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web page to people without requiring that they view the web page in a browser. Simply paste the snip into an email message. This only works on HTML-formatted web pages, incidentally. Once a snip is saved, you can reopen the snip with your browser for HTML files or your Paint program for files with picture extensions . You also can copy snips directly from the Snipping Tool window and paste them anywhere as a picture type. This is a great feature if you have to copy a few words out of a document...
Incoming VPN and DialUp Access
Windows 7 has a stripped-down Remote Access Server RAS built in, and you can use it to connect to your computer by modem, or through the Internet, from another location using any computer running Windows 7, Vista, XP, or 2000. After you're connected, you can access your computer's shared files and printers just as you can on your home or office network. This incoming dial-up and VPN feature is available even on the SSTP Adapter, or L2TP Adapter. Note the gateway IP address listed. This address...
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Windows XP introduced a concept called Simple File Sharing when enabled, it entirely eliminated security for file sharing. AH network access was done in the context of the Guest user account, regardless of the remote user's actual account name. Essentially, anyone with physical access to your network could access any shared file. This made it much easier for other people in your home and office to get to each other's files. Horrifyingly, it was enabled by default, and there was no Windows...
Setting Folder Options
Folder Options should be seen as more of a superset of controls over all folders on a system, whereas folder customization occurs on an individual or parent and subfolder basis. Folder Options is a Control Panel applet you can access from Computer and Windows Explorer. This applet is used to set a wide range of file system features. Open the Folder Options dialog box by clicking the Organize button and then clicking Folder and Search Options. The Folder Options dialog box appears as shown in...
Protecting Against DriveBy Downloads of IE AddOns
A recurring cause of instability in Windows machines is attributable to what's sometimes called drive-by downloads from the Web. How many times have you visited a website only to see a popup dialog box saying you need to install software for the website to work on your browser Sometimes it's clearly stated why this is necessary for playing a video, a proprietary sound file, or Flash animation, for example , and other times, the reason is not so clear. All you know is that you are faced with the...
Learning About CommandLine Programs
How do you know what programs are available and how to use them For that, you have to turn to documentation about the command-line environment. For some reason, Microsoft no longer provides this in the Help and Support system, but you can search online, and some programs can be told to display their own usage information. To show you what's available, we have posted a list of all the programs included with Windows 7 at www.helpwin7.com. And you might want to check out Brian's book Windows 7 and...
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Device is not present, not worttno properly, or does not nave all or its drivers installed, A device has a configuration problem that prevents It from working property, The device, Standard PS 2 Keyboard, is reporting tv_ConfigMgrErr24. This device will not be available until the issue Is lesolved.The Plug and Play ID fui this device is ACPI PNP0303 4-349EABE7-0. 1. Verify the correct driver is installed. 2. liy updating the drivers using Windows Update. 3. Check with the manufacturer for an...
Protecting Against Bad Downloaded Programs
IE helps protect your computer from potentially malicious software. When you use IE to download a file, a message might appear in the information bar just below the Address box saying this To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options. Clicking the information bar opens a drop-down list of options see Figure 14.10 . IE offers to block downloads from pages until you specify otherwise. IE offers to block...
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be configured as simple, spanned, mirrored, striped, or RAID-5, as described next. Basic storage partitions can be configured only as simple partitions, unless they are remnants from a previous OS retained during an upgrade. Simple volume Uses free space available on a single disk. This space can be a single contiguous region or multiple concatenated regions. Under the basic storage model, each partition or logical drive is assigned a separate and distinct drive letter, and functions as a...
Detecting and Repairing Disk Errors
NTFS was introduced and billed as a robust and self-healing file system, as opposed to FAT, which is not. All in all, we have to agree with Microsoft on this one. We have yet to see an NTFS partition go sour in any way, shape, or form. We've had NTFS partitions that would not boot and key system files that would not run, but for the most part, these errors were self-inflicted and usually brought on by playing with fire. The disk repair program in Windows 7's GUI is called Error Checking. These...
