Search Microsoft's online Knowledge Base like a pro

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

ANALYSIS
It's a database of support information that encompasses the entire range of Microsoft software and hardware. Love it or hate it, the MSKB is a masterpiece of documentation, and once you familiarise yourself with it, you can harness its power to make your support tasks easier. The MSKB comes in two forms: an online version, which you can find at Microsoft's Support Web site, and a local version available to Microsoft TechNet subscribers. With the TechNet program, individuals and organisations pay an annual fee to have the Knowledge Base, service packs, Microsoft Resource Kits, and other support tools sent to them on CD or DVD. The online MSKB is free. Although the local and online MSKBs contain basically the same information, their search mechanisms are quite different. Here, I will explain how to efficiently use the online version. Accessing the online MSKB
Microsoft's Support Web site, shown in Figure A, allows you to search the MSKB in several ways. You can search by entering a word or phrase in the Search The Knowledge Base text box to the left of the page, or you can perform a more detailed search by clicking Advanced Search And Help.
Figure A
Microsoft's Support Web site is your gateway to the online MSKB.
The site's exact layout is determined by your geographic location (and so are the types of search options available). The U.S. site often defaults to the Advanced Search options, while the UK and Middle Eastern sites default to displaying only the Simple Search options. Since I've found that the Advanced Search options more often provide the information I need, I recommend you use them. These options may appear either on the left side or center of the screen. The layout of these options is also determined by your geographic location, but both sets of options (shown in Figure B and Figure C) work equally well.
Figure B
These Advanced Search options will be displayed in the center of the screen.
Figure C
These Advanced Search options will be displayed to the left of the screen.
Tips for international users
I guess the term international user refers to any user outside the United States (myself included). To accommodate international users, Microsoft's Support Web site should automatically adapt itself to the language and locale currently configured on your computer.If this doesn't happen and you are presented with a site you cannot understand, you can manually change the site's language by clicking the International Support link located on the bottom-left corner of the page. This configuration will be saved in a cookie on your machine, and each time you access Microsoft's Support Web site, it will be displayed in the language you chose.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

JCB33

How dare film makers, artists or anybody that invests in creativity stop us pirating their works for free. I want to be able to walk into my local...

5 hours ago by JCB33 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

7 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

7 hours ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

8 hours ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

9 hours ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
bdantas

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

10 hours ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

10 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

10 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Moley

For Gnome 2 die-hards, it is possible to add icons to the bottom panel (or top top panel, if you prefer) which provide the exact Gnome 2...

11 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
ramwellian

Your comments would seem pretty naive and immature. Your 'solution' appears to be, "gee, let's all just give in to the hackers and give them...

11 hours ago by ramwellian on Cloud computing security: no more oxymoron?
BugStalker

"Interesting thought ... If you installed Win7 as a dual boot on a machine that previously only had Linux, and it wrecked your Linux installation,...

12 hours ago by BugStalker on Windows 7 Declares War on GRUB
whs001

This is an excellent summary of Ubuntu and Mint and the interface differences between them. Most such articles take a very partisan position for...

12 hours ago by whs001 on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Moley

@ewallace. Not so clear. Anyone can obtain the text, for example from here http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/2379. I support ACTA so long as it and...

12 hours ago by Moley on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
45283

I think WinRT is fantastic. I just wish it was an option for people that didn't want to go through Microsoft's App Store with its attendant...

15 hours ago by 45283 on Why Windows 8 needs architectural hygiene for WOA
Burn-IT

Nine people? £30m? Who's back pocket is that lot going in? And IF they say it is for new buildings, what about all the ones the government has...

16 hours ago by Burn-IT on Police set to launch three £30m e-crime hubs
ewallace

Just to be clear, nobody knows what is in the text of ACTA, here is a photograph of the text of ACTA http://twitpic.com/8h9iju as submitted to the...

16 hours ago by ewallace on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
fgvrg56

Unfortunately main issue is that ASUS is refusing to accept that they make some mistake on this version of asus Transformer prime. 1 - GPS sensor...

18 hours ago by fgvrg56 on Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Wi-Fi & GPS problems?
Ben Woods

@Marcus A fair question. Just talked with Archos which said it was working on an announcement for next week....

19 hours ago by Ben Woods on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
Marcus Karlsson

Any update on this, considering the claimed "first week of February"?

20 hours ago by Marcus Karlsson via Facebook on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
apexwm

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

1 day ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility