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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Windows XP, Second Edition
Table of Contents

Part 1—Windows XP Everywhere: A Few Things You Need to Know

Chapter 1—A Field Guide to Windows XP
What's What In the Windows Screen
The Desktop
The Taskbar
Some Mouse and Keyboard Fundamentals
Basic Mouse Maneuvers
Common Keyboard Conveniences
Quittin' Time: Shutting Down Windows

Chapter 2—Making Your Programs Do What You Want Them to Do
How to Start a Program
A Start Menu Summary
Maneuvering Around the Start Menu
Now What? Getting a Program to Do Something Useful
Making It Go: Selecting Commands from Pull-Down Menus
Your Click Is My Command: Toolbar Basics
Dealing with Dialog Boxes
Switching From One Program to Another
When Enough's Enough: Quitting a Program

Chapter 3—Your 20-Minute Window Workout
Warming Up: A Window Walkabout
Breaking a Sweat: Window Exercises
Minimizing a Window
Maximizing a Window
Restoring a Window
Moving a Window
Sizing a Window
Cascading and Tiling Windows
Window Weightlifting: Using Scrollbars
Scrolling with the IntelliMouse

Chapter 4—Saving, Opening, Printing, and Other Document Lore
Starting a New Document
Getting It Right: Document Editing for Beginners
The All-Important Save Command
Saving a New Document
Saving an Existing Document
Using the Save As Command to Make a Copy Of a Document
Opening an Existing Document
Sending a Document to the Printer
Closing a Document

Chapter 5—Using My Computer to Fiddle with Files and Folders
My, Oh, My: Learning About Your Computer Using My Computer
Getting Around In My Computer
Taking Advantage of the Handy Folders List
Workaday File and Folder Maintenance
Creating a New File or Folder
Selecting Files and Folders
Copying and Moving a File or Folder
Renaming a File or Folder
Deleting a File or Folder
Creating a Compressed Folder
Dialog Box-Based File and Folder Maintenance
"Burning" Files to a CD-R or CD-RW Disc
Finding a File In That Mess You Call a Hard Disk
Points of View: Changing the My Computer View
A Few More Folder Options
A Folder Face-Lift: Customizing a Folder

Chapter 6—Installing and Uninstalling Programs and Devices
The Welcome Wagon: Installing a Program
Installing a Windows XP Component
Bringing a New Program Into Your Computer Home
The Bum's Rush: Uninstalling a Program
Uninstalling a Windows XP Component
Giving a Program the Heave-Ho
Device Advice I: Installing Hardware
Understanding Hardware Types
Running the Add Hardware Wizard
Installing Specific Devices
Device Advice II: Removing Hardware

Part 2—Windows XP at Home

Chapter 7—Playing with Pictures
The Alphabet Soup of Picture File Formats
A Tour of the My Pictures Folder
All Thumbs: Using the Thumbnail View
Attending a Strip Show: Using the Filmstrip View
A Closer Look: Previewing a Picture
Converting an Image to Another Format
Setting Up an Image Slide Show
No Film? No Problem: Ordering Prints Online
Printing Pictures
Setting a Picture as the Desktop Background
Capturing a Picture of the Screen
Giving Your Right Brain a Workout with Paint
A Look Around the Paint Canvas
The Basic Paint Procedure
Wielding the Paint Tools

Chapter 8—Graphics Gadgetry: Working with Scanners and Digital Cameras
Installing a Scanner or Digital Camera
Testing Your Scanner or Camera
Getting Images from Your Scanner or Camera
Using the Scanner and Camera Wizard with Newer Scanners
How the Wizard Deals with a Scanner
How the Wizard Deals with a Digital Camera
How the Wizard Deals with a CompactFlash Disk
Completing the Scan
Browsing Digital Camera Images

Chapter 9—Sights and Sounds: Music and Other Multimedia
Notes About Multimedia Files
Notes About Multimedia Hardware
Audio Hardware
Audio CD Hardware
DVD Hardware
Making Multimedia Whoopee with Media Player
Giving Media Player Some Media to Play
Let's Make Some Noise: Playing Media
Messing with Media Player's Audio CD Features
Hard Disk Rock: Copying Tracks from a CD
Becoming a Program Director: Creating a Custom Playlist
Rollin' Your Own Music: Copying Tracks to a CD or Device
Web Waves: Listening to Internet Radio
Assigning Sounds to Things Windows XP Does
On the Air: Recording Your Own Sound Files

Chapter 10—Avoiding Fistfights While Sharing Your Computer
Understanding Windows XP's New User Accounts
Creating a New Account
Changing an Existing Account
Changing the User's Name
Creating an Account Password
Changing the User's Picture
Changing the Account Type
Setting Up Your Account with a .NET Passport
Deleting an Account
Logging On to an Account
Sharing Documents with (and Hiding Them from) Other Users
Using the Shared Documents Folder
Sharing (or Keeping Private) My Documents
Making a Program Available Only to Specific Users

Part 3—Windows XP at Work

Chapter 11—Prose Programs: Windows XP's Writing Tools
Using Notepad for Garden-Variety Text Files
Using WordPad for Fancier Word Processing Files
WordPad and Word Processing Files
Tip Sheet: Text-Selection Tricks
Fancy-Schmancy Formatting I: Fonts
Tip Sheet: Making Good Use of Fonts
Fancy-Schmancy Formatting II: Paragraphs
Fancy-Schmancy Formatting III: Bullets
Fancy-Schmancy Formatting IV: Tabs
Finding and Replacing Text
Using Character Map for Foreign Characters and Other Symbols

Chapter 12—Fax-It-Yourself: Using Windows XP's Faxing Features
Setting Up Windows XP to Do the Faxing Thing
Checking Out the Fax Console
Using "Fax" as a Verb: Sending a Fax
Covering Your Fax: Creating a Fax Cover Page
"Incoming!" Receiving a Fax
Annotating a Fax
A Few Fax Options

Chapter 13—A Moveable Feast: Windows XP and Your Notebook Computer
Better Battery Life Through Power Management
Using the Power Icon to Monitor Battery Life
Displaying the Power Options
A Word of Warning: Setting Battery Alarms
Power to the People: Specifying a Power Scheme
Configuring Your Notebook's Power Buttons
You Can Take It with You: Using a Briefcase to Synchronize Files
Working with Those Little PC Card Doodads
Popping In a PC Card Device
Yanking Out a PC Card Device
Setting Up a Direct Connection Between Two Computers
Step 1: Configure the Host Computer
Step 2: Configure the Guest Computer
Making the Connection
Direct Connections and the Briefcase
Disconnecting from the Host

Chapter 14—Using Windows XP to Set Up a Small Network
Basic Network Know-How
Getting a Machine Network-Ready
Some Notes About Networking and the Windows XP Setup
Using the Network Setup Wizard to Set Up Your Network
Changing Your Network Identification
Dealing with Non-XP Machines
Your Starting Point: The My Network Places Folder
Understanding the Network Connections
Sharing Your Resources So Other Folks Can Play with Them
Sharing Folders and Disks
Sharing a Printer
Playing with Other Folks' Shared Resources
Setting Up Network Places
Making Network Folders Look Like Drives on Your Computer
Printing over the Network

Part 4—Windows XP on the Internet

Chapter 15—Getting on the Internet
What to Look For in an Internet Service Provider
Getting Started On Your Road to the Internet
Setting Up an Existing Account Manually
What You Need to Know Before Getting Started
What You Need to Do After Getting Started
Configuring Advanced ISP Settings
Making the Connection
Severing the Connection
Now What? Windows XP's Internet Features
Locations, Locations, Locations: Setting Up Dialing Rules
Area Code Rules, Dude!
Using Calling Card Dialing
Using a Different Location When Connecting to the Internet

Chapter 16—It's a Small Web After All: Using Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer Nuts and Bolts
Web Page Navigation Basics
Techniques for Efficient Web Gallivanting
Saving Sites for Subsequent Surfs: Managing Your Favorites
Order Out of Chaos: Searching for Sites
Bread Crumbs in Cyberspace: Using the History List
"What If I Want to Use Netscape?"

Chapter 17—The Savvy Surfer: More Internet Explorer Fun
Offline Surfing: Reading Pages When You're Not Connected
Customizing the Handy Links Bar
Dealing with Files in Internet Explorer
A Few More Useful Internet Explorer Options

Chapter 18—Sending and Receiving E-mail Missives
Setting Up Your Internet E-mail Account
The Lay of the Outlook Express Land
The Outbox: Sending an E-mail Message
The Basics: Composing and Sending a Message
Easier Addressing: Using the Address Book
Inserting Attachments and Other Hangers-On
The Inbox: Getting and Reading E-mail Messages
Getting Your Messages
Reading Your Messages
Attending to Attachments
What to Do with a Message After You've Read It

Chapter 19—More E-mail Bonding: Extending Outlook Express
Taking Charge of Your Message Folders
Some Handy Message Maneuvers
Better E-Letters: Setting the Default Message Font
Working with Stationery
Setting Up a Signature
Seven Useful Sending Settings
Dealing with the Onslaught: Filtering Messages
Sharing Outlook Express with Others: Setting Up Identities
Creating a New Identity
Switching From One Identity to Another
Logging Off Your Identity
Finding Folks on the Internet

Chapter 20—Your Net Safety Net
Working with E-Mail Safely and Securely
Protecting Yourself Against E-Mail Viruses
Filtering Out Spam
Handling Spam Safely
Maintaining Your Privacy While Reading E-Mail
Other Security Doodads in Outlook Express
Caveat Surfer: Internet Explorer and Security
Adding and Removing Zone Sites
Changing a Zone's Security Level
Restricting Your Cookie Diet: Internet Explorer's Privacy Features
Understanding Internet Explorer's Advanced Security Options
Keeping Intruders Out of Your System

Part 5—Windows XP at the Shop: Customizing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting

Chapter 21—Refurbishing the Desktop
Background Check: Changing the Desktop Background
Wallpapering the Desktop
Image Is Nothing: Setting the Desktop to a Solid Color
Making the Desktop Do Something Useful: Adding Desktop Items
Adding and Customizing Desktop Icons
Changing an Icon
Web Items: Your Desktop As a Web Page
Screen Saver Silliness
Makeover Time: Changing the Desktop Colors and Fonts
Making Your Own Appearance Scheme
"Effectations": Changing Desktop Visual Effects
Changing the Screen Area and Color Depth
Wholesale Changes: Applying Desktop Themes

Chapter 22—Revamping the Start Menu and Taskbar
A Smart Start: Reconstructing the Start Menu
Toggling Some Start Menu Settings On and Off
Adding Your Own Start Menu Icons
Easy Start Menu Maintenance
Renovating the Taskbar
Unlocking the Taskbar
Taskbar Travels: Moving and Sizing the Taskbar
Some Useful Taskbar Options
Displaying and Tweaking Taskbar Toolbars
Creating Your Own Toolbars

Chapter 23—Maintaining Your System In 10 Easy Steps
Step 1—Check Your Hard Disk for Errors
Step 2—Check Free Disk Space
Step 3—Delete Unnecessary Files
Step 4—Defragment Your Hard Disk
Step 5—Set System Restore Points
Step 6—Back Up Your Files
Step 7—Run the Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard
Step 8—Check For Updates and Security Patches
Step 9—Check for Security Vulnerabilities
Step 10—Set Up a Maintenance Schedule

Chapter 24—Troubleshooting and Recovering From Problems
Troubleshooting Strategies: Determining the Source of a Problem
General Troubleshooting Tips
Troubleshooting Using Online Resources
Recovering From a Problem
Booting Using the Last Known Good Configuration
Recovering Using System Restore
Recovering Using the Recovery Console
Reinstalling Windows XP
Recovering Using Automated System Recovery

Chapter 25—When Windows Won't Work: Troubleshooting Common Problems
Ignition Trouble: Solving Startup Snags
Dealing with Applications That Won't Applicate
Handling Program Crashes
Perturbing Printing Problems
Miscellaneous Program Problems
Overcoming File Failings
Handling Hardware Headaches
First, a Visit with the Device Manager
Handling Device Driver Problems
Mending Your Mouse
Correcting Keyboard Kinks
Curing Video Ills

Appendix A—The Complete Idiot's Command Reference (Windows keyboard shortcuts)

Copyright © 1995-2008 Paul McFedries and Logophilia Limited