Netbook Basics


ByJoli Ballew
July 2010
Pearson Education
Distributed by Trans-Atlantic Publications
ISBN: 9780273734925
237 pages, Illustrated
$28.50 Paper Original


Top 10 Netbook Tips

1. Search for anything from the Start menu

2. Connect to a free hotspot

3. Download and install Windows Live Essentials

4. Use Office Live Workspace to store important data

5. Have a video conversation

6. Use Media Player to listen to music

7. Play a slide show of pictures

8. Connect to a home network

9. Import pictures from a digital camera or media card

10. Install software from the Internet

Chapter 1 – Explore your netbook

Plug in the power cable

Access and use USB ports

Locate and use Ethernet ports

Connect external speakers or headphones

Locate additional ports

Locate, insert or remove the battery

Locate the power button and start Windows 7

Activate Windows 7

Use the touchpad

Locate specialised keyboard keys

View the Getting Started window

Open Help and Support

Shut down Windows safely

Chapter 2 – Locate and use public Wi-Fi networks

Turn Wi-Fi on and off

Connect to a free hotspot

Manage wireless networks

Chapter 3 – Surf the Internet

Open a website in Internet Explorer

Open a website in a new tab

Set a home page

Mark a Favorite

Change the zoom level of a webpage

Print a webpage

Clear history

Stay safe online

Chapter 4 - Obtain always-on Internet

Select an ISP

Obtain the proper settings

Make the connection

Select a network type

Use the New Connection Wizard

Diagnose connection problems

Chapter 5 – Get Windows Live Essentials

Download and install Windows Live Essentials

Get a Windows Live ID

Sign in

Personalise your Windows Live Home page

Open Windows Live Photo Gallery

Chapter 6 – Windows Live Mail

What is Windows Live Mail?

Set up a Windows Live email account

Set up a third-party email account

View an email

Change how often Mail checks for email

View an attachment

Recover email from the Junk email folder

Reply to an email

Forward an email

Compose and send a new email

Attach a picture to an email using Attach

Attach a picture to an email using a right-click

Insert a picture directly into the body of the email

Add a contact

Print an email

Apply a junk mail filter

Create a folder

Move email to a folder

Delete email in a folder

Chapter 7 – Explore Office Live Workspace

Understand why online storage is crucial

Get to know Office Live Workspace

Create a workspace

Add documents to your workspace

Share your workspace

Open a document in your workspace

Install Office Live Update

Create a new Word document from inside your workspace

Open an Excel file saved in your workspace

Save a PowerPoint Presentation to your workspace

Chapter 8 – Use your Built-in webcam

Discover your webcam

Get to know Windows Live Messenger

Open Windows Live Messenger

Sign into Windows Live Messenger

Personalise Windows Live Messenger

Run the Audio and Video Tuning Wizard

Add a contact

Have a video conversation

Chapter 9 – Work with media

Open Media Player and locate music

Listen to a song

View pictures in Windows Live Photo Gallery

Play a slide show of pictures

Auto adjust picture quality

Crop a picture

Open Media Center

Explore Internet TV

View pictures in Media Center

Chapter 10 – Connect to your home network

Create the connection

Enable Network Discovery

Verify sharing is enabled

Save data to the Public folder

Access the Public folder

Share a personal folder

Diagnose connection problems

Chapter 11 – Install and manage hardware

Install a digital camera, webcam or insert a media card

Import pictures from a digital camera or media card

Install a printer

What to do when the installation fails

Locate a driver

Download and install a driver

Use ReadyBoost

Change when your netbook sleeps

Change what happens when you press the power button or close the lid

Manage all connected devices

Chapter 12 – Install software on a CD or DVD

Explore installation options

Install software from the Internet

Share a networked CD/DVD drive

Install software from a shared network CD/ DVD drive

Copy the installation CD to a USB flash drive

Install software from a USB flash drive

Install software from an external CD/DVD drive

Chapter 13 – Stay secure

Add a new user account

Require a password

Configure Windows Update

Scan for viruses with Windows Defender

Enable the firewall

View and resolve Security Center warnings

Create a basic backup

Chapter 14 – Fix problems

Use System Restore

Disable unwanted start-up items

Resolve Internet connectivity problems

Use Device Driver Rollback

View available hard drive space

Delete unnecessary Media Center media

Uninstall unwanted programs

Chapter 15 – Do more with Windows 7

Learn what’s new in Windows 7

Change the desktop background

Change the screen saver

Add desktop icons

Create a shortcut on the desktop for a program or application

Search for anything from the Start menu

Add a gadget to the desktop

Set the time on the clock gadget

Configure the taskbar

Pin icons to the taskbar

Use Shake, Jump Lists, Snap, and Peek

Create a homegroup

Join a homegroup

Explore libraries

Top 10 Netbook Problems solved

1. I’m within range of a public or private wireless network, but I can’t see it and I can’t log in.

2. I’m in a coffee shop that offers free Wi-Fi, but I didn’t see any pop-up about the available network (or I was unable to click the pop-up in time). How can I join now?

3. I’ve downloaded and installed Windows Live Messenger, I have contacts, and my webcam is working. I still can’t initiate a video conversation. What’s up?

4. I have several pictures that need cropping, or are too dark, too light, or have other problems. How can I edit them?

5. Where is Outlook Express or Windows Mail? Where’s my email?

6. I installed a driver or program and now my computer isn’t behaving the way it should.

7. I was connected to the Internet and/or my local network and now I’m not.

8. My new netbook came with a lot of programs I'll never use and I want them gone!

9. I need to install software that is on a CD, but I don’t have a CD drive in my netbook. What can I do?

10. I’m online a lot and I worry about staying safe. What can I do?

 

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