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
  • 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
    • Windows Desktop Tips
    • Make Yourself More Comfortable
    • Internet Explorer Tips
    • Outlook Express Tips
    • Printing Tips
    • Miscellaneous Tips
    • Summary
  • Part VII: Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Differences Between the Windows Home and Professional Edition
  • Appendix B. Glossary
  • Appendix C. Answers to Quizzes

Internet Explorer Tips

Internet Explorer will probably become such an important part of the Windows interface that you find yourself using it more and more when you upgrade to Windows. Therefore, the more shortcuts you learn about Internet Explorer, the more efficient and effective you will be with the Internet Explorer program interface.

Learn the Web As You Use It

After you start Internet Explorer, point your browser to this Web address to start an interactive Web tutorial that teaches you about the Web: http://www.Microsoft.com/insider/internet. Figure 24.4 shows the start of the online tutorial.

Figure 24.4 Take an Internet Explorer tour to learn more about the Internet.

Quickly Enter Web Addresses

If you often type URLs in Internet Explorer's Address text box, you'll find yourself having to click the Address box first to place your text cursor there to type an address.

Internet Explorer maps a shortcut key to the Address text box. When you press F4, the text cursor instantly moves to the Address text box so that you can enter a new address there.

Speaking of the Address text box, all addresses that appear there have a small icon to the left. You can drag that icon to your desktop, e-mail message, or anywhere else you want to place that address for later reference. If, for example, you visit a Web page that you want to remember, you can drag its icon to the toolbar's link buttons to create a new link button (assuming that you've turned on the toolbar links, as previously described in the section Adjust the Toolbar in Any Window).

Set Up Internet Explorer Security

When you select Tools, Internet Options, Internet Explorer displays a dialog box that enables you to adjust Internet settings. Click the Security tab to display the dialog box shown in Figure 24.5. Click the Custom Level button to change to the Security Settings dialog box. Four options appear in the drop-down list labeled Reset Custom Settings. The four options determine how secure you want to be with your Web browsing.

Figure 24.5 You can customize many of Internet Explorer's security options.

A high security level protects your PC from incoming information that could possibly contain virus-laden files. A virus is a computer file that destroys other files. The problem with this high security level, however, is that you often access secure sites and want to purchase something or give other information, and Internet Explorer will not let you send that information. You can always lower your security level when you know that a site is secure.

Keep More History for Faster Access

The General tab of the Tools, Internet Options dialog box enables you to enter a value that determines the number of history days to keep track of. As you traverse the Web, Internet Explorer saves each Web page that you visit in a history area. By adjusting the value in the option labeled Days to Keep Pages in History, you can make Internet Explorer keep more pages in case you return to recently visited pages.

Take a Look at Advanced Internet Explorer Options

Select Internet Explorer's Tools, Internet Options menu and click the Advanced tab to display the customization list shown in Figure 24.6. Each item in the list describes a different aspect of Internet Explorer that you can control, from browsing tasks to toolbar information.

Figure 24.6 You can completely customize Internet Explorer.

It pays to return to this dialog box every month or two. As you use the Internet in different ways, and as you develop procedures you routinely follow, set options that help Internet Explorer work the way you do.

Change Your Home Page

If you begin traversing to a particular site as soon as you sign into the Web, you might want to make that page your home page so your browser automatically displays that page when you start Internet Explorer. Instead of using the Edit menu to change your start page, drag the Address text box icon to Internet Explorer's Home button on the toolbar to change your browser's home (start) page. The next time you start your browser, the page will appear as soon as you sign into the Internet.

Disconnect Quickly

To disconnect your Internet dial-up connection, double-click the taskbar's Web icon next to the clock to display a small connection dialog box window. (The Web icon might show two PCs connected by a wire or a different symbol, depending on your Internet connection.) Select Disconnect and Windows immediately signs off from your Internet provider. (Always on connections, such as T-1 connections, might not show an Internet connection icon.)

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