Add or remove items from the Windows Defender allowed list
If you trust software that Windows Defender has detected, you can stop Windows Defender from alerting you to risks that the software might pose to your privacy or your computer.

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Turn Windows Defender on or off
When Windows Defender is on, you will be alerted when spyware and other potentially unwanted software tries to install itself, run on your computer, or change important Windows settings. If you use the default settings, Windows Defender will also check for new definitions, regularly scan for spyware and other potentially unwanted software, and automatically remove any detected item that has a recommended removal action.

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Understanding Windows Defender alert levels
Alert levels help you choose how to respond to spyware and potentially unwanted software. While Windows Defender will recommend that you remove spyware, not all software that is detected is malicious or unwanted. The information in this table can help you decide what to do if Windows Defender detects potentially unwanted software on your computer.

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System Restore: frequently asked questions
How does System Restore work? How do I start System Restore? Can I undo the changes System Restore makes? What files are changed during a system restore? Why doesn't System Restore protect FAT32 disks? How do I choose a restore point? How often are restore points created? How do I create a restore point manually? How much hard disk space does System Restore require? How long are restore points saved? How do I turn System Restore on or off? I have an earlier version of Windows on my computer, but when I switch between versions, my restore points disappear. Why? What if System Restore doesn't fix the problem?

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Remove items from the Windows Media Player library
This topic describes how to remove files and devices from your Windows Media Player library. You can also remove information about what you have played.

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Add or remove Recent Items on the Start menu
Recent Items, which is located on the right side of the Start menu, displays a list of the files that you've used recently. You can open a file from this list by clicking it. Recent Items appears on the Start menu by default, but you can remove it, which will stop Windows from compiling a list of your recently opened files. If you want to begin compiling a list of your recently opened files again, you can add Recent Items back to the Start menu.

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What are the system recovery options in Windows Vista?
The System Recovery Options menu in this version of Windows contains several tools that can help you recover Windows from a serious error. You can perform repairs to the files that Windows uses to start itself, perform a restore operation using System Restore, and restore your entire computer and system files using backups that you have made previously. The System Recovery Options menu is on the Windows installation disc. The menu might also be installed on your hard disk if your computer has preinstalled recovery options.

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View the progress of a Windows Defender scan
You can view which type of Windows Defender scan is in progress and see how long it has been running.

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Using anti-malware software to help protect your computer
Malicious software , also known as malware, is software designed to deliberately harm your computer. For example, viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are malicious software. To help protect your computer against malware, make sure you are using up-to-date antivirus and antispyware software. Windows comes with Windows Defender, which can help protect your computer against malicious and unwanted software, such as spyware and adware. Windows Defender is installed and turned on by default.

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Schedule when Windows Defender scans your computer
We recommend that you schedule a daily quick scan. A quick scan will check the areas of your computer that spyware and other potentially unwanted software is most likely to infect. If you want Windows Defender to check all files and programs on your computer, run or schedule a full scan.

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Keep Windows Defender definitions up to date
Definitions are files that act like an encyclopedia of known spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Because spyware is continually being developed, Windows Defender relies on up-to-date definitions to determine if software that is trying to install, run, or change settings on your computer is spyware or potentially unwanted software.

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Find items in the Windows Media Player library
You can use Windows Media Player to find where items are in your library or to search for items in an online store that you have signed up with. You can also find where files in your library are stored on your computer or jump to music in the same album.

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Undo system changes with System Restore
Rather than trying to become a PC mechanic overnight, there's a simpler way to fix the engine and get back on the road-one that can save both your time and your sanity. Better yet, it's one of the easiest tools to use and is already included in Windows Vista-it's called System Restore.

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Turn Windows Defender real-time protection on or off
To help prevent spyware and other unwanted software from infecting your computer, turn on Windows Defender real-time protection and select all real-time protection options. Real-time protection alerts you when spyware and other potentially unwanted software attempts to install itself or run on your computer.

