Windows XP: The Complete Reference

By John R. Levine, Margaret Levine Young, Douglas Muder, Alison Barrows and Rima S. Regas.
October 2001, 1100 pages, US$39.99. ISBN 0-07-219297-6

Windows XP is the latest version of Windows, and it's intended for use in corporations, small offices, and homes. It's an update of both Windows ME (Microsoft's home version of Windows) and Windows 2000 (the corporate version), with many improvements on both, and it comes loaded on most new IBM-compatible PCs. Our mammoth book covers both versions of Windows XP: Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. We include an enormous range of topics, from configuring your desktop to getting on line to configuring your Web browser to setting up LANs and Internet connections to coercing ancient DOS applications to run. Every page offers the benefits of our hand-to-hand combat with Windows XP, so you can get going and up to speed fast.

What's the big deal about Windows XP?

• Microsoft has talked for years about making a version of Windows that combines the stabliity and power of Windows NT and 2000 with the ease-of-use and compatiblity of Windows 98 and ME. It has lots of new features:
• The "Luna" interface, with an uncluttered desktop and two-column Start menu.
• Windows Media Player 8 is Microsoft's latest audio and video player, and Windows Movie Maker helps you create videos and slide shows, including voice-overs.
• Internet Explorer 6.0, the improved version of Microsoft's popular Web browser, and Outlook Express 6.0, their e-mail program
• Windows Messenger, a new instant messaging and chat program (like AOL Instant Messenger or ICQ)
• NTFS file format, which supports password-protected files.
• User accounts, so that each person who uses the computer can customize the PC and have a private place to store files. With fast User Switching, one person can remain logged in while another person uses the PC.
• Internet Connection Firewall, which protects your computer from Internet hackers.
• Photo printing and Web publishing are built in, along with CD burning (if you have a CD-R or CD-RW drive).
• Web folders, for uploading and downloading files using Windows Explorer.
• Remote Assistance, which enables you to ask a friend, coworker, or a support professional to take over your computer via the Internet and fix a software problem.
• Compressed Folders, which enable you to see and change the contents of ZIP files in Windows Explorer.

The fabulous CD-ROM

• Contains an e-book -- the full text and illustrations of the book, for on-line reference
• Extensively hyperlinked both within the book and to places on the net.
• Expanded glossary fully linked back to the text, for quick access to all topics.

The informative web site

• Get updated and extended information about Windows XP, and links to other on-line Windows XP resources.

Table of Contents

Part I: Working in Windows XP
Chapter 1: The Basics of Using Windows XP
Chapter 2: Running Programs
Chapter 3: Installing Programs
Chapter 4: Getting Help
Chapter 5: Copying, Moving, and Sharing Information Between Programs
Chapter 6: Sharing Your Computer with Other People

Part II: Managing Your Files
Chapter 7: Using Files and Folders
Chapter 8: Managing Files and Folders
Chapter 9: Backing Up Your Files with the Backup Utility

Part III: Configuring Windows for Your Computer
Chapter 10: Setting Up Your Start Menu and Taskbar
Chapter 11: Setting Up Your Desktop
Chapter 12: Configuring Your Keyboard, Mouse, Game Controller, and Regional Settings
Chapter 13: Adding and Removing Hardware
Chapter 14: Printing and Faxing
Chapter 15: Using Windows XP on Laptops
Chapter 16: Accessibility Options

Part IV: Working with Text, Numbers, Pictures, Sound, and Video
Chapter 17: Working with Text and Numbers
Chapter 18: Working with Graphics
Chapter 19: Working with Music, Speech, and Other Sound
Chapter 20: Working with Video

Part V: Windows XP on the Internet
Chapter 21: Configuring Windows to Work with Your Modem
Chapter 22: Connecting to the Internet
Chapter 23: E-Mail and Newsgroups Using Outlook Express
Chapter 24: Browsing the World Wide Web with Internet Explorer
Chapter 25: Conferencing over the Internet
Chapter 26: Using Other Internet Programs with Windows XP

Part VI: Networking with Windows XP
Chapter 27: Designing a Local Area Network
Chapter 28: Configuring Windows for a LAN
Chapter 29: Sharing Drives and Printers
Chapter 30: Connecting Your LAN to the Internet
Chapter 31: Network Security

Part VII: Windows Housekeeping
Chapter 32: Formatting and Partitioning Disks
Chapter 33: Keeping Your Disk Safe
Chapter 34: Tuning Windows XP for Maximum Performance
Chapter 35: Troubleshooting Windows XP
Chapter 36: Other Windows XP Resources

Part VIII: Behind the Scenes: Windows XP Internals
Chapter 37: Windows XP Configuration and Control Files
Chapter 38: Registering Programs and File Types
Chapter 39: Running DOS Programs and Commands
Chapter 40: Automating Tasks with the Windows Script Host
Appendix: Installing or Upgrading to Windows XP
Glossary
Index