Sync manually in Windows Media Player
If you have a large music collection in your Windows Media Player Library or limited storage capacity on your portable device, it might make sense to sync your device manually. Each time you want to update the media on your device, you need to create a list of files and playlists to sync. If you want to create a random selection of songs, you can shuffle the list before you sync. Previously synced items will stay on your device until you delete each of them manually, or you can use the format feature to remove all previously synced data.

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Enable or Disable the Use Of Offline Files
If you work with files on a network, you can make the files available offline so you can access them even when your computer is not connected to the network. This is especially useful if you use a laptop to connect to a workplace network. When you make a network file, or all files in a network folder, available offline, Windows creates a copy of the file or folder on your computer. This is called an offline file. The next time you disconnect from the network, you'll still be able to open, modify, and save the file the same way you would if you were still connected. And when you do connect to the network again, Windows will automatically sync the offline file on your computer with the corresponding file on the network to update it.

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Windows Media Player sync: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about syncing a device in Windows Media Player. What devices can I sync to? What kinds of files can I sync? How do I know which files will sync to my device with automatic sync? Can I copy a file from my device to my computer? What happens if I delete files from my Player Library or the device? Can I stop the Player from starting to sync when I connect my device?

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How to View and Change Your Offline Files Status
This will show you how to view and change if you are currently working with the offline or online version of your available offline files in Windows 7.

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How to View All Your Offline Files
If you have made network files or folders to be Always available offline, then this will show you how to view all your available offline files in one place.

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How to Encrypt or Unencrypt Offline Files
Offline files are copies of network files that are stored on your computer so that you can work with them when you're not connected to the network or when the network folder that the files are stored in is not available. File encryption provides an additional level of access protection that works independently of NTFS file system permissions. Offline files are not encrypted by default. You might want to encrypt your offline files if they contain sensitive or confidential information to help prevent unauthorized access to them. This can also help safeguard your files in case your computer is ever lost or stolen.

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How to Manage the Offline Files Disk Space Usage
The size and number of your offline files determine how much hard disk space your offline files use. This will show you how to manage your offline files so that you can find out how much hard disk space they are currently using, and to change how much maximum hard disk space to allow for them.

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How to Make Network Files or Folders Available Offline
This will show you how to make a network file or folder to be Always available offline or not.

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Sync music, pictures, contacts, and calendars with a mobile device
There are two primary ways to sync a mobile phone, portable music player, or other mobile device with your computer. You can install the sync software that many manufacturers include with their devices, or you can use the new Device Stage feature in this version of Windows if your device supports this feature.

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How to manually create a restore point
This video tutorial shows you how to manually create a system restore point in Windows seven.

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Add a device or computer to a network
Depending on the operating system your computer is running and whether your network devices support newer technologies, the steps for adding a device or computer to the network will vary. Learn: To add a wireless computer running Windows 7 or Windows Vista Service Pack 2 by using a push button; To add a wireless computer running Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP by using a USB flash drive; To manually add a wireless computer running Windows 7; To manually add a wireless computer running Windows Vista; To manually add a wireless computer running Windows XP; To add a wired (Ethernet) computer running Windows 7; To add a wired (Ethernet) computer running Windows Vista; To add a wired (Ethernet) computer running Windows XP; To add a wireless device; To add a wired device; To add a printer.

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Set up a device to sync in Windows Media Player
You can use Windows Media Player to copy music, videos, and pictures from your Player Library to a portable device, such as a compatible MP3 player. This process is called syncing.

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Windows Media Player Library
The Player Library is the location in Windows Media Player where you can manage all of your favorite music, videos, and pictures on your computer. It lets you easily find and play your digital media files, as well as choose content that you want to burn to a CD or sync to a portable device. To learn more about using the Player Library, click one of the following links:

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Back up your files
To help ensure that you don't lose your files, you should back them up regularly. You can set up automatic backups or manually back up your files at any time. Watch this video to learn how to back up your files.

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Getting started with Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player provides an intuitive, easy-to-use interface to play digital media files, organize your digital media collection, burn CDs of your favorite music, rip music from CDs, sync digital media files to a portable device, and shop for digital media content from online stores.

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Master your devices with Device Stage
You don't have to be a gadget geek to know that it can be hard to get a mobile phone, music player, or other device to work smoothly with your computer. How do you sync contacts and appointments to your mobile phone? How do you get music onto your portable music player? Where do you find the manual for your device, software updates, and help? The list can go on and on, depending on the device. Enter Device Stage. This new feature in Windows 7 solves these problems by gathering everything you can do with your device into a single window, making tasks easier to find and complete.

