Windows 10 Inside Out

Conquer Windows 10--from the inside out!
Dive into Windows 10--and really put your Windows expertise to work. Focusing on the most powerful and innovative features of Windows 10, this supremely organized reference packs hundreds of timesaving solutions, tips, and workarounds. From the new Microsoft Edge browser to the personal assistant Cortana, from security to the enhanced Start menu, discover how the experts tackle essential Windows 10 tasks--and challenge yourself to new levels of mastery.

• Install, configure, and personalize Windows 10
• Transition smoothly from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1
• Discover the fast, efficient Microsoft Edge browser
• Use the Cortana personal assistant to handle reminders and information retrieval
• Explore cloud services
• Find, manage, back up, and restore files
• Use the Windows 10 Mail, Calendar, and People apps
• Retrieve, organize, and enjoy digital media
• Harden security and strengthen privacy
• Add Windows Store apps
• Fine-tune performance and troubleshoot crashes
• Share resources and control computers remotely
• Automate tasks and use advanced system management
• Run Hyper-V virtual machines

• Your role: Experienced intermediate-level to advanced-level Windows user
• Prerequisites: Basic understanding of Windows procedures, techniques, and navigation

Table of Contents

Introduction     xix
Who this book is for     xix
Assumptions about you     xix
How this book is organized     xx
Acknowledgments     xxi
Errata, updates, & book support     xxi
Free ebooks from Microsoft Press     xxi
We want to hear from you     xxii
Stay in touch     xxii
PART 1: Getting started with Windows 10     1
Chapter 1: What’s new in Windows 10     3
Next-generation hardware     4
The Windows 10 user experience      5
Fundamental changes in core features     11
Windows 10, the web, and cloud services     13
Working and playing with Windows 10     15
More updates, more often     17
Windows 10 for IT pros and experts     19
Chapter 2: Installing, configuring, and deploying Windows 10     21
Before you start     22
Check for potential compatibility problems     23
Back up your data and settings     24
Choose the right package     25
Choose your upgrade method     27
How Windows 10 Setup works     28
Upgrading to Windows 10     29
Using Windows Update     29
Using Windows installation media     33
Checking compatibility     33
Transferring files, apps, and settings     34
Performing a clean install     39
Making bootable media     39
Setup and your hard disk     44
Configuring a multiboot system     48
Activating Windows     52
Entering a product key     54
Activating a retail copy of Windows     57
Activation requirements for OEM installations     57
Product activation and corporate licensing     58
Managing Windows activation from the command prompt     59
Tweaking and tuning your Windows 10 installation     59
Chapter 3: Using Windows 10     61
An overview of the Windows 10 user experience     62
Navigating Windows 10     64
Using and customizing the Start menu     64
Using and customizing the taskbar     71
Controlling how notifications appear     76
Switching tasks     79
Switching between virtual desktops     81
Using Windows 10 on a touchscreen device     82
Managing and arranging windows     89
Cortana and search     93
Chapter 4: Personalizing Windows 10     99
Settings vs. Control Panel     99
Customizing the visual appearance     100
Selecting the desktop background     101
Selecting colors     103
Customizing mouse pointers     104
Configuring desktop icons     105
Controlling the appearance of other icons     107
Configuring the taskbar with multiple displays     108
Customizing the lock screen     109
Working with fonts     110
Making text easier to read     111
Using font smoothing to make text easier on the eyes     112
Calibrating your display’s colors     113
Making other small visual tweaks     113
Working the way you like     114
Taming your mouse or other pointing device     114
Managing keyboard settings     117
Selecting sounds for events     118
Choosing a screen saver     119
Tuning Windows to know about you     120
Syncing your settings between computers     123
Working with themes     123
Synchronizing other settings     124
Overcoming challenges     125
Chapter 5: Networking essentials     129
Getting started with Windows 10 networking     130
Checking your network’s status     131
Using the network icon and flyout     131
Network And Sharing Center     136
Monitoring network performance in Task Manager     139
Setting network locations     141
Connecting to a wireless network     143
Connecting to a hidden network     146
