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Summary

To quickly find an article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, you can search by using keywords and query words. This article lists keywords and query words that you can use in your searches. You can also find keywords and query words by looking in the "Keywords" and "Additional query words" sections that are found in some articles. Using the keywords and query words that are listed in one article may help find other articles that have similar content. However, some query words are only used for older content and may not help you find the most current information. Use a variety of search techniques to make sure that you receive the best search result.

INTRODUCTION

The Microsoft Knowledge Base has more than 150,000 articles. These articles were created by thousands of support professionals who have resolved issues for our customers. The Microsoft Knowledge Base is regularly updated, expanded, and refined to help make sure that you have access to the very latest information.

Using keywords and query words in Knowledge Base articles may help you find the content that you are looking for more quickly. This article lists some of the most frequently used keywords and query words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

More Information

You can use the Microsoft Knowledge Base search options to customize your search. To learn more about these settings, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/searchSome articles have the "Keywords" and "Additional query words" sections. When you use words in either of these sections to search the Knowledge Base, you may find articles that contain similar content. To use these words in your search, select your product from the drop-down list box, and then enter the keyword or query word that is specific to the content you want to find in the Search for box.

If the query words and keywords that you use in your search do not return the results that you expect, also use other keywords and query words.

Using keywords in your searches

Some articles have a "Keywords" section. The Knowledge Base is large, and it is constantly being updated. The team responsible for managing the Knowledge Base regularly adds keywords to Knowledge Base articles to help automate this work. You can use these keywords in your searches to locate articles that are related to your specific issue.

The following is a list of frequently used keywords. However, keep in mind that there are many keywords that are not listed here. Check the articles that you most frequently use to find keywords that may not be listed here, but that may help in your other searches.

Windows keywords

Query word

Description

kbBackup

Creating or restoring backups of the computer system

kbClustering

Server Cluster

kbDefrag

Microsoft Defragmenter

kbDisasterRec

Disaster recovery

kbDualBoot

Dual booting

kbenable

Accessibility: information

kbEnableHear

Accessibility: hearing features

kbEnableLearn

Accessibility: learning features

kbEnableMove

Accessibility: movement features

kbEnableSight

Accessibility: sight features

kbenv

Environment and configuration information including OS, registry

kbEvent

Events, event models, custom events

kbEventLog

Event logging

kbFax

Fax

kbformat

Formatting

kbkern32dll

Kernel 32 issues and errors in Windows

kbKernBase

Kernel/Base issues

kbNLB

Network Load Balancing Cluster, Windows Load Balancing Service (WLBS)

kbRD

Remote Desktop

kbRegistry

Windows registry

kbRPC

Remote procedure calls

kbSafeMod

Safe Mode

kbScanDisk

Microsoft ScanDisk

kbshell

The Windows shell that lets users group-start and otherwise control applications

kbsound

Sound/audio

kbSysPrepTool

Microsoft Systems Preparation Tool

kbSysSettings

Operating system setup and registry settings

kbTimeServ

W32 time service

kbVirtualMem

Virtual memory

kbwindowsupdate

Windows Update

kbWinsock

Communication sockets such as NET Winsock and MFC Socks

Topic of article keywords

Query word

Description

kbAppCompatibility

Application compatibility

kbConfig

Configuration after initial setup

kbdisplay

Displaying information on a monitor

kberrmsg

Error messages and error message follow-up information

kbgraphic

Graphics

kbHardware

Hardware

kbinterop

Operation between applications

kbmm

Multimedia

kbMobility

Mobile Information Server and ActiveSync

kbprint

Printing

kbproof

Spelling and grammar checking tools

kbRepair

Repair processes and tools

kbsetup

Setup

kbui

Configuring the user interface

kbUpgrade

Upgrading or migration

kbUSB

Universal serial bus

kbvirus

Viruses and macro viruses

kbwizard

Using wizards

Type of article keywords

Query word

Description

atDownload

Contains a software update download

Kbqfe

Contains a hotfix

kbhowto

Describes a feature or describes how to perform a task

kbtshoot

Describes a problem or bug, how to fix a problem or bug, or for content about a virus

Security-related keywords

Query word

Description

KbSECBulletin

Security bulletins

kbSecurity

Security

KbSECVulnerability

Known software vulnerabilities

Internet keywords

Query word

Description

kbCookie

Browser or operating system cookies

kbFTP

File Transfer Protocol

kbHttpRuntime

HTTP Runtime

kburl

Contains a link to Internet Web site

kbWebBrowser

WebBrowser

Networking keywords

Query word

Description

kbActiveDirectory

Windows NT Active Directory

kbDCPromo

DCPromo.exe (the promotion process on a domain controller)

kbDHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

kbDNS

Domain Name System (DNS)

kbFirewall

Firewalls

kbGPO

Group Policy objects

kbGRPPOLICYinfo

Group Policy information

kbGRPPOLICYprob

Group Policy problem

kbnetwork

Networking

kbStorageMgmt

Storage management

kbTermServ

Terminal Server

Messaging keywords

Query word

Description

kbExchangeOWA

Outlook Web Access integrated with Exchange

kbTransport

SMTP and MTA

kbaddressbook

Address book issues

kbreceivemail

email receipt issues

kbsendmail

email sending issues

kbemail

General email category

kbBTSmessaging

Microsoft Biz Talk Server messaging

Database keywords

Query word

Description

kbDatabase

Database

kbDTC

Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC)

kbJET

JET database

kbOracle

Oracle products and technologies

Developer keywords

Query word

Description

kbActivexEvents

COM Events

kbActiveXScript

ActiveX Scripting

kbAPI

Application Programming Interface (API), must have another keyword in article to specify which API's are discussed

kbCompiler

Compiler

kbCOMPlusLCE

COM+ Loosely Coupled Events

kbComPlusQC

COM+ Queued Components

kbCtrl

Programming or use of OCX or Windows controls

kbDCOM

Content related to Distributed Component Object Model

kbDirect3dIM

Direct3D-Immediate mode

kbDirect3dRM

Direct3D-Retained mode

kbDirectDraw

Direct Draw APIs

kbide

Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

kbJAFC

Java Application Foundation Classes

kbJava

Java programming/usage

kbJavaFAQ

Java Technologies frequently asked questions

kbJDBC

Java Database Connectivity

kbJNative

Native Java method

kbmacro

About an issue with the macro recorder or includes steps that use the macro recorder to create a macro.

kbMSHTML

Microsoft HTML Rendering Control

kbProgramming

Programming

kbRemoting

.NET Framework remoting namespace objects and classes

kbSample

Contains compilable code samples

kbWebServices

Microsoft Web services

kbXML

XML

Using query words in your searches

Some articles have an "Additional query words" section. Over the years, query words have been added to articles to make articles easier to locate quickly. However, many query words represent older content and may not help if you are looking for more current information. The following list contains query words that are frequently found in Knowledge Base articles.

Windows components query words

Query word

Description

Vfw

Microsoft Video for Windows

Wps

Microsoft Windows Printing System

MSCS

Server Cluster

Wss

Microsoft Windows Sound System

Msvoice

Microsoft Voice

kbScanDisk

Microsoft ScanDisk

kbDiskMemory

Disk/Memory Management

ISVCompress

Third-party disk compression

LFN

Long file name

MWAV

Microsoft AntiVirus for Windows

MWBackup

Microsoft Backup for Windows

AWFax

Microsoft At Work PC Fax

RAS

Remote Access Services

WinComm

Windows communications/serial

WinDrvr

Windows driver-related information

WinMem

Windows memory

WinShell

Windows Shell issues

WinMIDI

MIDI

WinTTF

TrueType font issues

WinPNP

Plug and Play issues

WinTAPI

Telephony issues

WinPlus

Microsoft Plus!

Dun

Dial-Up Networking

Drvspace

DriveSpace

WinFat32

FAT32

WinGame

Games that are included with Windows

SysInfo

Microsoft System Information Tool issues

Multimon

Multiple Monitor issues

WinAPM

Advanced Power Management (APM) issues

WinBatch

Batch files

WinBoot

Windows Startup issues

Winprint

Microsoft Windows Printing issues

Netclients

Network client

NLB

Network Load Balancing Cluster, Windows Load Balancing Service (WLBS)

Error message query words

Query word

Description

kbGPF

General Protection Faults and general crashes

UAE

Unrecoverable application error

Miscellaneous component query words

Query word

Description

3rdPartyNet

Third-party network issues

MSNets

Microsoft network issues

NetUtils

Network protocol utilities

NDIS3x

NDIS 3.x protocol issues

NDIS2

NDIS 2 protocol issues

NETHW

Network hardware issues

AppsComp

Application compatibility issues

Microsoft Network query words

Query word

Description

msnsignup

Sign-up issues

msnconnect

Connection modem and access issues

msnbbs

Bulletin board issues

msnchat

Chat issues

msnmail

E-mail issues

msnnav

Navigation issues

msninterop

Interaction with Windows 95 issues

msnsetup

Setup and upgrade issues

msnaccount

Customer account issues

msninternet

Internet issues

msnother

Issues that are not covered by other MSN keywords

Query words that are used for Encarta and Bookshelf articles that apply to MSN

Query word

Description

msn_encarta

Information that is related to Encarta on MSN

msn_bookshelf

Information that is related to Bookshelf on MSN

Microsoft makes every effort to add appropriate keywords and query words to its Knowledge Base articles. However, keywords and query words should not be interpreted as the sole representation of any topic.

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