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First published in 2009 by Mike Halsey ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS www.thelongclimb.com The author would like to thank the following Copyright © Mike Halsey 2009 without whose help and support this book might not have been possible. The right of Mike Halsey to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in Duncan Buchanan accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Rich Gilbane Patents Act 1988. Richard Gough-Thomas Larry Hall All rights reserved. No part of this publication James Halsey may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into Rachel Hymans a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or Phil Smith by any means, electronic, mechanical, Jake Webster photocopying, recording or otherwise, without Rory Webster the prior written permission of the copyright holder. And Martin and Everton at News.com

Windows®, Windows XP®, ®, Finally a big thank you goes out to my mother, Windows 7®, Office 2007® and Office 2010® are whose desire to find out more about how Trademarks of the Corporation. Windows works was all the prompting I needed to write this book.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Starting ...... 5 About this book Installing ...... 7 Installing and getting started with Windows 7 Exploring ...... 19 Finding your way around Working ...... 37 Get more done with Windows 7 Searching ...... 49 Searching for files and data Connecting ...... 57 Communicating with our home and the outside world Securing ...... 65 Keeping your PC and your files safe Configuring...... 75 Get Windows 7 running at its best Playing ...... 91 Games and having fun and Windows 7 Communicating ...... 101 Connecting with your friends, family, work and home Guaranteeing ...... 107 Helping make sure the worst never happens Maintaining ...... 115 Keeping Windows 7 running quickly and smoothly Diagnosing ...... 119 Problem-solving and fixing problems in Windows 7 Tweaking ...... 129 Tweaks and tips to get even more out of Windows 7 Upgrading...... 133 Improving your PC and upgrading Windows 7 Finishing ...... 138 Glossary and appendixes

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 4 Part 1

Starting INTRODUCTION 7 offers a great many advanced features QUICK TIP and is highly configurable. As with all editions of There is a great deal you can Windows, Windows 7 comes do to customise your system, in different product The benefits of versions. The ones you‘ll maintain it, simplify using it Windows 7 and make it a more encounter will be Starter, pleasurable experience all Home Premium, the most over XP and round. common edition and Vista Professional for advanced systems and businesses. This guide will take you I have Windows through everything you need Ultimate will contain every to know in easy steps with feature. XP : Windows 7 is quick tips and step-by-step considerably more guides. Not all features are available in every product secure and safer to edition. In this guide I will use on the internet WHO IS THIS GUIDE display icons to show what than Windows XP. versions features are FOR? available in. For this reason alone you should This guide is for non- consider upgrading technical, casual, users of to Windows 7. Use Windows. If you use a PC at home for sending and the upgrade checker receiving , browsing the on the Microsoft web and maybe odd jobs like website to see if writing letters and editing WHY SHOULD I digital photographs then this your PC will run it. is the book for you. INSTALL WINDOWS 7? I have Windows Any features for Windows 7 makes great Vista : Windows 7 advanced users will leaps over previous versions fixes almost all of be highlighted with of Windows. It is this logo. significantly more secure the performance than Windows XP and issues that caused Windows Vista. Windows Vista to

WHAT IS WINDOWS 7? run slowly. The security system, Windows 7 is the latest in a EASE OF ACCESS AND long line of different versions User Account of Microsoft‘s operating DISABILITIES HELP Control (UAC) is also system. now considerably Look for this icon Windows 7 builds on the within this book for less annoying. Any success of operating systems information on how PC running such as Windows XP and fixes to use the ease of Windows Vista will many of the problems access features. associated with Windows happily run Vista. You can find out more These are here to help Windows 7. at... people who may have trouble using the Windows www.windows7.com 7 and software because they have trouble reading small text, listening for prompts or using a keyboard and mouse.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 6 www.thelongclimb.com Part 2

Installing INSTALLING

Windows 7 versions ...... 9 Will my PC run Windows 7? ...... 9 Clean install or Upgrade? ...... 9 Upgrading from Windows XP ...... 9 Upgrading from Windows Vista ...... 10 Upgrading from other versions ...... 10 What is 64 bit Windows? ...... 10 Upgrading from 32 to 64 bit ...... 10 Clean install from upgrade only key ...... 10 Plug in and turn on your devices ...... 11 ...... 11 Common Windows features by version ...... 12 Choosing a web browser (EU only) ...... 13 Help ...... 13 Getting Started ...... 13 Install anti-virus ...... 13 Step-by-step—Installing Windows 7 ...... 14-18

QUICK TIPS

What is the difference between a clean install and an upgrade? ...... 9 32 or 64 bit? ...... 10 Always backup your files...... 11 Missing drivers? ...... 13 WINDOWS VERSIONS CLEAN INSTALL OR UPGRADE? As with all editions of QUICK TIP Windows, Windows 7 comes in different product When you upgrade your copy What is the versions. The ones you‘ll of Windows all of your files, encounter will be Starter, data and programs will remain difference intact. However not every between a Home Premium, the most common edition and version of Windows 7 will clean install Professional for advanced allow you to upgrade. and an systems and businesses. You cannot upgrade from upgrade Ultimate will contain every any copy of Windows XP feature. and you cannot upgrade from If you have files on a copy of Windows Vista that is a higher product edition to your computer that In this guide I will display icons for the different the version of Windows 7 you aren’t backed up features to say in which are installing. For example, then you should versions of Windows 7 they you cannot upgrade Windows opt for an upgrade. are available. Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Home Premium. This will keep all your files intact. The best advice is always to However any make sure all your files and data are backed up, see the problems that exist Each version of Windows 7 Guaranteeing chapter of this on your PC may also contains more features than book for how to do this, and be there after the editions below it, a su- do a clean install. This will perset of each one. Home make sure you get the fastest, installing Windows Basic lacks the glass aero least problematic installation 7. effects and Media Centre possible. Upgrading can but is fine for low-power cause any problems you A clean install will computers. Home Premium currently have with your copy will contain all the features of Windows to also exist after delete all the files a home user needs. the upgrade to Windows 7. on your drive and you will also have to Each version of Windows 7 reinstall all of your contains more features than UPGRADING FROM the one below it. programs. WINDOWS XP Later in this chapter is a list Not every edition of the most common fea- Windows 7 will not allow you of Windows will tures in Windows 7, broken down by each edition of the perform an in-place upgrade allow you to . from any edition of Windows upgrade, some will XP, trying to do so will give you an error message. force you to do a clean install WILL MY PC RUN On the Windows 7 DVD is a program called Windows Easy It is always a good WINDOWS 7? Transfer that you can run in idea to back up all Windows XP (and Vista) to You can find an upgrade back up out files and your files and data checker to find this out from to another location, either an first. Microsoft for Windows 7 at.. external hard disk or another partition, that can later be www.windows7.com restored after performing a clean installation of Windows ...run this software under 7. Getting Started in the Windows XP or Windows has an option to Vista. restore this.

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This is the best way to UPGRADING FROM ensure that all your WINDOWS VISTA hardware and programs will work properly. QUICK TIP You can perform an in-place upgrade from Windows Vista. The following versions will UPGRADING FROM 32 32 or 64 bit? allow an upgrade depending on what editions of Vista and TO 64 BIT Windows 7 you are upgrading The difference from and to... Windows won‘t allow you to between 32 and 64 upgrade in-place from a 32 bit software is the bit version of Windows to a UPGRADING FROM 64 bit version, nor will it size of the numbers allow you to perform an the PC can do OTHER VERSIONS upgrade the other way calculations on. around. To change between these versions you Windows 7 will not allow will have to perform a clean 64 bit operating upgrading from other versions install. systems are slightly of Windows. This includes all versions before Windows XP faster because of (Windows ME, this. etc.) and all versions of CLEAN INSTALL FROM Windows . Windows 7 also UPGRADE ONLY includes additional PRODUCT KEY WHAT IS 64 BIT security functionality that It is possible to perform a WINDOWS? clean install of Windows 7 makes the 64 bit with a product key that will version of the Each edition of Windows 7 only allow you to upgrade operating system comes in two flavours, 32 bit it. more secure. and 64 bit. The edition you have will be printed on your To do this do a clean install install DVD. Most new PCs Windows once without On the downside now come with the 64 bit entering a product key, it older hardware and version of the operating will allow you to do this. software might not system pre-installed, however Now run the installer again there can be a downside. and perform an upgrade be supported. For over the clean install you best results run the While the 64 bit versions of have just done. Your Windows 7 upgrade Windows offer better security product key will now be and stability, there is still accepted as valid for checker and check hardware and software that installation. with a won‘t run on it. manufacturer’s

If you have the Windows Vista Windows 7 website for your choice of which hardware to see if version to buy then Home Basic Home Basic, Home 64 bit drivers exist. opt for the 32 bit Premium, Professional, version. You should Ultimate only buy the 64 bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium Home Premium, at this stage if it has Professional, Ultimate been pre-installed on your PC. Business Professional, Ultimate Ultimate Ultimate

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 10 www.thelongclimb.com

The wizard in your ―old PC‖ PLUG IN AND TURN will guide you through making ON YOUR DEVICES a backup.

QUICK TIP You can transfer files toy our You will have a much new PC through am Easy happier installation Always backup Transfer Cable available from experience if all your some PC and electronics hardware is plugged in and your files stores, across a network or switched on when you are via an external hard disk or installing Windows. This Remember that all USB flash drive. greatly increases the sorts of things can chance that Windows will Bear in mind that the size of potentially go install the drivers for all the backup the Windows Easy your hardware and that it wrong when you’re Transfer wizard makes on will all work when the your old operating system installing a new installation is complete. could be very substantial as version of Windows all your music, documents, This includes printers, from a hardware , pictures and photos will scanners, mp3 players etc. be copied. failure to a simple power cut. All of If you do not have a storage these can lose your WINDOWS EASY medium onto which you can valuable make the backup, or cannot TRANSFER connect the two PCs directly documents , photos via a cable or across a and music. Available in every version network, you should back up of Windows since Windows all your data and settings Always back up XP, Windows Easy Transfer (see the chapter Guaranteeing for how to do your data before is a way to transfer all your documents, email, internet this) onto removable media installing Windows favourites and more to such as CD, DVD or BluRay 7. your new PC. Disc.

For information on how to do this refer to chapter Guaranteeing.

To find out how to back up your files in Windows XP or Vista follow the links on page 7 of this guide.

11 COMMON WINDOWS FEATURES BY VERSION

Windows Basic UI Glass UI Aero Peek Windows Defender Aero Snap Windows Backup Aero Shake Create System Image Aero Background Advanced Backup Windows Flip Encrypted Windows Flip 3D Bitlocker Drive Encryption Live Previews Bitlocker To Go Explorer File Preview Automatic Disk

Defragmenter Jumplists Windows ReadyBoost Previous Versions Action Centre

Parental Controls

Basic Games Multi-Touch / Tablet PC Premium Games Sync Centre Calculator Offline Files Paint Windows Mobility Centre Windows Sideshow HomeGroup sharing Join Location Aware printing Wordpad Remote Desktop Windows Media Centre Remote Desktop Host DVD Player Join a domain Windows DVD Maker Connect to a projector CHOOSING A WEB HELP

BROWSER (EU ONLY) QUICK TIP Help is always If you live in the European available in Union the Internet Windows 7 by Missing drivers? Explorer web browser is selecting Help not installed by default in and Support If the drivers for any Windows 7. The browser from the Start hardware have not ballot screen will let you Menu. been installed in choose and install a Windows it’s easier browser. that in previous More information on this GETTING STARTED versions of as and when the EU get Windows to install You can open Getting Started their fact together! them. from the Start Menu. Here you can personalise Windows, transfer files from your old Find out how to do computer or add users to your this in the chapter PC. Configuring.

INSTALL ANTI-VIRUS

The new Action Centre in the system tray will highlight it‘s warning flag with a red cross to alert you that you will need to install anti-virus software.

13 STEP BY STEP—INSTALLING WINDOWS 7

Your experience installing Windows 7 will change slightly depending on whether you are upgrading or performing a clean install. Your install experience therefore may not include all the steps shown this guide.

If you are upgrading from within your existing copy of Windows you will be asked if you want to ―go online to get the latest updates‖. Doing this can make for a smoother installation experience and ensure more of your hardware works from the moment Windows is installed.

If you are performing a clean install you will be asked what country you live in and what language you want Windows 7 installed in.

Choose these and Press Next.

When prompted at the next screen, press the Install Now button to begin your installation.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 14 www.thelongclimb.com

At the next screen, depending on whether you are performing an upgrade or a clean install, you will be asked which version of Windows 7 you are installing. Choose the version for which you have a valid licence and click Next.

The next step is to accept the licence agreement. You will need to pick a tick in the I agree box and click Next to proceed.

At this point you must choose whether you wish to upgrade your existing copy of Windows, if you have one installed, or perform a clean install. Performing a clean install will give you a better, faster copy of Windows but you will need to make sure you have backed up all of your files first as it will wipe them.

The next few steps only apply to doing a clean install. First Windows will ask on which disk or partition you want to install Windows (see the glossary for more information on what these are) [step continues on next page]

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You may want to wipe the drive or partition before installing Windows. This deletes all files and data on the disk so you can start with a clean drive. You can click on Drive options (advanced) to get to this feature and then choose Format.

Be very careful to only format the drive on which you want to install Windows 7.

Click Next to start the installation.

Windows will now begin the installation process. Your computer will restart once or twice during this process but you will not need to do anything else until it completes.

This can take 20 to 30 minutes for a clean install or up to several hours for an upgrade.

When installation is complete you will be asked for your name, this will be the name for the main administrator [master] account on the PC and your name for the PC itself.

You might like Bob or Mary and Jane as the account name and the name of your PC could be Study or Phil’s PC. You can set these to be anything you want.

You will then be asked if you want to set up a password for this account. If you do not want to do this just leave the boxes blank and press Next.

If you plan on using the parental controls in Windows 7 to help determine what games your children can play and when they can use the PC, you will need to set a password.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 16 www.thelongclimb.com

Windows will now ask you to enter your product key. This is the 25 character code that came with your copy of Windows. You will find it on a sticker on the case for your PC or inside the box your Windows 7 install DVD came in.

You can proceed without entering a product key if, for instance, you are just evaluating the features in a version of Windows 7 before choosing which one is best for you to buy.

Windows update is the system that helps keep your copy of Windows secure and up-to-date with the latest patches. You will be asked if / how you want Windows to update itself. I recommend you select use recommended settings and click Next.

We‘re almost done. The only steps left are to set a few settings particular to your location and preferences.

This screen will ask for your time-zone and for you to confirm the current time and date.

If you have a wi-fi network set up and Windows has recognised the drivers, you will be asked what type of network this is. Select the option that best describes your wi-fi network and click Next. Windows will now set your internet security accordingly.

17 Windows may now ask you if you want to set up a Home Group. This will enable you to share files, photos, music and video with other PCs running Windows 7 in your home.

You can skip this step by pressing Cancel as this feature can be set up later. We will cover this in the chapter Connecting.

We‘re finished! You will now see the Windows 7 desktop and can get started using Windows.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 18 www.thelongclimb.com Part 3

Exploring EXPLORING

The Windows 7 Desktop ...... 22 The taskbar ...... 22 The notification area ...... 22 The Start Menu ...... 23 Pinning start menu items ...... 23 Getting started ...... 23 Using the taskbar ...... 24 Live thumbnails ...... 24 Show desktop ...... 24 Notification area ...... 24 Taskbar jumplists ...... 25 Pinning items to jumplists ...... 25 Pinning programs to the taskbar ...... 25 The action centre ...... 26 Windows Explorer ...... 27 Navigation Pane ...... 27 The Breadcrumb Bar ...... 28 Previous locations ...... 28 Choosing how to view files ...... 28 Sorting and Grouping Files ...... 29 Previewing Files ...... 29 Collapsing groups ...... 29 Working with folders ...... 29 The details pane ...... 30 The menu bar ...... 30 Hiding picture and photo names ...... 31 Switching between windows...... 31 Flip 3D ...... 31 Step-by-step—Changing the default view in Windows Explorer ...... 32 Remembering windows sizes ...... 33 Moving your files away from Windows ...... 33 Step-by-step—Moving your files for data security ...... 34-36 Part 1—Creating a new partition ...... 34 Part 2—Moving your files ...... 36

QUICK TIPS

A call to action ...... 22 Jumplists in the Start Menu ...... 23 Pin items to the Start Menu ...... 23 Using thumbnails to organise Windows ...... 24 Running two instances of a program from the Taskbar ...... 25 Where have all the notification area icons gone? ...... 26 Customise your favourite links ...... 27 Change the default explorer view ...... 28 Sorting and grouping by more criteria ...... 29 Different Views in different folders ...... 29 Use the details pane ...... 30 Want more detail on files? ...... 30 Hide the names of all your pictures ...... 31 Keep your documents safe...... 33 THE WINDOWS 7 THE NOTIFICATION DESKTOP AREA QUICK TIP There have been some changes One of the criticisms in made to the desktop with previous versions of Windows 7. Some of these Windows was how annoying A call to Action changes may be familiar to the notification area became. you, especially if you‘ve been This is the area on the right using Windows Vista, others side of the taskbar that filled The new flag in the are completely new. up with icons and alert notification area, the far right of the taskbar, is now the only place you need to go to , to receive notifications about Windows and other software (including anti-virus software).

The flag will highlight with a cross when there’s a message for you.

THE TASKBAR balloons, telling you about things happening on your Sometimes called the superbar PC. this is completely redesigned in Windows 7. You can read more I will talk at more length about the new taskbar and how about the new notification it works later in this chapter area later in this chapter. but it is now a place from which you can both launch and manage running and non- running programs and applications. It is essentially a merging of the old taskbar and quick launch area.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 22 www.thelongclimb.com THE START MENU

The Start Menu hasn‘t QUICK TIP changed much since Windows Vista but now includes jumplists which Jumplists in the will pop out when you Start Menu click the arrow on the right side of some Start Menu items. Some Start Menu items have a small There is also a search arrow to their right. box you can Clicking this will use to find programs and bring out a list of files. options or recent files / disk locations.

This can simplify access to common files and features within programs. PINNING START

MENU ITEMS

You can pin programs Pin items to to the Start Menu so the Start Menu they always appear there. You can do this by If you pin a program right clicking with to the Start Menu it your mouse and will always appear selecting Pin to in the Start Menu taskbar. You can also pin items to whenever you press the taskbar this the . way and unpin items. Right click the program with your mouse and select GETTING STARTED pin / unpin to Start The first item in the Menu to do this. Start Menu is called Getting Started. You can click on this to open it in it‘s own or open its jumplist.

Here you can perform post-install duties such as personalising your desktop and adding more users.

23 USING THE TASKBAR SHOW DESKTOP

The new taskbar is the main place from which to launch QUICK TIP programs and manage running programs. Using At the very bottom right of thumbnails to You can pin programs to the your screen (the far right of taskbar in the same way as the taskbar) is a small organise pinning them to the Start button which will show you Menu (see Pinning Start Menu your desktop. windows Items) on the previous page. If you have a lot of windows open on your desktop you can use the live thumbnails to organise them. Hovering over a thumbnail on the taskbar will make all other windows transparent and show you the Rolling your mouse over this selected window, button will make all the LIVE THUMBNAILS windows on your desktop go even if that window transparent. Clicking it will is minimised. minimise every window. If you click this button again every window will be The live thumbnails have been restored to its full-size. improved since Windows Vista. Rolling over an icon on the taskbar will show you NOTIFICATION AREA thumbnails of the program. In the case (above) there are two By default Windows 7 shows tabs open in three icons in the and it will show you both tabs. notification area. The flag is the new action centre, more Rolling your mouse over a on that in a bit. Next is thumbnail will show you the your network connection, Window full size, making all either wired or wireless. other windows transparent. The icon for wi-fi This will also work for connections will show minimised windows, it will connectivity and signal restore them for you. strength. The final icon is for sound. Clicking on it will bring up the volume control.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 24 www.thelongclimb.com TASKBAR JUMPLISTS QUICK TIP The new Taskbar also has jumplists Running two for many instances of a programs. You

program from can access these either by right the taskbar clicking on the icon with your mouse If a program is open or by left clicking with your mouse and clicking it’s taskbar pushing the mouse icon will only upwards, away from minimise and the icon. maximise it. There These jumplists can show are two ways to you recent files and disk open a new locations. They can also contain features within a instance of the program you may want to program (say, two access easily. explorer windows).

