Windows® 7 Plain & Simple

Larger Cover

By Jerry Joyce, Marianne Moon

Publisher: Microsoft Press

Released: September 2009

Pages: 400

Get the fast facts that make learning Windows 7 plain and simple! This no-nonsense guide uses easy, numbered steps and concise, straightforward language to show the most expedient way to perform tasks and solve problems in Windows 7.

Here’s what you’ll learn to do:

Run programs, control gadgets, play games.
Send e-mail, browse the Web, and share your files.
Organize your digital media, including photos, music, and videos.
Burn CDs and DVDs; make your own movies.
Set up your printer and a simple home network.
Manage security settings and perform easy tune-ups and fixes.

Here’s how you’ll learn it:

Jump in wherever you need answers.
Easy-to-follow steps and screenshots show you exactly what to do.
Handy tips teach you new techniques and shortcuts.
Quick TRY THIS! exercises help you apply what you’ve learned right away.

Chapter 1 About This Book
1. No Computerspeak!
2. A Quick Overview
3. What's New in Windows 7?
4. A Few Assumptions
5. A Final Word (or Two)
Chapter 2 Jump Right In
1. What's Where in Windows 7?
2. Starting Up
3. Leaving Your Computer
4. Starting a Program
5. Accessing Your Documents
6. Mouse and Keyboard Maneuvers
7. Files, Folders, and Libraries
8. Quickly Finding a Program, File, or Folder
9. Searching a Specific Location
10. Accessing Everything
11. Switching Among Open Windows
12. Managing Windows
13. Using Shortcut Menus for Quick Results
14. Using Jump Lists for Quick Access
15. Getting Help
Chapter 3 Accessing and Organizing
1. Windows Views
2. Changing the Window View
3. Viewing File Information
4. Arranging Your Files
5. Classifying Your Files
6. Returning to a Folder or Library
7. Creating Quick Access to a File or Folder
8. Adding Direct Access to a Folder or Library
9. Organizing Your Files
10. Recovering a Deleted Item
11. Navigating with Toolbars
12. Sharing Files with Other Users
13. Sharing with Selected Users
14. Copying Files to a CD or DVD
15. Compressing Files
16. Organizing Library Folders
17. Using a Removable Memory Device
Chapter 4 Running Programs and Gadgets
1. Using the Ribbon
2. Composing a Document
3. Saving, Closing, and Opening a Document
4. Creating Easy Access to a Program
5. Copying Material Between Documents
6. Dialog Box Decisions
7. Inserting Special Characters
8. Crunching Numbers
9. Making Specialized Calculations
10. Writing Equations and Formulas
11. Running Multiple Copies of One Program
12. Copying Your Screen Content
13. Writing Your Text
14. Typing on Your Screen
15. Writing Quick Notes
16. Writing and Drawing Notes
17. Annotating a Document
18. Enlarging the Screen Content
19. Controlling Your Gadgets
20. Running Commands
21. Running Older Programs
Chapter 5 Personalizing
1. Changing the Overall Look
2. Changing the Window Color
3. Enlarging Text
4. Setting Your Desktop Background
5. Customizing the Desktop Icons
6. Using a Screen Saver
7. Customizing Your Mouse
8. Customizing Individual Window Elements
9. Controlling the User Account Control
10. Customizing the Taskbar
11. Moving the Taskbar
12. Customizing the Start Menu
13. Customizing Windows Explorer
14. Changing Your Account Picture
15. Setting the Way a Removable Storage Device Starts
16. Using Alternative Ways of Working
17. Working Alternatives
18. Working in a Different Part of the World
19. Adding Time Zone Clocks
20. Controlling Updates
21. Customizing the Action Center Messages
22. Controlling Information Gathering
23. Controlling Problem Reporting
24. Sharing Your Customizations
Chapter 6 Exploring the Internet
1. What's Where in Internet Explorer?
2. Finding a Web Page
3. Going to a Specific Web Page
4. Opening Multiple Web Pages
5. Viewing Multiple Web Pages
6. Returning to Your Favorite Sites
7. Setting Your Home Page or Pages
8. Finding Related Web Sites
9. Finding Information on the Internet
10. Viewing One Section of a Page
11. Reading RSS Feeds
12. Controlling Pop-Up Windows
13. Browsing in Private
14. Keeping Your Information Private
15. Managing Add-Ons
16. Transferring Your Settings
17. Saving a Web Page
18. Copying Material from a Web Page
19. Using Accelerators for Quick Actions
Chapter 7 Playing Games
1. Playing Your Games
2. Playing Chess Titans
3. Playing FreeCell
4. Playing Hearts
5. Playing Mahjong Titans
6. Playing Minesweeper
7. Playing Solitaire
8. Playing Purble Place
9. Playing Spider Solitaire
10. Playing Games over the Internet
11. Playing Microsoft Touch Pack Games
Chapter 8 Working with Pictures
1. Viewing Your Photos
2. So Many Photo Tools!
3. Creating a Multimedia Slide Show
4. Viewing Photos with Windows Media Center
5. Viewing Photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery
6. Editing Your Photos
7. Viewing a Custom Photo Slide Show
8. Creating a Panoramic Photo
9. Creating an Online Photo Album
10. Importing Photos from Your Camera or Removable Media
11. Drawing Pictures
12. Changing a Picture's Resolution
Chapter 9 Working with Multimedia
1. Playing Multimedia with Media Player
2. Arranging Your Media with Playlists
3. Copying CD Music
4. Controlling Video Playback
5. Changing Media Player's Appearance
6. Synchronizing Media with a Portable Device
7. Sharing Media Libraries on Your Network
8. Accessing Your Media over the Internet
9. Playing Your Media on Another Computer or Device
10. Using Windows Media Center
11. Watching Windows Media Center
12. Creating a Video DVD
13. Recording Video from a Camera
14. Downloading Recorded Video from a Camera
15. Making a Movie
Chapter 10 Using Voice and Sounds
1. Controlling the Volume
2. Controlling the Sound System
3. Creating a Sound Theme
4. Directing Your Computer with Voice Commands
5. Dictating Text
6. Customizing Speech Recognition
7. Talking to the Mouse
8. Letting Your Computer Do the Talking
9. Creating a Sound File
10. Using Alternatives to Sound
Chapter 11 Printing and Scanning
1. Printing a File
2. Specifying a Default Printer
3. Controlling Your Printing
4. Printing Your Photographs
5. Printing Web Pages
6. Creating an XPS Document
7. Scanning a Picture into Paint
8. Scanning Anything
9. Quickly Scanning an Item
Chapter 12 Communicating
1. E-Mailing Your Photos
2. E-Mailing Your Files
3. Sending a Fax
4. Receiving a Fax
5. Connecting with Your Contacts
6. Sharing Your Contacts
7. Creating a Contacts Group
8. Understanding E-Mail Clients and Webmail
9. Using Windows Live Mail
10. Sending E-Mail with Windows Live Mail
11. E-Mailing a File with Windows Live Mail
12. Sending Photos with Windows Live Mail
13. Communicating with Windows Live
Chapter 13 Networking
1. Joining a Homegroup
2. Accessing Your Homegroup
3. Sharing with Your Homegroup
4. Controlling Homegroup Sharing
5. Understanding Networks in Windows 7
6. Allowing Your Files to Be Shared
7. Viewing Your Network
8. Connecting to a Network Computer
9. Creating a Connection to a Network Folder
10. Transferring Files
11. Connecting to a Network over the Internet
12. Connecting to a Network over the Telephone
13. Reconnecting to a Network
14. Connecting to a Public Wireless Network
15. Managing Your Network Connections
16. Connecting Without a Network
Chapter 14 Setting Up
1. Transferring Files and Settings
2. Setting Your Default Programs
3. Turning Windows Features On or Off
4. Associating a File Type with a Program
5. Setting Up a Homegroup
6. Setting Up Dial-Up Internet Access
7. Setting Up a Modem
8. Setting Up Internet Connection Sharing
9. Setting Up Windows Backup
10. Setting Up Windows Live Essentials Programs
11. Setting Up Windows Live Mail
12. Setting Up for Faxing
13. Setting Up a Printer
14. Sharing a Printer over the Network
Chapter 15 Maintaining Security
1. Setting Your Password
2. Changing Your Password
3. Resetting Your Password
4. Restricting User Rights
5. Know Your Rights
6. Monitoring Your Security Settings
7. Configuring the Windows Firewall
8. Protecting Yourself from Spyware
9. Limiting Access to the Computer
10. Restricting Time on the Computer
11. Restricting Access to Games
12. Restricting Access to Programs
13. Restricting Internet Content
14. Maintaining High Security
15. Setting Internet Explorer Security
16. Restricting DVD Movies in Windows Media Player
17. Restricting Content in Windows Media Center
18. Installing Critical Fixes
Chapter 16 Managing Windows 7
1. Changing the Date and Time
2. Changing the Display
3. Managing Windows Arrangements
4. Changing Search Options
5. Changing Indexing Options
6. Managing Your Credentials
7. Adding or Deleting User Accounts
8. Creating a Linked Online ID
9. Managing Travel Settings
10. Controlling the Power Options
11. Managing Multiple Monitors
12. Configuring a Pen or Touch Computer
13. Managing Pen Settings
14. Managing Navigational and Editing Flicks
15. Managing Touch Settings
16. Checking the Performance Status of Windows
17. Maintaining Your Hard Disk
18. Troubleshooting Problems
19. Helping Each Other
20. All Those Tools and Settings!
21. Speeding Up Your System
22. Removing a Software Program
23. Starting Up When There's a Problem
24. Repairing the System
25. Fixing System Problems
26. Managing Everything
27. Backing Up Your Files
28. Restoring Backed-Up Files
29. Saving Everything
30. Downloading Free Software

Title:

Windows® 7 Plain & Simple

By:

Jerry Joyce, Marianne Moon

Publisher:

Microsoft Press

Formats:

Print
Ebook
Safari Books Online

Print:

September 2009

Ebook:

November 2009

Pages:

400

Print ISBN:

978-0-7356-2666-9

| ISBN 10:

0-7356-2666-9

Ebook ISBN:

978-0-7356-3002-4

| ISBN 10:

0-7356-3002-X

Description

Table of Contents

Product Details

About the Author

Recommended for You

Chapter 1 About This Book

No Computerspeak!

A Quick Overview

What's New in Windows 7?

A Few Assumptions

A Final Word (or Two)

Chapter 2 Jump Right In

What's Where in Windows 7?

Starting Up

Leaving Your Computer

Starting a Program

Accessing Your Documents

Mouse and Keyboard Maneuvers

Files, Folders, and Libraries

Quickly Finding a Program, File, or Folder

Searching a Specific Location

Accessing Everything

Switching Among Open Windows

Managing Windows

Using Shortcut Menus for Quick Results

Using Jump Lists for Quick Access

Getting Help

Chapter 3 Accessing and Organizing

Windows Views

Changing the Window View

Viewing File Information

Arranging Your Files

Classifying Your Files

Returning to a Folder or Library

Creating Quick Access to a File or Folder

Adding Direct Access to a Folder or Library

Organizing Your Files

Recovering a Deleted Item

Navigating with Toolbars

Sharing Files with Other Users

Sharing with Selected Users

Copying Files to a CD or DVD

Compressing Files

Organizing Library Folders

Using a Removable Memory Device

Chapter 4 Running Programs and Gadgets

Using the Ribbon

Composing a Document

Saving, Closing, and Opening a Document

Creating Easy Access to a Program

Copying Material Between Documents

Dialog Box Decisions

Inserting Special Characters

Crunching Numbers

Making Specialized Calculations

Writing Equations and Formulas

Running Multiple Copies of One Program

Copying Your Screen Content

Writing Your Text

Typing on Your Screen

Writing Quick Notes

Writing and Drawing Notes

Annotating a Document

Enlarging the Screen Content

Controlling Your Gadgets

Running Commands

Running Older Programs

Chapter 5 Personalizing

Changing the Overall Look

Changing the Window Color

Enlarging Text

Setting Your Desktop Background

Customizing the Desktop Icons

Using a Screen Saver

Customizing Your Mouse

Customizing Individual Window Elements

Controlling the User Account Control

Customizing the Taskbar

Moving the Taskbar

Customizing the Start Menu

Customizing Windows Explorer

Changing Your Account Picture

Setting the Way a Removable Storage Device Starts

Using Alternative Ways of Working

Working Alternatives