C O N T E N T S Preface INTRODUCTION TO 1 Chapter 1 Navigating Windows XP 3 Launching Windows 3 Working with the Mouse 4 Moving the Mouse 4 Clicking 6 Double-clicking 6 Right-clicking 6 Dragging and Dropping 8 Logging on to Windows 9 Using the Windows Desktop 10 Using the Taskbar 11 Using Tool Tips 17 Controlling Windows 18 Maximizing and Restoring a Window 18 Minimizing a Window 19 Closing a Window 19 Resizing a Window 20 Moving a Window 21 Arranging from the Taskbar 23 Making Choices 25 Selecting from a Menu 25 Working with Dialog Boxes 26 Using the Keyboard to Make Selections 28 Opening the Recycle Bin 29 Displaying Desktop Items 30 Managing Desktop Icons 31 Closing Windows Sessions 33 Logging Off 33 Switching Users 33 Sending User Messages 34 Restarting Windows 36 Shutting Down Your Computer 37 Dealing with Computer Lockups 37 Chapter Summary 38 Commands Review 38 Concepts Check 38 Skills Check 39 Chapter 2 Customizing Your System 41 Using the Control Panel 41 Accessing the Control Panel 41 Category View versus Classic View 42 Choosing Display Options 45 Selecting Themes 45 Selecting Desktop Backgrounds 46 Setting Up a Screen Saver 49 Using Energy Saver Settings 51 Choosing Color Schemes 56 Setting Screen Resolution 58 Taskbar Options 59 Unlocking the Taskbar 60 Moving the Taskbar 61 Date, Time, Language and Regional Settings 62 vii Date and Time 63 Determining Regional Settings 66 Mouse Options 67 Changing Basic Mouse Response 67 Mouse Pointers 69 Mouse Visibility 70 Setting Printers 72 Adding a New Local Printer 72 Setting Printer Preferences 80 Making a Printer the Default 84 Chapter Summary 85 Commands Review 86 Concepts Check 86 Skills Check 87 Chapter 3 File Management Basics 91 Retrieving and Storing Data and Information 91 Disk Basics 92 Working with My Computer 92 My Computer Views 93 Disk Drive Options 96 Disk Properties 97 Folders View 99 Viewing Disk Drive 99 Using Task Panes 101 Working with Windows Explorer 102 Window Parts 102 Folder and File Hierarchy Tree 103 Changing Icon Views 104 File Attributes 104 Displaying File Extensions 105 Using Personal Folders 107 Creating Folders 107 Renaming Files and Folders 108 Selecting Files and Folders 109 Copying and Moving Files and Folders 110 Using Undo 113 Creating Desktop Shortcuts 113 Modifying Desktop Shortcuts 115 Renaming Desktop Icons 115 Changing a Shortcut Icon 115 Changing the Shortcut Window Size 117 Managing the Recycle Bin 118 Deleting Files 118 Restoring a File 121 Emptying the Recycle Bin 121 Setting Folder Options 122 Searching for Files and Folders 124 Chapter Summary 128 Commands Review 128 Concepts Check 129 Skills Check 130 Chapter 4 Using Windows XP Help 133 Using the Help and Support Center Window 133 Using the Pick a Help Topic Section 134 Using the Pick a Task Section 137 iii
Using the Did You Know? Section 138 Using the Help Index 139 Using Troubleshooters 140 Searching with Search Help and Support 145 Asking for Assistance 148 Getting Remote Assistance 148 Getting Microsoft Assistance 154 Finding Context-Sensitive Help 158 Using the Help Button 158 Using What s This? 159 Getting Help for Applications 161 Taking the Windows XP Tour 161 Chapter Summary 165 Commands Review 165 Concepts Check 166 Skills Check 166 Chapter 5 Working with Applications 169 Using Windows Accessory Applications 169 Opening an Application 170 Closing a File or Application 172 Common Windows XP Applications 174 Using WordPad 174 Using Notepad 176 Using Paint 177 Using Calculator 179 Working with Windows Applications 182 Creating a New File 182 Saving a File 183 Opening a Closed File 186 Printing a File 187 Faxing from the PC 190 Handling a Locked-up Application 198 Relating Objects between Applications 199 Using the Clipboard 199 Linking and Embedding an