14.7. Language Toolbar
        8. 2.14.8. Redesigning Your Toolbars
        9. 2.14.9. Build Your Own Toolbars
    3. 3. Searching and Organizing Your Files
      1. 3.1. Meet Vista Search
      2. 3.2. Search from the Start Menu
        1. 3.2.1. Limit by Size, Date, Rating, Tag, Author...
        2. 3.2.2. Special Search Codes
        3. 3.2.3. Results Menu Tips
        4. 3.2.4. What Vista Knows
        5. 3.2.5. Where Vista Looks
        6. 3.2.6. The Results Window
        7. 3.2.7. Customizing Search
          1. 3.2.7.1. Folder Options
          2. 3.2.7.2. Indexing Options
          3. 3.2.7.3. Advanced Indexing Options
      3. 3.3. Explorer-Window Searches
        1. 3.3.1. The Search Pane
        2. 3.3.2. The Search Window
      4. 3.4. Saved Searches (Search Folders)
      5. 3.5. The Folders of Windows Vista
        1. 3.5.1. What's in the Local Disk (C:) Window
          1. 3.5.1.1. Users
          2. 3.5.1.2. Program Files
          3. 3.5.1.3. Windows
        2. 3.5.2. Your Personal Folder
      6. 3.6. Life with Icons
        1. 3.6.1. Renaming Your Icons
        2. 3.6.2. Icon Properties
          1. 3.6.2.1. Computer
          2. 3.6.2.2. Disks
          3. 3.6.2.3. Data files
          4. 3.6.2.4. Folders
          5. 3.6.2.5. Program files
        3. 3.6.3. Changing Your Icons' Icons
          1. 3.6.3.1. Standard Windows icons
          2. 3.6.3.2. Folder or shortcut icons
      7. 3.7. Selecting Icons
        1. 3.7.1. Use the Mouse
        2. 3.7.2. Use the Keyboard
        3. 3.7.3. Checkbox Selection
        4. 3.7.4. Eliminating Double-Clicks
      8. 3.8. Copying and Moving Folders and Files
        1. 3.8.1. Copying by Dragging Icons
          1. 3.8.1.1. The right mouse button trick
          2. 3.8.1.2. Dragging icons into the Navigation pane
        2. 3.8.2. Copying with Copy and Paste
      9. 3.9. The Recycle Bin
        1. 3.9.1. Restoring Deleted Files and Folders
        2. 3.9.2. Emptying the Recycle Bin
        3. 3.9.3. Customizing the Recycle Bin
          1. 3.9.3.1. Skip the Recycle Bin
          2. 3.9.3.2. Auto-emptying the Recycle Bin
      10. 3.10. Shortcut Icons
        1. 3.10.1. Creating and Deleting Shortcuts
        2. 3.10.2. Unveiling a Shortcut's True Identity
        3. 3.10.3. Shortcut Keyboard Triggers
      11. 3.11. Compressing Files and Folders
        1. 3.11.1. NTFS Compression
          1. 3.11.1.1. Compressing files, folders, or disks
        2. 3.11.2. Zipped Folders
          1. 3.11.2.1. Creating zipped folders
          2. 3.11.2.2. Working with zipped folders
      12. 3.12. Burning CDs and DVDs from the Desktop
        1. 3.12.1. A Tale of Two Formats
        2. 3.12.2. Burning, Step by Step
          1. 3.12.2.1. The final steps: Mastered (ISO) format
          2. 3.12.2.2. The final steps: Live File System (UDF) format
        3. 3.12.3. Final Notes
    4. 4. Interior Decorating Vista
      1. 4.1. Aero or Not
      2. 4.2. Dialing Up Your Own Look
        1. 4.2.1. You, the Interior Designer
      3. 4.3. Desktop Background (Wallpaper)
        1. 4.3.1. Use a Microsoft Photo
        2. 4.3.2. Use Your Photo
      4. 4.4. Screen Savers
        1. 4.4.1. Choosing a Screen Saver
      5. 4.5. Sounds
      6. 4.6. Mouse Makeover
        1. 4.6.1.