Wireless security     148
Sharing wireless connections with Wi-Fi Sense     151
Sharing files, digital media, and printers in a homegroup     152
Creating a homegroup     154
Joining a homegroup     157
Browsing shared folders and files     160
Sharing a printer     161
Leaving a homegroup     161
Chapter 6: Managing user accounts, passwords, and credentials     163
Working with user accounts     163
Microsoft account vs. local account     165
Changing account settings     169
Deleting an account     171
Managing the sign-in process     173
Setting a password     175
Using a PIN     178
Using a picture password     178
Using Windows Hello for biometric sign-ins     179
Signing out, switching accounts, or locking your computer     181
Sharing your PC with other users     183
Adding a user to your computer     183
Controlling your children’s computer access     185
Restricting use with assigned access     188
Introducing access control in Windows     188
Permissions and rights     193
User accounts and security groups     193
Managing and securing your credentials     196
Chapter 7: Securing Windows 10 devices     197
Understanding security threats     197
What’s new in Windows 10     200
Securing devices     200
Securing data     201
Securing identities     202
Blocking malware     202
Monitoring your computer’s security     203
Staying on top of security updates     206
Blocking intruders with Windows Firewall     208
Using Windows Firewall with different network types     209
Managing Windows Firewall     210
Enabling or disabling Windows Firewall     210
Allowing connections through the firewall     212
Restoring default settings     214
Advanced tools for managing Windows Firewall     214
Preventing unsafe actions with User Account Control     216
What triggers UAC prompts     216
Dealing with UAC prompts     218
Modifying UAC settings     221
Encrypting information     223
Using the Encrypting File System     224
Encrypting with BitLocker and BitLocker To Go     226
Using Windows Defender to block malware     228
Using Windows Defender     229
Manually scanning for malware     230
Dealing with detected threats     232
Stopping unknown or malicious programs with SmartScreen     233
PART 2: Working and playing with Windows 10     235
Chapter 8: Using and managing modern apps and desktop programs     237
What’s in a modern app     238
Browsing the Windows Store     240
Finding additional information     242
Buying an app     243
Uninstalling an app     243
Managing line-of-business apps     244
Apps included with Windows 10     245
Installing, running, and managing desktop applications     246
Running desktop applications as an administrator or another user     247
Dealing with compatibility issues     248
Managing programs and processes with Task Manager     249
Terminating a program with Task Manager     250
Finding detailed information about a program     251
Assigning a program to a specific processor     252
Reviewing history     252
Managing startup programs     254
Suspending or removing startup items     255
Setting default programs and file-type associations     259
Using a nondefault program ad hoc     264
Turning Windows features on or off     265
Setting AutoPlay options     265
Chapter 9: Productivity and communication tools     269
Mail, Calendar, and People     270
Setting up and using Mail     270
Setting up and using Calendar     275
Adding or editing contacts with People     278
Downloading and using Skype     279
Using the mobile and desktop versions of OneNote     282
Using the mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint     284
Features common to the mobile Office apps     284
Exploring the mobile Office apps     287
Using Maps     289
Using Alarms & Clock     293
The info apps: News, Weather, Sports, and Money     294
News     294
Weather     296
Sports     298
Money     300
Sharing and saving news stories     301
Preserving items of interest with Windows Reading List     302
Voice Recorder     305
Chapter 10: Music, photos, movies, and games     307
Managing your digital media libraries     308
Music     311
Groove Music     312
Using Windows Media Player to rip CDs     316
Managing photos and digital images     318
Using the Photos app to crop and edit pictures     322
Organizing photos into albums     326
Windows Photo Viewer and Paint     329
Watching movies, recorded TV shows, and video clips     331
Miracast     333
Xbox and other forms of online entertainment     336
Chapter 11: Browsing the Internet     339
Why the new browser?      340
Browser basics     341
Setting or changing your default browser     341
User interface basics in Edge     342
Using the Start page in Edge     343
Using tabs     345
Customizing your home and startup pages     348
Changing your default search provider     351
Using favorites, history, and the reading list     354
Browsing with favorites in Edge     354
Using the reading list, an alternative to favorites, in Edge     357
Browsing with favorites in Internet Explorer     360
Working with pinned sites in Internet Explorer     361
Browsing through history     362
Managing downloads     364
Using SmartScreen Filter to avoid phishing sites and dicey downloads     365
Making text more readable     366
Using Reading View in Edge     367
Sharing webpages from Edge     369
Annotating Edge pages with web notes     370
Managing and troubleshooting add-ons in Internet Explorer     372
Privacy and security issues     373
Allowing or not allowing your browser to save sign-in credentials     374
Blocking pop-ups     376
Clearing your browser history and other personal information     377
Blocking cookies and sending do-not-track requests     379
Configuring security zones in Internet Explorer     381
Chapter 12: Organizing and searching for files     383
Exploring File Explorer     383
Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar     386
Navigating in File Explorer     387
What’s what and where in a user profile     389
Common profiles     392
Working with libraries     393
Using compressed (zipped) folders     398
Displaying or suppressing check boxes     399
Arranging data in File Explorer     399
Managing file properties and metadata     406
Recovering lost, damaged, and deleted files and folders     412
Recovering files and folders with the Recycle Bin     412
Relocating personal data folders     415
Using Save locations     418
Using Windows Search     419
Searching everywhere     419
Configuring search and indexing options     420
Basic search techniques     430
Advanced search tools and techniques     434
Saving searches and clearing search history     440
PART 3: System maintenance and troubleshooting     441
Chapter 13: Hardware     443
Adding, configuring, and removing hardware devices     443
Installing a new Plug and Play device     444
How device drivers and hardware work together     446
Getting useful information from Device Manager     449
Enabling and disabling devices     454
Adjusting advanced device settings     454
Updating and uninstalling drivers     456
Disabling automatic driver updates     457
Updating a device driver manually     458
Rolling back to a previous driver version     461
Uninstalling a driver      462
Fine-tuning hardware and printer settings     465
Printers and print queues     467
Keyboards, mice, touchpads, and pens     471
Displays     474
Bluetooth devices     477
USB devices     478
Speakers, microphones, and headsets     478
Chapter 14: Managing disks and drives     481
The Windows 10 disk-management tools     481
Running Disk Management     482
Managing disks from the command prompt     483
Setting up a new hard disk     486
Installing Windows on a new disk     486
Adding a new disk to an existing Windows installation     487
Choosing a file system     490
Managing existing disks and volumes     492
Extending a volume     493
Shrinking a volume     494
Deleting a volume     495
Converting a FAT32 disk to NTFS     495
Assigning or changing a volume label     496
Assigning and changing drive letters     496
Mapping a volume to an NTFS folder     497
Checking the properties and status of disks and volumes     500
Permanently wiping all data from a disk     503
Working with virtual hard disks     503
Checking disks for errors     506
Optimizing disks for better performance     508
Working with solid state drives     510
Optimizing solid state drives     511
Monitoring disk usage     512
Changing default save locations     513
Using Storage Spaces     514
Chapter 15: System maintenance and performance     517
Keeping Windows up to date     517
Mastering Task Manager     525
Managing startup programs and services     531
Managing disk space     533
Power management and battery life     542
Monitoring and improving system performance     549
Monitoring performance with Task Manager     550
Using Resource Monitor to pinpoint performance problems     554
Chapter 16: Backup, restore, and recovery     557
An overview of Windows 10 backup and recovery options     558
Using File History to protect files and folders     562
Setting up File History     563
Choosing locations to back up     568
Restoring files and folders     570
Using the Reset option to recover from serious problems     575
Creating and using a recovery drive     580
Creating and restoring a system image backup     582
Creating a system image backup     583
