Special Edition Using Windows XP Home Edition, Bestseller Edition

by Cowart, Robert; Knittel, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780789728517
• ISBN10: 0789728516
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-09-13
• Publisher: Que Publishing

Summary

The only Windows XP Home book you need! This edition covers Service Pack 1 (SP-1), the first update to Windows XP since it was released in 10/01! Finally, the stability of Windows NT/2000 in an operating system built for the home and small business user--Windows XP has answered many prayers. Don't be fooled, though. Under those millions of lines of code, under the spit polished interface and under the hype lies an operating system that can be elegant one moment and confounding the next. This book will help you avoid making the leap from 9x to XP unprepared. Also included, more than 45 minutes from Brainsville.com! This unique video package brings Bob and Brian right to the desktop. They introduce the viewer to Windows XP and demonstrate how to use it, covering topics ranging from mastering the new XP user interface to how to set up and fine tune a local area network.

Author Biography

Robert Cowart has written features and reviews for PC Week, PC World, MacWorld, A+, and Microsoft Systems Journal and more than 35 books, most of them about Windows Brian Knittel is a software developer, consultant, and writer. He specializes in document conversion and networking

Table of Contents

Introduction.

I. INTRODUCING WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION.

1. Introducing Windows XP Home Edition.

An Overview of Windows XP Home Edition. A Little Windows History. What's New in Windows XP? What Is Not in Windows XP Home Edition. Differences Between Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, and 64-Bit Windows XP Versions.

2. Getting Your Hardware and Software Ready for Windows XP.

General Considerations. Hardware Requirements. Preparing Your Hardware for Windows XP. Preparing Your Software for Windows XP. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Shopping for the Right Hardware and Software.

3. Installing Windows XP Home.

Choosing an Upgrade Path. Choosing a File System: FAT, FAT32, or NTFS? Getting Your Network Information Together. It's Backup Time! Clean Installation Procedure. Upgrading Over an Existing Operating System. Making Startup Floppies. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Automating Setup.

II. GETTING YOUR WORK DONE.

4. Using the Windows XP Interface.

Who Should Read This Chapter? Logging in to Windows XP Using Windows XP-The User Experience. The Taskbar, Start Menu, and Other Tools. Running Your Applications. Using the Help System. Exiting Windows Gracefully. Dealing with a Crashed Applicationor Operating System. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Working Efficiently.

5. Using the Simple Supplied Applications.

A Sea of Freebies. Notepad. WordPad. Paint. Calculator. Character Map. Volume Control. Working with the Windows Clipboard. Using the Search Applet. Troubleshooting.

6. Printing and Faxing.

Windows XP Printing Primer. Installing and Configuring a Printer. Installing a Local Printer. Changing a Printer's Properties. Removing a Printer from the Printers and Faxes Folder. Printing from Windows Applications. Working with the Printer Queue. Viewing and Altering Document Properties. Printing to Disk Option. Color Management. Faxing. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Does the Green Ink Have You Seeing Red?

7. Multimedia and Imaging.

Multimedia, Imaging, and Windows. What's Built in to Windows XP for Photographs? Using the Scanner and Camera Wizard. What's Built in to Windows XP for Video? Video Capture with Microsoft Movie Maker. Windows Media Player.

III. WINDOWS XPAND THE INTERNET.

8. Internet and TCP/IP Connection Options.

Going World Wide. Connection Technologies. Choosing an Internet Service Provider. Choosing Equipment. Ordering the Service. Installing the Hardware. Configuring Your Internet Connection. Adjusting Dial-Up Connection Properties. Configuring a High-Speed Connection. Enabling the Internet Connection Firewall. Making and Ending a Dial-Up Connection. Changing the Default Connection. Managing Multiple Internet Connections. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Staying Connected While Traveling Abroad.

9. Browsing the World Wide Web with Internet Explorer.

Origins and Development of the World Wide Web. What's New in Internet Explorer 6? Internet Explorer 6 Quick Tour. Dealing with Multimedia Browsing and Downloading. Customizing the Browser and Setting Internet Options. Effectively Searching the Web. MSN Explorer Browser-The Touchy-Feely Alternative to IE. Getting a Passport to Microsoft Country. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Finding and Using PDF Documents on the World Wide Web.

10. Sending E-mail with Outlook Express.

Choosing an E-mail Client. Outlook Express Quick Tour. Creating and Sending New Mail. Using the Address Book. Handling Unique Mail Situations. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: How to Create Formatted E-mail.

11. Reading Newsgroups with Outlook Express.

Newsgroups and the Internet. Setting Up a Newsgroup Account in Outlook Express. Finding and Reading Newsgroups. Newsgroup Safety. Customizing Outlook Express for Newsgroups. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Newsgroups... for More Than Just News.

12. Chatting and Conferencing with Windows Messenger.

An Overview of Windows Messenger. Getting Started with Windows Messenger. Chatting with Text. Communicating with Voice. Communicating with Video. Conferencing Options. What About NetMeeting? Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Extending Your Chat Community.

13. Troubleshooting YourInternet Connection.

It's Great When It Works, But…. Before You Run into Trouble. Troubleshooting. Troubleshooting Internet Problems with Windows TCP/IP Utilities. Third-Party Utilities. Tips from the Windows Pros: Pinging with Larger Packets.

IV. NETWORKING.

14. Overview of Windows XP Networking.

Network Concepts. Network Connection Technologies. Ways of Connecting to Windows XP Networks. Windows XP's Network Services. Tips from the Windows Pros: Becoming a Networking Professional.

15. Creating a Windows XP Home Network.

Creating or Joining a Network. Planning Your Network. Choosing a Network and Cabling System. Installing Network Adapters. Installing Network Wiring. Configuring a Peer-to-Peer Network. Network Security. Checking Out the Neighborhood. Install and Configure Backup Software. Bridging Two Network Types with Windows XP. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Grassroots Networking.

16. Using a Windows XP Network.

Windows XP Was Made to Network. Traditional Versus Web Sharing. My Network Places. Using Shared Folders. Exploring and Searching the Network. Using Web Folders. Using Printers on the Network. Using Network Resources Effectively. Sharing Folders and Drives. Sharing Printers. Managing Network Use of Your Computer. Managing Network Resources Using the Command Line. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Using Command-Line Utilities.

17. Windows Unplugged: Remote and Mobile Networking.

Going Unplugged. Dial-Up Networking. Wireless Networking. Web Folders and Web Printing. Virtual Private Networking. Remote Desktop. Remote Assistance. Copying Files Between Two Computers. Infrared File Transfers. Multiple LAN Connections. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Access to Your Computer When You Travel.

18. Connecting Your LAN to the Internet.

It's a Great Time to Connect Your LAN to the Internet. The Nuts and Bolts of the Connection. Getting Your Internet Service Started. Configuring Your LAN. Making Services Available. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Squeezing Top Speed from Your High-Speed Connection.

19. Network Security.

Who Would Be Interested in My Computer? Preparation. Active Defenses: Blocking Known Methods of Attack. Testing, Logging, and Monitoring. Disaster Planning: Preparation for Recovery After an Attack. Specific Configuration Steps for Windows XP. Learn More About Security. Troubleshooting.

20. Troubleshooting Your Network.

When Good Networks Go Bad. Diagnostic Tools. Testing Network Cables. Checking Network Configuration. Testing Network Connectivity. Diagnosing File and Printer Sharing Problems. Testing Network Throughput. Tips from the Windows Pros: A Network Troubleshooting Checklist.

V. SYSTEM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION.

21. Tweaking the GUI.

GUI: To Tweak or Not to Tweak. Start Menu Pizzazz! Display Properties. Tweak UI. Miscellaneous GUI Tips. Customizing Folder Views. Configuring the Recycle Bin. Tuning Visual Effects. Troubleshooting.

22. Configuration via Control Panel Applets.

Sizing Up the Control Panel. Opening the Control Panel. Accessibility Options. Add Hardware. Add or Remove Programs. Date and Time. Fonts. Game Controllers. Keyboard. Mouse. Phone and Modem Options. Regional and Language Options. Scanners and Cameras. Sounds and Audio Devices Troubleshooting.

23. Maintaining and Optimizing System Performance.

Running a Tight Ship. Measuring System Performance with Performance Monitor. Tuning Windows Performance with the System Applet. Program Compatibility Wizard. Configuring the Program Environments. VDM: The Virtual DOS Machine. The Windows XP Command Line. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Getting More Out of the Command Prompt with Command Extensions.

VI. SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE.

24. System Utilities.

Getting Under the Hood. Scheduled Tasks. System Applet. Administrative Tools. System Tools. Accessibility. Windows Update. Task Manager. Protecting the System Files. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Power User Tricks.

25. Managing Users.

Multiple Users on One Machine. User Account Types. Working with Passwords. Creating and Managing User Accounts. Sharing Files Among Users. Simple File Sharing. User Profiles. Making Icons Available to All Users. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Setting Up for Multiple Users.

26. Managing the Hard Disk.

Hard Disk Management. Windows XP's Disk Management Tools. Third-Party Management Tools. Move Versus Copy. CD Burning. Hard Disk Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Quieting a Noisy System

27. Installing and Replacing Hardware.

Upgrading Your Hardware. Adding Hardware. Using the System Applet. Understanding and Resolving Hardware Conflicts. Hardware Resources and Windows XP. Installing and Using Multiple Monitors. Installing a UPS. Using Hardware Profiles. Troubleshooting Tips from the Windows Pros: Upgrading and Optimizing Your Computer.

28. Multibooting Windows XP with Other Operating Systems.

Why Multiboot? Preparation. File System Specifics. Application Considerations. The Windows XP Boot Loader. Multiboot Scenarios. Dual-Booting Windows XP Home Edition and Windows Me/9x. Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. Windows XP and Linux. The Virtual Machine Approach. Macintosh and Windows. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Living with More Than One OS.

29. The Registry.

What Is the Registry? How the Registry Is Organized. Registry Contents. Backing Up and Restoring the Registry. Using Regedit. Editing Registry Entries for Another User. Other Registry Tools. Troubleshooting. Tips from the Windows Pros: Registry Tips on the Web.

30. Troubleshooting and Repairing Windows XP.

Troubleshooting 101. Boot Options. Recovery Console. Parallel Copies of Windows XP. As a Last Resort. Preventing Problems. System Restore. Black Magic of Troubleshooting. Scatter-Gun Troubleshooting.

Appendix A. Installing Service Pack 1.

About Service Packs. Installation Options. Standalone Upgrade. Express Upgrade. Integrated. Removing SP1.

Appendix B. New Features in Service Pack 1.

What's New? Windows CE for Smart Displays (Mira). Windows XP Media Center Edition. USB 2.0 Support. IPv6. Department of Justice Consent Decree Compliance. Windows .NET Messenger 4.7. Tablet PCs. Product Activation. Security Fixes and Other Improvements.

Index.