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
    • Introducing the Help and Support Center (HSC)
    • Getting Topical Help
    • Obtaining Support
    • Searching the Index
    • Other Forms of Help
    • Summary
    • Q&A
    • Workshop
  • 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
  • Part VII: Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Differences Between the Windows Home and Professional Edition
  • Appendix B. Glossary
  • Appendix C. Answers to Quizzes

Obtaining Support

The Support area of the HSC contains several topics that provide you with third-party assistance and Internet-based information that can help you get past problems.

Contacting Remote Assistance

When you have a problem with your computer, wouldn't it be nice to ask an expert to come look over your shoulder and explain what's going on? In a way, Windows XP does just that.

The HSC's Support link provides the following kinds of assistance:

• Provides links to Microsoft-based Web sites and other online areas (such as chats and by e-mail) that contain advanced troubleshooting information for Windows XP.
• Provides links to your own computer's system tools, such as the Advanced System Information utility that lists all hardware and software settings currently set for your computer.
• Provides remote assistance, a system that allows others connected to your computer via the Internet or local network to temporarily take over your computer remotely, looking at your screens and applications, to determine where problems are occurring.

The remote assistance is the most innovative feature inside Windows XP because previous operating systems did not offer such support. When you choose Remove Assistance, you'll see the Remove Assistance screen shown in Figure 6.3 that explains what will occur when you make a connection with a remote user.

Figure 6.3 Another user can connect directly to your computer and run your programs remotely to locate problems.

During the remote session, the remote user will be able to look at the same screen you are. Your computer will receive the remote user's keystrokes in a manner that makes the computer believe it is you doing the typing. The remote user will then be able to reproduce the problems you are having and, after seeing your system the same way that you see it, will hopefully be able to suggest solutions.

During the remote session, you and the remote user will be able to chat back and forth in a pop-up chat window. You'll use the chat window to explain what is happening and to answer questions the remote user may have.

So many variations of equipment and connections exist that it would be virtually impossible to walk you through a step-by-step To Do task that would work in all readers'cases. Nevertheless, the general steps that you must take to connect to a remote user are fairly common. Here are the general steps you'll go through when using the Remote Assistance:

1. Display the Help and Support Center window.
2. Click the Remote Assistance link beneath the first topic in the Support area.

3. Click the link labeled Invite someone to help you. Before connecting to a remote user, you need to send that user an invitation to connect to your system. As Figure 6.4 shows, you can send the invitation by e-mail, by the MSN Messenger service (provided by Microsoft), or save the invitation in a file that your remote user can retrieve.

   

   Figure 6.4 The HSC offers three ways to send an invitation to your remote user.

   You'll learn in Hour 12, "Tying Windows into the Web," how to sign up for Microsoft's free MSN Messenger, an online service that provides free e-mail, chat sessions, phone calls, and other features.

   If you send an e-mail or save your request as a file, the e-mail or file-based invitation will expire at the time you designate. After all, if you need help in the next two hours but your remote user happens to be on vacation, you don't want your remote user getting back in a week and trying to respond to the invitation long after you no longer need the response. If you use the MSN Messenger service, your remote user must be logged on to respond immediately but you can also send an e-mail to the user through the MSN Messenger system so the user learns of your invitation the moment that user logs into the Internet.

4. After your remote user responds to your invitation and agrees by clicking the appropriate link on the remote computer, Windows XP will connect your machine to your remote user and give control over to the user. You will still be able to control your computer as well and you can communicate with the remote user during the session using the pop-up chat window.

Updating Windows

The Help and Support Center provides a link to an online Microsoft site that checks your Windows XP files to ensure they are the latest and that you have all the needed system files to keep your computer running smoothly. This update feature is not actually an online help feature but if you're having computer problems, the problems may be related to the fact that you don't have the latest Windows XP patch.

You will learn all about this link labeled Keep your computer up-to-date with Windows Update in Hour 18, "Giving Windows XP a Tune-Up."

Checking Hardware and Software

If you suspect that a graphics adapter or other hardware device is having problems working with Windows XP, or if a program does not behave the way you expect, you can click the link labeled Find compatible hardware and software for Windows XP to see if the item in question is approved to work within Windows XP. You must have an Internet connection available to use this HSC feature.

When you click the Find compatible hardware and software for Windows XP link, the HSC provides a Product Search dialog box that you can type the name and model of your hardware device or the name and version of the software you're having trouble with. When you click Search, the HSC goes to Microsoft's Web site and checks to see if the hardware or software program is compatible with Windows XP. If not, you may have to upgrade your hardware or program. If so, then you know the problem you might be having is not a compatibility issue.

Staying Current with Did You Know?

The section labeled Did you know? is a section of the HSC that changes periodically. As you use the Internet, the HSC will often download new topics for the Did you know? section. These topics are generally guides about using Windows XP features and information about upgrading to newer versions as they become available.

When you go to the HSC for help, you might want to glance at the Did you know? section to see if something interests you there. Click any of the links to learn more about that link's topic.

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