Windows Vista® Secrets®

SP1 EditionPaul Thurrott

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42001ffirs.indd ii42001ffirs.indd ii 9/2/08 1:01:20 PM9/2/08 1:01:20 PM

Windows Vista® Secrets®

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Windows Vista® Secrets®

SP1 EditionPaul Thurrott

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Windows Vista® Secrets®: SP1 Edition

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.10475 Crosspoint BoulevardIndianapolis, IN 46256www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

ISBN: 978-0-470-24200-1

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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 permitted 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. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifi cally disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fi tness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or pro-motional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the pub-lisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Thurrott, Paul B. Windows Vista secrets / Paul Thurrott. — Sp1 ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-470-24200-1 (cloth/website) 1. Microsoft Windows (Computer fi le) 2. Operating systems (Computers) I. Title. QA76.76.O63T53 2008 005.4’46—dc22 2008032157

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and Secrets are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affi liates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Windows Vista is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

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To Stephanie, Mark, and Kelly

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About the AuthorThe author of over 20 books, Paul Thurrott is the news editor of Windows IT Pro Media and editor of the SuperSite for Windows (www.winsupersite.com). He writes a weekly edi-torial for Windows IT Pro UPDATE (www.windowsitpro.com/email); a daily Windows news and information newsletter called WinInfo Daily UPDATE (www.wininformant.com); and a monthly column called “Need To Know” in Windows IT Pro Magazine. He blogs daily via the SuperSite Blog and appears weekly in the highly rated Windows Weekly podcast with Leo Laporte. You can follow Paul’s exploits on Twitter (www.twitter.com/thurrott) and FriendFeed (www.friendfeed.com/thurrott).

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About the Technical EditorJoli Ballew is a technology trainer and writer in the Dallas area. She holds several certi-fications, including MCSE, MCTS, and MCDST, and is a 2008 Microsoft MVP. Joli writes books for several publishers, teaches computer classes at a local junior college, and works as a network administrator and Web designer for North Texas Graphics. She has written more than two dozen books, including two Microsoft certification titles, and has been published in over 15 languages. Joli maintains a Web site at www.joliballew.com.

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CreditsAcquisitions EditorKatie Mohr

Senior Development EditorKevin Kent

Technical EditorJoli Ballew

Production EditorDassi Zeidel

Copy EditorLuann Rouff

Editorial ManagerMary Beth Wakefi eld

Production ManagerTim Tate

Vice President and Executive Group PublisherRichard Swadley

Vice President and Executive PublisherJoseph B. Wikert

Project Coordinator, CoverLynsey Stanford

CompositorMaureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama

ProofreaderCandace English; Jen Larsen, Word One

IndexerRobert Swanson

Cover DesignerRyan Sneed

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AcknowledgmentsWriting a book is always a time-consuming process, and while I had hoped that a revi-sion like this would be easier than writing the original—well…it wasn’t. With that in mind…

Thanks especially to Stephanie for putting up with the several months of downtime this update required. You are the glue that makes our family work. I love you.

Apologies to Mark and Kelly for any missed baseball and softball games. And yes, I heard “Shh…Daddy’s working” more than once, so thanks for trying. You are both amazing.

Thanks, too, to everyone at Wiley, especially Katie and Kevin, who put up with constant delays and tardiness, not to mention the months-long drama that was the build-up to this version of the book. At least we have stories to tell.

Finally, thank you for buying this book or at least considering it.

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Contents at a Glance

Preface ...................................................................................................................................................xxviiRead This First ........................................................................................................................................... 1

Part I: Surviving Setup ........................................................................................31Chapter 1: Selecting the Right Vista Version ........................................................................................ 33Chapter 2: Installing or Upgrading to Windows Vista ......................................................................... 59Chapter 3: Hardware and Software Compatibility ..............................................................................111

Part II: The Windows Vista User Experience ..............................................133Chapter 4: What’s New in the Windows Vista User Interface ........................................................... 135Chapter 5: Where’s My Stuff? Finding and Organizing Files ............................................................179Chapter 6: Using Windows Sidebar ..................................................................................................... 205Chapter 7: Personalizing and Configuring Windows Vista .............................................................. 229

Part III: Security ................................................................................................. 259Chapter 8: Vista Security Features .......................................................................................................261Chapter 9: Users, Accounts, and UAC ................................................................................................. 283Chapter 10: Windows Vista Networking ............................................................................................. 309

Part IV: Digital Media and Entertainment ................................................. 345Chapter 11: Windows Media Player ..................................................................................................... 347Chapter 12: Zune: A Digital Media Alternative.................................................................................. 405Chapter 13: Enjoying Digital Photos .................................................................................................... 455Chapter 14: Digital Videos and DVD Movies .......................................................................................513Chapter 15: Vista in the Living Room: Windows Media Center ....................................................... 579Chapter 16: Having Fun: Games and Vista ......................................................................................... 627

Part V: Mobility .................................................................................................. 653Chapter 17: Vista to Go: Windows Vista Mobility Features .............................................................. 655Chapter 18: Using Tablet PCs and Ultra-Mobile PCs ......................................................................... 685

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xii Windows Vista Secrets

Part VI: Internet and Networking ................................................................ 725Chapter 19: Browsing the Web ..............................................................................................................727Chapter 20: Managing E-mail and Contacts .......................................................................................781Chapter 21: Turning It Up a Notch with Microsoft’s Live Services .................................................. 831

Part VII: Home Office/Power User .............................................................. 863Chapter 22: Managing Your Schedule with Windows Calendar ...................................................... 865Chapter 23: Keeping Your Data Safe ................................................................................................... 893Chapter 24: Automating Windows Vista with Windows PowerShell ................................................917Chapter 25: Beyond Vista: Managing Multiple PCs ...........................................................................941

Index .........................................................................................................................................................973

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Contents

Preface ...................................................................................................................................................xxvii

Read This First .................................................................................................................................... 1Don’t Believe the Hype .............................................................................................................................. 2The Value of Vista ...................................................................................................................................... 3Windows Vista in 15 Minutes ................................................................................................................... 3

The New Start Menu ............................................................................................................................. 4Windows Aero........................................................................................................................................ 5Flip 3D .................................................................................................................................................... 6Programs Explorer Replaces Add/Remove Programs ......................................................................... 8Putting Some Gadgets in Your Windows Sidebar .............................................................................. 8Instant Search and the Search Pane .................................................................................................... 9Internet Explorer 7.0 Catches Up ....................................................................................................... 12IE Protected Mode, Phishing Filter, and Other Security Features ................................................... 13Support for RSS News Feeds .............................................................................................................. 13Encrypt Entire Drives with BitLocker ................................................................................................ 15Use Easy Transfer to Move Data to a New PC .................................................................................. 15Parental Controls ................................................................................................................................. 17New Games: Mahjong and Chess ...................................................................................................... 18Windows Media Player 11 .................................................................................................................. 19New Music and Video Services .......................................................................................................... 21Windows Movie Maker and DVD Maker .......................................................................................... 22Windows Photo Gallery ....................................................................................................................... 23Windows Media Center ...................................................................................................................... 25

But Wait; It Gets Better ............................................................................................................................ 26Windows Vista Service Pack 1 ........................................................................................................... 26Windows Live and Microsoft’s Online Services ................................................................................ 29Windows Live OneCare and Windows Home Server ...................................................................... 29And More ............................................................................................................................................. 29

My Promise to You ................................................................................................................................... 30

Part I: Surviving Setup ........................................................................................31

Chapter 1: Selecting the Right Vista Version ......................................................................... 33An Overview of All the Vista Versions .................................................................................................. 34Understanding the Differences and Choosing the Right Version ....................................................... 36

Step 1: Whittling Down the Product Editions List ............................................................................. 36Step 2: Understanding the Differences between the Product Editions ........................................... 39Step 3: Making the Right Product-Edition Choice ............................................................................ 44

Purchasing Windows Vista ..................................................................................................................... 48With a New PC .................................................................................................................................... 48

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xiv Windows Vista Secrets

Retail Boxed Copies ............................................................................................................................ 49OEM Versions ...................................................................................................................................... 53Windows Anytime Upgrade ............................................................................................................... 55

Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 57

Chapter 2: Installing or Upgrading to Windows Vista .........................................................59Taking the Easy Way Out: Acquiring Windows Vista with a New PC .............................................. 60Interactive Setup ...................................................................................................................................... 60

Clean Install ......................................................................................................................................... 61Upgrading ............................................................................................................................................ 79Dual-Booting with Windows XP ......................................................................................................... 83

Upgrading from One Vista Version to Another: Windows Anywhere Upgrade ............................... 90How It Works ....................................................................................................................................... 91Upgrading with an Anytime Upgrade Disk ....................................................................................... 92

Installing Windows Vista Service Pack 1 .............................................................................................. 94Slipstreaming Service Packs and Other Vista Updates ....................................................................... 96Performing a Clean Install with an Upgrade Version of Vista .......................................................... 100

Microsoft’s Documented Method for Clean-Installing Vista with Upgrade Media...................... 100Delaying Product Activation ..................................................................................................................102Installing Windows Vista on a Mac ......................................................................................................105

