- Starting Up Windows 8
- Signing In to Windows 8
- Handling Special Windows 8 Startup Situations
- Exiting Windows
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Handling Special Windows 8 Startup Situations
As pointed earlier in this chapter, powering up your computer and then starting Windows 8 are easy, usually predictable tasks. Every once in a while, though, the unpredictable happens, and sometimes, you do things that are out of the norm. The next three sections look at some special situations that could occur during startup.
Restarting Windows After a Problem
The Microsoft engineers built Windows 8 to handle many problems, but there is always a chance that something can go wrong. Some software programs might interfere with others; hardware you add to your computer might interfere with Windows 8; and programs you download from the Internet can cause issues. As a result, Windows 8 can freeze, become sluggish, or shut down unexpectedly, and sometimes you may need to force your computer to power down. If Windows shuts down while experiencing problems, you might see the screen shown in Figure 1.10 when your computer restarts.
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Figure 1.10. Windows guides you when it restarts if it crashes or shuts down unexpectedly.
If you have experience running Windows in one of the diagnostic modes listed, such as Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, you can use one of those options. If you are like most users, select Start Windows Normally and press Enter. Ideally everything should run just like normal at this point. If it doesn’t, refer to Chapter 21, “Troubleshooting and Problem Solving,” for assistance troubleshooting Windows 8 problems.
Waking Up Windows
If, instead of powering off your system, you place Windows in sleep mode, eventually you need to wake up Windows to resume using your computer. Although some computers might use a different button for waking from sleep, it’s most likely that you use the Power button on your computer. (Sometimes just moving or clicking your mouse works, too.) This doesn’t mean you should press and hold the Power button until you see something happen. Rather, press the Power button once and then release it to wake up Windows. It’s best to check the documentation that came with your computer or to check the computer manufacturer’s website to confirm how to wake your computer.
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Be sure you do not hold the Power button too long. Doing so typically restarts the computer, which can cause problems with programs that were running when you put Windows 8 to sleep. Plus, you would lose any unsaved work.
Handling Messages You Might Receive While Signing In
Passwords are the one area of your account that requires regular maintenance (unless you regularly change your name). Windows 8 sends messages to you, reminding you what needs to be done with your password.
Expiring and Expired Passwords
You might see a message when you sign in informing you that your password will soon expire. Unless you have extremely tight controls over computer use at home, you will see this message only at work. If you see this message at work, it means your company has established a policy requiring you to change your password on a regular, scheduled basis.
If you see the message shown in Figure 1.11, your password has expired and you need to create a new one before you can use Windows 8. Seeing this message tells you that your company has established a policy requiring you change your password on a regular, scheduled basis.
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Figure 1.11. This message appears if your password has expired.
Password Not Complex
If you see the message shown in Figure 1.12, your company has established a policy that passwords must be complex, and your password is too simple and easy to figure out. This message appears when you try to change your password, such as when it expires or when you change it on your own. Also, you need to follow the complexity rules when you create your password for the first time.
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Figure 1.12. The password entered did not meet the minimum complexity requirements.
Here are the complexity requirements:
- The password cannot contain the user’s account name or any more than two consecutive characters from the user’s full name.
- The password must be at least six characters long.
- Of the four categories that follow, the password must match three of these characteristics:
- Contains at least one English uppercase character (A through Z)
- Contains at least one English lowercase character (a through z)
- Contains at least one digit, 0–9)
- Contains at least one non-alphabetic character (for example, !, $, #, %)