Mastering Windows XP Home Edition -- Frontmatter -- Acknowledgments -- Contents at a Glance -- Contents -- Introduction -- Windows XP Solutions -- Part 1: Up and Running with Windows XP Home Edition -- Chapter 1: Introducing Windows XP Home Edition -- What Is Windows XP Home Edition? -- What's New in Windows XP Home Edition? -- What's New in Service Pack 2? -- Should You Upgrade to Windows XP Home Edition? -- Should You Upgrade to Windows XP Professional Edition Instead? -- Chapter 2: Installing Windows XP Home Edition -- Preparing to Install XP Home -- Will Your Computer Be Able to Run Windows XP Home Edition? -- Checking System Compatibility -- Making Your System Compatible with XP -- Choosing Which File System to Use -- Choosing a Method of Installing XP Home -- Preparing for Installation -- Upgrading Windows 98 or Windows Me to XP Home -- Performing a New Installation of XP and Creating a Dual- Boot Setup -- Performing a Clean Installation of XP Home -- The Installation Paths Converge -- Applying Your Files and Settings -- Uninstalling XP Home and Reverting to Windows Me or 98 -- Removing Your Old Version of Windows -- Troubleshooting the Installation -- Updating XP to Service Pack 2 -- Chapter 3: Getting Started with Windows XP Home Edition -- Logging On and Logging Off -- Using the Desktop and Start Menu -- Switching to Another User -- Locking the Computer -- Checking Which User Is Currently Active -- Seeing Who Else Is Logged On to the Computer -- Seeing Which Programs the Other Users Are Running -- Logging Another User Off -- Sending a Message to Another User -- Using the Windows Key -- Shutting Down XP -- Chapter 4: Customizing Your Desktop -- Choosing the Best Display Resolution -- Adjusting Your Monitor if Necessary -- Configuring the Keyboard and Mouse -- Choosing Accessibility Options -- Choosing a Screen Saver -- Applying a Theme.

Changing the Background -- Changing Desktop Items and Desktop Web Pages -- Changing the Appearance of XP Items -- Choosing Desktop Effects -- Choosing System Sounds -- Arranging Icons on Your Desktop -- Configuring the Taskbar -- Customizing the Start Menu -- Using the Desktop Toolbars -- Chapter 5: Installing, Removing, and Running Programs -- Good News on Compatibility -- Programs You Shouldn't Even Try to Run on XP -- Multiuser Considerations -- Installing a Program -- Running Programs -- Chapter 6: Managing Your Files and Folders -- The Basics of Files and Folders -- Using Explorer -- Choosing Folder Options -- Creating a New Folder -- Copying a File or Folder -- Moving a File or Folder -- Deleting a File or Folder -- Renaming a File or Folder -- Finding a File or Folder -- Working with Compressed Files -- Creating and Organizing Shortcuts -- Customizing Explorer -- Chapter 7: Making the Most of the Bundled Programs -- WordPad -- Notepad -- Character Map -- Paint -- Calculator -- Windows Picture and Fax Viewer -- ClipBook Viewer -- Command Prompt -- Chapter 8: Finding Help to Solve Your XP Problems -- Help and Support Center -- Using the Support Options -- Using the Troubleshooters -- Finding Help on the Internet and Web -- Part 2: Administering and Troubleshooting Windows XP Home -- Chapter 9: Managing Users and Accounts -- What Are User Accounts and What Are They For? -- Three Types of User Accounts -- Creating a User Account -- Understanding User Profiles -- Deleting a User Account -- Changing a User Account -- Removing Password Protection from an Account -- Applying a .NET Passport to an Account -- Removing a .NET Passport from an Account -- Removing the "Unread Mail" Readout from the Welcome Screen -- Turning Off the Welcome Screen -- Turning Fast User Switching Off and On -- Turning the Guest Account On and Off.

Implementing and Preventing Automatic Logons -- Limiting the Times a User Can Log On -- Disabling and Reenabling a User Account -- Making a User Account Expire -- Changing Other User Properties with net user -- Creating and Deleting Local Groups -- Chapter 10: Sharing and File Types -- The Background to Sharing -- Sharing a Folder -- Making a Folder Private -- Seeing What Files and Folders You're Sharing -- Working with File Associations, File Extensions, and File Types -- Chapter 11: Managing Your Disks and Drives -- Formatting a Disk -- Changing the Computer's Name, Description, and Workgroup -- Converting a Disk to NTFS -- Using Compression to Free Up Space -- Setting Archiving and Indexing for a File or Folder -- Using Quotas to Apportion Disk Space -- Disk Maintenance -- Managing Disks with Disk Management -- Chapter 12: Working with the Registry -- What Is the Registry and What Does It Do? -- Why Work with the Registry? -- Preparing to Access the Registry -- Running Registry Editor -- Working in the Registry -- Registry Data Types -- Editing a Value Entry -- Examples of Working with the Registry -- Using Registry Favorites to Quickly Access Keys -- Chapter 13: Installing, Configuring, and Managing Printers and Fonts -- The Basics of Windows Printing -- Installing a Local Printer -- Configuring a Printer -- Removing a Printer -- Printing a Document -- Managing Your Print Jobs -- Troubleshooting Printing Problems -- Configuring Your Print Server -- Printing Offline -- Creating Multiple Entries for the Same Printer -- Printing to a File -- Working with Fonts -- Chapter 14: Managing Hardware, Drivers, and Power -- What Hardware Can You Use with XP? -- Using Hot-Pluggable Devices -- Using the Found New Hardware Wizard -- Running the Add Hardware Wizard -- Working with Hardware Drivers -- Adding Specific Hardware Items -- Configuring Power Management.

Chapter 15: Using XP Home Edition on a Portable Computer -- XP Home and Portable Computers -- Using the Power-Management Features for Portables -- Safely Removing PC Cards -- Using ClearType -- Using DualView -- Using Hardware Profiles -- Using Dial-up Networking from Multiple Locations -- Transferring Files between a Desktop Computer and a Portable -- Using Briefcase to Synchronize Files between Two Computers -- Chapter 16: Optimizing Windows XP Home Edition -- Dealing with Program Hangs -- Using Event Viewer to Identify Problems -- Keeping XP Updated with Windows Update -- Optimizing Performance -- Setting Environment Variables -- Enabling and Disabling Error Reporting -- Setting Startup and Recovery Options -- Monitoring Performance with the Performance Tool -- Chapter 17: Backup and Disaster Recovery -- Backing Up Your Data-and Restoring It -- Creating Drive Images -- Understanding Windows File Protection -- Using the System Restore Feature -- Repairing an XP Installation Using Recovery Console -- Troubleshooting Boot Problems -- Recovering from Black Screen Hang after POST and " NTDETECT Failed" Message -- Choosing System Startup Options for Booting XP -- Part 3: Communications, the Internet, and the Web -- Chapter 18: Connecting to the Internet -- Choosing an Internet Connection Type and ISP -- Creating an Internet Connection -- Securing Your Internet Connection -- Troubleshooting Your Internet Connection -- Using Digital Certificates -- Chapter 19: Surfing the Web with Internet Explorer -- Starting Internet Explorer -- The Internet Explorer Interface -- Using Internet Explorer to Access Web Pages and Documents -- Customizing Internet Explorer -- Cleaning Up Temporary Internet Files -- Browsing Offline -- Chapter 20: Using Address Book -- Getting Started with Address Book -- Importing Information into Your Address Book.

Exporting Information from Your Address Book -- Organizing Your Contacts into Folders and Groups -- Customizing the Way Your Data Is Displayed -- Finding a Forgotten Contact in Address Book -- Searching Internet Directories for People -- Printing Your Address Book -- Copying or Moving Your Address Book -- Sending Mail to a Contact -- Chapter 21: E-mail with Outlook Express -- Information You Need to Get Started -- Starting Outlook Express -- Setting Up E-mail with Outlook Express -- The Outlook Express Screen -- Choosing Options for Outlook Express -- Reading E-mail Messages -- Sending E-mail -- Replying to an E-mail Message -- Adding a vCard to Your Outgoing Messages -- Adding vCards You Receive to Address Book -- Forwarding a Message -- Sending and Receiving Attachments -- Managing Your E-mail Messages -- Filtering Your E-mail -- Adding Another Mail Account -- Removing a Mail Account -- Configuring an Individual Account -- Using Identities to Keep Multiple E-mail Accounts Separate -- Customizing the Columns Displayed in the Inbox -- Customizing the Inbox Layout and the Toolbar -- Backing Up and Restoring Your Outlook Express Folders -- Chapter 22: Reading News with Outlook Express -- The Dangers of Newsgroups -- Setting Up Outlook Express to Read Newsgroups -- Downloading the List of Newsgroups -- Subscribing to Newsgroups -- Reading Newsgroup Messages -- Posting to a Newsgroup -- Creating Rules for Filtering News -- Working Offline -- Chapter 23: Instant Messaging with Windows Messenger -- Starting Messenger -- Configuring Messenger -- Adding and Removing a Contact -- Chatting -- Adding Voice to a Conversation -- Adding Video to a Conversation -- Blocking and Unblocking Users -- Changing Your Status -- Transferring Files -- Preventing Messenger from Running -- Whiteboarding and Sharing Programs -- Chapter 24: Giving and Getting Remote Assistance.

Understanding the Basics of Remote Assistance.