How to manage your disks using only Windows Vista's Disk Management tool.

The New Simple Volume Wizard will start. Click on Next.



In the second window of this wizard you will see the maximum available disk space. Select the size of the new partition (in megabytes) and click on Next.



Now you can assign a drive letter to the new partition. Select the letter you desire from the drop down list and click on Next.



In the next window you can choose whether you want to format the new partition or not. If you chose for now not to format the new volume, in order to use it, you will have to format it anyway later. If you choose the second option, you will have to select the desired file system and the allocation unit size. The default values (NTFS file system & default allocation unit size) are very good so there is no need to change them. You can also type the label of the new partition and select the quick format option.

If you just installed a new hard disk it is recommended that you perform a full format and not a quick one. In other cases the quick format is a good option.

When you are done setting all the needed options, click on Next.



Conti...

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Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

How to manage your disks using only Windows Vista's Disk Management tool.

The last window of the wizard will show you a summary of the changes that will be made. Quickly go through the summary and if you notice some incorrect settings press the Back button until you arrive to the appropriate wizard window and make the necessary changes. When you are done, click on Finish.



Depending on the options you have selected, the creation of the new partition will take from several seconds up to several minutes. When the process is completed, you will see the new partition listed in the Disk Management tool.



How to format a partition

Before formatting a partition, make sure you back up all the important data you have on it. Now, select the partition you want to format, right click on it and select Format.



Type the new volume label (in case you want to change it), choose the desired file system and the allocation unit size. When done making all the settings press on OK.




You will receive a warning that formatting this partition will erase all data on it. If you want to continue, click on OK.



Contin..

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

How to manage your disks using only Windows Vista's Disk Management tool.

The formatting will now start. You will see the process status in the square that represents the partition in the Disk Management tool.



How to delete a partition

Select the partition you want to delete, right click on it and then select Delete Volume.



You will receive a warning saying that deleting this volume will erase all data on it. If you want to continue, click on OK



The partition will be deleted and it will appear as unallocated space in the Disk Management tool.



How to extend a partition

You can also extend a partition by adding unallocated space that might be available. First, select the partition you want to extend, right click on it and select Extend Volume.






Contin...

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Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

How to manage your disks using only Windows Vista's Disk Management tool.


In the first window of the Extend Volume Wizard click on Next.




Select one of the disks that has some space available, type the amount of space you want to add (in megabytes) and then click on Next.



In the last window you will see a summary of your previous selections. Click on Finish and the selected partition will be extended.



Hope Useful...

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

One of Windows Vista's remarkable new features is its ability to conduct any type of search from almost anywhere on your computer. If you need to find a document, just search for it from the Start menu or from any window. If you're saying, "Well, what's so new about that?", try this: Press the Windows key, and then type part of the name of any program, folder, or file. The Windows key opens the Start menu, and, as you type, the results of your search appear on the Start menu. Type another letter or two, and the search results get narrowed down. Another great thing about the search feature is that not only can you search your computer, you can Search the entire Internet from the Start menu or any window.

You'll find other features that make working on your computer easier than ever, including links in each windowsome set up by Windows and others you create yourselfthat allow you to jump to your favorite locations; and the Address bar, which helps you to locate all the different places you want to explore. Windows Vista has also grouped many of the tools and features you need into task-oriented centers. For example, there's the Welcome Center, which helps you learn about your computer and shows you how to set up and customize it; the Mobility Center, which helps you set up your portable computer when you're on the road; the Network Center, which helps you configure, control, secure, and navigate your network; the Ease Of Access Center, which helps you modify computer settings to improve your access to the computer; and the Security Center, where you can make sure that you and your computer are protected from all the nasties lurking out there in cyberspace.

One of the first things you'll notice about security in Windows Vista is what you'll probably come to think of as an extremely annoying dialog box that's constantly popping up and asking you for the password for an Administrator's account (or, if you're logged on as an Administrator, asking your permission to continue). This feature, called the User Account Control, is central to the new and very powerful Windows Vista security features. Each time that dialog box appears, it's because you (or a program) are trying to do something that will change Windows, that will affect what other users can do, or that will introduce something onto the computer that could be dangerous to the system. By requiring permission, Windows is not only alerting you that these types of actions can't be conducted by someone who isn't authorized to make them, but is also preventing hackers, viruses, and other software from misusing or damaging your system. Aside from your frequent encounters with the User Account Control, you'll find that although many security features are running, they rarely interfere with your work. For example, Internet Explorer runs in Protected mode, which allows full access to features and tools on the Internet but isolates Internet Explorer from the rest of your computer to protect your system. Windows Defender watches your computer for spyware and other intrusive programs, and the Windows Firewall blocks unauthorized access to your computer and unauthorized transmission of information from your computer. A quick visit to the Windows Security Center shows you what Windows Vista is doing to protect your computer and also lets you know what you need to do to help keep your system secure. You can keep your children safe from harm when they're using the computer: With Windows Vista's Parental Controls feature, you can block Web sites, videos, games, TV shows, and any other media you consider inappropriate, and you can limit the amount of time during which your children (or anyone) can access the computer.

An impressive new feature of Windows Vista is the Aero glass appearance. If your computer's hardware supports this feature, parts of windows and other Windows components can be transparent, semitransparent, or colored as you want. You can see dazzling 3-D effects when you switch between windows, and everything on your screen looks really clear and sharp. You'll also notice improvements in other visual effects, including the increased clarity of pictures and videos.

You'll notice some significant differences between the components of Windows Vista and those of previous versions of Windows. For example, the Start menu doesn't have all those cascading submenus to navigate, and the folder windows aren't cluttered up with different toolbars; instead, the toolbar that remains changes its content depending on the types of folders or files contained in the window. You'll also notice that the menus seem to have disappeared. Fear not! They're still there (just press the Alt key) but are hidden and are mostly unnecessary. You'll see that folder windows can have different panes so that you can easily navigate among folders, see detailed information about an item, and even see a preview of a file without opening the file. There's also a special section of the Desktop, called the Sidebar, where you can store gadgets that show the time, get news headlines, run a slide show of your pictures, and do various other useful tasks.

Okay, we've talked about the way Windows Vista looks, the way it works, and the way it protects your computer system. Now we'll explore some of the many new features included in the Windows Vista Home Premium Edition. Available previously only in special editions of Windows, Media Center and Tablet PC tools are now included in Windows Vista. With Media Center, you can watch movies and even live TV. You can record shows, play music, and make your computer the center of your entertainment world. The Tablet PC tools are specialized tools that give you the power to do most of your work directly on the screen, especially if you use the Ink feature, which enables you to use your own handwriting in your programs.

You'll find an assortment of other new tools too. There's Windows Photo Gallery, a great photo organizer; and tools for making DVDs, whether they're data discs, photo slide shows, or movies. Windows Calendar makes it possible for you to track your schedule and publish it so that others can see it, and to download calendars from the Web. No more excuses for missing that dentist's appointment or being late for a meeting! Some of the other new Windows Vista features are really pretty remarkable. For example, for quite some time there have been several ways to conduct a secure electronic meeting over a network or over the Internet. Well, nowprovided both computers are in the same room and that each has a wireless network adapteryou can hold a meeting between two computers that aren't connected to either a network or the Internet! And if you've always wanted to yell at your computeror at least tell it what to doyou can use Windows Vista's powerful speech-recognition program.

You'll also find that Windows Vista comes with new and improved versions of programs from earlier versions of Windows. Windows Media Player now gives you the power to purchase and download music directly from the program; and Windows Mail replaces Outlook Express, providing greater security and power, and giving you the ability to automatically download Internet feeds (RSS feeds) so that you can see the latest news, conversations, or anything else you want.

So what's new in Windows Vista? Aside from all the new tools and features we've just described, perhaps what's new for you in Windows Vista is a feeling of renewed confidence that you can easily and safely do what you want on your computer without worrying that someone or something will cause you all sorts of trouble.

