Windows Vista ™
Just the Steps ™
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by Nancy Muir
Windows Vista ™
Just the Steps ™
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by Nancy Muir
Windows Vista™ Just the Steps™ For Dummies®
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published 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, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be
addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355,
or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way,
Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Just the Steps, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Windows Vista is a
trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES
WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WAR-
RANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED
OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE
FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING
LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COM-
PETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES
ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A
POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFOR-
MATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE
AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS
WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.
For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, out-
side the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2006936744
ISBN: 978-0-471-78685-6
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
1B/QX/RS/QW/IN
About the Author Author’s Acknowledgments
Nancy Muir has written over 50 books on topics rang- The author would like to thank the folks at Wiley for
ing from desktop applications to online safety and their continued faith in her work, and specifically
distance learning. She has also contributed articles to Kyle Looper and Blair Pottenger, the acquisitions
several national magazines on topics such as distance and project editors on this book, respectively.
learning and home design. Prior to her freelance career, Their support and encouragement made working on
Nancy worked in the software and book publishing a tight schedule with a very new version of Windows
industries and has taught technical writing at the bearable!
university level. She holds a certificate in distance
learning design.
Dedication
To my wonderful husband, Earl, for his neverending
support and love. And to his folks, Nettie and Dick,
for putting up with my hectic schedule during their
summer visit with grace and humor.
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 Composition Services
Project Editor: Blair J. Pottenger Project Coordinator: Jennifer Theriot
Acquisitions Editor: Kyle Looper Layout and Graphics: Denny Hager, Heather Ryan,
Senior Copy Editor: Teresa Artman Ronald Terry, Erin Zeltner
Technical Editor: Lee Musick Proofreaders: Linda Seifert, Charles Spencer
Brian H. Walls
Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner
Indexer: Lynnzee Elze
Media Development Specialists: Angela Denny, Kate Jenkins,
Steven Kudirka, Kit Malone
Media Development Manager: Laura VanWinkle
Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth
Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
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
Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Contents at a Glance
Introduction............................................1 Part V: Using Security and
Maintenance Features .........................147
Part I: Working in Windows Vista ............3 Chapter 14: Setting Passwords and File Access .........................149
Chapter 1: Exploring the Windows Vista Desktop........................5 Chapter 15: Protecting Windows ...............................................157
Chapter 2: Controlling Applications with Windows Vista.........15 Chapter 16: Maintaining Windows ...........................................165
Chapter 3: Working with Files and Folders .................................23
Chapter 4: Using Built-In Windows Applications.......................35 Part VI: Fixing Common Problems.........173
Chapter 5: Using the Windows Sidebar and Gadgets.................43 Chapter 17: Troubleshooting Hardware Problems...................175
Chapter 18: Troubleshooting Software Problems.....................183
Part II: Getting on the Internet ..............55 Chapter 19: Getting Help ...........................................................189
Chapter 6: Accessing the Internet.................................................57
Chapter 7: Browsing the Web with Internet Explorer.................67 Part VII: Fun and Games .....................197
Chapter 8: Exchanging E-Mail with Windows Mail....................83 Chapter 20: Playing Games in Windows Vista..........................199
Chapter 9: Working Remotely ......................................................99 Chapter 21: Playing Music in Windows Vista............................207
Chapter 22: Working with Photos in Photo Gallery.................217
Part III: Setting Up Hardware
and Networks .....................................107 Index..................................................225
Chapter 10: Setting Up New Hardware......................................109
Chapter 11: Setting Up a Network..............................................119
Part IV: Customizing the
Windows Desktop ................................127
Chapter 12: Setting Up Your Display ........................................129
Chapter 13: Customizing Windows Ease of Access ..................137
I
➟
’m guessing you have a healthy dislike of computer books. You don’t
want to wade through a long tome on Windows Vista. Rather, you just
want to get in, find out how to do something, and get out. You’re not alone.
I was itching to write a book where I could get right to the details of how to
do things — and move on. None of that telling you what I’m going to tell Introduction
you, saying my piece, and then reviewing for you what I just said. That’s why
I was delighted to tackle a Just the Steps For Dummies book on Windows
Vista. Conventions used
in this book
About This Book ➟ When you have to type something in a text
box, I put it in bold type.
