Querying the Microsoft Knowledge Base
This information describes how to more effectively query the Microsoft Knowledge Base by using keywords, including Microsoft product-specific keywords. By using keywords you may be able to find the article or articles that will help to resolve your issue or question.
When you perform a query, begin by using a product keyword that relates to your issue, such as "win95" for Microsoft Windows 95, "win98" for Windows 98, "outexw95" for Microsoft Outlook Express for Windows 95, and so on. You can then combine product keywords with other related keywords to help narrow your search, and locate the information you need. For example, if you want to find information about error messages when printing in Windows 98, you might query on:
win98 and kbprint and kberrmsg
This query would find all articles that contain all 3 of these keywords that relate to Windows 98, printing, and error messages. This type of query is called a Boolean query, and combines useful keywords to help you to search large amounts of information quickly. Note that not all articles will contain every appropriate keyword, so searches should be altered if you want to locate every possible piece of information. For example, if your issue appeared to relate to Windows 98, printing, and included an error message (as in the previous example), but you do not find the article you need, you may need to simplify your query. In the previous example, you could remove one of the keywords, and then perform the search again:
win98 and kbprint
Note that if you search by using a small amount of keywords, you will receive a large amount of articles, possibly making it difficult to find the article you are looking for. Because of this, you may need to perform searches more than once (making alterations as needed) to determine the best way to find the information you need. Other examples of queries include:
Commonly used keywords include:
The following section includes a more extensive list of most of the keywords used in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, including product keywords, issue keywords, and informational keywords.
Keywords can significantly reduce the time it takes to locate an article that may help you troubleshoot a problem, or get information about how to work with and use Microsoft Products.
Issue: Keyword:
Error message follow-up information kberrmsg
Tools, utilities, wizards, compilers and tools kbtool
Microsoft product installation issues kbsetup
Printing, including programming issues kbprint
Third-party components or drivers Kb3rdparty
Monitor issues kbdisplay
Accessibility issues/information kbenable
Environment and config info including OS, registry kbenv
Article is contained in an FAQ kbfaq
Articles with a link to a Software Library kbfile
Graphics issue kbgraphic
Hardware kbhw
Operation between applications kbinterop
Being on or using a network kbnetwork
General programming not covered by other keywords kbprg
Sound (audio) issues kbsound
User interface, including programming the UI kbui
Link to Internet Web site kburl
Year 2000 date related kb2000
Product: Keyword:
Microsoft BallPoint Mouse ballpoint
Microsoft EasyBall easyball
Microsoft IntelliMouse intellimouse
Microsoft IntelliPoint Software Home Edition intellipoint
Microsoft IntelliPoint intellipoint
Microsoft IntelliType intellitype
Microsoft Natural Keyboard mnk
Microsoft Phone msphone
Microsoft Voice msvoice
Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro sidewinder
Microsoft SideWinder game pad gamepad
Microsoft Video for Windows vfw
Microsoft Windows CE wince
Microsoft Windows Printing System wps
Microsoft Windows Sound System wss
Downloadable version of MS-DOS 6.2x Step-Up bbsstepup
Microsoft Windows & MS-DOS 5 for IBM PS/2 doswin
Microsoft Windows & MS-DOS 5 Upgrade doswin
Microsoft Windows with Multimedia Extensions mmwin
Microsoft Natural Keyboard mnk
Microsoft MS-DOS msdos
Microsoft Pen Windows (Windows for Pen Computing) penwin
MS-DOS 6.2x Step-Up stepup
Video for Windows vfw
Workgroup Connections for MS-DOS wc
Windows version 3.0 and 3.0a win30
Windows version 3.1 and 3.11 win31
Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11 wfw
Windows for Workgroups (preferred) wfwg
Workgroup Add-On for MS-DOS wgao
Windows Printing System wps
Windows Sound System wss
Windows 95 Preview Program wpp95
Windows 95 win95
Windows 98 win98
Microsoft Network msnetwork
Microsoft Phone msphone
Microsoft Voice msvoice
Microsoft SideWinder game pad gamepad
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows 98 msiew98
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows 95 msiew95
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows 3.1 msiew31
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows NT msient
Microsoft Internet Explorer for Macintosh msiemac
Microsoft Internet Explorer for UNIX on Sun Solaris msieunix
Microsoft Internet Mail for Windows 95 inetmailw95
Microsoft Internet News for Windows 95 inetnewsw95
Microsoft Internet Mail for Windows 3.1 inetmailw31
Microsoft Internet News for Windows 3.1 inetnewsw31
Microsoft Internet Mail for Macintosh inetmailmac
Microsoft Internet News for Macintosh inetnewsmac
Microsoft Internet Mail for Windows NT 4.0 inetmailnt
Microsoft Internet News for Windows NT 4.0 inetnewsnt
Microsoft NetMeeting for Windows 95 netmtgw95
Microsoft NetMeeting for Windows NT netmtgnt
Microsoft Web Publishing Wizard for Windows 95 webpostw95
Microsoft Web Publishing Wizard for Windows NT 4.0 webpostnt
Microsoft Personal Web Server for Windows 95 mspwsw95
Microsoft Personal Web Server for Macintosh mspwsmac
Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 osr2
Microsoft Chat for Windows 95 mschatw95
Microsoft Chat for Windows NT mschatnt
Microsoft NetShow for Windows 95 netshoww95
Microsoft NetShow for Windows 3.1 netshoww31
Microsoft NetShow for Windows NT netshownt
Microsoft NetShow for Macintosh netshowmac
Microsoft NetShow for Unix netshowunix
Component: Keyword:
MS-DOS DoubleGuard Dblguard
MS-DOS DoubleSpace Dblspace
MS-DOS DriveSpace Drvspace
Microsoft Defragmenter Defrag
Microsoft Anti-Virus for MS-DOS MSAV
Microsoft Backup for MS-DOS MSBackup
Microsoft ScanDisk ScanDisk
MS-DOS multiple-configuration issues Multi-Config
Disk/Memory Management DiskMem
Third party disk compression ISVCompress
Long filename LFN
Component: Keyword:
Microsoft Anti-Virus for Windows MWAV
Microsoft Backup for Windows MWBackup
Microsoft At Work PC Fax AWFax
General Protection Fault GPF
Remote Access Services RAS
Unrecoverable application error UAE
Windows Startup issues WinBoot
Windows communications/serial WinComm
Windows driver-related information WinDrvr
Windows memory WinMem
Windows Shell issues WinShell
Batch files WinBatch
MIDI WinMIDI
TrueType font issues WinTTF
Plug and Play issues WinPNP
Telephony issues WinTAPI
Exchange issues w95exchange
Microsoft Plus! issues WinPlus
Windows 95 Service Pack 1 ServicePack1
Dial-Up Networking dun
DriveSpace Drvspace
FAT32 issues WinFat32
Games included with Windows WinGame
Microsoft System Information Tool issues SysInfo
Multiple Monitor issues MultiMon
Advanced Power Management (APM) issues WinAPM
MS-DOS-based programs issues WinDOS
Component: Keyword:
Third party network issues 3rdPartyNet
Microsoft network issues MSNets
Network protocol utilities NetUtils
NDIS 3.x protocol issues NDIS3x
NDIS 2 protocol issues NDIS2
Network hardware issues NETHW
Application compatibility AppsComp
Issue: Keyword:
Sign-up issues msnsignup
Connection, modem, and access issues msnconnect
Bulletin board issues msnbbs
Chat issues msnchat
E-mail issues msnmail
Navigation issues msnnav
Interaction with Windows 95 issues msninterop
Setup and upgrade issues msnsetup
Customer account issues msnaccount
Internet issues msninternet
Issues not covered in other MSN keywords msnother
Topic: Keyword:
Information related to Encarta on MSN msn_encarta
Information related to Bookshelf on MSN msn_bookshelf
Microsoft Access access
Microsoft Access Distribution Kit accother
db web dbweb
Microsoft Basic otherbasics
Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows vbwin
Active X Data Object adobj
Applications Conversion Database convert
Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT crossnet
Microsoft Tips for the Macintosh System macsys
Microsoft Mastering Series mastering
Microsoft Data Access Components mdac
Microsoft Press mspress
Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) odbc
OLE Applications oleapps
Microsoft OLE DB oledb
Microsoft ACME Setup Program setup
Microsoft Product Support Information techinfo
Microsoft Windows Printing Issues winprint
Visual Database Tools dbtools
Help Compiler 4.0 helpcomp
Microsoft Developer Network msdn
Microsoft Test for Windows mstest
Microsoft SourceSafe ssafe
VBA SDK vbasdk
Visual Studio vstudio
Com Transaction Integrator comti
MS Message Queue msmq
MS Transaction Server transsrv
Microsoft Word for MS-DOS dosword
BPP bpp
Investor investor
Microsoft Money money
OFC ofc
Microsoft Fox Miscellaneous Products foxmisc
Microsoft FoxPro foxpro
FrontPage Server fpserver
Word Front Page frontpg
ACTIMATES actimates
Handheld PC (HPC) handheld
Misc. MS Hardware Products hwother
Microsoft Joystick Products joystick
Microsoft Natural Keyboard keyboard
Microsoft Mouse Products mouse
Microsoft Automap automap
Microsoft Bob bob
Articles for dreamworks products dreamworks
Microsoft Home Games homegame
Microsoft Home Kids Products homekids
Microsoft Home Miscellaneous Products homemisc
Microsoft Home Multimedia Titles homemm
Microsoft Works works
ActiveX Development Kit activexdk
Internet Control Pack icp
Internet Explorer ie
Visual Basic Script vbscript
Microsoft ActiveX Software Development Kit axsdk
Microsoft Active Server Pages axsf
Broadcast PC bpc
Commerce Server commerce
Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit ieak
IE Current Release ierelease
Microsoft Internet Explorer Application Usage ie_app
Microsoft Internet Explorer Development ie_dev
Internet Information Server iis
Miscellaneous Internet Topics inetmisc
Internet Studio Articles istudio
New collection lqmotion
Microsoft Merchant Systems merchantsvr
Microsoft Proxy Server proxysvr
Microsoft Internet Scripting Languages scripting
Micrsoft Site Server and Microsoft Commercial sitemcis
Visual J visualj
Microsoft Macro Assembler masm
Microsoft Programming Utilities utilities
Microsoft C Compiler visualc
Microsoft Exchange exchange
Messaging Application Programmers Interface mapi
Microsoft Mail For PC Networks pcmail
Miscrosoft Systems Journal msj
MS Partner Support Network mspn
Microsoft News Releases news
Microsoft Mail For Appletalk Networks macmail
Network client netclients
Microsoft Outlook 98 ol98
Outlook Express olexpress
MS Outlook outlook
Microsoft Schedule+ for Windows schedplus
Microsoft LAN Manager lanman
Net Show netshow
Current Windows NT Release ntrelease
Microsoft Systems Management Server sms
Microsoft SNA Server sna
Windows Base Terminal Server terminalsvr
Microsoft Windows NT winnt
Microsoft Office office
Microsoft Disk Operating System msdos
The Microsoft Network msnetwork
Plus! 98 plus98
Microsoft Windows 3.x Retail Product win3x
Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product win95x
Windows 98 win98x
Miscellaneous Windows Products winmisc
Microsoft Project project
Greetings Workshop greetingsw
Microsoft Image Composer imagec
Picture It pictureit
Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows powerpt
PowerPoint 97 for Windows ppt97
PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition ppt98
Microsoft Publisher 98 pub98
Microsoft Publisher publisher
Microsoft SQL server sqlserver
Programming with Visual Basic for Applications vbapps
Visual Basic Environment vbe
Internet Server API ISAPI
Miscellaneous Software Development Kits miscsdk
Microsoft OLE Programming oleprog
Microsoft Windows Device Driver Kit win16ddk
Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit win16sdk
Microsoft Win32 Device Driver Kit win32ddk
Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit win32sdk
Microsoft Windows 95 Device Driver Kit win95ddk
Windows CE Device Driver Kit winceddk
Previous releases of Word for Windows word
Product Version: Keyword:
Exchange Server 4.0 exc4
Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 1 exc4sp1
Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 2 exc4sp2
Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 3 exc4sp3
Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 4 excsp4
Exchange Server 5.0 exc5
Exchange Server 5.0 Service Pack 1 exc5sp1
Exchange Server 5.0 Service Pack 2 exc5sp2
Exchange Server 5.0 Service Pack 3 exc5sp3
Exchange Server 5.5 exc55
Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 1 exc55sp1
Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 2 exc55sp2
Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3 exc55sp3
Product: Keyword:
Outlook 97 OL97
Outlook 98 OL98
Outlook 2000 OL2K
Some of the keywords listed in this article may also be found in the following Knowlege Base article:
Q96132 How to Search for Desktop Systems Articles by KBSubcategory