Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies E-Book

Woody Leonhard

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1151

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

Eight references in one-fully revised to include all the new features and updates to Windows 7 As the #1 operating system in the world, Windows provides the platform upon which all essential computing activities occur. This much-anticiapted version of the popular operating system offers an improved user experience with an enhanced interface to allow for greater user control. This All-in-One reference is packed with valuable information from eight minibooks, making it the ultimate resource. You'll discover the improved ways in which Windows 7 interacts with other devices, including mobile and home theater. * Windows 7 boasts numerous exciting new features, and this reference is one-stop shopping for discovering them all! * Eight minibooks cover Windows 7 basics, security, customizing, the Internet, searching and sharing, hardware, multimedia, Windows media center, and wired and wireless networking * Addresses the new multi-touch feature that will allow you to control movement on the screen with your fingers With this comprehensive guide at your fingertips, you'll quickly start taking advantages of all the exciting new features of Windows 7.

Leseprobe

Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies®

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions

What You Don’t Have to Read

Foolish Assumptions

Organization

Icons

Where to Go from Here

Book I: Cranking Up Windows 7

Book I: Chapter 1: Windows 7 4 N00bs

Hardware and Software

Why Do PCs Have to Run Windows?

A Terminology Survival Kit

Buying a Windows 7 Computer

Inside the big box

Screening

Managing disks and drives

Making PC connections

Futzing with video, sound, and multitudinous media

Netbooks

Book I: Chapter 2: Windows 7 for the Experienced

What’s New for Vista Victims

Better performance

Improved interface

Search that (finally!) works

Security improvements

Mo’ media and more

What you lose

What’s New for the XP Crowd

Looking through the Aero Glass

Checking out improved video effects

Interacting with gadgets

Sizing up other improvements

Do You Need Windows 7?

Book I: Chapter 3: Which Version? Pick a 7, Any 7

Pick a 7 — Any 7

Buying the right version the first time

Narrowing the choices

Choosing 32-Bit versus 64-Bit

Book I: Chapter 4: Upgrades, Clean Installs, Transfers

Can Your Computer Handle Windows 7?

Upgrading a Vista computer

Upgrading a Windows XP computer

Running the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Performing a Clean Install

Using Easy Transfer

Knowing what will transfer

Making the transfer

Activating the Product

How Windows activates

Windows Activation Technologies

What If the Wheels Fall Off?

Book I: Chapter 5: Getting Essentials: The Rest of Windows 7

Understanding the Move to Downloadable Programs

Inventorying the Essentials

Distinguishing Essentials from the Other Live Components

Installing Essentially

Book II: Windows 7 Boot Camp

Book II: Chapter 1: Running Windows from Start to Finish

A Few Quick Steps to Make the Desktop Your Own

Changing the background

Getting gadgets

Cleaning up useless icons and programs

Mousing with Your Mouse

What’s up, Dock?

Changing the mouse

Starting with the Start Button

Touching on the Taskbar

Working with Files and Folders

Creating files and folders

Modifying files and folders

Bringing back previous versions

Showing filename extensions

Sharing folders

Recycling

Getting Around

Using Windows Explorer

Navigating

Viewing

Arranging Libraries

Creating Shortcuts

Sleep: Perchance to Dream

Book II: Chapter 2: Controlling Users

Logging On

Choosing Account Types

What’s a standard account?

What’s an administrator account?

Choosing between standard or administrator accounts

Controlling User Account Control

Adding Users

Enabling the Guest Account

Changing Accounts

Changing other users’ settings

Changing your own settings

Creating a password reset disk

Switching Users

Book II: Chapter 3: Maintaining Your System

Coping with Start-Up Problems

Creating a system repair disc

Using the system repair disc

Working with Backups

Restoring a file with shadow copies (previous versions)

Maintaining previous versions on different drives

Creating data backups

Managing and restoring data backups

Getting back the image backup (don’t give up the ghost)

Maintaining Drives

Running an error check

Defragmenting a drive

Using System Restore and Restore Points

Creating a restore point

Rolling back to a restore point

Scheduling the Task Scheduler

Starting with your parameters

Scheduling a task

Zipping and Compressing

Compressing with NTFS

Zipping the easy way with Compressed (zipped) Folders

Using the Windows 7 Resource Monitor and Reliability Monitor

Controlling the Control Panel

Removing and changing programs

Removing Windows patches

Book II: Chapter 4: Getting the Basic Stuff Done

Burning CDs and DVDs

Understanding -R and -RW

What to burn

Mastered or Live File System?

Burning with Windows 7

Improving Your Experience Index

Interpreting the numbers

Turning the numbers into real improvement

Getting Word Processing — Free

Running Notepad

Writing with WordPad

Taming the Character Map

Calculating — Free

Painting

Sticking Sticky Notes

Using Sneaky Key Commands

Conjuring up the Task Manager

Switching coolly

Book II: Chapter 5: Troubleshooting and Getting Help

Troubleshooting in the Action Center

Tracking Your System’s Stability

Tackling Windows Help and Support

The problem(s) with Windows Help

Using different kinds of help

Staying online

Choosing the index versus search

How to Really Get Help

Snapping and Recording Your Problems

Connecting to Remote Assistance

Understanding the interaction

Making the connection

Limiting an invitation

Troubleshooting Remote Assistance

Getting Help on the Web

Book III: Customizing Windows 7

Book III: Chapter 1: Personalizing Your Desktop

Recognizing Desktop Levels

Setting Color Schemes in Windows 7

Picking a Background

Controlling Icons

Changing Mouse Pointers

Selecting Screen Savers

Changing the screen saver

Setting up a Super Boss Key

Using Desktop Themes

Seeing Your Desktop Clearly

Setting the screen resolution

Activating and adjusting ClearType

Showing larger fonts

Using magnification

Book III: Chapter 2: Organizing Your Interface

Tricking Out the Taskbar

Anatomy of the taskbar

Jumping

Changing the toolbar

Making your own little toolbars

Working with the taskbar

Controlling the notification area

Customizing the Start Menu

Genesis of the Start menu

Pinning to the Start menu

Reclaiming most recently used programs

Changing the All Programs menu

Making minor tweaks to the Start menu

Book III: Chapter 3: Searching Your Computer

Searching Basics

Engaging your brain before the search

Stepping through a basic search

What Windows can (and can’t) find

Adding Boolean operators to a search

Breaking out the wildcard characters

Searching from the Start menu

Indexing for Fun and Profit

Setting index file type options

Adding locations to the index

Using Advanced Search Settings

Finding Files That Got Lost

First, don’t panic

Second, get determined

Book III: Chapter 4: Beating and Cheating Windows 7 Games

Get Yer Games Goin’

Solitaire

Standard scoring

Vegas scoring

FreeCell

Spider Solitaire

Minesweeper

The Internet Games

The Other Games

Book IV: Joining the Multimedia Mix

Book IV: Chapter 1: Jammin’ with Windows Media Player

What You Need to Know about C.R.A.P.

Adjusting WMP Privacy Settings

Setting options when you install WMP

Tweaking options after installation

Playing with Now Playing

Playback buttons

Playing a CD

Buying Music and Videos Online

Copying from a CD (Also Known As Ripping)

Organizing Your Media Library

Leafing through the library

Finding the tracks you want

Rating songs

Sorting songs

Searching

Managing Playlists

Creating a new playlist

Adding a track to a playlist

Renaming and deleting playlists

Managing the contents of playlists

Deleting tracks from the library

Burning CDs and DVDs

Burning an audio CD

Burning data CDs and DVDs with Media Player

Syncing with a Portable Player or Mobile Phone

Moving tracks to the player

Moving tracks from the player to your PC

Deleting tracks from your player

Sharing Your Windows Media Player Media

Customizing WMP

Book IV: Chapter 2: iPod and iTunes in Windows 7

What You Can’t Do

iPod the Apple Way

Installing the iTunes program

Setting up iTunes

Moving music to your iPod

Controlling syncing with playlists

Copying Songs to Your PC

Taking a Look at the iPod Ecosystem

Book IV: Chapter 3: Discovering Digital Cameras and Recorders

Buying a Camera or Camcorder: The Bottom Line

Moving Images to Your Computer

Sharing Your Pictures on the Web

Book IV: Chapter 4: Managing Pics with Windows Live Photo Gallery

Getting the Gallery Going

Leafing through the Gallery

Adding Photos to the Photo Gallery

Importing photos

Copying photos to the Pictures folder

Adding photos from a different folder

Scanning photos

Tagging Pictures

Skipping through tags

Tagging a picture

Tagging en masse

Rearranging the tag list

Finding a tagged picture

Touching Up Pictures

Stitching a Panoramic Photo

Getting Your Photos into Flickr

Book IV: Chapter 5: Lights! Action! Windows Live Movie Maker

Installing Windows Live Movie Maker

Meet Your Maker

Gathering Clips

Assembling a Movie

Creating a project

Playing a clip or a movie

Making transitions and adding effects

Trimming a clip

Typing titles

Mixing in the sound

Publishing a Movie

Finding the right publication method

Publishing directly to the Web

Using Windows DVD Maker

Making a DVD

Ripping, burning, and converting movies

Book IV: Chapter 6: Setting Up Media Center

Determining Whether You Need Media Center

Organizing the Normandy Invasion

Gathering the tools for an easier setup

Getting Windows in gear

Gathering folders for libraries

Setting Up Media Center

Beyond the Basics

Playing recorded TV shows

Burning DVDs

Book V: Windows 7 and the Internet

Book V: Chapter 1: Getting the Most from the Internet

What Is the Internet?

Getting Inside the Internet

What Is the World Wide Web?

Who Pays for All This Stuff?

Connecting with Broadband

The last mile

Uses and excuses for broadband

Setting Up an Internet Connection

Finding Internet Reference Tools

Speakeasy speed test

DNSStuff

3d Traceroute

Down for everyone or just me?

The Wayback Machine

Book V: Chapter 2: Finding Your Way Around Browsers

Exploring Internet Explorer Alternatives: Firefox and Chrome

Ready, Set, Browse!

Configuring your browser

Taking a walk around the Internet Explorer window

Pick a tab, any tab

Kicking your browsing up a notch

InPrivate Browsing: Porn mode

Thwarting Phishers

Saving and Printing Web Pages

Saving Web pages

Printing Web pages

Playing Favorites

Adding Favorites or Bookmarks of your own

Organizing your Favorites or Bookmarks

Book V: Chapter 3: Making Internet Explorer Your Own

Getting the Most from Internet Explorer

Making Internet Explorer Run Faster

Turning off graphics

Turning off animations and sounds

Increasing your storage space

Putting the Pedal to the Metal: Working with Accelerators

Hardening Internet Explorer 8

Dealing with Cookies

Deleting cookies

InPrivate Filtering

Working with RSS Feeds

Book V: Chapter 4: Using Firefox: The Advanced Course

Installing Firefox

Recapping Firefox Tips

Speeding Up Firefox

Bookmarking with the Fox

Creating Smart Folders

Working with RSS Feeds — the Real Way

Adding Firefox’s Best Add-Ons

Using Smart Keywords in Firefox

Book V: Chapter 5: Searching on the Internet

Understanding What a Search Engine Can Do for You

Searching for text

Searching for images

Searching for everything else: Blogs, news, and more

Finding What You’re Looking For

Using the other Google engines

Searching wisely

Using Advanced Search

Pulling out Google parlor tricks

Posting on Newsgroups

Book V: Chapter 6: Sending Windows Mail Live

Counting the Microsoft E-Mail Programs

Outlook

Hotmail

Windows Live Mail

Choosing an E-Mail Program

Getting Started with Windows Live Mail

Conversing with E-Mail

Setting up mail accounts

Retrieving messages and attachments

Creating a message

Adding a signature

Attaching files

Sending a message

Making Windows Live Mail wait to send and receive

Book V: Chapter 7: Chatting with Windows Live Messenger

Exploring the Alternatives

Making Windows Live Messenger Work

Choosing one or more Windows Live IDs

Signing up for an ID — or two

Installing Windows Live Messenger

Starting Windows Live Messenger the first time

Working with Contacts

Adding contacts

Making contact

Tweaking Settings in Windows Live Messenger

Revealing your Webcam

Making Messenger forget your password

Stopping Windows Live Messenger from starting automatically

Using the fancier features

Book VI: Securing Windows 7

Book VI: Chapter 1: Lock Down: Spies, Spams, Scams, and Slams

Understanding the Hazards — and the Hoaxes

Zombies and botnets

Phishing

0day exploits

Staying Informed

Relying on reliable sources

Ditching the hoaxes

Am I Infected?

Evaluating telltale signs

What to do next

Shunning scareware

Getting Protected

Protecting against malware

Using your credit card safely online

Defending your privacy

Keeping cookies at bay

Reducing spam

Book VI: Chapter 2: Action Center Overview

Entering the Action Center

Working with the Action Center

Watching Security Settings

Checking Maintenance Settings

Rooting out Rootkits

Book VI: Chapter 3: Windows Firewall

Comparing Firewalls

Understanding Windows 7 Firewall’s Basic Features

Speaking Your Firewall’s Lingo

Peeking into Your Firewall

Using Public and Private Networks

Making Inbound Exceptions

Allowing designated programs to bypass the firewall

Opening specific ports

Coping with the Windows 7 Outbound Firewall

Book VI: Chapter 4: Patching and Plugging

Patching Woes

Choosing an Update Level

Selectively Patching: A Panacea for Those Woes

Getting What You Need from a Security Bulletin

Decoding a security bulletin

Getting patches through a security bulletin

Checking and Uninstalling Updates

Book VI: Chapter 5: Fighting Viruses and Other Scum

Making Sense of Malware

Understanding Antivirus Software

Identifying the challenges for antivirus software

Understanding false positives

Caring for your antivirus software

Downloading and Installing AVG Free

Dealing with Spyware

Where’s Defender?

Blocking spies with Spybot–S&D

Blocking Bad Autostarting Programs

Book VII: Networking with Windows 7

Book VII: Chapter 1: Attaching to a Network

Choosing Between Home, Work, and Public

Understanding HomeGroups

Hooking Up to a Wireless Network

Hooking Up to a Wired Network

Caring for Your HomeGroup

Changing your network type

Changing the HomeGroup password

Adding or blocking folders in the HomeGroup

Book VII: Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Own Network

Understanding Networks

What a network can do for you

How a network networks

Organizing Networks

Understanding servers and serfs

Introducing client/server networks

Introducing peer-to-peer networks

Comparing the p-pros and c-cons

Cutting through the Terminology

Making Computers Talk

Understanding Ethernet

Adding wireless

Book VII: Chapter 3: Building Your Network

Planning Your Network

Using a wired network

Blocking out the major parts

Using Internet Connection Sharing

Installing (or Reinstalling) Your Network

More Troubleshooting

Networking on the road

Getting your computer to see another computer

Book VII: Chapter 4: Putting the Why in Wi-Fi

Choosing a Protocol

Installing a Wireless System

Wireless adapters and access points

Location, location, location

Setting Up a Secure Wireless Network

Connecting to a WPA2 Protected Network

Calming Two Fighting Mother Hens

Book VIII: Using Other Hardware

Book VIII: Chapter 1: Finding and Installing the Hardware You Need

Knowing What Windows 7 Wants

Upgrading the Basic Stuff

Choosing a new monitor

Changing resolutions and multiple monitors

Picking a video adapter

Upgrading keyboards

Choosing a mouse — or alternatives

Getting more out of USB

Understanding flash memory and USB key drives

Installing New Hardware

Having the store do it

Doing it yourself

Checking a driver’s version

Knowing what to do if anything goes wrong

Restarting with the last known good configuration

Installing USB hardware

Book VIII: Chapter 2: Using Device Stage

Getting a Grip on Device Stage

Taking Device Stage for a Spin

Establishing a Bluetooth Connection

Book VIII: Chapter 3: Printing (Almost) Effortlessly

Installing a Printer

Attaching a local printer

Connecting a network printer

Using the Print Queue

Displaying a print queue

Pausing and resuming a print queue

Pausing, restarting, and resuming a document

Canceling a document

Troubleshooting Printing

Catching a Runaway Printer

Windows® 7 ALL-IN-ONE For Dummies®

by Woody Leonhard

Windows® 7 ALL-IN-ONE For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

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About the Author

Curmudgeon, critic, and self-described “Windows victim,” Woody Leonhard runs AskWoody.com, the Web’s single best source of up-to-the-nanosecond news about Windows and Office — warts and all. He’s also a contributing editor and secret leaker for the Windows Secrets newsletter, at WindowsSecrets.com.

With several dozen computer books under his belt, Woody knows where the bodies are buried. He’s a Microsoft MVP, was one of the first Microsoft Consulting Partners, and was a charter member of the Microsoft Solutions Provider organization. He’s a one-man, major Microsoft beta testing site and delights in being a constant thorn in Microsoft’s side. Along with several coauthors and editors, he has won an unprecedented six Computer Press Association awards and two American Business Press awards.

Woody and his son, Justin, moved to Phuket, Thailand, in late 2000. Woody’s dad, George, joined them in 2006. Woody, his wife Duangkhae Leonhard (better known as Add), and 33 talented Thai staff members run Khun Woody’s Bakery and the Sandwich Shoppes in Patong, Laguna, and Chalong. Woody is the president of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RotaryPatong.org), a group best known for ongoing tsunami relief work and the support of more than 260 orphaned schoolchildren.

Most mornings, you can see Woody jogging on Patong Beach with his dad and then downing a latté and New Yawk bagel-n-Philly at the Shoppe. Feel free to drop by and say, “Sawadee krap!” Microsoft hit squads, please take a number and form a queue at the rear of the building.

Dedication

To Add, who had to shoulder so many burdens while I was locked up, plunking away on the computer.

And to Dad, who’s always been happy to help.

Author’s Acknowledgments

My unending thanks to the entire editorial team — with Becky Huehls playing point. The flagship All-in-One For Dummies is an enormous undertaking, and I’m positively beaming at the result. Good show.

Thanks to Claudette Moore and Ann Jaroncyk, at Moore Literary Agency, the best agents a scribbler ever had.

Once again, Guy Wells has done yeoman work, with his fabulous UK-centric Media Center screen shots.

And, a particular thanks to the folks at Asus, who loaned me an Eee netbook running a full-fledged copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. I could hardly believe my eyes.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Rebecca Huehls

Acquisitions Editor: Amy Fandrei

Copy Editor: Rebecca Whitney

Technical Editor: Kit Malone

Editorial Manager: Leah P. Cameron

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Katherine Crocker

Layout and Graphics: Ana Carrillo, Samantha K. Cherolis, Reuben W. Davis, Joyce Haughey, Melissa K. Jester, Christin Swinford, Ronald Terry

Proofreaders: Caitie Copple, John Greenough, Shannon Ramsey

Indexer: BIM Indexing & Proofreading Services

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Introduction

Welcome to Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies — the no-bull, one-stop Windows 7 reference for the rest of us.

Step right up to the ab-so-lute-ly best-est Windows ever! Gorgeous graphics! Stranglehold security! Unsurpassed productivity! Audacious applications! And the greatest-est compatibility Windows has ever seen.

Ah, Phineas Barnum would’ve been proud.

Microsoft has been touting all those supposed improvements in the latest version of Windows for years: “seamless” graphics (whatever that means); rock-solid security (in yer dreams, Redmond); leaps and bounds in productivity enhancements (ever try to remove Antivirus 2009?); and peaceful coexistence with older hardware and programs (yeah, sure). Sometimes I think that the Microsoft marketing droids ran a global search-and-replace operation on their old ad copy, turning the term Windows 98 or Windows NT into Windows 7.

Every version of Windows gets a little better than the preceding version. Usually. (Okay, we won’t talk about Windows Me — or Vista. Yes, Vista draws a Bronx cheer in most circles. I said usually, eh?) But this time it looks like Microsoft has come up with a somewhat better-looking, marginally more secure, and substantially more compatible improvement on its previous version of Windows.

That’s not all. In Windows 7, the search function works — which is more than I can say about Vista or XP. The Windows 7 backup program is worthy of the term backup. Networking — after you get used to strange new concepts such as HomeGroups — works better than Vista, and significantly better than XP.

Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away. Vista victims, er, users may be surprised to discover that Windows 7 dumps the Windows Sidebar, which was once touted as one of the major reasons to upgrade from XP to Vista: All the old Sidebar functions now take place on the desktop itself, in flagrante delicto. The Windows Meeting Space in Vista bit the big bit bucket. And, a whole passel (I think that’s the word for it) of old Windows applications have been yanked from the corpus Windowi, heart still beating, and cast out on the Net. There, you can find the as-yet-undead Windows Live Essentials and reunite them with Windows itself. Or not.

To many people — me included — Windows 7 is what Vista should’ve been.

Lest you think I’ve turned into Windows Fanboy 7.0, I readily admit that Windows 7 harbors a host of problems. Microsoft continues to rub me the wrong way, with its courtroom and regulatory shenanigans and vile business practices. I hate digital rights management, and I detest the way Windows 7 makes my life more difficult than it should be. Some of my old hardware doesn’t work with Windows 7, either. I feel your pain.

But when you get right down to it, Windows 7 is a towering achievement, a more-than-worthy successor to all the Windows that have come before. It’s literally awesome.

About This Book

Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies takes you through the Land of the Dummies — with introductory material and stuff your grandmother could (and should!) understand — and then continues the journey into more advanced areas, where you can truly put Windows to work every day. I don’t dwell on technical mumbo jumbo, and I keep the baffling jargon to a minimum. At the same time, though, I tackle the tough problems you’re likely to encounter, show you the major road signs, and give you a lot of help where you need it the most.

Whether you want to set up a quick, easy, reliable network in your home office or publish provocative photos of your Boykin Spaniel on the Web, this is your book. Er, I should say eight books. I’ve broken out the topics into eight different minibooks, so you’ll find it easy to hop around to a topic — and a level of coverage — that feels comfortable.

I didn’t design this book to be read from front to back. It’s a reference. Each chapter, and each of its sections, is meant to focus on solving a particular problem or describing a specific technique.

Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies should be your reference of first resort, even before you consult Windows Help and Support. There’s a big reason why: Windows Help was written by hundreds of people over the course of many, many years. Some of the material was written ages ago, and it’s confusing as all get-out, but it’s still in Windows Help for folks who are tackling tough “legacy” problems. Some of the Help file terminology is inconsistent and downright misleading, largely because the technology has changed so much since some of the articles were written. Finding help in Help frequently boggles my mind: If I don’t already know the answer to a question, it’s hard to figure out how to coax Help to help. The proverbial bottom line: I don’t duplicate the material in Windows 7 Help and Support, but I point to it if I figure it can help you.

Conventions

I try to keep typographical conventions to a minimum:

♦ The first time a buzzword appears in text, I italicize it and define it immediately. That makes it easier for you to glance back and reread the definition.

♦ Whenever I want you to type something, I put the letters or words in bold. For example: “Type William Gates in the Name text box.” If you need to press more than one key at a time on the keyboard, I add a plus sign between the keys’ names; for example, “Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to initiate a Vulcan Mind Meld.”

♦ I set off Web addresses and e-mail addresses in monospace. For example, my e-mail address is [email protected] (true fact), and my Web site is at AskWoody.com (another true fact). You may be accustomed to seeing Web addresses (commonly known as URLs) spelled out in their entirety, such as http://www.dummies.com. Mercifully, some printed media drop the (completely superfluous) http:// and the most progressive printed sources drop the www. That’s the convention you see in this book: I write dummies.com instead of http://www.dummies.com. If you type dummies.com into your Web browser and it comes back with http://ww9.redirect.dummies.com/index.asp?lang=en,source=ohmy, don’t be too surprised, OK? Computers talk funny.

There’s one other convention, though, that I use all the time: I always, absolutely, adamantly include the filename extension — the period and (usually) three letters at the end of a filename, such as .doc or .vbs or .exe — when talking about a file. Yeah, I know Windows 7 hides filename extensions by default, but you can and should change that setting. Yeah, I realize that Bill G. himself made the decision to hide the extensions and that Steve B. won’t back off. (At least, that’s the rumor.)

I also know that, years ago, hundreds — probably thousands — of Microsoftemployees passed along the ILOVEYOU virus, primarily because they couldn’t see the filename extension that would’ve warned them that the file was a virus. Uh, bad decision, Bill.

(If you haven’t yet told Windows 7 to show you filename extensions, click the Start icon — the circle in the lower-left corner of the screen — and pick Documents. Press the Alt key on your keyboard. Choose Tools⇒Folder Options; then click to select the View tab. At the bottom of the Advanced Settings box, deselect the option marked Hide Extensions for Known File Types. Click OK, and then click the X (Close) button to close the Documents folder. [Sometimes I just say “X out of the dialog box.”] For full details, take a gander at Book II, Chapter 1.)

What You Don’t Have to Read

Throughout this book, I’ve gone to great lengths to separate “optional” reading from “required” reading. If you want to find out more about a topic or solve a specific problem, follow along in the main part of the text. You can skip the icons and sidebars as you go, unless one happens to catch your eye.

On the other hand, if you know a topic pretty well but want to make sure that you caught all the high points, read the paragraphs marked with icons and be sure that the information registers. If it doesn’t, glance at the surrounding text.

Sidebars stand as “graduate courses” for those who are curious about a specific topic — or who stand knee-deep in muck, searching for a way out.

Foolish Assumptions

I don’t make many assumptions about you, dear reader, except to acknowledge that you’re obviously intelligent, well-informed, discerning, and of impeccable taste. That’s why you chose this book, eh?

Okay, okay. The least I can do is butter you up a bit. Here’s the straight scoop: If you’ve never used Windows, bribe your neighbor (or, better, your neighbor’s kids) to teach you how to do three things:

♦ Play Solitaire.

♦ Get on the Web.

♦ Shut down Windows and make your PC sleep.

That covers it. If you can play Solitaire, you know how to turn on your computer, use the Start button, click, drag, and double-click. After you’re on the Web, well, heaven help us all. And, if you know that you need to click the Start icon to stop, you’re well on your way to achieving Dummy Enlightenment.

And that begins with Book I, Chapter 1.

Another assumption worth noting relates to the six versions of Windows 7. Yes, six. (I have the lowdown in Book I, Chapter 3.) One version is only for “emerging” countries (the Upper West Side?), and one is only available pre-installed on oh-so-incredibly-cute netbooks (see Book I, Chapter 1). One is available only by bulk licensing — typically, to large companies. That leaves three versions — Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate — that most people need to think about (not counting the various European flavors, which may wax and wane depending on the negotiating capabilities of the Microsoft lawyers).

Most of this book is written for Windows 7 Home Premium. When a particular feature appears in Professional or Ultimate, but doesn’t appear in Vista Home Premium, I don’t tag the difference with an icon. Instead, I mention that fact loud and clear. If you find a feature that you can’t wait to try, make sure that your version of Windows 7 supports it before you get carried away.

Organization

Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies contains eight minibooks, each of which gives a thorough airing of a specific topic. If you’re looking for information on a specific Windows topic, check the headings in the Table of Contents or refer to the index.

By design, this book enables you to get as much (or as little) information as you need at any particular moment. Want to know how to jimmy your Minesweeper score to amaze your boss and confound your co-workers? Look at Book III, Chapter 4. Want to activate the Windows 7 outbound firewall? Read why you shouldn’t even try, in Book VI, Chapter 3. Also by design, Windows 7 All-in-One ForDummies is a reference that you will reach for again and again whenever a new question about Windows comes up.

Here’s a description of the eight minibooks and what they contain:

Book I, Cranking Up Windows 7: With apologies to Dante, this book tells you what Windows can and can’t do, and what’s inside a PC and how Windows controls it. Do you truly need Windows 7? If you already know how to use Windows XP or Vista, what do you need to know about Windows 7? Which of the (many) versions is right for you? How do you upgrade? How do you find and install the missing Windows Live Essentials?

Book II, Windows 7 Boot Camp: Read this minibook to find out how to make Windows 7 work right whenever you add users (with a particular nod to security and the User Account Control bugaboo), manipulate files, use the Windows taskbar and shortcuts, make backups, and get help. I tell you all about the care and feeding of hard drives, how to burn CDs from Windows itself, and how to use the built-in applications for word processing and image manipulation.

Book III, Customizing Windows 7: Book III deals with fun stuff on your desktop: getting gadgets, using Glass, personalizing the desktop (with themes, colors, backgrounds, and the like), choosing mouse pointers, selecting screen savers, changing the Start menu, using the “super” taskbar, running searches easily and effectively, and beating the built-in Windows games. (Yeah, I know that’s why you bought this book.)

Book IV, Joining the Multimedia Mix: Become aware of any Windows Media Player tricks and traps, and find out how to rip material from audio CDs and burn your own CDs and DVDs in Media Player. This minibook tells you how to capture Windows Media streams, mentions digital licensing, and describes what you can do to thwart encroaching Microsoft lockdowns. Discover how to handle iTunes and your iPod in a Windows 7 world, and find out about Windows Movie Maker, digital cameras, camcorders, and other video devices. Also, I tell you how to “unshake” your movies, set up Media Center, convert file formats, and use the essential Photo Gallery.

Book V, Windows 7 and the Internet: In Book V, I tell you why you need broadband, and I describe how to log in to your computer from the Internet, using Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome. Find out how to get the most from your RSS feeds, how to search effectively on the Internet, and how to use Windows Live Mail. I also explain how to make cheap or free phone calls and Webcam calls with Windows Live Messenger.

Book VI, Securing Windows 7: Take a look at the Action Center, and then find out how to control the User Account Control and Windows Firewall, and use Windows Defender and its big missing piece. Get the scoop on letting Windows Update work automatically (or not!) and know when to avoid it. Get virus protection — free. I tell you what the bad guys already know and what you can do about it.

Book VII, Networking with Windows 7: Find out how to attach your computer to any network, anywhere. Get basic information about domains, workgroups, and the new HomeGroups. I describe the concepts behind peer-to-peer and client/server networking and tell you how to build your own network quickly, easily, and reliably. I discuss Wi-Fi and other ethereal wireless topics, and I tell you how to protect your network and your privacy.

Book VIII, Using Other Hardware: In this minibook, I throw a ton of items at you (not literally, of course): internal and external devices, cameras, scanners, printers, audio, memory, USB key drives, monitors, hard drives, and more. I also tell you how to choose the right products and get them to work. I tell you all about DeviceStage.

Icons

Some of the points in Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies merit your special attention. I set off those points with icons.

When I’m jumping up and down on one foot with an idea so absolutely cool that I can’t stand it any more, I stick a Tip icon in the margin. You can browse any chapter and hit its highest points by jumping from Tip to Tip.

Psst. Want to know the real story — not the stuff that the Microsoft marketing droids want you to hear but, rather, the kind of information that gives you some insight into this lumbering beast in Redmond? You see it all next to this icon, and on my eponymous Web site.

You don’t need to memorize the information marked with this icon, but you should try to remember that something special is lurking.

Achtung! Cuidado! Thar be tygers here! Anywhere that you see a Warning icon, you can be sure that I’ve been burnt — badly. Mind your fingers. These are really, really mean suckers.

Okay, so I’m a geek. I admit it. Sure, I love to poke fun at geeks. But I’m a modern, New Age, sensitive guy, in touch with my inner geekiness. Sometimes, I just can’t help but let it out, ya know? That’s where the Technical Stuff icon comes in. If you get all tied up in knots about techie-type stuff, pass these paragraphs by. (For the record, I managed to write this whole book without telling you that an IP address consists of a unique 32-bit combination of network ID and host ID, expressed as a set of four decimal numbers with each octet separated by periods. See? I can restrain myself sometimes.)

Where to Go from Here

That’s about it. It’s time for you to crack this book open and have at it.

Don’t forget to bookmark my Web site: www.AskWoody.com. It keeps you up-to-date on all the Windows 7 news you need to know — including notes about this book, the latest Windows bugs and gaffes, patches that are worse than the problems they’re supposed to fix, and much more — and you can submit your most pressing questions, for free consultation from The Woodmeister hisself.

See ya! [email protected]

Sometimes it’s worth reading the Intro, eh?

Book I

Cranking Up Windows 7

Contents at a Glance

Chapter 1: Windows 7 4 N00bs

Hardware and Software

Why Do PCs Have to Run Windows?

A Terminology Survival Kit

Buying a Windows 7 Computer

Chapter 2: Windows 7 for the Experienced

What’s New for Vista Victims

What’s New for the XP Crowd

Do You Need Windows 7?

Chapter 3: Which Version? Pick a 7, Any 7

Pick a 7 — Any 7

Choosing 32-Bit versus 64-Bit

Chapter 4: Upgrades, Clean Installs, Transfers

Can Your Computer Handle Windows 7?

Running the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Performing a Clean Install

Using Easy Transfer

Activating the Product

What If the Wheels Fall Off?

Chapter 5: Getting Essentials: The Rest of Windows 7

Understanding the Move to Downloadable Programs

Inventorying the Essentials

Distinguishing Essentials from the Other Live Components

Installing Essentially