1) right click the icon PINNING ITEMS TO and click on the JUMPLISTS name of the program to open a You may want to pin second instance of items to jumplists on it. the taskbar.

You can do this by right 2) click the scroll clicking on the jumplist wheel between the item and selecting pin / buttons on your unpin to this list. mouse (if you have This can be used to gain one) which will also quick access to documents open a second or disk locations you use instance of the regularly, such as a home finance spreadsheet. program PINNING PROGRAMS TO THE TASKBAR

If you want to pin a program to the new taskbar you can either right click on it in the Start Menu and select Pin to Taskbar or right click on it‘s icon when it is running and do the same.

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THE ACTION CENTRE The action centre is your first port of call to diagnose Clicking on the flag in the notification and fix problems with area will bring up the action centre. Windows 7. This is where all the alert messages, informing you about things There are options here to happening with your computer are to Troubleshoot problems be found. with Windows or use QUICK TIP Recovery tools if Windows If there is a message this flag with needs repairing. Where have all change from plain white to a flag the notification with a red cross on it. Alerts will be colour-coded red, yellow or green area icons gone The first alert you will see after depending how serious installing Windows 7 is one advising Windows believes they are. Icons that the new you to install anti-virus notification area software. You can click on the message to find out more hides by default can about it or click on open be displayed by action centre to see the action clicking a small up centre full size. It‘s in the full action centre arrow that appears that you have control over next to the action what alerts you choose to centre flag. see. You can follow step- though guides to fix common problems and also view Clicking the archived messages. customise link in the window that appears will allow you to set programs, such as anti-virus software, to always display in the notification area.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 26 www.thelongclimb.com WINDOWS EXPLORER NAVIGATION PANE

As with previous versions The new navigation pane on QUICK TIP of Windows, Windows the left side of explorer Explorer is the main way windows allows quick access you access and organise to Libraries, drives and your your files and folders. It‘s network. Customise your not changed much since

favourite links Windows Vista, but there Each section is collapsible and are important changes folds out into a full tree. In none the less. addition you can view your Customising the Homegroup favourite links in the (more on this Navigation Pane on in the chapter the left side of Connecting) There is also a explorer windows new Favourites can be a section into tremendous time which you can drag and drop saver. folders, drives and other Here you can drag locations for and drop your quick and easy access favourite and most to them. commonly accessed folders and drives, It‘s well worth either on your own spending PC or on a local some time network. By default now, starting putting your Windows Explorer will most It’s well worth show you the new commonly used places spending some time Libraries. I‘ll write about these more later in this into the setting this up. chapter. The toolbar along Favourites the top of the screen now section as has handy text labels that it‘s an will change depending on enormous the content you‘re looking time saver. at. These commands will allow you to do things from creating folders to burning files to CD or DVD.

The Breadcrumb bar also still sits at the top of Windows Explorer and I‘ll talk about this more in a moment.

The biggest change is the Navigation pane along the left side of the window.

27 THE BREADCRUMB BAR CHOOSING HOW TO VIEW FILES As with Windows Vista the breadcrumb bar is your main QUICK TIP way of navigating Windows The default way of viewing Explorer through the drives files and folders is by no and folders on your PC. means the only way of doing so. Change the

Each section (folder) is default separated by an arrow. In the top explorer view Clicking this arrow will display right of a drop-down menu that will explorer allow you to instantly move to windows By default, any other branch in that point are two Windows Explorer of the tree. icons to will just show you an alphabetical list of a folder’s contents.

It’s worth customising this view to another that is more helpful and better suits your personal For instance, in the image needs. (above) you can see we‘re on the Windows 7 (C:) drive, in Follow my step-by- the Users folder and then in step guide on how the Mike and Contacts folders, both sub-folders of that. to do this later in this chapter. PREVIOUS LOCATIONS

In the top left of explorer windows are left and right arrows to take you to back and forward between the change the view you can see. folders and disks you‘ve Clicking the first icon will looked at. bring up a slider control you can use to change the You can also thumbnail and icon size jump directly for files and folders in to anywhere that explorer view. You you‘ve can also select other recently been views here including List, by clicking Details and my personal the down favourites, the very arrow interesting and helpful between Tiles and Content. these buttons and the breadcrumb bar.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 28 www.thelongclimb.com SORTING AND COLLAPSING GROUPS GROUPING FILES When you are viewing files QUICK TIP and folders organised by By default the standard groups you can collapse some view of files and folders in groups to make it easier to Windows Explorer isn‘t very see and get access to the files Sorting and helpful, being just a simple you want. Grouping by alphabetical list. You can more criteria change this as per previous At the left side of each group versions of Windows easily is a small arrow you can click though. to collapse and restore the There are more group. than just the Right clicking anywhere in a standard criteria for blank space in the explorer window will sorting and bring up a context grouping files. menu that will allow Clicking on More... you to sort and group files by Will bring up a long different criteria list of many such as when they different criteria were last modified, how big they are you can sort files or, my personal and folders by. favourite, what type of file they are. These include Exif Sorting files by a data from a digital criteria will keep them camera and artist as one large list. Grouping and composer them will separate them WORKING WITH details for music into groups determined by the criteria you have set. FOLDERS files.

While the Favourites in the PREVIEWING FILES Navigation Pane and the Breadcrumb bar make it easy Different views to navigate through your files and folders, if you have lots of in different files sitting together in your folders documents folder, creating additional folders you can The view you set for Just next to the help button move some files into can help make things easier to find and an individual folder in the top right of explorer windows is a button to organise. will not affect any toggle the preview pane. others, so you can This will open up at the side The New Folder button on the explorer toolbar will allow you set different sets of of the window and will give you a large preview of to do this. folders to display many file types when you files differently. click on them.

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You can change the size of THE DETAILS PANE the details pane by right clicking in it when Along the bottom of explorer no file is selected windows sits the details pane. and choosing how QUICK TIP Clicking on a file will bring up big you want information about that file from the size here. This information could Use the details include the date the file was that appears. pane created, it‘s size, tags or The bigger it is ratings (for information on the more tags and ratings see the information it will display. The details pane chapter Searching). along the bottom of explorer windows is interactive, you can use it to add and update information about a file, such as its Tags or Rating (see the chapter Searching for ore information on these).

Want more detail on files?

If you want more details about the files you click on displayed in the details pane you can This can be especially useful right click in the with digital photographs where THE MENU BAR the details pane can show details pane when what camera the photo(s) Along the top of every no file is selected explorer window is the menu were taken with, the resolution and change its size. of the photograph and bar. The menu items will additional information. change depending on the The bigger it is, the content the window is more information it displaying but can include will display. options from sharing files to burning them to disc.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 30 www.thelongclimb.com HIDING PICTURE AND FLIP 3D PHOTO NAMES

QUICK TIP With most photos from digital cameras named A more attractive way to Hide the DSC123 we don‘t really switch between windows is to need to know what the hold down the Windows key names of all names of the photos are. while also pressing the Tab your pictures Fortunately we can turn key will bring up Flip 3D. This this feature off when will show all your windows in looking at a folder of an attractive three- You might want to pictures. dimensional way. hide the names of all your pictures, Right click anywhere in especially if all the a blank images on your PC space and in tend to be digital the context menu that photographs. appears select View To do this right click and then in any folder Hide file names. You displaying images will now only and select View and see Hide file names. thumbnails of the Then click on the pictures in that folder. Organise button in the top left of the explorer window and Folder and You can cycle through these Search options from SWITCHING BETWEEN by pressing the Windows key the menu that WINDOWS + Tab or by using the scroll appears. wheel on your mouse. There are two ways to In the window that switch between open pops up click on the windows. Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard View tab and press while pressing the Tab key the Apply to folders will bring up each window button. in a panel of thumbnails across the middle of your screen.

31 CHANGING THE DEFAULT VIEW IN WINDOWS EXPLORER

Click on the Change your view button near the top right of any explorer window.

Here you can select the view you like. My preference is Tiles.

Right click anywhere in a black space in the explorer window and select Sort by or Group by and then select a criteria.

My preference is so group by Type. This will separate files and folders into their file type.

Click the Organise button in the top left of the explorer window and select Folder and Search options.

In the window that appears, click on the View tab and press the button Apple to Folders. All your documents folders will not take on this appearance.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 32 www.thelongclimb.com REMEMBERING DRIVE LETTERS AND WINDOWS SIZES FILE EXTENSIONS IN

QUICK TIP By default all Explorer WINDOWS 7 windows will always open at the same size, but this size Why do we need to see drive Keep your may not suit you. The good letters (C:, D: etc) and file documents safe news is that this is easily extensions (.doc, .pdf) in changed. Windows? Fortunately they‘re easily turned off. By default all your You can resize the window documents are by dragging and dropping it stored in the same from a corner. When you have it the size you want place as Windows hold down the ctrl key while stores all its files. closing it. The next time This means that if you open that windows it disaster strikes and will be the size you want.

Windows 7 needs a clean install, all MOVING YOUR those documents will be wiped. DOCUMENTS AWAY FROM WINDOWS You can use a second hard disk or Your hard drive is a big create a new block of storage space, a partition on which bit like a garage. In this space is installed your copy to keep your files of Windows 7 and also kept safely. Follow the here are all your step-by-step guide documents, photographs, music and video. later in this chapter for details on how Windows 7 is extremely to do this and keep stable but disasters do unfortunately happen. your documents, Should your copy of photographs and Windows 7 become corrupt safe. and need a fresh install, those files could be wiped.

You can back up your files and restore them from that but how recent will your backup be? Will you still lose files? Click the Organise button in A simpler way is to move the top left of an explorer your files to another hard window and select Format and disk or partition. When you search options. Under the partition your hard drive, view tab you can untick Show you divide it into several drive letters and toggle Hide sections using software, extensions for known file each of which is treated as types, which will be on by its own drive. So if one of default. those partitions needs to be wiped, the others won‘t be. 33 MOVING YOUR FILES FOR DATA SECURITY

Moving your documents away from the drive Windows 7 is installed on can remove any chance that your files will be lost if there is a serious problem with the operating system.

If you have two separate hard disks on your PC, or your hard disk is already partitioned into separate drives you can ignore steps 1 to 9 and go straight to step 10.

Always back up your files before doing this. If you can move them to an external disk while you partition your disk you will be able to shrink your Windows 7 disk more.

PART 1—CREATING A NEW PARTITION

Firstly, make sure all your files are backed up. Changing anything with the partition structure on your computer can occasionally result in disaster!

Open the Start Menu and type computer into the search box there. When Computer Management appears, click to run it.

If you already have third-party partitioning tools you can also use those.

In the window that appears click on Disk Management in the left column.

Next right click on your Windows 7 drive and in the context menu that appears select Shrink Volume.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 34 www.thelongclimb.com Windows will then tell you how much space it can shrink the drive to. Select the amount you want.

You should leave your Windows 7 drive as a minimum of 50Gb ideally, but make sure you will have plenty of room left for your files.

The shrinking process might take some time so be patient. Press Shrink when you are ready to start.

You will now see some disk space that is marked as unallocated. Right click in this space and select New Simple Volume.

The New Simple Volume Wizard will now appear and walk you through creating a new partition. It will ask what size you want it to be, use the maximum space it offers, and what drive letter you want to give it.

Finally it will ask if you want to format the disk. Select NTFS and format it. You will not be able to write files to the new partition. [step continued on next page]

35 You now have a fresh partition. The next step is to move your document folders to it.

PART 2—MOVING YOUR FILES

Open the Start Menu and click on your name at the top right to open your user folder.

Select all the folders in the user folder (except Desktop which doesn‘t like being moved). You can do this by holding down the CTRL key and clicking each folder.

Right Click on one of them when they are highlighted and select Cut.

Use the Navigation Pane to find the new empty partition you have created. In any blank space right click and select Paste from the context menu that appears.

You user folders will now be moved to the new drive or partition.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 36 www.thelongclimb.com Part 4

Working WORKING

Managing windows ...... 40 Aero Snap ...... 40 Aero Shake ...... 40 Turning off Aero Snap and Shake ...... 40 Accessibility ...... 41 ...... 41 Ease of Access Centre ...... 41 Scaling your desktop screen...... 42 More on Windows Accessibility ...... 42 Desktop Gadgets ...... 43 Calculator ...... 43 Paint ...... 43 Snipping tool ...... 43 XPS Viewer ...... 43 WordPad ...... 44 Sticky notes ...... 44 Other tools ...... 44 Touch control ...... 44 Multi-Touch gestures ...... 44 Multi-touch software ...... 45 Tablet PC Input Panel ...... 45 On-Screen Keyboard ...... 45 Windows Journal ...... 45 Maths Input Panel ...... 45 Speech Recognition ...... 45 Media Player and Photo Viewer ...... 46 Windows Live Essentials ...... 46 Zune Player ...... 46 Sideshow...... 46 Windows Mobility Centre ...... 47 Using a projector ...... 47 Multiple displays ...... 47 Uninstalling and repairing programs ...... 48 Windows components ...... 48 Compatibility mode ...... 48

QUICK TIPS

Working on two windows side-by-side ...... 40 Make accessibility easy ...... 41 Scaling the desktop ...... 42 The calculator ...... 43 Press and tap = Right mouse click ...... 44 Windows touch features availability ...... 45 Parental control and Windows Live Essentials ...... 46 Work longer when you‘re mobile ...... 47 Repair your programs ...... 48

APPENDIXES

Windows keyboard shortcuts...... Appendix B MANAGING WINDOWS AERO SHAKE

In part 2, Installing, I wrote about some of the new and QUICK TIP improved desktop features in Windows 7. These included the Aero shake is a good way to new show desktop button and get rid of all the windows on Working on improved thumbnails on the the screen except the one taskbar. There are yet more you are working on. two windows enhancements to the Windows side-by-side 7 desktop to aid productivity. If you grab a window and shake it with your mouse all the other open windows on It’s easy to work on AERO SNAP your screen will be two windows side- automatically minimised. by-side in Windows

Aero snap is a new way to If you shake the window 7 using Aero Snap. quickly use and arrange again the windows will be windows on your screen. Aero restored to the desktop. Just drag one snap works in two ways. window to the far

If you drag a window to the top left of your screen of the screen it will maximise TURNING OFF AERO and the other to the to fill your entire screen. SNAP AND SHAKE far right. They will Dragging it back from the top will restore it to its original size expand to fill Aero Snap and Aero exactly half of your Alternatively if you drag a Shake can cause screen on each side window to one side of the inconvenience for so both can be seen screen it will expand to fill people with motor exactly 50% of your screen, problems. Go to the Ease of at once. either left or right, depending Access centre in the Start on what side of the screen you Menu and click on Make the dragged it to. This can be mouse easier to use you can extremely useful when working tick Prevent windows from with, for example, two explorer being automatically windows to move or compare arranged... to turn it off. documents.

Dragging a window back from the side of the screen will return it to its previous size.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 40 www.thelongclimb.com

One especially useful feature ACCESSIBILITY is called Let Windows suggest Ease of Access Settings. Over the years QUICK TIP Microsoft has gone to This is a short questionnaire great lengths to make that will recommend the Windows as easy to settings you should change Make use as possible, and with and take you directly to them, accessibility Windows 7, things have all on one page for easy been further improved. The management. easy Getting Started panel, which is the first thing to appear in Open the Start the Start Menu after Menu and type ease installing Windows 7, gives you the option to change the into the search box text size on the screen. there. The option More about this later. Let Windows suggest ease of access settings will MAGNIFIER appear. Shortly after installing Windows the This is a wizard with Magnifier will arrear in a short the Start Menu. This questionnaire to is an excellent tool if you are finding your way around, help determine and finding access to the what ease of access Ease of Access Centre settings will be best difficult. It will increase the size of everything on the for you. screen and moves with your mouse, making it easy to When the get around the desktop. questionnaire is complete the appropriate settings will be displayed for you, so you can The Ease of Access Centre is switch them on if the for everyone who might have problems with you wish. their sight, hearing, motor control and concentration.

Everything in the Ease of Access Centre is automatically read out to you, if you have speakers connected to your PC.

EASE OF ACCESS If more than one person uses your PC, clicking Change CENTRE Administrative Settings in the left hand pane will allow you Opening the Start to also set these settings for Menu and typing Ease the log-on screen. into the search box will bring up results for the Ease of Access Centre and associated features. 41

There are two ways to get to SCALING YOUR this setting. DESKTOP SCREEN In the Start Menu, open the Getting Started panel and QUICK TIP A new feature with click on Change Text Size (in Windows 7, and by far the Getting Started jumplist) one of the best is the or Change the size of the Scaling the ability to scale the text on your screen (in the desktop by up to 150%. full window). desktop

Many people can find text and cons hard to see on today’s high resolution screens. Opening the Display settings from the control panel, right clicking in any empty desktop space or from within the Getting This increases the size of Alternatively right click in Started window you everything on the screen blank space on your desktop without making your picture and select Screen Resolution can select Change fuzzy. from the menu that appears. the size of text on In the Window that opens your screen. Until now the only way to do click the link Make text and this was to reduce the other items larger or resolution on your screen. smaller. This will scale This doesn‘t work well on flat everything o your screen monitors as the picture screen by up to distorts. The new scaling MORE ON WINDOWS 150% without options get around this and the effects are very sharp. ACCESSIBILITY blurring it, making things considerably

You can find out easier to read. more about the accessibility options in Windows 7, and see demonstrations at...

www.microsoft.com/enable

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 42 www.thelongclimb.com

DESKTOP GADGETS

Right clicking anywhere in a QUICK TIP blank space on your desktop will bring up a context menu from which The Calculator you can select Gadgets. These are the same utilities The Windows formerly seen in Windows Vista‘s now defunct Sidebar. calculator has long You can drag and drop been a forgotten these gadgets anywhere feature, but in into your desktop and click the link Get more gadgets Windows 7 it has online to download more PAINT been considerably from the Microsoft website. improved and now Windows Paint is another application that includes conversion has had a major utilities, several makeover can panel layouts and now includes image cropping additional features and scaling such as mileage and features. As a mortgage basic graphics calculators. package it‘s now reasonably powerful and features the useful ribbon interface first seen in 2007. CALCULATOR

The calculator has been SNIPPING TOOL significantly improved in

Windows 7. Clicking the Typing snipping into the View menu in it now brings search box in the Start Menu up a host of new features will bring up the snipping tool. including unit (length, This can be used to capture weight, volume etc.) and areas of the screen as graphic date conversion and images. mortgage calculations.

XPS VIEWER

Adobe‘s PDF may still be the format of choice for portable documents but Microsoft‘s XPS is still with us. Windows 7 includes a built-in XPS viewer so you can view these files.

43 WORDPAD

Wordpad has had a significant update QUICK TIP with Windows 7 and now not only uses the helpful ribbon Press and tap = interface first seen in right mouse but also will open click Word 2007 and open document format files. There is a way to MULTI-TOUCH simulate the STICKY NOTES GESTURES right mouse click with Windows 7 Formerly a Windows Vista multi-touch. Sidebar gadget (but still There are two types available to download as a of single finger desktop gadget if you want), gesture, a tap and a If you press the Sticky Notes are now an flick. A tap will act as screen with one a mouse click, so tapping a application of their own. You finger and then tap can pin these to the desktop button will press the button and resize them to the size you and double tapping an icon it with the other, require. will open it for you. this will bring up

Two finger gestures extend context menus in to software such as the same way as a OTHER TOOLS Windows Photo Viewer, right mouse click Word, Internet Explorer and would. Additional tools such as Google Earth. Notepad, Sound Recorder, Fax and Scan and DVD Maker are Taking hold of a picture or all still in Windows 7 and have document and dragging all been improved with this your fingers apart will zoom edition. inwards. Conversely, moving your fingers closer together will zoom out. You can also rotate images by TOUCH CONTROL rotating your fingers on the screen.

One completely new feature in Windows 7 is touch screen and multi- finger touch screen support on compatible hardware you can use touch and gestures to use Windows. These gestures are applicable to both one and two-handed operation.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 44 www.thelongclimb.com MULTI-TOUCH MATH INPUT PANEL SOFTWARE The new Math Input Panel QUICK TIP (note the US English spelling if Multi-touch technology is you‘re searching for it) is a still very new, but as more useful new tool for using Windows touch PCs support it, more touch to solve mathematical software will be released to problems and equations or for features take advantage of it. writing equations and complex availability Windows 7 includes some algebra into other documents, useful touch-based utilities. such as Word.

The new Windows touch features are TABLET PC INPUT exciting and will be of great use to PANEL some people. Make Formerly in Windows sure you buy the Vista but now correct edition of improved, this will Windows however. enable you to use handwriting directly with Windows 7 and its Touch and multi- applications. touch controls are only available in Typing Handwriting into the Windows 7 Home search box in the Start Menu will bring up the Premium, Windows option to personalise the 7 Professional and handwriting recognition to Windows 7 teach Windows 7 how you write and minimise errors. Ultimate. ON SCREEN KEYBOARD

Similar to the Tablet PC Input Panel this will enable you to type directly onto the PC‘s screen with your fingers or

mouse. WINDOWS JOURNAL SPEECH RECOGNITION

You can also now Windows Journal is a dictate text to Windows new notepad that 7 and it‘s applications will allow you to directly and a wizard is write directly onto it available to help you train the using handwriting (either a software to recognise your finger or stylus). voice.

45 MEDIA PLAYER AND SIDESHOW PHOTO VIEWER Windows sideshow is a utility that allows QUICK TIP Windows Media Player and compatible devices to Windows Photo Viewer are still display interactive content part of Windows 7, but I won‘t on an external screen (such Parental go into these in too much as on the lid of a ) Controls and detail because of the even when the PC is availability of... sleeping. You can access Windows Live Sideshow gadgets in the Essentials WINDOWS LIVE Control Panel from the Start Menu. ESSENTIALS Under Windows 7 you will not need to

Several programs download and such as Windows install Family Safety and Windows with the have been removed from Live Essentials suite, Windows 7 and are as Windows 7 now instead part of already has full the separate parental controls Windows Live Essentials. You can built-in to the download this operating system. from...

download.live.com

...or by clicking Get Windows Live Essentials in the Getting Started panel from the Start Menu.

This is an excellent suite of free software with Mail and Photo Gallery deserving particular praise.

ZUNE PLAYER

Microsoft‘s Zune MP3 player, sadly only available in the US and Canada (at the time of Windows 7‘s launch) is accompanied by an excellent media player that you don‘t need to own a Zune to use. You can download the Zune media player from...

download.zune.net

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 46 www.thelongclimb.com MOBILITY CENTRE USING A PROJECTOR

On and netbooks Windows 7 makes it easy to QUICK TIP you can access the Mobility use a projector, either Centre from the Control connected directly to your PC, Panel or Start Menu. or located through a network. Work longer With Connect to a projector This panel provides quick and Connect to a network when you’re access to the major power- projector in the Start Menu. mobile saving settings that can

The mobility centre is a great way to squeeze more life out of the battery on your laptop or netbook.

It can help you maximise battery life bys witching off features you might not need such as sound, and by reducing the overall power consumption extend the battery life on your device when you‘re of components such out and about. as your screen. MULTIPLE DISPLAYS It also provides access to a new facility allowing you to The same interface that connect your PC to a handles attached projectors remote or network also helps you manage projector. multiple monitors. Press the Windows key and P.

47 UNINSTALLING AND COMPATIBILITY REPAIRING PROGRAMS MODE QUICK TIP Accessed from the Control Some programs won‘t run Panel or a Start Menu search, normally because they were Programs and Features is your designed for an earlier central location to remove and version of Windows and are Repair your repair programs. incompatible with Windows programs 7.

You can run these programs in If a program is compatibility mode misbehaving it may for an earlier version of have a repair Windows. option.

Right click on the program in the Open Programs Start Menu and and Features from from the context the Control Panel menu that appears select and click on the Clicking on a program will Properties. offending program. bring up either just an option A series of options to Uninstall it in the toolbar, or Under the Compatibility tab other options such as Change tick Run this program in will appear in the and Repair. compatibility mode for and blue toolbar above select from the drop down it. Repair might be The repair option can be very the version of Windows you useful if a program is require. supported by this misbehaving. program.

WINDOWS COMPONENTS

Clicking on Turn Windows features on or off in the left pane of this window will bring up a full list of Windows 7‘s components that can be switch on or off.

If there are any features within Windows you don‘t want, or if there is anything that is not current available and you would like to switch on, you can find it here. You do not need your Windows install DVD to perform these actions.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 48 www.thelongclimb.com Part 5

Searching SEARCHING

Search is everywhere ...... 51 Searching in context ...... 51 Start Menu search ...... 51 Explorer search ...... 51 Other programs ...... 51 Indexing...... 52 Saved Searches ...... 52 Advanced searching ...... 53 Search filters ...... 53 Basic search terms ...... 53 Libraries ...... 54 Organising libraries ...... 54 Creating a library...... 54-55 Tags ...... 56 Ratings ...... 56

QUICK TIPS

Search from the Start Menu ...... 51 Contextualised search ...... 51 Controlling indexed locations ...... 52 Power searches ...... 53 Build yourself custom libraries ...... 54 Add more locations to libraries ...... 55 Add Tags and Ratings ...... 56

APPENDIXES

Advanced search query syntax ...... Appendix C

SEARCH IS EXPLORER SEARCH EVERYWHERE The search box in explorer QUICK TIP windows is always in the top Search is built into every right. Searching here will first aspect of Windows 7, and prioritise the folder you‘re Search from as we get more and more looking at and then your files, documents, photos, the Start Menu documents, photos, pictures music and videos in our and music. personal libraries it can Just hitting the Start become harder to find Button will things, especially if we instantlybring up a haven‘t looked at them in a while. search box. You won’t then SEARCHING IN need to click in it. CONTEXT The ‘focus’ is OTHER PROGRAMS automatically taken Search in Windows 7 works by the search box so in a contextual way Search boxes in other you can start typing depending on what you‘re programs such as Windows straight away. searching in. For instance, Media Player, Zune player and search in the Start Menu Internet Explorer will all be will prioritise Start Menu found in the same place, in items and programs, search the top right of the window. in Explorer will prioritise Contextualised documents and pictures, Searching in these programs search search in Internet Explorer will prioritise searches too, so will prioritise Favourite searching in Windows Media websites and browsing Player will prioritise music. Depending on history and so on. where you’re searching from, the results you get will START MENU change. Searching SEARCH from the Start Menu will prioritise When you open the programs and Start Menu you can start typing in the control panel items, search box there from within a without having to pictures or photos click in it. Anything you type will view will prioritise automatically be images and so on. there.

Any search results will appear in the Start Menu itself.

Searching here will prioritise Start Menu items, programs, Control Panel items and system settings. However files and documents should also appear. 51 INDEXING

Instant search is possible in Windows 7 because the operating system constantly manages and maintains an index of QUICK TIP all the files on your disk(s). Controlling You can access the indexed controls for this by locations searching in the Start Menu for Indexing or Opening Indexing If you find that Options in the Control items you would Panel. expect to appear in If you are finding that searches are some files and folders missing check the aren‘t displaying in searches, it may be index. because those locations aren‘t in the This is where all the index. locations are included in searches To add a location in the index, open Indexing Options and press the are listed. Get to it Modify button in the window that through Indexing appears then Show all locations. Options in the You can now tick and untick locations you do and don‘t want indexed. control panel.

If a folder is missing SAVED SEARCHES form the index you can add it by When you perform a pressing the Modify search you have the button then Show option to save it. When you save a search it will all Locations. be automatically saved to a Searches folder in Finally you just tick your Documents and untick the however you have the folder locations you option to save it elsewhere if you wish. do and don’t want included. Reopening a save search will automatically update it with the latest information, so your saved searches will always be up to date.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 52 www.thelongclimb.com ADVANCED BASIC SEARCH TERMS SEARCHING A full list of search syntax is QUICK TIP available in Appendix C Alas, gone is the simple however some of the most search of previous versions common are... Power searches of Windows to be replaced by a more text-based Kind: used to search the search. When you start a properties of a document type The new search in search a drop down will ask Windows 7, while if you want to add a search Kind:email nowhere near as filter. Kind:tasks There and a great many of Kind:notes friendly on the these which I shall detail Kind:docs surface as in but the basic ones Name: Kind:music previous versions of and Type: for file name and Kind:song file type respectively would Kind:folders Windows, is be used in the format... Kind:programs incredibly powerful. Type: pdf Datemodified: to search by The search terms the date a file was modified ...if you were looking for listed on this page Adobe Acrobat files. This is Datemodified:22/10/2008 are just a small a way to help narrow down Datemodified:22/10/08 sample of those searches. Datemodified:yesterday available. Datemodified:lastweek Datemodified:pastmonth SEARCH FILTERS Datemodified:27/03/03..1/4/0 For a full list of all 8 the search terms There are, as I have said, a available in Type: to search by file type great many search filters. Windows 7 see The full list from Microsoft Type:image Appendix C. can be found at... Type:.doc Type:.pdf Note: These search http://www.microsoft.com/ terms also apply to windows/products/winfamily/ Name: searching by file name or by a property name for a desktopsearch/ Windows Desktop file search on Windows technicalresources/advquery.mspx XP and other Name:holiday ...however I have included Name:wedding products. a full list in Appendix C. Unfortunately the search syntax doesn‘t let you double- up on search terms. For instance typing type:.docx, .pdf won‘t bring up search results for all Word and PDF files.

53 LIBRARIES ORGANISING LIBRARIES A new feature in Windows is called Libraries and opening an QUICK TIP explorer window will display In the top right of every your libraries by default. library is an Arrange by: option. This will give you Build yourself the option to sort the files in Libraries are, in essence, custom aggregated storage for all your the library by a variety of files, regardless of what folder methods depending on the libraries or disk drive they are located content. in. Libraries are an extremely useful way of finding files that are scattered across your hard disk.

You can create custom libraries that are displayed exactly how you want.

For example, the custom library shown (left) is displaying all the photos on my computer arranged by tag.

By default there are four CREATING A LIBRARY This means that, no libraries set up for Documents, matter where a file Music, Pictures and Videos. All You can create additional is, I can instantly the appropriate documents in libraries easily, I for instance your Documents, Music, see all the photos of have one just for my Pictures or Videos folders will Dusseldorf or my photographs. In the main appear in these libraries as a libraries view click the New dog Jed. list of all available files. The Library button and give it a folder structure for those files name. will be ignored.

Libraries have their limitations, for instance you can‘t create a library of all the Excel spreadsheets on your computer, but they are still very powerful.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 54 www.thelongclimb.com You will now be taken into your new Library and invited to add QUICK TIP folder to it. The contents of that folder Add more can be added locations to to the Library.

libraries You can add as many You can add as folders as you like to a many drives and Library or folders to libraries remove them as you like, though at any time, and the Library will be automatically you cannot add updated. removable storage such as USB pen drives.

Adding and removing folder locations in Libraries is easy, just click the Includes: 1 location (the number may be different) to bring up a wizard that will easily help you add and remove folder locations.

Clicking the Includes: 1 location link under the library name in the top left of the explorer pane that displays the library contents will bring up a window allowing you to do this easily and quickly.

Note: It can take Windows a little time after installation to index your files, libraries may seem incomplete until this is done.

55

The Import Photos and TAGS Videos wizard will also allow you add tags when you plug One way to make search easier in your digital camera of is to add tags to your files. camcorder. QUICK TIP Tags are words that are related to the file, a good example is the information RATINGS Add tags and accompanying music files. Ratings

Each music files will contain Many file types, including the following information, music, photos and video will This can be a chore Track name, Artist, Supporting allow you to add Ratings. the first time Artist, Album, Track number, These are star ratings from Composer among many others. zero to five stars. around but it’s one of those jobs that only ever needs doing once.

Adding Tags and In Windows 7 you can add tags Adding ratings to mark your Ratings to your to every kind of file, from Word favourite files can also make documents, music, and Excel documents to searching for files much pictures, photos and more faster and simpler. photos and video besides. can make searching

your files You can add tags to a file (or considerably faster multiple files and easier. together) in Windows Explorer You can select by selecting the file(s). In the multiple files for Details pane will tagging by selecting appear them all with your information about the file(s) mouse, clicking the including any first one and current Tags. holding down the Clicking next to Tags in the Details SHIFT key while Pane will let you selecting the last add or update one or by holding them. down the CTRL key

You can also use while selecting software such as multiple files with Windows Live your mouse. Photo Gallery to make adding tags easy.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 56 www.thelongclimb.com Part 6

Connecting CONNECTING

Getting online ...... 59 Network and Sharing Centre ...... 59 Sharing files, folders and media ...... 60 Homegroups ...... 61 Device Centre ...... 62 Device Stage ...... 62 Location-aware printing ...... 63 Connecting across a network ...... 63 Maintaining network devices ...... 63

QUICK TIPS

Can‘t get online? ...... 59 Sharing security ...... 60 Better sharing at home ...... 60 Consider Wireless N ...... 61 Device Stage notes ...... 62 Do you have a work laptop you use at home? ...... 63

GETTING ONLINE NETWORK AND SHARING CENTRE The first things anybody is QUICK TIP going to want to do after installing Windows 7 is get Also from this window or from online. the Control Panel you can Can’t get open the Network and Sharing Centre. This will show you at If your PC is connected online? directly to your router or a glance the status of line by a cable you network and internet Opening the will immediately be online connection, and other devices unless Windows 7 has failed and computers your PC can Network and to recognise your network see on the network and it will Sharing Centre from hardware (see the chapter allow you to modify and the system tray or Diagnosing for what to do if troubleshoot problems or set up a new connection. Control Panel can this happens). bring up the If you connect to the network trouble- internet via a wi-fi shooter. connection then this is simpler to use than previous Windows First see if your versions. network is active. If it is not select In the system tray on the far right of the taskbar is Connect to a the new wi-fi icon, a network or series of rising white Troubleshoot bars. Click this icon once and a window will appear problems. showing all the available

networks in your area. You can connect to any with a single click.

The new Troubleshoot problems tool automates many of the steps involved in finding problems with your network or internet connection. This tool will try and diagnose problems and automatically implement solutions for you.

59 SHARING FILES, FOLDERS AND MEDIA QUICK TIP

The Network and Sharing Centre also allows you to Sharing control what you share with other computers security and how you share it. If you want to share You can share you documents, photos, internet connection, printer(s) and files. The video and music settings here allow you within your home to set what‘s shared and use the Network who can see it. and Sharing Centre You can also share to check your folders by Right Clicking security settings are on one or more in Windows Explorer and selecting Share set right. with in the context menu that appears. The security options are clear and easy You can choose from users on to understand with your PC and network who the folder is shared with, or you plain English can share a folder with your descriptions Homegroup. throughout.

Better home sharing

Homegroups are an excellent way to share documents, photos, music and video around your home, offering much better security than simple file and folder sharing.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 60 www.thelongclimb.com HOMEGROUPS

You if you have more QUICK TIP than one PC in your home running Windows 7 you can Consider share documents, pictures, music, videos wireless N and printers easily by setting up a If you use a wi-fi Homegroup. network in your When you first install home and want to Windows 7 at home it stream and share will ask you if you video consider want to set one up. A wizard will ask upgrading your wi-fi what you want to router from the share and then in a 802.11b or 802.11g single step will set up everything for to 802.11n standard. you and give you a These codes are password, don‘t lose clearly labelled on this. products either at Any other PC in your online stores on in home running the shops. Wireless Windows 7 will be able to log into your N offers much Homegroup using greater bandwidth this password. than previous standards. Once the Homegroup is set up you can change its settings at This means that any point, adding or video can be sent to removing things to other PCs on your share. You can also share individual network without folders (see the any worries about it guide on the stuttering during previous page). playback. One useful additional feature is the ability to stream media to other PCs and devices. This will mean music and video content can start playing on the other device without being copied across to that device. It plays on the PC it‘s sat on and can be seen and heard on the other.

61 WINDOWS MOBILE DEVICE CENTRE QUICK TIP Any device running Windows Mobile, which includes many mobile phones, now has much better integration with Device Stage

Windows 7. notes

Not every device you plug into your PC will be supported by Device Stage. It entirely depends on Depending on the device whether the you can use this panel to buy supplies, get updates, manufacturer of download manuals and also that device access all the features and supports it. The new Windows Mobile functionality of the device. Device Centre is If they do there are excellent at all sorts of automatically detecting these devices and has additional services simple and easy to use you can get through options for synchronising this feature them with your PC. including being able to easily buy DEVICE STAGE consumables, get fixes and firmware A new feature for updates and help Windows 7, Device and support. Stage can provide easy access These options are also to features in, and service and available from a jumplist on product updates for your third the Taskbar when the -party hardware. Device Stage for a device is open. Accessed through Devices and Printers in the Start Menu. Many devices you can plug into your computer such as digital cameras, mobile phones and MP3 players can, if the manufacturer supports it, appear here. Opening the icon will open a new window where you can do more with your device.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 62 www.thelongclimb.com LOCATION-AWARE MAINTAINING PRINTING NETWORK DEVICES QUICK TIP The Enterprise and You can also get quick access Ultimate editions of to the administrative Do you have a Windows 7 contain a interfaces of hardware such as feature that‘s very useful routers and network-attached work laptop for people who use a laptop storage in this view. you use at both at home and at work. Right click on the home? Location-aware printing icon for the device allows you to set a default will bring up a If you have a work printer for both locations. context menu laptop running Windows 7 will determine including options which printer you want to such as View Windows 7 print to automatically by device webpage Enterprise this determining which network which will allow you version also you are attached to and will quick and easy access to its change the default printer administrative settings. features location- for that session accordingly. aware printing. Another way to access these is to open the Network and You can use this Sharing Centre and click on CONNECTING ACROSS View Full Map. Here again you feature to make A NETWORK can right click on a device to sure that whenever bring up Management URL you press the print which is quick and easy access Windows 7 makes it easy to to the device‘s management button the correct connect with computers interface. printer will be and network-attached automatically storage in your home or selected for you by work network. Windows. Opening Windows Explorer you will see Network listed at the bottom of the Navigation Pane. Clicking on this will bring up details of any other computer and device your computer can see.

You can open these to view any files the they are sharing or drag and drop them into your Favourites to provide quick and easy access in the future.

63 Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 64 Part 7

Securing SECURING

How secure is Windows 7? ...... 67 Anti-virus software ...... 67 Windows Firewall ...... 68 Third-party firewall ...... 68 Windows Defender ...... 68 ...... 69 Phishing and Spam ...... 69 Internet threats ...... 70 Domain highlighting ...... 70 In-Private browsing ...... 70 Credential Manager...... 71 Windows Update ...... 71 Security glossary ...... 71 Advanced Firewall ...... 72 Firewall Exceptions ...... 72 Windows Firewall with Advanced Security ...... 72 Bitlocker ...... 73 Bitlocker to go ...... 73

QUICK TIPS

Worst case scenario ...... 67 Protect your PC from Spyware ...... 68 Don‘t switch off UAC! ...... 69 Look for the padlock ...... 70 Beware the soft squishy thing ...... 71 Get Safe Online ...... 72 Removing Bitlocker from a drive ...... 73

GLOSSARY

Downloads ...... Appendix E HOW SECURE IS WINDOWS 7? QUICK TIP Microsoft Windows has come under fire over the Worst case years for being insecure. The simple fact is that scenario Windows is now one of the most secure operating Many things can systems you can buy. happen if you do For example, if the first not have up to date year and a half after the anti-virus software launch of Windows XP from your files there were six or so major security flaws highlighted being deleted and by the world‘s press. In lost to your PC the same period after becoming unusable Windows Vista launched, there was only one, as chips on your compared to two for Apple motherboard are Mac OS X in the same rewritten. period.