Windows Vista is a very robust piece of software, with about as much func-
tionality as Einstein on a good day. If you own a Windows Vista computer ➟ For menu commands, I use the ➪ symbol to
(and I assume you do, or you should rush back to the bookstore for a separate menu items. For example, choose
refund, pronto!) you likely spend a lot of time everyday in the Windows Tools➪Internet Options. The ➪ symbol is just
Vista environment. Knowing how to harness the power of this operating sys- my way of saying “Choose Internet Options
tem is what this book is all about. As the title suggests, I give you just the from the Tools menu.”
steps you need to do many of the most common Windows Vista tasks. This
book is all about getting productive right away. ➟ Points of interest in some figures are circled.
The text tells you what to look for, and the cir-
cle makes it easy to find.
Why You Need This Book
This icon points out insights or
You can’t wait weeks to master Windows Vista. It’s where all your software helpful suggestions related to
lives as well as how you get to your e-mail and documents. You have to fig- tasks in the step list.
ure out Windows Vista quickly. You might need to poke around Windows
Vista and do work while learning. When you hit a bump in the road, you
need a quick answer to get you moving again. This book is full of quick,
clear steps that keep your learning in high gear.
Windows Vista Just the Steps For Dummies
How This Book Is Organized Part V: Using Security and Maintenance Features
This book is conveniently divided into several handy parts. Windows Vista provides lots of ways to keep your informa-
tion safe, from passwords to protect your files to tools to
prevent viruses and spyware from attacking your system.
Part I: Working in Windows Vista There are also several features that help keep your system up
to date and trouble-free.
Here’s where you get the basics of opening and closing soft-
ware applications, working with files and folders to manage
the documents you create, and using built-in Windows Part VI: Fixing Common Problems
applications like the Calculator and WordPad.
Yes, I admit it, even Windows Vista can have problems.
Luckily, it also has tools to get you out of trouble. In this
Part II: Getting on the Internet part, I explain how to deal with hardware and software
problems as well as how to get help when you need it.
The whole world is online, and you can’t be left behind.
Here’s where I show you how to connect, how to browse,
ways for using the Internet to stay in touch when you’re on Part VII: Fun and Games
the road, and how to do e-mail.
Finally, you’ve earned some fun. Go to these chapters to dis-
cover a world of games, music, and photos just waiting for
Part III: Setting Up Hardware and Networks you in Windows Vista.
In addition to software, Windows helps you work with hard-
ware and connections between computers. You might have
to make a little effort to set up new hardware or a home net-
Get Ready To . . .
work. This part is where I show you how to do that.
Whether you need to open a piece of software and get work-
ing, check your e-mail, or get online, just browse this book,
Part IV: Customizing the Windows Desktop pick a task, and jump in. Windows Vista can be your best
friend if you know how to use it, and the tasks covered in
You want Windows Vista to function in a way that matches this book will make you a Windows Vista master in no time.
your style, right? This is the part where I cover customizing
the look of Windows Vista, customizing its behavior, and
making it user friendly for those with access challenges.
➟2
Part I
Working in Windows
Vista
Chapter 1: Exploring the Windows Vista Desktop . . . .5 Rename a File or Folder ..........................................29
Create a Shortcut to a File or Folder ......................29
Log On and Off Windows Vista................................6 Print a File ................................................................30
Work with the Start Menu .........................................7 Delete a File or Folder..............................................31
Work with the Quick Launch Bar .............................8 Create a Compressed File or Folder .......................32
Set the Date and Time ...............................................9 Add a File to Your Favorites List .............................33
Arrange Icons on the Desktop.................................10
Create a Desktop Shortcut .......................................11 Chapter 4: Using Built-In Windows Applications . . . .35
Empty the Recycle Bin .............................................12 Create a Formatted Document in WordPad ..........36
Shut Down Your Computer ....................................13 Edit a Picture in Paint..............................................37
Chapter 2: Controlling Applications View a Digital Image in the
with Windows Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Windows Photo Gallery........................................38
Enter Contacts in Windows Contacts.....................40
Launch an Application ............................................16 Clip with the Windows Snipping Tool ...................41
Resize Application Windows...................................17 Track Your Time in Windows Calendar .................42
Switch between Running Applications...................17
Move Information between Applications ..............18 Chapter 5: Using the Windows
Start an Application Automatically ........................19 Sidebar and Gadgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Close an Application ...............................................21 Set Up the Windows Sidebar ..................................44
Set Program Defaults...............................................22 Add Gadgets to the Sidebar ....................................45
Uninstall an Application.........................................22 Make a Note with Notes .........................................46
Chapter 3: Working with Files and Folders . . . . . . . .23 Display a Continuous Slide Show ..........................47
Use the Windows Calculator ..................................48
Access Recently Used Items Play with Puzzles .....................................................49
from the Start Menu..............................................24 Convert Currency.....................................................50
Locate Files and Folders in Your Computer...........25 Add a Feed to the Windows Sidebar.......................51
Locate Files and Folders in Windows Explorer......26 Get the Latest Stock Quotes ....................................52
Search for a File .......................................................27 Monitor Your CPU...................................................53
Move a File or Folder...............................................28
Exploring the
Windows Vista ➟ Chapter
Desktop
J ust as your desk is the central area from which you do all kinds of work,
the Windows Vista desktop is a command center for organizing your
computer work. Here you find the Start menu, which you use to access
Get ready to . . .
1
information about your computer, files, folders, and applications. You’ll also ➟ Log On and Off Windows Vista ....................6
find a taskbar that offers settings, such as your computer’s date and time,
as well as shortcuts to your most frequently accessed programs or files. ➟ Work with the Start Menu ............................7
In this chapter, you explore the desktop, which appears when you log on ➟ Work with the Quick Launch Bar ..................8
to Windows Vista. Along the way, you discover the Recycle Bin, the Quick
Launch bar (this might sound like a salad bar at a fast-food restaurant, but
➟ Set the Date and Time..................................9
it’s actually the area of the Windows Vista taskbar that lets you open fre- ➟ Arrange Icons on the Desktop ....................10
quently used programs), and how to shut down your computer when you’re
done for the day. ➟ Create a Desktop Shortcut..........................11
Here, then, are the procedures that you can use to take advantage of the ➟ Empty the Recycle Bin................................12
desktop features of Windows Vista.
➟ Shut Down Your Computer ........................13
Chapter 1: Exploring the Windows Vista Desktop
Log On and Off Windows Vista
1. Turn on your computer to begin the Windows Vista
start-up sequence.
2. In the resulting Windows Vista Welcome screen, enter
your password and click the arrow button (or click
Switch User and choose another user to log on as).
Windows Vista verifies your password and displays
the Windows Vista desktop, as shown in Figure 1-1.
(Note: If you haven’t set up the password protection
feature or more than one user, you’re taken directly to
the Windows Vista desktop. For more on adding and
changing passwords, see Chapter 12.)
3. To log off the current user account, first save any open
documents, close any open applications, and then
choose Start. Then click the arrow next to the Lock but-
ton and choose Log Off. Windows Vista logs off and dis- Figure 1-1: The Windows Vista desktop
plays a list of users. To log on again, click a user icon.
After you set up more than one user, before you get to the password
To create another user, choose Start➪Control Panel➪User Accounts screen, you have to click the icon for the user you wish to log on as.
and Family Safety➪Add or Remove User Accounts. Then click Create
a New Account. Follow instructions to enter a name for the account and
set a password for it, if you like.
To log on as another user as described in Step 3, you have to enable
Fast User Switching in the User Account settings.
➟6
Work with the Start Menu
Work with the Start Menu
1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard or click the
Start button on the desktop to display the Start menu
(see Figure 1-2).
2. From the Start menu, you can do any of the following:
• Click All Programs to display a list of all programs on
your computer. You can click any program in the list
to open it.
• Click any category on the right of the Start menu to
display a Windows Explorer window with related
folders and files (see Figure 1-3).
• Click either frequently used programs at the top left
of the Start menu or recently used programs just
below them. Figure 1-2: The Start menu
• Click the Power button icon to close all programs
and turn off Windows, or click the Lock icon to lock
your computer.
• Click the arrow next to the Lock button to display a
menu of choices for shutting down or restarting your
computer, logging off, or for logging in as a different
user.
3. When you move your cursor away from the Start menu,
it disappears.
Open the Start menu and right-click in a blank area, and click
Properties to display the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog
box, where you can customize the Start menu behavior. If you
would rather use the look and feel of the Start menu in older ver-
sions of Windows, select Classic Start Menu in the Taskbar and Start
Menu Properties dialog box and then click OK.
➟
Figure 1-3: A Windows Explorer window
7
Chapter 1: Exploring the Windows Vista Desktop
Work with the Quick Launch Bar
1. Locate the Quick Launch bar on the taskbar just to the
right of the Start button; if it’s not visible, right-click the
taskbar and choose Toolbars➪Quick Launch from the
shortcut menu (see Figure 1-4). By default, it includes
the Show Desktop and Switch between Windows icons.
