Platinum Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows® XP

Platinum Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows® XP

by Robert Cowart, Brian Knittel
Released July 2003
Publisher(s): Que
ISBN: 9780789727909

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Book description

Platinum Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP is the ultimate Windows XP reference for the hardcore Windows user! It offers high-geared content that will teach you how to set up complicated networks, manage multiple users, keep everything secure, hack the registry, and write time-saving scripts. Authors Robert Cowart and Brian Knittel tell it like it is, tackling real-world criticism, complaints, and workarounds. They also tell you - plainly and simply - when a Microsoft solution is the way to go, or whether you're better off with a third-party solution.

The CD contains one hour of unique video from Brainsville.com that brings Bob and Brian right to your desktop! This personal seminar digs deep into the guts of Windows XP and is a valuable addition to any power user's bag of tricks.

Platinum Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP is the one Windows XP book that you'll go to again and again!

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Author
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Introduction
  5. Installation
    1. Introducing Windows XP
      1. A Windows Overview
      2. Enter XP
      3. The Many Flavors of XP
      4. Security Differences Between XP Home and XP Pro
      5. What's New in Windows XP Professional?
      6. What Is Not in Windows XP Professional
      7. Service Pack Upgrades
      8. How Does Windows XP Professional Compare to Unix and Linux?
      9. Windows XP Professional on the Corporate Network
    2. Installation Prep
      1. Background
      2. System Requirements
      3. Checking Hardware and Software Compatibility
      4. Getting the Network Configuration
      5. Choosing a File System: FAT32 or NTFS
      6. Installation Types
      7. Migrating Files and Settings with the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
      8. Migrating Files and Settings with the User State Migration Tool
      9. Summary
    3. Installation
      1. Background
      2. Performing a Clean Installation
      3. Performing an Upgrade Installation
      4. Uninstalling a Windows XP Upgrade
      5. Product Activation
      6. Using Installation Switches
      7. Automated System Recovery
      8. Summary
    4. Installing Windows XP for Multi-booting
      1. Why Multi-boot?
      2. File System Specifics
      3. The Windows XP Boot Loader
      4. Multi-boot Scenarios
      5. Dual-Booting Windows XP Professional and Windows Me/9x
      6. Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional
      7. Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000 or NT
      8. Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 9x/Me
      9. Windows XP and Linux
      10. The Virtual Machine Approach
      11. Mixing Macintosh and Windows OSes
      12. Removing the Windows XP Boot Loader
      13. Using a Third-party Multi-boot Loader
    5. Automated Installation and Network Deployment
      1. Automated Deployment Overview
      2. Licensing Issues
      3. Adding and Using the Deployment Tools
      4. Using Interactive Answer Files for Installation
      5. Putting an Answer File to Use
      6. Automating Installation Using Disk Imaging
      7. Remote Installation Services
      8. Systems Management Server
      9. User State Migration Tool
      10. Multilingual Issues
  6. System Configuration and Setup
    1. Setting Up Important System Services
      1. Automatic Update and Update Notification Options
      2. Restore-Point Options
      3. Installing and Configuring a UPS
      4. Thinking About Backups
      5. Third-Party Butt-Saving Tools
      6. Turning On the Indexing Service
      7. Installing the Recovery Console
      8. Running Network Setup Wizard
      9. Power Management
      10. Setting Shutdown and Restart Options
      11. Adding Hardware Profiles
    2. Printing and Faxing
      1. Printer Setup
      2. Installing and Configuring Printers
      3. Configuring Printer Preferences
      4. Tips for Printing from Windows and DOS Applications
      5. Working with the Printer Queue
      6. Removing a Printer
      7. Setting Up for Faxing
      8. Tips for Using the Fax Service
      9. Managing the Fax System
    3. Configuring Your Internet Connection
      1. Dial-Up Internet Connections
      2. High-Speed and Broadband Internet Connections
      3. Sharing Your Internet Connections
      4. Securing Your Internet Connection
      5. Troubleshooting
    4. Installing and Configuring Applications
      1. Add/Remove Programs
      2. Third-Party and Add-On Programs You Can't Live Without
      3. Controlling Which Programs Start Automatically
      4. DOS Application Compatibility Settings
      5. Setting Environment Variables and the Path
      6. Configuring the DOS Emulation Environment
    5. Using and Tuning the User Interface
      1. Managing the Start Menu
      2. Managing Display Properties
      3. Adding Web Content to Your Desktop
      4. Configuring Accessibility Features
      5. Managing Multiple Applications
      6. Using Advanced Features in Windows XP
      7. Working with DOS Applications
    6. Creating and Managing User Accounts
      1. Signing On and Off
      2. Fast User Switching
      3. Creating and Managing User Accounts
      4. Managing User Profiles
      5. Breaking Through to a System That Has Lost Its Way
  7. Windows XP Applications
    1. Windows Explorer Power Users' Guide
      1. Changing Viewing Options in Windows Explorer
      2. Tweaking Folder Options
      3. The Bulk of Administration: Folder Properties
      4. Special Folders: My Documents, My Pictures, Shared Files, and So On
      5. Troubleshooting
    2. Multimedia and Imaging
      1. Managing and Editing Images
      2. Printing Images
      3. Windows Media Player
      4. The WMP9S Media Library
      5. CD-R/RW Troubleshooting
      6. DVD Troubleshooting
    3. Internet Applications
      1. Internet Explorer
      2. Outlook Express
      3. MSN Messenger
      4. .NET Passport
      5. Remote Assistance
      6. TCP/IP Tools
    4. Internet Information Services
      1. IIS
      2. Determining Which IIS Services You Need
      3. Installing IIS on Windows XP Professional
      4. Configuring and Managing the WWW Service
      5. Managing the FTP Server
      6. Managing the SMTP Server
      7. Creating Your Web Site Content
      8. Taking a Quick Tour of IIS
      9. Setting Up a Simple Web Site
      10. Sharing Folders with Web Sharing
      11. Log Files
      12. Enabling Site Searching Using the Indexing Service
      13. Configuring Shared Connections
      14. Scripting for Interactive Sites
  8. Networking
    1. Introduction to XP Networking
      1. Windows XP Network Models
      2. Windows XP's Network Services
      3. How Windows Networking Works
      4. Demystifying “Simple” File Sharing
      5. Network Hardware Options
    2. Building Your Own Network
      1. You Do Need a Network
      2. Planning Your Network
      3. Installing Network Adapters
      4. Installing Network Wiring
      5. Configuring a Workgroup Network
      6. Managing Network Security
      7. Joining an Existing Network
      8. Setting Up a Routed Network
      9. Setting Up a Bridged Network
      10. Adding Network Server Appliances
      11. Making Internet Services Available
      12. Advanced Network Options
    3. Using the Network
      1. Windows XP Networks
      2. Locating Network Resources
      3. Using Shared Folders
      4. Mapping Drives and Folders
      5. Using Shared Printers
      6. Sharing Folders with the Network
      7. Sharing Web Folders
      8. Sharing Printers
      9. Viewing and Managing Shared Resources
      10. Command-Line Utilities
      11. Using Active Directory
    4. Windows Unplugged: Remote and Portable Computing
      1. Tools for the Road Warrior
      2. Taking Files with You: Offline Folders
      3. Other Ways of Copying Files
      4. Dial-Up Networking
      5. Virtual Private Networking
      6. Wireless Networking
      7. Accessing Computers Remotely
      8. Web Folders and Internet Printing
      9. Managing Multiple Network Configurations
    5. The Heterogeneous Network
      1. Networking in a Multi-Vendor Environment
      2. Networking with Windows 95, 98, Me, and NT
      3. Macintosh Connectivity
      4. Linux and Unix
      5. Internetworking with Novell NetWare
      6. IBM Host Connectivity
      7. Naming on a Mixed Network: DNS Versus Host Files
    6. Troubleshooting Your Network
      1. Troubleshooting 101
      2. Starting the Attack on a New Problem
      3. Diagnostic Tools and Utilities
      4. Using TCP/IP Utilities
      5. Checking for Installation Errors
      6. Checking Your Network Configuration
      7. Is It a Hardware Problem?
  9. Security
    1. Locking Down Your Computer
      1. Preparing for the Worst
      2. The Administrator Account
      3. Policies, Permissions, and Computer Management
      4. Securing Windows XP with Policy
      5. Security Templates
      6. File, Printer, and Network Security
      7. Hardware Security
      8. Paranoia
    2. Managing File Security
      1. File System (NTFS) Security
      2. Components Involved in Access Control
      3. How Access Control Works
      4. Managing File Permissions
      5. File Encryption
      6. File and Folder Auditing
    3. Network Security
      1. Network Security—Why Bother?
      2. General Security Practices
      3. Making a Secure Internet Connection
      4. Configuring a Hardware Connection Sharing Router
      5. Configuring an Internet Connection Firewall
      6. Security Restrictions on Network Shares
      7. Wireless Network Security
  10. Management, Maintenance, and Repair
    1. Managing Your Hard Drives
      1. Disk Formatting and Storage Options
      2. Disk Management
      3. Hard Drive Cleaning
      4. Optimizing the Paging File
      5. Defragmenting for Greater Speed
      6. Recycle Bin Management
      7. Compressing Files and Folders
      8. The Encrypting File System
      9. Backup for Safety
      10. What's New in Windows XP Professional 64-bit Edition?
      11. Advanced Disk Management from the Command Line
    2. Using the Computer Management Console
      1. Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Background
      2. Building an MMC Console
      3. The Computer Management Console
      4. Snap-in Round-up
      5. Advanced Snap-ins
    3. Managing Hardware Devices
      1. Understanding Device Drivers
      2. Windows Driver Model
      3. Installing Hardware Devices
      4. Replacing Hardware
      5. Using Device Manager
      6. Troubleshooting Problem Devices
      7. Using Driver Rollback
      8. Using System Restore
    4. Configuring with the Control Panel
      1. Navigating the Windows XP Control Panel
      2. Date and Time
      3. Fonts
      4. Game Controllers
      5. Keyboard
      6. Mouse
      7. Regional and Language Options
      8. Sounds and Audio Devices
      9. System
      10. Wireless Link
      11. Advanced Control Panel Options via Group Policy
    5. Automating Routine Tasks
      1. Saving More Than Time
      2. Windows Script Host
      3. Introduction to VBScript
      4. Executing Scripts
      5. Batch Files
      6. Command-Line Management Tools
      7. Using the Task Scheduler
      8. Scheduled Tasks
      9. Getting More Information
    6. Registry Maintenance and Repair
      1. The Registry in a Nutshell
      2. Inside the Main Registry Keys
      3. Backing Up and Restoring the Registry
      4. Editing the Registry
      5. Registry Security
      6. Deploying Registry Settings
      7. Hacking the Registry
    7. Troubleshooting Common Windows XP Problems
      1. Troubleshooting System and Application Problems
      2. Reporting System and Application Errors
      3. Troubleshooting Internet Connectivity Problems
      4. Troubleshooting Power Management Problems
      5. Using the Microsoft Knowledge Base
    8. Crash Recovery
      1. Recovering When the System Fails
      2. Fixing Malfunctioning Legacy Applications or Services
      3. Repairing Windows XP
      4. Repairing Windows (and Data Files) with GoBack 3
      5. Recovering If Your Administrator Password Is Lost
    9. Running the CD
      1. Running the CD Included with This Book
      2. Running the CD in Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
  11. Index

Product information

  • Title: Platinum Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows® XP
  • Author(s): Robert Cowart, Brian Knittel
  • Release date: July 2003
  • Publisher(s): Que
  • ISBN: 9780789727909