Wiley Windows Vista For Dummies
Contents
1. Windows gets its name from all the cute little windows it places on your monitor Each window shows information such as a picture a program that you re running or a baffling technical reprimand You can put several win dows on screen at the same time and jump from window to window visiting different programs You can also enlarge a window to fill the entire screen Like the mother with the whistle in the lunch court Windows controls every window and each part of your computer When you turn on your computer Windows jumps onto the screen and supervises any running programs Throughout all this action Windows keeps things running smoothly even if the programs start throwing food at each other In addition to controlling your computer and bossing around your programs Windows Vista comes with a bunch of free programs Although your com puter can run without these programs they re nice to have These programs let you do different things like write and print letters browse the Internet play music and even whittle down your camcorder s vacation footage into a three minute short automatically And why are you using Windows Vista If you re like most people you didn t have much choice Nearly every computer sold since early 2007 comes with Windows Vista preinstalled A few people escaped Windows by buying Apple computers those nicer looking computers that cost more But chances are you your neighbors your boss your2. Sb v ap Page v G loot v noropa myska A This might be a phish biit buctraa SP pectoranet peoeparea A erick Report whether or not this is a phishing mends that you do net give to such websites ag website epeepe n What is Phishing Filter l pontar WT ERE B BbIXOAHbIe B MOCKBE GYAET TENNAA H cyxan E norana L 4 Done Internet Protected Mode On 100 14 Parti Windows Vista Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know New Media Player and Media Center Vista s new version of Media Player sports streamlined easier to use con trols The big star however is Vista s Media Center which not only plays DVDs and music but lets you watch TV on your PC and even record shows onto your hard drive for later viewing Recording TV shows requires two important things however a TV tuner in your PC and the proper version of Vista Vista comes in a startling five ver sions all described at this chapter s end Installing a TV tuner can be as simple as plugging a box into your PC s USB port or sliding a card inside your PC I describe both tasks in one of my other books Upgrading and Fixing PCs For Dummies published by Wiley Publishing Inc DUD burning More than five years after DVD burners hit the market Windows can finally take advantage of them without third party software Windows Vista lets you copy files and movies to DVDs as well as CDs In fact Vista s updated version of Mo
3. delivered Hela onde S Pant AteROUaT and installed on your PC by Windows Update doesn t change the way Vista works onthe sur For more information about Windows Update face But when the service pack arrived on your and its automatic downloading of patches visit PC in early 2008 it made Vista run more Chapter 10 continued 20 Part I Windows Vista Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know continued Service Pack 1 is installed Tasks Device Manager Remote settings System protection Advanced system settings View basic information about your computer Windows edition Windows Vista Ultimate Copyright 2007 Microsoft Corporation All rights reserved l Service Pack System Rating dows Experience Index Processor Intel R Pentium R 4 CPU 3 00GHz 3 00 GHz Memory RAM 1 00 GB Systern type 32 bit Operating System Computer name domain and workgroup settings Cornputer name Vista SP Change setting Full computer name Vista Computer description Workgroup HOME Windows activation Windows is activated Leam mere online
4. Chapter 1 What Is Windows Vista In This Chapter Getting to know Windows Vista Introducing the new features in Windows Vista Understanding how Windows Vista affects your old programs Figuring out whether your PC is powerful enough to run Windows Vista Knowing which version of Windows Vista you need C hances are you ve probably heard about Windows the boxes and win dows and mouse pointer that greet you whenever you turn on your computer In fact millions of people all over the world are puzzling over it as you read this book Almost every new computer sold today comes with a copy of Windows preinstalled cheerfully greeting you when first turned on This chapter helps you understand why Windows lives inside your computer and introduces Microsoft s latest Windows version called Windows Vista It explains how Windows Vista differs from previous Windows versions whether you should upgrade to Vista and how well your faithful old PC will weather the upgrade What Is Windows Vista and Why Are Vou Using It Created and sold by a company called Microsoft Windows isn t like your usual software that lets you write term papers or send angry e mails to mail order companies No Windows is an operating system meaning it controls the way you work with your computer It s been around for more than 20 years and the latest whiz bang version is called Windows Vista 10 Part I Windows Vista Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know
5. Memory s easy to install and relatively cheap so don t skimp here 1 DVD drive Unlike Windows XP which comes on a CD Windows Vista comes on a DVD That means your PC needs a working DVD drive to install it That probably won t rule out many PCs these days but it may rule out some older laptops Windows Vista should be able to run most of your current programs without problems Some however won t work including most security based programs such as antivirus firewall and security programs You ll need to contact the program s manufacturer to see whether it ll give you a free upgrade a Shopping for a new PC to run Vista Visit any store and you ll find plenty of PCs running Vista To see how well a particular PC handles Vista click the Start button choose Control Panel and open the System and Maintenance category There select Performance Information and Tools Vista displays that particular PC s Windows Experience Index which ranges from 1 dismal to 5 excellent Not sure what version of Windows your PC has Right click Computer from the Start menu and choose Properties That screen states your Windows version Can I Make Windows Vista Look and Feel Like Windows XP OWS Xp g Some people crave Vista s new interface others feel like they re looking at a rental car s unfamiliar dashboard Follow these steps to make Vista look almost like Windows XP 1 Start by changing the Start menu Righ
6. Windows needs your permission to run this pro gram Then it leaves you with two choices Allow or Cancel To ease you through this admittedly difficult new responsibility I cover Vista s new security features in Chapter 10 And although Windows Defender keeps you covered from spyware Vista doesn t include a free antivirus program Instead Microsoft invites you to subscribe to its new Live OneCare antivirus program www windowsonecare com for 49 dollars a year New Internet Explorer version Vista s new Internet Explorer 7 which I cover in Chapter 8 lets you surf the Web more easily and securely with the following new features Chapter 1 What Is Windows Vista Figure 1 2 Internet Explorer s new Phishing Filter alerts you to fake Web sites that try to trick you into entering your name password or credit card information Ear Novra py 404 Joxymext He Ka nen Document Not Found SecnnaTHar NOSTA HeOTpAHRYeHHEs RUIME Window YY Tabbed browsing In the past keeping two Web sites open on screen meant running two copies of Internet Explorer With Vista Internet Explorer displays several Web sites simultaneously each running ina separate page with a clickable tab at the top for easy switching That tab makes it easier to compare prices from several different shopping sites for example or read one Web site while others load in the background You can even save a group of Web sites as your ho
7. for help on making Windows work right Your first two questions are free if you pick up the long distance charges to Redmond Washington The third call and all the rest cost 35 a piece but prices may change at any time Microsoft also uses Windows to plug its own products and services Sometimes you click a menu item that touts something helpful but Windows simply leads you to a Web site where you can purchase additional items from Microsoft or its business partners For example the Start menu normally your launch pad for programs sports an entry for Windows Marketplace The Order Prints option in Windows Photo Gallery doesn t let you enter your own favorite print shop it just lists printers who ve partnered with Microsoft Simply put Windows not only controls your computer but also serves as a huge Microsoft advertising vehicle Take Microsoft s advertis ing flyers with the traditional grain of salt Chapter 1 What Is Windows Vista Should 1 Bother Switching to Windows Vista S S gow Xp Microsoft releases a new version of Windows every few years If you bought your PC between 2001 and 2006 you ve probably grown accustomed to the mechanics of Windows XP That leaves the nagging question why bother upgrading to Windows Vista when Windows XP works just fine Actually if Windows XP s running just fine then you probably won t need Windows Vista But Microsoft hopes the following improvements in Vi
8. his version is Windows Vista Home Basic but with the Home Premium media features tossed back in It targets people who watch TV on their PC or who want to create DVDs from their cam corder footage Windows Vista Just as with its brethren Windows XP Professional this Business aims at the business market It includes a fax program for example but lacks the media related features found in Vista Home Premium Windows Vista This business market version contains even more tools Enterprise such as support for additional languages and larger networks Windows Vista A combination of the Home and Business versions this Ultimate version aims at the wallets of hard core PC users such as gamers people in the video industry and similar people who spend their lives in front of their keyboards Chapter 1 What Is Windows Vista 9 Although five versions may seem complicated choosing the one you need isn t that difficult And because Microsoft stuffed all the versions on your Vista DVD you can upgrade at any time simply by whipping out the credit card and unlocking the features in a different version Here are some guide lines for choosing the version you need 1 If your PC can t display or record TV shows and you don t want to make DVDs from your camcorder footage then save a few bucks by sticking with Windows Vista Home Basic It s fine for word processing e mail and the Internet If you want to burn DVDs and
9. kids at school and millions of other people around the world are using Windows Y Microsoft took pains and several years of work to make Windows Vista the most secure version of Windows yet Just ask people who upgraded from previous versions 1 Windows makes it easy for several people to share a single computer Each person receives his or her own user account When users click their name at the Windows opening screen they see their own work just the way they left it Vista adds new controls for parents to limit how their kids use the PC as well as how much of the Internet they can view 1 Anew automated version of Backup makes it easier to do what you should have been doing all along Make copies of your important files every night Vista Home includes the Backup program but it s not auto matic You must remember to run the program each night 1 Finally Vista s powerful new search program means that you can forget about where you stored your files Just click the Start menu and type what that file contained a few words in a document the name of the band singing the song or even the date you took that picture of Kelly at the office party Yes Microsoft is sneaky Microsoft may tout Windows as your helpful computing companion always keeping your best interests in mind but that s not really true Windows always keeps Microsoft s interests in mind You ll find that out as soon as you call Microsoft
10. me page Whenever you load Internet Explorer your favorite sites will already be waiting for you each living in its own tab Phishing filter An evil new industry called phishing sends e mails that pretend to be from finance related companies such as banks PayPal eBay and others The realistic looking e mails pretend to alert you to some security problem as they try to trick you into entering your name and precious password Internet Explorer s new Phishing Filter shown in Figure 1 2 sniffs out the phishing Web sites before you enter your infor mation keeping your name and password safe Y Built in Search box Tired of racing off to Google to find a Web site The top of Internet Explorer 7 sports a tiny Search box for on the fly searches Although it s programmed to search on Microsoft s own MSN search Chapter 8 shows you how to make it search Google instead RSS feeds Short for Really Simple Syndication this feature lets you see headlines from your favorite Web sites in a short drop down box By ogling the RSS box you can catch up on the latest news headlines for example without stopping to visit your favorite news site RSS feeds also let you know if your favorite sites have any new articles sparing you a wasted visit RSS feeds speed up your browsing and conveniently leave out the ads G Inttp pochta ru error 404 ntmt w suspicious Website s x Goozie P ve Se go Eimemetnar ig website SR gt By
11. or record TV shows on your PC then pony up the cash for Windows Vista Home Premium 1 People who run Web servers on their PCs and you ll know if you re doing it will want Windows Vista Business YY Dedicated gamers and computer industry professionals will want Windows Vista Ultimate because it includes everything found in the other versions Computer techies who work for businesses will argue with their bosses over whether they need Windows Business or Windows Enterprise versions They l make their decision based on whether they re a small company Windows Business or a large company Windows Enterprise ar That inexpensive Vista Starter version you may have heard about isn t sold in the United States It s sold at reduced prices in developing nations like Malaysia It s not really a goodwill gesture as much as it s an attempt to reduce software piracy Vista s Service Pack 1 Whenever a problem pops up in Windows Vista smoothly under the hood After Service Pack 1 Microsoft releases a small piece of software is installed the words Service Pack 1 appear in called a gatc for a quick fix After a long yearof Vista s System window shown in the following patches Microsoft rolled them all into one figure To see whether your PC has Service megapatch called a Service Pack Pack 1 installed click the Start menu right click Computer choose Properties and then look for Vista s Service Pack 1 automatically
12. s All the windows appear on your PC in a Flip 3D view shown in Figure 1 4 6 Part I Windows Vista Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know Figure 1 4 To see a 3D view of your currently open win dows press Tab while holding down the Windows key Press Tab or spin your mouse s scroll wheel to flip through the windows and then let go of the Windows key when your window is on top PC Hover your mouse pointer over any name listed on your desktop s taskbar and Vista displays a thumbnail picture of that window s current contents making your window much easier to retrieve from the sea of programs Can My PC Still Run Vista gWS Xe If your PC already runs Windows XP well it will probably run Vista but not at its best However upgrading your PC with a few things will help Vista run better a job I tackle in Upgrading and Fixing PCs For Dummies 7th edition Here s the shopping list Video Vista requires powerful graphics for its fanciest 3D features such as Flip 3D see Figure 1 4 Upgraded video cards can cost more than 100 and they re not available for laptops But if your PC s video lacks the muscle and your wallet lacks the cash don t despair Vista simply slips into more casual clothes letting your PC run without the 3D views Chapter 1 What Is Windows Vista 7 1 Memory Vista loves memory For best results your PC should have 1GB of memory or more
13. s Calendar Calendars Work E lt N Andy s Calendar 1 URL Coffee Break with newly E 9 ointment intormation Hang out by water JAN aay appointment cooler Tasks nl Start 9 24 2006 J 10 00AM Lunch Nuovo Vesuvio End 9 24 2006 E 11 00AM Recurrence None lt Reminder Finish details at work Ss Reminder None X F Instead of sending you on a constant search for your files Vista automatically remembers your files locations For example search for every document mentioning Celery and Vista instantly lists those files names ready for opening with a double click Whenever you create new documents mention ing Celery Vista automatically remembers their locations too making for quick and easy retrieval Vista places a Search box on the Start menu atop every folder in the Help and Support window and in a few other key spots The handy Search box and Vista s up to date index make it faster than ever to find the files and programs you want Vista even updates its index with words on Web sites you ve visited recently letting you quickly reread that headline you scrolled through last week I explain how to put the Search box to work in Chapter 6 Vista looks prettier Microsoft spent some time decorating Vista with a three dimensional look a treat available only to PCs with powerful graphics capabilities When you can t find an open window for example press the Windows and Tab key
14. sta will push your hand toward your credit card Improved security Windows Vista s tougher new exterior helps make it more difficult for evil programs to louse up your PC For example Vista s built in Windows Defender program constantly searches your PC for any spyware small programs that spy on your activities often showing you pop up ads and slowing down your PC in the process Microsoft constantly trains Windows 11 12 Part I Windows Vista Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know a Figure 1 1 Windows Vista comes with Windows Defender a free spy ware eradi cator that Microsoft automati cally updates to recognize the latest breeds of spyware Defender shown in Figure 1 1 to recognize and squash the newest breeds of spyware 8 Windows Defender loin betel EIS fi Home scnis G rastory Toos 7 Scanning AE 19 Scanning your computer Quick scan Start tme 945 PM Time elapsed 00 00 08 Objeds scanned 244 Object Cwindows system32VCAAPI ail The other parts of Vista s security regime aren t as simple unfortunately See PCs recognize programs as mere strings of numbers and they can t tella good string a word processor for example from a bad string such as a virus To solve the identification problem Vista simply dumps the decision onto your shoulders Whenever a particularly powerful program tries to run on your PC Vista states
15. t click the Start button choose Properties select Classic Start Menu and click OK 2 Next bring back the desktop Right click a blank part of the desktop and choose Personalize Choose Theme and then choose Windows Classic from the Theme pull down menu Click OK 3 Finally put the menus back on top of each folder Open your Documents folder from the Start menu Then click the Organize button choose Folder and Search Options and choose Use Windows Classic Folders Click OK Part I Windows Vista Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know These steps not only bring back the look of previous Windows versions but speed up an older PC that s struggling to keep up with Vista s fancy layers of graphics The Five Flavors of Vista QWS Xe g Windows XP came in two easy to understand versions One for home and one for business Microsoft confuses things in Vista by splitting it into five different versions each with a different price tag Luckily only three versions are aimed at consumers and most people will probably choose Windows Vista Home Premium Still to clear up the confu sion I describe all five versions in Table 1 1 Table 1 1 The Five Flavors of Windows Vista The Version of Vista What It Does Windows Vista Reminiscent of Windows XP Home Edition this version Home Basic leaves out Vista s fancier media features such as DVD burning HDTV TV recording and other similar features Windows Vista T
16. vie Maker described in Chapter 16 lets you turn your camcorder footage into DVDs that play back on a normal DVD player and TV Mail them to your friends and prepare for a deluge of incoming vacation DVDs as well Calendar For the first time Windows now sports a calendar shown in Figure 1 3 for keeping track of your appointments You can even publish your calendar to other PCs or Web sites keeping your appointments synchronized with the calendars of your friends and coworkers Easier searching for files Windows XP really drags its feet when searching for files Searching for a file name takes several minutes on a crowded hard drive and if you re searching your files for a particular word or phrase you re in for a long weekend Vista by contrast spends its idle time fine tuning an index of every word on your hard drive De Figure 1 3 The built in Calendar program in Vista tracks your tasks and appoint ments as well as syn chronizes your calen dar with others to coordinate meetings fj Chapter 1 What Is Windows Vista 5 E Windows Calendar Andy s Calendar lola kel Fie Edit View Share Help B New Appointment jf New Task Delete Gig Today fy View ji Subscnbe Date 9 24 2006 4 September 2005 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 29 W3 1 Wake up stretch yawn 5 6 E 2 14 15 2 2 Location Coffee Room 1 Az 18 2a 25 1 2 28 2 HD Lat breaktast Calendar Andy
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