Alan Simpson's Windows XP Bible

Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.

ISBN: 9780764557224 | 076455722X
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 3/5/2004

Buy New

Print on Demand: 2-4 Weeks. This item cannot be cancelled or returned.

$30.72

Focusing on Windows XP functionality, this Bible is value-packed and covers the basics (e.g., navigating a computer) as well as how to use the most popular Internet features; customize the work environment; maintain and tweak the system; use general techniques for working with text, numbers, and graphics. The Desktop Edition offers the very best content from the Windows XP Bible, combined with new coverage of Media Player, Movie Maker, and Service Pack 1, and features sidebars with annoyances, workarounds, solutions, and tips.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

xxix

Who This Book Is for

xxix

How to Use This Book

xxx

Write Me

xxxi

Part I: Beginner's Crash Course

(54)

Chapter 1: Getting Started

(20)

Getting to Know Your Computer's Hardware

(5)

Using Your Mouse

(2)

Using Your Keyboard

(2)

Navigation Keys and Numeric Keypad

(1)

Function Keys

(1)

The Windows and Application Keys

(1)

Typing Those key1 + key2 Things

(1)

Getting to Know Your Computer's Software

(6)

What Is Windows XP?

(1)

Why Learn Windows XP?

(1)

Starting Windows XP

(3)

The Start Button

(1)

The Windows Desktop

(1)

The Taskbar

(1)

The Notification Area

(1)

Using Icons

(2)

Opening Icons

(1)

Shrinking a Big Thing Back to Its Icon

(1)

Organizing Icons

(1)

Working Common Controls

(4)

Using Scroll Bars

(1)

Hiding and Showing Details

(1)

Using Dragging Handles

(1)

About Disabled (Dimmed) Controls

(1)

The Right Way to Turn Off Your Computer

(1)

Summary

(2)

Chapter 2: Workin' It

(18)

Understanding Objects and Properties

(1)

Introducing Control Panel

(3)

Category View and Classic View

(2)

Using Dialog Boxes

(7)

Using Tabs

(1)

Using Option Buttons

(1)

About the Preview

(1)

Using Checkboxes

(1)

Using Spin Boxes

(1)

Using Drop-Down Lists

(1)

Using List Boxes

(1)

Using Sliders

(1)

Getting Help in Dialog Boxes

(1)

Using Buttons

(1)

What's the Default?

(1)

Typing Text and Passwords

(3)

Changing Text in a Textbox

(1)

Changing Chunks of Text

(1)

Combo Boxes and AutoComplete

(1)

Typing Passwords

(1)

Summary

(3)

Chapter 3: Getting Help When You Need It

(14)

Using Windows XP's Help and Support Center

(8)

Searching for Specific Information

(3)

Using the Help Index

(1)

Getting Around in Help and Support

(1)

Accessing Your Favorites

(1)

Troubleshooters

(1)

Closing Help and Support

(1)

Getting Help Online

(2)

Getting Help with Your Computer

(1)

Other Sources of Help

(1)

Summary

(3)

Part II: Programs, Documents, and Folders

(106)

Chapter 4: Running Programs

Starting Programs

(2)

Taking Control of Program Windows

(4)

Tools Found in Most Program Windows

(1)

About the Active Window

(2)

Arranging Open Program Windows

(5)

Maximizing and Minimizing Program Windows

(1)

See the Desktop by Minimizing All Open Windows

(2)

Sizing a Window

(1)

Moving a Program Window

(1)

Working the Menu Bars

(3)

Watch Out for Collapsible Menus!

(1)

Using Toggles on Menus

(1)

Getting Help in Programs

(1)

Closing Program Windows

(2)

Saving Your Work before Closing

(1)

Closing Multiple Windows

(1)

Summary

(2)

Chapter 5: Navigating Your Folders

(24)

Understanding Documents

(2)

All about Folders

(4)

How Folders Are Organized

(2)

Parent Folder and Subfolders

(1)

Using Windows Explorer

(7)

Windows Explorer Components

(1)

Explorer's Title Bar

(1)

Explorer's Menu Bar

(1)

Explorer's Toolbar

(1)

The Explorer Bar

(1)

Windows Explorer's Taskbar Button

(1)

Navigating through Folders

(4)

Opening a Subfolder

(1)

Moving Up the Hierarchy

(1)

Jumping across the Hierarchy

(1)

Navigating with the Address Bar

(2)

The Back and Forward Buttons

(1)

Different Ways to View Icons

(11)

The Icons View

(1)

The Tiles View

(1)

The Thumbnails View

(1)

The Filmstrip View

(1)

The List View

(1)

The Details View

(4)

Working with Columns

(1)

Sorting Columns

(1)

Sizing Columns

(1)

Moving Columns

(1)

Choosing Columns in Details View

(1)

Arranging Icons in Explorer

(1)

Closing Windows Explorer

(1)

Summary

(2)

Chapter 6: Working with Documents

(24)

Understanding the Document Types

(4)

Showing/Hiding File Name Extensions

100

(2)

Common Document File Types

102

(1)

Using a Program to Create a Document

103

(1)

Saving a Document

104

(5)

How to Save a Document

104

(1)

Using the Save As Dialog Box

105

(3)

Step 1: Choosing a Folder to Save In

105

(1)

Step 2: Naming a Document

106

(2)

Save Your Work Often!

108

(1)

Troubleshooting Saves

108

(1)

Closing a Document

109

(1)

Opening Documents

110

(4)

Opening a Recent Document

110

(1)

Opening a Document from Its Folder

111

(1)

Using the Open Dialog Box

112

(2)

Opening a Document in a Different Program

114

(3)

Changing the Default Program

115

(1)

When Windows Can't Open a Document

116

(1)

Changing a Document's Type

117

(2)

Working with Multiple Document Windows

119

(2)

Summary

121

(2)

Chapter 7: Type, Edit, Copy, and Paste

123

(18)

Typing on a Screen

124

(3)

Indenting and Aligning Text

125

(1)

Setting Margins

126

(1)

Choosing a Page Orientation

127

(1)

Printing Text

127

(1)

Navigating in Text

127

(1)

Selecting Text to Change

128

(2)

Changing Text

130

(3)

Deleting and Replacing Large Chunks of Text

131

(1)

Styling Text

131

(2)

Copying, Moving, and Pasting Text

133

(4)

Copying from One Document to Another

134

(1)

Copy and Paste a Picture

135

(2)

Move a Chunk of Text within a Document

137

(1)

Adding Special Characters to Text

137

(1)

Saving Your Text

138

(1)

Summary

139

(2)

Chapter 8: Printing and Faxing Documents

141

(20)

Printing a Document

141

(3)

Common Printing Options

142

(1)

Choosing a Print Quality and Such

143

(1)

Stopping the Printer, Managing Print Jobs

144

(2)

Managing Printers and Faxes

146

(4)

Changing the Default Printer

148

(1)

Using a Different Printer for One Job

148

(1)

Installing a Printer

149

(3)

USB, IEEE 1394 Firewire, or Infrared Connection

150

(1)

Parallel and Serial Port Connections

150

(1)

Printing the Screen

150

(1)

Troubleshooting Common Printer Problems

151

(1)

Faxing Documents

152

(6)

Using a Faxmodem

153

(10)

Configuring Fax Services

154

(1)

Using the Fax Console

155

(1)

Sending a Fax

156

(2)

Receiving Faxes

158

(1)

Faxing without a Faxmodem

158

(1)

More on Media Player 9

382

(1)

Summary

382

(1)

Chapter 18: Making Home Movies

383

(34)

Introducing Windows Movie Maker 2

383

(6)

Upgrading to Movie Maker 2

384

(1)

Taking Control of Movie Maker 2

385

(1)

Windows Movie Maker Panes

385

(4)

Movie Tasks Pane

386

(1)

Storyboard/Timeline

386

(1)

Collections Pane

386

(1)

Contents Pane

386

(1)

Monitor

387

(2)

Getting Content for Your Movie

389

(8)

Getting Video from Your Camcorder

389

(7)

Connecting the Camera

389

(3)

Using the Video Capture Wizard

392

(4)

Importing Video from Files

396

(1)

Creating the Movie

397

(11)

Arranging Your Scenes

399

(1)

Previewing Your Movie

400

(1)

Trimming Scenes

400

(1)

Overlapping Scenes

401

(1)

Spicing Up Your Movie

401

(7)

Adding Titles and Credits

402

(2)

Adding Still Photos to Your Movie

404

(1)

Adding Video Effects

404

(1)

Using Transition Effects

405

(1)

Adding Narration or Background Music

406

(2)

Saving a Project (Work in Progress)

408

(1)

Creating the Final Movie

408

(5)

Trying Other Quality Settings

409

(2)

Copying Movies to Tape and DVD

411

(2)

Closing Windows Movie Maker

413

(1)

Managing Collections

413

(2)

Combining Clips

413

(1)

Moving, Renaming, and Deleting Clips and Collections

414

(1)

Summary

415

(2)

Part V: Getting Organized, Staying Organized

417

(96)

Chapter 19: Managing Files and Folders

419

(28)

Creating Folders

421

(3)

Creating Your Own Folders

424

(2)

Creating a Folder on-the-Fly

425

(1)

Renaming Files and Folders

426

(1)

Working with Multiple Files and Folders

427

(6)

Selecting Multiple Icons by Dragging

428

(1)

Selecting All Icons in a Folder

429

(1)

Selecting Multiple Icons Using Ctrl and Shift keys

429

(3)