Windows 7 is even more In the worst cases, secure but to guarantee criminals can gain safety and security it can‘t access to your bank do it without some help accounts and steal from you. your identity, running up ANTI-VIRUS This screen will take you thousands of directly to the website for the pounds of bills in SOFTWARE anti-virus vendor you choose. My two personal your name. Widows 7 doesn‘t come recommendations are with anit-virus software but Microsoft Security Do not take risks for the first time will help Essentials and AVG anti- with your PC you to get it. When you virus, both of which are free although AVG also offer a security. first install Windows 7 the Action Centre will alert you paid-for security suite that to download anti-virus has additional functionality. software and will take you to a screen where you can The Action Centre will alert choose one to download you if there are any problems and install if you do not with your anti-virus software, have one already. such as it needs updating and hasn‘t done so automatically.

You should always keep your anti-virus software up to date and running properly as it‘s the most essential line of defence against attacks from the outside world.

67 WINDOWS FIREWALL WINDOWS DEFENDER

Built into Windows 7 is the The first line of defence in firewall. This is much Windows 7 against spyware QUICK TIP improved from previous and Trojans, though not versions and, if you‘re careful viruses, is Windows with your PC security, should Defender. Accessed through Protect your be adequate for day to day the Start Menu, this use. program will alert you PC from through the Action Centre spyware By default it will be set to when it needs updating or provide the protection you when a scan should be run. need. Windows Defender should not be the only software pack- age on your PC pro- tecting you from Spyware, Trojans and other internet nasties.

In the appendices, you will find my recommendations for the best free and paid-for inter- net protection soft- ware available.

Windows Defender has a simple interface that allows THIRD-PARTY FIREWALL novice user to quickly a simply update it and search You might additionally want to their computers for install a third-party firewall Spyware. from a vendor such as Check Point or Kaspersky. You can also use third-party spyware removal tools such This will not affect the as Spyware Terminator Windows Firewall and will run without affecting the happily along-side it. performance of Windows Defender. You may also wish to buy a full security suite such as AVG Internet Security which will include anti-virus, firewall and anti-spam software among others. These suites are a very good idea.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 68 www.thelongclimb.com

USER ACCOUNT It is not recommended that you change UAC from the CONTROL default setting as this will provide you with the best QUICK TIP protection while not being UAC is a security feature anywhere near as annoying as that was first seen in UAC was in Windows Vista. Windows Vista to help keep Don’t switch off your PC secure. UAC! This feature takes your computer Many people criti- into a protected mode, darkening cised User Account the screen and Control (UAC) when asking you for it first appeared in permission to continue, Windows Vista for whenever it being, frankly, an- detects a potential noying. threat to your computer. With Windows 7 it’s It is possible to much improved, you change how User should hardly ever Account Control protects see prompts. your computer from the Action Centre. The four available settings are... PHISHING AND SPAM You should make sure though that Never Notify me when: Your web browser isn‘t the you never switch it programs to try to install only place you can suffer software or make changes off. It performs an attacks online. They can also to my PC, or when I make arrive in your email inbox. extremely important changes to Widows settings role on your PC, Spam are more Notify me only when protecting you and nuisance than a worry unless programs try to make you click on the link contained your system from all changes to me computer in them. types of attack. (do not dim my desktop) and don‘t notify me when I Phishing emails are more make changes to Windows serious however. These are settings emails, purporting to be from your bank, building society or Default—Notify me only from a reputable website such when programs try to as PayPal, eBay or Amazon, make changes to my that ask you to log in to computer and don‘t notify confirm your account details. me when I make changes to Windows settings Note: These companies and banks will never send you Always notify me when emails like this. If you programs try to install receive one then you can software or make changes guarantee it is a fake. to my computer or when I make changes to Windows settings.

69 INTERNET THREATS DOMAIN HIGHLIGHTING Internet threats come in many forms but modern QUICK TIP browsers all contain security Another common feature of features to help defend modern browsers is they against them. will highlight the main domain name you are Look for the

Your web browser will warn visiting in the address bar. padlock you one of three ways to a As in the example below possible threat. this makes it easy to see if the domain you are visiting When you’re shop- matches with what you Changing the colour of the ping, banking or address bar, the place you think it will be. performing any ac- tivity online where your privacy or se- curity could be com- promised always look for the pad- type web addresses in, will lock. change to either yellow or red IN-PRIVATE to warn you of the possible This will appear in threat. BROWSING the address bar

A pop-up warning box will and (left) or, in older appear in either yellow or red later include a feature browsers, in the to warn you of a possible called in-private browsing status bar at the threat. (this will have different names in other browsers). bottom of the win- The entire web page will This feature allow you to dow. change to a warning in surf the web completely either yellow or red. anonymously, with no You can click on this information about to see who owns the websites you have visited or any the security certifi- passwords or cate for this website usernames you have and judge for your- typed, stored on your PC. self if you think it is valid and whether you want to trust it.

Phishing sites will regularly look exact- ly like their real counterparts but

will either have no This may happen when you visit a security certificate website or when you or will have a fake try to download one. something.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 70 www.thelongclimb.com

Identify Theft—Unlawful CREDENTIAL access to your bank account MANAGER (s), the setting up of credit card or other accounts or the QUICK TIP purchase of goods in your Hidden away in the Control name. Panel is the Credential Beware the soft Manager. This utility stores Keylogger—A program all the usernames you use to squishy thing capable of recording what you log into other computers, type on your keyboard, network locations and some including usernames and websites. passwords. There can be no Not especially doubting the fact useful in itself that the weakest except that it‘s link in the security possible to create of any PC is the soft, a backup of these login details that organic, squishy you can use on thing in front of the another Windows keyboard. 7 PC or to keep if Windows needs to be reinstalled. Always be careful what you click on, what information WINDOWS you give away and UPDATE to whom.

If it looks like it’s too I‘ll talk about Windows Update good to be true... IT properly in the

IS! chapter Guaranteeing but a good defence against viruses Phishing—Emails purporting to be from a bank or website Also no reputable and Trojans is to make sure your PC is always kept up to asking you to log-in to confirm company or bank date with the latest patches your identity. will EVER ask you to and updates. Plug-in—A control confirm your securi- downloaded from a website ty details, either required to perform an action through a website SECURITY GLOSSARY like watch video. Some plug- ins are malicious. or over the tele- Botnet—A collection of phone. compromised PCs acting Spam—Nuisance emails. together under the control of criminals to launch attacks Trojan—A program that on corporate and allows back door access to governmental computer control a computer. systems for blackmail or to compromise them. Virus—A malicious program intended to cause harm or Hacker—A person or disruption on a PC or to a persons who gain unlawful user. access to another computer for malicious purposes.

71 ADVANCED FIREWALL WINDOWS FIREWALL WITH ADVANCED By default the Windows Firewall will provide adequate SECURITY QUICK TIP protection against hackers and malicious websites. However there are times when you Typing Firewall Get safe online require additional control. into the search box in the Start For information on Menu will bring up the Control the threats when FIREWALL EXCEPTIONS Panel option you’re online and Windows how to avoid them Typing Firewall into the search Firewall with Advanced box in the Start Menu will Security. This is for the British bring up the Control Panel advanced users or those government, in option Allow a program with complex network association with through Windows Firewall. security requirements. companies This is a useful tool if a Here you can control every program has been blocked aspect of the Windows including Microsoft accidentally, or if something Firewall, allowing specific have a website you ports to be open and for like a game requires additional can visit at... internet access permissions to specific applications, or to work smoothly. overcome problems with network access. getsafeonline.org

This facility allows you to This website define inbound and includes help, outbound rules for traffic and monitor firewall advice and tips for activity. keeping your computer free and This features is for advanced users only. your identity secret. The basic firewall interface, located in the Control Panel is suitable for general Windows users.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 72 www.thelongclimb.com BITLOCKER

Available only in the QUICK TIP Enterprise and Ultimate versions of Windows 7, Bitlocker is an Removing excellent tool for securing and encrypting full disk Bitlocker from drives, thus preventing a drive them from being read if they are removed from You can remove the computer or Bitlocker security accessed by an from a drive by unauthorised person. formatting it. You can do this by right- Ideally the clicking the disk in system works Windows Explorer with a TMP (Trusted Platform or through the Module) chip on Computer your motherboard that ties BITLOCKER TO GO Management that drive and the rest of the computer together. This console. system can provide Bitlocker To Go can excellent security for encrypt full volume workers‘ laptops. removable disks including USB hard drives and Pen Drives.

It can be set to automatically unlock a drive when it‘s used on specific PC(s).

These drives will then only be readable on other computers running Windows 7 or Windows Vista Enterprise or Ultimate editions.

73 Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 74 Part 8

Configuring CONFIGURING

Personalisation ...... 78 Themes ...... 78 Creating a custom theme ...... 79 Making things easier to read ...... 79 Adding wallpapers to Windows ...... 80 Displaying hidden themes ...... 80 Where are the Ultimate Extras ...... 80 Windows 7 optimum configuration ...... 81 Virtual Memory ...... 81 Visual effects ...... 82 Startup and Recovery ...... 82 Computer name ...... 82 System protection ...... 82 Control Panel ...... 83 ...... 83 Date and Time ...... 83 Default programs...... 84 Folder options ...... 84 Navigation pane ...... 84 Folder views ...... 84 Search options ...... 84 Notification area icons ...... 84 Power options ...... 85 Region and Language options ...... 86 Configuring the Start Menu and Jumplists ...... 87 Putting names back on the Taskbar ...... 87 The Recycle Bin ...... 88 Pinning the Recycle Bin to the Taskbar ...... 88 Gadgets ...... 89 Installing missing drivers ...... 89 Step-by-Step—Installing Device Drivers ...... 90

QUICK TIPS

Get more Themes for Windows 7 ...... 78 Better access to the Accessibility options ...... 79 RSS powered wallpapers ...... 80 Modify your system properties ...... 81 Switch on System Protection ...... 82 Devices and Printers ...... 83 File association by drag and drop ...... 84 The phantom sleeper ...... 85 Modify your time and date settings ...... 86 Display as menu ...... 87 Pin the Recycle Bin to the Taskbar ...... 88 Sticky Notes ...... 89 PERSONALISATION THEMES

Windows 7 supports theme packs. These will display in QUICK TIP the main section of the personalisation screen. Windows 7 Home Premium and Get more above let you customise your Some of these have more desktop display as you would than one . themes for with any version of Windows, Selecting one will Windows 7 note this is not available in automatically change your Windows 7 Starter. In the My Themes Right clicking section of the Per- on the sonalisation win- desktop or selecting dow you will get an option to Get more themes online.

This will take you to a Microsoft website where you can download lots more theme packs for your computer.

Personalisation from the desktop to that theme. You Control Panel will bring up can them customise how your options. you want it displayed by This screen has been choosing the Desktop rationalised from previous Background option from the versions of Windows and is bottom of the now much easier to use. Personalisation window. Here you can select what Along the bottom you have images are displayed as options to change the wallpaper, how they appear Desktop Background, on screen and how often Window Colour, Sounds and the image changes. Screen Saver. Then in the left hand pane are additional options.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 78 www.thelongclimb.com CREATE A CUSTOM MAKING TEXT EASIER THEME TO READ QUICK TIP You can create your own Windows 7 has great- themes in Windows 7 to ly improved the ac- Better access share with friends and fami- cessibility options ly. Perhaps a ―Malaga pho- available to users. In to the Accessi- tos‖ theme or one for the Personalisation window bility options ―Classic cars‖. you will see a display option near the bottom of the left This is simple and straight- hand blue pane. forward. You first select the All of Win- picture or pictures you want Clicking this will bring up the dows 7’s accessibil- ity features are available quickly by typing access into the search box in the Start Menu. as your wallpaper. Opening Desktop Background from the Personalisation window Here there are wiz- will allow you to browse ards and guides to your computer for images or help make your select from a series of pre- defined locations. experience using Windows 7 more When you have done this pleasant and enjoy- you may want to modify your colour, mouse and able. sound schemes, again easily Done from the Personalisa- options to Make it easier to read what’s on your screen.

Here you can change the de- fault size of all text and icons by up to 150%.

This should be done instead of reducing the resolution of your screen. If you are using a flat-panel monitor reducing the resolution will make your screen appear fuzzy and diffi- tion home screen. cult to read. Your new theme will show up in the My Themes section There are additional accessi- of the personalisation screen bility options here including as Unsaved Theme. At the tweaking the Clear Type sys- bottom of the My Themes tem used to make text clear- section is a link to Save er. This is a simple wizard theme. This will allow you that presents various texts to save the currently select- asking you which is clearer ed theme to your hard drive and easier to read. for sharing and emailing.

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Open the ADDING WALLPAPERS drive that TO WINDOWS Windows 7 is in- stalled on QUICK TIP In the Personalisation window from you can add wallpapers from Within any location on your hard Computer disk. But you can also make RSS powered and navigate to the fol- sure these are always availa- lowing folder Windows > wallpapers ble to Windows, just in case Winsxs. Once there in they‘re moved for example. the search box in the top More advanced right of that window In Computer, open the disk search for *.theme. users might want a containing your Windows 7 random wallpaper Installation. This will probably This will bring up a list of scheme powered be called ―local disk‖ and can all the available themes, be identified by the Windows many of which will already by the RSS web logo on the picture of the hard be installed. However publishing stand- disk. there will be other geo- ard. graphical theme packs Navigate here that you can install This can be quite to... simply by double clicking them. complex but blog- Windows ger Long Zheng > Web > Wallpaper and here you can wrote an excellent copy images, or folders con- WHERE ARE THE article about how taining images that will then to get started with appear by default in the Per- sonalisation view. ULTIMATE EXTRAS? this feature.

Hamad Darwish was one of You might remember that www.istartedsome the official photographers for Windows Vista Ultimate thing.com/200901 came with ultimate extras. the Windows Vista wallpapers. 26/-powered- He has some lovely wallpaper This was extra software collections on his website at... available through Win- windows-7- dows Update that includes desktop- additional games and the www.hamaddarwish.com/ slideshows/ Dreamscene feature that winvista. let you have animated and video wallpapers. There are down- sides to using this DISPLAYING HIDDEN Ultimate extras has been system which is dropped in Windows 7. THEMES Though Stardock who re- why I’ve not leased a, frankly, far bet- written about it in By default Windows 7 will ter version of Dreamscene the main body of called Deskscapes may show you a theme based on the book, but some your Geographic location or also release a version for country however all the Windows 7. Their website advanced users world‘s editions of Windows 7 can be found at... and photo enthusi- come on the same DVD so asts might find it you can easily unlock the ad- www.stardock.com interesting. ditional countries.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 80 www.thelongclimb.com

WINDOWS 7 When this memory is full your PC will use a part of your hard OPTIMUM disk as substitute, or virtual memory. This is a file on QUICK TIP CONFIGURATION your hard disk that will obvi- ously be far slower to read When you first install and write data than the physi- Modify your Windows 7 there are some cal memory itself. settings you can change in System By default, every version of Properties the operating system to help it work at its very best. Windows maintains this virtu- al memory in a very ineffi- cient way, in that it grows and Everything in this Everything in this section is shrinks the size of the file of section is access access from the System properties window. This is your hard disk as required. from the System accessed by opening the properties window. Control Panel and selecting This creates a situation where your other files can become This is accessed by System and Security followed by System and fragmented (split) across the opening the Control clicking Advanced system hard disk because the swap Panel and selecting settings in the blue panel on file isn‘t leaving enough space for them to be saved whole in System and Security the left of the Window that appears. the place they should be. followed by System and clicking Ad- To fix this, you can change the virtual memory file to be vanced system VIRTUAL MEMORY a fixed size. Open the Control settings in the blue Panel and selecting System panel on the left of You have two types of and Security followed by Sys- tem and clicking Advanced the Window that storage in your computer, your hard disk which is a system settings in the blue appears. physical spinning disk on panel on the left of the Win- which Windows files and dow that appears. your documents are stored and your memory. By default the pop-up window you now see will have the Ad- When windows and vanced tab highlighted. In programs load, they are the Performance section copied into memory, which click the Settings button then consists of silicon chips that click the Advanced tab in the can pass files and next window that appears. information in and out much faster than a spinning hard disk.

The more memory you have installed in your computer the more programs it can have in it and the faster Windows will run. The biggest difference will be the jump from 1Gb of memory to 2Gb or 3Gb. After this point, unless you are working with enormous photographs or other files, the difference in speed in much less pronounced.

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In the Virtual Memory sec- tion press the Change button. COMPUTER NAME A third window will appear. You should untick the Auto- If you have only a single PC matically manage paging in your home then chang- QUICK TIP file size for all drives and ing its name won‘t benefit select Custom size. At the you. However if you have bottom of this window will be several on a home network Switch on the minimum and recommend- it can help to identify which ed sizes for your virtual computer, for instance, you system memory. Type the Recom- are sharing files or a printer protection mended figure into both the with. Initial size (MB) and Maximum If you have moved size (MB) boxes and press the You are asked to name your documents, Set button. Making sure both your computer when you these numbers are the same install Windows 7, but it pictures and music will maintain a constant size can be checked and away from the hard changed at any time for the virtual memory file. disk or partition through the Computer name tab in the System Windows 7 is stored VISUAL EFFECTS Properties window. on, you will need to turn on System

In the same window under the SYSTEM PROTECTION Protection for the Visual Effects tab you can new location for choose some of the custom those files. effects you see on your Win- Windows 7 includes a clev- dows desktop. er system that quietly backs up older copies of This is a facility that A common one to change, be- your files as you work on can allow you to cause many people, including them so that if you need recover a previous myself, think it gives the Win- restore an earlier version of dows desktop a cleaner look is that file you can. By de- version of a file if to untick the option to Show fault this feature only pro- you need to. shadows under windows. In the Start Menu There are a great many op- search box type tions here you can play with without upsetting Windows. Advanced settings and open View advanced system STARTUP AND settings when it appears in the RECOVERY tects your Windows drive or partition. If you have search results. Click For people run- moved your files away from on the System ning Windows 7 in a here (as described in Part Protection tab and dual-boot configu- 3 : Exploring) you will need ration, where you to turn the feature on for turn on system have more than that drive. You can do this protection for the one operating system installed under the System protec- drive you have on your PC, you can change tion tab in the System the boot order and boot menu properties window. stored your files on. time in the Startup and Recov- ery section of the System Set it to only restore previ- Properties window. ous versions of files. You can also specify how much disk space is reserved for this.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 82 www.thelongclimb.com THE CONTROL PANEL AUTOPLAY

The Control panel, as with If you are annoyed by the au- QUICK TIP previous versions of windows toplay window that appears is your centralised place for when you put a CD, DVD or all your system settings. USB memory stick into your Devices and PC. Here is where you can change the options for what By default you will see the Printers category view where every- happens by default. You can thing is organised into help- turn these prompts off by se- ful groups. In the top right lecting Take no action. In addition to the of the control panel is a View in the Control Panel the Start Menu now contains an item called Devices and Printers which is an easier way to see the status or devices and modify their settings.

by option that you can also DATE AND TIME change to large or small icons. This will allow you to easily view all the Control When you click on the clock in panel items should you wish the bottom right of the taskbar to. a full size clock and will appear. The Date and The Control Panel search box Time controls in the Control is also much smarter than in panel allow you to add a se- Windows Vista. A search for cond clock to this window and Disk for instance will imme- change how and when your PC diately bring up a variety of synchronises its clock with the options including Create a internet. password reset disk, defragment your hard drive This is also where you would and free up disk space by change the time and date on deleting unnecessary files. your PC if they are incorrect.

