注：这篇文章主要是写给歪果仁看的，之所以先写英文版，主要是英文版写起来简单，没有天朝那么复杂的环境背景需要考虑吧

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Notice: Though I change the display language to English, there may still some difference because I used it in China. And, of course, my English is not good, but you can understand what I mean mostly.

OK, the first thing you should is that time I write this article is the time after one month that the official release of  Windows 10 desktop version. The mobile version is still in the development and not related to this article. This series of article is all talk about how to use the Windows operating system in anyway. And this article is the first one and it just want to help the most of people who new to Windows 10, to help you works well with the new Windows.

0. TL, DR

Because each person has each situation, the truly short tour is just for the people who migrate from Windows 8.x and can use Windows 8 advanced.

So, if you come from Windows 8 and just do not understand how to use Windows 8, also, if come from Windows 7 you can follow the section 1 to the section 1.2, and then jump to the section 2. Or, if you think it doesn't matter, the chapter 1 is so easy, then you can jump to the chapter 2 directly.

1. If you haven't use Windows 8.x before

The 8.x includes Windows 8, 8.1, and 8.1 update 1 and so on. If you have use before and don't dislike it, just browse quickly or jump this section. Many people doesn't like Windows 8, especially compare with Windows XP and Windows 7. So that means there may some people just the Windows 8 and then use the Windows 10 from the Windows 7. And, it doesn't matter.

1.1 What's different between Windows 10 and Windows 7？

To many. But for many people, this question is just like the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 7, so we talk this first.

Windows 10 shipped many technology from Windows 8, for example, the Quick Access Toolbar of the File Explorer:

figure-1.1.1: the ribbon menu of File Explorer

Actually, this feature is come from the Office 2007, this kind menu can let you use the normalized keyboard shortcut to access the function you want. for example, like the figure-1.1.1 showed, we can use Alt+2 to switch the display state of Hidden Items. If you release the key slowly, you will see the keyboard indicator, like this:

figure-1.1.1.2: indicator shows after press Alt key

There are some useful keyboard shortcut workflow for the Quick Access Toolbar:

1. customize the function you frequently use ( just right click the menu and pin the function you want )

figure-1.1.1.3: right click (hold touch) to pin to the bar

2. use the default group of keyboard shortcut, like: Alt+F, 1：

figure-1.1.1.4: use Alt+F,1 to open the Download folder

Now, the first thing different I have showed you. Personally, I prefer four functions in the Ribbon menu: 

1. Open Command Prompt ( from here )
2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator ( at here )
3. Invert Selection
4. Hidden Items

The Invert Selection is powerful for daily use. It can replace three kind of operation: select all, cancel select all multi-selection with invert selection. So, after I use the Windows 8, I seldom use the Ctrl+A to select all files. And, the Hidden Items is also good. In the past, we need to open the Folder Options and manually switch the state by open and close the window again again. But one thing you should notice of the Hidden Items checkbox is that the default settings of Windows is often hidden all hidden files especially the file with system attribute. So, if you need, just change it.

figure-1.1.1.5: hidden file options

OK. There are many different thing still. Another good feature is the Win+x Super Menu:

figure-1.1.2: win+x menu

If you feel good with keyboard, that's good news for you. With the super menu, you can use it to access some important entry, like to shutdown, you can just press: Win+x, u, u

What I frequent use is: Win+x ( C, A, G, M, W, P )，if you don't understand the C and P means, just notice the words in figure-2, and the letter with underscore is the indicate character ( so the P means Control Panel ).

Also, the most different thing compare with Windows 7, is the Start Menu. Many people hate the Start Screen in Windows 8.x and think it just like a blue shit.

Truly, maybe. But for personally use, I prefer the Start Screen in Windows 8.1 because it's good enough. Actually, the start menu in Windows 7 have many hidden feature, such as you can use the search box to find what you have noted on the StickyNot ( in Windows 8 it removed this feature, maybe Microsoft prefer you to use the OneNote to take note ). And the search speed for file finding in Windows 7 faster than Windows 8, truly. We don't talk about the Start Menu of Windows 10 here, because it's quite different.