Object 204 Chapter Summary 207 Commands Review 208 Concepts Check 208 Skills Check 209 Chapter 6 Mastering Internet Explorer Basics 213 Understanding the Internet 213 Setting up an Internet Connection 214 Starting the New Connection Wizard 214 Setting up a New Internet Account 216 Connecting to an Existing Internet Account 217 Dialing Your Connection 220 Starting a Web Browser 223 Browsing the Web with Internet Explorer 223 Understanding Web Addresses 224 Examining the Internet Explorer Window 225 Using the Internet Explorer Toolbar 226 Following Hyperlinks 228 Navigating Web Pages 228 Returning to the Home Page 229 Entering a Specific Web Address 229 Using Favorites 230 Adding Favorites 231 Accessing Favorite Sites 231 Searching for Information Online 233 Viewing Surfing History 237 Setting Internet Explorer Options 238 Setting General Options 238 Setting Content Restrictions 240 Using Microsoft Passport 244 Understanding Cookies 245 Using MSN Explorer 248 Chapter Summary 256 Commands Review 257 Concepts Check 257 Skills Check 258 Chapter 7 Mail and News with Outlook Express 261 Sending E-mail Using Outlook Express 261 The Outlook Express Main Window 262 Setting up E-mail Accounts 263 Creating E-mail 267 Formatting an E-mail Message 269 Attaching Files to E-mail 272 Sending E-mail 273 Receiving E-mail 274 Replying to E-mail 275 Forwarding a Message 276 Viewing an Attachment 277 Managing Messages 280 Using the Address Book 282 Adding Contacts 283 Editing Contacts 285 Deleting Contacts 285 Printing a Phone List 286 Sending E-mail to a Contact 287 Working with Identities 289 Using Outlook Express Options 292 General Options 292 Creating Signatures 293 Setting Message Blocking Rules 295 Accessing Newsgroups 297 Setting up a Newsgroup Account 297 Subscribing to Newsgroups 299 Reading Messages 299 Replying to a Message 300 Sending a Newsgroup Message 300 Net Etiquette 302 E-mailing a File through Windows XP 302 Chapter Summary 304 Commands Review 305 Concepts Check 305 Skills Check 306 Performance Assessments: Comprehensive Assessment for Introduction to Windows XP 311 Index 317 iv
ADVANCED TOPICS OF 321 Chapter 8 Advanced Windows XP System 323 Customization Using Accessibility Options 323 Using the Accessibility Menu 323 Using Control Panel Accessibility Features 329 Using the Accessibility Wizard 335 Working with Sound Options 337 Selecting System Sounds 338 Controlling Volume 339 Using Master Out Settings 340 Managing User Accounts 341 Adding Users 341 Customizing User Accounts 344 Deleting Users 347 Managing Printers 348 Sharing Printers 349 Connecting to a Network Printer 352 Managing Print Jobs 355 Chapter Summary 357 Commands Review 358 Concepts Check 358 Skills Check 359 Chapter 9 Software and Hardware Installation 363 Managing Software 363 Installing Software 363 Uninstalling Software 368 Adding Windows Components 370 Using the Compatibility Wizard 373 Updating Windows 379 Updating Windows Manually 379 Updating Windows Automatically 381 Adding New Hardware 382 Detecting Plug and Play Compatibility 382 Adding Hardware Manually 282 Chapter Summary 386 Commands Review 387 Concepts Check 387 Skills Check 388 Chapter 10 System Maintenance 391 Using System Security Options 391 Creating Passwords 392 Converting to the NTFS File System 394 Encrypting Data 396 Using Windows XP System Utilities 407 Scanning a Hard Disk with ScanDisk 407 Defragmenting a Hard Disk 409 Using System Restore 412 Using Disk Cleanup 415 Using the Desktop Cleanup Wizard 416 Using Automatic Task Scheduling 418 Building a Firewall 422 Installing and Running Antivirus Software 423 Using Safe Mode 424 Updating Device Drivers 427 Working with Disks 430 Formatting Disks 430 Copying Disks 432 Backing up Vital Hard Disk Data 434 Using Windows XP