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Windows Media Player playlist: frequently asked questions
Here are some answers to common questions about playlists in Windows Media Player. What is a playlist and why would I want to use one? What items can be added to a playlist? What's the difference between a regular playlist and an auto playlist? Where are my playlist files stored on my computer? Are my playlists copied when I burn a CD or sync to a portable device? Can I save a playlist in another format? Why don't all of my items appear in the List pane when I drag an album or artist to it? Why are some of the items in my playlist dimmed?

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Shuffle and repeat items in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, content that you are playing appears in the List pane on the Now Playing tab. You can change the order in which the items play by turning on shuffle play, which will make items in the List pane play in a random order. You can also choose to play the items repeatedly. When you turn on repeat play, 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. Note that it is not possible to shuffle or repeat DVDs.

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Customize the Start menu
Organizing the Start menu can make it easier to find your favorite programs and folders. learn how to: pin a program icon to the Start menu, remove a program icon from the Start menu, move the Start button, clear recent items from the Start menu, adjust the number of shortcuts for frequently used programs, customize the right pane of the Start menu, restore Start menu default settings, search for programs from the Start menu, add the Run command to the Start menu.

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Security basics
You can help protect your computer from Internet threats by taking a few simple precautions. This demo introduces you to Windows Security Center, which shows your computer's security status. You'll also learn how to automatically download the latest security updates, how to use Windows Firewall to block harmful programs, and how to use Windows Defender to keep your computer free of spyware and other potentially unwanted.

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Add or edit media information in Windows Media Player
You might have items in your Windows Media Player library that have missing or incorrect media information, such as songs that have missing or incorrect song titles, track numbers, artist names, album titles, genres, and so on. Because the Player relies on media information to organize the items in your library, it is important that all items in your library have accurate and complete media information. This article explains how you can use the Player to add or edit media information for items in your library.

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What is System Restore?
System Restore helps you restore your computer's system files to an earlier point in time. It's a way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal files, such as email, documents, or photos .

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Restore personal files after custom installation
This article describes how to restore personal files after you perform a custom installation of Windows Vista.

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Installing and reinstalling Windows
In this article you will find instructions for: Upgrading to Windows Vista when you already have a version of Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional on your computer and you want to keep your files, settings, and programs. Installing a new, or clean, version of Windows when: You want to replace your current operating system. You want to install Windows Vista on a separate partition of your hard disk, and you have an operating system on your computer and an available partition. You have a computer with no operating system installed. Reinstalling Windows Vista when you want to restore default Windows settings or when you are having trouble with Windows and need to reinstall it by performing a clean installation.

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Restore files from a backup
You can restore backed-up versions of files that are lost, damaged, or changed accidentally. You can restore individual files, groups of files, or all files that you have backed up.

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What is svchost.exe?
Svchost.exe is a process on your computer that hosts, or contains, other individual services that Windows uses to perform various functions. For example, Windows Defender uses a service that is hosted by a svchost.exe process.

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How do I remove a computer virus?
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8. Here are a few things you can try to remove a computer virus:

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What types of files does System Restore change?
System Restore can make changes to Windows system files, registry settings, and programs installed on your computer. It also can make changes to scripts, batch files, and other types of executable files on your computer. Personal files, such as documents, email, photos, and music files, are not changed .

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Windows Media Player DRM: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about digital rights management (DRM), media usage rights, and protected Windows Media files. What is DRM? What is a protected file? What are media usage rights? Are media usage rights stored in the audio or video file? What is a license? How does the Player use media usage rights? How do I download media usage rights? How do I tell whether a file is protected? How do I find out how I am allowed to use a protected file? What's the difference between purchased and subscription content? Can I remove DRM from a file? What is personal copy protection? How do I back up my media usage rights? How do I restore my media usage rights?

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Create or change a regular playlist in Windows Media Player
A regular playlist in Windows Media Player is a static list containing one or more digital media files, including any combination of songs, videos, or pictures. 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. You can create auto playlists in the Player as well.

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Join the Microsoft SpyNet community
Windows Defender detects known spyware and other potentially unwanted software. This includes software that has not yet been analyzed for risks and any changes made to your computer by that software.

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Firewall: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about firewalls. What is a firewall? Why do I need a firewall? What does "allowing a program through the firewall" mean? What are the recommended settings for Windows Firewall? How can I be sure that Windows Firewall is on? What are some of the things that a firewall can't prevent? Why can't I change some Windows Firewall settings? How do I view and edit all firewall properties? What happened to the ICMP and logging settings in Windows Firewall? Can I use more than one firewall on my computer? If I have a router with a built-in firewall, should I also turn on Windows Firewall? When I try to restore my Windows Firewall settings to what they were originally, I see a warning message. What does this mean? What else besides a firewall do I need to help protect my computer? Why do multiple instances of the same program appear on the Exceptions tab? Where can I find more information about firewalls?

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Windows Sidebar: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about Windows Sidebar. What is Windows Sidebar? How do I open Sidebar? Can I customize Sidebar? Can I change the width of Sidebar? What are some of the gadgets that come with this version of Windows? Can I install more gadgets? How do gadgets work? Can I remove gadgets? Can I resize gadgets? Can I build my own gadgets? How can I stop Sidebar from opening automatically when I start my computer?

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Restore default Windows Movie Maker settings
You can set three categories of Windows Movie Maker settings: General, Advanced, and Compatibility. General settings include settings such as opening the last project automatically when you start Windows Movie Maker, the temporary storage location, and others. Advanced settings include video properties, the duration of pictures and transitions, and more. Compatibility settings provide for ways that you can disable video filters that may conflict with Windows Movie Maker.

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Change how you display items in the Windows Media Player library
Windows Media Player automatically organizes files in your library according to the media information that is available for the files. To ensure that your library is well-organized and that you can find items easily, it is important that your files contain complete and accurate media information. If this is not the case, you can add or edit the media information. Once you have accurate media information in your files, you have a number of options for arranging files in the library to make them easier for you to find. You can choose between several different display views in the library, select the panes you want to appear, and choose the columns you want to display.

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Scan for spyware and other potentially unwanted software
In Windows Defender, you can choose to run a quick scan of your computer or a full system scan. If you suspect spyware has infected a specific area of your computer, you can customize a scan by selecting only the drives and folders that you want to check.

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Select multiple items using a tablet pen
You can open, delete, or move many files or folders at one time by selecting multiple items from a list. Check boxes are the easiest way to select multiple items by using your tablet pen.

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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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What if my device syncs with another Windows Media Player library?
If you connect a device to your computer that already syncs with a different Windows Media Player library, you can choose to sync to the current library temporarily, or you can choose to switch the device to sync to the current library permanently. If you choose to sync temporarily only, certain Player features are not available. For example, any changes to the media information on the device will not be copied to the file in the library. Also, the library that has the permanent sync partnership with the device will not be able to remove any files added in the current session, and you must manually remove the files.

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Understanding Windows Defender real-time protection
Real-time spyware protection alerts you when spyware and other potentially unwanted software attempts to install itself or run on your computer. Depending on the alert level, you can choose one of these actions to apply to the software: Ignore. Allows the software to be installed or run on your...

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Restore a driver to its previous version
You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps. You might want to restore the driver for a device to a previous version if you encounter problems with your computer or device after upgrading the driver.

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Add or remove a Windows Mail account
You can set up a variety of different accounts using Windows Mail. You can set up a single personal email account, or you might also add your work email account and some newsgroups as well. Windows Mail makes managing multiple accounts easy by putting each account in its own folder. Windows Mail supports three types of accounts: mail, news (newsgroups), and directory services. Directory services are online address books that are typically offered by organizations such as colleges and businesses .

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