Windows XP
Introduction to XP
View a slide show (Flash
6 format) on what is involved in the switch from Windows 98 to Windows XP. This slide show
explains hardware and software ramifications of changing to Windows XP.
Read about what is involved in dual-booting Windows 98/Me with Windows XP. This is a good alternative for PC users with older peripherals or software that may not work in XP.
Find out about the difference between the file systems FAT32 and NTFS
Read about the new features in Windows XP for hard disk management. See the
discussion on the Disk Management Console and
on the new way to use hard drives through dynamic
disks in XP Professional.
Windows Explorer (and its alter ego My Computer)
is the basic shell or user interface to the operating system. Its properties
and characteristics are something we deal with every time we run the computer.
Here are some tips on using it.
No one can use a computer efficiently or understand many of the common problems
that arise without understanding how Windows manages files. Unfortunately,
the subject is poorly understood by many people. One mystery is file extensions.
Another is the annoying things that can happen when new software changes your
file associations. Find out what to do about it from a tutorial
on how Windows manages files. (Now shown at Windows
for Beginners).
Organize Your Desktop
The desktop is where you do your work. Here are some ways to customize it to make using the computer easier and more efficient.
Windows comes with many applications for administering and managing the system.
In older versions, these programs had to be used separately. In Windows XP,
there is an interface that can be customized to contain in one package all
the system tools that a particular user likes to employ.
Microsoft calls this interface a "management
console" and generally refers to it as MMC. The individual tools are referred
to as "snap-ins." A console has a hierarchical structure with folders and in
fact resembles a Windows Explorer tree. Find out about
it here.
Computers are not like toasters. They need regular maintenance if they are going to continue to run efficiently. Here are some articles on the basic housekeeping that will keep your computer running smoothly.
Font and character facts
Fonts and characters can be more interesting than you think. Here are five articles that may help you add some interesting aspects to the appearance of your computer.
Service Pack 2
The updates in SP2 add many new security features. Unfortunately, more stringent
security entails some problems with certain hardware and software. Download
a slide show summarizing some of the
points about installing and using SP2. There is also a list
of references for obtaining
details on the installation and features of SP2 and what to do if problems
with the update are encountered
Click here to read how to take charge of your computer and see to it
that programs only run when you want them. Discussions of Msconfig, the Services
Console, and finding Registry entries where startup programs are listed.
During the course of operation, the Windows operating system collects various temporary files and the Registry acquires extraneous and obsolete entries. One part of computer maintenance is regular housekeeping to manage these accumulations. Go here to learn the best ways to keep things tidy. Learn how to use the Disk Cleanup accessory.
The default settings and configuration for your computer
are not necessarily the most efficient for your particular usage. Here are some tips and tweaks to speed up your computer and improve performance.
Read about
the many and varied ways that Start-Run can be used. This
article has been moved to http://commandwindows.com
The family of Windows technologies called "ActiveX' is mentioned frequently, especially in discussing security in Windows. The average PC user is likely to find the term rather mysterious and an article explaining in simple terms what is meant was originally posted on the present site but has been moved to the Internet safety site http://surfthenetsafely.com.
The Windows Registry is not as mysterious as it's made out to be. This site explains what everyone should know about the Registry and how even home PC users can make changes in the Registry.
