Faster Smarter Microsoft Windows XP

by Bott, Ed

• ISBN13: 9780735618572
• ISBN10: 0735618577
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-13
• Publisher: Microsoft Press

Summary

Now you can do everyday thingsfrom e-mailing photos to creating your own digital media libraryfaster, smarter, and better. Dive in! This friendly, high-energy guide makes it easy to teach yourself exactly what you need. Use the quick lists, numbered steps, and helpful examples to accelerate your productivityand move on to doing the cool things you want to do! Set up your e-mail and connect to the Internet Burn CDs, master your digital camera, and share photos on line Tweak memory and system settingsget more speed Help foil viruses, hackers, and spam Traverse the Webbut keep cookies in check Build and troubleshoot your own network Avoid PC trouble with five healthy habits

Author Biography

Ed Bott is an award-winning journalist and one of the most recognized voices in the computing world. He's been writing about Microsoft Windows and Office for two decades and is the author of more than two dozen books.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xi
You've Got Microsoft Windows XP ... Now What?	1	(22)
What's New in Windows XP	2	(5)
Home Edition or Professional: What's the Difference?	7	(2)
Before You Upgrade	9	(2)
Moving Your Files and Settings to a New Computer	11	(7)
Get the Latest Windows Updates	18	(3)
Everything You Need to Know About Windows Product Activation	21	(2)
How Windows Works (and How to Work with Windows)	23	(36)
Getting Started	24	(6)
Disks, Drives, Files, and Folders	30	(14)
Change Settings with Control Panel	44	(3)
Make Windows Run Faster	47	(5)
How Do I...?	52	(3)
Shutting Down	55	(4)
Installing, Uninstalling, and Running Programs	59	(18)
Installing a New Program	59	(4)
Create Shortcuts to Your Favorite Programs	63	(4)
Your Old Program Won't Run Right? Try This Fix	67	(1)
What to Do When a Program Freezes	68	(2)
Choose the Program That Works with a File Type	70	(2)
Change Programs That Run Automatically at Startup	72	(2)
Remove Programs the Right Way	74	(3)
Microsoft Windows and Hardware	77	(16)
Hardware Made Easy	78	(7)
Inspecting Your Hardware with Device Manager	85	(3)
Updating a Device Driver	88	(2)
Troubleshooting Hardware Problems	90	(1)
Working with Removable Devices (USB and Others)	91	(2)
Fixing Computer Problems	93	(30)
Be Prepared! Five Habits to Fend Off Trouble	93	(9)
Troubleshooting 101: Figuring Out What's Wrong	102	(6)
Using Remote Assistance for Hands-On Help	108	(4)
Decoding Error Messages	112	(4)
Rolling Back to a Previous Configuration	116	(2)
How to Recover After Your Computer Crashes	118	(5)
Connecting to the Internet and Browsing the Web	123	(28)
Using a Modem to Get on the Internet	124	(6)
Setting Up a Broadband (Cable or DSL) Connection	130	(1)
Sharing Your Internet Connection	131	(4)
Search Secrets	135	(4)
Keeping Track of Your Favorite Web Sites	139	(3)
What to Do When a Web Page Won't Work	142	(1)
Filling In Forms and Remembering Passwords	143	(2)
Saving a Copy of a Web Page for Later Use	145	(6)
E-Mail Made Easy	151	(28)
Setting Up Your E-Mail Accounts	152	(7)
Checking Your E-Mail	159	(3)
Composing a New Message	162	(3)
Managing Your Address Book	165	(3)
What to Do with File Attachments	168	(2)
Organizing Your E-Mail	170	(7)
Using Windows Messenger	177	(2)
Protecting Your Privacy and Your Computer's Security	179	(22)
What You (and Your Family) Need to Know	180	(2)
Protect Yourself from Viruses	182	(5)
Block Spam and Junk E-Mail	187	(3)
Keep Hackers Out with a Firewall	190	(5)
The Truth About Cookies	195	(6)
Making Windows Work Your Way	201	(24)
Choose Your Interface: Windows XP or Windows Classic	202	(2)
Make the Taskbar Easier to Work With	204	(6)
Streamline Your Start Menu	210	(2)
Redecorate Your Desktop	212	(6)
Set Up a Screen Saver	218	(2)
Add New Fonts	220	(1)
Customize Windows Sounds	221	(4)
Organizing Your Files	225	(22)
Where Should You Keep Your Stuff?	225	(5)
Working with Windows Explorer	230	(5)
Working with Hidden Files	235	(1)
Organizing Files	236	(6)
Compressing Files to Save Space	242	(5)
Managing Music (and More) with Windows Media Player	247	(20)
Windows Media Player at a Glance	248	(3)
Playing Music CDs on Your Computer	251	(3)
Managing a Digital Music Collection	254	(9)
Playing DVDs	263	(1)
Creating Your Own CDs	264	(3)
Picture-Perfect Digital Photography	267	(14)
Out of the Camera, Onto the Computer	267	(4)
Organizing Your Images	271	(1)
Putting Your Pictures on Paper	271	(3)
E-Mailing Photos to Friends and Family	274	(2)
Posting Your Pictures on the Web	276	(1)
Slide Shows and Screen Savers	277	(4)
Managing User Accounts	281	(16)
How User Accounts Control Access to Your Computer	282	(1)
Creating a New Account	283	(2)
Using the Guest Account	285	(1)
Changing an Existing Account	286	(6)
Deleting an Account	292	(1)
Making Your Files Private	293	(4)
Setting Up and Running a Small Network	297	(26)
Do You Need a Network?	298	(1)
What Hardware Does Your Network Need?	298	(2)
Making Network Connections	300	(6)
Setting Up a Wireless Network	306	(2)
Troubleshooting Network Problems	308	(3)
How File Sharing Works	311	(3)
Using the Shared Documents Folder	314	(1)
Sharing a Folder with Other Network Users	315	(2)
Sharing a Printer	317	(2)
Accessing Shared Folders and Printers on Your Network	319	(4)
Index	323