OPTIONS CONTROL PANEL C
Control Panel acts like a master computer console, program, establishing parental controls, changing
providing you direct access to the hardware, the appearance of your desktop, setting the system
settings, and services that are installed on your time and date, and setting up a microphone.
computer. You can click a link in Control Panel to You may notice that Control Panel does not
display information about a device or service or, in always appear identical in different Windows Vista
some cases, to launch a tool or wizard. As but a few systems. This is because various options that are
examples, you can use Control Panel as a launching installed on your computer may place new icons
point for performing system-maintenance tasks, in the pane, changing or rearranging the icons
checking for security updates, setting up file that are listed.
sharing, changing mouse settings, uninstalling a
1 Click Start.
2 Click Control Panel.
2
1
The Control Panel window
opens.
15
DETAILS PANE
Folders in Windows Vista include certain panes, If the Details pane is not visible in a folder window,
including the Navigation pane, the Preview pane, you can display it by clicking the Organize button,
and so on. One such pane is the Details pane. Using clicking Layout, and clicking Details Pane.
the Details pane, you can quickly access information
about a selected file, such as its name, type, and See also>> Documents Folder
rating. You can also see any tags that have been
applied to the file. Music Folder
In addition to simply viewing details about a file in
Navigation Pane
the Details pane, you can also use the Details pane
to change certain properties, including tags.
Preview Pane
1 Click Start.
2 Click a folder you want to open
(here, Documents).
2
1
The folder opens.
3 Click a file in the folder.
l Information about the file is
displayed in the Details pane.
3
16
DEVICE MANAGER D
You can consult Device Manager about the for the method the device uses to connect to the
hardware and drivers — that is, the software system. For example, even if you cannot see your
associated with a device to help it communicate printer listed, you can see the port to which it
with Windows — available on your computer. connects, such as the Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Device Manager serves as an inventory of different, port.
mostly hardware, components, and allows you to
check device status, run troubleshooting wizards, See also>> Device Manager: Access
and install driver updates.
It may be that not all hardware attached to your Device Manager: Remove
PC appears within Device Manager, but most Device Manager:
devices do — either for the device name itself or Troubleshoot
1 In Control Panel, click System
1 and Maintenance.
2 Click Device Manager.
Note: If prompted, type the
administrator password or click
Continue.
l The Device Manager window
opens.
2
17
DISK CLEANUP
In addition to files you actively create or save as you scattered throughout your hard disk. Over time, you
work on your computer, many more files are created, can end up with a gigabyte or more of unneeded files
changed, and saved automatically by Windows. Some that take up valuable space on your hard drive. You
of these files, called temporary files, are the result of can use the Disk Cleanup tool to find and remove
Web browsing; others are created by applications to them, as well as to empty the Recycle Bin. In fact, it
store the contents of open files before they are saved is a good idea to run the Disk Cleanup tool regularly
to disk. as part of standard disk management.
These files may be stored with various filename
extensions, such as .bak and .tmp. They can also See also>> Computer Folder
be found in a number of different folders that are
1 In the Computer folder, click the
2 drive you want to clean up to
select it.
1
2 Click the Properties button.
l The selected disk’s Properties
dialog box opens.
4 3 Click the Disk Cleanup button.
l The Disk Cleanup Options dialog
box opens.
3
Note: If prompted, type your
administrator password or click
Continue.
4 Specify whether you want to
clean up only your files or all the
files on the computer.
l Windows calculates how much
space you can free up by
running Disk Cleanup.
l The Disk Cleanup dialog box
opens.
5 Click the checkbox next to each
5 type of file you want to delete.
6 Click OK.
6
18
DOCUMENTS FOLDER D
The Documents folder on your computer is the is not visible, click the Organize button, click
default folder where many of the files that you save Layout, and choose the desired pane. Also
as you work or browse the Web are stored. These included is a Folders list, which you access by
can include word-processor files, spreadsheets, and clicking the Folders link in the bottom-left corner
Web pages. (Note that pictures and music are not of the folder window.
stored in the Documents folder; instead, they are
stored in their own folders: Pictures and Music, See also>> Music Folder
respectively.)
Like all folders in Windows Vista, the Documents Pictures Folder
folder contains tools for searching, navigating,
and organizing your files and folders, including the File and Folder
See also>> Management: View
Search box, the Address bar, and the Navigation,
Details, and Preview panes. If any of these panes Folders: Create
1 Click Start.
2 Click Documents.
2
The Documents folder opens.
l The Address bar displays your
1 current location.
l The Search box enables you
to filter the contents of the
Documents to find the file you
need.
l The Navigation pane allows you
to access any folder on your
computer.
l The Folders list displays all the
files and folders within the
Documents folder.
l The Preview pane displays a
snapshot view of the selected
file.
l The Details pane displays
information about the 19
selected file.
EASE OF ACCESS CENTER
Windows Vista includes several accessibility features want to do something in a different way. The Ease of
that can help people with physical challenges to Access Center also serves as a launching point for
use their computer more easily and more effectively. Windows Vista’s Speech Recognition program, which
These features include Magnifier, which expands lets you dictate text and verbally issue commands to
an area of the desktop to make it easier to read; your PC.
Narrator, which reads onscreen items, such as dialog If you are not sure whether Windows Vista’s
box options, aloud; and On-Screen Keyboard, which accessibility features would be useful to you,
allows a user to type text on the screen rather than complete the Ease of Access Center’s questionnaire;
with a keyboard. it is designed to help you determine which, if any,
You can use any or all of these features, accessible of the accessibility features might be of help.
from Windows Vista’s Ease of Access Center, to
improve your Windows experience. Some may assist See also>> Ease of Access Center
you even if you do not have a physical limitation but
1 In the Control Panel window,
click the Ease of Access link.
1
2 Click Ease of Access Center.
2 l The Ease of Access Center opens.
20
EASY TRANSFER E
If you have recently purchased a new computer themselves. You will need to install any programs
with Windows Vista installed, you can use Easy manually.)
Transfer to copy files and settings from your You can transfer your files and settings from your
old computer onto the new one — provided the old computer to the new one via a network, a
old computer runs Windows 2000, XP, or Vista. USB Easy Transfer cable, a DVD or CD, or a
Transferable files and settings include all files USB Flash drive or external hard drive. If you
and folders within your Documents, Pictures, plan to port all your files and settings from your
Music, and Shared Documents folders; e-mail old computer to the new one, opt for the network
settings, contacts, and messages; user accounts; or Easy Transfer cable route if possible. To transfer
desktop settings; Internet settings; and program just a few files, a CD, DVD, or Flash drive will
settings. (Note that Windows Easy Transfer suffice.
transfers program settings only, not the programs
1 In Control Panel, under System
Maintenance, click Get Started
with Windows.
1 l The Windows Welcome Center
opens.
2 Click Transfer Files and Settings.
3 Click Start Windows Easy Transfer.
Note: If prompted, type the
administrator password or click
Continue.
3
2
Easy Transfer starts.
21
EVENT VIEWER
One of the best ways to monitor your system and You can also consult Event Viewer to determine which
troubleshoot problems that arise is to check details programs and services run regularly. Scheduled tasks
about what happens on your computer. When the such as backups also appear as events.
Windows operating system or a Windows application You can access Event Viewer from the Control
detects an action or occurrence, it treats this Panel’s System and Maintenance window; to open
occurrence as an event. For example, if a service that window, click Start, click Control Panel, and click
fails to launch when Windows starts, then this System and Maintenance.
situation generates an event that your system records.
You can use the Event Viewer to view these events.
1 In the System and Maintenance
window, click View Event Logs
under Administrative Tools.
1
Note: If prompted, type the
administrator password or click
Continue.
2 l Event Viewer opens.
3
2 Double-click a folder whose
events you want to view.
3 Double-click an event to view
details about it.
l Details about the event appear
here.
22
FAX AND SCAN F
Typically, in order to fax a hard-copy document To use Fax and Scan, you must have installed on
from a PC, you must first scan the document your computer a scanner (or multifunction device
you want to fax. For this reason, Microsoft has with scanning capabilities) and a fax modem
combined its faxing and scanning functions into connected to an analog phone line. (If you are
a single application: Fax and Scan. You can use connected to a network with a fax server, a fax
Fax and Scan to scan documents, and to send, modem is not necessary.) You must also create a
receive, organize, and view faxes. In addition to fax account in Windows Fax and Scan to enable
using Fax and Scan to fax hard-copy documents, your computer to send and receive faxes.
you can also fax a document, picture, or other
type of file that resides in electronic form on See also>> Fax and Scan: Scan
your PC.
Fax and Scan: Set Up
1 Click Start.
2 Click All Programs.
Note: If Fax and Scan does not
3 appear on your Start menu, you
may need to enable it. To do so,
click Programs in Control Panel,
click Turn Windows Features On or
Off under Programs and Features,
click the Windows Fax and Scan
checkbox to select it, and click OK.
3 Click Windows Fax and Scan.
2
1
The Windows Fax and Scan
window opens.
l Your Inbox, where faxes you
have received appear, is here.
l The contents of the fax selected
in the Inbox appear here.
l Click these buttons to switch
between Fax and Scan view.
l You can store and organize your
faxes here.
l Click here to start a new fax.
l Click here to start a new scan.
23
FILE AND FOLDER
BACKUP WIZARD
If a disaster — such as theft, loss, breakage, or virus Although you can run backups manually (for
attack — were to befall your computer, certain files, example, if you have just uploaded photographs
such as digital pictures, would be impossible to replace. to your computer or if you are about to make system
Others, such as files used for work, would be incredibly changes such as adding new hardware), you should
time-consuming and laborious to reconstruct. For this set up your system to do so automatically by using
reason, you should back up your files — that is, copy the File and Folder Backup Wizard.
your files to a storage medium such as an external
hard drive, a CD, or a DVD, and store the backup in See also>> Backup and Restore
a safe, separate location from your computer
(preferably somewhere fireproof).
See also>> CompletePC Backup
1 In Control Panel, click the Back
Up Your Computer link under
1 System and Maintenance.
l The Backup and Restore Center
opens.
2 Click the Back Up Files button.
2
Note: If prompted, type the
administrator password or click
Continue.
l The File and Folder Backup
Wizard starts.
24
FLIP 3D F
As you work on your Vista PC, you will likely have running Windows Vista’s Aero interface. (Note that
several windows open at once. To switch among if the Windows Aero option is not available, it
these open windows, you can use Flip 3D. This means your computer’s video card is not up to the
feature arranges your open windows in a stack task of displaying it. Note, too, that this feature is
that appears three-dimensional, enabling you to not available for Windows Vista Starter or
quickly see which one is which and select the one Windows Vista Home Basic software packages.)
you need.
In order to use Flip 3D, your system must have See also>> Aero
an adequately powerful video card, and must be
1 Open several windows in Vista.
2 Hold down the Windows logo
key on your keyboard.
3 Press the Tab key.
Vista switches to Flip 3D mode.
4 Still holding down the Windows
logo key, press the Tab key
repeatedly to cycle through the
open windows.
5 When the window you want to
work with is at the top of the
stack, release the Windows logo
key.
25
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*
GADGETS
Windows Sidebar, the vertical bar that can be displayed example, suppose you are creating a WordPad
on the right side of your screen, houses gadgets. document that will serve as an invoice and you need
Some are mini programs that offer information such as to calculate the amount due. If the calculator gadget
news headlines, weather conditions, exchange rates, is already displayed on the Sidebar, you can simply
and stock movement. Others offer access to frequently click it to use it rather than clicking the Start button,
used tools such as Calendar, Contacts, and a clock. choosing All Programs, clicking Accessories, and
If you seek entertainment, you can enjoy Windows’ selecting Calculator.
slide show or picture-puzzle gadget.
By default, the Sidebar displays a clock, a photo See also>> Windows Sidebar
slideshow, and news headlines. You can, however,
add and remove gadgets from your Sidebar as
See also>> Gadgets
desired.
The great thing about gadgets is they provide instant
access to the tools and information you need. For
1 To display Windows Sidebar, click
Start.
2 Click All Programs.
3 Click Accessories.
4 Click Windows Sidebar.
3
4
2
1
l Windows Sidebar opens, with
gadgets displayed.
26
GAMES G
Even the most dedicated professional needs to Note that, by default, Windows games are not
take a break now and then. Windows Vista’s installed in Windows Vista Business and Windows
games offer the perfect diversion. Vista Enterprise editions. To install them, open
Game options range from traditional card games, Control Panel, click Programs, click Advanced
such as Hearts and Solitaire, to simulated games Options, and double-click Windows Features.
such as chess and mahjong. Vista also includes In the dialog box that opens, click the Games
a game just for kids, Purble Place, designed to checkbox to select it and click OK.
teach memory, pattern-recognition, and reasoning
skills.
1 Click Start.
2 Click All Programs.
3 Click Games.
4 Click the name of the game
you want to open (here,
Spider Solitaire).
3
4
2
1
The game starts.
27
IMPORT VIDEO WIZARD
If you have a digital video camera, you can import connection and set your camera mode to play
video you have shot using the camera to your recorded video. In most cases, Windows Vista
Windows Vista system. You might do so in order automatically launches the Import Video Wizard.
to burn the footage onto a DVD using DVD Maker If the wizard does not start, you can start it from
or to edit the footage into a movie with Windows Windows Movie Maker, as described here.
Movie Maker. The following digital video formats
are supported: ASF, AVI, M1V, MP2, MP2V, MPE, See also>> Movie Maker
MPEG, MPG, MPV2, WM, and WMV.
To import footage from a digital video camera, use
See also>> DVD Maker
the Import Video Wizard. First, connect the camera
to your computer using an IEEE 1394 or USB 2.0 Movie Maker: Create
3 1 Connect your digital video
camera to your computer
using an IEEE 1394 or
USB 2.0 connection.
4
2 Set the camera to its playback
mode.
3 From within Movie Maker, click
File.
4 Click Import from Digital Video
Camera.
Windows launches the Import
Video Wizard.
28
INTERNET EXPLORER 7 I
Internet Explorer 7 operates in much the same Internet Explorer 7 also enables users to
way as earlier versions of the Web browser. You subscribe to feeds — that is, syndicated Web
type the URL of the site you want to visit in the content, such as news feeds, blogs, and so on.
Address bar, you click the Back and Forward Perhaps more important, Internet Explorer 7
buttons to return to previous pages and then back includes greatly enhanced security.
again, you click the Favorites button to add the To start Internet Explorer 7, click Start and click
sites you really like to your Favorites, and so on. Internet.
That said, Internet Explorer 7 also offers several
new features. For example, tabbed browsing See also>> Internet Explorer 7
enables users to open multiple sites in a single
browser window — the upshot being that there
are fewer taskbar buttons to contend with.
l Type a URL in the Address bar.
l Click Refresh to refresh the currently
displayed site.
l Click Stop to stop the page-loading
process.
l To search the Web, type a keyword or
phrase in the Live Search field and
press Enter.
l Click Back and Forward to return to
previous pages and back again.
l Click Favorites to view your Favorites.
l Click Add to Favorites to add the
currently displayed page to your
Favorites.
l View and switch between tabs here.
l Click Home to return to the site
displayed when Internet Explorer 7
is launched.
l Click Feeds to view subscribed feeds.
l Click Print to print the currently
displayed page.
l Click Page to access page options,
such as Zoom.
l Click Tools to access tools, such as the
Phishing Filter.
l View security settings here, and
double-click to change them.
29
INTERNET EXPLORER
PROTECTED MODE
Microsoft strongly recommends that you run Internet to install turns out to be malware, it can access only
Explorer 7 in Protected mode, and enables that mode those settings on your computer that a standard
by default. Protected mode warns you when a site user can change, not the settings that require an
attempts to install software on your computer, administrator password.
making it much more difficult for unsavory sites to
install malicious software such as viruses, worms, See also>> Internet Options
Trojan horses, and the like on your computer.
(Malicious software is also known as malware.)
See also>> Phishing Filter
Operating in Protected mode also allows you to install
programs you do want as a standard user rather than
Security Zones
as an administrator. That way, if the program you try
1 Click Start.
2 Click Internet.
2
1
Windows launches Internet
Explorer 7.
l Internet Explorer indicates
whether Protected mode is
turned on or off here.
30
INTERNET OPTIONS I
You can configure various aspects of the Microsoft configure specific settings that are related to
Internet Explorer 7 Web browser. For example, privacy and communications, as well as advanced
you can activate or deactivate the parental options that control how the browser functions.
controls that restrict access to adult content. You
can also custom-configure security zones that the See also>> Internet Explorer 7
browser uses to determine whether to accept
cookies. (Cookies are small files that are placed
See also>> Content Advisor
on your computer by many Web sites to help to
identify you while you are there.)
Security Zones
You can access these features through the
Internet Options dialog box. There, you can
1 In Internet Explorer, click Tools.
1
2 Click Internet Options to open
the Internet Options dialog box.
l Click General to access general
settings such as the browser’s
home page, search defaults,
and so on.
2
l Click Security to access security
settings pertaining to security
zones, Protected mode, and so
on.
l Click Privacy to access settings
that relate to privacy and pop-
ups.
l Click Content to set up Parental
Controls, Content Advisors,
Feeds, and more.
l Click Connections to set up an
Internet account, adjust settings
for a LAN, and so on.
l Click Programs to choose a
default Web browser, HTML
editing program, and e-mail
program.
l Click Advanced to access
advanced settings pertaining
to accessibility, browsing,
3 multimedia, and more.
3 Click OK.
31
MAIL
Windows Mail is the e-mail program included with newsreader is a program that enables you to
Windows Vista. In order to use Windows Mail, you download, read, and post newsgroup messages. A
must have signed up with an Internet service newsgroup is an online discussion forum for users
provider (ISP), and have set up an e-mail address from all over the world with common interests.
with that provider. You must also set up your account
within Windows Mail; to do so, you will need the See also>> Mail: Create Mailing List
e-mail address (and password) you created and set
up with your ISP, as well as the names of the Mail: Filter
incoming and outgoing e-mail servers the ISP will
use with your account. (Obtain this information from Mail: Send
your ISP.)
Mail: Set Up Account
In addition to functioning as an e-mail program,
Windows Mail also acts as a newsreader. A Mail: Set Up Newsreader
1 Click Start and click E-mail. The
Windows Mail window opens on
the desktop.
l The folders list displays all the
folders within your e-mail
account.
l Messages you have received
appear here.
l Preview the selected message
here.
l Click the Create Mail button to
create a new e-mail message.
l Click Reply to reply to the sender
of the selected message.
l Click Reply All to reply to the
sender of the selected message,
as well as to all other recipients
of the message.
l Click Forward to forward the
selected message to a new
recipient.
l Click Print to print the selected
message.
l Click Delete to delete the
selected message.
l Click Send/Receive to send any
messages in your Outbox and
receive any messages waiting for
you on your ISP’s incoming mail
32 server.
MEDIA LIBRARY M
Windows Media Player is Windows Vista’s built-in column of information such as Title, Album, or
tool for watching and listening to media files such Artist. Click a column heading to sort the entries
as videos and music. based on the column data. You can also specify
When you save a media file on your PC — for which columns appear in the Library list. Right-
example, a music file in the Music folder or a click any column heading and then click to
digital photo in your Pictures folder — you can deselect any columns that you want to hide.
access it through Windows Media Player’s Media
Library. Windows Media Player also automatically See also>> Media Player
saves any video or music files you play online in
the library. See also>> Media Player: Find New
You can sort the items in your Media Library,
based on ascending or descending order, for each Media Player: Rip
1 Click Start.
2 Click All Programs.
3 Click Windows Media Player.
3
2
1
4 Windows Media Player opens on
5 your desktop.
6 4 If the Media Library is not
already displayed, click the
Library tab.
5 To view a different category of
content — say, video instead of
music — click the Select a
Category button.
6 Choose the desired category.
The library changes to display
the type of content you
specified.
33
MEDIA PLAYER
Windows Media Player allows you to listen to an and offers easy-to-use playback tools to allow you
audio CD or play a movie that you have downloaded. to watch DVD movies from your desktop. (Keep in
You can also turn a collection of MP3s into a custom mind, however, that not every graphics adapter —
CD that you can play in the car or send to your the part of your computer that draws what you see
portable audio device, such as an MP3 player. Windows on the monitor screen — is capable of playing DVD
Media Player can also play streaming audio and video movies.)
such as from an Internet radio broadcast site. You
can even shop various online stores from within See also>> Media Library
Media Player.
Media Player recognizes most of the popular media See also>> Media Player: Burn
formats, including AVI movies and MP3 audio files,
Media Player: Find New
1 Click Start.
2 Click All Programs.
3 Click Windows Media Player.
3
2
1
Windows Media Player opens on
your desktop.
34
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