Dual Boot: Using Boot Camp ............................................................................................................ 105Windows on Mac: Virtualization Solutions ...................................................................................... 108

Summary ..................................................................................................................................................110

Chapter 3: Hardware and Software Compatibility ............................................................. 111Hidden Perils of the Vista Upgrade ......................................................................................................112The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor ...................................................................................................113

Using the Upgrade Advisor .............................................................................................................. 114Picking through the Results .............................................................................................................. 116Drivers That Lack a Vista-Compatible Version .............................................................................. 119

Understanding Windows Vista Compatibility Issues ..........................................................................119Hardware Compatibility ................................................................................................................... 119Software Compatibility ..................................................................................................................... 120x64: Is It Time? ................................................................................................................................... 121

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Offers Better Compatibility ...............................................................121Dealing with Software Incompatibility ............................................................................................... 123

Compatibility Mode........................................................................................................................... 124Virtual PC ........................................................................................................................................... 126

Summary ..................................................................................................................................................132

Part II: The Windows Vista User Experience ..............................................133

Chapter 4: What’s New in the Windows Vista User Interface ........................................135Understanding the Windows Vista User Experience ......................................................................... 136

Windows Classic ................................................................................................................................ 139

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Contents xv

Windows Vista Basic ......................................................................................................................... 140Windows Vista Standard ................................................................................................................... 142Windows Aero.................................................................................................................................... 143

Exploring with the Windows Vista Explorer Shell ..............................................................................148Start Menu ......................................................................................................................................... 148Desktop .............................................................................................................................................. 157Taskbar ............................................................................................................................................... 163Notifi cation Area and System Clock ................................................................................................ 167Windows Vista Explorer .................................................................................................................... 170

Summary ..................................................................................................................................................177

Chapter 5: Where’s My Stuff? Finding and Organizing Files ...........................................179Understanding Special Shell Folders....................................................................................................180Visualization and Organization: How the Windows Vista Shell Works............................................183

Sorting the Vista View Styles ........................................................................................................... 186Where Is It Now? ............................................................................................................................... 191

Search Folders, Saved Searches, and Virtual Folders ........................................................................192Understanding Search Folders ......................................................................................................... 194Using Prebuilt Search Folders .......................................................................................................... 194Creating Your Own Search Folders ................................................................................................. 197

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 204

Chapter 6: Using Windows Sidebar ........................................................................................ 205What Is Windows Sidebar? .................................................................................................................... 206Launching Windows Sidebar ................................................................................................................ 208Confi guring Sidebar ...............................................................................................................................210

Confi guring the Sidebar Display ...................................................................................................... 210Adding Gadgets to the Sidebar ........................................................................................................ 214Looking at the Built-In Gadgets ....................................................................................................... 215Confi guring Gadgets ......................................................................................................................... 217Moving Gadgets to the Windows Desktop ...................................................................................... 218Removing Gadgets ............................................................................................................................ 220

Finding New Gadgets ............................................................................................................................ 222Where Have I Seen This Before? .......................................................................................................... 223Exploring Sidebar Alternatives ............................................................................................................ 225

Google Desktop ................................................................................................................................. 225Yahoo! Widgets.................................................................................................................................. 226

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 228

Chapter 7: Personalizing and Confi guring Windows Vista ..............................................229The Windows Vista User Interface ....................................................................................................... 230

Customizing the Start Menu ............................................................................................................. 230Cleaning Up the Tray Notifi cation Area .......................................................................................... 238Confi guring Folder Options .............................................................................................................. 239Forcing Explorer to Remember Window Settings ........................................................................... 241Replacing Vista’s Compressed Folders with Something Useful .................................................... 241

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xvi Windows Vista Secrets

Replacing the User Interface ............................................................................................................ 242Branding Windows Vista like a PC Maker ...................................................................................... 243

Making It Faster: Performance Tweaks ............................................................................................... 246Taking Out the Trash ........................................................................................................................ 246Making It Boot Faster ........................................................................................................................ 247Using Vista’s Performance Options .................................................................................................. 249Monitoring Performance and Reliability .......................................................................................... 251Making Menus Faster ....................................................................................................................... 253Improving Vista’s Memory ............................................................................................................... 254

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 257

Part III: Security ................................................................................................. 259

Chapter 8: Vista Security Features ..........................................................................................261Security and Windows Vista ................................................................................................................. 262Securing Windows Vista in Just Two Steps ........................................................................................ 263Windows Security Center ..................................................................................................................... 264Windows Defender ................................................................................................................................. 267Windows Firewall ................................................................................................................................. 268Windows Update .....................................................................................................................................271User Account Security Features ............................................................................................................273Internet Explorer 7 Security Features ...................................................................................................273

