Protecting Yourself from Phishing Links
Phishing is a type of fraud designed to steal your identity. In phishing scams, scam artists try to get you to disclose valuable personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information. They usually do this by convincing you to provide the information under false pretenses. Phishing emails claim to be from a trusted party, such as a financial institution or online service, but they aren't. By including links to fraudulent websites, these email messages can trick...
Getting Started with Windows Live Movie Maker
When you are working with Windows Live Photo Gallery, you can select the initial pictures and videos you want to work with, click Make and then click Make a Movie to open Windows Live Movie Maker with these items selected. Otherwise, you can start Windows Live Movie Maker by clicking Starts-All Programs -Windows Lives-Windows Live Movie Maker. As Table 10-4 shows, Windows Live Movie Maker works with a wide variety of image, sound, and video formats. This list is different from the formats...
Setting Printer Scheduling Prioritization and Other Options
The Advanced tab of the Printer properties dialog box provides most of the options you'll want to configure. You can use these options to configure your printer by completing the following steps Figure 12-19. Configuring the printer as necessary 1. Click Starts-Devices and Printers. In Devices and Printers, right-click the printer you want to configure and then select Printer Properties not Properties . 2. In the Properties dialog box, select the Advanced tab, as shown in Figure 12-19. 3. Use...
Creating and Editing Your Live Storyboard
In Windows Live Movie Maker, each video you are producing is created as a video project with a live storyboard. The live storyboard provides a representation of each media item you've added to the video in the order the items are played. In this way, the live storyboard not only serves as an outline for the presentation, but it also lets you visualize the project in a way you otherwise would not be able to. At a glance, you can see the work from start to finish, and this is extremely important...
Optimizing Aero Glass
When you are using Windows Aero, you can configure the glass color, transparency, and intensity by completing the following steps 1. Right-click an open area of the desktop and then select Personalize. On the Personalization page in the Control Panel, click Window Color. 2. As shown in Figure 3-10, select one of the base colors available. Do this to save time even if you want to use the color mixer. 3. To enable transparency, select the Enable transparency checkbox. To disable transparency,...
Burning data disc masters
You can burn a mastered disc by completing the following steps 1. In Windows Live Photo Gallery, select one or more of the pictures and videos you want to burn to disc. 2. Click Make and then click Burn a Data CD. Windows Live Photo Gallery will then open the tray on your default CD DVD burner. 3. Insert a blank disc into your CD DVD burner and then close the tray. You can insert a CD or DVD. 4. In the Burn a Disc Wizard, type a disc title, select With a CD DVD Player, as shown in Figure 9-27....
Info Cel
Figure 1-7. Adding and removing features simply by turning them on and off i f. Install or uninstall display languages Choose to install or uninstall display languages Display languages allow Windows to display text in your chosen language and where supported recognize speech and handwriting. Install display languages Uninstall display languages How do I get additional display languages Figure 1-8. Adding and removing language support Logging On, Switching, Locking, Logging Off, and Shutting...
Connecting to Projectors
Before you use your laptop or Tablet PC for presentations, you may want to configure the default presentation settings Figure 13-10 . To do this, follow these steps 1. In Windows Mobility Center, click the Presentation icon. 2. In the Presentation Settings dialog box, select Turn off the screen saver to disable the computer's screen saver when you are giving a presentation. 3. To override the output volume when you are giving a presentation, select Set the volume to and then use the related...
Configuring AutoComplete settings for forms and passwords
AutoComplete settings control whether and how Internet Explorer stores web addresses, form data, and passwords. As you type web addresses in the Address bar, these addresses are listed according to the text you enter, allowing you to select an address in the history list. With form data, Internet Explorer stores the text you entered into online forms. When you fill out similar form fields later, Internet Explorer displays the data you previously provided so that you can select it rather than...
Configuring local intranet detection and sites
Windows 7 automatically detects sites on the local network according to their network address. If you experience problems with sites not being detected properly, you may want to disable automatic detection settings and allow only specifically included types of sites to be considered local sites. In addition to or instead of doing this, you can specifically identify a site as being on the local network. Figure 7-22. Configuring the way local network sites are used To configure local intranet...
Setting Up Windows Live Mail and Configuring Email Accounts
When you first start using Windows Live Mail, the Add An Email Account Wizard will guide you through the process of configuring your first email account. Using this wizard, you can set up your default email account by completing the following steps 1. Type the email address and password for the account you are configuring see Figure 16-3 . To successfully send and receive email, you must use the email address the email server expects either the email address you've been assigned or the one you...
Troubleshooting Advanced Firewall Problems
Troubleshooting advanced firewall configurations can become very complicated in a hurry. This is true especially if you have created customized authentication methods, applied certificate-based communications, or edited the standardized listings available within the management console. You must be methodical and patient when pursuing these problems in some cases. Don't become discouraged, because you can always fall back to the postinstallation configuration by restoring the default settings....
Restoring Previous Versions of Files
Windows 7 tracks changes in files and folders using Previous Versions. When you configure System Protection for a disk, System Protection creates previous versions of files and folders automatically as part of restore points. Any personal file or folder that was modified since the last restore point is saved and made available as a previous Typically, restore points are made once a day. If you modify a file more than once in the same day, only the version of the file that was current at the...
Using the Startup and Recovery Dialog Box
The Startup and Recovery dialog box enables you to select the default operating system to start if you have multiple operating systems installed on your computer. You can also specify timeout values for operating system selection lists and recovery options. You can access the Startup and Recovery dialog box by following these steps 1. Click Starts-Control Panel. In the Control Panel, click System and Security and then click System. 2. In the System utility, click Advanced system settings in the...
Navigating your music library
Windows Media Player 12 supports playing music and sound files in the most popular formats. With Music, the primary views are Lists your music by artist, number of songs, length, and rating. Rock Faves Pop Fav i Oldies Favorites J J2 Music g Artist Album Q Genre Videos j Pictures Recorded TV Ej Other media 0 Rattle and Hum F Figure 8-6. The primary navigation options in Windows Media Player Album Lists your music by album, without song details. All music Lists your music by artist and album...
Configuring Window Behavior
When you click Tasks -Settings -General -Startup and Window Behavior, you will see the Startup and Window Behavior screen shown in Figure 25-22. From this screen, you can choose how your Windows Media Center windows behave in conjunction with other windows. You can tell Windows Media Center to always be on top of other windows on your desktop by checking the box next to this setting. You can also have Windows Media Center display a warning before displaying web pages that are not designed for...
Using Your Tablet PC Pen
Tablet PCs use pens as input devices. You can use pens for writing as well as for interacting with items on the screen by tapping and flicking. To ensure that your Tablet PC recognizes your tapping and flicking actions, you should take a few minutes to configure the related options. Pen taps allow you to perform actions equivalent to using a mouse. You can perform the following actions Double-tapping the pen on the screen is equivalent to a double-click mouse action. Pressing and holding the...
Introducing IPSec
IPSec offers the ability to encrypt network transmissions at the adapter level. IPSec varies from Secure Sockets Layer SSL in terms of the OSI layer it encrypts. SSL typically encrypts at the application protocol layer OSI layer 7 , and IPSec encrypts data at the transport layer OSI layers 4-7 . Because SSL works only at the application protocol layer, if you transmit data over any other port or use any application other than the one bound to the SSL protocol, that data is not encrypted for...
Capturing video from analog video cameras
An analog-only video camera records video to tape and outputs video using an analog signal. To capture video from a video camera that only supports analog output, you will need to have a video capture card that can support analog input usually the yellow, red, and white cables . You can find many video and TV capture cards on the market, but many of these are designed primarily for capturing a digital television signal, so be sure to obtain a video capture card that supports this older analog...
Improving Group Policy Management
Windows 7 includes the Group Policy Management Console GPMC and Group Policy Object Editor GPOE for managing Group Policy. If you are an administrator, you can install the GPMC as part of the Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7. GPOE is included with Windows 7. Using the GPMC, shown in Figure 24-1, you can manage Active Directory Group Policy in an enterprise environment. To edit Group Policy for your local computer or users, skip ahead to the next example. To open the GPMC, follow...
Printing Your Pictures
Windows Live Photo Gallery features a smart printing feature that allows you to print enhanced, high-quality pictures. You can print multiple pictures at a time by selecting them before you start printing. You can then print pictures at full-page size, or you can combine pictures and print them at these smaller sizes 4 x 6 with two pictures per page 5 x 7 with two pictures per page 8 x 10 with one picture per page 3.5 x 5 with four pictures per page Wallet size with nine pictures per page...
Autorun
When AutoPlay is enabled, Windows 7 checks for a file named Autorun.inf or a similar file, such as StartCD.ini, when you insert a CD or DVD into a CD or DVD drive. For software applications and games, this file identifies the Setup program and related installation parameters that should be used to install the software or game. Figure 4-2. Setting AutoPlay defaults Figure 4-2. Setting AutoPlay defaults Generally, Autorun.inf, StartCD.ini, and similar files are all text-based. This means you can...
Info Rcx
Figure 17-4. Configuring your location information connection, as seen in Figure 17-4. When prompted, enter your country region, area code, carrier code, and dial-out number as necessary. Click Tone dialing or Pulse dialing to identify your phone type. Windows 7 saves this information into a dialing rule location named My Location for future use. See the next section for more information on Dialing Rules configuration. 12. Click Connect to create the connection. If you don't want to connect via...
Adding a Mirror to an Existing Volume
You can use an existing volume to create a mirrored set. To do this, the volume you want to mirror must be a basic partition or simple volume, and you must have an area of unallocated space on a second drive of equal or larger size than the existing volume. In Disk Management, you can mirror an existing volume by following these steps 1. Right-click the basic partition or simple volume you want to mirror, and then click Add Mirror. This displays the Add Mirror dialog box, shown in Figure 19-11....
Burning a data disc with a live filesystem
You can burn a data disc with a live filesystem by completing the following steps 1. In Windows Live Photo Gallery, select one or more of the pictures and videos you want to burn to disc. 2. Click Make and then click Burn a Data CD. Windows Live Photo Gallery will then open the tray on your default CD DVD burner. 3. Insert a blank disc into your CD DVD burner and then close the tray. You can insert a CD or DVD. 4. In the Burn a Disc Wizard, type a disc title, select Like a USB Flash Drive, as...
Identifying People in Your Pictures
Adding people tags to your pictures can make it easy to sort and find pictures of friends, family, and others. You can add people tags with or without face detection. Without face detection, the people tag works like a descriptive tag. With face detection, the people tag identifies the people in your pictures by their face. By moving the mouse over a person's face, you then can view the name of each person in a picture. By selecting the person's name under People's tags, you can highlight their...
Configuring Windows Media Player for the First Use
With Windows Media Player 12, navigating your media library is easier than ever if you master the subtle changes in the interface. When you first start Windows Media Player by clicking Start'All Programs'Windows Media Player, you'll have to specify how Windows Media Player should be configured. As Figure 8-1 shows, you have two choices. Figure 8-1. Choosing the initial settings for Windows Media Player Configures the default settings you'll want to use most often. If you want to change the...
Understanding Multiple Local Group Policy Object Usage
Multiple LGPOs increase flexibility when applying policy settings and allow home and workgroup users to gain some of the benefits and controls previously available only in Windows domains. They do this by allowing a policy to be uniquely tailored to users based on the logon account and their membership in specific groups. Windows 7 has three layers of LGPOs 2. Administrators and Non-Administrators Local Group Policy 3. User-specific Local Group Policy These layers of LGPOs are processed in...
Setting the screen resolution and orientation
You can set the screen resolution and orientation by completing the following steps 1. Right-click an open area of the desktop and then select Screen Resolution. This opens the Screen Resolution page in the Control Panel, as shown in Figure 3-17. 2. If you want to configure the second monitor on a system with multiple monitors or graphics cards, click 2 to select the second monitor. 3. Use the Resolution list to set the display size, such as 1,920 x 1,200 pixels. 4. Optionally, use the...
Using the System Configuration Utility
Using the System Configuration utility Msconfig.exe , you can set the default operating system and control the way your computer starts. For example, you can configure the computer to start in Safe Mode or force the computer to use standard VGA display settings. The basic steps for starting and using the System Configuration utility are as follows 1. Click Start, type msconfig.exe in the Search box and press Enter. 2. Select the Boot tab, as shown in Figure 23-2. 3. To set the default operating...
Repairing a Mirrored System or Boot Volume
When you're mirroring the system or boot volume, or both, and the primary mirror drive has failed, the drive failure might prevent your system from booting. Don't worry Windows 7 should have added an entry to the system's boot manager that allows you to boot to the secondary mirror. Resolving a primary mirror failure is much easier with this entry in the boot manager file than without it, because you can easily boot to the secondary mirror and then repair the problem. If you mirror the boot...
Info Bdm
Figure 10-40. Adding a title to the movie Figure 10-41. Adding credits to the movie Figure 10-41. Adding credits to the movie 5. Click the Change the title animation link. 6. Choose the title animation. Different animations are provided for one-line titles and two-line titles. Use a two-line title animation if you entered a subtitle. 7. Click the Change the text font and color link. 8. Use the options provided to set the title font and color. 9. Click Add Title to add the title to a new frame...
Configuring Additional Controls
In addition to the basic controls, you can install additional controls that restrict the websites a user can access, control who your child can talk to, and generate activity reports. These additional controls are available from some service providers. If you download Windows Live Essentials http download.live.com , one of the available programs is Windows Live Family Safety. After you download and install Windows Live Family Safety, you can run the program Starts-All ProgramssWindows...
Tracking Errors in the Event Logs
Windows 7 stores errors generated by processes, services, applications, and hardware devices in logfiles. Two general types of logfiles are used Logs that the operating system uses to record general system events related to applications, security, setup, and system components Applications and services logs Logs that specific applications or services use to record application-specific or service-specific events You can access event logs using the Event Viewer node in Computer Management. To open...
Setting Up a Wireless Router or Access Point 1
Most wireless routers and account points you purchase after November 2009 will be compatible with Windows 7 and support Windows Connect Now WCN . You can set up a wireless router or wireless access point that supports WCN by completing these steps 1. Set up the router and plug it into a power source. 2. Click the Network icon in the system tray, click the default network of the router, which is identified by the manufacturer name, and then follow the prompts to set up the router. 3. During the...
Setting Up a Wireless Router or Access Point
The basic setup of a wireless router or access point is similar to the basic setup of an Ethernet router. After you to remove the device from the packaging and plug it into a power source using the power cable provided by the manufacturer, you will need to logon to the router and configure it. Most wireless routers and account points purchased after November 2009 will be compatible with Windows 7 and support Windows Connect Now WCN . You can set up a wireless router or wireless access point...
Running Applications in Windows XP Mode
Windows XP Mode lets you run older Windows XP software on your Windows 7 desktop. The feature comes as a separate download and works only with Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. Windows XP Mode also requires virtualization software such as Windows Virtual PC. Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC are available for free on the Microsoft website. To download Windows XP Mode and the required software, visit the Windows Virtual PC website http www.microsoft The basic steps for...
Working with Music
From the Music menu, you can play music saved to folders being monitored by Windows Media Center, and access Internet radio stations. You must have a sound card and speakers to play music. Additionally, you must have an Internet connection in order to use the radio management functionality. Table 25-2 lists Windows Media Center music functionality and requirements. Table 25-2. Music and radio functionalities and requirements Table 25-2. Music and radio functionalities and requirements Download...
Configuring Application Restrictions
Application restrictions control the types of applications a user can run while using the computer. If you've turned on parental controls, users are allowed to run any programs installed on the computer by default, and no programs are restricted. You can configure application restrictions by completing these steps 1. Click Starts-Control Panels-User Accounts and Family SafetysParental Controls. 2. Click the account you want to restrict. 3. On the Set up how will use the computer page, click...
Compressing Files and Folders
In addition to compressing an entire drive, Windows 7 allows you to compress files and folders selectively. When you compress a folder, you can elect to compress only the folder and the files it contains, or the folder, its subfolders, and all related files. Any files or folders you create in a compressed folder are compressed automatically. When you move an uncompressed file or folder to a compressed drive or folder, the file or folder is compressed automatically when you are moving between...