Configure Passwords and File Sharing
Windows 7 supports password-protected and passwordless file sharing. Before I explain this, I need to give you some background. In the original Windows NT workgroup network security model, when you attempted to use a network resource shared by another computer, Windows would see if your username and password matched an account on that remote computer. One of four things would happen If the username and password exactly matched an account defined on the remote computer, you got that user's...
Sending Faxes from Windows Fax and Scan
To send a fax with Windows Fax and Scan, click the New Fax button to open the New Fax dialog box, shown in Figure 11.4. You can send a fax by printing to the Fax printer, but you can also create one from scratch by clicking New Fax. You can send a fax by printing to the Fax printer, but you can also create one from scratch by clicking New Fax. If your fax modem doesn't work, check the following Test the fax modem To make sure your modem is working properly, open Control Panel. In the search...
Task Scheduler
Task Scheduler can be run from the Administrative Tools window in Control Panel, the System Tools node in Computer Management, or from the Start menu All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Task Scheduler . Using Task Scheduler, you can set up any program or script or even open a document to be run automatically at predetermined times. This utility is very useful for running system maintenance programs or your own scripts and programs when you can't be around to execute them manually. To learn...
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When Windows Explorer shows you free disk space on the original drive, it measures only the space on the physical drive, not space on any grafted drives. You'll actually have more space than you think because files on the grafted folders are stored on another volume. If you want, you can also assign a drive letter to the added volume so that you can view and monitor its free space directly. Alternatively, you can use the command prompt, change to the folder in the grafted volume, and use the...
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A system image file is stored as a virtual hard disk VHD image of the entire disk, excluding some files such as the page file, hibernation file, and so on. For subsequent backups, system images use the persistent VSS mechanism to retain a snapshot of the initial VHD image, and then do a block-by-block image update of the VHD. The VHD now has the most recent disk image, and the shadow copy presents the earlier image that is, Windows retains the original versions of all changed blocks . System...
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Although Windows 7 font management is mostly better than its predecessors, if you're serious about using fonts to make your documents and websites look better, you need better font-management tools than the Fonts folder. Here are a few possibilities check with these and other vendors for versions that are compatible with Windows 7 FontAgent Pro Insider Software www.fontagentpro.com Printer's Apprentice Lose Your Mind Development www.loseyourmind.com Suitcase for Windows Extensis a division of...
The Hosts File
If you have an office LAN, especially one with mixed and matched computers, you probably, like me, have a chart of computer names and IP addresses posted on your wall not just computers, but routers, firewalls, monitored devices, and all manner of devices. Who knows Soon the espresso machine might be wired in, too. On a corporate or enterprise LAN, the LAN administrators will probably enter each device into the organization's domain name system DNS so that you can type a command such as ping...
The Content Advisor
The Content Advisor evaluates web content based on a rating system. The included rating system was originally developed by RSACi Recreational Software Advisory Council on the Internet and is now handled by the Internet Content Rating Association ICRA , but you can add other rating systems, if you want. Set Parental Controls for the selected user in the User Controls window. Set Parental Controls for the selected user in the User Controls window. You must manually enable the Content Advisor, but...
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To select an alternative setting on most systems, clear the Use Automatic Settings check box then click Change Setting to change the settings. If the system displays an error message, use the Setting Based On scroll box to try a different Basic configuration. On some older systems, you might be able to click the resource shown in the Resource Settings window and change it directly. In an attempt to prevent folks from inadvertently doing damage, the Resources tab keeps an eye on what you're...
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To configure Local Security Policy, log in as a Computer Administrator and choose Start, All Programs, Administrative Tools, Local Security Policy. If Administrative Tools doesn't appear on the menu, the Administrative Tools Control Panel applet can get you there. You can also customize the Start menu to display Administrative Tools. A familiar Explorer view then appears, with several main security policy categories in the left pane, as shown in Figure 32.3. I list several policy items you...