Selecting Multiple Icons with Ctrl+Select

430

(1)

Selecting Multiple Icons with Shift+Select

431

(1)

Inverting a Selection

432

(1)

Deleting Files and Folders

433

(4)

Using the Recycle Bin

434

(3)

Restoring Accidentally Deleted Files and Folders

435

(1)

Giving Files and Folders the Axe

436

(1)

Moving and Copying Files

437

(8)

Move versus Copy

437

(1)

Moving Files to a Subfolder

438

(1)

Moving and Copying across Any Folders

439

(4)

Moving and Copying by Dragging

440

(3)

Using Cut and Paste to Move or Copy Files

443

(1)

Move/Copy Files Using the Explorer Bar

443

(1)

Making a Copy in the Same Folder

443

(1)

Undoing a Move or Copy

444

(1)

Summary

445

(2)

Chapter 20: Using Your Hard Disk

447

(30)

Searching for Lost Files

447

(5)

Using the Search Companion

448

(4)

Telling Companion About the File Name

450

(1)

Telling Companion About the File's Contents

450

(1)

Telling Companion Where to Look

451

(1)

Telling Companion When You Last Used the File

451

(1)

Telling Companion the Size of the File

452

(1)

More Advanced Options

452

(1)

Starting the Search

452

(5)

Using Search to Gather Up Like Files

454

(1)

Customizing the Search Companion

455

(2)

Folder and File Tips and Tricks

457

(3)

Choosing Your Own Folder Icon

457

(1)

Creating Shortcuts to Favorite Files and Folders

458

(1)

Making Views Stick

459

(1)

Managing Your Hard Disk

460

(8)

Discovering How Much Hard-Disk Space You Have

461

(3)

Maintaining Your Hard Disk

464

(4)

Recovering Wasted Hard Disk Space

464

(2)

Scanning the Disk for Errors

466

(1)

Defragmenting Your Hard Drive

466

(2)

Exploring Your Hard Disk

468

(7)

A Note on User Accounts, Documents, and Settings

470

(2)

Simple Names and Paths

472

(3)

Viewing the Path

475

(1)

Summary

475

(2)

Chapter 21: Using Floppies, CDs, and DVDs

477

(24)

Why Use Removable Disks?

479

(1)

Using Floppy Disks and Zip Disks

480

(7)

Viewing the Contents of Floppy and Zip Disks

481

(1)

Formatting a Disk

481

(2)

Copying Files to Floppy and Zip Disks

483

(1)

Finding the Combined Sizes of Multiple Files

483

(3)

Copy Files from a Floppy or Zip Disk

485

(1)

Write-Protect a Floppy

486

(1)

Cloning a Floppy Disk

486

(1)

Using CDs and DVDs

487

(8)

Using Prerecorded CDs and DVDs

487

(1)

Exploring the Contents of a CD or DVD

488

(1)

Copying Files from CDs and DVDs

489

(1)

Copying Files to CDs

490

(1)

General Method for Copying to CDs

491

(2)

Deleting All the Files on a CD-RW Disk

493

(1)

Using Third-Party Programs to Burn CDs

493

(1)

Copying Files to DVDs

494

(1)

Changing the Default Behavior of CDs and DVDs

495

(2)

Troubleshooting CDs and DVDs

497

(1)

Summary

498

(3)

Chapter 22: Working with Compressed (Zip) Files

501

(12)

Programs for Managing Zip Files

502

(1)

Making Zip Files in Windows XP

502

(3)

E-Mailing a Zip File

505

(2)

Shortcut for Attaching Files to E-mail

505

(1)

Attaching Files without the Shortcut

506

(1)

Using Zip Files

507

(3)

Weird Compression Facts

510

(1)

Summary

511

(2)

Part VI: Have It Your Way

513

(78)

Chapter 23: Crating and Managing User Accounts

515

(18)

What's a User Account?

516

(3)

Administrators versus Limited Users

517

(1)

Private Documents versus Shared Documents

518

(1)

Password-Protecting a User Account

518

(1)

The Guest Account

519

(1)

How to Create a User Account

519

(2)

Logging on to a New Account

520

(1)

Getting Back to Your Own User Account

521

(1)

Changing a User Account

521

(3)

Deleting a User Account

523

(1)

Activating/Deactivating the Guest Account

524

(1)

Keeping Your Documents Private

524

(1)

Signing Into, and Out of, User Accounts

525

(3)

Switching Users

526

(1)

Allowing/Preventing Switch User

527

(1)

Snooping through User Accounts

528

(3)

Summary

531

(2)

Chapter 24: Personalizing Your Desktop

533

(28)

Some General Tips on Customizing

534

(2)

Creating Your Own Desktop

536

(6)

Choosing a Theme

537

(1)

Changing the Picture on Your Desktop

537

(1)

Choosing Icons to Display on the Desktop

538

(1)

