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The Unauthorized Guide to Windows Millennium Edition The Unauthorized Guide to Windows Me (Millennium Edition)

Table of Contents




Part I—Windows Millennium: Beyond the Basics

Chapter 1—Ten Things You Should Know About the Windows Millennium Setup
Going Beyond the Minimum Windows Millennium Hardware Requirements
Upgrading from DOS or an Existing Version of Windows
Upgrading from DOS or Windows 3.0
Upgrading from Windows 3.1x
Upgrading from Windows 95 or Windows 98
Dual-Booting Windows Millennium with Another Operating System
Partitioning for Dual-Booting
Dual-Booting with Windows 2000 or Windows NT
Other Dual-Boot Options
Performing a Clean Installation
Preparing Your System
A Preparation Checklist
Better Backup Ideas
Running the Windows Millennium Setup
Using Setup's Switches
Creating Automated Setup Scripts
Launching Setup
Adding and Removing Windows Millennium Components
Extracting a File from the Windows Millennium Setup Files
Editing Your User Name and Company Name
Uninstalling Windows Millennium

Chapter 2—Understanding and Controlling the Windows Millennium Startup
How the Startup Process Works
Say Goodbye to Real Mode in Windows Millennium
Working with the Windows Millennium Startup Menu
Controlling Startup Using the System Configuration Utility
Controlling Startup Using Msdos.sys
Shutting Down Windows Millennium
How the Shutdown Process Works
The Shutdown Procedure
Creating a Shutdown Shortcut
Creating Custom Startup and Shutdown Screens

Chapter 3—An Insider's Guide to Four Crucial Configuration Tools
An Insider's Guide to the Registry
Why Is the Registry So Important?
Keeping the Registry Safe
Copying the Registry Database Files
Backing Up the Registry
Using the Registry Checker
Launching the Registry Editor
How the Registry Is Structured
Working with Registry Keys and Settings
Finding a Key, Setting, or Value
Changing the Value of a String Setting
Changing the Value of a Binary Setting
Renaming a Key or Setting
Creating a New Key or Setting
Deleting a Key or Setting
Exporting a Key to a Registration (.reg) File
Importing a Registration (.reg) File
An Insider's Guide to System Policies
Installing the System Policy Editor
Working with a Local Registry
Installing and Running Tweak UI
Installing Tweak UI
Running Tweak UI
An Insider's Guide to the Control Panel
Controlling the Control Panel
Easier Access to the Control Panel Icons
Alternative Methods for Opening Control Panel Icons
Understanding Control Panel Files
Hiding and Displaying Control Panel Icons
Moving Control Panel Files
Customizing with Control.ini
Customizing Control Panel with Tweak UI
Customizing Control Panel with the System Policy Editor
Control Panel and the Registry

Part II—Inside Windows Millennium's Communications and Internet Features

Chapter 4—Getting on the Internet
How to Get on the Internet Using a Phone Line
Installing a Modem
Running the Add New Modem Wizard
Running Modem Diagnostics
Setting Dialing Properties
Information You Need Before Getting Started
Using the Internet Connection Wizard
Using Dial-Up Networking
Setting a Few More Connection Properties
Making the Connection
Creating Scripts to Automate Dial-Ups
Disconnecting from Your ISP
Dealing with High-Speed Connections
How to Get on the Internet Using a Local Area Network
Information You Need Before Getting Started
Installing and Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol
Some Internet Utilities You Should Know

Chapter 5—Expert Internet Explorer Techniques
Basic Browsing Techniques
Understanding Web Page Addresses
Opening and Browsing Pages
Searching for Sites
Customizing the Links Bar
Address Bar Tricks
Using the Favorites Folder to Save Sites
Opening Favorite Sites
Sharing Favorites and Netscape Bookmarks
Maintaining Favorites
Reading Pages Offline
Setting Up a Page for Offline Reading
Synchronizing Offline Pages
Changing Offline Page Properties
Changing Synchronization Settings
Controlling the Web Page Cache
Internet Explorer's Advanced Options

Chapter 6—Outlook Express and Internet Email
A Quick Look at Some Outlook Express Email Basics
Setting Up Mail Accounts
Sending a Message
Retrieving Messages
Reading a Message
Dealing with a Message After You've Read It
Working with Outlook Express Folders
Filtering Incoming Messages
Finding a Message
Simple Searches
Advanced Searches
Finding a Person
Working with Identities
Creating a New Identity
Switching Identities
Managing Identities
Logging Off Your Identity
Identities: Storage Locations and the Registry
Customizing Outlook Express
Reorganizing the Message List Columns
Rearranging the Layout of the Outlook Express Window

Chapter 7—Internet Security Features for the Sophisticated Surfer
Internet Security and the TCP/IP Protocol
"Always On" Connections and Personal Firewalls
Internet Explorer's Security Features
Working with Internet Explorer's Security Zones
Adding and Removing Zone Sites
Changing a Zone's Security Level
More Security Settings
Using a Digital ID for Secure Email
Setting Up an Email Account with a Digital ID
Obtaining Another Person's Public Key
Sending a Secure Message
Receiving a Secure Message

Part III—Controlling Your Files and Folders

Chapter 8—Expert Windows Explorer Techniques
My Computer or Windows Explorer?
Basic File and Folder Chores: The Techniques Used by the Pros
Selecting Files and Folders
Selecting a Single Object
Selecting Multiple Objects
Making Sense of Windows Millennium's Rules for Moving and Copying
Expert Drag-and-Drop Techniques
Taking Advantage of the Send To Command
Creating New Folders and Files
Renaming Files and Folders
Working with ZIP Files (Compressed Folders)
Viewing a ZIP File
Creating a ZIP File
The Recycle Bin: Deleting and Recovering Files and Folders
Deleting a File or Folder
Setting Some Recycle Bin Options
Recovering a File or Folder
Recovering a "Permanently" Deleted File or Folder
File Maintenance Using the Open and Save As Dialog Boxes
Powerful Search Techniques for Finding Files
Customizing Windows Explorer
Changing the View
Sorting Files and Folders
Exploring the View Options
Customizing the Standard Buttons Toolbar
Using Windows Explorer's Command Line Options

Chapter 9—Powerful Techniques for File Types
Understanding File Types
File Types and File Extensions
File Types and the Registry
The File Types Tab: A Front-End for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
Opening a Document with an Unassociated Application
Working with Existing File Types
Editing a File Type
Working with File Type Actions
Associating an Extension with a Different Application
Disassociating an Application and an Extension
Creating a New File Type
Using Open With to Create a Basic File Type
Using the File Types Tab to Create a More Advanced File Type
Associating Two or More Extensions with a Single File Type
Customizing the New Menu
Figuring Out Browser File Types: Internet Explorer Versus Netscape

Chapter 10—Taking Advantage of Shortcuts
Understanding Shortcuts
Windows Shortcut Files
Creating a Shortcut
Modifying Shortcut Properties
Customizing a Windows Shortcut
Finding a Moved or Renamed Target
Some Unofficial Shortcut Tricks
Viewing Shortcut Extensions
Disabling the Shortcut to Text
Customizing the Shortcut Icon Arrow
Getting the Most Out of Shortcuts

Part IV—Windows Millennium Performance Tuning and Troubleshooting

Chapter 11—Getting the Most Out of Your Applications
Installing Applications Safely
An Installation Safety Checklist
Installing the Application
Application Manager
Applications and the Registry
Launching Applications
Launching Applications Automatically at Startup
Using the StartUp Folder
Using the Registry
Using WIN.INI
Switching Between Running Applications
Uninstalling Applications
Using Add/Remove Programs to Uninstall 32-Bit Applications
Uninstalling 16-Bit Applications by Hand

