by Woody Leonhard Windows Vista ™ ALL-IN-ONE DESK REFERENCE FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page iii 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page ii Windows Vista ™ ALL-IN-ONE DESK REFERENCE FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page i 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page ii by Woody Leonhard Windows Vista ™ ALL-IN-ONE DESK REFERENCE FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page iii Windows Vista™ All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies ® Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006934840 ISBN-13: 978-0-471-74941-7 ISBN-10: 0-471-74941-9 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1O/QW/RS/QW/IN 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page iv About the Author Curmudgeon, critic, and self-described “Windows Victim,” Woody Leonhard runs www.AskWoody.com, the Web’s single best source of up-to-the-nanosecond news about Windows and Office — warts and all. Check it out for answers to your most pressing questions, no-bull analysis of Microsoft’s latest gaffes, and all sorts of information that you can’t find anywhere else. With several dozen computer books under his belt, Woody knows where the bodies are buried. He was one of the first Microsoft Consulting Partners and a charter member of the Microsoft Solutions Provider organization. He’s a one- man, major Microsoft beta testing site and delights in being a constant thorn in Microsoft’s side. Along with several coauthors and editors, he’s won an unprecedented six Computer Press Association Awards and two American Business Press Awards. Woody; his long-time girlfriend, Duangkhae Tongthueng (better known as “Add”); and twelve talented Thai staff run Khun Woody’s Bakery and its sister operation, the Sandwich Shoppe, in Patong, Phuket, Thailand. Woody moved to Phuket in late 2000, where he now lives with Add; his father, George; his teenage son, Justin; and their all-American beagle, Chronos. Most mornings you can see him jogging on Patong Beach with the dogs and then downing a latte and New Yawk bagel-n-Philly at the Shoppe. Feel free to drop by and say, “Sawadee krap!” Microsoft hit squads, please take a number and form a queue at the rear of the building. 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page v 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page vi Dedication To Dad, who’s always been there for me. And to Add, who’s helped me in more ways than I ever thought possible. 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page vii [...]... elcome to Windows Vista All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies — the no-bull, one-stop Vista reference for the rest of us Microsoft spent almost five years putting Vista together, and it shows From a fervent (and frequently irritating) devotion to security at all costs, to a new user interface crackling with Hollywood glitter, to enormous strides in the parts of Windows that folks use most, Vista rates... coverage — that feels comfortable I didn’t design this book to be read from front to back It’s a reference Each chapter and each section is meant to focus on solving a particular problem or describing a specific technique Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies should be your reference of first resort, even before you consult Windows Help and Support There’s a big reason why: Windows Help was written... its culture But, oh!, its software Vista harbors legions of problems But I, for one, wouldn’t hesitate to rank Windows Vista as one of the great engineering feats in human history No gush Just fact We’re all in this big, leaky boat together Sobering thought, that About This Book Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies takes you through the Land of the Dummies — with introductory material... with Vista 171 Meeting Windows Help and Support 171 How to Really Get Help 174 xvi Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Connecting to Remote Assistance .176 Understanding the interaction 176 Limiting an invitation .177 Troubleshooting Remote Assistance .178 Making the connection 178 Getting the Most from Vista. .. Basic: Thumbs down 39 Business Edition: Maybe .39 xiv Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Home Premium: Usually the sweet spot 41 The Ultimate 41 Windows Live OneCare 41 Chapter 4: Upgrades and Clean Installs 43 Can Your Computer Handle Vista? .43 Performing a Clean Install .45 Working through the Welcome Center... screen saver 296 Setting up a Super Boss Key .297 Using Desktop Themes 301 Chapter 2: Organizing Your Vista Interface 303 Customizing the Start Menu .303 Genesis of the Start menu 304 Pinning to the Start menu 305 xviii Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Reclaiming most recently used programs .309 Changing the All... .412 Chapter 5: Working Together — IM OK, You’re OK 413 Exploring the Alternatives 413 Making Windows Live Messenger Work 416 Tweaking Settings in Windows Live Messenger .421 Sharing Folders 422 xx Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Chapter 6: Searching on the Internet 425 Choosing a Search Engine 425 Changing... IX: Setting Up a Vista Network 667 Chapter 1: Those Pesky Network Things You Need to Know 669 Understanding Networks 669 What a network can do for you 670 How a network networks 671 Organizing Networks 672 Understanding servers and serfs .672 Introducing client/server networks 673 xxiv Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Introducing... with Vista .171 Book III: Securing Vista 187 Chapter 1: Lock Down: Spies, Spams, Scams, and Slams 189 Chapter 2: Security Center Overview 217 Chapter 3: Windows Firewall Backward and Forward .225 Chapter 4: Patching and Plugging 249 Chapter 5: Virus Protection and the Big Defender 263 Book IV: Customizing Vista 281 Chapter 1: Personalizing Your Desktop... 547 Deleting tracks from your player .548 Choosing a Skin 549 Switching skin modes 549 More skins! 550 Customizing WMP 551 xxii Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Chapter 2: Podcasting 553 Understanding Podcasting 553 Finding and Playing Podcasts 555 Publishing Your Own Podcasts . Leonhard Windows Vista ™ ALL-IN-ONE DESK REFERENCE FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_749419 ffirs.qxp 11/13/06 3:25 PM Page iii Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies. Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies. com, and