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Find and install printer drivers
If you've connected a printer to your computer and it doesn't work-or mysteriously stops working-you might need to reinstall or update its driver. Where do you find it? Start with Windows Update, the Microsoft online repository for the latest hardware drivers. Watch these video to learn how check for new drivers and how to manually install a driver.

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InPrivate: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about InPrivate. What is InPrivate Browsing? How do I turn on InPrivate Browsing? What is InPrivate Filtering? How do I turn InPrivate Filtering on and off? How do I manually choose content to block or allow?

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Add items to the Windows Media Player Library
You can use the Windows Media Player Library to organize your entire digital media collection on your computer, including music, video, and pictures. After you add files to your Player Library, you can play the files, burn mix CDs, create playlists, sync the files to portable music and video players, and stream the files to other devices on your home network. There are several methods you can use to add files to your Player Library:

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Remove spyware from your computer
If you have spyware or other potentially unwanted software on your computer, you should use an antispyware scanner and removal tool to try to remove it. You can also try to remove spyware manually. You might need to use both of these methods more than once to completely remove the spyware or other potentially unwanted software.

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Improve performance by defragmenting your hard disk
Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Removable storage devices such as USB flash drives can also become fragmented. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your disks and drives can work more efficiently. Disk Defragmenter runs on a schedule, but you can also analyze and defragment your disks and drives manually. To do this, follow these steps: Watch this video to learn how to defragment a hard drive.

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Create or change a regular playlist in Windows Media Player
A playlist is a list of digital media items that you create and save yourself. Playlists are a great way to group items that you like to listen to or view frequently. You can also use playlists to group items that you want to burn to a CD or sync to a portable device. There are two types of playlists in Windows Media Player: auto playlists and regular playlists. An auto playlist is a list that continuously updates automatically based on what music is in the Player Library and includes any changes in media information. Watch this video to learn how to create or change a regular playlist in Windows Media Player.

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What is system protection?
System protection is a feature that regularly creates and saves information about your computer's system files and settings. System protection also saves previous versions of files that you've modified. It saves these files in restore points, which are created just before significant system events, such as the installation of a program or device driver. They're also created automatically once every seven days if no other restore points were created in the previous seven days, but you can create restore points manually at any time.

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Create or change an auto playlist in Windows Media Player
An auto playlist in Windows Media Player is a type of playlist that automatically changes according to criteria you've specified. It also updates itself each time you open it. For example, if there is a certain artist you like to listen to, you can create an auto playlist that will automatically add new music by that artist when it appears in the Player Library. You can use auto playlists to play different combinations of music in your Player Library, burn grouped items to a CD, or sync to a portable device. You can create your own auto playlists, as well as regular playlists, in the Player Library. Watch this video to learn how to create or change an auto playlist in Windows Media Player (1:45).

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Change TCP/IP settings
TCP/IP defines how your computer communicates with other computers. To make it easier to manage TCP/IP settings, we recommend using automated Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). DHCP automatically assigns Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to the computers on your network, if your network supports it. If you use DHCP, then you don't have to change your TCP/IP settings if you move your computer to another location, and DHCP doesn't require you to manually configure TCP/IP settings, such as Domain Name System (DNS) and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS). To enable DHCP or change other TCP/IP settings, follow these steps:

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Make older programs run in this version of Windows
Most programs written for Windows Vista also work in this version of Windows, but some older programs might run poorly or not at all. If a program written for an earlier version of Windows doesn't run correctly, you can try changing the compatibility settings for the program, either manually or by using the Program Compatibility troubleshooter. Watch this video to learn how to make older programs run in this version of Windows.

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SmartScreen Filter: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about Internet Explorer SmartScreen Filter. What is phishing? What is malicious software? What is SmartScreen Filter and how can it help protect me? What does it mean when I see a message that asks: "Are you trying to visit this site?" What information does SmartScreen Filter send to Microsoft? How do I check a website manually? What does it mean when a website is blocked and flagged in red as a reported unsafe website? One of the sites I visit is being flagged by SmartScreen Filter, but it's not an unsafe website. What can I do? How do I report a phishing website? Should I believe a website that tells me to ignore the SmartScreen Filter warning? How does SmartScreen Filter avoid falsely identifying websites as unsafe sites? Can I create a customized list of trusted sites for SmartScreen Filter? Why is Internet Explorer telling me that the SmartScreen Filter service is unavailable? How do I turn SmartScreen Filter off? How do I turn SmartScreen Filter back on? What can I do to help protect myself from online phishing? What can I do to help protect myself from malicious software? What should I do if I think I've entered my personal or financial information into a phishing website? What do I do if I discover that I've been a victim of fraud? What can I do if I suspect my computer has unwanted malicious software installed?

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