          1. 4.6.1.1. Pointer Options
      7. 4.7. Change Your Theme
      8. 4.8. Monitor Settings
        1. 4.8.1. Resolution
        2. 4.8.2. Colors
        3. 4.8.3. Multiple Monitors
        4. 4.8.4. Advanced settings
    5. 5. Getting Help
      1. 5.1. Navigating the Help System
        1. 5.1.1. Help Home Page
        2. 5.1.2. Search the Help Pages
        3. 5.1.3. Drilling Down
      2. 5.2. Remote Assistance
        1. 5.2.1. Remote Assistance: Rest Assured
        2. 5.2.2. Remote Assistance, Step by Step
          1. 5.2.2.1. Instructions for the novice
          2. 5.2.2.2. Instructions for the expert
      3. 5.3. Getting Help from Microsoft
  7. 2. Vista Software
    1. 6. Programs, Documents, and Gadgets
      1. 6.1. Opening Programs
      2. 6.2. Exiting Programs
      3. 6.3. When Programs Die: The Task Manager
      4. 6.4. Saving Documents
        1. 6.4.1. The Save Dialog Box
        2. 6.4.2. Saving into Your Documents Folder
        3. 6.4.3. Saving into Other Folders
        4. 6.4.4. Navigating the List by Keyboard
        5. 6.4.5. The File Format Drop-Down Menu
      5. 6.5. Closing Documents
      6. 6.6. The Open Dialog Box
      7. 6.7. Moving Data Between Documents
        1. 6.7.1. Cut, Copy, and Paste
        2. 6.7.2. Drag-and-Drop
        3. 6.7.3. Export/Import
      8. 6.8. Speech Recognition
        1. 6.8.1. Take the Tutorial
        2. 6.8.2. Controlling Windows Speech Recognition
        3. 6.8.3. Controlling Windows and Its Programs
          1. 6.8.3.1. Show numbers
        4. 6.8.4. Controlling Dictation
          1. 6.8.4.1. Correcting errors
          2. 6.8.4.2. More commands
          3. 6.8.4.3. Speech Recognition tips
      9. 6.9. The Sidebar
        1. 6.9.1. Losing the Sidebar
        2. 6.9.2. Sidebar Tips
        3. 6.9.3. Gadget Catalog
          1. 6.9.3.1. Calendar
          2. 6.9.3.2. Clock
          3. 6.9.3.3. Contacts
          4. 6.9.3.4. CPU Meter
          5. 6.9.3.5. Currency
          6. 6.9.3.6. Feed Headlines
          7. 6.9.3.7. Notes
          8. 6.9.3.8. Stocks
          9. 6.9.3.9. Picture Puzzle
          10. 6.9.3.10. Weather
          11. 6.9.3.11. Slide Show
        4. 6.9.4. More Gadgets
          1. 6.9.4.1. Installing a gadget
          2. 6.9.4.2. Uninstalling a gadget
      10. 6.10. Filename Extensions and File Associations
        1. 6.10.1. Displaying Filename Extensions
        2. 6.10.2. Hooking Up an Unknown File Type
        3. 6.10.3. Hooking up a File Extension to a Different Program
          1. 6.10.3.1. Method 1: Start with the document
          2. 6.10.3.2. Method 2: Start with the program
          3. 6.10.3.3. Method 3: Start with the file type
      11. 6.11. Installing Software
        1. 6.11.1. The Preinstallation Checklist
        2. 6.11.2. Installing Software from a Disc
        3. 6.11.3. Installing Downloaded Software
        4. 6.11.4. Installing Windows Components
      12. 6.12. Uninstalling Software
        1. 6.12.1. When Uninstalling Goes Wrong
      13. 6.13. Running Pre-Vista Programs
        1. 6.13.1. 16-Bit Programs
        2. 6.13.2. DOS Programs
        3. 6.13.3. Programs Written for Windows 95, 2000, XP, and So On
    2. 7. The Freebie Software
      1. 7.1. Default Programs
      2. 7.2. Internet Explorer
      3. 7.3. Windows Calendar
        1. 7.3.1. Working with Views
        2. 7.3.2. Making an Appointment
          1. 7.3.2.1. The easy way
          2. 7.3.2.2. The long way
        3. 7.3.3. What to Do with an Appointment
          1. 7.3.3.1. Editing events
          2. 7.3.3.2. Rescheduling events
          3. 7.3.3.3. Lengthening or shortening events
          4. 7.3.3.4. Printing events
          5. 7.3.3.5. Deleting events
        4. 7.3.4. Searching for Events
        5. 7.3.5. The "Calendar" Category Concept
        6. 7.3.6. "Publishing" Calendars to the Web
          1. 7.3.6.1. Publishing
          2. 7.3.6.2. Subscribing
        7. 7.3.7. To Do Lists
      4. 7.4. Windows Contacts
      5. 7.5. Windows Defender
      6. 7.6. Windows DVD Maker
      7. 7.7. Windows Fax and Scan
      8. 7.8. Windows Live Messenger Download
      9. 7.9. Windows Mail
      10. 7.10. Windows Media Center
      11. 7.11. Windows Media Player
      12. 7.12. Windows Meeting Space
      13. 7.13. Windows Movie Maker
      14. 7.14. Windows Photo Gallery
      15. 7.15. Windows Update
      16. 7.16. Accessories
        1. 7.16.1. Calculator
        2. 7.16.2. Command Prompt
        3. 7.16.3. Connect to a Network Projector
        4. 7.16.4. Notepad
          1. 7.16.4.1. Notepad basics
          2. 7.16.4.2. About Word Wrap
        5. 7.16.5. Paint
        6. 7.16.6. Remote Desktop Connection
        7. 7.16.7. Run
        8. 7.16.8. Snipping Tool
        9. 7.16.9. Sound Recorder
          1. 7.16.9.1. Recording a new sound
          2. 7.16.9.2. What to do with sounds
        10. 7.16.10. Sync Center
        11. 7.16.11. Windows Explorer
        12. 7.16.12. Windows Mobility Center
        13. 7.16.13. Windows Sidebar
        14. 7.16.14. WordPad
          1. 7.16.14.1. Using WordPad
        15. 7.16.15. Ease of Access
          1. 7.16.15.1. Ease of Access Center
          2. 7.16.15.2. Magnifier
          3. 7.16.15.3. Narrator
          4. 7.16.15.4. On-Screen Keyboard
          5. 7.16.15.5. Windows Speech Recognition
        16. 7.16.16. System Tools
          1. 7.16.16.1. Character Map
          2. 7.16.16.2. Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)
        17. 7.16.17. Tablet PC
      17. 7.17. Extras and Upgrades
      18. 7.18. Games
        1. 7.18.1. Chess Titans
        2. 7.18.2. Freecell
        3. 7.18.3. Games Explorer
        4. 7.18.4. Hearts
        5. 7.18.5. InkBall
        6. 7.18.6. Mahjong Titans
        7. 7.18.7. Minesweeper
        8. 7.18.8. Purble Place
        9. 7.18.9. Solitaire
        10. 7.18.10. Spider Solitaire
      19. 7.19. Maintenance
      20. 7.20. Startup
    3. 8. The Control Panel
      1. 8.1. Home View: The Big Vista Change
      2. 8.2. Classic View
      3. 8.3. The Control Panel, Applet by Applet
        1. 8.3.1. Add Hardware
        2. 8.3.2. Administrative Tools
        3. 8.3.3. AutoPlay
        4. 8.3.4. Backup and Restore Center
        5. 8.3.5. BitLocker Drive Encryption
        6. 8.3.6. Color Management
        7. 8.3.7. Date and Time
        8. 8.3.8. Default Programs
        9. 8.3.9. Device Manager
        10. 8.3.10. Display
        11. 8.3.11. Ease of Access Center
        12. 8.3.12. Folder Options
        13. 8.3.13. Fonts
        14. 8.3.14. Game Controllers
        15. 8.3.15. Indexing Options
        16. 8.3.16. Internet Options
        17. 8.3.17. iSCSI Initiator
        18. 8.3.18. Java
        19. 8.3.19. Keyboard
        20. 8.3.20. Mouse
          1. 8.3.20.1. Buttons tab
          2. 8.3.20.2. Pointers tab
          3. 8.3.20.3. Pointers Options tab
          4. 8.3.20.4. Wheel tab
          5. 8.3.20.5. Hardware tab
        21. 8.3.21. Network and Sharing Center
        22. 8.3.22. Offline Files
        23. 8.3.23. Parental Controls
        24. 8.3.24. Pen and Input Devices
        25. 8.3.25. People Near Me
        26. 8.3.26. Performance Information and Tools
        27. 8.3.27. Personalization
        28. 8.3.28. Phone and Modem Options
        29. 8.3.29. Power Options
          1. 8.3.29.1. Creating your own plan
        30. 8.3.30. Printers
        31. 8.3.31. Problem Reports and Solutions
        32. 8.3.32. Programs and Features
        33. 8.3.33. Regional and Language Options
          1. 8.3.33.1. Formats tab
          2. 8.3.33.2. Location tab
          3. 8.3.33.3. Keyboards and Languages tab
          4. 8.3.33.4. Administrative
        34. 8.3.34. Scanners and Cameras
        35. 8.3.35. Security Center
        36. 8.3.36. Sound
          1. 8.3.36.1. Playback and Recording tabs
          2. 8.3.36.2. Sounds tab
        37. 8.3.37. Speech Recognition Options
        38. 8.3.38. Sync Center
        39. 8.3.39. System
        40. 8.3.40. Tablet PC Settings
        41. 8.3.41. Taskbar and Start Menu
        42. 8.3.42. Text to Speech
        43. 8.3.43. User Accounts
        44. 8.3.44. Welcome Center
        45. 8.3.45. Windows CardSpace
        46. 8.3.46. Windows Defender
        47. 8.3.47. Windows Firewall
        48. 8.3.48. Windows Mobility Center
        49. 8.3.49. Windows Sidebar Properties
        50. 8.3.50. Windows SideShow
        51. 8.3.51. Windows Update
  8. 3. Vista Online
    1. 9. Hooking Up to the Internet
      1. 9.1. Broadband Connections (Cable Modems and DSL)
      2. 9.2. Wireless Networks
      3. 9.3. Dial-Up Connections
      4. 9.4. Connection Management
        1. 9.4.1. The Notification Area Icon
      5. 9.5. Details on Dial-Up
        1. 9.5.1. Manual Connections
        2. 9.5.2. Automatic Dialing
        3. 9.5.3. Disconnecting
        4. 9.5.4. Advanced Modem Settings
        5. 9.5.5. Modems Tab
    2. 10. Internet Security
      1. 10.1. Security Center
        1. 10.1.1. Security Center and Antivirus
      2. 10.2. Windows Firewall
        1. 10.2.1. How It Works
        2. 10.2.2. Punching Through the Firewall
        3. 10.2.3. Fine-Tuning the Firewall
      3. 10.3. Windows Defender
        1. 10.3.1. Scan
        2. 10.3.2. History
        3. 10.3.3. Tools
      4. 10.4. The Phishing Filter
        1. 10.4.1. Phine-Tuning the Phish Philter
      5. 10.5. Privacy and Cookies
        1. 10.5.1. The Terminology of Cookies
        2. 10.5.2. Cookie Options
      6. 10.6. History: Erasing Your Tracks
      7. 10.7. The Pop-up Blocker
        1. 10.7.1. Overriding the Pop-up Block
      8. 10.8. Internet Security Zones
        1. 10.8.1. Security Levels
        2. 10.8.2. Classifying Sites by Hand
      9. 10.9. Hot Spot Security
      10. 10.10. Protect Your Home Wireless Network
      11. 10.11. Parental Controls
    3. 11. Internet Explorer 7
      1. 11.1. IE7: The Grand Tour
        1. 11.1.1. Menus and Gizmos
        2. 11.1.2. The Address Bar
        3. 11.1.3. Topside Doodads
        4. 11.1.4. Window Controls
      2. 11.2. Tabbed Browsing
        1. 11.2.1. Shortcut-O-Rama
        2. 11.2.2. Quick Tabs (Thumbnails)
        3. 11.2.3. Tab Settings
      3. 11.3. Favorites (Bookmarks)
        1. 11.3.1. The Links Toolbar
      4. 11.4. History List
      5. 11.5. RSS: The Missing Manual
        1. 11.5.1. Viewing an RSS Feed
      6. 11.6. Tips for Better Surfing
        1. 11.6.1. Full-Screen Browsing
        2. 11.6.2. Picking a Home Page
        3. 11.6.3. Bigger Text, Smaller Text
        4. 11.6.4. Zooming In and Out
        5. 11.6.5. Online Photos
        6. 11.6.6. Saving Pages
        7. 11.6.7. Sending Pages
        8. 11.6.8. Printing Pages
        9. 11.6.9. Turn Off Animations
        10. 11.6.10. Internet Options
      7. 11.7. The Keyboard Shortcut Master List
    4. 12. Windows Mail
      1. 12.1. Setting Up Windows Mail
      2. 12.2. Sending Email
        1. 12.2.1.
          1. 12.2.1.1. Mail folders in Windows Mail
          2. 12.2.1.2. Composing and sending messages
          3. 12.2.1.3. The Contacts list
          4. 12.2.1.4. Attaching files to messages
      3. 12.3. Reading Email
        1. 12.3.1. When Pictures are Part of the Message
        2. 12.3.2. How to Process a Message
          1. 12.3.2.1. Deleting messages
        3. 12.3.3. Replying to Messages
        4. 12.3.4. Forwarding Messages
        5. 12.3.5. Printing Messages
        6. 12.3.6. Filing Messages
        7. 12.3.7. Flagging Messages
        8. 12.3.8. Opening Attachments
        9. 12.3.9. Message Rules
          1. 12.3.9.1. Setting up message rules
          2. 12.3.9.2. Two sneaky message-rule tricks
      4. 12.4. Junk Email
        1. 12.4.1. Junk E-Mail Options
        2. 12.4.2. When the Junk Filter Goes Wrong
      5. 12.5. Configuring Windows Mail
        1. 12.5.1. General Tab
        2. 12.5.2. Read Tab
        3. 12.5.3. Receipts tab
        4. 12.5.4. Send Tab
        5. 12.5.5. Compose Tab
        6. 12.5.6. Signatures Tab
        7. 12.5.7. Spelling Tab
        8. 12.5.8. Security Tab
        9. 12.5.9. Connection Tab
        10. 12.5.10. Advanced Tab
      6. 12.6. Newsgroups
        1. 12.6.1. Subscribing to a Microsoft Newsgroup
        2. 12.6.2. Reading Messages
        3. 12.6.3. Replying, Composing, and Forwarding Messages
        4. 12.6.4. Subscribing to Other Newsgroups
        5. 12.6.5. Download the List of Newsgroups
  9. 4. Pictures, Movies, and Media Center
    1. 13. Windows Photo Gallery
      1. 13.1. Photo Gallery: The Application
      2. 13.2. Getting Pictures into Photo Gallery
        1. 13.2.1. Photos from Your PC
        2. 13.2.2. Photos from a Digital Camera
        3. 13.2.3. Photos from a USB Card Reader
        4. 13.2.4. The File Format Factor
          1. 13.2.4.1. Common graphics formats
          2. 13.2.4.2. Movies
          3. 13.2.4.3. RAW format
      3. 13.3. The Post-Dump Slideshow
        1. 13.3.1.
          1. 13.3.1.1. Slideshow Themes
      4. 13.4. The Digital Shoebox
        1. 13.4.1. The Bigger Picture
        2. 13.4.2. The Navigation Tree
        3. 13.4.3. Working with Your Photos
        4. 13.4.4. Category Groupings
        5. 13.4.5. Selecting Photos
        6. 13.4.6. Deleting Photos
        7. 13.4.7. Duplicating a Photo
        8. 13.4.8. The Info Panel
          1. 13.4.8.1. Titles
          2. 13.4.8.2. Dates
          3. 13.4.8.3. Captions
        9. 13.4.9. The Table of Contents (Quantity Graph)
      5. 13.5. Tags and Ratings
        1. 13.5.1. Editing Tags
        2. 13.5.2. Applying Tags and Ratings
        3. 13.5.3. Using Tags and Ratings
        4. 13.5.4. Searching for Photos by Text
      6. 13.6. Editing Your Shots
        1. 13.6.1. Ways to Zoom
        2. 13.6.2. Ten Levels of Undo
        3. 13.6.3. Auto Adjust
        4. 13.6.4. Cropping
        5. 13.6.5. Red-Eye
        6. 13.6.6. Rotate
        7. 13.6.7. Exposure and Color Adjustments
          1. 13.6.7.1. Exposure (Brightness and Contrast)
          2. 13.6.7.2. Color Balance
        8. 13.6.8. Reverting to the Original
      7. 13.7. Finding Your Audience
        1. 13.7.1. Make Prints
        2. 13.7.2. Slideshows
        3. 13.7.3. Email
        4. 13.7.4. Burn to a Disc
        5. 13.7.5. Make a Slideshow Movie
        6. 13.7.6. Build a Photo Screen Saver
    2. 14. Windows Media Player
      1. 14.1. The Lay of the Land
        1. 14.1.1. Playing Music CDs
          1. 14.1.1.1. Fun with Media Player
        2. 14.1.2. Ripping CDs to Your Hard Drive
        3. 14.1.3. Organizing Your Music Library
          1. 14.1.3.1. Playlists
          2. 14.1.3.2. Deleting things
        4. 14.1.4. Burning Your Own CDs: All Versions
        5. 14.1.5. Copying Music or Video to a Portable Player
          1. 14.1.5.1. Automatic sync
          2. 14.1.5.2. Manual sync
      2. 14.2. Online Music Stores
        1. 14.2.1.
          1. 14.2.1.1. Restrictions
        2. 14.2.2. Internet Radio
      3. 14.3. DVD Movies
        1. 14.3.1.
          1. 14.3.1.1. Ditching the remote control
      4. 14.4. Pictures and Videos
    3. 15. Movie Maker and DVD Maker
      1. 15.1. Importing Video, Music, and Photos
        1. 15.1.1. Capturing Footage from a Camcorder
        2. 15.1.2. Importing Pictures, Movies, and Sounds from the Hard Drive
      2. 15.2. Editing Video
        1. 15.2.1. Phase 1: Organize Your Clips
        2. 15.2.2. Phase 2: Drag Them into the Storyboard
        3. 15.2.3. Phase 3: Chop Up the Clips
        4. 15.2.4. Phase 4: Add Video Transitions
        5. 15.2.5. Phase 5: Add Video Effects
        6. 15.2.6. Phase 6: Add Titles and Credits
        7. 15.2.7. Phase 7: Add Background Music
        8. 15.2.8. Phase 8: Save the Movie
      3. 15.3. DVD Maker
        1. 15.3.1. Phase 1: Import Videos and Pictures
        2. 15.3.2. Phase 2: Choose What You See First
        3. 15.3.3. Phase 3: Design the Main Menu
        4. 15.3.4. Phase 4: Burn the DVD
    4. 16. Media Center
      1. 16.1. Your Gear List
      2. 16.2. Setup
        1. 16.2.1. Required Setup
        2. 16.2.2. Optional TV Setup
          1. 16.2.2.1. Confirm your region
          2. 16.2.2.2. TV setup options
          3. 16.2.2.3. TV signal configuration result
        3. 16.2.3. Optional Display Setup
          1. 16.2.3.1. Optimize how Windows Media Center looks on your display
        4. 16.2.4. Optional Speaker Setup
        5. 16.2.5. Optional Libraries Setup
      3. 16.3. TV: Your PC as TiVo
        1. 16.3.1. Explore TV Features
        2. 16.3.2. The Media Center Menu System
        3. 16.3.3. Tricks with Live TV
        4. 16.3.4. Record a Show or a Season of Shows
        5. 16.3.5. Watching Recorded TV
        6. 16.3.6. Save a Show onto a DVD
        7. 16.3.7. Renting and Buying Online Movies
      4. 16.4. Music: Your PC as Jukebox
        1. 16.4.1. Your Music Library
        2. 16.4.2. Ripping CDs
        3. 16.4.3. Playing Music
        4. 16.4.4. Buy or "Rent" Music Online
        5. 16.4.5. Search the Library
        6. 16.4.6. Playlists
          1. 16.4.6.1. Creating Playlists
        7. 16.4.7. The Music Queue
          1. 16.4.7.1. Creating a Queue
          2. 16.4.7.2. Managing the queue
      5. 16.5. Photos and Video
        1. 16.5.1. Slideshows
          1. 16.5.1.1. Adding music
          2. 16.5.1.2. Slideshow settings
        2. 16.5.2. Editing Pictures
        3. 16.5.3. Burn a CD of Pictures or Videos
      6. 16.6. Advanced Settings
        1. 16.6.1. General
        2. 16.6.2. TV
        3. 16.6.3. Pictures
        4. 16.6.4. Music
        5. 16.6.5. DVD
        6. 16.6.6. Library Setup
  10. 5. Hardware and Peripherals
    1. 17. Fax, Print, and Scan
      1. 17.1. Installing a Printer
        1. 17.1.1. USB Printers
        2. 17.1.2. Network Printers
        3. 17.1.3. Parallel, Serial, and Infrared Printers
        4. 17.1.4. The Printer Icon
      2. 17.2. Printing
        1. 17.2.1. Printing from Programs
        2. 17.2.2. Printing from the Desktop
      3. 17.3. Controlling Printouts
      4. 17.4. Fancy Printer Tricks
        1. 17.4.1. Printing at 39,000 Feet
        2. 17.4.2. Sharing a Printer
        3. 17.4.3. Printing to a File
          1. 17.4.3.1. Creating a printer file
          2. 17.4.3.2. Printing a printer file
        4. 17.4.4. Limiting Hours of Access
        5. 17.4.5. Add a Separator Page
      5. 17.5. Printer Troubleshooting
      6. 17.6. Fonts
        1. 17.6.1. Managing Your Fonts
      7. 17.7. Faxing
        1. 17.7.1. Sending a Fax from Any Program
        2. 17.7.2. Faxing Using Windows Fax and Scan
        3. 17.7.3. Receiving Faxes
      8. 17.8. Scanning Documents
    2. 18. Hardware
      1. 18.1. External Gadgets
        1. 18.1.1. USB Jacks
        2. 18.1.2. Other Jacks
        3. 18.1.3. Connecting New Gadgets
      2. 18.2. Installing Cards in Expansion Slots
      3. 18.3. Troubleshooting Newly Installed Gear
      4. 18.4. Driver Signing
      5. 18.5. The Device Manager
        1. 18.5.1. Red Xs and Yellow !s: Resolving Conflicts
          1. 18.5.1.1. Duplicate devices
          2. 18.5.1.2. Resolving resource conflicts
        2. 18.5.2. Turning Components Off
        3. 18.5.3. Updating Drivers
        4. 18.5.4. Driver Rollback
    3. 19. Laptops, Tablets, and Palmtops
      1. 19.1. Laptops
        1. 19.1.1. Battery Meter
        2. 19.1.2. Mobility Center
      2. 19.2. Tablet PCs
        1. 19.2.1. The Mobile PC Control Panel
        2. 19.2.2. Handwriting Recognition
          1. 19.2.2.1. Teaching Vista how you write
          2. 19.2.2.2. Handwriting anywhere
          3. 19.2.2.3. Gestures
          4. 19.2.2.4. Fixing mistakes
          5. 19.2.2.5. The finer points of handwriting recognition
        3. 19.2.3. Windows Journal
        4. 19.2.4. Flicks
          1. 19.2.4.1. Tablet settings
      3. 19.3. Windows Mobile Devices
      4. 19.4. The Sync Center
        1. 19.4.1. Sync Partnerships
      5. 19.5. Offline Files
        1. 19.5.1. Preparing to Leave the Network
        2. 19.5.2. Working Offline
        3. 19.5.3. Reconnecting to the Network
  11. 6. PC Health
    1. 20. Maintenance and Speed Tweaks
