The Start Screen in the Windows 8 Release Preview
Reviewers of early versions of Windows 8 were stunned to see that Microsoft did something unthinkable: It removed the Start button from the desktop. The Start button, the program launching pad used by [more…]
The Desktop in Windows 8’s Release Preview
Microsoft clearly created Windows 8’s new Start screen and its ecosystem of apps as the heart of Windows 8. Changing Windows 8 so drastically would have alienated millions of Windows users worldwide, however [more…]
The Different Versions of Windows 8
Microsoft aims for a simpler approach to computing with Windows 8, and that simpler approach applies to the versions of Windows 8 you’ll see released later this year. When buying a new computer or upgrading [more…]
Windows 8 Release Preview: The Dueling Operating Systems
Still a work in progress before it rolls out as the next version of Microsoft Windows, Windows 8 Release Preview features the prospect of two versions of Windows built into a single package. [more…]
Microsoft’s Windows 8 Release Preview
Windows 8’s vision, oddly enough, sprouted from smart phones. Before smart phones became commonplace, people thought of computers as deskbound workhorses. For decades, people sat down at a computer because [more…]
How to Keep Track of Open Windows in Windows 8
You don't have to keep track of all those open windows on the desktop. Windows 8 does it for you with a secret key combination: Hold the Alt key and press the Tab key, and a little bar appears, displaying [more…]
How to Upgrade Online to Windows 8
With Windows 8, Microsoft lets you upgrade to a new operating system online: After you purchase the program online, Microsoft sends it to your computer through the Internet. After you run through a few [more…]
How to Clean Up a Messy Desktop in Windows 8
When icons cover your desktop like a year's worth of sticky notes, Windows 8 offers several ways to clean up the mess. If you simply want your desktop clutter to look [more…]
The Windows 8 Taskbar's Crazy Toolbars
Your taskbar in Windows 8 won't always be a steadfast, unchanging friend. Microsoft lets you customize it, often beyond the point of recognition. Some people enjoy adding [more…]
Screen Resolution and Overcrowding in Windows 8
The best way to fight a crowded screen when working in Windows 8 is to experiment with your screen resolution — the amount of information your screen can display. Windows 8 requires a resolution of 1366 [more…]
How to Turn Off Permissions in Windows 8
Toning down the nagging permission screens in Windows 8 leaves your PC more vulnerable to the dark forces of computing. But if you find yourself grinding your teeth more than working, Administrator account [more…]
How to Set Internet Explorer's Security Zones in Windows 8
Regardless of whether your machine is running Windows 8 or an earlier operating system, Internet Explorer offers four security zones, each offering a different level of protection. When you add different [more…]
How to Deal with Missing Files in Windows 8 Folders
When you open a folder in Windows 8 — or even look at your desktop — you expect to see everything it contains. But when something's missing or there's nothing inside it at all, check these things before [more…]
Mouse Troubleshooting in Windows 8
What do you do when your mouse just doesn't work right in Windows 8 or when you think you're double-clicking, but your mouse thinks you're single-clicking? [more…]
New Windows 8 Computer? What to Do with Your Old Computer
If you've recently purchased a new machine equipped with Windows 8, you might be sitting around with one computer too many. After you've transferred everything of value from the old computer to the new [more…]
Windows 8: Erase Your Old Computer's Hard Drive
If you have a new machine loaded with Windows 8 and want to donate your old computer, remember to erase the hard drive on the old machine. A freshly donated hard drive can be a thief's delight. If it's [more…]
Problems Copying Music to Your iPod in Windows 8
You won't find the word iPod mentioned in the Windows 8 menus, help screens, or even in the Help areas of Microsoft's website. That's because Microsoft's competitor, Apple, makes the tremendously popular [more…]
How to Prepare for a Windows 8 Upgrade
Nearly everybody experiences Windows 8 on a new computer. After all, Windows 8 comes preinstalled on nearly all of them. But older computers can also run Windows 8. Because Windows 8 doesn't demand a lot [more…]
Free Apps Available with Windows 8
The Windows 8 Start screen comes stocked with several free apps, each living on its own square or rectangular tile. Every tile is labeled, so you know what’s what. [more…]
How to Exit from Windows 8
Ah! The most pleasant thing you’ll do with Windows 8 all day could very well be to stop using it. Exiting Windows brings a new hurdle to the process, however: You must decide whether to Lock, Sign Out, [more…]
What Is Windows 8, and Why Are You Using It?
Created and sold by a company called Microsoft, Windows 8 isn’t like your usual software that lets you calculate income taxes or send angry e-mails to mail-order companies. No, Windows is an [more…]
What’s New in Windows 8?
You may have worked with earlier versions of Microsoft Windows. If so, toss away that hard-earned knowledge because Windows 8 starts from scratch. Why? Because Windows 8 tries to please two camps of computer [more…]
Should You Switch to Windows 8?
In a word, no. Most people stick with the Windows version that came installed on their computers and don’t upgrade. That way they avoid the chore of figuring out a new version of Windows. Also, Windows [more…]
Windows 8 Hardware Requirements
If you want to upgrade to Windows 8, your computer probably won’t complain; the hardware requirements remain about the same. Windows 8 should run without problem on any PC currently running Windows 7 or [more…]
The Four Versions of Windows 8
Microsoft offers four main versions of Windows 8, but you’ll probably want only one: the aptly titled “Windows 8” version. Small businesses will choose Windows 8 Pro, and larger businesses will want Windows [more…]