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To turn on Windows Aero, select a Windows theme. Colors and sizes selected here apply only if you have selected the Windows 7 Basic theme or an Ease of Access theme. To turn on Windows Aero, select a Windows theme. Colors and sizes selected here apply only if you have selected the Windows 7 Basic theme or an Ease of Access theme. Item Size Color 1 Color 2 To change the settings, use the various pull-down lists or click on a window element in the preview area, such as the Active Window title...
Details Pane Windows 7
The Details pane at the bottom of the window contains metainformation. The Details pane at the bottom of the window contains metainformation. As you can see in Figure 5.17, the Details pane provides information about a selected object in a format that's easy to read. Information in the Details pane varies with the type of object you're viewing. In Figure 517, you see a music file that includes the following information The icon associated with the file. In this case, it's an album cover. The...
Packet Filtering
If you use a hardware Internet Connection Sharing router also called a residential gateway or a full-fledged network router for your Internet service, you can instruct it to block data that carries services you don't want exposed to the Internet. This is called packet filtering. You can set this up in addition to NAT, to provide extra protection. Filtering works like this Each Internet data packet contains identifying numbers that indicate the protocol type such as TCP or UDP and the IP address...
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8. Your usual OS completion steps should occur next. At a minimum, this means installing antivirus and antispyware software. But you wouldn't install this VM without also wanting to install a Windows application, as covered in the next section. Installing Applications into the XP VM When you're inside the Windows XP VM, you can interact with that virtual desktop just as if it were a real desktop. To install an application, open its installer file on your virtual hard disk, optical, or USB drive...
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Windows 7 and to make it as easy as possible to tweak your system for better performance. It is available from the System and Security category of Control Panel, or in Large Icons or Small Icons view. When you open Performance Information and Tools, the first item you're likely to notice on the main dialog box is the Windows Experience Index WEI base score and component ratings see Figure 22.17 . The Windows Experience Index includes scores from five different subsystems, but the lowest score...
Identifying Modem Connectivity Problems
Modem problems are usually due to incompatibility with your ISP's equipment or to poor telephone line quality. If your modem fails to make a connection or disconnects by itself, you need to look for a few things If the ISP's modem answers but you don't establish a connection, your modem might be incompatible call your ISP for assistance. If your modem disconnects and you are told that there was a problem with your username or password, try to connect again and check these entries carefully. If...
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113-123 Event Viewer, 655 actions, 657 log files, 656-657 Overview and Summary, 657 viewing event details, 657-658 nodes, 653 Services, 659-660 Shared Folders, 658-659 Task Scheduler, 654 Computer window, 149-150 Address bar, 156-157 breadcrumbs, 156-158 meta-information, viewing, 163-165 Network, compared, 139 panes, toggling, 165-167 programs, running from, 140 searching, 173-174 configuring, 174-177 deep searching, 174 grouping and stacking, searching, 174 troubleshooting, 179 while typing,...
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It's not uncommon for one packet of the four to be lost when the Internet gets congested, sometimes ping packets are discarded as unimportant. If any come back, the intervening networks are working. It's also not unusual for the name that appears after Pinging to be different from what you typed. Some computers have alternative names. tracert is similar to ping It sends packets to a remote host and sees whether packets return. However, tracert adds a wrinkle It checks the connectivity to each...
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The Delete Browsing History dialog box lets you selectively delete categories of files used for Internet browsing. Clicking the Settings button in the Browsing History section of the Internet Properties dialog box opens the Temporary Internet Files and History Settings dialog box see Figure 2410 . You can configure options for how often cached files are checked against their original counterparts, how much disk space these cached files are allowed to take up, and in which folder they are...
Make a Baseline Backup Before You Go Online
You should make a permanent baseline backup of your computer before you connect with the Internet for the first time so that you know it doesn't have any virus infections. Make this backup onto a removable disk or tape that can be kept separate from your computer, and keep this backup permanently. You can use it as a starting point for recovery if your system is compromised. To learn more about making backups, see The All New Backup and Restore, p. 863.
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The actual algorithm that Microsoft uses is not disclosed, but we do know the weighting of components is as follows, from highest to lowest 3. Network interface card NIC If you just add a new hard disk or add new RAM, there is no issue. If you create an image of your Windows 7 installation on another hard disk and swap that hard disk into the system and boot from it, or if you replace all your RAM and reboot, WAT gets triggered and checks to see whether you must reactivate Windows 7. In theory,...
How BitLocker Protects Your Information
During normal use, a BitLocker-encrypted volume appears as a normal drive using the NTFS file system, and you can use EFS or disk compression on individual files and folders as with any normal NTFS volume. However, if you attempt to bypass BitLocker security by booting the system from a Windows DVD and using the Recovery Environment, BitLocker Drive Encryption Recovery will prompt you to provide the password from removable media or by entering it. When you provide the password, you can
Advanced Routing for Remote Networks
As I discussed previously, if you use dial-up or Virtual Private Networking to connect to a remote network with more than one subnet, you usually must let Windows set the default gateway to be the remote network. Otherwise Windows won't know which network hosts must be reached through the VPN or dial-up connection and which can be reached through your Internet connection. Unfortunately, all your Internet traffic will travel through the tunnel, too, slowing you down. The remote network might not...
Editing Windows Boot Menu Entries
If you're not exactly thrilled with the way Windows 7 has prepared your boot menu options for you, you can change them. As if the rather plain entries, shown previously in Figure 2.26, aren't enough, you can easily get confused if you have multiple instances of Windows 7 installed on your computer in a multiboot scenario. To change boot menu entries in Windows 7, simply follow these steps 1. Boot into the first Windows 7 instance whose boot menu entry you wish to change. 2. Open a command...
A Quick Tour of Windows s Important Features
Windows 7 is in many ways similar to its predecessors Windows Vista, XP, and 2000. The differences that do exist range from fun to peculiar to irritating at least, irritating at first . This section discusses some of the most important features and the most significant differences between Windows 7 and its predecessors. It would be best if you read this while seated in front of your computer and follow along. That way, when you run into these features and topics later in this book and in your...
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The Media Streaming dialog box shown if media streaming is enabled. Notice the addition of the device list. The Media Streaming dialog box shown if media streaming is enabled. Notice the addition of the device list. After you have sharing enabled, you are ready to play your media on your new digital media receiver. For information on how to do this, see the documentation that came with your device. If your digital media receiver is another Windows 7 PC, the shared media will appear in the...
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Narrow the items shown in the view by using the Address bar. Narrow the items shown in the view by using the Address bar.
Internetworking with Windows and Me
Microsoft no longer creates security updates for Windows 95, 98, or Me. Furthermore, to be able to access resources shared by Windows 7 from Windows 9X or Me, you might need to reduce Windows 7's security level considerably. These OSs really should no longer be used. I'm not trying to make more money for Microsoft it's simply not safe to continue to use these OSs in any situation where Internet access also exists. If you must continue to use these OSs to run specific applications, consider...
Active Defense
Active defense means actively resisting known methods of attack. Active defenses include these Firewalls and gateways to block dangerous or inappropriate Internet traffic as it passes between your network and the Internet at large Encryption and authentication to limit access based on some sort of credentials such as a password Efforts to keep up-to-date on security and risks, especially with respect to Windows 7 When your network is in place, your next job is to configure it to restrict access...
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To edit it, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, and right-click Notepad. Select Run As Administrator and confirm the User Account Control prompt. Then, when the Notepad window opens, open windows system32 driver etc hosts. Add lines to the file, listing IP addresses at the left margin, followed by some whitespace tabs or spaces , followed by one or more names. You can enter simple names or full domain names. Simple names are assumed to belong to your own domain. 127.0.0.0 localhost...
