Sams Teach Yourself Windows XP Computer Basics All in One

 Find all the answers to a Windows XP user¿s questions in one big, easy-to-use book. Sams Teach Yourself Windows XP Computer Basics All in One is designed to teach the new computer user how to get the most out of a desktop computer. It does not assume the reader wants to learn how to use just one product, but covers multiple products and technologies together in a logical fashion. Topics covered include: Computer Basics, Windows XP, Microsoft Office, Internet and Web, Upgrades and Repair, and Home Networking. If you are a beginning computer user who wants to buy one, single book to help you better use your computer or accomplish a broad range of computer activities Sams teach Yourself Windows XP Computer Basics All in One is the book for you.

Introduction.

I. UNDERSTANDING COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS.

1. Beyond the On Switch.

What Is an Operating System? So What's Behind the Name "Windows"? How Can I Tell If I Have Windows XP? Looking at Windows XP. What's What on the Windows Desktop. Making (Mouse) Tracks. Learning All the Moves. That's All, Folks! Summary.

2. DIVING INTO WINDOWS.

Rearranging the Desktop Icons. Enlarging Your Desktop Icons. Maximize Screen Size by Hiding the Taskbar. Banishing the Desktop Blues. Defining Your Own Desktop Shortcuts. Customizing the Windows XP Start Menu. Summary.

3. HEALTH CARE FOR PCS.

Archiving Your Files. Defragmenting Your Hard Drive. Cleaning Your Disk. Protecting Yourself Against Computer Viruses. When Bad Things Happen to Good Systems: Using System Restore. Computer Chaos. Disk and Drive Dilemmas. Printing Problems. Internet Irks. Summary.

II. MAKING THINGS HAPPEN WITH YOUR PC.

4. It's All About the Software.

Software Defined. Purchasing a New Program. Where to Buy Software. Registering Your Software. Upgrading Software. Summary.

5. Enjoying Multimedia.

The Computers Are Alive, with the Sound of Music! Burning Music CDs. Music and Videos on the Web. Tuning into the Radio Online. For the Record. DVD Is Here to Stay. Summary.

III. GETTING STARTED WITH WINDOWS.

6. Managing the Windows Interface.

A Quick Taskbar and Start Button Review. Moving the Taskbar. The Taskbar Menu. Managing Multiple Windows with the Taskbar. Sizing the Taskbar. Starting Programs with the Start Menu. Using the Run Command. Summary.

7. Working with the My Computer Window.

Looking at My Computer. Working in the My Computer Window. Accessing the Control Panel. Summary.

8. Navigating with Windows Explorer.

Introducing the Windows Explorer. The Explorer Options. Managing Documents with a Right Mouse Click. .Right-Click to Copy and Move Documents. Using the Explorer's Task Pane. Where Do the Deleted Files Go? Making Windows XP Easier to Use. Summary.

9. Improving Your Desktop Experience.

Activate Your Desktop. Synchronizing Your Web Page Desktop. Active Content. SOS-Save Our Screens! Paint Windows XP. Summary.

10. Calling for Help.

Introducing the Help and Support Center (HSC). Getting Topical Help. Obtaining Support. Searching the Index. Other Forms of Help. Summary.

IV. WORKING WITH FILES, FOLDERS AND THE DESKTOP.

11. Installing Programs with Windows.

Using the Add or Remove Programs Window. Customizing Windows. Installed Applications. Uninstallation Procedures. A Last Resort. Summary.

12. Finding Information.

Introducing Search. Improving Your Searches. Summary.

V. INTERFACING WINDOWS AND HARDWARE.

13. Exploring Your Hardware Interface.

Plug and Play. Windows Offers Hardware Help. Setting Up a Second PC. Summary.

14. UNDERSTANDING PRINTING AND FONTS.

Introduction to Spooled Printing. Setting Up a Printer. The Print Dialog Box. Managing Print Jobs. Deferred Printing. Fonts Have Style. Fonts and Typefaces. Summary.

15. GIVING WINDOWS A TUNE-UP.

Updating Windows. How the Updates Work. Updating Windows Yourself. Transferring Settings from One Computer to Another. What's in Your System. Summary.

16. USING WINDOWS WITH MULTIMEDIA.

Selecting a Scanner. The World of Digital Cameras. Your Scanner or Digital Camera and Windows XP. From Digital Camera to. Scanning Images into Word. Redefining Scanner Defaults. Safely Removing the Hardware from Your Computer. Managing Your Images from the My Pictures Folder. Viewing Your Virtual Filmstrip. Making Movies with the Windows Movie Maker. Planning for a Great Video. Presenting Windows Movie Maker. Getting Video for the Movie. Pasting Clips Together. Saving Your Work. Creating a Soundtrack for Your Movie. Summary.

VI. SEEING WHAT THE INTERNET IS REALLY ABOUT.

17. Exploring the Internet's Technology.

Understanding the Net (Easy Version). Making the Net Work: Clients and Servers. What Can You Do Through the Net? Summary.

18. Connecting to the Internet.

Types of Internet Accounts. Where Can I Get Dial-Up Access? How Do I Choose a Dial-Up Internet Plan? Getting Connected. Using the Connection Wizard on Your Own. Summary.

19. Browsing Basics.

About Your "Home Page". Understanding Web Page Addresses. Going Straight to Any Web Address. Basic Jumping Around. Fussing with Frames. Summary.

VII. TALKING TO THE WORLD.

20. Using Email.

Types of Email Programs. Understanding Email Addresses. Setting Up Your Email Program. Getting Around in Your Email Program. Composing and Sending a Message. Composing a New Message in Netscape Messenger. Receiving Messages. Replying and Forwarding. Using an Address Book. Attaching Files to Email Messages. Using the Web for Email. Summary.

21. Chatting with Instant Messenging.

Understanding Internet Chatting. Chatting Through Your Browser. Chatting in AOL. Using Microsoft Chat. Joining a Chat Room. What Is Instant Messenger? Summary.

22. Participating in Newsgroups.

Getting Started with Newsgroups. Reading Newsgroup Messages. Composing and Replying to Messages. Summary.

VIII. ENJOYING THE INTERNET.

23. Searching for Information.

What's a Search Site? Can I Really Search the Whole Web? Where Are the Major Search Sites? Simple Searching by Clicking Categories. Understanding Searches. Phrasing a Simple Search. Phrasing a Serious Search. About Site Searches. Summary.

24. Downloading Programs and Files.

What's Downloading, Anyhow? Choosing Files You Can Use. Finding Sites That Help You Find Files. Working with Zip Files. Watching Out for Viruses. Downloading Files in AOL. Summary.

25. Finding People.

Finding the People-Finding Sites. Using People-Finders Through Your Email Program. Finding People in America Online. Other Folk-Finding Tips. Summary.

26. Protecting Your Family's Online Experience.

Choosing a Family Starting Point. Important Family Safety Steps. Resources for Parents. Censoring Web Content. Enabling and Configuring Content Advisor. Using AOL's Parental Controls. Summary.

27. Buying and Selling on the Internet.

Shopping 'Til You Drop. Finding All the Sites Online That Sell What You Want. Buying and Selling Through Online Auctions. Summary.

IX. LEARNING HOW TO NETWORK COMPUTERS.

28. Understanding the Nature of Networks.

What Is a Network? How Networks Are Put Together. The Varieties of Networks. How the Internet Relates to Your Network. Benefits of Networking. Summary.

29. Getting Data from Here to There: How Computers Share Data.

A Warning for the Technically Challenged. Logical Topologies. Network Protocols. Summary.

30. Mastering Computer and Network Concepts.

Computer Hardware. Client Operating System Software. What Networks Are Made Of. Summary.

31. Networking for Simple Computer Setups.

Why You Might Want to Install a Home Network. Installing a Simple Home Network. Sharing Your High-Speed Internet Connection. Network Security Concerns. Wireless Networking. Wireless Security Concerns. Summary.

X. DIAGNOSING PROBLEMS AND PLANNING UPGRADES.

32. Deciding to Upgrade.

When to Consider Upgrading Your PC. What Components in My PC Are Upgradeable? Upgrading Your Memory (RAM). Upgrading Your Processor. Upgrading Your Hard Disk Drive. Upgrading Your Video System. Upgrading Other PC Components. Summary.

33. Understanding System Components.

Eliminating Potential Hazards. Differentiating Between Desktop and Tower PCs. Identifying Your PC's External Connectors. Identifying the Parts Inside Your PC. Summary.

34. Monitoring Computer Performance.

Performance Monitoring Programs. Diagnostic Programs. Summary.

35. Using the Tools of the Trade.

A Simple Set of Tools. An Advanced Set of Tools. Safety Precautions When You Work on Your PC. Summary.

XI. UPGRADING YOUR MAIN SYSTEM COMPONENTS.

36. Upgrading Your PC's Memory.

Memory Is Like Money-More Is Better. Different Types of Memory. Installing Memory in Your PC. Installing DIMMs in Your PC. Stretching Your Memory a Little Farther. Summary.

37. Upgrading Your CPU and BIOS.

Understanding Processors. Identifying Your CPU. PC Bottlenecks. Removing and Installing a CPU. Removing a CPU from a ZIF Socket. Removing a CPU Using a Processor Extraction Tool. Inserting the New Processor. Removing a CPU in a Plug-in Card from Slot 1. Inserting a CPU Plug-in Card into Slot 1. Overclocking Your CPU. Understanding What Your BIOS Is and What It Does. Why You Need to Upgrade Your BIOS. How Do I Upgrade My BIOS? Installing Upgrade BIOS Chips. Upgrading Flash BIOS. Summary.

38. Replacing Your Main System Board.

Are You Upgrading or Replacing? How System Boards Have Changed. Installing a New System Board. More Info on System Boards. Summary.

39. Upgrading Your PC's Case and Power Supply.

Deciding to Upgrade Your Case and Power Supply. What to Look for When Shopping for a New Case. Upgrading Your Case. Where You Can Purchase a New Case. Power Supplies. Summary.

XII. UPGRADING YOUR STORAGE DRIVES.

40. Replacing, Upgrading, or Adding a Hard Disk Drive.

Is Your Upgrade an Addition or a Replacement? IDE Versus SCSI. Installing an IDE Drive in Your PC. Installing a SCSI Drive in Your PC. Preparing Your Drives for Software. Alternative to IDE and SCSI Drives. Tips on Improving Your Hard Disk Performance. Summary.

41. Replacing or Adding a Floppy Disk Drive.

Replacing Not Repairing. Replacing a Broken Floppy Disk Drive. Alternatives to a Standard 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive. Summary.

42. Replacing, Upgrading, or Adding a CD/DVD Drive.

Selecting a CD-ROM/CD-RW Drive. Installing the Drive in Your PC-Internal Versus External. Installing an Internal SCSI Drive. Installing an External Drive. What About DVD? What Is a DVD? What You Will Find in a Standard DVD Upgrade Kit. Installing a DVD Drive in Your PC.DVD Recordable/Rewritable Drives. Summary.

43. Adding Removable Media.

Removable Hard Disk Drives. Other Removable Disk Options. Tape Backup Drives. Internal Tape Backup Drives. Installing a Removable Media Drive. Installing an Internal SCSI Removable Media Drive. Installing an External Removable Media Drive. Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Backup Drive. Summary.

XIII. UPGRADING YOUR COMMUNICATIONS AND PERIPHERALS.

44. Upgrading Your Modem.

Understanding Modems. Selecting a Modem. Installing Your Modem. Alternatives to Standard Modems. Understanding a High-Speed Internet Connection. How to Obtain Cable or DSL Broadband Service. Installing a Cable or DSL Modem. Connecting Your PC to the Cable or DSL Modem. Security Concerns. Summary.

45. Upgrading Your Keyboard, Mouse, and Other Input Devices.

Is Anything Wrong with My Keyboard or Mouse? Fixing a Keyboard? Mice and Other Pointing Devices. Tips on Cleaning Your Input Devices. Cleaning Your Keyboard. Cleaning Your Mouse. Summary.

46. Upgrading Your Video Card and Monitor.

What's Currently Available in Video Cards. What to Look for in a Video Card. Demonstrating Video Resolution and Color Depth. Installing a Video Card. What About AGP? Upgrading Your Video Monitor. Why You Should Purchase a Larger Monitor. Selecting Your New Monitor. LCD Monitors. Setting Up Your New Monitor. Summary.

47. Selecting and Installing a Printer, Scanner, or Digital Camera.

Understanding the Types of Printers. How to Select a Printer. Installing a Printer to Work with Your PC. Connecting the Hardware. Installing a Second Printer to Work with Your PC. Learning About Scanners. Selecting a Scanner. Installing Your Scanner. Considering Digital Cameras. Selecting a Digital Camera. Summary.

48. Purchasing PC Components on the Internet.

Purchasing Over the Internet. Locating Companies. Internet Security. Tips on Buying PC Components. Online Auctions. Summary. Index.