Restoring a system image backup     587
Configuring system protection options     590
Rolling back to a previous restore point     594
System Restore do’s and don’ts     598
Chapter 17: Troubleshooting     599
Getting to know your troubleshooting toolkit     599
Built-in troubleshooters     599
Windows Error Reporting     601
Reliability Monitor     605
Event Viewer     607
Types of events     610
Viewing logs and events     610
Filtering the log display     612
Dealing with Stop errors     614
Customizing how Windows handles Stop errors     614
What’s in a Stop error     616
Isolating the cause of a Stop error     617
Troubleshooting with alternative boot options     619
PART 4: Windows 10 for experts and IT pros     623
Chapter 18: Using advanced system management tools     625
Viewing details about your system     625
Systeminfo     627
Windows Management Instrumentation command-line utility     628
System Information     628
Managing services     630
Using the Services console     631
Starting and stopping services     632
Configuring services     633
Managing services from Task Manager     636
Editing the Windows registry     638
Understanding the Registry Editor hierarchy     640
Registry values and data types     641
Registry virtualization     643
Backing up and restoring parts of the registry     644
Browsing and editing with Registry Editor     646
Using .reg files to automate registry changes     648
Using Microsoft Management Console     651
Chapter 19: Automating tasks and activities     655
Using Task Scheduler     655
Creating a task     659
Scheduling tasks with the Schtasks command     667
Automating command sequences with batch programs     668
Automating tasks with Windows Script Host     669
Chapter 20: Advanced networking     671
Viewing network status     671
Sharing resources with other users     673
Understanding sharing and security models in Windows     673
Configuring your network for sharing     674
Sharing files and folders from any folder     678
Sharing a printer     687
Finding and using shared resources on a Windows network     689
Working with mapped network folders     690
Connecting to a network printer     692
Connecting to another computer with Remote Desktop     692
Configuring your network for Remote Desktop connections     693
Enabling inbound remote desktop connections     695
Using Remote Desktop Connection     697
Troubleshooting network problems     707
Troubleshooting HomeGroup problems     710
Network troubleshooting tools     711
Troubleshooting TCP/IP problems     713
Chapter 21: Working with Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell     725
Working at the command prompt     725
Running with elevated privileges     725
Starting Command Prompt at a particular folder     726
Starting Command Prompt and running a command     726
Using AutoRun to execute commands when Command Prompt starts     726
Editing the command line     727
Using command symbols     727
Customizing Command Prompt windows     730
Setting the window size and position     730
Setting the window size and position visually     731
Selecting a font     731
Setting colors     731
An introduction to Windows PowerShell     731
Starting PowerShell     733
Interacting with PowerShell     733
Scripting with PowerShell     745
Finding additional PowerShell resources     749
Chapter 22: Running virtual machines with Hyper-V     751
Setting up Hyper-V     752
Using Hyper-V Manager     754
Creating a network switch     756
Creating a virtual machine     757
Specify name and location     757
Specify generation     759
Assign memory     760
Configure networking     760
Connect virtual hard disk     761
Installation options     763
Running a virtual machine     764
Using enhanced session mode     767
Changing settings for a virtual machine     769
Working with checkpoints     770
Appendix A: Windows 10 editions at a glance     773
Features available in all Windows 10 editions     774
Windows 10 Pro     778
Windows 10 Enterprise and Education     780
Appendix B: Help and support resources     781
Online help     781
Online reference material from Microsoft     786
Microsoft Knowledge Base     786
Microsoft TechNet     786
Microsoft Virtual Academy     786
Getting technical support     787
Microsoft Community     787
TechNet forums     788
Free and paid support from Microsoft     789
Appendix C: OneDrive and other cloud services     791
How OneDrive and OneDrive for Business work     791
Synchronizing files with Windows 10 devices     794
Office 365 and Office Web Apps     796
Index to troubleshooting topics     799
Index     801

If you find an error, you can report it to us through our Submit errata page.