Choosing a Screen Saver

538

(1)

Fine-Tuning Your Color Scheme

539

(1)

Choosing a Screen Resolution and Color Depth

540

(1)

Saving Display Properties Settings

541

(1)

Arranging Icons on Your Desktop

542

(1)

Personalizing Your Start Menu

542

(6)

Controlling What You See on the Start Menu

543

(3)

Pinning Items to the Start Menu

546

(1)

Unpinning, Renaming, and Removing Start Menu Items

546

(1)

Rearranging Start and All Programs Menu Items

547

(1)

Personalizing Your Taskbar

548

(4)

Moving and Sizing Taskbar Items

550

(1)

Using the Quick Launch Toolbar

551

(1)

Personalizing the Notification Area

552

(2)

Optional Taskbar Toolbars

553

(1)

Creating Your Own Shortcuts

554

(2)

Accessibility for Sensory and Motor Impairments

556

(3)

Activating/Deactivating Accessibility Utilities

557

(1)

Accessibility Utilities for Everyone

558

(1)

About SerialKeys

559

(1)

Summary

559

(2)

Chapter 25: Expanding Your System

561

(16)

Learning About Hardware and Software for Windows XP

561

(1)

Playing It Safe with Installations

562

(1)

Setting a Restore Point

562

(1)

Installing New Software

563

(5)

Installing Software from CDs and Floppies

564

(1)

If Nothing Happens when You Insert the Disk

564

(1)

Downloading and Installing Programs

565

(1)

Installing Missing Windows Components

566

(2)

Installing New Hardware

568

(2)

Installing USB Devices

569

(1)

Installing Non-USB Devices

570

(1)

Uninstalling Programs

570

(2)

Uninstalling Hardware

572

(2)

Removing USB Devices

572

(1)

Uninstalling Other Types of Hardware

573

(1)

Restoring Your System Files

574

(2)

Summary

576

(1)

Chapter 26: Disaster Prevention and Recovery

577

(14)

Dealing with Error Messages

577

(2)

Easy Troubleshooting

579

(2)

What to Do If the Computer Freezes Up

581

(1)

Getting Information About Your Computer

582

(1)

Fixing Startup Problems

583

(1)

Making Backups

584

(5)

Backing Up Windows and Programs

585

(1)

Backing Up Documents

586

(2)

Backing Up Settings

588

(1)

Summary

589

(2)

Part VII: Connecting Your Computers

591

(48)

Chapter 27 Design and Create Your Own Network

593

(20)

What Is a LAN?

593

(1)

Planning a LAN

594

(7)

Connect Two Computers in a Traditional LAN

594

(1)

Connect Three or More Computers in a Traditional LAN

595

(1)

Connect Computers Without Ethernet Cables

595

(1)

Connecting Computers in a Wireless LAN

596

(2)

Networking with a Router

598

(1)

Mixed Mode Networking

599

(2)

Using the Network Setup Wizard

601

(5)

Determine Your ICS Host

601

(1)

Adding Non-XP Computers to the LAN

602

(1)

Running the Network Setup Wizard

602

(4)

Using the Internet in a LAN

606

(2)

Securing a LAN

607

(1)

Beyond Firewalls

608

(1)

Testing and Troubleshooting Your LAN

608

(1)

Network Troubleshooting

609

(2)

You Did It!

611

(1)

Summary

611

(2)

Chapter 28: Sharing Things on a Network

613

(14)

Some Networking Buzzwords

613

(2)

Using a Shared Printer

615

(2)

Sharing a Printer

616

(1)

Adding a Shared Printer to Your Computer

617

(1)

Using Shared Documents and Folders

617

(7)

Using My Network Places

618

(1)

Opening Shared Documents and Folders

619

(2)

Sharing Folders

621

(2)

Adding a Shared Folder to Your My Network Places Folder

623

(1)

Moving and Copying Files on a LAN

624

(2)

Summary

626

(1)

Appendix A: Installing Windows XP

627

(6)

Windows XP System Requirements

627

(1)

Preinstallation Housekeeping

628

(1)

Installing Windows XP

628

(3)

Installation Options

629

(1)

The Setup Wizard

630

(1)

Product Activation

630

(1)

Getting Online

630

(1)

Sharing the Computer

630

(1)

Done!

631

(1)

Re-Enabling Old Startup Programs

631

(2)

Appendix B: Shortcut Key Quick Reference

633

(6)

General Keyboard Shortcuts

634

(1)

Text-Editing Shortcut Keys

635

(1)

Dialog Box Shortcut Keys

636

(1)

Windows Explorer Shortcut Keys

636

(1)

Accessibility Shortcut Keys

637

(1)

Natural Keyboard Shortcut

637

(2)

Index

639

Please wait while the item is added to your bag...

FREE SHIPPING

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Alan Simpson's Windows XP Bible

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials