Windows Blog

Microsoft announced today that Windows XP Service Pack 3 is complete and has been released to manufacturing. By April 29, Microsoft expects XP SP3 to be available online via Windows Update. Automatic Updates will begin delivering SP3 to computers in about two months (ie, 'early summer' according to the TechNet post where Microsoft made the announcement.)

Since XP SP3 is a collection of previously-released updates, you won't notice many changes after installing it. However, collecting the updates into one service pack makes it easier to setup new XP systems.

Learning a few keyboard shortcuts is one of the easiest things you can do to make better use of your time on the computer. Instead of taking your hand off the keyboard, moving the mouse and clicking a couple times, and then putting your hand back on the keyboard, you can use keyboard shortcuts to perform common actions. I've put together a list of Windows keyboard shortcuts worth knowing. Don't worry about trying to learn them all; instead, pick a few that use you can use often.

Is there a keyboard shortcut you find useful that I didn't list? Submit it or other any Windows tip for inclusion on this site.

If you have multiple computers running Windows Vista on your home network, it's easy to share your media (music, pictures, etc) with the other computers. Sharing the media lets you enjoy it from any of the computers on the network. In a video about sharing media using Media Player in Vista, Don Schechter shows you how.

Learn more:

• Getting Started with Windows Media Player 11
• Share Media Files With Windows Media Player
• Add media to the Windows Media Player 11 library

When you need to attach a file to an email or open it, do you ever struggle to find the right file? Perhaps your filenames aren't as clear as they could be, and it's difficult to identify the right one. Or maybe you are looking for a picture, and you need to see it to know it's the right one.

Regardless of why it's difficult to spot the right file, one way you can make it a little easier is to use tools in the Open dialog boxes that are often overlooked. With them, you can change how files are displayed so you can see a thumbnail of each, sort files, or use the Preview Pane to see the file without opening it.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is available, and Windows XP Service Pack 3 (XP SP3) is following close on its heels. If you've been using Automatic Updates to keep XP up-to-date with the latest fixes, you won't notice many changes when XP SP3 is released. However, collecting all the fixes previously released into one service pack certainly makes it easier to setup a new XP system. Microsoft plans to release XP SP3 in the second quarter of 2008, and testers can download a nearly completed version of it now. To learn more about XP Service Pack 3, look at this collection of frequently asked questions by Paul Thurrott.

Windows Vista has been called the most secure version of Windows, yet it is still vulnerable to some attacks. Windows Vista Security: Securing Vista Against Malicious Attacks attempts to explain the new security features and how to use and configure them to prevent attacks. In his review of the book, Tony Bradley, About's guide to Internet and Network Security, discusses how well the book's authors explained the new security features and how you can use them to secure your computer from attack.

Learn more:

• Book review: Windows Vista Security
• Windows Vista security features
• User Account Control

One of my favorite features of Windows Vista is the integrated desktop search. With it, you can find almost any kind of file - documents, pictures, movies - fast. I espcially like how you can search for files from the Start menu and use search to launch programs.

Don't have Vista? You can still benefit from desktop search. Windows Desktop Search is a free desktop search application for XP distributed by Microsoft. Although the search bar isn't integrated into the Start menu, it can set on the taskbar. Deskbar shortcuts take a little time to create, but you can use them to open programs, files, and websites.

Learn more: Desktop Search

Keeping track of appointments, events, projects, and other tasks can be a challenge. Windows Calendar, an application included with Windows Vista, can help you out. Using Calendar, you can note appointments and manage your task list. You can also subscribe to calendars published online, keeping your calendar up-to-date automatically when new events are released.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 was released to the public today. You can wait another month or longer to have Automatic Updates install it automatically, or you can use Windows Update to get it now. The service pack includes fixes for a number of security, reliability, and performance problems found since Vista's release.

If you're among the relatively small number of people for whom Windows Update doesn't list the service pack, this article from Microsoft explains why it may not be available. Most likely, you either have a device driver that isn't yet compatible with SP1, you have a language installed for which SP1 isn't yet available, or you need to install other updates required for SP1.

The Windows taskbar usually sets across the bottom of the screen and provides access to programs and tools. By customizing the taskbar, you can make it easier for you to start programs and open files you frequently use. Other ways you can customize the taskbar - like always keeping it on top of other windows, hiding it automatically, or locking it in place - give you added flexibility.