Another, and the last thing I want to write here, is the Task Manger. Actually the taskmgr.exe of Windows 10 is shipped from Windows 8. After Windows 8, you can use the task manger to manager more thing if you want, like the services, the startup program etc. And, the manager has two mode, one is simple to use, another is advance enough.

figure-1.1.3: click the Fewer detail to switch back to the simple mode

Remember, the task manager is just one of the built-in feature new in the Windows 8. There are some other new built-in feature that may help you forget some dependency of third-party software, for example ( note: some feature is just available in the professional edition of Windows, like Hyper-V ):

1. In Windows 8 you can mount an ISO or a VHD file directly without a virtual CD drive.

2. For virtualization, you can use an optional built-in feature called Hyper-v, note that this solution is not suitable for personal desktop virtualization and not compatible to other virtualization platform such the VMWare and the VirtualBox.

3. A built-in Anti-Virus software in running by default called Windows Defender since Windows 8.

And also, there are some feature remove or become optional since Windows 8:

1. the Briefcase feature is not completely removed because we have OneDrive now. You can recall this old feature by editing the system registry.

2. the desktop gadget since Windows Vista is discontinued because Microsoft want you to focus on the new Windows Store App. 

3. the Library feature is become optional because many people don't know how to use it in the right way.

That's all. I don't want to talk about the new Universal Windows App, because it just start to running, and it easy to use so that I think there isn't need a guide for it ( unfortunately the official tutorial does). Now we talk about Windows 10 and Windows 8.

1.2 What's different between Windows 10 and Windows 8.x？

First, the appearance is cool, except the default lock screen background.

Second, you have two mode to operate the system: desktop mode and tablet mode. In desktop mode, you can not use the app split screen feature in Windows 8, because you don't need that. Now the Windows Universal App can work in the single window, besides the full screen way in Windows 8. And, like Windows 8 and Windows 7, you can use desktop split screen function to set four windows to grid quickly on screen. And more importantly, desktop mode can use a new feature call Virtual Desktop ( Mac user may familiar with ). However, because tablet mode can compatible with split screen, virtual desktop feature is disable and can not use desktop style split screen.

figure-1.2.1: virtual desktop pick up

Third, the default app is better than before. In Windows 8, Windows Store App often works slowly and strangely, including some built-in applications.

figure-1.2.2: windows 10 app show

The last, the important thing, is the Start Menu and Cortana. Why I talk these two thing in one place is that functionally the Start Menu and Cortana share some normal usage, like application navigation. The quick way to find a app is release the Win key and type the name ( application title or the program file name ) you want. For instance, the built-in program, Paint. you can type ( not required the full name )  pai or msp and then press Enter.

figure-1.2.3: app search

You see, when we use Win key to trigger the search, the Cortana will show up. I don't want to talk more about Cortana, the best way to learn now is search a built-in app called: Get Started

There are many difference I still not concern, like: the Edge browser, the transparent style of cmd, the new settings panel etc. But it doesn't matter because you know how to get started now. Anyway, if you can not find the answer on the official help, just google it.

1.3 What's different between Vista and Windows 7

Not so much. In Windows Vista, you can not use win+left key to dock your window to the left side, and some other keyboard shortcut is also different, and also, you can not pin a program to the taskbar. Except that, not so much different you need to remember. The story of Windows Vista is a sad story, also the Windows 8. Not the system is too bad, but they lost because they change too more.

At last, there may some built-in tools you should know in Windows 7:

1. Sticky Note, a simple note tool, sometimes is better than OneNote I think.
2. Snipping tool, a simple tool from you to create a screenshot and editing.

1.4 Directly from Windows XP

This section is for those people who doesn't familiar with Windows Vista and above.

There are a large different between Windows XP and Windows Vista because the system kernel they used is quite different. The kernel version of Windows XP is NT 5.2, and the Vista is 6.0, Windows 7 is 6.1, Windows 8 is 6.2, 8.1 is 6.3, and the Windows 10 originally is NT 6.4. You don't need to know so much, what you can see is that from 5.x to 6.x is a big jump.

So this means that you may need more time to adapt with Windows 10 though it's not difficult. Just remember, follow the official get started guide ( I mentioned above ) and try to use some keyboard shortcut. I don't want to show you what is the different, because all I showed you above is what is the important.

In the times we use the Windows XP, due to the lack of the function of original system, we use many third-party tool to enhance the ability. Many third-party tool can still work in new system like Windows 10, however, nowadays some tool maybe can be replaced by the original system feature ( like the ISO file mount I've mention before ).

And, the last thing you should remember is that the Refresh function on the right click menu is mostly useless.

2. Universal Windows operation skill

If you read all above content you will discover that I jumped some old system such Windows 2000 and Windows 95. It's reasonable. Windows 95 is too old and it doesn't use Windows NT kernel. And Windows 2000 you can just use it as Windows XP does.

By default, all things I talk below is base on the kernel version NT 6.x, that means some feature is just partial support in Windows XP and older system.

Remember, this chapter is core of this article but not important. Just pick up what you want and scroll quickly to the end.

2.1 File operation

Why I place the file to the first class is that so-called modern operating system is base on this a kind of blue shit concept. Even if you use a mobile system like iOS, you still need to save email attachment as a file. You can not change it unless you destroy the whole word Information Technology structure.

You may say that I know what a file is, but you may not know what's the difference and how it works. I wouldn't tell you the black magic of file. All you need to know is that, a file is a set of data which storing in binary format. 

2.1.0 File name

A file doesn't know what itself was, so people think it should give a name. and also a extension name, so the fullname of a file is may like "user_guide.txt" or something else. This is a classic method to recognize the file type, use the extesion name to declare what it should be. But, what if a file without a extension name? Don't worry, so software will detect the head binary sequence of a file, and try to open it as some file type.

On modern Windows operating system (since NT 5.0), the display filename doesn't include the extension name by default. because in the past many people do not understand what the hell it is, and some will try to rename it without the original extension name, and then, they and their file will lost the way basically. By default, a file without extension name will show a empty white file icon of it. you don't know what it was, you don't know how to operate it. So, There is an stupid way to hide your data, change the extension name into another one. Remember, some extension name is reserved by Windows, like ".lnk", the extension name of file shortcut. Once you change a file's extension name to it, you need to use command prompt to rename it if you want to change back. 

Also, there is something you should know:

filename have a finite length, and can not use some reserve character, and a file's fullname under a folder must be unique

So, why talk about filename? is that valuable? 

Maybe, if you knew the extension name, then you will basically filter the file with some string like *.xls or img*.* etc. The * character you saw is called wildcard character. If you want to know more, just search how to use the regular expression.

One thing you should also remember is that the legal filename on Windows maybe illegal on other OS such Linux or OS X. This is a historical reason, So, once you need to give a filename, just follow your heart and forget most character you need to type with the shift key. 

2.1.1 File path

File path is something like your home address, like the world, is unique on your computer. there are many kind of path syntax, on Windows,  "C:\a.txt" or "file:///C:/a.txt" is legal. But Unix style like "C:/a.txt" is not.

Each file have its path. If you need to start a program, you need a file path of the program basically. If you need to use a program to open a file, you also need a file path at low level.

What the "basically" and the "low level" means?

The "basically" is mean that even you don't need to user Win+R to input the program path, even you choose a shortcut on the start menu, the program you running has its own path, basically. Because you can find it, you can run it. If one day your shortcut notice you that it can not found the program that means the program is gone.

The "low level" is mean that even if you can find a file with a open file dialog box, you can still directly input the whole file path to open it, like this:

figure-2.1.1: note that even it ask a filename, actually it just need a file path

This is not the whole magic of file path, another thing I will show you is the Environment Variable. If you knew that, jump it.

Environment Variable is the truly black magic and I hate it. The normal use of the Environment Variable is to abstract the file path. By using the PATH environment Variable, you can ignore the file path and directly call your program with theirs filename. For more information, see Wikipedia.

2.1.2 Directory, or the Folder

Folder ( or Directory in Linux ), is a concept built on the file name and the file path. By using the folder, you can manager you data more clearly.

The File Explorer has a nice feature to filter the file but seldom people know how to use it:

figure-2.1.2a: file type filter

The attribute filter can use to replace simple search to find some file quikly.

figure-2.1.2b: sort method

Also, you can combine the sort method to select group of files easily.

figure-2.1.2c: group operation

Group, actually change the top level default sort order, so it could be a subset of sort method. Few people know that it works well when you setup the group with different view mode.

Anyway, the original file explorer is not enough powerful. If you want, just follow some third-party software, like: Total Commander, Listary, and Everything. These software work in different way, the TC is a superuser version of file explorer, and the Listary is help you use the original software to find thing more easily, and the Everything is just use the power of NTFS to find file by search directly. Each of these, it worth to learn and use it in daily life, if you needed.

2.1.3 Shortcut and link

Shortcut is a helper to locate thing on your computer. But seldom people know how to use its advance option. In Windows 7 before, people prefer place the program shortcut and file both on the Desktop, for convenience. However, after I use the Windows 8 for a long time, I think that the shortcut can all remove because I can pin it to the taskbar, the start screen, and I can directly run the app by searching its name. Besides, I also use the shortcut method, because you can you it to define a global keyboard shortcut.

figure-2.1.3: using the Ctrl+Alt+H to hibernate my Surface Pro manually

You see this section is not only about the shortcut, but the link is what ?

The link, actually here is called NTFS link, has three type: SymLink, Junction, HardLink.

This is an advance skill, use it can redirect you file path and folder path. Basically, if you C drive is nearly full, you can transfer some data to other drive and create a link for the old data to a new place. In NT 6.x, system built-in with a tool called mklink.exe, use it can do all kind of operation you need. Or, if you prefer a GUI tool, you can download here: http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html

2.1.4 NTFS permission, UAC

Many people doesn't need to know about this, though it's useful. The UAC(User Access Control) is also a good feature to disable some auto-run virus. The unreasonable permission config may cause some result, like you can not delete some folder or file, etc. And in this section, I just suggest most people, do not disable the UAC function except you know what you are doing.

2.1.5 More on NT 6.x technology

except the NTFS symbol link, the NTFS permission, there are many NT 6.x technology I still not tell you. like the vhd (virtual hard disk).

vhd is a great feature can let you create a virtual disk with many function. You can use it to do data backup, or install a system into it. Using VHD to boot system is a good solution for system backup, despite it loss some disk IO performance, but for some SSD user, it doesn't matter.

2.2 System management

System management is not difficult. Basically, you just need to use the system, and don't break it so far. Don't forget, for most of people, the computer is just a tool.

2.2.0 Clean up or not

After daily use, your computer may product some useless temporary file or cause some system error. You can choose manually clear or fix it, or not.

Not every time you need to clear up those temp files, except your disk usage is nearly full loaded. Because system itself like Windows 8 or 10 have built-in schedule to maintenance your PC on a health state. If you think it does not good, you have many third-party choice, e.g. Advanced System Care or Tencent PC Manager in China.

If you are preparing a system backup, the clean up progress is recommended. But why I place this section to the first place, is that many kind of system optimization is needless. If you think your PC which use HDD is slow, just switch to SSD and then it's fine. Some kind of optimization is dangerous, if you want to try, don't forget to backup before.

2.2.1 Backup solution

Backup is also important. Windows built-in with two kind of user level backup method: System Protection and System Backup. The System Protection is recommended to be open. But the built-in System Backup is not quite good because sometimes it relay on a system recover media. For me, use dism or imagex  or vhd is fine. And, for other things, like source code backup, I will use some VCS(Version Control System) like git.

2.2.2 Security

Security is most important thing. However this topic is too big. The main risk of security is usually from ourselves. Anti-Virus software is essential, but a good habit to use Internet is more important. Because this article is just a user guide of the system, all these answer you should find by yourself.

2.2.2.1 The importance of password

For me, the password is not an option, but an essential settings. Because their are many function need to set password before, like: remote desktop, task schedule, and more importantly the Microsoft account is password required. People have their own choice, it is fine, but if you need, don't use a too weak password.

2.2.2.2 Privacy policy

The bad news for Windows 10 user is that the privacy policy is too terrible. If you care about it so much, I suggest you back to Windows 7. Anyway, personally, I don't care about this.

2.2.3 Multi-user

The PC version of Windows doesn't target on this feature. The default function of Multi-user can not let two people use one PC at the same time, if you want, you need to switch and switch again, it's too bad. The server version of Windows is OK, so some people make a patch, let the PC version use the server version's program. It's works on Windows XP / 7 /  8. And now I haven't try it on Windows 10 because currently I don't need it. The official way to let people operate one system together is called remote desktop, I will talk it later.

2.2.4 Batch command

Using batch file can improve you system manage method and is one way to note done the step you need to do. It doesn't use frequently for me, but sometimes it's always useful, like set a time to shutdown or restart, etc.

2.2.5 Task schedule

Using schedule can also do something like shutdown after one hour, but it's little bit complicate. But for some situation, task schedule is the only way to do that. Use schedule, you can set a program run after some condition and run many times or just one time if you want.

2.2.6 Startup program & background services

Sometimes we need some program run at startup, or want it disappear. You can do that, in many way, quite easy. However to setup a background service is not very easy. In this way, I prefer use a third-party tool called nssm.exe to manage that, not the original system tool chain.

2.2.7 System virtualization

Virtual machine is a useful skill. You can use it to test virus, to run some old program with can not run on current system, you can also run a mobile emulator to play phone game on PC. Anyway, to run virtual machine you may need hardware support and enough hardware resource to load that. To run virtual machine, basically you can use some software ( I have mention some above ), like: VMWare workstation, Virtualbox ( or with Vagrant support ), Hyper-V( the built-in platform which optimized for Windows Server), or something like QEMU, or some Android emulator like BlueStacks or GenyMotion, etc.

Sometimes you can run virtual machine at the background and use many method to connect and control it.

2.2.8 Remote system management

In many case, you can not touch the computer directly, so we need remote management. People who use Linux server may familiar with something like SSH and VNC. You can also use VNC on Windows, but by default, there is some better way to control that.

2.2.9.1 Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop is a built-in feature to connect remote side Windows machine, it's easy to use because the directly graphical user interface can let you do most things you have done on Windows in daily life. Notice that the home edition of Windows doesn't contain the feature which to connect from remote side. In the edition which included Terminal service you can both connect to outside or connect from outside.

With Remote Desktop connection, not only can operate the machine, but can share your local file or local device etc.

2.2.9.2 PowerShell and other

 If you don't like to use the GUI style, you can use PowerShell to send command to your remote Windows server. I'm not sure that whether the PC version can be control by PowerShell, and I think, at less, you can use some third-party tool to do that. According to the news of Windows 10, it will support SSH in the future release. That's a good news for this kind of management.

2.2.10 system migration & customize

The last section is deep inside the system distribution. For more information, just search about these keywords: sysprep, windows AIK, windows ADK

3. Miscellaneous

3.0 Reference, and some entry:

1. Official site: MSDN, TechNet, Download Center, Microsoft Community, channel9, deramspark

2. info site: neowin, winareo, howtogeek ( and many site and blog I don't remember now...

3. other community: stackoverflow ( superuser, serverfault, stackexchange ), reddit

4. tookit site: nirsoft, 

# to be done

This is the important section which I will give you some entry in a list and continue update if I found new resources.

3.1 NT 6.2+ login tips

Use pin code instead of full password if you use keyboard to login, or picture login if you use on a Windows tablet.

3.2 About Keyboard shortcut

Different version of Windows have different shortcut. Just find it on the web and it will let you feel good. Here I give some frequently use shortcut  of Windows 10:

1. Win+1,2,3... or Alt+Tab: switch app; Win+Left/Right/Up/Down, layout window

2. virtual desktop: Win+Tab, Win+Ctrl+Left/Right, Win+Ctrl+D

3. Win+x ( I have mention above )

4. Ctrl+Shift+Esc -> task manager; Win+R

5. Win+A, Win (and then type to search

6. shift+F10 ( replace right click ), Alt+Enter ( check property ), Alt+Sapce ( and then to choose different action

4. More

If anything you want to, just ask me: absente＠live.cn