Parts of a computer
If you use a desktop computer, you might already know that there isn't any single part called the "computer." A computer is really a system of many parts working together. The physical parts, which you can see and touch, are collectively called hardware. (Software, on the other hand, refers to the instructions, or programs, that tell the hardware what to do.)

---

Working with files and folders
This article will help you learn how to find, organize, and use files and folders on your computer. What are files and folders? How Windows organizes your files and folders, Understanding the parts of a folder, Viewing your files in a folder, Finding your files, Copying and moving files and folders, Creating and deleting files, Opening an existing file,

---

Understanding security and safe computing
If you connect to the Internet, allow other people to use your computer, or share files with others, you should take steps to protect your computer from harm. Why? Because there are computer criminals (sometimes called hackers or crackers) who attack other people's computers. These people can attack directly, by breaking into your computer through the Internet and stealing your personal information, or indirectly, by creating malicious software (or malware) designed to harm your computer. Fortunately, you can protect yourself by taking a few simple precautions. This article describes the threats and what you can do to defend against them.

---

Understanding user accounts
Several people can easily share a single computer by creating separate user accounts. This demo helps you understand the different types of user accounts and how they affect what you can do on the computer. You'll also learn how to change your account's password and other settings, and how to set up new accounts for others who use your computer.

---

TV on your computer: Understanding TV signals and TV tuners
With Windows Media Center a feature included in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate; you can watch and record live TV on your computer. All you need is a TV tuner and a TV signal. The following sections describe the kinds of tuners and signals that are available, and what you'll need to connect a TV signal properly.

---

Understanding Windows Firewall settings
A firewall can help prevent hackers or malicious software (such as worms) from gaining access to your computer through a network or the Internet. A firewall can also help stop your computer from sending malicious software to other computers. There are three settings on the General tab in Windows Firewall. Here's what they do and when you should use them:

---

Turn off a computer: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about turning off a computer. How do I shut down (turn off) my computer? Why doesn't my computer shut down? How does the Lock button work? What is sleep? If I'm not planning to use my computer for awhile, should I shut it down or put it to sleep? Is my data safe while my computer is asleep? What is hibernation? What is hybrid sleep? What is the difference between sleep and hybrid sleep? How can I wake my computer from sleep or hibernation? Won't sleep eventually drain my mobile PC battery? How can I prevent my computer from automatically sleeping or hibernating? What happened to the Restart and Shut Down options from Windows XP? Can I change what happens when I click the Power button on my computer? Why can't I find the Sleep or Hibernate option on my computer?

---

DirectX: frequently asked questions
DirectX helps your computer get more performance out of demanding multimedia programs such as games and movies. DirectX is a technology that helps create the special visual and audio effects that come with games. What are the different parts of DirectX? Do I need DirectX? Where can I get DirectX? Which version of DirectX do I have? Can I uninstall DirectX?

---

Turning off your computer properly
When you're done using your computer, it's important to turn it off properly-not only to save energy, but also to ensure that your data is saved and to help keep your computer more secure. Best of all, your computer will start quickly the next time you use it.

---

What can I do with Speech Recognition?
You can use your voice to control your computer. You can say commands that the computer will respond to, and you can dictate text to the computer. Before you get started using Windows Speech Recognition, you need to have a microphone hooked up to your computer. Once you've got the microphone set up, you can train your computer to better understand you by creating a voice profile that your computer uses to recognize your voice and spoken commands.

---

Understanding offline files
If you've ever needed to access important files stored in a shared folder on your network but couldn't because the network connection was unavailable, then you can understand the need for offline files. Using offline files, you can access files stored in shared network folders even when the network copies are unavailable. You can do this by choosing the network files you want to make available offline, which automatically creates a copy of the network files on your computer. These copies of network files that are stored on your computer are called offline files. Windows will automatically sync your offline files for you and open them whenever the network versions are unavailable.

---

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...

---

Control when children can use the computer
If your computer is connected to a domain, Parental Controls are not available. You can choose which hours your children can use the computer. You can set which hours are allowed for each day of the week, and you can block all the rest. You can also view activity reports to see how much each person uses the computer.

---

Connect your computer to a TV
To connect your computer to a television, your computer needs to have a video port that matches one of the inputs on your television. If your television does not have a VGA or DVI input that matches an output on your computer, you will need to use composite video or S-Video cables. If your computer doesn't have any of these TV-compatible outputs, then you might be able to install a new video card that has the right connection.

---

HDTV: frequently asked questions
If you have a High Definition Television (HDTV), you can connect your computer to it for better monitor display quality. What do I need to connect my computer to an HDTV? After connecting my computer to an HDTV, the display is stretched. How can I fix it? Can I connect a computer to both a monitor and an HDTV at the same time? After connecting my computer to an HDTV, why can't I see certain windows on my computer monitor anymore?

---

Connect to another computer using Remote Desktop Connection
With Remote Desktop Connection, you can access a computer running Windows from another computer running Windows that is connected to the same network or to the Internet. For example, you can use all of your work computer's programs, files, and network resources from your home computer, and it's just like you're sitting in front of your computer at work.

---

Troubleshoot Remote Desktop problems
Here are solutions to some common problems with Remote Desktop Connection.I can't connect to the remote computer.I can't log on to the remote computer.I can't copy text from the remote computer to my computer.When I minimize the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, my screen goes blank.The screen saver on the remote computer is blank.My saved credentials don't work.

---

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.

---

Allow someone to connect to your computer remotely
You or someone you choose can access your computer from a remote computer, but first you need to allow remote connections.

---

Tips for fixing common sound problems
Here are some solutions for getting proper sound from your computer. These solutions can also help if you don't hear any sounds from your computer or from a sound device connected to your computer, such as a microphone or speakers. I can't hear sound from my computer. Sound from my speakers is crackled 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 is compatible with Windows Vista. 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.

---

How do I watch or record TV on my computer?
To watch or record TV on your computer, you must have three things: A TV tuner; A TV signal connected to your computer; software for watching and recording TV.

---

Troubleshoot camera connection problems
Here are solutions to some common problems with connecting a camera to a computer. How do I get pictures from my camera to my computer? When I connect my camera to the computer, nothing happens. My camera connects just fine, but Windows cannot find any pictures on my camera. I can't find the pictures I copied to my computer. When I plug in a camera, AutoPlay automatically opens a program I dont want to use.

---

Troubleshoot low wireless signal quality problems
If a wireless network has a low signal strength, the transfer of information across the network could be slow or you might not be able to access certain parts of the network. Here are solutions to some common problems with low wireless signal strength. Your computer is too far from the wireless router or access point. The wireless router or access point is turned off or is not working properly. There is interference from other devices. The network you are looking for is set to not broadcast its network name (SSID).

---

Set up Speech Recognition
To set up your computer for Windows Speech Recognition, you need to do three things: set up your microphone, learn how to talk to your computer, and train your computer to understand your speech. Set up your microphone. Teach yourself how to talk to your computer. Train your computer to recognize your speech.

---

Share files with someone
Windows provides two methods for sharing files directly from your computer. You can share files from any folder on your computer, or from the Public folder. Either method allows you to share files or folders with someone using your computer or another computer on the same network. Which method you use to share files with someone depends on where you want to store the shared files, who you want to share them with, and how much control you want to have over the files.

---

Using your keyboard
Whether you're writing a letter or entering numerical data, your keyboard is the main way to enter information into your computer. But did you know you can also use your keyboard to control your computer? Learning just a few simple keyboard commands (instructions to your computer) can help you work more efficiently. This article covers the basics of keyboard operation and gets you started with keyboard commands.

---

Get help with your computer using Windows Remote Assistance
When you're having a computer problem, sometimes you might want help from someone else. You can use Windows Remote Assistance to invite someone to connect to your computer and help you, even if that person isn't nearby. (Make sure you only ask someone that you trust, because the other person will have access to your files and personal information.)

---

Use a firewall that Windows doesn't find
A firewall can help prevent hackers or malicious software (such as worms) from gaining access to your computer through a network or the Internet. A firewall can also help stop your computer from sending malicious software to other computers. Windows checks to make sure that your computer has a firewall installed and turned on, and then it displays the firewall's status in Windows Security Center. If no working firewall is found, Windows alerts you by displaying a notification in the notification area. If your computer is protected by a firewall and you still receive a notification, it's possible that Windows did not find your firewall or the firewall did not report its status to Windows. Use the following steps to stop receiving this notification. You should only do this if you are sure that your computer is protected by a firewall.

---

Windows Remote Assistance: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about Windows Remote Assistance. What is Windows Remote Assistance? How does Windows Remote Assistance work? When someone connects to or takes control of my computer, how are my privacy and computer security affected? What happens if I select the "Allow <helper> to respond to User Account Control prompts" check box? How do I resend a Windows Remote Assistance invitation? Can I connect to a computer running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 from a computer running a later version of Windows? How do I set the maximum amount of time that Windows Remote Assistance invitations can remain open? Why can't I change some Windows Remote Assistance settings? I have an open Windows Remote Assistance invitation and I want to make it expire. Can I do that? How can I stop someone from sharing control of my computer? Can someone using Windows Remote Assistance share control of my computer without my permission?

---

Use the computer without a display (optimize for blindness)
Windows has many features that allow you to use your computer without a display. For example, you can have screen text read aloud by using Narrator or you can have Windows describe screen activity to you. You can turn on or adjust settings for these features on the Use the computer without a display page in the Ease of Access Center.

---

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.

---

View computers and devices on a network
If your computer is connected to a network, you can see all of the computers and devices that are currently part of the network in the Network folder. This is useful if you want to use a network resource, such as a printer; open files on another computer; or confirm that a computer or device was added to your network.

---

Install or remove a sound card
Sound cards enable your computer to play music and sounds through your speakers. Almost all new computers come with a built-in sound card. However, if your computer doesn't have one installed, or if you want to upgrade the sound playback or recording capabilities of your computer, you may want to install a sound card.

---

Set up a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network
An ad hoc network is a temporary connection between computers and devices used for a specific purpose, such as sharing documents during a meeting or playing multiple player computer games. You can also temporarily share an Internet connection with other people on your ad hoc network, so those people don't have to set up their own Internet connections. Ad hoc networks can only be wireless, so you must have a wireless network adapter installed in your computer to set up or join an ad hoc network.

---

View your computer information
You can view a summary of important information about your computer by opening System in Control Panel. You can see basic hardware information, such as your computer's name, and which edition of Windows your computer is running. You can change important system settings by clicking the links in the left pane of System.

---

Tips for creating a strong password
Passwords provide the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your computer. The stronger your password, the more protected your computer will be from hackers and malicious software. You should make sure you have strong passwords for all accounts on your computer. If you're using a corporate network, your network administrator might require you to use a strong password.

---

Copy files to another computer
You can use Windows to copy files between computers that are connected to the same network. If both computers are not connected to the same network, you will not be able to follow these steps and will have to copy files using some sort of removable media that can be read by both computers. You must know the name of the computer where you want to copy the files. If you don't know this name, ask someone who uses that computer, or go to the other computer yourself and look it up

---

Keeping computers on a network up to date
This article contains information to help you manage updates across a network and to 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 XP, for example, doesn't need the same updates as a computer that is running this version of Windows.

---

Is touch input available on my computer?
Touch input is a feature that enables the computer screen to respond to the touch of your finger. If touch input is available on your computer, you can use your finger to do many of the things that you do with a mouse or a tablet pen. For example, you can move the pointer on the screen, select objects, and open files and folders.

---

Picking up the pieces after a computer crash
Has this happened to you? It's late and you're trying to finish up a rush project for work. You decide to make one last little change, and then... your computer freezes ominously, or worse, you see the "Blue Screen of Death" (the blue screen with white text telling you that your computer has stopped working). It always seems to happen at the worst possible moment. In the aftermath, you are left wondering what, if anything, can be salvaged of the documents you were working on.

---