In this section I‘ll talk you through some useful chang- es you can make to Control panel items.

83 DEFAULT PROGRAMS HIDE DRIVE LETTERS

This Control panel item does In the Advanced settings un- much more than its name sug- der the View menu you can QUICK TIP gests. Here you can choose also untick Show drive let- the default programs for cer- ters. tain actions, such as playing a File association DVD, but you can change the There is no real reason why file association options. This we still need to be looking at by drag and means you can select what drives with the C: or D: drop files are opened by what pro- moniker attached to them. grams. For instance you can This can make navigating change all your music and vid- through your drives look If you have a eo files to open with the Zune cleaner. program open or Player (if you have installed it) pinned to the instead of Windows media You can right click on any Player. taskbar you can drag and drop any file onto the icon to FOLDER OPTIONS associate that file type with that The Folder options section in disk and select program. the Control panel has several Rename if it is options that you might find just called Local From then on, any helpful. disk. files of that type will open with the NAVIGATION PANE SEARCH OPTIONS program you’ve selected. If you are missing the old tree- In the Search panel there folder view from previous ver- are options such as use nat- sions of Windows fear not, you ural language search that can restore it here. This re- you can switch on. stores this functionality to the Navigation pane in Explorer windows. NOTIFICATION AREA

ICONS ADVANCED FOLDER Also available by pressing VIEWS customise when opening the hidden icons on the taskbar There are some options under you can change what icons the View tab you might like to will notify you of events and change. what can appear  Hide empty drives on all the your computer time. It  Hide extensions for can be known file types useful to  Show encrypted or com- set your pressed files in colour anti-virus software to always appear.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 84 www.thelongclimb.com POWER OPTIONS

Especially useful if you are QUICK TIP running Windows 7 on a lap- top, the power options have been simplified and rational- The Phantom ised. There are now two standard power plans for

Sleeper Windows, Balanced and Power Saver. Both plans In rare instances, can be modified by clicking the Change Plan Settings some self-build PCs link to their right. can automatically send themselves to In the left hand pane of this window is a link to sleep after only a create your own power second or two of plan. This includes, as inactivity. with customising the oth- ers, choosing when to turn If this happens to off the display and when the computer sleeps. your PC keep moving the mouse Also in this pane is an op- and pressing the tion to choose what the power buttons do. Here CTRL or ALT key on you can redefine the ac- your keyboard until tions of the power and you can get into the sleep buttons, and change whether Windows takes Power Options from you to the log-in screen or the Control Panel. straight to the desktop when it resumes from sleep Change the When I or hibernation. press the Sleep Clicking on button action to Do Choose when nothing. From the to turn off the moment you press display or Change when the Apply button the computer sleeps and the problem will then, in when the dis- vanish. play changes, clicking Choose advanced power settings will open a win- dow where you have control over every as- pect of the power man- agement in Windows. This is an incredibly powerful feature and can be used to great effect to minimise power consumption, especially on a laptop. I would recommend this feature is used by experienced users only.

85 REGION AND LANGUAGE OPTIONS QUICK TIP This control panel applet gives you control over your location in the world, Modify your your display formats for times, dates and numbers time and date and your keyboard lay- settings out.

By default, Windows 7 Modifying the time doesn‘t have the best set- and date settings by tings for the display of opening the Control time and date. Clicking the Additional settings Panel, clicking on button in the bottom right Clock, Language of the Format tab in this and Region and Window will allow you to change these. then Change the date, time or For instance, you can number format can change your default cur- make Windows rency symbol, how thou- sands are separated and much easier to how negative numbers understand. are displayed. See the information Under the Time tab I tend to change Long Time to (left) on the formats h:mm:ss tt to show hours I recommend. where there‘s just a single digit if it‘s less than 10 and show the seconds. I also change the AM and PM symbols to lower case.

I also find under the Date tab it‘s useful to change the Long date format to dddd dd MMMM yyyy which will include the day name (Monday etc.) when it‘s displayed.

Under the Location tab you can change where you are in the world if you are working away and un- der the Administrative tab you can automatically copy your custom settings to any new user accounts you create on your PC.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 86 www.thelongclimb.com CONFIGURING THE PUTTING NAMES BACK START MENU AND ON THE TASKBAR QUICK TIP JUMPLISTS By default, the new Taskbar only shows you icons for pro- Display as Right clicking on the Win- grams, the names from previ- dows [Start] Button and se- ous versions of Windows hav- Menu lecting Properties will bring ing been removed. You can up the options to customise restore these names however the Start Menu and Taskbar It can be a time easily. Jumplists. saver changing Right click anywhere some Start Menu Under the Start Menu tab, in a blank space on items such as pressing the Customise but- the Taskbar and se- ton will bring up a series of lect Properties from Control Panel from options allowing you to de- the menu. Display as link to fine exactly what appears in Display as menu. your Start Menu. In the options panel that appears the This means all the Taskbar buttons section has Control Panel items a drop down menu of sever- will pop out from al options. Always Combine, hide labels which is the de- the side of the Start fault, Combine when Menu when you Taskbar is full and Never click on Control Combine. Panel. This can also These latter two options will be done with other restore the text for all run- items. ning programs.

To access There are also other options in this window such as mov- this, Right ing the taskbar around your click on screen. the Windows orb *Start button+ and select Properties from the menu that appears. At the bottom of this window are the options Then under the for choosing the num- Start Menu tab click ber of recent programs the Customise that will appear in the Start Menu, and also button. the number of recent items that will appear un Jumplists.

87

THE RECYCLE BIN %userprofile% \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Inte By default the only icon on the rnet Explorer Windows 7 desktop is the QUICK TIP recycle bin. It‘s helpfully …if it doesn‘t automatically labelled Recycle go there. Select your Bin which you don‘t System Launch folder and Pin the Recycle need. You can press the Select Folder remove this name button. Bin to the by right clicking on Taskbar it and selecting Once this new toolbar Rename. You can appears you can unlock the Full instructions can just put a single taskbar and drag it to [space] instead of a where you want and drag be found (left) but name and you will now only and drop any icons you pinning the recycle see the icon. want in it. You can also bin to the Taskbar right click in it and untick the options Show Text and cleans up your PINNING THE RECYCLE Show Title and change the desktop and makes icon size from small to it easy to access the BIN TO THE TASKBAR large. Note these options won‘t appear if the taskbar Recycle Bin at all times. It is possible to pin the Recycle Bin to the Taskbar, which This is a little Windows 7 won‘t technical but any allow you to do. user, no matter how

Open an explorer window and inexperienced, can in the navigation pane type… do this. It’s a real is locked. time-saver. %userprofile% \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Interne You will also now t Explorer need to remove the Recycle bin icon from the Note the Space between desktop. Right Internet and Explorer. You‘ll click anywhere in probably need to change the blank desktop view options so if you do, in space and select the same explorer Personalise from the menu. window press the Alt button on In the top right of the your keyboard and in the View window that appears click menu temporarily change the Change desktop icons. settings for Show hidden files… Here you can untick the and Hide Protected Operating Recycle Bin, preventing it System files.

In this folder create yourself a new folder that I‘ve called System Launch.

Now click anywhere in a blank space on the taskbar and select Toolbars and New Toolbar. In the window that appears navigate to…

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 88 www.thelongclimb.com GADGETS INSTALLING MISSING DRIVERS The Sidebar from Windows QUICK TIP Vista has been dropped but he gadgets remain. It‘s rare that Windows will install drivers for every single Sticky Notes Right clicking piece of hardware on your machine when you install it anywhere in a blank space on without missing one or two. The sticky notes your desktop and have been removed selecting Gadgets You can install missing drivers by accessing Device Manager from the Gadgets from the menu that appears, or from the Control Panel. Here panel from selecting Desktop you will see any hardware the Windows Vista but Gadgets from the drivers has not been installed listed under Other devices. they’re still there. Start Menu will bring up the

They now exist as a program in the Start Menu, but if you still want them as gadgets, and without having an icon permanently on your Taskbar, you can re- download the gadget by clicking Get more gadgets online in the Gadgets window You can right click on gadgets panel. Windows 7 any of these and get and search for comes pre-loaded with a Windows 7 to Sticky notes. series of gadgets but a great automatically find many more are available the correct driver, or online. To get more gadgets point it manually to click on the Get more the location of the gadgets online link in the correct driver for bottom right of this window. your hardware.

Gadgets can be placed anywhere on your desktop and can be viewed at any time using Aero Peek, rolling your mouse over the button on the far right of the Taskbar. For more information see the Step-by-Step guide on the next page.

89 INSTALLING DEVICE DRIVERS

From the Control Panel open Hardware and Sound then in the Devices and Printers section open Device Manager if you are looking at the standard ‗category view‘ control panel. If you are looking at all Control Panel items you will see Device Manager in the list.

Any unidentified devices will be displayed under Other Devices with a small yellow icon.

Right click on the item you want to install the driver for and select Update driver software.

You can choose whether to get Windows to search for compatible drivers online, or to install from the driver disk that came with your hardware.

If Windows did not find the driver when it was installing, the second option might be better.

Point Windows at the next screen to the location of your drivers on your CD, DVD, SUB pen drive or hard disk.

Windows 7 is extremely good at installing drivers form this point. If the drivers are incompatible Windows will inform you and ask for another driver location.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 90 www.thelongclimb.com Part 9

Playing PLAYING

Games ...... 93 My game won‘t run ...... 93 Gaming mode? ...... 94 Share music and video ...... 94 Windows Experience Index ...... 95 Windows Media Centre ...... 95 Step-by-Step—Setting up a Homegroup ...... 96 Step-by-Step—Connecting to a Homegroup ...... 96 Parental controls ...... 97 Live Family Safety ...... 97 Step-by-Step—Setting up parental controls ...... 98-99 Video, DVD and Blu-Ray support ...... 100 Burning discs ...... 100

QUICK TIPS

Hiding games ...... 93 Boost performance for games ...... 94 Your PC as a TV ...... 95 Keep yourself and your family safe ...... 97 Movies on the move ...... 100

GAMES MY GAME WON’T RUN

First introduced with Some games are blocked by a QUICK TIP Windows Vista, Windows 7 feature called Data Execution has a Games panel Prevention. This is designed available form the Start to stop viruses and trojans but Hiding games Menu. can also affect some games.

The first time you Not everybody will open this Windows want to see all the will ask if you want games available in it to manage updates and saved Windows. game information.

You can hide any game in Windows 7’s Games Explorer window by right- clicking on it and selecting Hide this game.

This is useful because games carrying the Games In the Control Panel open for Windows logo and System, then Advanced many others can now have system settings. In the updates and patches options window that appears delivered directly to your click on the Settings button in PC, and automatically the Performance section of the installed, through this Advanced tab. system. This takes a lot of the worry out of gaming, In the window that appears particularly with some of click on the Data Execution the more complex games Prevention tab. Here you can today. add you game to the exceptions list by pressing the The number of games Add button and navigating to, available to you varies and selecting the game on depending on your version your hard disk. of Windows.

Clicking on a game will bring up information about it‘s rating and suitability for younger players.

93 GAMING MODE? SHARE MUSIC AND VIDEO One of the biggest criticisms levelled against Windows Vista QUICK TIP was that there was so much Available in the Network running in the background and Sharing Centre from that doing anything felt the Control Panel and also Boost sluggish, this was doubly so from Windows Media Player for intensive processes like are the media streaming performance gaming. options. for games

Windows still doesn‘t have a Some third-party ‗gaming mode‘ however Windows 7 is much fitter and programs exist for considerably faster than Vista. boosting game performance during gaming.

One such example is Game Booster from iobit software. You can Owners of ATI graphics cards can download a utility from These allow you to share download it from... their website called AMD music and video wirelessly, Fusion. if you have a wireless home www.iobit.com/ network, with other gamebooster.html AMD describe the utility as ―It computers and devices in works by temporarily shutting your home, such as some down background processes internet radios. and intensifying processor performance with AMD Boost. That means you can keep all the features of Microsoft Windows ready for when you need them, but turn them off when you are ready to get down to serious business – gaming―

The software will provide There is also an option to better results on a PC that securely share your music also has an AMD processor. with other PCs over the internet, so you can have Several people have access to your music when also written scripts in away from home. the new PowerShell scripting language. These shares show up as You can search for Media Devices in the these on-line but Network section of Explorer these should only be used by windows. technical Windows users.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 94 www.thelongclimb.com WINDOWS EXPERIENCE INDEX QUICK TIP Your Windows Experience Index, accessed through Performance Information Your PC as a and Tools form the Control When you first start Windows TV Panel, is a score from 1.0 to Media Centre you will be 7.9 that some games use to asked to set up your libraries show the minimum As PC screens (where your music, video and specification needed for it to pictures are stored) and to set become bigger, run. up your TV signal if your PC and more all-in- has a TV tuner card installed. one machines are sold, it’s now possible to use Windows Media Centre as a viable alternative to having a separate TV in your living room or bedroom.

You can buy Media Centre remote controls from your local electronics or PC store.

Your score is determined by Windows Media Centre has it‘s lowest component, in been improved since Windows the example here this being Vista and is now more sensi- the graphics card. bly laid out and easier to use.

WINDOWS MEDIA If you are using Windows Me- dia Centre as your main en- CENTRE tertainment centre on your TV, you might want to go into Tasks, then Settings, General, Startup and Window Behav- iour and tick Start Media Cen- In every edition of Windows tre when Windows Starts to 7 except Starter is Windows get it to start up automatical- Media Centre, Microsoft‘s ly. entertainment centre designed to be used on TV screens via a remote control.

95 SETTING UP A HOMEGROUP

Homegroups are new to Windows 7 and they‘re an excellent way to share Music, Pictures, Photos, Videos and Printers with other PCs running Windows 7 on your home network. This feature, as of the time of writing, will only work on PCs running Windows 7, though Microsoft may decide to back port it to Windows Vista and Windows XP later via a service pack.

To create a Homegroup open Network and Internet from the Control Panel and then click on Homegroup.

Alternatively you can type Homegroup into the search box in the Start Menu.

Select the file types you want shared from the current computer with the Homegroup and press Next.

Your Homegroup will be automatically created and you will be given a password to type into computers that want to join the Homegroup.

You can change your Homegroup settings at any time by selecting Homegroup from the Control Panel or by searching for it in the Start menu search box.

CONNECTING TO A HOMEGROUP

On another PC you want to connect to the Homegroup open Homegroup in the ways described above. The system will show all available Homegroups (remember the host PC must be switched on). You will be asked for the password and then what files and documents you want shared from the new PC.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 96 www.thelongclimb.com PARENTAL CONTROLS LIVE FAMILY SAFETY

Windows 7 has in-built Part of the Windows Live Suite QUICK TIP parental controls that are available to download at... really quite powerful and useful. There‘s no real Download.live.com Keep yourself need any more to buy a third-party application for Is Family Safety, this is the and your this as the only missing final piece of the puzzle in family safe component is available as a Windows 7‘s parental controls. free download from the Microsoft website. Family safety allows you to

Parental controls filter and monitor the websites Full instructions on how to children are visiting through themselves aren’t set up the parental controls whitelists and blacklists that enough to keep you are on the Step-by-Step are automatically maintained guide on next page, but it‘s and your PC safe. and updated by Microsoft. very easy to do. You have the option of Check out the latest You can select the allowing of blocking specific safety advice from maximum game rating websites yourself if you want your internet children are allowed to play, as well. and you can select from a service provider or large number of rating The system requires users to from a website like systems. If a game has no log-in using a Microsoft Live the excellent official rating, you also have ID [formerly known as a the option to block it Microsoft Passport] which, if automatically. www.getsafeonline. you have a Hotmail or MSN org

email account, you will already Usefully, you can also set have. Another piece of the times during which software in the Live suite people are allowed to log-in however will allow for and use the PC. automatic log-in.

97 SETTING UP PARENTAL CONTROLS

The first step is to create an account for the child / person you want to limit access to.

Click your logon picture at the top right of the Start Menu and in the window that appears click the Manage another account link.

You will need to have a password on your [Administrator] account to set these up.

You now need to create a new user account for the person if you have not done so already. This will need repeating for each person you want set up in parental controls.

Make sure you set them as Standard Users and NOT Administrators.

If you have already set up accounts, skip to Step 3.

If you have already set up an account, or after you have done so, click on the relevant account and then click the link Set up Parental Controls.

Windows will now ask for what user you want to set up Parental Controls. Select the appropriate user.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 98 www.thelongclimb.com SETTING UP PARENTAL CONTROLS

You will now find yourself in the main controls window. Here you can select what controls you want to set up or modify.

In the time restrictions options, you can click and drag blocks to select when the user will be allowed to use the PC.

The parental controls will not let them log- in or use it outside of these times and will warn them when the end time is close.

You can also choose if the user is allowed to play games and even, if you want, block specific games from being played.

The final screen allows you to choose a ratings system you want to use. Here, as this PC was set up in the UK, Windows has automatically chosen the BBFC rating system.

If you are unsure which to use, have a look at a box for one of your child‘s games.

You can select the maximum age they are allowed to play to. This integrates with the Games Explorer from the Start Menu.

99 VIDEO, DVD AND BURNING DISCS BLU-RAY SUPPORT Windows 7 has native support for burning data QUICK TIP CDs, and Blu-Ray discs. Movies on the Right clicking on a file, or a Windows 7 comes pre- selection of several files will move configured with a wide range give you an option to Send of popular video codecs. This to... And your optical drive means the videos you‘ve Windows 7 will will appear in the list. recorded from your camcorder natively play both in DivX or XviD formats will DVD and Blu-ray play straight away without any hassle. This is a huge movies, making it a improvement over previous viable option for versions of Windows where watching movies finding the right codec on the move and pack could be fiddly. while travelling. Windows 7 will also natively play DVDs and Check your power- Blu-Ray movies so if usage settings in your PC or laptop comes fitted by a Blu-Ray the Control Panel player, you can watch to get the best out high definition movies at of your battery as home or on the go. the constant spin- Because the support for this is Windows 7 also now ning and reading of built into Windows itself, any natively supports burning the movie disc media player that uses this ISO disc images, should support can play your movies. you have any. Right could drain your This includes Windows Media clicking on an image will power before the Player and Windows Media bring up a Burn disc image credits roll. Centre. The latter is designed option. to be used from a distance by remote control and, if your PC came with a remote control and has a big enough screen, this is certainly the way to watch movies full-screen.

For any codecs that are missing you can find my

This will also appear as an recommendation for an option in the Explorer excellent codec pack in toolbar when you click on Appendix E. an image file.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 100 www.thelongclimb.com Part 10

Communicating COMMUNICATING

Windows Live ...... 103 Photo Viewer ...... 103 Widows DVD Maker ...... 103 Contacts ...... 104 Moving to Windows Live Mail ...... 104 Importing your calendar into Windows Live Mail ...... 105 XPS documents ...... 105 Sideshow...... 105

QUICK TIPS

Microsoft Powertoys ...... 103 Backup your email before installing Windows 7 ...... 104 XPS vs PDF ...... 105

WINDOWS LIVE PHOTO VIEWER

Many of the programs we Windows Photo Viewer is one QUICK TIP used in previous versions of of only two applications to Windows, like Mail, remain in Windows 7, the Calendar and Movie Maker other being Windows DVD Microsoft have been removed in Maker. It is a stripped down Windows 7 and ported to version of Windows Live Powertoys the separate Windows Live Photo Gallery and, frankly, I‘d Essentials Suite. recommend installing that version from the Windows Microsoft have This makes a lot of sense Live Essentials Suite and released powertoys because it means they will using that instead. be updated more regularly, for previous and the features in them versions and will be much better than if WINDOWS DVD MAKER additional software they were bundles with Windows itself. including the Windows DVD maker is a excellent SyncToy You can download Windows useful tool for creating DVDs backup program Live Essentials Suite from... on your PC from photo libraries or home videos. and a utility to allow download.live.com you to view and edit It is entirely wizard driven all the additional The suite also includes and extremely easy to use. tags added by Messenger, the Live Internet Explorer Toolbar digital cameras to and the useful Family give extra Safety software, which information about provides internet content your photos. filtering for the Windows 7 Parental Controls. It’s worth visiting the Microsoft website occasionally to look for anything new.

