windows.microsoft.com Tutorials

Uninstall Windows 7 on a multiboot system
If you are running a multiboot system with Windows 7 installed on a computer that is also running an earlier version of Windows, such as Windows Vista, you might be able to safely remove Windows 7 from the computer, depending on how the computer is set up.

Create a boot partition
A boot partition is a partition that contains the files for the Windows operating system. If you want to install a second operating system on your computer (called a dual-boot or multiboot configuration), you need to create another partition on the hard disk, and then install the additional operating system on the new partition. Your hard disk would then have one system partition and two boot partitions. (A system partition is the partition that contains the hardware-related files. These tell the computer where to look to start Windows.)

Convert a hard disk or partition to FAT32 format
Before you begin, note that the FAT32 file system has size limitations. You can't create a FAT32 partition greater than 32 gigabytes (GB). Also, you can't store a file larger than 4 GB on a FAT32 partition. If the partition you want to format is larger than 32 GB, the NTFS format might be a better option.

Delete a hard disk partition
When you delete a hard disk partition or volume (the terms partition and volume are often used interchangeably), you create empty space that you can use to create new partitions. Watch this video to learn how to delete a partition.

Managing hard disks
Hard disks store information on your computer, including Windows, your programs, and your personal files. Managing a hard disk is different from managing the files and folders that are stored on it. Managing a hard disk involves changing the hard disk itself, such as formatting or repartitioning it.

Print a test page
After installing a printer, it's helpful to print a test page. A test page does two things: It provides visual confirmation that your printer works; it can also contain useful troubleshooting information, such as details about the printer driver. Watch this video to learn how to print a test page.

Install a printer on a home network
There are two basic ways to make a printer available to the computers on your home network: (1)Attach it directly to one computer and share it with all the others on a network. (2)Connect the printer as a stand-alone device on the network itself. This article explains how to do both in Windows. However, you should always first consult the information that came with your model for specific installation and setup instructions.

Fax or e-mail a scanned document
After you scan a document or picture, you can use Windows Fax and Scan to e-mail or fax it to someone.

Create or edit a fax cover page
Windows Fax and Scan, included with this version of Windows, comes with four pre-designed cover pages. You can also use the program to create your own custom cover pages.

Using System Configuration
System Configuration is a tool that can help identify problems that might prevent Windows from starting correctly. You can start Windows with common services and startup programs turned off and then turn them back on, one at a time. If a problem doesn't occur when a service is turned off, but does occur when that service is turned on, then the service could be the cause of the problem.

Start System Configuration
System Configuration is an advanced tool that can help identify problems that could prevent Windows from starting correctly.

Stop a program from running automatically when Windows starts
You can improve your computer's performance by preventing unnecessary programs from running automatically when Windows starts.

Troubleshoot AutoPlay problems
Here are solutions to some common problems with AutoPlay. The AutoPlay options only appeared the first time I plugged in a device or inserted a disc. How can I find them again, so I can choose a different action? I set a default action, but the AutoPlay dialog box continues to appear. How can I turn off AutoPlay so it will stop asking me what program I want to use? How can I stop AutoPlay from automatically opening a program when I plug in a device or insert a disc? AutoPlay doesn't start when I insert a disc or plug in a device. Why don't I see the AutoPlay prompt for some types of media or devices? In the past, I held down Shift to prevent the AutoPlay dialog box from appearing. Why doesn't that work now? Why does it take so long for AutoPlay to discover the types of content on my storage device?

Keeping computers on a network up to date
This article contains information to help you manage updates over a network and to help you find the right updates for each computer on a network. Every computer on a network needs updates that are designed for the version of Windows that it's running. A computer running Windows Vista, for example, doesn't need the same updates as a computer that is running this version of Windows.

How can I tell if my computer is up to date?
Your computer is up to date when you've installed the latest updates for Windows and your programs. To check for Windows updates, follow these steps:

Convert a hard disk or partition to NTFS format
The NTFS file system provides better performance and security for data on hard disks and partitions or volumes than the FAT file system used in some earlier versions of Windows. If you have a partition that uses the earlier FAT16 or FAT32 file system, you can convert it to NTFS.

How do I change the password requirement when my computer wakes from sleep?
To help secure your computer, Windows requires a password to unlock the computer when it wakes from sleep. It's a good idea to protect information by using a password, especially if there is confidential information on your computerbut, if you're the only one who uses the computer at home, and you don't want to enter a password every time your computer wakes, you can change this setting .

Using special characters (Character Map): frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about using special characters and Character Map. What is a special character? What is Character Map? How do I open Character Map? How do I insert a special character into a document? What is a private character? How do I create a private character? How do I insert a private character into a document? How do I search for a character by name? How do I search for a character by Unicode category? How do I search for a character by Unicode value? How do I search for a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean character by the way it sounds?

What are the risks of resetting a password?
If you reset your password using a password reset disk, there are no risks. If you use an administrator account to reset a password for another user, that user will lose access to their encrypted files, encrypted email messages, and stored passwords for websites or network resources. If the user doesn't have any of these things, or doesn't mind losing them, then using an administrator account to reset a password is a fast and easy way to recover from a forgotten password .

Reset your Windows password
The steps that you should follow will vary, depending on whether your computer is on a domain or a workgroup.