Chapter 12—Maximizing Your System's Memory
Memory: The Lifeblood of Your Computer
The Address Space
Types of Memory
Determining How Much Memory Is Installed
Restricting Memory Usage
How Much Memory Is Enough?
Managing the Windows Millennium Swap File
Tracking and Optimizing System Resources
Using the Resource Meter to Track System Resources
Some Ways to Save System Resources
More Memory Management Techniques

Chapter 13—Optimizing Your Hard Disk
Examining Hard Disk Properties
Using Disk Cleanup to Remove Unnecessary Files
Detecting and Repairing Hard Disk Errors with ScanDisk
Optimizing Disk Access Times with Disk Defragmenter
Running Disk Defragmenter
Understanding the Intel Application Launch Accelerator
Making the Move to FAT32
Understanding the FAT
The FAT and Cluster Size
Calculating Cluster Slack
What is FAT32?
How Much Disk Space Will You Save?
Converting a Partition to FAT32
Using FDISK
Using Drive Converter

Chapter 14—Crucial System Maintenance Skills
Getting the Big Picture: Windows Millennium Information Utilities
The System Information Utility
The File Information Utility
Finding the Version Number of a File
Automatic System Maintenance with the Scheduled Tasks Folder
Starting Scheduled Tasks folder
Adding a New Scheduled Task
Working with Scheduled Tasks
Modifying a Scheduled Task’s Properties
Understanding Windows Millennium's PC Health Features
Help and Support
System File Protection
System Restore
AutoUpdate
Getting Started with AutoUpdate
Setting Some AutoUpdate Options
How AutoUpdate Works
Reversing an Update

Chapter 15—Preparing for Trouble
Putting Together an Emergency Boot Disk
Creating a Windows Millennium Startup Disk
Test Driving the Startup Disk
Backing Up Your Files
Installing Microsoft Backup
Starting Microsoft Backup
Setting Up a Backup Job
Notes Toward Easier Backup Jobs
Restoring a Backup Job
Gathering Troubleshooting Information

Part V—Advanced Windows Millennium Customizing

Chapter 16—An In-Depth Look at Web Integration
The Integration Interface I: Opening and Selecting Objects
The Integration Interface II: Viewing Folders as Web Pages
Creating a Custom Web View Background
Adding a Folder Comment
Understanding Web View Templates
Under the Hood: The Structure of a Web View Template
Inserting Links to Local, Intranet, and Internet Resources
The Integration Interface III: Web Content on the Desktop
Turning the Active Desktop On and Off
Working with Desktop Items
Turning the Active Desktop Into a Web Page

Chapter 17—Customizing the Windows Millennium Interface
Changing an Icon
More than Just Wallpaper: Customizing the Desktop
A Quick Look at Windows Millennium's Display Settings
Modifying the Desktop Items
Changing the Desktop Icons
Editing the Desktop Item InfoTips
Hiding Desktop Items
Working with the My Documents Icon
Renaming the Recycle Bin
Setting Up Custom Shell Folders
Customizing Windows Millennium's System Icons
Renovating the Start Menu
Adding and Removing Start Menu Shortcuts
Using the Create Shortcut Wizard
Dragging-and-Dropping Onto the Start Button
Working with the Start Menu Folder
Working with Start Menu Shortcuts Directly
Some Start Menu Properties
Creating Accelerator Keys for Start Menu Shortcuts
Redoing the Taskbar
Setting Taskbar Properties
Using the Taskbar to Control Open Windows
Moving and Sizing the Taskbar
Customizing the Quick Launch Toolbar
Displaying Other Taskbar Toolbars

Part VI—Windows Millennium Networking Skills

Chapter 18—Understanding Networking
Network Types: Client/Server Versus Peer-to-Peer
Network Hardware: NICs, Cables, and More
The Connection Point: The Network Interface Card
The Connection: The Network Cable
Other Network Hardware
Network Topology: Star Versus Bus
Network Protocols: NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, and TCP/IP

Chapter 19—Setting Up Your Own Local Area Network
Some Preparatory Chores
An Seven-Step Guide to Setting Up a Network Client
Step 1: Installing a Network Client Driver
Step 2: Installing Network Protocols
TCP/IP and Peer-to-Peer: Using DHCP
TCP/IP and Peer-to-Peer: Using Permanent IP Addresses
Step 3: Installing Network Services
Step 4: Setting Up File and Print Sharing
Step 5: Identifying the Computer
Step 6: Specifying Access Control
Step 7: Specifying the Network Logon
Finishing Up
Sharing a Dial-Up Connection Between Network Clients
Running the New Home Networking Wizard
Setting Up Windows 9x Clients
Setting Up the Shared Internet Connection

Chapter 20—Windows Millennium's Networking Features
Accessing the Network
Logging on to the Network
Logging On to Windows and the Network at the Same Time
Setting Up an Automatic Logon
How to Access the My Network Places folder
Understanding the Universal Naming Convention
Adding a Network Place
Sharing Your Resources on the Network
Working with Share-Level Access
Working with User-Level Access
Mapping a Shared Resource as a Local Disk Drive
Mapping a Resource
Disconnecting a Mapped Resource
Printing Over the Network
Dialing In to Your Network
Setting Up Windows Millennium as a Dial-Up Server
Setting Up the Dial-Up Server
Monitoring the Connected User
Creating and Configuring a Network Connection
Making the Connection

Part VII—High-Powered Hardware Techniques

Chapter 21—Taking the Mystery Out of Hardware
Crucial Hardware Concepts
IRQ Lines, I/O Ports, and Other Device Settings
Interrupt Request Lines
Input/Output Ports
Direct Memory Access Channels
Memory Addresses
Understanding Device Drivers
How to Make Plug and Play Work (Most of the Time)
Installing Devices
Installing Device Drivers
Getting Device Drivers
Using Automatic Hardware Detection
Installing a Driver By hand
Working with the Signature Verification Tool
Using Automatic Skip Driver Agent to Bypass Troublesome Drivers
Getting Device Information
Dealing with Device Manager
Viewing Devices by Resource
Working with Device Properties

Chapter 22—Maximizing Multimedia Hardware
Installing and Configuring a Graphics Adapter
Changing the Adapter Driver
Configuring the Color Depth and Resolution
Working with Windows Millennium's Monitor Features
Changing the Monitor Type
Using Your Monitor's Power Management Features
Setting Up Multiple Monitors
Working with Scanners and Digital Cameras
Installing a Scanner
Capturing Images
Using the Scanner and Camera Wizard
Using the Scanner's TWAIN Module
Wiring Windows for Sound
Assigning Sounds to Windows Millennium Events
Recording a WAV File
Editing a WAV File

Chapter 23—The Ins and Outs of Windows Millennium's Notebook Features
Power Management for Notebook Users
Putting the System Into Standby Mode
Putting the System Into Hibernate Mode
Activating Hibernate Support
Hibernating the Computer
Resuming From Standby Mode or Hibernate Mode
Setting Up a Power Scheme
Monitoring the Battery
Configuring Your Notebook's Power Buttons
Windows Millennium's PC Card Support
Transferring Files Between Computers Using Direct Cable Connection
Using a Briefcase to Synchronize File Sharing
Transferring Files Via Floppy Disk
Transferring Files Via Direct Cable Connection

Part VIII—Appendixes

Appendix A—A Glossary of Windows Terms

Appendix B—Online Resources for Windows Millennium
The World Wide Web
Microsoft Sites
Non-Microsoft Sites
Usenet Newsgroups

Appendix C—Windows Millennium Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows Millennium Startup Keys
Interface Keys
Application Keys
Dialog Box Keys
Drag-and-Drop Keys
Windows Explorer Keys
Internet Explorer Keys
Doskey Keys
Windows Logo (() Keys

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