Hope Useful.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Windows Vista and your computer are designed to exist in more states than just being on or off. If you've been gone for a while, you've unplugged your computer, or you're using it for the first time, you'll need to bring it to life from its "off" state. Just like humans, Windows Vista and your computer both love to sleep. In the computer world, "sleep" is a state in which the computer stores your information on the hard disk and keeps it in memory, enters a very low-energy state, and then returns to full activity very quickly.

Start or Wake Up a Computer

1. Move the mouse button or press a key on the keyboard to see whether the computer is really off or just sleeping, or if it's simply resting with the screen off.


2. If nothing happens, turn on the computer, the monitor, and any peripheral devicesyour printer, for exampleand wait for Windows Vista to load.


3. Click your name. If a box for a password appears, type your password, and then press Enter to log on to Windows Vista.

How to Get Your Computer Going


Its state What you can do

Off : Press the Power button, and log on.

Sleep : Press the blinking Power button or lift the laptop cover, and log
on if required.

Hibernate : Press the Power button, and log on if required.

On, with a blank screen: Move the mouse or press a key.

On, with a screen saver : Move the mouse or press a key, and log on if
required.

On, locked : Enter your password, or click Switch User to log on using a
different name.

Caution:

Personal accounts are very powerful in scope. Each user of the computer has his or her own folders for storing documents, and each user has individual and specific settings. You should never use someone else's account! If you do, everything from files to e-mail messages could be misplaced or lost.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

If you walk away from your computer for more than a few minutes or even for a few seconds if your computer is accessible by othersyou'll want to either lock the computer or switch it to a low-power state that saves energy. That way, the computer can still function, but your files, settings, and programs aren't accessible and can't be viewed by others. If you want to grant access to another user, you can let the other person log on and use his or her own settings. If you need to be away from the computer for extended periods, or you want to add components or move the computer to a new location, just turn it off.

Leave It:

1. Click the Start button.
2. Do any of the following:

• Click the Sleep button, and wait for Windows to save your work and then go to sleep.
• 
  
• Click the Lock button to deny access to anyone except those you've authorized to log on to this computer.
• 
  
• Point to the arrow and choose Switch User to keep your programs running in the background (but inaccessible until you log on again), allowing another user to log on.
• 
  
• Point to the arrow and choose Log Off to close all your programs but leave the computer running so that another user can log on.
• 
  
• Point to the arrow and choose Restart to shut down the computer and then restart it.
• 
  
• Point to the arrow and choose Shut Down to close all your programs and turn off the computer.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

So you installed Windows DreamScene through Windows Update, but where did it go? You can't find it in the start menu anywhere, and it's not in Program Files… Turns out that just installing it doesn't always mean that it's enabled.

If you encounter the same problem I did, you'll have to also turn it on through the Windows Features menu. We'll run through the entire installation just to be safe.

Installing in Windows Update

Open up Windows Update through the start menu, and you should see "There are Windows Ultimate Extras available for download", so click on the "View available Extras" link.



Check all the updates (I already installed it before I remembered to screenshot it), and then click on the Install button.



Enabling DreamScene Component

Again, this step may not be required for you, but it was for me. Open up control panel and click the Programs link.



Then click on "Turn Windows features on or off"



Continu...

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Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Now you should see Windows Ultimate Extras and then Windows DreamScene in the list. Check the box, and then click OK.



It'll tell you the features are being configured…



And then it will prompt you to reboot. Make sure you reboot at this step.

Choosing a DreamScene Wallpaper

Right-click on the Desktop and choose Personalize, and then choose Desktop Background. You'll notice that the drop-down menu contains a number of new items for video files, including one for "Windows DreamScene Content", which contains all of the new videos in the additional components pack.



You'll also notice there are more options for how you can position both pictures and videos.



Continu....

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Now you've got moving pictures for your wallpaper. You can't see it through the screenshot, but it's animated… and useless…





If you want to pause the wallpaper, perhaps because you or somebody next to you is now having a seizure, just right-click on the desktop and choose Pause DreamScene.



This has to be one of the most useless features ever added to Windows. It spikes the CPU in my beefy laptop at a solid 15%.

Windows DreamScene is only available for people using Vista Ultimate, but don't worry, you aren't missing much.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer