Inside the Windows Machine

Microsoft Download Center http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp Microsoft Office Updates http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/ Microsoft Windows Updates http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ The Download Center provides access via pull-down menus to 500 Microsoft product releases on 14 different platforms. After specifying a product and operating system, you will be directed to a table containing links to all patches, updates, and relevant plug-ins. You can also download free software, such as Internet Explorer. For more specific information about Office and Windows, you can link to the Microsoft Office Updates page, and the Microsoft Windows Updates page.? Microsoft Product Support Services -- Custom Support http://support.microsoft.com/directory/customer.asp For those whose needs extend beyond ordinary product support, Microsoft's Custom Support page links you to the support options available for Developers, Computer Manufacturers, IT Professionals, Premier Customers, Resellers and Consultants, System Builders, Internet Services Professionals, Certified Partners, and Gold

Certified Partners. These services are of a more technical nature, and several are for qualified subscribers only. But there are still gems to be found by the persevering Windows user, such as the two below. The DLL Help Database http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/dllinfo.asp If you've ever received an error message informing you that a system file can't be found, or is out of date, or corrupted, it'd sure help to know where it came from in the first place. Type the name of a system file into the DLL Help Database, and it will report the version numbers, sizes, OS releases, release dates, and the locations on the install CD-ROMs where that file's CAB archive can be found. The database stores information on .DLL, .EXE, .OCX, .DRV, and many other file types. You can also search the database by product name and retrieve an alphabetized list of all the files installed on the system by that product. If your missing file isn't listed in the Microsoft DLL database, it probably belongs to another (non-Microsoft) program. Windows Hardware Compatibility List http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/default.asp Lastly, there are good reasons for visiting Microsoft on the Web before you end up with a problem, rather than after the crash. For example, if you are upgrading your computer, the Windows Hardware Compatibility List supplies details on the hardware products--anything from audio cards to FireWire controllers to motherboards--certified to be compatible with the many Windows operating systems. In the computing world, caveat emptor isn't enough: the buyer must also be informed. As elsewhere, knowledge is power, and forewarned is forearmed. URLs of Note: Microsoft Product Support Services http://support.microsoft.com/directory/ Frequently Asked Questions & Highlights http://support.microsoft.com/directory/faqs.asp Knowledge Base Search http://search.support.microsoft.com/kb/c.asp Global Web Site Search http://search.microsoft.com/us/SearchMS25.asp Microsoft Download Center http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp Microsoft Office Updates http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/ Microsoft Windows Updates http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ Microsoft Product Support Services -- Custom Support http://support.microsoft.com/directory/customer.asp The DLL Help Database http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/dllinfo.asp Windows Hardware Compatibility List http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/default.asp