Security settings are an important aspect of maintaining an operating system, because they protect your computer from security threats. The Action Center in Windows 7 and Windows Vista allows you to configure security settings. In Windows XP, the Action Center is called the Security Center.
To access the Action Center in Windows 7 and Windows Vista, as shown in the figure, use the following path:
Start > Control Panel > Action Center
To access the Security Center in Windows XP, use the following path:
Start > Control Panel > Security Center
The Action Center has a number of utilities:
- Virus Protection - Turn virus protection programs on or off.
- Setup Backup - Users with administrative privileges can set up a Windows backup.
- Change Action Center settings - Turn messaging for security and maintenance programs on or off.
- Change User Account Control settings - Users with administrative privileges can adjust settings for the UAC.
- View archived messages - View archived messages about past computer problems.
- View performance information - View and rate the performance of system components.