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Windows Vista Help has been set up for you to jump in, find an answer to your problem, resolve the problem, and get back to work. Unfortunately, life is rarely so simple. So, too, with Help. You probably won't dive into Help until you're feeling very lost.
Ensuring that you get all the Help
Vista's Help has very few options that you can set, but you should check one key setting. Follow these steps:
1. Choose Start --> Help and Support.
Vista shows you the Windows Help and Support main page.
2. In the upper-right corner, choose Options --> Settings.
Vista has just two settings (see Figure 1), but one of them is vital.
Figure 1: Make sure that Vista Help looks online.
3. Ensure that the Include Windows Assistance Online When You Search for Help check box is selected, and then click the OK button.
When Help is connected to the Internet, you see the Online Help icon in the lower-right corner of every Help screen.
Working through the index
The Windows Help and Support Center features an index. To find the index, click the Browse Help icon, the one in the upper-right corner of the Help and Support main page that looks like a book. The index appears, as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Help's frequently overlooked index.
The Windows Help index is quite thorough but, like any index, relies heavily on the terminology being used in the Help articles themselves. That leads to frequent chicken-and-egg situations: You can find the answer to your question quite readily if you, well, know the answer to the question — or if you know the terminology involved (which is nearly the same thing).
Generally, typing keywords in the Search Help text box is the best way to approach a problem, but the index comes in handy from time to time. Don't hesitate to use it.
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