Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows XP in 24 Hours

By Greg Perry

• Table of Contents
  • Copyright
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments
  • Tell Us What You Think!
  • Introduction
  • Part I: Wake Up with Windows XP
  • Hour 1. Taking a Bird's-Eye Look at Windows XP
  • Hour 2. Getting Started with Windows XP
  • Hour 3. Managing the Windows XP Interface
  • Part II: Morning Windows Desktop Exploration
  • Hour 4. Working with the My Computer Window
  • Hour 5. Navigating Files with Windows Explorer
  • Hour 6. Calling for Help
  • Hour 7. Improving Your Windows Desktop Experience
  • Part III: Early Afternoon Windows Exploration
  • Hour 8. Installing Programs with Windows XP
  • Hour 9. Finding Files, Folders, and Friends
  • Hour 10. Using the Desktop Accessories
  • Part IV: Late Afternoon Internet Integration
  • Hour 11. Surfing the Web with Internet Explorer
  • Hour 12. Tying Windows into the Web
  • Hour 13. Networking with Windows XP
  • Hour 14. Managing E-mail and Newsgroups with Outlook Express
  • Part V: An Evening with Advanced Windows
  • Hour 15. Exploring Your Hardware Interface
  • Hour 16. Understanding Printing and Fonts
  • Hour 17. Using Windows on the Road
  • Hour 18. Giving Windows XP a Tune-Up
  • Hour 19. Managing Your Hard Drives
  • Hour 20. Tinkering with the Advanced System Tools
    • Check Your System
    • Dr. Watson, Come Right Away
    • Using the Task Manager
    • Scheduling System Tasks
    • Using System Restore
    • Summary
    • Q&A
    • Workshop
  • Part VI: Having Fun at Nighttime
  • Hour 21. Using Media Player
  • Hour 22. Picturing Windows XP Graphics
  • Hour 23. Making Movies with Windows XP
  • Hour 24. Advanced Windows XP Tips
  • Part VII: Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Differences Between the Windows Home and Professional Edition
  • Appendix B. Glossary
  • Appendix C. Answers to Quizzes

Q&A

1. Should I use Dr. Watson, the Task Manager, or the System Restore when a certain program keeps causing my PC to freeze up?

   Use all three! If you can duplicate the problem consistently, the Task Manager's graph settings can help you locate resource problems before they get out of hand. You might be running out of memory right before you attempt to start a program that pushes your memory limits over the edge. Dr. Watson is the program that helps you trace problems that have already occurred. When your system freezes, you can be assured that Dr. Watson recorded all your system's information right before the crash so that you or a technical support representative can eliminate the problem. If you cannot correct the problem, you might need to restore your system to a previously working state with System Restore.

2. Does my PC have to be turned on for scheduled programs to run?

   Yes, but you can keep your monitor turned off to save on your electric bill. The monitor consumes the majority of power in a typical PC system, so you can turn off your monitor when you're not using the PC but leave your PC running so that you won't have to restart your PC the next time you need to use the computer. If you have a laser printer, you should turn it off as well because laser printers also consume a lot of power.

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