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This folder, subfolders and This folder, subfoldere and This folder, subfoldere and i Indude inherteiile permissions fram Ifiis object's parent Man amp oino Demission entries i Indude inherteiile permissions fram Ifiis object's parent Man amp oino Demission entries To change inheritance settings, click Change Permissions. You can then uncheck the Include Inheritable Permissions from This Object's Parent box. If you uncheck the box, Windows gives you the option of starting with a blank...
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Five ways to connect your LAN to the Internet. Sharing with Dial-Up Internet lt gt Connection Internet Connection Sharing with Broadband Connection I Sharing Router with Broadband lt gt Connection Sharing with Dial-Up Internet lt gt Connection I Sharing Router with Broadband lt gt Connection
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If you want to let her change Windows settings without your intervention, check Allow Username to Respond to User Account Control Prompts, then click Yes. You will be asked to confirm a UAC prompt yourself at this point. Now your friend should be able to work your keyboard and mouse, and help you. The Windows Remote Assistance toolbar has a few other features that you will find useful If you want a moment of privacy, perhaps to read email or look at a sensitive file, click Pause. This will...
The Windows Command Prompt Environment
To open a Command Prompt window in which you can type commands and review output, as shown in Figure 29.1, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt. Alternately, click Start and type cmd in the Search box. Then, when cmd.exe has been located, press Enter. Microsoft Hindous Uei-sion 6.1.7000 Coptjriglit c gt 2036 hlcrosoft Corporation. fill rights reserved. C SUsersSbknittel gt _ The Command Prompt window is the gateway to a world of powerful Windows management tools. The main...
Services for NFS
Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions come with client support for the network file system NFS file sharingsystem used on many UNIX systems. By client support, I mean that Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions can use files and folders shared by NFS file servers, but they cannot share files to the network using NFS. It's an optional component and is not installed by default. To install client support for NFS file resources, follow these steps 1. Log on as a Computer Administrator. 2....
Miscellaneous GUI Tips
Windows 7 offers many new features and capabilities. But you don't have to settle for the out-of-the-box defaults you can customize to your heart's content. In the following sections, we provide you with several tips to help you soup up your Windows 7 installation. If you find that you accidentally run programs or open documents when you are certain that you didn't double-click anything, you probably have Single-Click selection turned on. As a result, one click or tap, if you're using a...
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At this point, you should have a functioning printer. You might want to make alterations and customizations to the printer setup, though. For example, you can do the following Right-click the icon for the printer you'll be using most often and select the Default Printer option. This way, your printer will be preselected as the printer of choice when you use the Print function of Windows applications. You can select a network printer as your default printer even if you move from one network to...
Ease of Access Center
The Windows 7 Ease of Access Center is similar to the Windows Vista version, and, unlike the Windows XP Accessibility Center it replaces, is designed to be easy enough to enable users with visual or hearing impairments to set up their own systems, not merely use a system that has already been customized by another user for easier operation. The Ease of Access Center is found in two Control Panel categories Appearance and Personalization and Ease of Access, and is also listed in the Large Icons...
Securing the Recovery Certificate
Your capability to recover encrypted files hinges on two factors Being listed by the Windows Local or Group Security Policy as a designated recovery agent Possessing the file recovery certificate that holds the recovery key data With a few dirty tricks, it's possible for someone who steals your computer to get himself or herself in as an administrator and pose as the recovery agent. If you really want to ensure the privacy of your files with EFS, you have to save the file recovery certificate...
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top-level keys, 805-806 viewing, Regedit, 812-814 virtualization, 806-808 editing, 819 REG_BINARY data type, 813 REG_DWORD data type, 813 REG_EXPAND_SZ data type, 813 REG_MULTI_SZ data type, 813 REG_QWORD data type, 813 REG_SZ data type, 813 reinstalling Windows 7, 751 Reliability Monitor Action Center , 30-31, 606-607 Reliable Multicast Protocol, 512 remote access, networks, providing, 454 Remote Access Services RAS . See RAS Remote Access Services Remote Assistance online meetings, 1010 Stop...