ActiveX Opt-In................................................................................................................................... 274Protected Mode .................................................................................................................................. 274Fix My Settings .................................................................................................................................. 276Phishing Filter .................................................................................................................................... 277Delete Browsing History ................................................................................................................... 277Other Internet Explorer Security Features ...................................................................................... 278

BitLocker Drive Encryption ...................................................................................................................278Low-Level Security Features ................................................................................................................ 282Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 282

Chapter 9: Users, Accounts, and UAC .................................................................................... 283Understanding User Accounts .............................................................................................................. 284

Creating the Initial User Account ..................................................................................................... 285Understanding Account Types ........................................................................................................ 285

User Account Control............................................................................................................................. 286Parental Controls.................................................................................................................................... 296

Confi guring Parental Controls .......................................................................................................... 296Running as Standard User with Parental Controls ......................................................................... 304

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 308

Chapter 10: Windows Vista Networking .............................................................................. 309Windows XP with SP2: First-Generation Vista Networking ..............................................................310What’s New in Windows Vista Networking .........................................................................................314Network Locations ..................................................................................................................................316

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Contents xvii

Network and Sharing Center .................................................................................................................319Network Map ..................................................................................................................................... 320Connected Networks ......................................................................................................................... 321Sharing and Discovery ...................................................................................................................... 323View Computers and Devices .......................................................................................................... 324Connect to a Network ....................................................................................................................... 326Set Up a Connection or Network ..................................................................................................... 330Managing Network Connections ..................................................................................................... 333Diagnosing and Repairing ................................................................................................................ 335

Sharing Between PCs ............................................................................................................................ 336Sharing Folders .................................................................................................................................. 336Sharing Printers ................................................................................................................................. 340Sharing Media Libraries ................................................................................................................... 343

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 343

Part IV: Digital Media and Entertainment ................................................. 345

Chapter 11: Windows Media Player ........................................................................................347Media Player Basics ............................................................................................................................... 348

Setting Up Windows Media Player 11 ............................................................................................. 348Understanding the Windows Media Player 11 User Interface ....................................................... 354Playing Music and Other Media ...................................................................................................... 363Finding and Managing Your Music ................................................................................................. 365Playing with Photos, Videos, and Recorded TV Shows .................................................................. 368

Ripping CDs to the PC ........................................................................................................................... 376Ripping Music .................................................................................................................................... 378

Burning Your Own Music CDs ............................................................................................................. 380Synchronizing with Portable Devices .................................................................................................. 383

Using Windows Media–Compatible Devices .................................................................................. 383Sharing Your Music Library .................................................................................................................. 389

Connecting to a Shared Music Library with Windows Vista ......................................................... 391Connecting to a Shared Music Library with Xbox 360 ................................................................... 393

Accessing Online Music Stores ............................................................................................................ 395Amazon MP3 ...................................................................................................................................... 395Other Windows Media Player 11–Compatible Music Stores ......................................................... 398Other Online Music Stores ............................................................................................................... 400

Windows Media Player Alternatives .................................................................................................... 400Apple iTunes ...................................................................................................................................... 401Apple QuickTime Player and QuickTime Pro ................................................................................. 401GOM Player ....................................................................................................................................... 401Media Player Classic ......................................................................................................................... 401Microsoft Zune ................................................................................................................................... 401RealNetworks RealPlayer ................................................................................................................. 402VLC Media Player ............................................................................................................................. 402WinAmp ............................................................................................................................................. 402

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 403

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xviii Windows Vista Secrets

Chapter 12: Zune: A Digital Media Alternative.................................................................. 405Why Zune? .............................................................................................................................................. 406

Zune 1.0 .............................................................................................................................................. 407Zune 2.0 .............................................................................................................................................. 408

Media Player Alternative: A Look at the Zune PC Software ............................................................. 409Finding and Installing Zune ............................................................................................................. 409Confi guring the Zune Software ........................................................................................................ 412Using Zune ......................................................................................................................................... 414Sharing Zune ..................................................................................................................................... 429

World Wide Zune: A Look at the Zune Online Services .....................................................................431Zune Marketplace ............................................................................................................................. 431Zune Social ........................................................................................................................................ 437

Zune to Go: Using Zune Devices .......................................................................................................... 440Choosing a Zune................................................................................................................................ 442Link Your Zune: Installing and Confi guring the Player ................................................................. 443To Sync or Not to Sync, That Is the Question.................................................................................. 448Updating Zune ................................................................................................................................... 452

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 453

Chapter 13: Enjoying Digital Photos .......................................................................................455Using the Pictures Folders .................................................................................................................... 456

Where Is It Now? ............................................................................................................................... 457Where Are the Pictures?.................................................................................................................... 458Organizing Photos with the Windows Vista Shell .......................................................................... 460Viewing Photos in Windows Vista ................................................................................................... 465Customizing a Picture Folder ........................................................................................................... 466

Playing Photo Slideshows from the Shell ............................................................................................ 468Managing Pictures with Windows Photo Gallery ...............................................................................470

Examining the Photo Gallery User Interface ................................................................................... 470Changing How Your Digital Memories Are Displayed .................................................................. 473Importing Pictures into Photo Gallery .............................................................................................. 481Editing Pictures .................................................................................................................................. 486Sharing Photos with Others .............................................................................................................. 492

Using Photo Gallery to Manage Digital Videos .................................................................................. 497Upgrading to Windows Live Photo Gallery ..................................................................................... 499At a Glance: Determining Which Application You’re Using.......................................................... 500Simpler Photo Selection .................................................................................................................... 501New View Styles ............................................................................................................................... 502Photo Stitching ................................................................................................................................... 503Adjust Detail/Sharpen Photo Fix ...................................................................................................... 504QuickTime Movie Support ............................................................................................................... 504Dramatically Improved Photo Acquisition ....................................................................................... 505Integration with Windows Live Services and Third-Party Services .............................................. 510

Summary ..................................................................................................................................................511

Chapter 14: Digital Videos and DVD Movies ........................................................................513Managing Digital Movies with Windows Vista ...................................................................................514

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Contents xix

Watching and Managing Movies with Windows Photo Gallery and Windows Live Photo Gallery .......................................................................................................... 517

Watching and Managing Movies with Windows Media Player .................................................... 520Watching and Managing Movies with Windows Media Center ................................................... 521

Editing Digital Video with Windows Movie Maker ........................................................................... 525Starting Windows Movie Maker ...................................................................................................... 526Understanding the Movie Maker User Interface ............................................................................ 528Importing Digital Media into a Project ............................................................................................ 530Editing a Recorded TV Show or Movie ........................................................................................... 533Sharing Your Movies ......................................................................................................................... 546Saving and Working with Projects ................................................................................................... 553

Creating DVD Movies with Windows DVD Maker ............................................................................ 553Adding Photos and Videos to Your DVD Project ............................................................................ 556Naming Your DVD Movie ................................................................................................................ 560Understanding DVD Movie Options ................................................................................................ 561Working with DVD Menus ............................................................................................................... 563Changing Other DVD Options ......................................................................................................... 564Writing the Movie to Disk ................................................................................................................. 569

The Final Frontier: Duplicating and Copying DVDs .......................................................................... 569Duplicating DVD Movies .................................................................................................................. 571Ripping DVDs to the PC ................................................................................................................... 573

Summary ..................................................................................................................................................578

Chapter 15: Vista in the Living Room: Windows Media Center ....................................579A Short History of Media Center .......................................................................................................... 580Media Center in Windows Vista .......................................................................................................... 582Confi guring Media Center ................................................................................................................... 584

Running the Setup Wizard ................................................................................................................ 585Confi guring Media Center Features after Setup ............................................................................ 593

A Somewhat New User Interface.......................................................................................................... 596Exploring the Media Center Experiences ........................................................................................... 601

TV and Movies................................................................................................................................... 601Pictures and Videos ........................................................................................................................... 607Music .................................................................................................................................................. 609

Accessing Windows Media Center Away from the PC .......................................................................612Using an Xbox 360 or Media Center Extender ............................................................................... 613Synchronizing with Portable Devices .............................................................................................. 619Burning a DVD Movie or Music CD ................................................................................................ 622

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 626

Chapter 16: Having Fun: Games and Vista ...........................................................................627Games Included with Windows Vista .................................................................................................. 628

Chess Titans ....................................................................................................................................... 628FreeCell .............................................................................................................................................. 629Hearts ................................................................................................................................................. 629Hold ’Em............................................................................................................................................. 629InkBall ................................................................................................................................................ 631

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xx Windows Vista Secrets

Mahjong Titans .................................................................................................................................. 631Minesweeper ..................................................................................................................................... 632Purble Place ....................................................................................................................................... 633Solitaire .............................................................................................................................................. 633Spider Solitaire .................................................................................................................................. 633

Using the Games Folder ........................................................................................................................ 635Game Updates and Options .............................................................................................................. 637Rating Your System’s Performance .................................................................................................. 638Managing Your Game Controllers and Other Game-Related Hardware ..................................... 639

Installing and Playing Third-Party Games ......................................................................................... 642Using Legacy Games with Windows Vista ...................................................................................... 642