You can choose which programs you want installed when download the main installer.

103

CONTACTS On your Windows 7 PC, you will need to import mail and contacts separately. The The old Windows Address procedure is the same for Book is alive and kicking both. QUICK TIP though it‘s no longer a very good option because nothing Press the Alt key on your seems to use it. Windows keyboard to bring up the Back up your Live, Gmail and Yahoo! mail menu and select Import email before all use their own address from the File menu. Here books and the Windows Live you can point Windows Live installing Essentials Suite also has it‘s Mail at your mail and con- Windows 7 own contacts file. tacts backup and import them. You can open these contact by clicking on your name in If you are using a Hotmail If you store your the top right of the Start account there will be no email in a program Menu. need to do this as your like email and contacts will be in XP or Windows automatically downloaded MOVING TO WINDOWS and synchronised with your Mail in Vista you webmail when you set up should use that LIVE MAIL your email account in Win- program to back up dows Live Mail.

your email to If you are moving from Windows Mail on Windows storage such as an Vista or Outlook Express 6 on external hard disk Windows XP it‘s simple to before installing import your contacts and Windows 7. email into Windows Live Mail.

In Windows Mail or Outlook Windows Easy Express go to the File menu Transfer will not [in Windows Vista, press the copy those emails Alt key on your keyboard to bring up the menu] across, even if you and select the have already Export option. Here installed Windows you can export your mail and contacts. Live Mail.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 104 www.thelongclimb.com IMPORTING YOUR XPS DOCUMENTS

CALENDAR INTO The XPS document format QUICK TIP was introduced by Microsoft a WINDOWS LIVE MAIL few years ago as a potential rival to Adobe‘s popular PDF, Sadly, Windows Live Mail portable document format. XPS vs PDF does not, at least at the time of writing, have the While not as popular it‘s still ability to import calendars. sometimes very useful. If you want a Windows 7 has the ability to If you are using Windows portable document view and create XPS files Calendar on Windows Vista natively. This can be useful format to use for and have a Hotmail, Live or for keeping electronic copies sending files to MSN email address you will of, say a sales receipt be able to retrieve your friends and displayed in a web browser. calendar by following the colleagues you instructions below. If you The XPS write shows up as a currently have use another email provider printer so to create an XPS choice between and are using Windows file, print the document and Calendar in Vista you will select the Microsoft XPS XPS and Adobe’s sadly be unable to import Document Writer. PDF format. your calendar items unless your email provider I can only really provides a similar facility and Windows Live Mail is SIDESHOW recommend PDF able to synchronise with it. here if you have First introduced with Windows Office 2007 or In Windows Calendar, press Vista, Sideshow allows the Alt button on your computers with compatible Office 2010 keyboard to bring up the hardware to continue to be installed. XPS files menu. From the File menu used even when in sleep can only be natively select Export and export mode. your calendar as an ICS file read by Windows 7 to a USB pen drive, Sideshow allows applications and Vista unless external hard disk or to a to communicate with you via you download a file on your hard disk you and external display, say on plug-in. Office can burn to a CD or DVD. the lid of a laptop. You can view photos, play music and a 2007 can write PDF Next you will need to variety of other tasks. files with a plug-in access your Live account and Office 2010 can through a web browser. Sideshow has been side-lined in Windows 7 but it is still do so natively. 1. Log into your account supported. It won‘t appear at calendar.live.com by default in the Control While PDF files also 2. Press Subscribe Panel but will appear there if require a plug-in, 3. Select Import from an you connect a compatible ICS file. Sideshow device to your PC this is much more 4. Browse for the [either built-in or by common. calendar you want to ]. import 5. Click Import Many people have reported Calendar. problems with Sideshow devices in Windows 7 and if you experience difficulties you should visit the support website for your Sideshow hardware.

105 Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 106 Part 11

Guaranteeing GUARANTEEING

Previous Versions ...... 109 ...... 109 Windows Backup ...... 110 Backing up files and documents ...... 110 Create a system image ...... 110 System rescue disc ...... 111 Restoring files from a backup ...... 111 Restoring Windows from a system image ...... 111 Step-by-Step—Backing up files and documents ...... 112 Step-by-Step—Creating a system image backup ...... 113 Windows Startup repair ...... 114 Recovery ...... 114

QUICK TIPS

Previous Versions vs Backup ...... 109 System Images ...... 110 Restoring Windows ...... 111 Recovery Options ...... 114

PREVIOUS VERSIONS or a new piece of software is installed. You can manually create a restore point however Windows 7 includes a by typing create a restore QUICK TIP feature called Previous point into the Start Menu Versions that can keep search box. copies of your documents as Previous they change, enabling you to revert to a previous copy

Versions vs if you make a change you Backup later want to undo.

Previous versions This feature needs to be can be a useful way enabled. If you have moved your documents away form of reverting to an the hard disk or partition on older version of a which Windows 7 is installed file. However it see System Protection in the Configuring chapter for doesn’t always instructions. index every file and won’t work if the Right clicking on a file will bring up a menu from which file has been You can access System you can select Restore Restore through opening deleted. previous versions. If any from the previous copies of the file Control Panel and clicking on You should still exist, they will show up in the link Recover system make regular the window that appears. settings or your computer Selecting one will allow you from the window that appears backups of your to restore it. software using Windows Backup or NOTE: Previous Versions should a third-party backup not be relied solution. upon as an alternative to backing up your files, as there is no guarantee Windows will have an older copy of your files. It will also not allow you to recover deleted files. or by typing System Restore into the Start Menu search SYSTEM RESTORE box.

As with previous versions of Windows, System Restore is a good way to recover your PC if something goes wrong. Restore points are created automatically when a major change is made to your computer, such as a driver

109 WINDOWS BACKUP CREATE A SYSTEM IMAGE Backup has been streamlined and simplified in Windows 7. QUICK TIP It is now available in the Windows Vista included the Control Panel or the Start ability to create a full Menu as Backup and Restore. system-image of your System Images Windows installation, so that if something went BACKING UP FILES AND wrong you could restore it When you have and within 15 or 20 minutes installed Windows you‘d have a fully working DOCUMENTS copy of Windows again. 7, configured it how This invaluable inclusion you want and You can easily back up your was dampened by only installed all your files, documents, music, being available in Vista software you photos, pictures and video Business and Vista with the wizard-based backup Ultimate. should create a system. Click Set up Backup backup image. in the Backup and Restore The good news is that this Centre to start this process. feature is now available in This is a snapshot every single edition of You can set automatic backs Windows 7. There is a of your PC, the to another hard disk or Step-by-Step guide later drive or partition partition in your computer. in this chapter on how to containing There is a Step-by-Step use this facility but I do guide in this chapter on how to thoroughly recommend Windows 7 anyway, do this in detail. that, after you have at that moment in installed Windows and your time.

You can use this to restore Windows to a fully working copy in just ten minutes or so if something goes wrong or Windows starts to misbehave.

You can save your backups to another hard disk or partition programs, and configured in side your machine, an everything the way you external hard disk, DVD or Blu want it, that you create a -Ray disc or onto a home system image. network device.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 110 www.thelongclimb.com You can save your backups to another hard disk or partition in side your RESTORING FILES FROM machine, an external hard A BACKUP disk, DVD or Blu-Ray disc QUICK TIP or onto a home network device. To restore files you have previously backed up open the Backup and Restore centre Restoring and in the Restore section Windows SYSTEM REPAIR DISC should be details of your most recent backup. You can click You can create a To restore a system image on this to run the restore system repair disc backup you need to boot wizard. your PC from either your by typing repair Windows 7 installation DVD If your backup doesn‘t show into the search box or a system repair disc. up here, for instance it is in the Start Menu stored on a network location If you want to keep your you are temporarily and selecting Windows 7 install DVD safe disconnected from, click the Create a System then creating a system link Select another backup to Repair Disc. rescue disc is an excellent restore files from and search option. for your backup file.

This disc can be You can create this on a used to restore blank CD or DVD and it will RESTORING WINDOWS Windows 7 in the contain tools for repairing event that you Windows 7 in the event of a FROM A SYSTEM IMAGE problem and restoring from cannot get it to your system image backup If you need to restore boot. as well. Windows from a system image, boot your PC from the You can also start Click on Create a system repair disc in the Backup Windows 7 install DVD or your your PC from your and Restore centre to bring System repair disc and, when Windows 7 install up the wizard which will prompted, click the Repair walk you through this your computer link. DVD to achieve this as well. process. This will find your backup image, unless it is stored remotely in which case you can search for it, and restore you to a fully- working copy of Windows in between 10 and 20 minutes.

111 BACKING UP FILES AND DOCUMENTS

Open the Backup and Restore centre from the Start Menu or the Control Panel and click the link Set up Backup.

You will be asked where you want to store your backup. This can be on a local hard disk or partition, an external hard disk, a set of DVDs or Blu-Ray discs or on a home network.

Next you will be asked if you want Windows to select the best files to be backed up or if you want to choose the files and folders yourself.

By default, Windows will want to include a system image which will make your backup very large and slow the backup down. Any problems that appear in your computer over time could also be backed up into future images. I suggest you create a system image separately.

If you want to choose what files and folders are backed up you can do so on the next screen. You will also be prompted at the bottom of this screen to create a system image. As before, I recommend you do this separately.

The next screen will show you what files ND folders are to be backed up and it will give you the option to set an automatic backup schedule.

Click in the Change schedule link to set the schedule you want your backup to run. Daily, weekly or monthly and at what times of what days.

When you are ready to start your first backup press the Save settings and run backup button.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 112 www.thelongclimb.com CREATING A SYSTEM IMAGE BACKUP

Open the Backup and Restore centre from the Start Menu or the Control Panel and click the link Create a system image in the left hand pane.

Select the location on which you want your system image to be stored. This can be a hard disk or partition in your PC, an external hard disk, a series of DVDs or Blue-Ray disc or a network location.

NOTE : If you connect your PC to your network via Wi-Fi I do not recommend storing your system image on a network.

The next step is to decide what hard disks or partitions will be included in your backup. I suggest only including the drive on which Windows is installed.

NOTE : If you include a hard disk containing your files, those files will also be restored to earlier versions when you restore the image and any files created after the image was made will be deleted.

At the next screen the wizard will show you the backup settings you have chosen. Press Start backup to create the system image.

NOTE : I suggest that you close all your running programs and that you do not use Windows while the image is created to prevent any problems occurring.

113 WINDOWS STARTUP RECOVERY REPAIR In the Control Panel is an item called Recovery. Here QUICK TIP If disaster strikes and are links to help you use Windows 7 won‘t start then it System Restore or to restore has a clever trick up its your files form a backup. Recovery sleeve. Startup Repair will detect that you can‘t get Clicking Advanced Recovery Options Windows to work and it will Methods will help you restore automatically kick in to try your PC from a System Im- and solve the problem. age or, if required, reinstall Opening the

Windows 7 from scratch us- Control Panel and This is a series of programs on ing your original installation your hard disk that are DVD. selecting Recovery automatically run at start-up if gives you a great Windows cannot start. many ways to

In the unlikely event that even recover a faulty Startup repair won‘t start, it‘s Windows 7 also contained on your installation or lost Windows 7 install DVD documents. and on any System repair This should be your discs that you first port of call if create. Popping one something is of these into wrong with your your DVD copy of Windows 7. drive and booting from You can start with it will have the same running System effect. Restore to try and restore your copy It is a very efficient and of Windows 7 to a helpful way to time before the fix Windows. error or problem If Startup repair can‘t occurred. fix the problem then only restoring from a System image or reinstalling Windows from scratch will get you working again.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 114 www.thelongclimb.com Part 12

Maintaining MAINTAINING

Cleaning Windows ...... 117 Disk Clean-up ...... 117 Disk Defragmenter ...... 117 Windows Update ...... 118 Windows Defender ...... 118

QUICK TIPS

Third-party cleaning tools ...... 117 Keep Windows up-to-date ...... 118

CLEANING WINDOWS DISK DEFRAGMENTER

It‘s the case with every Also located in the Start Menu QUICK TIP operating system that over by searching for clean or in a period of time it will get Accessories and then System clogged up with temporarily Tools is the Disk Third-party files and other stuff that will Defragmenter. ultimately slow it down.

cleaning tools Keeping Windows is relatively simple and should be Appendix E done every month or two to keep Windows contains my 7 running smoothly recommendations and efficiently. for third-party software. This includes tools for DISK CLEAN-UP cleaning and Located in the Start maintaining Menu by searching Windows 7. for clean or in Accessories and then Cleaning out System Tools is the Disk Clean-up tool. temporary files and Over time, as your hard disk This wizard will walk you or partition fills up with cleaning the through removing any old, temporary files, documents, registry can have a temporary and unwanted music, photos and other files files on your PC. tremendous effect you save can become

fragmented. This means there on keeping There are better third-party isn‘t enough space for Windows 7 running tools on the market, see Windows to store the file Appendix E, but this is a smoothly. where it wants to so, instead, good, useful tool. it breaks the file into smaller chunks and scatters it around.

This can make accessing your files very slow. The Defragmenter shuffles all these pieces of files around so that the files are complete as they ought to be.

You can, and should, set the defragmenter to run on an automatic schedule. This will happen quietly in the background, you will never know it‘s happening, but it will help keep Windows 7 feeling quick.

NOTE : You should not defragment too many drives or partitions at once as this can be slow and put a lot of physical pressure on the disks.

117 WINDOWS UPDATE WINDOWS DEFENDER

Windows Update is the system Windows Defender is the intended to keep your copy of anti-spyware software that QUICK TIP Windows up to date with the comes with Windows 7. latest updates and patches. You can set it to run on a You should have it switched schedule you specify but Keep Windows on and can set it to download should also use other anti- and install new updates at a spyware software as well. up-to-date schedule to suit you.

You should make sure that Windows Update is left switched on to download recommended updates.

This will make sure your PC is always patched with the latest and most up- to-date fixes for both it and any other Microsoft software. You can access Windows Update through the Start Menu or the Control Panel.

When you first use Windows Update in Windows 7 you will see a box in the middle of the window saying ―Find out more about free software from Microsoft Update. Click Here for details.‖ This is a useful feature to switch on as you will then also receive updates for Microsoft Office and other software you have installed.

In the main Windows Update window you will see a colour- coded box, Red, Amber or Green , letting you know the current status of your PC regards updates. If it is green your PC is fully up to date.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 118 www.thelongclimb.com Part 13

Diagnosing DIAGNOSING

Action Centre ...... 121 Performance Information and Tools ...... 121 Event Log ...... 121 ...... 122 ...... 122 ...... 122 System Information ...... 123 System Health Report ...... 123 Step-by-Step—Installing a Device Driver ...... 124 Step-by-Step—Removing and Reinstalling Drivers ...... 125 Step-by-Step—Rolling back a driver ...... 125 Step-by-Step—Seeking Remote Assistance ...... 126 System Restore ...... 127 The ...... 127 Startup Repair ...... 127 Program compatibility ...... 128 XP Mode ...... 128

QUICK TIPS

Keep and eye on the flag ...... 121 Use the Task Manager ...... 122 Health Reports ...... 123 System File Checker ...... 127 Program Compatibility Trouble-shooter ...... 128

ACTION CENTRE

The first place to check for QUICK TIP solutions to problems your computer might be having is the Action Centre, Keep and eye accessed from the flag on the Taskbar or through the

on the flag Control Panel.

As Windows encounters For instance, let‘s say that The flag icon at the problems it reports many Windows is crashing or blue- of them directly back to bottom right of screening. Microsoft. Occasionally your Taskbar will you will find a solution notify you by high- fed back directly to your lighting itself with a PC. The Action Centre will notify you when a red warning cross problem solution is when something in available. Windows needs your attention. PERFORMANCE Clicking on Windows Logs and This is your prompt INFORMATION AND then System in the left-hand that you will need pane will bring up a list of to act to fix a po- TOOLS things that have happened with the operating system. tentially harmful Available through problem on your the ‗all icons‘ view pc, such as your of the Control Panel anti-virus software or from the Start Menu is being out of date. Performance Information and Tools.

Clicking the Advanced link in the left-hand pane will bring up options you can use to help diagnose and fix problems with your PC. You may see some critical errors. Clicking on the error will bring up more EVENT LOG information in the pane below about the error. You may see There is a great a clue, such as details of a deal of technical piece of hardware or a driver information stored name that will tell you if, for by Windows in the instance you have an unstable Event Log. This driver for your graphics card can be extremely useful or if a .dll file is when tracking down a malfunctioning. See the problem. section Fixing Problems later.

121 PERFORMANCE MONITOR QUICK TIP For experienced technical users and Use the Task system Manager administrators only, the Availa- Performance Monitor can give you detailed ble by real-time status information right for a great deal of hardware click- and software components inside your PC. ing on your Taskbar and se- RESOURCE lecting Start Task MONITOR Manager, this help- ful utility will let The Resource Monitor you see if any pro- can be useful for seeing grams on your PC problems with disk or network throughput if aren’t responding. you think you may be having problems, say You can right click with your internet on these programs connection. It will give and select End Task you real-time displays of most things happening with to shut them down. your PC.

TASK MANAGER

Also available by right clicking on the Taskbar, the Task Manager is your main view into the world of your PC. It will tell you what‘s running, how much processor time and memory programs are taking up and this is where you can shut- down hung programs.

Under the Applications and Processes tabs you can right- click on programs and select End Task to shut them down if they have crashed.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 122 www.thelongclimb.com SYSTEM INFORMATION QUICK TIP The system information screen can be very Health Reports useful if you need to give anybody detailed

information about your PC and the version of If you are asking a Windows and the friend to help diag- software running on it. nose problems with This screen can also your PC it can be prove useful when you want useful to first gener- to upgrade your PC and ate a System Health need to find new, compatible, hardware. Report, see right for details of how to do this. SYSTEM HEALTH

You can save this REPORT report and email it or give it to your Generating a System Health friend. Report can provide all System Health Re- sorts of useful ports contain a information when diagnosing problems wealth of extremely with your PC. It can useful information inform you of faulty when diagnosing Windows files or drivers and much more. problems with your PC.

123 INSTALLING A DEVICE DRIVER

Windows 7 is excellent at finding drivers for hardware but occasionally, as new hardware is released after your Windows DVD was created, or after a fresh install, it may file to find installers for new hardware.

To manually install drivers, open the Device Manager from the Control Panel or by searching for it in the Start Menu.

Any hardware for which drivers are not installed will show up with a yellow triangle next to them.

Right-click on the hardware and from the context menu that appears click Update Driver Software.

Select if you want Windows to search for the driver, which won‘t be worth it if Windows has failed previously, for instance when it was installed or if it‘s the network hardware you need to get online so Windows can search Windows Update, or if you want to browse for the driver on your hard disk or an a supplied DVD.

If you find the right folder on the disc, Windows should have no problems installing the driver.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 124 www.thelongclimb.com REMOVING AND REINSTLLING DRIVERS

If you need to remove or reinstall a device driver, go into Device Manager from the Control Panel and find the component you want to uninstall / reinstall.

Right-click on it and from the context menu that appears select Uninstall.

You may be given an option to Delete the driver software for this device. This can be useful if you are installing a different driver version.

You can now reinstall the driver using the steps described on the previous page.

ROLLING BACK A DRIVER

Sometimes it can be useful to go back to a previous driver if you have upgraded a driver and it becomes faulty.

Go into Device Manager from the Control Panel and find the component you want to roll back the driver for.

Right-click on it and select Properties from the menu that appears.

In the window that pops up, under the driver tab, select Roll Back driver. If there is a previous version of the driver stored that Windows can restore, it will be done now. You may need to reboot your PC when this is complete.

125 SEEKING REMOTE ASSISTANCE

Windows 7 offers you the ability to let a friend or technical support person (make sure you know they‘re trustworthy) to take remote control of your PC over the internet.

Type assist in the Start Menu search box and run Windows Remote Assistance.

In the window that appears tell Windows that you want to invite someone you trust to help you.

The system will ask how you want to send the invitation. Choose the option that‘s best for you and press Next.

Once the invitation is sent a window will pop up and you should wait for your friend to connect to your PC.

You will be prompted to give them full control and it can be useful to tick the box that allows them to deal with any UAC User Account Control prompts too.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 126 www.thelongclimb.com

To use this useful utility, type SYSTEM RESTORE command into the Start Menu search box and when As with previous versions Command Prompt appears, QUICK TIP of Windows, System right click on it and select Run Restore is a good way to as Administrator. You will now recover your PC if need your Windows 7 install System File something goes wrong. DVD in your main DVD or Blu- Restore points are created Checker Ray drive, but don‘t run the automatically when a installer. major change is made to your computer, such as a In the command window that The System File driver or a new piece of appears on your screen type Checker is an excel- software is installed. You SFC /SCANNOW and press the Enter key. lent utility for re- storing parts of Win- The System File Checker will dows that have be- check every Windows file come corrupt from against the version on the DVD, and if it finds any files the original install that have become corrupt, it DVD, without having will replace them with the to reinstall all of original copy.

Windows 7 itself. NOTE: if you have a Windows can manually create a 7 Service Pack installed you Instructions for how restore point however by may need an install DVD with to use this excellent typing create a restore that same service pack on it. point into the Start Menu Check with a Windows utility can be found technician or on-line forums on the right. search box. You can access System for how to create a Restore through opening slipstreamed Windows DVD. Note if you have Backup and Restore from installed a service the Control Panel and pack into Windows clicking on the link Recover STARTUP REPAIR system settings or your 7, you may also need computer from the window Windows 7 is quite clever in an install DVD con- that appears or by typing that if it detects a problem taining that service System Restore into the that‘s preventing it from Start Menu search box. pack. starting, a diagnostic utility, called Startup Repair will run You can find out SYSTEM FILE to try and fix the problem. online how to slip- CHECKER If you stream a service are pack into a Win- If Windows is getting past the dows DVD. faulty then it can sometimes BIOS be quickly and screen, easily repaired (black using the screen System File with Checker. white text) but Windows is not starting, this utility is also available by booting from your install DVD.

127 PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY QUICK TIP Windows 7 is far better able to run older software than Program Windows Vista was. In addition to this Compatibility there are some Trouble- useful tools built into the operating shooter system.

The Program Program Compatibility compatibility is Assistant is able to tell you if a excellent in program, when you Windows 7 but just are installing it, has in case typing any known program compatibility issues with Windows. It compatibility into will give you an the Start Menu option if it does to search box will check for solutions to help you run the bring up the software. Program Compatibility Also if an installation does not work Trouble-shooter. correctly, Windows 7 will XP MODE automatically adjust itself to This is an wizard- accommodate the installation, based system that and will prompt you to reinstall it again Using [these] will search your Recommended Settings. Windows 7 Professional software for and Ultimate feature an incompatibility Finally, right- optional plug-in called XP issues and clicking on a Mode. This will allow still program in the incompatible software to automatically apply Start Menu, run in a Virtual Machine fixes to help you get selecting Properties (see appendix F) on your the software from the menu that desktop and it includes a appears and full licenced copy of working again. navigating to the Windows XP Professional. Compatibility tab will allow you to set the program to run In order to be able to use in a special compatibility XP Mode your motherboard mode for a previous version of and processor will need to Windows. support Hardware Virtualisation. You can find out about this in the manuals for your hardware.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 128 www.thelongclimb.com Part 15

Tweaking TWEAKING

MSConfig ...... 131 Services ...... 131 Third-party tweaking software ...... 132 Readyboost ...... 132

QUICK TIPS

MSConfig ...... 131 Be careful of tweaking software ...... 132

This operating system runs MSCONFIG far fewer services than previous editions of Windows. Search in the It was the number of running QUICK TIP Start Menu for services that was largely MSConfig and this responsible for Windows Vista useful little utility being very slow. MSConfig will appear.

It‘s most useful feature the Startup tab in which you MSConfig, accessed can see, and deactivate, by typing its name into the search box in the Start Menu, is By default only the services Windows 7 an excellent utility needs are running. You for disabling can look down the list annoying start-up though to view all running services and programs. shut down any that you feel you don‘t need. For more advanced users it is also very powerful for other every program that‘s tasks. set to start when Windows boots. MSConfig should not be used for Many pieces of disabling Windows software such as toolbars, utilities for services though, this disc burning software should always be and updaters for done through the software are often set to run at start main Services up. control panel. For Significant performance instructions on how Deactivating unnecessary and unwanted software can boosts can be gained by doing to access this see speed up Startup and this, but be careful as the text on the shutdown times, and speed shutting down the wrong service can cause Windows to right. Windows 7 in general use. crash, unable to restart. SERVICES

Typing services into the Start Menu search box will find this utility with its cogs icon that enables you to start, stop and switch off services that are running in Windows 7.

131

The only one I can THIRD-PARTY recommend at this time is TWEAKING SOFTWARE Windows 7 Manager from Yamicsoft QUICK TIP With every version www.yamicsoft.com/ of Windows there windows7manager are always a great Be careful of number of third-party tweaking tools that will software enable you to tweak the settings in Windows to help you get the best from it. Third-party tweaking software Using third-party can be an excellent tweaking software does tool to help you get include risks that changing some Windows the best out of settings could cause Windows 7. Windows 7 to become unstable or even unable Sometimes to boot, so caution should always be exercised I have used Yamicsoft however, a badly when using these tools. tweaking utilities myself written or before and found them to incompatible tool Just some of the Windows 7 be very professionally tweaking utilities available written, sensibly laid out can render your include... and stable. copy of Windows unusable. EnhanceMySe7en

READYBOOST You should always www.seriousbit.com/ make sure you have tweak_windows_7 If you have a spare USB a backup of your pen drive, you can use this Ultimate Windows Tweaker to speed up your system. Windows 7 installation you can www.winvistaclub.com/ Plug the drive in and when reinstall if there is a Ultimate_Windows_Tweaker.html the autoplay window appears select Speed up problem. my system to use the pen XdN Tweaker drive as additional memory.

It does this by using space xenomorph.net/?page_id=336 on the pen drive to programs for faster loading.

TweakNow PowerPack www.tweaknow.com/powerPack.html

Windows 7 Little Tweaker

windows7news.com/2009/05/27/ customise-windows-7-with-windows- 7-little-tweaker

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 132 www.thelongclimb.com Part 15

Upgrading UPGRADING

Windows Anytime Upgrade ...... 135 Upgrading to ...... 135 Adding memory ...... 136 Upgrading your Graphics card ...... 136 Adding a hard disk ...... 137 Tips for upgrading your PC ...... 137

QUICK TIPS

Cheap copies of Windows 7 ...... 135 The 32 bit barrier ...... 136 What else can you upgrade? ...... 137

WINDOWS ANYTIME QUICK TIP UPGRADE

Owners of Windows 7 Cheap copies Starter, Home Premium of windows 7 or Professional can upgrade their copy of Windows 7 in-place to a Normally from better version using about three months Windows Anytime after launch, which Upgrade. You can use this program to Accessed through the Start would put it at from transfer all your documents, Menu this is a quick and email and settings to Windows February 2010, far simple way to buy a new 8 when it becomes available. cheaper copies of product key and upgrade windows in as little as 10 Bear in mind however that this Windows are minutes. available from backup will be extremely big if you have a lot of documents, computer fairs and There‘s no need to reinstall photos and music. If you Windows, everything is done on the internet. have an external hard disk within your current you can back up to this is the installation. best option. Major companies such as Amazon, Dabs and e-Buyer UPGRADING TO regularly sell full WINDOWS 8 copies of windows for about £80 (UK). When Windows 8 launches (it‘s due around 2012), it It can be worth will have a Windows Easy waiting to upgrade Transfer utility on the disc, similar to the one bundled to Windows 7 to with Windows 7. This will take advantage of make it easy to transfer the cheaper pricing. your files and documents across. Prices correct as of October 2009 US UK EU

Starter to Home Premium $79.99 £69.99 €74.99

Starter to Professional $114.99 £119.99 €184.99

Starter to Ultimate $164.99 £139.99 €204.99

Home Premium to $89.99 £119.99 €179.99 Professional Home Premium to Ultimate $139.99 £124.99 €189.99

Professional to Ultimate $129.99 £84.99 €134.99

135 UPGRADING YOUR UPGRADING YOUR MEMORY GRAPHICS CARD QUICK TIP The easiest and quickest way The other common way to to upgrade your PC and upgrade a PC is to change improve performance is to the graphics card to enable The 32 bit install extra memory (RAM). you to play the latest Windows 7 and your programs games. barrier run from memory so the more you have the more your PC There are two types of 32 bit operating can do. If your PC runs out of interface, AGP and PCI- systems cannot memory it uses space on the Express. In the image hard disk as virtual memory below the AGP socket is ‘see’ a total amount instead, which is much slower. yellow on the left and the of memory over long orange socket is on the 4Gb. Memory cards sit behind your right. DVD/Blu-Ray drives in your computer and poke out This includes the vertically from the memory on your motherboard. graphics card which is typically between 256Mb and 1Gb.

To take advantage of more than 4Gb of memory you will need to be running the 64 bit version of Windows 7.

If you do not already have this version running it They should have a label on will require a them telling you what type of memory they are. They will Any complete reinstall usually be DDR, DDR2 or compatible as upgrading is not graphics DDR3 and this will be followed possible. by a speed. The label above card should says DDR PC2700 which you work in can match up with an online your PC, You should be able shop. It will also tell you how though some may require to get a 64 bit install big the card is, in this case additional power so you DVD from your PC 1Gb. should check the power supplier. supply in your PC has a If you do not have this spare power cable, usually a information, look for a model small white one. number you can search online for. Again, always make sure you have discharged any Always make sure the PC is static electricity from switched off and you replace yourself and replace any memory carefully, having parts in your computer discharged any static- carefully. electricity from yourself first.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 136 www.thelongclimb.com ADDING A HARD DISK TIPS FOR UPGRADING YOUR PC If you want more storage in QUICK TIP your PC you can add an extra . Always be careful when working inside your PC. Many What else can Modern drives will connect of the components are very fragile and susceptible to very to your PC by a SATA cable. you upgrade? The ports on your minor changes in electric motherboard will look the charge. The next things you same as in the image below. You should always earth can upgrade in your First check that you have a free connector. yourself. You can do this by PC is the processor. leaving your PC connected to the main via a cable and, after Check the manual removing the side panel, touching your fingers to that came with your unpainted metal on the power motherboard to see supply (the box the mains what socket the cable plugs into) and then motherboard has, with your other hand unplugging the power cable the maximum speed from the back of the PC. the motherboard can operate at and Also be careful when handling new components as a static what processors are electric shock could short out supported by it.

You may also need to buy a new heat sink for the new The back of the hard disk drive processor, though will have sockets many come with for the power and one anyway. data cables. The small plug is for data, this You will finally need connects to your silicon thermal motherboard, the paste to go larger is for between the two to power. If your power stop the processor supply does not have a fragile parts like memory and from cracking. SATA power connector the processors. hard disk should have a large Molex power socket Never do PC maintenance on a you can use instead that is carpet or another surface normally a white plug. where static electricity can be generated. Always use a flat table-top or similar surface.

137 Part 16

Finishing APPENDICES

Appendix A : Glossary ...... 140 Appendix B : Keyboard shortcuts ...... 146 Appendix C : Advanced searching ...... 148 Appendix D : Windows features by edition ...... 155 Appendix E : Downloads ...... 160 Appendix F : Virtual Hard Disks ...... 167 Appendix G : Office 2010 Quick guide ...... 169 Appendix H : About the author ...... 172

Appendix A

Glossary 32 BIT BOOTING

An older type of computer processor Starting up your computer to use capable of processing up to 32 bits of Windows. binary data (0 or 1) at a time. They can handle up to 4Gb of installed memory. DEFRAGMENT 64 BIT Files on your hard drive can become fragmented over time. This means that Much newer processor designs capable Windows looks for the next best place to of handling 64 binary bits at a time and save your file. However as you delete memory in excess of 4Gb. They offer files this space might not be big enough significant stability and security benefits for it. So it splits the file over the over 32 bit processors. available free space.

Over time this can slow your PC down ADMINISTRATOR and cause your files to become corrupt.

Defragmenting your drive brings all the The user mode in which software has pieces of your files back together again. full access to change / delete anything on your computer. Windows Vista by default runs in a Standard User mode Fragmented files to improve security. F i F l i 2 l e e 1 Defragmented files ADSL F i l e 1 F i l e 2

The most common type of broadband internet access. Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line is the access provided DEP by British Telecom and all other non- cable or satellite internet access Data Execution Prevention, a feature providers. introduced in Windows XP Service Pack 2 to stop viruses. It can also prevent some games from running. AGP

An interface for graphics cards on a PC, DRIVE LETTERS has since been replaced by PCI-Express (PCI-E). Typically C: or A:, these are traditional ways to refer to the hard drives and removable storage in your PC.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 141 DRIVER HARD DRIVE / HARD DISK

Software that tells Windows how to A physical disk that sits inside your PC communicate with installed hardware. on which you store files and data in a non-volatile way (see Memory). Hard disks are measured in Gb units.

DUAL BOOTING The disk operates with a series of spinning discs on platters read by a Running more than one operating on moving arm. your PC. For instance having both Windows XP and Windows Vista installed and choosing when you switch the computer on, which one to boot into. HOMEGROUP

A feature in Windows 7 that allows the sharing of documents, photos, pictures, DUAL CORE music, video and printers between PCs running Windows 7 on a network. A processor that has two physical cores (processors) on the one chip. This enables faster operation in modern PCs and is the most common form of ICAL processor found in desktop machines. See WebDav, also the calendar program for Apple computers. DX11

DirectX 11 is the new 3D graphics MB engine for Windows Vista, it enables new effects in PC games. Megabyte, A unit of measure. 1Mb is approximately the amount of storage you can fit on a floppy disk. To compare, a CD will store approximately GB 650Mb and a DVD will store 4.5Gb.

Gigabyte, A unit of measure. 1Gb = 1000Mb. 1Gb is typically enough space on a hard disk to store 200 MP3s or MEMORY (RAM) enough memory to allow Windows Vista to run properly. Temporary (volatile) storage for files and programmes while your computer is running. The more memory your computer has, typically between 512Mb and 2Gb, the faster it can run because the less reading of the hard disk is required. Reading and writing to memory is faster than to a hard disk. Memory is measured in either Mb or Gb units.

The common types of memory are DDR2 and DDR3 which is newer and faster.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 142 OPERATING SYSTEM PHISHING

Aka: Windows 7. The software that acts Emails that purport to be from Banks or as an interface for your computer and websites such as Amazon or eBay that that allows you to run software. try and trick you into logging in to what you think is a genuine site to get your passwords and other details. NETWORK

A collection of PCs at home or at work PROCESSOR that can share files and data with each other. The silicon chip at the heart of your PC that does all the computational work.

NETWORKING QUAD CORE Connecting your computer to a network of others, either in your home or A processor that has four physical cores onwards to the internet. on a single chip. Thus it can operate far faster than a single or dual core machine. These are commonly used for high-end tasks such as gaming, graphics PARTITION intensive work, mathematical calculations and running a different Your hard drive can be split into operating system on each core (see separate partitions. Each of these Virtual Machine) becomes its own hard drive in the available space. For instance a 400Gb hard drive can be split into a 100Gb partition followed by two 250Gb READYBOOST partitions. This is useful for keeping your data and files away from your A way of increasing the amount of Windows installation. memory in Windows Vista by plugging in a compatible USB pen drive.

PCI-E REMOTE ASSISTANCE

PCI Express, the new format for graphics cards on a PC, replacing the A feature in Windows that allows remote older AGP standard. control of your PC over the internet when you give permission, so that someone not in front of your PC can solve problems on it. PDF

Adobe‘s Portable Document Format is an excellent way to transfer documents between people, being operating system independent.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 143 REMOTE DESKTOP SSD

Remote control of other PCs on your Solid-state disk. A hard drive with no home or office network. moving parts where all the storage is silicon chip based. SSDs are far more robust and much faster than their SAVED SEARCHES mechanical alternatives.

A search that you can save as a folder SWAP FILE and that can be treated in the same way, but that holds no actual files and If you do not have much memory, dynamically updates whenever it‘s Windows creates a virtual memory file, opened. called a swap file, that acts as memory but sits on the hard drive. Reading and writing to a hard disk is slower than SHADOW COPIES / PREVIOUS reading and writing to memory.

VERSIONS SYSTEM RESTORE Automatic backup of previous versions of files performed by Windows Vista. A feature that takes a snapshot of your These previous copies of files can be PC‘s operating system at certain periods restored by right clicking on the file and so you can restore the system to that selecting its properties point in the event of a problem.

SPAM TAGS

Unwanted, unsolicited email. Named Key words to describe the contents of after a pre-cooked tinned meat your files, music or photographs. commonly eaten in the UK during the Second World War, and usually despised by all who ate it. TASKBAR

The bar that typically runs along the SPYWARE bottom of your screen containing the Windows Orb Button, icons and the Unwanted files that collect on your PC as clock. you browse the internet. Many are innocuous but some can have malicious purposes. They are removed by UAC software such as Windows Defender.

User Account Control (UAC) is the security system in Windows Vista to guard against virus and other attack.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 144 UI WI-FI

User Interface, a term to describe the Wireless internet access, also called look and feel of an application or 802.11. There are four speeds a, b, g Operating System. and n with a being the slowest, n being the fastest and g currently being the most common.

USERS FOLDER WINDOWS KEY The location where your Documents and other personal files are stored. This can The key between CTRL and ALT at the be moved away from the drive or bottom left of your keyboard, also partition on which you have installed known as the Windows Orb (formerly Windows Vista. the Start Button) on the taskbar.

VIRTUAL MACHINE WIMAX

A copy of an operating system running The next generation wi-fi with a much within another operating system in a broader range and greatly increased protected / separated environment. speed and capacity. Commonly found in testing situations or with company servers.

WINDOWS UPDATE / VIRTUAL MEMORY MICROSOFT UPDATE

Additional memory kept as a hidden file A utility built into all versions of on your hard drive for when you run out Windows to help keep the operating of physical memory. This is much system up to date and free from slower than physical memory. security holes.

WEBDAV XPS

A way to store calendars online so that Microsoft‘s answer to Adobe‘s PDF they can be shared with other people. format, the Cross Platform Support document format offers the same advantages that PDFs offer but is WEP relatively new.

The typical format for the security key used to protect access to wi-fi (wireless) networks.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 145 Appendix B

Keyboard Shortcuts WINDOWS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

It‘s also possible to control many aspects of Windows 7 using just the keyboard. Below is a complete list of Keyboard controls, most of which will involve pressing the Windows key (start button on the keyboard).

*windows key+ and *M+ ...... Minimise all open windows *windows key+ and *Shift+ and *M+ ...... Undo all window minimisation *windows key+ and *D+ ...... Toggle showing the desktop *windows key+ and *Up cursor key+ ...... Maximise current window *windows key+ and *Down cursor key+ ...... Minimise windows / Restore *windows key+ and *Left cursor key+ ...... Dock current window to the left side *windows key+ and *Right cursor key+ ...... Dock current window to the right side *windows key+ and *Shift and Up cursor key+ ...... Maximize vertical size of window *windows key+ and *Shift and Down cursor key+ ...... Restore vertical size *windows key+ and *Shift and Left cursor key+...... Move window to left monitor *windows key+ and *Shift and Right cursor key+ ...... Move window to right monitor *windows key+ and *Spacebar+ ...... Aero desktop peek *windows key+ and *Home+ ...... Minimise/maximise all inactive windows *Alt+ and *F4+ ...... Close the active window *Alt+ and *Tab+ ...... Switch to previous active window *Alt+ and *Esc+ ...... Cycle through all open windows *windows key+ and *Tab+ ...... Flip 3D *Ctrl+ and *windows key+ and *Tab+ ...... Persistent Flip 3D *windows key+ and *T+ ...... Cycle through programs on taskbar *windows key+ and *Shift+ and *T+ ...... As above, but in reverse order *windows key+ and *+ ...... Opens Run dialog box *windows key+ and *P+ ...... Show projector / multiple screen options *windows key+ and *G+ ...... Show desktop gadgets *windows key+ and *L+...... Lock computer *windows key+ and *X+ ...... Mobility Centre *windows key+ and *++ ...... Zoom in *windows key+ and *-+ ...... Zoom out *windows key+ and *=+ ...... Magnifier *Alt+ and *P+ ...... Show/hide Preview Pane *Alt+ and *Up+ ...... Go up one level *Alt+ and *Left/Right cursor keys+...... Back/forward

Additionally you can use the following keyboard and mouse combinations.

*Win+ and *Any number (1, 2, .., 0)+ ...... Open the corresponding taskbar pinned program *Ctrl+ and *Click a pinned taskbar icon+ ...... Cycle through the program’s open windows *Shift+ and *Click a pinned taskbar icon+ ...... Run a new instance of the program *Ctrl+ and *Shift+ and *Click a pinned taskbar icon+ ...... New instance as an administrator *Shift+ and *Right-click on icon+ ...... Show window menu *Shift+ and *Right-click on grouped icon+ ...... Show window menu Appendix C

Advanced Search ADVANCED SEARCH QUERY SYNTAX

Author:name Author:mike Finds documents written and / or created by Mike

Author:(mike halsey) Find items containing the string Mike Halsey

Author(mike or jed) Finds items written / created by mike or jed

Author:mike jed Finds items written / created by mike and with jed anywhere in the document From:name From:mike Finds items sent by mike Before:date Before:22/10/2009 Finds items created before 22/10/2009 After:date After:22/10/2009 Finds items created after 22/10/2009 Has:attachment Guide has:attachment Finds items containing the word guide that have attachments

Is:attachment Guide is:attachment Finds attachments containing with word guide

When typing dates you can use several methods. The one above is an example but to search between a range of dates you can use from:mike sent:27/03/08..22/10/09 as Windows search will recognise all relevant date formats.

In addition you can use the following terms...

Relative dates: today, tomorrow, yesterday

Multi-word relative dates: week, next month, last week, past month, coming year, or contracted as thisweek, nextmonth, lastweek, pastmonth and comingyear

Days: Sunday, Monday ... Sunday

Months: January, February ... December

Size:>50KB <70KB Searches for files with a file size between 50Kb and 70Kb Size:>=50KB <=70KB Searches for files with a size between 50Kb and 70Kb including the end values Size:50KB..70KB The same as size:>=50KB <=70KB

Date:>27/3/08<22/10/09 Searches for dates between 27/3/08 and 22/10/09

Date:>=27/3/08<=22/10/0 Searches for dates between 27/3/08 and 22/10/09 9 including the end values Date:27/3/08..22/10/09 The same as Date:>=27/3/08<=22/10/09 Searching by file type

To search for Use Example Communications Communications Kind:communications Contacts Contact Kind:contacts Person Kind:person Email Email Kind:email Instant messenger Im Kind:im conversations Meetings Meetings Kind:meetings Tasks Tasks Kind:tasks Notes Notes Kind:notes Documents Docs Kind:docs Music Music Kind:music Song Kind:song Pictures Pics Kind:pics Pictures Kind:pictures Videos Videos Kind:videos Folders Folders Kind:folders Folder name Fordername Foldername:windows7 Programs Programs Kind:programs Recorded TV Tv Kind:tv Link Link Kind:link Journal Entry journal Kind:journal

To search by file store

Store Use Example Store Use Example Files File Store:file Outlook Mapi Store:mapi Offline csc Store:csc Outlook outlookexpress Store:outlookexpress files Express

Video Calendar

Property Use Example Property Use Example

Name Name Name:paris Recurring Isrecurrin Isrecurring:true Subject Subject:holiday g Recurring:false Extension Ext Ext:mp3 recurring filext Filext:wmv Organiser Organizer, Organizer:mike by, from

Location location Location:sheffield Searching by file type

Property Use Example

Title Title, subject, about Title:consultant Status Status Status:active Date Date Date:lastweek Date modified Datemodified, modified Modified:yesterday Importance Importance, priority Importance:high Size Size Size:>50MB Deleted Deleted, isdeleted Isdeleted:true Is attachment Isattachment Isattachment:false To To, toname To:johnsmith Cc Cc, ccname Cc:david Company Company Company:inspirare Category Category Category:business Keywords Keywords Keywords:sports Album Album Album:greatest File name Filename, file Filename:2009hits Genre Genre Genre:jazz Author Author, by Author:mike Folder Folder, under, path Folder:windows7 Ext Ext, fileext Ext:.pdf Tags Tag, keyword Tag:personal Type Type Type:image

Properties for Documents

Property Use Example Comments Comments Comments:excellent Last saved by Last saved by Lastsavedby:mike Document manager Documentmanager Documentmanager:mike Revision number Revisionnumber Revisionnumber:5a Date last printed Datelastprinted Datelastprinted:yesterday Slide count slides Slides:>20 Properties for Music

Property Use Example

Bit rate Bitrate Bitrate:>150kbps Artist Artist, by Artist:pink Year Year Year:1977..1987 Year:>1980<1990 Album Album Album:‖greatest hits‖ Genre Genre Genre:rock Lyrics Lyrics Lyrics:‖I can make you happy‖ Track #, track Track:14

Properties for Pictures

Property Use Example

Camera make Cameramake Cameramake:nikon Camera model Cameramodel Cameramodel:D20 Dimensions Dimensions Dimensions:8x10 Orientation Orientation Orientation:landscape Date taken Taken Taken:last Datetaken Datetaken:22/10/2008 Width Width Width:33 Height Height Height:66 Flash mode Flashmode Flashmode: no flash

Properties for Recorded TV

Property Use Example

Broadcast date Broadcastdate Broadcastdate:2007 Channel number Channel Channel:13 Closed captioning Closedcaptioning Closedcaptioning:true Date released Datereleased Datereleased:2008 Episode name episodename Episodename:‖best of‖

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 152 Properties for Contacts

Property Use Example

Job title Jobtitle Jobtitle:manager IM address Imaddress Imaddress:[email protected] Assistant’s phone Assistansphone Assistantsphone:01141234567 Assistant name Assistantname Assistantname:paula Profession Profession Profession:banker Nickname Nickname Nickname:bono Spouse Spouse Spouse:louise Business city Businesscity Businesscity:redmond Business postal code Businesspostalcode Businesspostalcode:98052 Business home page Businesshomepage Businesshomepage:www.inspirare.net Callback phone number Callbacknumber Callbacknumber:882-8080 Car phone Carphone Carphone:555-1212 Children Children Children:paul First name Firstname Firstname:mike Last name Lastname Lastname:halsey Home fax Homefax Homefax:555-1212 Manager’s name Manager Manager:steve Pager Pager Pager:882-8080 Business phone Businessphone Businessphone:555-1212 Home phone Homephone Homephone:01141234567 Mobilephone Mobilephone:077712345678 Office Officelocation Officelocation:red/101 Anniversary Anniversary Anniversary:yesterday Birthday Birthday Birthday:nextweek

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 153 Properties for Communications

Property Use Example

From From, organizer From:mike Received Received, sent Sent:yesterday Subject Subject, title Subject:book Has attachment has attachment, hasattachments hasattachment:true Attachments Attachment, attachments Attachment:win7power.pdf Bcc Bcc, bccname Bcc:margaret Bcc address Bcc, bccaddress Bccaddress:[email protected] Cc address Cc, ccaddress Ccaddress:[email protected] Follow-up flag Flagstatus Flagstatus:unflagged Flagststus:followup Flagstatus:completed

To address Toaddress, to Toaddress:[email protected] Date due Duedate, due Due:22/10/2009 Read Read, isread Isread:true Is completed Iscompleted Iscompleted:false Incomplete Iscomplete Incomplete:false Has flag Hasflag, isflagged Hasflag:true Duration Duration Duration:>120

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 154 Appendix D

Windows Features By version

Windows Basic Windows Standard Windows Aero Aero Peek Aero Snap Aero Shake Windows Flip Windows Flip 3D Live Taskbar Preview Jumplists Windows Search

BUNDLED APPLICATIONS

Internet Explorer 8 * Basic Games Premium Games Calculator Paint Snipping Tool Sticky Notes Windows Journal Windows PowerShell WordPad XPS Viewer

*pre-installed in some versions of Windows 7 and available via-download in others, dependant on whether your copy of Windows 7 came with a new PC or was purchased separately.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 156 DIGITAL MEDIA

Windows Photo Viewer Windows Media Player 12 Windows Media Player Remote Media Experience Windows Media Centre Windows DVD Maker Device Stage Sync Centre MPEG-2 Decoding Dolby Digital Playback AAC and H.264 Decoding DVD Playback TV Tuners Supported 4 4 4

SECURITY

Action Centre Windows Defender Windows Firewall IE 8 Protected Mode and DEP Support User Account Control Windows Update Fast User Switching Parental Controls

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 157 MOBILITY

Windows Mobility Centre * Windows Sideshow Sync Centre Tablet PC Multi-Touch Support

*No presentation mode PERFORMANCE

Windows ReadyDrive Windows ReadyBoost SuperFetch 64-bit Processor Support Physical Processors Supported 1 2 2 2 Processor Core Support Unlimited Maximum RAM (32-bit) 4Gb* 4Gb* 4Gb* 4Gb* Maximum RAM (64-bit) 16Gb 192Gb 192Gb

*This includes memory on any installed AGP or PCI-Express Graphics card(s). RELIABILITY

Windows Backup System Image Backup to Network Bitlocker Bitlocker to Go Automatic Hard Disk Defragmenting Previous Versions (Shadow Copies) Create and Attach Virtual Hard Disks NETWORKING

Network and Sharing Centre Homegroup Join Improved Power Management Connect to a Projector Remote Desktop Remote Desktop Host IIS Web Server RSS Support Internet Connection Sharing Network Bridge Offline Files

ENTERPRISE AND BUSINESS FEATURES

Join a domain XP Mode (via download) Applocker Boot from Virtual Hard Disk BranchCache DirectAccess Federated Search Multi-lingual User Interface Language Packs Location-Aware Printing Subsystem for UNIX Applications

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 159 Appendix E

Downloads ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE

My choices for the best anti-virus downloads are.

MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS

A free basic anti-virus solution that has advantages over the competition including only scanning your PC when you‘re not using it.

It uses Microsoft‘s award-winning corporate anti-virus engine.

www.microsoft.com/security_essential

AVG ANTI-VIRUS

For years the anti-virus of choice for internet professionals.

AVG comes in both a free version and a full security suite including firewall and spam protection

www.avg.com

KASPERSKY AVIRA

One of the longest-standing anti-virus A relative newcomer to anti-virus but the vendors. Avira security suite is an excellent all- rounder with a Kaspersky is fantastic either a paid for record. anti-virus or a security suite. www.avira.com www.kaspersky.com FIREWALLS

My choices for the best firewall downloads are.

ZONEALARM

Available as both a free basic firewall and a full security suite, ZoneAlarm is one of the best and longest-standing firewalls.

www.zonealarm.com

AVG SECURITY SUITE

AVG provides an excellent firewall as part of its paid for security suite.

www.avg.com

COMODO AVIRA

Comodo offers an excellent free firewall A relative newcomer but the Avira security as well as an upgraded paid-for edition. suite is an excellent all-rounder with a fantastic record. www.comodo.com www.avira.com ANTI-SPYWARE SOFTWARE

My choices for the best anti-spyware downloads are.

SPYWARE TERMINATOR

Completely free but a little complex in parts. Should be installed by an experienced user but fire-and-forget after that time. Spyware Terminator provides excellent spyware and trojan protection.

www.spywareterminator.com

AVG SECURITY SUITE

AVG provides an excellent anti-spyware package as part of its paid for security suite.

www.avg.com

KASPERSKY AVIRA

Kaspersky offers an excellent anti- A relative newcomer but the Avira security spyware package as part of it‘s paid for suite is an excellent all-rounder with a security suite. fantastic record.

www.kaspersky.com www.avira.com PC MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE

My choices for the best PC maintenance downloads are.

GLARY UTILITIES

One of the best and simplest to use Windows optimisations tools available, and even better it‘s completely free.

www.glarysoft.com

ASHAMPOO WINOPTIMISER

A paid for package but well worth the small price. An excellent Windows optimisation tool.

www.ashampoo.com

CCLEANER

Another free Windows optimisation utility and an excellent one at that, but only recommended for more advanced users.

www.ccleaner.com

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 164 OTHER ESSENTIAL SOFTWARE

My choices for the best software you can‘t do without are.

WINDOWS LIVE SUITE

Many of the programs we were used to with previous versions of Windows were removed in Windows 7 and clearly for the better. Now integrated into Windows Live Suite, Mail, Photo Gallery and much more are the first thing I install in Windows 7.

download.live.com

ZUNE PLAYER

Far superior to any other media player on the market today, and you don‘t have to own a Microsoft Zune MP3 player to use the software.

www.zune.net/software

SHARK007 CODECS

A complete codec package for Windows 7, ensuring you can listen to and view the widest range of music and video files.

www.shark007.net ESSENTIAL WEBSITES

My choices for the best websites to bookmark are.

MICROSOFT FIX IT

A new service from Microsoft, helping you diagnose and fix common Windows problems, with downloadable fixes and patches. This is an essential bookmark for any Windows user.

support.microsoft.com/fixit

GIBSON RESEARCH

The website of one of the internet‘s foremost security experts. A goldmine of free tools and utilities for finding and fixing security problems on your PC.

www.grc.com

THE LONG CLIMB

My own website with a comprehensive PC support section along with lots more.

www.thelongclimb.com

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey www.thelongclimb.com 166 Appendix F

Virtual Hard Disks

WHAT IS A dialog will pop up in which you should specify VIRTUALISATION? where on your computer you want this stored and what size it should be. QUICK TIP Virtualisation is the ability run create and run a virtual disk, You will need to initialise an entire hard disk contained this disk which you can do What is within the file, similar to the by right-clicking on it. way files can be stored within Virtualisation? a ZIP file for emailing.

A copy of Windows can be When you have a installed inside this virtual hard disk, protecting it from ZIP file on your PC the outside world and making and open it, it it easy to restore from a appears to be a backup if something goes folder containing wrong with it. other files. IT is though just a file You can also attach a virtual containing those hard disk *.VHD file created other files in a previously or on another copy of Windows 7 from the compressed form. Action menu in the Computer Management A virtual hard disk is console. the same thing, a file on your PC CREATING A containing other BOOTABLE VIRTUAL files. The difference CREATING A VIRTUAL WINDOWS is that, rather than appear as a folder, a HARD DISK You can install a bootable Virtual Hard Disk copy of Windows 7 into this appears as an extra Windows 7 allows you to partition. This can be hard disk on your create a virtual hard disk and useful in certain computer. mount it as though it were circumstances, for instance another drive on your PC. if you want a safe copy of Open Computer Management Windows to use as a test This means you can from the Start Menu and from environment. install an operating the Action menu select Create system and VHD. The full instruction for this are out of the scope for this programs on it as book, however there is an well as store files excellent guide online from and documents on Microsoft on how to set this feature up. it.

http://blogs.msdn.com/ cesardelatorre/ archive/2009/01/11/windows-7- natively-booting-from-a-vhd- virtual-pc-image-file.aspx

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 168 www.thelongclimb.com Appendix G

Office 2010 Quick Guide THE RIBBON BACKSTAGE

Microsoft Office 2007 caused Clicking the new coloured some considerable debate Office tab will bring up a QUICK TIP because of the inclusion of the new feature called new ribbon interface. This was backstage. From here you introduced because the can open and save files, Customise the standard menu system had print and print-preview become unwieldy, and unable them and perform Ribbon to cope with the sheer number additional actions such as of features within the Office changing the default programs. options. Many people find the Ribbon in Office confusing.

Office 2010 allows you to customise With Office 2010, the ribbon has been extended to all of the CUSTOMISE THE the ribbon, see left Office suite and has changed for instructions on slightly from it‘s previous RIBBON how to do this. version.

The oft-confusing Office Orb Click the coloured Office You can add your has been removed and button and then the own tabs and add options link on the left side replaced by a more prominent or remove features coloured Office tab at the far of the backstage window left of the ribbon. Also at the and you will see in the from the existing far right, next to the help options controls for ones. button is a quick button that customising the ribbon, will minimise and maximise including creating custom You can create the ribbon for you. tabs for yourself. your own tabs with

the Office features you use most regularly.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey 170 www.thelongclimb.com QUICK ACCESS FILE FORMATS TOOLBAR By default, Microsoft Office QUICK TIP 2010 wants to save your files At the very top left of the in the *.docx, *.xlsx format. window is the quick access This format cannot be read on Office Online toolbar. This section Office 2003 and earlier contains common functions without the Office 2007 File

you can access with a single Format Compatibility Pack which is available as a Anyone familiar free download from the with Google Docs Microsoft website. will know what to You also have the choice expect with Office of saving documents in Online immediately. the more compatible *.doc and *.xls formats It is a cut down and also the *.odf open document format. version of the main office programs, Word, Excel and OFFICE ONLINE PowerPoint that you can access and use Microsoft Office Online is within a web a new Service to allow you to create, work on browser without and store Office having to have a documents in the cloud copy of Microsoft click. You can add new that you can work on in a web browser. You do not need to Office installed. items to this toolbar by clicking the down arrow to own or have installed a copy the right it and selecting of Microsoft Office to use this This can make it items from the drop down service, just a live internet very accessible list that appears. connection. when you’re away from your PC. LANGUAGES You can also store your files on the Office 2010 does a better job than ever before of Office Online service recognising your language meaning you will be and only installing the able to access them dictionary for that. wherever you are, You can access Languages whenever you need from Options in the to. Backstage screen if you need to change this however.

171 Appendix H

The Author ABOUT MIKE HALSEY

Mike Halsey grew up in Camberley, Surrey (UK). He is currently based in Sheffield.

Mike has been working in IT Support for years. He began supporting individuals in their homes and micro-businesses and moved on to blue-chip clients including major UK banks NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland and the supermarket chain Tesco.

He has been a beta-tester for Microsoft since the launch of Windows XP.

Before that Mike spent several years‘ self- employed providing websites, adverts and other promotional materials for micro- business and SMEs in the UK and as far afield as Amsterdam and China.

He also spent some years touring the UK as a singer.

He is now working as a teacher for a South Yorkshire training company teaching English and Mathematics as well as maintaining their e-learning system.

He is a keen photographer with a particular interest in modern architecture. His photographic, PC support site and blog is at

www.TheLongClimb.com

He was one of only a very few photographers ever allowed into the Millennium Dome in London, and maintains the only full photo library of the empty dome on the internet.

He is an editor for windows7news.com and windows8news.com for whom he has been writing since May 2009.

Mike is the author of the Windows Vista Power Users Guide, that he initially wrote to stop his mother and friends asking him dumb questions when he was down the pub.