Print Book $29.95
Print Book £20.95
By Preston Gralla
Second Edition
February 2005
Pages: 572
Series: Hacks
ISBN 10: 0-596-00918-6 |
ISBN 13: 9780596009182
(Average of 2 Customer Reviews)
Completely revised and updated, this smart collection of insider tips and tricks covers the XP operating system from start to finish, including all the new features that come with Service Pack 2 (SP2). You'll also find timesaving hacks for security, file distribution, digital media, web browsing, and more. An ideal all-in-one resource for XP beginners, as well as more experienced power users.
Full Description
- security
- web browsing
- controlling the control panel
- removing uninstallable XP components
- pop-up ads
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Cover | Table of Contents | Index | Sample Hacks | Colophon
Book details
Second Edition: February 2005
Series:
Hacks
ISBN: 0-596-00918-6
Pages: 572
Average Customer Reviews: (Based on 2 Reviews)
Featured customer reviews
3 tries 1 success, December 18 2006
Well I bought the book and started very eagerly in
speeding up the startup and shutdown.
That gave some speedup, o.k.
Trying hack #7 did not work - ther is no key or value named "DontDisplayLastUserName". Adding it and forcing the last user name to be selecte on startup failed.
Trying hack #28 to extend the context menue failed too. Because the system did not find the Cmd.exe or got puzzled with the L parameter.
But the menue text showed up correctly.
So for now I take a rest on those kind of hacks.
Just about all you need, April 16 2005
Quite a good collection of tips.
For file management, do consider Emacs, which is both free, has a powerful mode called dired, and some great Windows-specific tools you can find on The Emacs Wiki
One area that kept it from being a 5 for me was a lack of discussion of Administrator vs. Limited accounts.
There are some other resources, such as Nonadmin, but this book seems like it should advise a little more in this regard.
Media reviews
"Preston Gralla's Windows XP Hacks: Tips & Tools for Optimizing Your OS appears in its second updated edition to cover SP 2, revealing both wireless hacks and Firefox, MSN desktop search and more. Everything from encryption to using email is covered."
--Diane Donovan, Donovan's Bookshelf, MBR Bookwatch, May 2005
"There are literally thousands of applications designed to improve Windows XP. No doubt, they all mean well. Preston Gralla has provided a noble attempt at pulling together some of the best around."
--Robert Pritchett, MacCompanion, May 2005
"Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition from O’Reilly is your right hand man when it comes to changing a few things about the way Windows XP works. Through thirteen chapters, Preston Gralla, the author, holds your hand as you go through changing everything from the startup screen to the hardware on your system. There has been no dark space of the operating system left un-tweaked, and by the end of reading the book you should at least have a better understanding of what you can do to make Windows XP work better for you."
--Mitch Keeler, Lockergnome.com, April 2005
Praise for the Previous Edition:
"This is not a specialist book in any one area, but it is an excellent way of learning more about Windows XP and how to make it work for you rather than the other way round. The instructions are easy to follow and don't leave anything out."
--Tim Smith, Personal Computer World, March 2004
Computer Book of the Month
--Dr. Dobb's Journal, January 2004
"Whether you're new to Windows XP or already comfortable with it, if you're using Windows XP, you should consider this book as a must have book. I discovered how to do so many new things within Windows XP that I'm in total AWE of this book. To describe this book in one word.. is very easy.. AWESOME!"
--Diana Arsenault, Charlotte County PC User Group, December 2003
"The hacks series is an outstanding example of the innovation that has become a hallmark of O'Reilly & Associates...The language of this particular title, 'Windows XP Hacks,' is not overly technical, making it suitable for novices interested in mastering the WinXP operating system...If you run WinXP make a point of looking at this title; it is worth a visit to your local bookshop. A must for libraries."
--Major Keary, "PC Update," December 2003
"For those uber-geeks that like to customize their Microsoft Windows XP computer systems, consider this the perfect holiday present. "Hacks" offers some great inside tips, including many ways to boost the machine's performance, customize the interface and even how to change 'unchangeable' components."
--Pittsburg Triune-Review, November 2003
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_165662.html
"Windows XP Hacks is very well thought out from beginning to end: it takes you from tweaking the start up and boot up screen, to making file surfing easier, to internet usage and finally exploring registry hacking...The language used in the book never comes across as dry or 'techy', I never felt as though I was being schooled, rather I was being talked with about hacking XP, which promotes user friendliness and immediately puts the novice reader at ease and in a frame of mind to continue reading...All in all, this is a great read and a definite tool for those willing to get down and dirty with Windows XP." Rating: 9/10
--Dharmendra Sant, JavaRanch, October 2003
http://www.javaranch.com/bunkhouse/Other.jsp
"This is probably the single most valuable book about Windows XP you'll ever come across...The author managed to condense some of the best tips I've come across and no, you can't find them all online. 'Windows XP Hacks' will enable you to get the most out of your XP box and pretty quickly too, since the organization and cross-referencing of the hacks is excellent. All in all, a great reference guide and learning tool. O'Reilly strikes again with another impressive title that deserves a place on your bookshelf. Go and get it now, it's well worth the price."
--Mirko Zorz, Help Net Security Review, November 2003
http://www.net-security.org/review.php?id=113
"As a veteran editor and writer for many top computer magazines, Preston Gralla published countless tips and tricks for computer users. Now he goes one step further as helmsman for a crack team of software wizards to produce 'Windows XP Hacks' for publisher O'Reilly & Associates. The book will earn its $24.95 for many just with Hack No. 4, and expert's explanation of how to delve into the often-annoying startup programs that Windows XP inflicts on users. Grala's time-saving advice includes a wealth of shareware programs to simplify Windows XP and downloadable Windows-fixing software that Microsoft itself offers to developers that ordinary folks can use as well."
--James Coates, Chicago Tribune, September 2003
