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How to open the Control Panel in Windows 8
In Windows 8, Microsoft created an additional PC Settings section that you can use to customize some settings related to the Windows Start Screen and other basic settings. If you wish to gain access to the full range of settings in Windows 8, though, you must use the desktop Control Panel. The desktop Control Panel is the same as what we remember from previous versions of Windows, but is just not as intuitively accessed as it used to be. This tutorial will walk you through the various ways you can access the desktop Control Panel.
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Introduction to the PC Settings screen in Windows 8
Windows 8 has a settings screen called PC Settings that allows you to change some basic preferences and computer settings directly in the Windows 8 Start Screen. This screen allow you to change settings that include backgrounds, colors, synchronization preferences, and synchronization preferences. This tutorial will explain how to access these PC Settings and provide basic information about what each settings category allows you to configure.
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How to set your default programs in Windows
In Windows there are certain programs that are configured as the default one to use for certain tasks. Windows will then use these default programs when a person performs a particular action in Windows. For example, even if you have multiple web browsers installed in Windows, only one will be configured as the default. This default web browser will then be used whenever you perform a particular task in Windows that relates to web browsing such as clicking on links in emails or opening up HTML documents. This tutorial will walk you through configuring your default programs in Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. Though this tutorial will not cover setting your default programs in Windows XP, the concepts are the same.
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How to add Gmail to Windows 8 Mail
This tutorial will explain how to add Gmail to the Windows 8 Mail app. This tutorial will also walk you through troubleshooting issues you may encounter when using 2-step verification on your Google account.
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How to change the name of a Microsoft Account in Windows 8
When you are logged into Windows 8, Windows will display your full name next to your account picture on the Start Screen. Normally you can use the User Accounts control panel to change the full name that is displayed for an account in Windows. If you are using a Microsoft Account in Windows 8, though, you will no longer be able to change your full name in Windows as it synchronizes it with the settings for your account on live.com. In order to change the name that is displayed for a Microsoft Account in Windows 8, you will instead need to logon to live.com and modify your name there.
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Troubleshooting steps to use when Windows apps won't start
If you are having problems launching a Windows 8 App from the Start Screen, we have put together a list of troubleshooting steps you can try. Typically, if you are having this problem, when you double-click on a Windows app Windows will look like its doing something, but the app does not launch. You will not receive any errors or any other alert that indicates why the app has not started. When following the steps below, please do them in the order given.
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Windows 8 System Restore Guide
System Restore is a recovery feature in Windows 8 that allows you to restore your computer to a previous state. This is useful if your computer starts to function poorly or crashes and you cannot determine what the cause is. To resolve these types of issues, you can use System Restore to restore your computer back to a previous state that was saved before your problems started occurring. This will allow your computer to start operating correctly again.
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How to play DVDs in Windows 8
If you try to play a DVD in Windows 8 you may have noticed that you are unable to do so. This is because Microsoft removed free DVD playback from Windows 8 due to the costs of licensing the codecs necessary to properly play DVDs. Instead, if you wish to play a DVD you must first upgrade to Windows 8 Pro using the Windows 8 Pro Pack, or if you are already using Windows 8 Pro, install the Windows Media Center Pack. Once you install the feature pack you will be able to play DVDs in Windows 8 Media Center.
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How to access the Power User Tasks Menu in Windows 8
Windows 8 includes a new menu called the Power User Tasks menu that allows quick access to various power user functions in Windows 8. This menu can be accessed from any screen and includes options such as the classic control panel, event viewer, and the elevated command prompt. This makes it easier for a user to quickly perform advanced tasks in Windows 8.
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How to customize how the time is displayed in Windows
Windows allows you to customize how the time is displayed in Windows so that it includes leading zeros or changes it from 12 hour to 24 hour format. In order to do this, you need to change these settings within the Region control panel. The Region and Language control panel allows you to customize how the time is displayed on your computer, how currency is shown, and how numbers are formatted. Using this control panel we can control how the time is displayed and customize it exactly as we wish.
