Open the Recording Audio troubleshooter
If your computer is having problems recording sound, try using the Recording Audio troubleshooter to fix the problem. It checks for common issues, such as making sure that both a working sound card and a recording device are installed on your computer.

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Open the Performance troubleshooter
To optimize Windows performance, try using the Performance troubleshooter to automatically find and fix problems. The Performance troubleshooter checks issues that might slow down your computer's performance, such as how many users are currently logged on to the computer and whether multiple programs are running at the same time.

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Open the System Maintenance troubleshooter
To perform common maintenance tasks in Windows, such as cleaning up unused files and shortcuts, try using the System Maintenance troubleshooter to automatically find and fix problems. For example, the System Maintenance troubleshooter looks for unused files and shortcuts that you can clean up or remove so that your computer can run faster.

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Open the HomeGroup troubleshooter
If your computer is having problems viewing computers or shared files in your homegroup, try using the HomeGroup troubleshooter to fix the problem. It makes sure that your computer's different network services are running correctly, and that your computer is a member of a homegroup.

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Open the Set up TV tuner troubleshooter
If you're having trouble watching or recording TV on your computer, try using the Set up TV tuner troubleshooter to fix the problem. It makes sure that your computer is receiving a TV signal, and that your TV tuner is connected and configured properly.

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Playing music in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing music and other audio files in Windows Media Center. How do I make my music appear in Media Center? Why doesn't album information (such as cover art) display? Why isn't there sound? Why doesn't a music file play? How do I play an audio CD or DVD in Media Center? Is there a graphic equalizer in Media Center so I can fine-tune the way my music sounds?

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Open the Printer troubleshooter
If your computer is having problems printing, try using the Printer troubleshooter to fix the problem. It makes sure that a printer is connected to your computer, and it checks for common issues such as whether the printer has enough paper and toner to complete printing your document.

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Open the Search and Indexing troubleshooter
If you're having problems locating specific files, folders, or other items on your computer, try using the Search and Indexing troubleshooter to fix the problem. It makes sure that the Windows Search service is running, and checks to see whether you have the correct permissions to search all the directories on your computer.

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Play an audio or video file: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing audio or video files in Windows Media Player. What can I do about audio problems, such as popping, crackling, or sound that plays too fast or too slow? What can I do about video problems, such as lines appearing in the video, flickering or choppy video, and so on? Why does the Player display a visualization instead of the video (or display an error message) when I play a video file? How do I make Windows Media Player the default player for a file type? Why do I get an error when I try to play streams from certain servers? Why does Windows Media Player frequently become unresponsive or close unexpectedly? How do I prevent videos from automatically playing in full-screen mode?

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Open the Aero troubleshooter
If your computer is having problems running the Aero desktop experience, which includes effects such as transparency, try using the Aero troubleshooter to fix the problem. It checks for common compatibility issues with running Aero, such as your computer's color, theme, and power settings and your computer's video card.

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Open the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter
If your computer is having problems with a recently installed device or other hardware, try using the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter to fix the problem. It checks for common issues and makes sure that any new device or hardware attached to your computer was installed correctly.

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Open the Program Compatibility troubleshooter
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 an older program doesn't run correctly, use the Program Compatibility troubleshooter to simulate the behavior of earlier versions of Windows.

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Playing DVDs in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing DVDs in Windows Media Center. Why isn't there sound when watching a DVD? Why is the video distorted when watching a DVD? Why won't a DVD play? Why is the movie information or cover art for my DVD wrong or missing? Why does a different program open every time I insert a DVD in my computer?

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Using the Network troubleshooter in Windows 7
Lots of people use networks, but most people don't have the time or inclination to become networking experts. Instead, we often rely on someone more knowledgeable to troubleshoot our network problems. But what if you don't have someone available to help you? The Network troubleshooter in Windows 7 provides a way for anyone to diagnose and repair network problems.

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Watch visualizations while playing your music
In Windows Media Player's Now Playing mode, you can watch different visualizations-splashes of color and geometric shapes-whose patterns move with the music that you are playing. Visualizations are grouped into collections that are based on specific themes, such as Ambience or Bars. The Player includes a number of visualizations, but you can also download more visualizations from the Internet.

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Change bass, stereo, and other audio effects in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, you can optimize bass, stereo, and other audio effects by turning on SRS WOW Effects. You can also use the graphic equalizer to adjust the levels of certain frequencies in your music or select Dolby Digital audio settings for different types of playback scenarios.

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Tips for solving problems with Internet Explorer
If you can open Internet Explorer but can't get to sites on the Internet, or you find that web browsing is very slow, you should first make sure that you have a good connection to the Internet. Windows provides a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically find and fix some common problems with Internet Explorer.

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AutoPlay: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about AutoPlay. I set a default action for a device or type of media but now I don't like that action. How do I change it? How can I stop AutoPlay from asking me what program I want to use? How can I make sure I'm asked each time for the action I want to choose? How can I run or install a program from a device or disc? Why does AutoPlay behave differently when my media program is open? What is an enhanced audio CD or an enhanced DVD movie? What does "software and games" include? What would keep a device from appearing under "Devices" in AutoPlay? How can I open AutoPlay, even if the default setting doesn't open it?

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Switch between display modes in Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player has four display modes: Player Library, Now Playing, skin , and full screen. You can easily switch to the mode that works best for the content you are viewing or playing. Learn to: switch from the Player Library to Now Playing mode; switch from Now Playing mode to the Player Library; switch from the Player Library or Now Playing mode to skin mode; switch from skin mode to the Player Library; switch from Now Playing mode to full-screen mode.

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Radio in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
With the right equipment, you can play FM radio in Windows Media Center. Here are answers to some common questions about playing FM radio in Windows Media Center. What do I need to play FM radio in Media Center? Why doesn't my FM radio play? Why did the FM radio stop playing unexpectedly? Why doesn't fast forward or rewind work when I'm playing FM radio? Why can't I see the option to play FM radio on the start screen? Where can I find Internet radio stations in Media Center?

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Learn about Windows games
Windows comes with a variety of games to play. There are board games, card games, multiplayer Internet games, and even games for kids. You'll find them all in the Games folder. To start playing, just open the folder and double-click a game icon.

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Play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Center
In Windows Media Center, you can play audio CDs and DVD movies. You can also play data CDs and DVDs (discs that contain digital media files, such as MP3, WMV, and JPEG files). Playing CDs and DVDs in Media Center is best experienced using a Media Center remote control. Make sure that the type of Media Center remote control you use is compatible with your computer.

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Rip music from a CD
You can use Windows Media Player to copy songs from audio CDs to your computer. This process is called ripping. During the ripping process, the Player makes a copy of each song, stores it on your hard disk as a Windows Media Audio (WMA), MP3, or WAV file, and then adds it to your Player Library.

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Playing videos in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing videos in Windows Media Center. Why won't a video file play? Why can't I fast-forward or rewind a video? Why don't I see a video that I downloaded in Media Center?

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Using Quick Tabs in Internet Explorer
When you have multiple webpages open at once, each one is displayed in a separate tab. These tabs make it easy for you to switch between open websites. Quick Tabs provides a miniature visual view (called a thumbnail) of all your open tabs. This makes it easier to find the webpage that you want to view. How do I open Quick Tabs? How do I open a webpage from Quick Tabs? How do I close a webpage from Quick Tabs? What does the arrow next to the Quick Tabs button do? How do I close the Quick Tabs view?

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Connect a microphone, music player, or other audio device to your computer
You can connect a microphone, portable music player, or other audio device to your computer by using one of the jacks on the front, back, or side of your computer. These jacks directly connect to your computer's sound card or sound processor.

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Preview an open window on the desktop using Aero Peek
When you open multiple windows on the desktop, it can sometimes be a challenge to view separate windows and switch between them. You can use Aero Peek to take a quick look at other open windows without clicking away from the window you're currently working on. Peek makes it easy for you to preview the contents of open windows and switch to the one you want. Watch this video to learn how to preview an open window on the desktop using Aero Peek.

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Using Jump Lists to open programs and items
Jump Lists are lists of recently opened items, such as files, folders, or websites, organized by the program that you use to open them. You can use a Jump List to open items, and you can also pin favorites to a Jump List, so you can quickly get to the items that you use every day. Watch this video to learn how to use Jump Lists to open programs and items.

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Open a file or folder
You can open a file or folder in Windows to perform a variety of tasks, such as editing the information in a file or making a copy of a file or folder. To open a file, you must have a program that is associated with it. Typically, this is the same program that was used to create the file.

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Add or Remove: Open With Context Menu Item
This will show you how to remove or restore the Open with right click context menu item of all files in Windows 7 and Vista. Removing Open with from the context menu can make it easier to prevent all users on the computer from accidentally have a file extension type assigned a wrong default program to be opened with by default.

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Shuffle and repeat items in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, items that you play appear in the list pane in Now Playing mode and in the Player Library. You can change the order in which the items play by turning on shuffle, which will make items play in a random order. You can also choose to play the items repeatedly. When you turn on repeat, all items in the list pane will play once and then begin playing again. You can also turn on both shuffle and repeat at the same time. It's not possible to shuffle or repeat DVDs. Watch this video to learn how to shuffle and repeat in Windows Media Player.

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Why is my Internet connection so slow?
No matter how fast your Internet connection is, there are times when things will slow down to a crawl. This article will help you sort out what kinds of things can go wrong, learn what you can do about them, and discover how to get the most from your Internet connection. Windows provides a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically find and fix some common connection problems.

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Tips for fixing common sound problems
Here are solutions to some common sound problems on your computer. These solutions can also help if you don't hear any sound from your speakers, portable music player, or other external audio device connected to your computer. I can't hear sound from my computer. Sound from my speakers is crackling or distorted. I have a sound card in my computer, but Windows doesn't recognize it. I found a new driver for my sound card, but I'm not sure how to install it. I'm having trouble installing my sound card and wonder if it's compatible with Windows 7. I'm having trouble getting a portable music player, microphone, or other audio device to work with my computer. I've tried all the solutions here and still can't get my sound to work properly.

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Tabbed browsing: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about tabbed browsing. What is tabbed browsing? How do I open a new tab? How can I tell which tabs I opened from links on a webpage? How do I close a tab? Can I reopen tabs I've already closed? How do I open a new tab to my home page? How do I save a group of tabs? How do I open a group of tabs that I've saved? Can I turn off tabs so that they no longer appear? What keyboard shortcuts can I use when working with tabs? Can I choose whether pop-ups are displayed in a new window or on a new tab?

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Minimize windows on the desktop using Aero Shake
You can use Aero Shake to quickly minimize every open window except the one you're shaking. This feature can save you time if you want to focus on a single window without minimizing all your other open windows one by one. You can then restore all of those windows by shaking the open window again. Watch this video to learn how to minimize windows on the desktop using Aero Shake.

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Minimize all open windows to view the desktop
There are different ways to minimize all of your open windows at once.

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Introducing libraries, a new cure for file clutter
Get organized! Tired of playing hide-and-seek with your PC? If you've ever wasted time hunting for a misplaced picture, song, or spreadsheet, take heart: Windows 7 makes your stuff easier to find and organize. Learn: How libraries work, Where's my music?, Libraries + HomeGroup.

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Play an audio or video file
You can use Windows Media Player to play digital media files that are in your Player Library, on your computer or a network folder, or on a website.

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How do I open a file if I get an access denied message?
If you get a message denying access when you try to open a file, here are some options you can try:

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Rename a file
One way to rename a file is to open the program that was used to create the file, open the file, and then save it with a different name. However, there's a quicker way:

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