Backup 434 Restoring from a Backup 437 Writing Files to a CD 439 Chapter Summary 442 Commands Review 443 Concepts Check 444 Skills Check 445 Chapter 11 Working with WordPad 449 Word Processing with WordPad 449 Opening, Saving, and Printing Files 450 Entering Text 451 Editing Text 451 Adding Text 452 Deleting Text 453 Inserting the Current Date and Time 454 Selecting Text 456 Moving Text 458 Formatting Text 460 Changing the Font 460 Modifying the Alignment 462 Adding Bullets 463 Working with Paragraphs 465 Working with Tabs 466 Using Page Setup and Setting Margins 468 Using Find and Replace 470 Using Find 470 Using Replace 471 Sending a File via E-mail 474 Chapter Summary 475 Commands Review 476 Concepts Check 477 Skills Check 478 Chapter 12 Working with Paint 481 Starting the Paint Program 481 Using the Color Box 482 Discovering the Paint Tools 483 Painting with the Brush Tool 485 Drawing with the Pencil Tool 486 Using Lines 487 Applying Curved Lines 488 Erasing 489 Drawing Shapes 490 Creating Polygons 492 Airbrushing 494 Adding Text 495 Using the Magnifier 497 Resizing the Canvas 499 Selecting and Moving Areas 499 Filling in the Background Color 502 v
Drawing Options 503 Flipping and Rotating 503 Stretching and Skewing 504 Editing Colors 505 Chapter Summary 507 Commands Review 508 Concepts Check 508 Skills Check 509 Chapter 13 Working with Multimedia and Graphics 513 Using Media Player 8 513 Playing a Music CD 514 Understanding the Components of 519 Media Player Choosing Visualizations 520 Picking a Song from the Playlist 521 Copying Tracks from a CD 522 Listening to Web Radio 524 Using Skins 528 Scanning and Digital Imaging 530 Scanning an Image 530 Retrieving Images from a Digital Camera 534 Printing Images 537 Using the Photo Printing Wizard 537 Ordering Prints Online 541 Using MS Movie Maker 543 Understanding Movie Maker File Types 545 Starting a Project 546 Using the Monitor Window Controls 553 Saving a Project 553 Saving a Movie 554 Chapter Summary 557 Commands Review 558 Concepts Check 559 Skills Check 560 Chapter 14 Conferencing and Mobile Computing 563 Communicating with Windows Messenger 564 Adding Contacts 565 Being Added to a Contact List 568 Having Instant Messenger Conversations 569 Changing the Message Font 572 Adding Emoticons 573 Sending a File 575 Using the Whiteboard 578 Sharing Applications 580 Checking E-mail from Messenger 584 Changing Status 584 Modifying Personal Settings 586 Adding Audio and Video to a Conversation 588 Inviting Others to Join a Conversation 589 Using Remote Desktop Access Mobile 590 Computing Setting Up the Host Computer 590 Setting Up the Client Computer 593 Connecting Remotely 594 Logging Off a Remote Session 596 Chapter Summary 597 Commands Review 598 Concepts Check 600 Skills Check 601 Chapter 15 Sharing Information on a Network 603 Understanding Networks 604 Understanding Network Architecture 604 Working Through a Domain 606 Understanding Workgroups 606 Browsing the Network 607 Browsing Other Computers 607 Browsing an Entire Workgroup 609 Sharing Data Files 612 Using Mapping Procedures 613 Mapping a Network Drive 613 Disconnecting a Network Drive 616 Creating a Network Place 617 Sharing Your Resources 620 Sharing Drives and Folders 620 Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) 622 Using Administrative Tools 627 Using My Computer Management Tools 627 Advanced Tab 628 Using Administrative Tools 629 Getting System Information 632 Using Task Manager 634 Working with the Command Prompt 637 Making Repairs with the Automated 639 System Recovery Disk Installing Additional Support Tools 641 Chapter Summary 643 Commands Review 644 Concepts Check 644 Skills Check 645 Performance Assessments: Comprehensive 647 Assessment for Advanced Topics of Windows XP Index 651 vi