One of the new features that you will immediately notice in Vista is User Account Control or UAC. It is designed to prevent unauthorized changes to your computer. Each time you attempt to perform a task that requires administrative rights, a dialog box appears prompting you for permission.

User Account Control can be enabled or disabled through User Accounts and Family Safety within the Control Panel. You can further configure the behavior of UAC through the local computer policy.

Click the Local Computer Policy and navigate to the following location: Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options. In the list of policy settings, scroll to the bottom. You will see a list of settings for controlling the behavior of User Account Control on the local computer.

Like previous versions of Windows, Vista maintains a list of your recently opened files on the Start Menu. This is supposed to give you quick access to the files that you most recently opened. Some users however, may not want others knowing what files they are working on and feel it is a breach of privacy. Vista does give you the option of disabling this feature so users can maintain their privacy.

Note: You can also disable the list of recently opened programs by removing the check beside the Store and display a list of recently opened programs option.

The version of Vista that gets installed depends on the product key that you enter. This means a single Vista CD can be used to install the various editions. One question that immediately arises then is “how can I upgrade my existing version of Vista to a version that has more features?“.

The answer is to change the product key through the System applet within the Control Panel. Under the Windows activation section, click the Change product key link. The window that appears will allow you to enter a new product key and thereby upgrade to a different version of Vista.

Vista’s Startup Repair Tool

Users often think that the best and easiest way to get rid of start up problems is to simply reinstall the operating system. However, this is time consuming especially when you have to restore data and reinstall your favorite applications. A lot of times, but not all, the problem is as simple as replacing a file or altering a setting. This is where Windows Vista’s Startup Repair Tool can help.

The Startup Repair Tool is designed to detect operating system startup problems. If one is detected, it automatically launches a troubleshooter that will attempt to resolve the problem with little to no user intervention. The Startup Repair Tool can repair problems such as:

So what happens when the Startup Repair Tool detects a problem? It will automatically attempt to repair the system. If successful, the computer will reboot and an event will be written to the event log. If the Startup Repair Tool cannot repair the problem without user intervention, it will provide you with the tools to manually troubleshoot the issue. If the Startup Repair Tool cannot identify or fix the problem, it will start the computer using the last known good configuration.

Q:
You promised in yesterday's newsletter that you would go over some more of the new features in Vista and I wanted to make sure you were going to hold true to that. I'm very interested in learning as much as I can about the new operating system, so any information you can provide would be great.

A:
You are absolutely correct! I did promise that and even though you don't know me very well, I can tell you that I never break promises. As you read above in today's quick tip, Windows Vista has been released and it is on the shelves ready for sale. I'm guessing that several people are going to run right out and get the new operating system, but I'm also willing to bet that some of you are still a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Am I right? Yeah, I thought I might be.

So, I'm here today to try and ease your mind a little. Yesterday, I told you all about the new Aero interface that is being used with Vista. That's a pretty cool thing, but it's not the only thing Vista is offering. There are so many more new features and options, it's incredible. I'm going to go over a few more of these with you, so sit back, relax and come on a Vista journey with me!

The first thing I thought I would tell you about is Vista's Performance. Microsoft has added a new technology to Vista that will help your computer to be more responsive while you are going through your daily tasks. It also has an advanced startup performance, which will help all the Vista PCs to get up and going much faster. There is also a better balance between memory devices, etc. that will help all of your programs to run more smoothly and efficiently. Microsoft has even thought about how your computer will be as it ages. As your computer gets older, the features in Vista are designed to work together to make your PC work just as good as it did the day you brought it home.

The next category I would like to tell you about is under the name of Search and Organization. The features for this in Vista will help all computer users quickly and easily locate files, e-mails and any other documents, etc. stored on their computer. With the new file searcher , if you remember any kind of detail about it whatsoever (when it was created, what type of file it is, what it contains, etc.), you will easily be able to find it in a matter of seconds. There are brand new ways to keep all of that data organized as well.

Another great feature is called the Self-healing System. Built in to Vista are ways to keep your computer from failing on you as easily as it may have in the past. Vista is reliable in detecting and resolving many known problems that may have caused you previous trouble. The best thing about this is that it requires hardly any effort on your part! And if by some chance Vista cannot figure out the problem on its own, it will provide you with a list of troubleshooting techniques that you can try out yourself. How cool is that?!

The next feature I'd like to tell you about is called SuperFetch. This wonderful option helps all of your programs to load up much faster than they normally would. SuperFetch will also run automatic backups and antivirus scans for you when you're not actively using your computer. It does that so it will not disturb you too much. This feature will also monitor which programs you use the most and it will preload them into your system memory so they will be readily available when you need them.

Another perk of Windows Vista falls under the name of User Account Control. This feature happens to enhance the security of your computer accounts. The Controls will prevent any dangerous software from making unknown changes to your system. That is, unless you give it consent to do so. This option works with the Windows Defender program and the Internet Explorer 7 Web browser to heighten your safety even more. It will help keep viruses, spyware and other types of malware off your computer as well. This is just the beginning of what the User Account Control feature will do for you and you can't complain about that!

Okay, this is going to be the last one I'm going to tell you about, because I'm starting to run out of room. This one is more on the fun side of Vista and it's called the Windows Calendar. With this calendar, you will be able to manage all of your activities in an easy to understand format. The Windows Calendar is a great tool for planning all of your activities, as well as, keeping track of other people's schedules along the way. Everything you need for your daily events can be found on your PC each morning and you will never be unorganized again!

Now, of course, those are just a few of the new features that come along with Vista. I mean, Microsoft really has thought of everything with this one. There's new parental controls, a photo gallery option, remote access, a Sync Center, a Welcome Center and even a complete PC backup and restore utility.

Also, keep in mind that some of these features only work in certain versions of Vista. You will have to read through a description of the version you get to see what all is offered. But, either way you look at it, all the new features are great and your Vista experience will be so much better because of them. Yes!

Vista’s Parental Controls (Part I)

When you install Vista you also get the latest version of Microsoft’s Web browser. As you will see when you start poking around Internet Explorer 7, the browser has many security-related features and tools that are designed to secure your computer when connected to the Internet. One such tool, which is only available in the version of Internet Explorer that is included with Vista, is the Parental Controls.

Parental Controls is designed for parents to stop children from visiting inappropriate Web sites. However, it is also a feature that businesses can take advantage of to prevent against unacceptable Web usage.

You can configure Parental Controls from the Content tab within the Internet Options window. It is also accessible through the Vista Control Panel.

To start configuring Parental Controls, click the Parental Controls button on the Internet Option’s Content tab. The Parental Controls window will appear, listing all the user accounts configured on the computer. Select the Standard User account that you want to setup Parental Controls for.

Under Parental Controls, click the On, enforce current settings option. Once enabled, you will be able to control settings for the following areas:

Web Restrictions
Parental Controls lets you restrict what Web sites a standard user account can visit. You can also block Web sites based on the content. This is useful for businesses that want to control the type of Web content employees can access from their workgroup computers.

Under Windows Settings, click the Vista Web Filter option to begin setting up Web restrictions.

The Web Restrictions window will permit you to configure the following settings:

Select Edit the Allow and block list link to specify which specific sites users can and cannot visit. Type in the URL of the specific Web site and click either the Allow or the Block button. You also have the option of blocking access to all sites except those on the Allow list you create. For example, you can create a list of work related Web sites and block access to all other sites by selecting the Only Allow Web sites which are on the allow list option.

Time Limits
Parental Controls lets you set time limits to specify when a user is allowed to log on to the computer. For example, to ensure employees are not logging on to the computers after business hours, you can set a time limit from 8 AM to 6 PM. After 6 PM, users will automatically be logged off.

From the Time Restrictions window, click and drag the hours that you want to allow or block. Different logon hours can be set up for different days of the week.

In the next installment of this article, I’ll show you how to prevent users from playing games and limiting access to programs.

Vista’s Parental Controls (Part II)

In the previous installment of this article, you learned how to use Parental Controls to set Web and time restrictions. Now we’ll look at how you can use this tool to prevent users from playing games and using certain programs.

Games
Chances are you will not want your users playing games during business hours. Parental Controls lets you block any game on the computer or control the types of games that can be played.

To prevent a user from playing any games, click the No option. If you opt to let users play games, they can be blocked by rating or content types. Games can also be blocked by name. Select the Block or Allow specific games link to control specific games a user can or cannot play. For example, if you discover a user is spending business hours playing Solitaire, select Always Block to prevent the user from being allowed to play it.

Programs
Parental Controls lets you control what programs a user has access to. By default, a user will have access to all programs installed on the computer. You can select the individuals programs that a user is allowed to use. All the programs installed on the computer will be listed. Check each program that you want the user to have access to. All other programs will be blocked.

Note: Be careful not to block access to a program that a user requires to perform their job function.

Monitoring Activity
A very handy feature of Parental Controls in Vista is that it monitors activity and generates reports. When you select the View activity reports link, you will be presented with a summary of activity for the user account. It will provide you with information such as the top 10 Web sites visited by the user, their logon times, any games they have played and so on.

Along with user account activity, the Parental Controls reporting feature provides a report on general system activity. For example, the report will tell you when changes have been made to the system, the date and time of the change and who performed the action. Parental Controls reports on the following general system activities:

Activity reporting is a handy feature, if you remember to view the reports on a regular basis. You can configure Vista to remind you to view the reports on a weekly or daily basis.

Return to the main Parental Controls window that lists the user accounts on the local computer. Under the list of tasks, click Family Safety Option. Choose how frequently you want to be reminded to view the activity reports.

User Accounts In Vista (Part I)

Creating user accounts is a snap with Vista. It is definitely something you should know how to do if you share your computer with other individuals. All of the user account tasks are grouped under the User Accounts and Family Safety option in the Control Panel. Conversely, user accounts can also be managed through the Computer Management console. Once you open this tool, the process for creating a user account is quite similar to that in Windows XP.

When you create the new user account you will notice four account options at the bottom of the dialog box. The account options you select will depend on your computer practices. For example, most people will assign the user account a password when it’s first created and then have the user change it, coming up with their own password the first time they log on. In any case, the available options are summarized below:

User Accounts In Vista (Part II)

In Part I of this series you learned how to create a user account in Vista. You’re next step is to become familiar with the different settings that can be configured through the properties window for a user account.

Every user account has a set of configurable properties. Right clicking on a user account within the Computer Management console brings up a dialog box with three tabs. From the properties window you can configure properties such as account options, group membership and user profiles.

Once you make the necessary changes to the user account, click OK. The change will be applied the next time the user logs on with that account.

User Accounts In Vista (Part III)

Part II of this series, I outlined the three tabs available from the properties dialog box for a user account. The three tabs include: General, Member Of and Profile. Since the Profile tab has settings that are often overlooked, we’ll now take a close look at them.

The Profile tab allows you to configure the path to the user profile. For those of you who are not familiar with what a user profile is, here is a perfect example that I’m sure most can relate to. Two users share the same computer. One user prefers the Windows default background and the other prefers backgrounds downloaded from the Internet. So what permits each user to retain their preferences on a single computer? Of course, as I’m sure you’ve already guessed, the answer is user profiles.

By default profiles are stored on a local computer. What happens though for users who move between multiple workstations? They can configure their settings on each local computer or the easier solution is to use roaming profiles. This way the profiles can be stored on a central computer making the profiles available on any computer in the domain. This is where the Profile tab comes in. Once you’ve created a share on a central computer to hold the profiles, use the Profiles tab under the account properties and type in the path to the shared folder.

Two other fields are available from this property sheet: logon scripts and home folders. If you are using logon scripts, provide the path to where they are located so the scripts can be run each time the user logs on to the computer. Home folders are considered to be a user’s personal storage space. You have the option of storing them on the local computer or on another computer on your network.

Display Logon Message In Vista

You can configure your computer to display a message to users who are attempting to log on. For example, you may want to a message to appear that only users with valid user names and passwords are permitted to logon.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part I)

Malware is any program or file that is intended to be harmful to your computer. Microsoft has become more dedicated in protecting computers against malware attacks as in evident in the release of Vista.

Vista includes several technologies, that when used together, enhance protection against various forms of malware. These technologies include:

User Account Control
User Account Control (UAC) is the feature that enables Vista to be able to run more reliably without giving the user local admin rights to the system. This does result in some additional dialog boxes and warnings that pop up for users but in the end it reduces the damage that malware can do to a computer.

User Account Control is enabled by default in Vista. Microsoft recommends leaving it enabled to protect against the installation of malicious software. The Security Center will indicate whether UAC is turned on.

Further to enabling/disabling this feature, you can control the behavior of UAC through the local computer policy. Open the Local Computer Policy and navigate to the following locations: Local Computer Policy \ Computer Configuration \ Windows Settings \ Security Settings \ Local Policies \ Security Options. The following settings can be used to control UAC:

User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator Account.

The default value for the UAC policy setting is Disabled for new installations and upgrades when the built-in Administrator is not the only active local administrator account on the computer.

User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode.

This security setting determines the type of prompt an admin-level user will receive when they attempt to perform an admin-level task. The default value is Prompt for Consent. You can increase security by setting the value to Prompt for Credentials. Doing so means the admin-level user will need to enter their admin-level username and password.

This security setting determines the type of prompt a standard user will receive when they attempt to perform an admin-level task. The default value is Prompt for Credentials.

You can increase security by setting the value to Automatically deny elevation requests. Standard users will then have to perform admin-level tasks using the Run command or by logging in with an admin-level account.

In the next installment of this article, we’ll look at how Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal tool work to protect your computer against malware.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part II)

In the first installment of this article, we looked at the User Account Control feature in Vista and how it protects against malware. Now we’ll look at two additional tools: Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal tool.

Windows Defender
Windows Defender is a spyware scanning application that looks for potential threats and shuts them down and alerts you when applications engage in suspicious activities. Windows Defender is configured to scan your computer every day at 2:00 AM. This schedule should be changed if the scan cannot be performed at this time.

You should enable the Check for updated definitions before scanning option. This is your best bet for ensuring the software is up-to-date with the latest definitions. Otherwise you must be diligent enough to manually check for updates on a regular basis.

Note: Windows Defender should be used in conjunction with third party anti-virus software.

There are several settings within the Local Computer Policy for controlling how Windows Defender behaves. The settings you configure will be specific to your requirements of your computing environment.

For example, if WSUS is used to deploy updates to Windows Defender, you should consider enabling the Turn on definition updates through both WSUS and Windows Update. In the event that the WSUS server in your environment is unavailable, Vista will use Windows Update to check for new definitions.

Malicious Software Removal Tool
Even with the appropriate security measures in plan, there is still the risk that an instance of malware can go undetected by your anti-virus software or even disable it. The Malicious Software Removal Tool is designed for such situations. When the tool is run, it detects and removes any malicious software it finds on your computer.

Although the tool is not necessary if you are running up-to-date anti-virus software, it does provide another layer of protection. The tool is installed with Vista and is available as a free download for Windows XP. You can locate the tool by typing mrt.exe in the Search field on the Start menu.

When the tool is run, you can choose the type of scan to perform. As you can see from the exhibit, you can perform a Quick, Full or Custom scan. If you choose a Quick scan, the Malicious Software Removal Tool will scan the areas of a computer that are likely to contain malicious software.

With a Full scan, the entire system is checked for malware. You should perform a Full scan every once in a while but be advised that it can take up to a few hours depending on your system. Finally, you can opt to perform a Custom scan and choose the folders or areas of your computer that you want the Malicious Software Removal Tool to scan. The results of the scan will indicate whether any malicious software was found on your computer.

In the last installment of this article, we’ll look at how Software Restriction Policies, Internet Explorer and the Windows Firewall work to protect your computer against malware.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part III)

The second installment of this article described how Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal tool protect your computer. Vista does not stop there and includes several other features that are designed to protect your computer.

Software Restriction Policies
Software Restriction Policies are yet another way that you can protect your computer from malware. You can use them to control what software users can run on a computer and prevent certain executables from running.

Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer has its own set of security options that can be used in conjunction with the other technologies discussed to protect your computer. IE7 in Vista now operates in a quarantined corner of the operating systems, where it can no longer allow spyware, adware, and various malware threats to have an open door into the throne room.

Protected Mode is enabled from the Internet Options window’s Security tab. This feature prevents malicious users from changing any files or settings without your explicit permission. It is enabled by default for all security zones, except the Trusted Site zone.

IE 7 protects against phishing scams through the Phishing Filter. It is designed to protect against phony Web sites that attempt to gather personal information about you when you are online. The tool requires little to no configuration. Once it is enabled through the Internet Properties window, it will run in the background without your intervention.

Windows Firewall
The Windows Firewall is a crucial component of your defense strategy. This is becoming more and more important as people store personal information on their computers such as bank account numbers, credit card data, tax information, and so on.

By implementing a firewall, you can close the door to your local computer and private network so intruders cannot get in, but you can still get out. The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security allows you to filter both inbound and outbound traffic.

In Vista, the firewall is now more advanced because it lets you create and apply specialized rules depending on the type of network you are connected to. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security supports three different profiles that are based on three common environments: Domain, Public and Private. The profile that you apply will be based on the network you are connected to. If you connect your computer directly to a Public network such as the Internet, the Public profile should be applied.

Windows Security Center
The Windows Security Center should be your first stop in checking your defense against malware. The Security Center provides a quick way of checking the status of various security options and all the pertinent security settings used to protect your computer against malware are available from this interface.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part III)

Saving searches in Vista

Question: I like Vista’s new search feature. It makes things on my computer so easy to find. I’ve heard that you can save your searches. But I don’t understand how you do this. Can you help me out?

Answer: Instant Search is one of my favorite new features in Vista. You’re right -- it makes finding things a snap.

For those who aren’t familiar with Instant Search, let me explain. You’ll find it at the bottom of the Start menu.

Instant Search will search your e-mail, documents and Internet history. It will even find programs for you! This is surprisingly convenient if you have many programs cluttering your Start menu.

It’s true that you can save your searches. But you’ll have to do so from Windows Explorer or the new Search Explorer. And before you save them, you have to create them. So, let’s start there.

Go to either Windows Explorer (Start>>All Programs>>Accessories>> Windows Explorer) or Search Explorer. To open Search Explorer, click Start. Type “search“ (minus the quotes) in the Instant Search box. On the results list, click Start Search.

In either window, enter your search term in the Search box. The results are updated as you type. Included in the menu bar is a Save Search button.

Instant Search includes advanced options. But it is a bit clunky. The advanced options are pretty well hidden.

To find them, click Search Tools>>Search Pane. This opens another menu bar. Options there allow you to limit your search to a few types of files. There’s also a link for Advanced Search. Click it.

The pane expands to provide more options. You can limit search results to specific folders or a range of dates. Also, you can search tags you’ve added to your music and photos, among other search options.

You probably will want to apply advanced search options before saving a search. Otherwise, you’ll have too much stuff in the results.

So, let’s save the search, already! Click Save Search on the toolbar. Enter a name for your search. You can also use the navigational tools to select your save location. By default, Vista stores it in a special search folder. Click Save.

You can update the search results whenever you like. Double-click it to run it again.

By default, Vista saves searches to the Searches folder. You can save it elsewhere (the desktop or Documents, for instance) if you like. I’ll assume you’re saving it in the Searches folder.

To find your search, click Start and enter the name of the search in Instant Search. If you can’t remember the name of the search, go to Windows Explorer. The Searches folder is listed in the left pane. Click it. The list of searches will appear in the right pane.

Instant Search is included with all versions of Vista. But other features are specific to certain versions. To learn more about what’s in each edition of Vista, visit my site.

Sites like Wikipedia and MySpace are popular because anybody can contribute. But do they pose dangers? Tune in to this weekend’s Kim Komando Show. I’ll give you the lowdown on these open-door sites. Visit my site to find out how you can listen to my three-hour radio show or my Digital Minute, which airs Monday through Friday.

Would you like to learn more about Windows Vista? Visit the Windows Vista tips section on my site.

Kim :)

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