Windows 8 Step by Step

Microsoft Windows 8......Page 3
Contents......Page 5
Windows 8 Features by Edition......Page 17
Minimum System Requirements......Page 19
What’s Different from Windows 7?......Page 20
Who This Book Is For......Page 22
Modifying the Display of the Ribbon in File Explorer......Page 23
Dynamic Ribbon Elements......Page 25
Changing the Width of the Ribbon......Page 26
Adapting Exercise Steps......Page 27
Conventions and Features in This Book......Page 29
Downloading and Using the Practice Files......Page 31
Errata......Page 32
Stay in Touch......Page 33
1 Introducing Windows 8......Page 35
Setting Up Windows 8......Page 36
Using the Lock Screen......Page 37
Exploring the Start Screen......Page 39
Moving Around in the Start Screen......Page 41
Moving Tiles on the Start Screen......Page 43
Customizing the Start Screen with Live Tiles......Page 44
Using Charms......Page 46
Searching for Data, Programs, Files, and Settings......Page 50
Accessing the Traditional Desktop......Page 53
Using the Taskbar and Start Button......Page 54
Working with Multiple Windows and Apps......Page 59
Working with PC Settings and Control Panel......Page 69
Ending a Computing Session......Page 77
Key Points......Page 79
2 Making Windows Look and Sound the Way
You Want......Page 81
Personalizing the Start Screen......Page 82
Personalizing the Lock Screen......Page 86
Changing Your User Account Type......Page 89
Customizing Your User Account Settings......Page 91
Personalizing the Desktop......Page 94
Changing How the Taskbar Looks......Page 96
Changing the Sound Scheme......Page 101
Accessing and Exploring Advanced Settings......Page 102
Switching to a Different Power Plan......Page 104
Key Points......Page 106
3 Using Apps on the Start Screen......Page 109
Using the Photos App
......Page 110
Using the Music App......Page 116
Using the Video App......Page 123
Using the Maps App......Page 124
Exploring the Other Apps......Page 127
Managing Apps for the Long Term......Page 132
Exploring Accessories and Tools......Page 134
Key Points......Page 138
4 Saving, Browsing, and Organizing Files and
Folders......Page 141
Understanding Files, Folders, and Libraries......Page 142
Explaining the Most Common File Types......Page 146
Accessing Your User Folders......Page 151
Understanding User Folders......Page 154
Saving Files Effectively......Page 156
Understanding Libraries......Page 158
Navigating the File Explorer Ribbon Interface......Page 160
Organizing Files and Folders......Page 165
Renaming Files......Page 168
Sharing Files with the Share Tab......Page 170
Customizing File Explorer with the View Tab
......Page 171
Searching in File Explorer......Page 175
Customizing Libraries......Page 176
Working with Deleted Files and the
Recycle Bin......Page 181
Key Points......Page 183
5 Using Internet Explorer 10......Page 185
What Is New about Internet Explorer 10......Page 186
Launching Internet Explorer......Page 188
Using the Internet Explorer App......Page 189
Using the Internet Explorer Desktop Application......Page 196
Pinning Websites to the Start Screen......Page 198
Browsing the Web Using the InPrivate Mode......Page 200
Downloading Files from the Internet......Page 202
Setting the Default Internet Explorer Version......Page 204
Key Points
......Page 208
6 Using SkyDrive
......Page 211
Using SkyDrive......Page 212
Browsing SkyDrive from the SkyDrive App......Page 213
Uploading a File with the SkyDrive App......Page 217
Downloading a File with the SkyDrive App......Page 220
Accessing SkyDrive from a Web Browser......Page 222
Synchronizing Your Windows 8 Settings......Page 224
Key Points......Page 227
7 Using the Social Apps......Page 229
Using the Mail App......Page 230
Adding a Hotmail Account to the Mail App......Page 232
Sending an Email with a SkyDrive Attachment......Page 236
Using the People App......Page 239
Connecting to Your Facebook Account Using the People App......Page 241
Adding a New Contact to the People App......Page 246
Using the Calendar App......Page 248
Adding an Event to Your Calendar......Page 251
Using the Messaging App......Page 255
Starting a Conversation with the Messaging App......Page 257
Using the Camera App......Page 260
Key Points......Page 262
8 Shopping in the Windows Store......Page 265
Exploring the Landing Page......Page 266
Browsing the Store by Category and Top Free......Page 269
Searching the Store......Page 270
Exploring an App’s Listing Page......Page 272
Obtaining and Installing an App......Page 273
Using Apps......Page 275
Updating Apps......Page 276
Write a Review......Page 277
Key Points......Page 279
9 Having Fun with Multimedia......Page 281
Exploring the Windows Media Player Interface......Page 282
Ripping Your CD Collection......Page 287
Creating and Burning Playlists......Page 289
Sharing Media with a Network......Page 292
Obtaining Windows Media Center......Page 293
Learn About Windows Media Center Features......Page 295
Key Points......Page 297
What’s Required for Playing Games......Page 299
Where to Find Games......Page 300
Calculating Your Windows Experience Index......Page 302
Connecting Windows 8 to Your Xbox......Page 306
Key Points......Page 309
11 Connecting to a Network and the Internet......Page 311
Understanding the Jargon: Router, ISP, Network Adapter, and Other Terminology......Page 312
Using the Networking and Sharing Center......Page 313
Connecting to a Wireless Network......Page 316
Connecting to a Hidden Wireless Network......Page 324
Connecting to the Internet through a Mobile Modem......Page 330
Changing the Network Profile of a Network......Page 331
Key Points......Page 334
12 Allowing Others to Use the Computer......Page 337
What Is a User Account and How Many Do I Need?......Page 338
Introducing the Microsoft Account (Windows Live ID)......Page 340
Accessing the User Accounts Settings......Page 341
Adding a New User Account......Page 345
Switching between User Accounts
......Page 353
Changing the Password for Your User Account......Page 355
Creating a Picture Password for Your User Account......Page 359
Creating a PIN for Your User Account......Page 365
Changing a User Account Picture......Page 368
Changing a User Account Name......Page 371
Changing a User Account Type......Page 373
Deleting a User Account......Page 376
Key Points......Page 381
13 Sharing Files and Folders with My Network......Page 383
Understanding the Default Network Sharing Settings......Page 384
Setting Up a Homegroup......Page 389
Joining a Homegroup......Page 395
Finding Your Homegroup Password......Page 397
Changing the Password of a Homegroup......Page 398
Accessing Homegroup Computers and Devices......Page 401
Leaving a Homegroup......Page 402
Using the Sharing Wizard to Share with the Homegroup......Page 403
Using the Sharing Wizard to Share with Specific People......Page 405
Sharing a Printer with Computers on Your Network......Page 411
Sharing a Printer with Your Homegroup......Page 416
Enabling the Sharing Wizard......Page 419
Key Points......Page 421
14 Keeping Windows 8 Safe and Secure......Page 423
Understanding the User Account Control (UAC)......Page 424
Changing the UAC Level......Page 427
Using the Windows Firewall......Page 430
Turning Windows Firewall Off or On......Page 433
Customizing the List of Allowed Programs......Page 436
Adding New Apps to the Allowed List......Page 439
Removing Apps from the Allowed List......Page 441
Restoring the Windows Firewall Default Settings......Page 443
Using Windows Defender......Page 444
Removing Quarantined Files......Page 448
Reasons to Consider Commercial Security Solutions......Page 453
Key Points......Page 455
15 Preventing Problems......Page 457
Keeping Your System Up to Date with Windows Update......Page 458
Checking for and Installing Available Updates......Page 461
Using File History in Windows 8......Page 463
Turning On File History......Page 469
Restoring Files with File History......Page 471
Using System Restore......Page 474
Launching System Restore......Page 475
Restoring to a Previous State with System Restore......Page 477
Using the Action Center......Page 481
Configuring the Messages Action Center Shows......Page 484
Key Points......Page 486
16 Supervising a Child’s Computer Use......Page 489
Turning on Family Safety......Page 490
Setting Time Limits and Application Restrictions......Page 493
Setting Restrictions for Games and Windows Store Apps......Page 502
Setting Restrictions for Websites and Downloads......Page 507
Understanding Messages Family Safety Shows......Page 512
Managing Family Safety Settings and Viewing Activity Reports......Page 513
Key Points......Page 517
17 Making My Computer Accessible......Page 519
Accessing the Ease of Access Center......Page 520
Letting Windows Suggest Ease of Access Settings......Page 523
Using the Magnifier......Page 526
Using Narrator......Page 530
Using the On-Screen Keyboard......Page 532
Set Up and Use Windows Speech Recognition......Page 536
Key Points......Page 541
18 Using Windows 8 at Work......Page 543
Using the Windows Mobility Center......Page 544
Turning On Presentation Mode......Page 546
Using BitLocker to Encrypt Drives......Page 549
Encrypting the Operating System Drive with BitLocker......Page 552
Encrypting Removable Data Drives with BitLocker
......Page 560
Accessing an Encrypted Removable Drive......Page 563
Decrypting a BitLocker-Protected Drive......Page 564
Key Points......Page 565
19 Using Windows 8 on Touch-Compatible Devices......Page 567
Setting Up Touch Hardware......Page 568
Learning General Touch Gestures......Page 571
Using Multi-Touch Gestures......Page 575
Changing Touch-Input Settings......Page 576
Using the Math Input Panel......Page 580
Key Points......Page 583
20 20 Tips for Improving Your Windows 8 Computing Experience
......Page 585
Adding Shut Down, Restart, Sign Out, and Other Shortcuts to the Start Screen......Page 586
Adding a Control Panel Shortcut to the Start Screen......Page 588
Naming Groups of Shortcuts on the Start Screen......Page 590
Adding Clocks and Time Zones to the Windows Taskbar......Page 593
Adding the Recycle Bin to the Windows Taskbar......Page 595
Using the Hidden System Menu......Page 596
Logging On to Windows 8 Automatically, Without Entering Your Password Each Time......Page 597
Running an Application as Administrator......Page 599
Adding or Removing Windows Features......Page 601
Turning Off Notifications for Windows 8 Apps......Page 604
Defragmenting a Disk Drive Manually......Page 607
Freeing Up Disk Space with Disk Cleanup......Page 609
Changing the Location of the Downloads Folder and Other User Folders......Page 612
Burning a Disc with File Explorer......Page 615
Accessing SkyDrive from the Desktop and File Explorer......Page 618
Using Shortened URLs When You Want to Share Files from SkyDrive......Page 620
Five Ways to Launch Task Manager in Windows 8......Page 623
Optimizing Startup Items with Task Manager......Page 625
Changing the Defaults for Programs, File Extensions, and AutoPlay Dialog Boxes......Page 629
Key Points......Page 633
21 Troubleshooting Problems......Page 635
Resolve Most Problems with Common Solutions......Page 636
Letting Windows Fix Problems for You......Page 639
Using Help and Support......Page 642
Asking for Remote Assistance......Page 644
Exploring Advanced Troubleshooting Tools......Page 649
Refreshing Your PC......Page 656
Resetting Your PC......Page 657
Key Points......Page 658
Learning Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 8......Page 661
Exploring Touch Keyboard Shortcuts......Page 667
Using Touch Gestures in Windows 8......Page 669
Key Points......Page 672
B Enhancements for Using Multiple Displays in Windows 8
......Page 675
Using Windows 8 with a Dual-Monitor Setup......Page 676
Installing Windows 8......Page 681
Upgrading to Windows 8......Page 702
Key Points......Page 719
Transferring Your Data to Windows 8 with Windows Easy Transfer......Page 721
Key Points......Page 729
Glossary......Page 731
Index
......Page 753
About the Authors
......Page 777