2. To place any application on the Quick Launch bar, as
shown in Figure 1-5, right-click that application in the
Start menu or on the Desktop and then choose Add to
Quick Launch. You can also click and drag it to the
Quick Launch bar. (If you want help creating a desktop
shortcut, see the task, “Create a Desktop Shortcut,” later
in this chapter.)
If you have more programs in this area than can be shown on the
taskbar, click the arrows to the right of the Quick Launch bar; a Figure 1-4: The Toolbars menu
shortcut menu of programs appears. However, don’t create too
much clutter on your Quick Launch bar, which can make it unwieldy.
Logical candidates to place here are your Internet browser, your
e-mail program, and programs that you use every day, such as a
word processor or calendar program.
When the Quick Launch bar is displayed, the Show Desktop button
is available. When you click this button, all open applications are
reduced to taskbar icons. It’s a quick way to clean your desktop —
or hide what you’re up to!
➟8
Figure 1-5: Add icons to the Quick Launch bar
Set the Date and Time
Set the Date and Time
1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to display the
taskbar if it isn’t visible.
2. Right-click the Date/Time display on the far right of the
taskbar and then choose Adjust Date/Time from the
shortcut menu that appears.
3. Click the Change Date and Time (see Figure 1-6) button
and in the Date and Time Settings dialog box click
another date on the calendar. Enter a new time in the
Time box to change the time. Click OK.
4. To change the time zone, from the Date and Time Figure 1-6: The Date and Time Properties dialog box
Properties dialog box click the Change Time Zone but-
ton. Choose another time zone from the Time Zone list
and click OK.
5. Click OK to apply the new settings and close the dia-
log box.
If you don’t want your computer to adjust for Daylight Saving Time,
click Change Time Zone and click the Automatically Adjust Clock for
Daylight Saving Time checkbox to turn this feature off.
Another option for displaying the time or date is to add the Clock or
Calendar gadgets to the Windows Sidebar. You can also drag gadgets
right onto your desktop if you prefer not to leave the Sidebar dis-
played. See Chapter 5 for more about using the Sidebar and Gadgets.
➟ 9
Chapter 1: Exploring the Windows Vista Desktop
Arrange Icons on the Desktop
1. Right-click the desktop and choose View in the resulting
shortcut menu; be sure that Auto Arrange isn’t selected,
as shown in Figure 1-7. (If it is selected, deselect it
before proceeding to the next step.)
Figure 1-7: The Desktop shortcut menu,
2. Right-click the Windows Vista desktop. In the resulting View submenu
shortcut menu, choose Sort By and then click the crite-
ria for sorting your desktop shortcuts (see Figure 1-8).
3. You can also click any icon and drag it to another loca-
tion on the desktop — for example, to separate it from
other desktop icons so you can find it easily.
If you’ve rearranged your desktop by moving items hither, thither,
and yon and you want your icons in orderly rows along the left side Figure 1-8: The Desktop shortcut menu,
of your desktop, snap them into place with the Auto Arrange feature. Sort By submenu
Right-click the desktop and then choose View➪Auto Arrange.
Want to quickly hide all your desktop open windows? Say the boss
is headed your way, and all you have there is games? Click the
Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch bar. Poof! They’re all gone,
and your job is secure. Just click items on the taskbar to display
each window again.
➟
10
Create a Desktop Shortcut
Create a Desktop Shortcut
1. Choose Start➪All Programs and locate the program on
the list of programs that appears.
2. Right-click an item, Freecell for example, and choose
Send To➪Desktop (Create Shortcut) (see Figure 1-9).
3. The shortcut appears on the desktop (see Figure 1-10).
Double-click the icon to open the application.
Occasionally, Windows Vista offers to delete desktop icons that you
haven’t used in a long time. Let it. The desktop should be reserved
for frequently used programs, files, and folders. You can always re-
create shortcuts easily if you need them again.
To clean up your desktop manually, right-click the desktop and
choose Personalize. Click Change Desktop Icons in the Tasks list on Figure 1-9: The Send To shortcut menu
the left. In the Desktop Icons setting dialog box that appears, click
the Restore Default button, which returns to the original desktop
shortcuts set up on your computer.
You can create a shortcut for a brand new item by right-clicking the
desktop, choosing New, and then choosing an item to place there,
such as a text document, bitmap image, or contact. Then double-
click the shortcut that appears and begin working on the file in the
associated application.
Figure 1-10: A new shortcut on the desktop
➟ 11
Copyright by webtailieu.net