Viewing the Network Map
When network discovery is enabled, you can use the Network Map to display an expanded view of your network. As Figure 14-9 shows, the expanded Network Map view includes your computer, the computers near your computer, and the devices near your computer. You can access the Network Map by following these steps 1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. 2. In the Control Panel, click Network and Internets-Network and Sharing Center. 3. In the Network and Sharing Center, under Network Map, click...
Sharpening reducing noise and bringing pictures into focus
Although Windows Live Photo Gallery has many excellent editing features, my favorites are those for adjusting detail. Not only can you sharpen pictures and reduce noise, but often you also can bring slightly out of focus pictures into focus. To do this, you are going to have Photo Gallery focus on a portion of the picture and then attempt to sharpen the picture or reduce noise automatically or manually. With automatic adjustment, Photo Gallery will analyze the center of focus and use the...
Info Err
Figure 12-20. Viewing and managing print jobs Figure 12-20. Viewing and managing print jobs You can set the status of individual documents using the Document menu in the print management window. To cancel printing or change the status of a document, follow these steps 1. Select the document in the print management window. 2. On the Document menu, use one of the following options to change the status of the print job Cancels printing of the document and removes the print job. Pause Puts the...
AutoPlay
AutoPlay options determine how Windows 7 handles files on CDs, DVDs, and portable devices. You can configure separate AutoPlay options for each type of CD, DVD, and media your computer can handle. With software and games, you have the following AutoPlay options see Figure 4-1 Uses the program's Autorun file to start installing or running the program automatically. Open folder to view files using Windows Explorer Opens Windows Explorer so that you can browse the CD or DVD. LJ Always do this for...
Configuring Advanced Firewall Security
In addition to the basic Windows Firewall, Windows 7 includes Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. At home, you probably won't work much with this feature. At the office, however, especially if you work in a medium or large organization, you may find it critical to know how the advanced firewall works. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security allows you to open a custom management console for use in managing advanced firewall features. As Figure 15-17 shows, this Figure 15-17. Configuring...
Troubleshooting TV Tuner and Video Capture Problems
If you have problems with your video card or video capture tuner card during Windows Media Center configuration, check for known problems in Action Center and determine whether an updated driver is available as a solution. You can also have Windows run a check of your computer by clicking the Check for solutions link on the Maintenance panel in Action Center. If a driver is found, install it. Otherwise, you need to verify that you have the latest driver available from the manufacturer. You need...
Setting Folder Options
Day in and day out, you use Windows Explorer and its various views to navigate your computer's files and folders. Unfortunately, Explorer's default settings are configured for general use and not specifically for the way you work. Isn't it about time you customized Windows Explorer for the way you prefer to work Not only will this save you time, but it will also make Windows Explorer easier to work with. You control the way Windows Explorer works using the Folder Options dialog box. To access...
Configuring toolbars and extensions
When you select Toolbars and Extensions as the add-on type in the Manage Add-ons dialog box, you can view and manage add-ons, in these unique categories Lists all the add-ons that Internet Explorer has used since you installed Windows or the latest version of Internet Explorer. Figure 7-14. Viewing and managing browser add-ons Figure 7-14. Viewing and managing browser add-ons Lists the add-ons that Internet Explorer is currently using. Run without permission Lists the add-ons configured for use...
Navigating Windows Media Player Menus and Toolbars
Windows Media Player 12 has a streamlined interface. Not only does this make working with Windows Media Player 12 more intuitive, but you'll also find that it is easier to organize your media. As Figure 8-4 shows, Microsoft gave Windows Media Player a complete makeover that includes A combined Navigation and Address toolbar Provides browser-like Back and Forward buttons that let you navigate to pages you've viewed previously and allows you to navigate through the media available on your...
Special Permissions
Each basic permission is actually a set of special permissions. Because of this, whenever you allow or deny a basic permission, Windows 7 works behind the scenes to manage the related special permissions for you. Table 11-2 lists the special permissions related to each basic permission. Table 11-2. Basic permissions and the related special permissions Basic permission Related special permissions Read Attributes Read Extended Attributes Read Permissions Synchronize Read amp Execute or List...