      1. 20.1. Disk Cleanup
      2. 20.2. Disk Defragmenter
        1. 20.2.1. Defragging Settings
      3. 20.3. Hard Drive Checkups
      4. 20.4. Disk Management
        1. 20.4.1. Change a Drive Letter
        2. 20.4.2. Partition a New Drive
          1. 20.4.2.1. Creating a partition
        3. 20.4.3. Turn a Drive into a Folder
      5. 20.5. Task Scheduler
        1. 20.5.1. Adding a Task
        2. 20.5.2. Editing Scheduled Tasks
      6. 20.6. Four Speed Tricks
        1. 20.6.1. SuperFetch
        2. 20.6.2. ReadyBoost
        3. 20.6.3. Shutting Off Bells and Whistles
        4. 20.6.4. Toning Down the Aero
      7. 20.7. Windows Update
        1. 20.7.1. Fiddling with Windows Update
        2. 20.7.2. Beyond the Basics
        3. 20.7.3. Removing Updates
    2. 21. The Disk Chapter
      1. 21.1. Dynamic Disks
        1. 21.1.1. How Dynamic Disks Work
        2. 21.1.2. Extending onto Another Disk
          1. 21.1.2.1. Extending into a spanned volume
          2. 21.1.2.2. Creating a striped volume
      2. 21.2. Compressing Files and Folders
        1. 21.2.1. NTFS Compression
          1. 21.2.1.1. Compressing files, folders, or disks
        2. 21.2.2. Zipped Folders
          1. 21.2.2.1. Creating zipped folders
          2. 21.2.2.2. Working with zipped folders
      3. 21.3. Encrypting Files and Folders
        1. 21.3.1. Using EFS
        2. 21.3.2. EFS Rules
      4. 21.4. BitLocker Drive Encryption
        1. 21.4.1. Reinstalling Vista on Two Partitions
        2. 21.4.2. The Flash-Drive Workaround
        3. 21.4.3. Turning on BitLocker
    3. 22. Backups and Troubleshooting
      1. 22.1. Automatic Backups
        1. 22.1.1. Backup Hardware
        2. 22.1.2. Creating a Backup Job
        3. 22.1.3. Restoring Files from a Backup
      2. 22.2. Complete PC Backup
        1. 22.2.1. Make the Image
        2. 22.2.2. Restore the Image
      3. 22.3. System Restore
        1. 22.3.1. About Restore Points
        2. 22.3.2. Performing a System Restore
        3. 22.3.3. Turning System Restore Off
      4. 22.4. Shadow Copies
        1. 22.4.1. Making Shadow Copies
        2. 22.4.2. Recovering Old Document Versions
      5. 22.5. Safe Mode and the Startup Menu
      6. 22.6. Problem Reports and Solutions
      7. 22.7. Startup Repair (Windows Recovery Environment)
  12. 7. The Vista Network
    1. 23. Accounts (and Logging On)
      1. 23.1. Introducing User Accounts
      2. 23.2. Windows Vista: The OS with Two Faces
      3. 23.3. Local Accounts
        1. 23.3.1. Administrator vs. Standard Accounts
        2. 23.3.2. Adding an Account
        3. 23.3.3. Editing an Account
        4. 23.3.4. The Forgotten Password Disk
        5. 23.3.5. Deleting User Accounts
        6. 23.3.6. Disabling Accounts
        7. 23.3.7. The Guest Account
      4. 23.4. Local Accounts on a Domain Computer
        1. 23.4.1. Creating a Local Account for a Domain Member
      5. 23.5. Local Users and Groups
        1. 23.5.1. Opening the Console
        2. 23.5.2. Creating a New Account
        3. 23.5.3. Groups
          1. 23.5.3.1. Creating a group
          2. 23.5.3.2. Built-in groups
        4. 23.5.4. Modifying Users and Groups
      6. 23.6. Fast User Switching
      7. 23.7. Logging On
        1. 23.7.1. You Get the Windows Welcome Screen
        2. 23.7.2. You Zoom Straight to the Desktop
        3. 23.7.3. You Get the "Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to Begin" Dialog Box
      8. 23.8. Profiles
        1. 23.8.1. The Public Profile
          1. 23.8.1.1. Whose software is it, anyway?
        2. 23.8.2. The Default User Profile
      9. 23.9. NTFS Permissions: Protecting Your Stuff
        1. 23.9.1. Setting Up NTFS Permissions
          1. 23.9.1.1. Step 1: Specify the person
          2. 23.9.1.2. Step 2: Specify the permissions
        2. 23.9.2. Groups and Permissions
        3. 23.9.3. When Permissions Collide
          1. 23.9.3.1. NTFS permissions travel downstream, from outer folders to inner ones
          2. 23.9.3.2. NTFS permissions that have been explicitly applied to a file or folder always override inherited permissions
          3. 23.9.3.3. Permissions accumulate as you burrow downward through subfolders
    2. 24. Setting Up a Workgroup Network
      1. 24.1. Kinds of Networks
        1. 24.1.1. Ethernet
          1. 24.1.1.1. Network hookups
        2. 24.1.2. Wireless Networks (WiFi or 802.11)
        3. 24.1.3. Other Kinds of Networks
          1. 24.1.3.1. Phone line networks
          2. 24.1.3.2. Power outlet networks
      2. 24.2. Sharing an Internet Connection
        1. 24.2.1. Get a Broadband Router
        2. 24.2.2. Use Internet Connection Sharing
      3. 24.3. The Network and Sharing Center
        1. 24.3.1. "View computers and devices"
        2. 24.3.2. "Connect to a network"
        3. 24.3.3. "Manage wireless networks"
        4. 24.3.4. "Set up a connection or network"
        5. 24.3.5. "Manage network connections"
        6. 24.3.6. "Diagnose and repair"
        7. 24.3.7. "View full map"
        8. 24.3.8. "Customize"
        9. 24.3.9. "View status"
        10. 24.3.10. Sharing and Discovery
        11. 24.3.11. "Show me..."
        12. 24.3.12. Testing the Network
    3. 25. Network Domains
      1. 25.1. The Domain
        1. 25.1.1. What's Wrong with Workgroups
        2. 25.1.2. The Domain Concept
        3. 25.1.3. Active Directory
        4. 25.1.4. Domain Security
      2. 25.2. Joining a Domain
      3. 25.3. Four Ways Life Is Different on a Domain
        1. 25.3.1. Logging On
        2. 25.3.2. Browsing the Domain
        3. 25.3.3. Searching the Domain
          1. 25.3.3.1. Custom Searches
        4. 25.3.4. Assigning Permissions to Domain Members
    4. 26. Network Sharing and Collaboration
      1. 26.1. Sharing Files
        1. 26.1.1. The Public Folder Method
        2. 26.1.2. The "Share Any Folder" Method
        3. 26.1.3. Advanced Folder Sharing—and Disk Sharing
        4. 26.1.4. Notes on File Sharing
        5. 26.1.5. Hiding Folders
      2. 26.2. Accessing Shared Files
        1. 26.2.1. Extra Credit: Universal Naming Convention (UNC)
      3. 26.3. Mapping Shares to Drive Letters
      4. 26.4. Windows Meeting Space
        1. 26.4.1. Calling a Meeting to Order
        2. 26.4.2. Inviting Participants
        3. 26.4.3. Fun in Meetings
        4. 26.4.4. Meeting Space Weirdness
    5. 27. Vista by Remote Control
      1. 27.1. Remote Access Basics
      2. 27.2. Dialing Direct
        1. 27.2.1. Setting Up the Host PC
        2. 27.2.2. Setting Up the Remote PC
        3. 27.2.3. Making the Call
      3. 27.3. Virtual Private Networking
        1. 27.3.1. Setting Up the Host Machine
        2. 27.3.2. Making the Connection
      4. 27.4. Remote Desktop
        1. 27.4.1. Setting Up the Host Machine
        2. 27.4.2. Making the Connection
        3. 27.4.3. Keyboard Shortcuts for the Hopelessly Confused
        4. 27.4.4. Disconnecting
        5. 27.4.5. Fine-tuning Remote Desktop Connections
  13. 8. Appendixes
    1. A. Installing Windows Vista
      1. A.1. Before You Begin
        1. A.1.1. Hardware Requirements
          1. A.1.1.1. "Vista ready"
          2. A.1.1.2. "Vista Premium"
        2. A.1.2. The Compatibility Issue
      2. A.2. Upgrade vs. Clean Install
        1. A.2.1. Buying Windows Vista
        2. A.2.2. About the Clean Install
          1. A.2.2.1. Backing up
      3. A.3. Dual Booting
      4. A.4. Installing Windows Vista
        1. A.4.1. Preparing for the Installation
        2. A.4.2. Performing an Update Installation
        3. A.4.3. Performing a Clean Install (or Dual-Boot Install)
      5. A.5. Welcome Center
      6. A.6. Activation
      7. A.7. Windows Easy Transfer
        1. A.7.1. Phase 1: Backing up the Files
        2. A.7.2. Phase 2: Restoring the Files
    2. B. Fun with the Registry
      1. B.1. Meet Regedit
        1. B.1.1. The Big Five Hives
        2. B.1.2. Keys and Values
        3. B.1.3. Backing Up Key Values
      2. B.2. Regedit Examples
        1. B.2.1. Encrypt/Decrypt from the Shortcut Menu
        2. B.2.2. A Really, Really Clean Desktop
        3. B.2.3. Slow Down the Animations
    3. C. Where'd It Go
    4. D. The Master Keyboard Shortcut List
  14. Index
  15. About the Author
  16. Colophon
  17. SPECIAL OFFER: Upgrade this ebook with O’Reilly
  18. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Windows Vista: The Missing Manual
  • Author(s): David Pogue
  • Release date: December 2006
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9780596554002