Downloading More Games for Windows Vista ................................................................................... 645Games for Windows Live ....................................................................................................................... 646

Xbox Live on Windows: What Needs to Happen ............................................................................ 647The Games for Windows Live Experience ...................................................................................... 647

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 652

Part V: Mobility .................................................................................................. 653

Chapter 17: Vista to Go: Windows Vista Mobility Features ............................................655Windows Vista on the Road .................................................................................................................. 656Working with the Vista User Interface ................................................................................................ 656Power Management ............................................................................................................................... 660

Updated Battery Meter ..................................................................................................................... 661Power Plans ........................................................................................................................................ 663Power Options Control Panel ........................................................................................................... 665Deleting a Power Plan ....................................................................................................................... 674

Windows Mobility Center ......................................................................................................................675Presentations A-Go-Go ......................................................................................................................... 677

Presentation Settings ......................................................................................................................... 677Using a Network Projector ................................................................................................................ 678

Other Mobile Features ...........................................................................................................................678Offl ine Files and Folders ................................................................................................................... 678Windows Meeting Space .................................................................................................................. 680Windows SideShow ........................................................................................................................... 683Improved Support for Tablet PC Hardware .................................................................................... 683

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 684

Chapter 18: Using Tablet PCs and Ultra-Mobile PCs ........................................................ 685A Short History of the Tablet PC .......................................................................................................... 686Tablet PC Capabilities in Windows Vista ............................................................................................ 690Using a Tablet PC ................................................................................................................................... 690

Confi guring Tablet PC Features ...................................................................................................... 691Tablet PC Input Panel ....................................................................................................................... 697Flicks and Gestures ........................................................................................................................... 702Password Hiding on Logon with Pen ............................................................................................... 707

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Contents xxi

Shell Changes for Tablet PC Users .................................................................................................. 708Revisiting Some Old Friends ............................................................................................................ 710

Working with Ultra-Mobile PCs ............................................................................................................714Origami 1.0 ........................................................................................................................................ 714A Vista Origami ................................................................................................................................. 715A Tour of the UMPC Software .......................................................................................................... 716

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 724

Part VI: Internet and Networking ................................................................ 725

Chapter 19: Browsing the Web .................................................................................................727What Happened ..................................................................................................................................... 728Basic Internet Explorer Usage .............................................................................................................. 729

Starting Internet Explorer ................................................................................................................. 729New Link, New Window…or New Tab ........................................................................................... 730Managing Downloads from the Internet ......................................................................................... 730Edit on the Internet Explorer Toolbar .............................................................................................. 731The Complete AutoComplete ........................................................................................................... 731Finding Web Sites ............................................................................................................................. 732Autosearch for a Web Address ......................................................................................................... 733Copy and Paste Links ........................................................................................................................ 733Toggling Internet Explorer between Full-Screen Mode and Restore ........................................... 733Favorites and Offl ine Web Pages ..................................................................................................... 734URL Shortcuts .................................................................................................................................... 735Saving Graphics from the Web to Your PC ..................................................................................... 736Saving Complete Web Pages ........................................................................................................... 736Turning Your Favorites into a Web Page ........................................................................................ 737

Internet Explorer 7 Is Not Your Father’s Web Browser ....................................................................... 738The Command Bar ............................................................................................................................ 739Where Is It Now? ............................................................................................................................... 741

New Internet Explorer 7 Features and Functionality ..........................................................................742Managing Your Favorite Web Sites with Favorites Center ........................................................... 742Navigating the Web with Tabbed Browsing ................................................................................... 745Integrated Web Search ..................................................................................................................... 749Working with the Internet Explorer 7 Display ................................................................................ 752Printing ............................................................................................................................................... 755Covering Your Tracks ....................................................................................................................... 759

Understanding and Using RSS ............................................................................................................. 760Viewing an RSS Feed ........................................................................................................................ 761Subscribing to an RSS Feed .............................................................................................................. 763Managing RSS Feeds ........................................................................................................................ 763RSS Is a Platform................................................................................................................................ 765

Internet Explorer 7 Keyboard Shortcuts .............................................................................................. 766To the Future with Internet Explorer 8 ................................................................................................ 768

Activities ............................................................................................................................................. 768WebSlices ........................................................................................................................................... 770

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xxii Windows Vista Secrets

Other New Features in Internet Explorer 8 ..................................................................................... 772Developer-Oriented Changes .......................................................................................................... 773

Web Browser Alternatives: Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari ............................................................774Mozilla Firefox ................................................................................................................................... 774Apple Safari ....................................................................................................................................... 777

