MS Windows 7

What’s in This Book

Windows 7 Your Way is all about customizing and optimizing Windows 7 on your computer system. Obviously, it covers all the new features of Windows 7; there’s something here for everyone!
To present all the various ways you can configure Windows 7 your way, this book contains 28 chapters, divided into 6 major parts. Each part walks you through a different way to have Windows your way, from basic interface personalization to hard-core system tweaks:

• Part I: Personalizing Windows—Your Way
presents all the things you can do to reconfigure Windows 7’s basic settings. That includes personalizing the desktop, of course, but also working with the taskbar and Start menu, as well as setting Windows’ default programs. This is easy stuff that makes a big difference in terms of how Windows looks and feels.

• Part II: Managing Windows Data and Media—Your Way
is all about working with various types of files. You’ll learn how to personalize Windows Explorer, as well as advanced methods of managing files and folders. There’s also a lot here about working with digital media files (photos, music, and videos), including using Windows Media Center to play your media files in your living room—and throughout your house.

• Part III: Managing Windows Users and the Network—Your Way
Is where you learn all about configuring Windows’ user accounts—and Windows’ User Account Control feature. There’s also a lot here about network configuration, including how to share files and devices over the network.

• Part IV: Optimizing Windows Online—Your Way
connects you to the Internet—and helps you speed up your Internet connection.
You’ll learn how to customize the Internet Explorer web browser, how to change default web browsers, and how to use IE’s new InPrivate Browsing mode to anonymously surf the Web. You’ll also learn how to surf safely—and avoid all the pesky nuisances that plague the Internet.

Part V: Using Windows on the Road—Your Way
is the section to read if you have a notebook PC. Windows 7 offers a lot of configuration options for mobile users, as well as ways to extend your notebook’s battery life.

• Part VI: Optimizing Windows Performance—Your Way
Presents many ways to speed up your Windows-based PC. You’ll learn how to prepare for optimization (think: protecting your data), manage your system security, remove unwanted programs and files, work with hard drives and system memory, and even tweak the Windows Registry for some high-level performance improvements. There’s also a section on running problem programs, including using the new Windows XP Mode with older applications. And we wrap things up with a section on troubleshooting Windows problems—those annoying crashes and freezes that keep you from using Windows any which way.

That’s a lot of stuff—but then again, there’s a lot you can configure in
Windows 7. When you’re done, your version of Windows will be unique;
you’ll truly have Windows 7 your way.


Introduction
Personalizing Windows-Your Way
Managing Windows Data and Media-Your Way
Managing Windows User and the Network-Your Way
Optimizing Windows Online-Your Way
Using Windows on the Road-Your Way
Optimizing Windows Performance-Your Way