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 780

Chapter 20: Managing E-mail and Contacts .........................................................................781Windows Mail Basics ..............................................................................................................................782

Confi guring Windows Mail: A Few Quick Tips for Getting Started ............................................. 783Changing Windows Mail Options Right Away ............................................................................... 784More Windows Mail Features .......................................................................................................... 785Working Online or Offl ine ................................................................................................................ 787Using a Nondefault Mail or News Account ..................................................................................... 787

Using Windows Mail with E-mail ........................................................................................................ 788Handling Multiple E-mail Accounts ................................................................................................ 788Choosing Which Account to Send Your Messages Through ......................................................... 788New Mail Notifi cations ..................................................................................................................... 789Leaving Mail on the Server .............................................................................................................. 789Converting Mail ................................................................................................................................. 789

Reading and Managing Messages ....................................................................................................... 789Did You Receive the Message? ........................................................................................................ 790Choosing Your Columns ................................................................................................................... 790

Composing and Sending Messages ..................................................................................................... 790Using the Drafts Folder ..................................................................................................................... 791Quoting in Replies and Forwards ..................................................................................................... 791

Messages Formatted in HTML ............................................................................................................. 792Attachments............................................................................................................................................ 792New Features in Windows Mail ........................................................................................................... 793

Slightly Updated User Interface ....................................................................................................... 793No More Support for Web Mail ........................................................................................................ 793Web Instant Search ........................................................................................................................... 795Contacts Integration .......................................................................................................................... 796Automatic Spell Checking ................................................................................................................ 796No More Identities ............................................................................................................................. 798New Mail Storage .............................................................................................................................. 799Security Features ............................................................................................................................... 800

Windows Live Mail: The Next Generation .......................................................................................... 801Installing Windows Live Mail ........................................................................................................... 803Understanding the Windows Live User Interface ........................................................................... 805Accessing RSS Feeds ......................................................................................................................... 810Using Photo Mail ............................................................................................................................... 813

Managing Contacts ................................................................................................................................819Contacts in Windows Vista ............................................................................................................... 820Windows Live Contacts: Your Contacts in the Clouds ................................................................... 825Importing and Exporting: Moving Contacts between Windows Live and Windows Contacts ... 828

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 829

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Contents xxiii

Chapter 21: Turning It Up a Notch with Microsoft’s Live Services ................................831Windows Live and Windows Vista ....................................................................................................... 833Going Online and Learning about Windows Live.............................................................................. 836Windows Live Services That Make Windows Vista Better ............................................................... 836

Tying It All Together: Windows Live ID .......................................................................................... 836Windows Live Hotmail (Hotmail) and Windows Live Contacts ..................................................... 837Windows Live Spaces ........................................................................................................................ 843Windows Live Events ........................................................................................................................ 844Windows Live SkyDrive .................................................................................................................... 845Windows Live Suite ........................................................................................................................... 846Windows Live OneCare .................................................................................................................... 851

A Few Other Windows Live Services ................................................................................................... 853Live.com ............................................................................................................................................. 853Windows Live OneCare Safety Scanner and Windows Live OneCare Family Safety ................. 855

Beyond Windows Live ........................................................................................................................... 856Live Mesh ........................................................................................................................................... 856MSN .................................................................................................................................................... 861

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 862

Part VII: Home Offi ce/Power User .............................................................. 863

Chapter 22: Managing Your Schedule with Windows Calendar .................................... 865Understanding PC Calendaring ........................................................................................................... 866Exploring Windows Calendar ............................................................................................................... 868

Understanding the Windows Calendar Interface ........................................................................... 869Understanding Windows Calendar Lingo ....................................................................................... 870Working with Calendars and Groups .............................................................................................. 870Understanding Calendar Views and Navigation ............................................................................ 872Hiding and Viewing Calendars ........................................................................................................ 875Confi guring Windows Calendar ....................................................................................................... 875

Working with Appointments ................................................................................................................. 876Examining Appointment Details ...................................................................................................... 877Confi guring Appointments ............................................................................................................... 880

Taking Calendar to Task…with Tasks ................................................................................................. 880Creating Tasks ................................................................................................................................... 880Confi guring Tasks ............................................................................................................................. 882

Sharing Calendars ................................................................................................................................. 882Importing and Exporting Calendars ................................................................................................ 883Publishing and Subscribing to Calendars ....................................................................................... 883

Searching Calendars ............................................................................................................................. 887Printing Calendars ................................................................................................................................. 888Integrating with Other Windows Vista Applications ......................................................................... 889A Quick Look at Windows Live Calendar ........................................................................................... 890Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 891

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xxiv Windows Vista Secrets

Chapter 23: Keeping Your Data Safe ......................................................................................893Different Backups, Different Goals ...................................................................................................... 894

Data Backup ....................................................................................................................................... 894Complete PC Backup ........................................................................................................................ 895File Recovery ..................................................................................................................................... 895

Available Tools in Various Vista Versions ........................................................................................... 895One Tool to Rule Them All: Using the Backup and Restore Center ................................................. 896

Backing Up Documents, Pictures, and Other Data ......................................................................... 897Managing Backups ............................................................................................................................ 904Restoring Files ................................................................................................................................... 905Backing Up the Entire PC ................................................................................................................. 908Restoring the Entire PC ..................................................................................................................... 911

Recovering Old Versions of Data Files ..................................................................................................912Using System Restore to Repair Windows ............................................................................................914Summary ..................................................................................................................................................916

Chapter 24: Automating Windows Vista with Windows PowerShell ...........................917Getting PowerShell .................................................................................................................................918Understanding PowerShell ....................................................................................................................919

Constructing a PowerShell Command ............................................................................................. 921Seeing All the Commands ................................................................................................................ 923Getting Help with Commands .......................................................................................................... 924Why a New Language? ..................................................................................................................... 924

Windows PowerShell Quick Reference ............................................................................................... 926Add ..................................................................................................................................................... 926Clear ................................................................................................................................................... 926Compare ............................................................................................................................................. 927Convert ............................................................................................................................................... 927Copy ................................................................................................................................................... 927Export ................................................................................................................................................. 928ForEach .............................................................................................................................................. 928Format ................................................................................................................................................ 928Get ...................................................................................................................................................... 929Import ................................................................................................................................................. 930Invoke ................................................................................................................................................. 931Join ..................................................................................................................................................... 931Measure .............................................................................................................................................. 931Move ................................................................................................................................................... 931New .................................................................................................................................................... 932Out ...................................................................................................................................................... 932Pop ...................................................................................................................................................... 933Push .................................................................................................................................................... 933Read .................................................................................................................................................... 933Remove ............................................................................................................................................... 934Rename ............................................................................................................................................... 934Resolve ............................................................................................................................................... 934Restart ................................................................................................................................................. 935

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Contents xxv

Resume ............................................................................................................................................... 935Select .................................................................................................................................................. 935Set ....................................................................................................................................................... 935Sort ...................................................................................................................................................... 936Split ..................................................................................................................................................... 936Start .................................................................................................................................................... 937Stop ..................................................................................................................................................... 937Suspend .............................................................................................................................................. 937Tee ...................................................................................................................................................... 937Test ..................................................................................................................................................... 938Trace ................................................................................................................................................... 938Update ................................................................................................................................................ 938Where ................................................................................................................................................. 938Write ................................................................................................................................................... 939

Taking It to the Next Level ................................................................................................................... 939Useful Windows PowerShell Web Sites ........................................................................................... 939Recommended Windows PowerShell Books ................................................................................... 940

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 940

Chapter 25: Beyond Vista: Managing Multiple PCs ...........................................................941Windows Live OneCare ........................................................................................................................ 942

Windows Live OneCare Management Concepts ............................................................................ 943Installing and Confi guring Windows Live OneCare ...................................................................... 945Windows Live OneCare Features .................................................................................................... 947

Windows Home Server .......................................................................................................................... 954Windows Home Server Installation and Confi guration .................................................................. 955Admin Console Drive-By .................................................................................................................. 958Deep Dive: Windows Home Server Features .................................................................................. 965

Windows Live OneCare/Windows Home Server Integration ............................................................971Summary ..................................................................................................................................................971

Index .........................................................................................................................................................973

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PrefaceWelcome to the SP1 edition of Windows Vista Secrets, which I hope you’ll agree is a vastly expanded and improved version of the original. I also hope you enjoy combing through this book as much as I enjoyed digging deep into Windows Vista to find the most valuable information for you.

—Paul Thurrott thurrott@windowsitpro.com July 2008

Web Site Supporting the BookFor updates, errata, new information, and an ongoing blog with interactive discussions, please visit www.winsupersite.com. This book is only the beginning: More secrets can be found online.

Icons Used in This BookThe following icons are used in this book to help draw your attention to some of the most important or most useful information in the book.

The Tip icon indicates a helpful trick.

The Note icon points out items of importance.

The Cross-Reference icon points to chapters where additional information can be found.

The Caution icon warns you about possible negative side-effects or precautions you should take before making a change.

The Secret icon marks little-known facts that are not obvious to most Windows users. This information is rarely documented by Microsoft, and when it is, it’s done so in a way that’s not easy for users to fi nd.

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