Book description
Windows XP is the most popular operating system on the planet--and the most annoying. From incomprehensible error messages to inexplicable crashes, from wonky wireless setups to just finding a file, Windows can make your computing life a nightmare. But thanks to Fixing Windows XP Annoyances, you can banish the bugs, speed up operations, and just make Windows work right.
Inspired by author David Karp's Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks, this all-new tome pulls together tips, tricks, insider workarounds, and fixes for PC novices and pros, in a handy, accessible Q&A format that lets you find the solutions in a flash. Fixing Windows XP Annoyances will not only increase your productivity but lower your blood pressure. Karp's new book covers:
- Setup and Hardware-Update Windows, reinstall Windows safely, speed up start up, resolve driver-hardware conflicts, and more.
- Windows Interface-Navigate quickly, fix screen resolution problems, customize the desktop, and switch applications more quickly.
- Windows Explorer-Force XP's file & folder management application to remember your view settings, save your default application choices, and get XP's Search tool to behave.
- Multimedia-Having a problem playing a video or burning a CD? Want to do more with your digital photo collection? We have the answers.
- Web and Email-Get a handle on spyware, spam and pop-ups; protect your privacy online; learn how to improve your online experience.
- Wireless and Home Networking-Connect all your PCs; share Internet connections; share files and drives securely; make your wireless network purr; share network printers; and more.
If you're having a problem, just look through the Table of Contents for the annoyance that most closely matches your problem, or feel free to start thumbing through the pages. You'll likely find a fix to a problem you didn't even know could be solved.
Publisher resources
Table of contents
- Dedication
- Introduction
-
1. Windows Interface
- GENERAL INTERFACE
- DESKTOP
-
START MENU
- Pick a New Username
- Clean Up the Start Menu
- Block Recent Programs from Appearing in Your Start Menu
- Hide the My Recent Documents Menu
- Sort Your Start Menu Alphabetically
- Solve the Mystery of Disappearing Start Menu Items
- Stop Windows from Highlighting New Programs
- Show Start Menu Programs in Multiple Columns
- TASKBAR
- APPLICATION WINDOW
- WELCOME SCREEN
-
2. Windows Explorer
-
FOLDERS
- Show Folder Tree Lines
- Get the Details View Every Time
- Remember Settings for More Folders
- Jump to a Subfolder
- Shrink the Address Bar
- Copy a Folder Path to the Clipboard
- Print a Folder Listing
- Print a File from Explorer
- Show the Folder Size
- Navigate Folders with the Keyboard
- Hide the Tasks Pane
- Get Back the Folder Tree
- Open Explorer in a Custom Folder
- Keep Explorer from Vanishing
- Delete an Undeletable Folder
- Clean Up Context Menus
- Customize Folder Icons
- Faster Folder Fix
- FILES
- FILE DIALOGS
- SEARCHING
-
FOLDERS
-
3. Multimedia
-
VIDEO
- Play Stubborn Videos
- Play Incomplete Downloads
- Fix the Aspect Ratio
- Shed Light on Blank Videos
- Skip Intro Ads
- Save Videos from the Web
- Rewind or Fast-Forward Streaming Video
- Reduce Video Buffering
- Make Your Own Director’s Cut
- Make a Montage
- Get an Alternative to Real Player
- Simplify Windows Media Player
- Use Alt-Tab with Windows Media Player
- Synchronize Audio and Video
- Fix Bad Color in Videos
- SOUND AND MUSIC
- PHOTOS
- WINDOWS MEDIA CENTER EDITION
-
CDS AND DVDS
- Burn CDs for Free
- Write Video to DVD
- Fix DVD Playback Problems
- Make Better-Sounding Music CDs
- Fix Inconsistent Volume in Your Music
- Watch DVD Movies on Your Hard Disk
- Back Up to CD or DVD
- View All the Files on a CD-R
- Read Stubborn Discs
- Express CD Duplicating
- Play Stubborn Audio CDs
- Fix Smudged DVD Subtitles
- Windows Media Player Quits Before Burning the CD
- Write CD Text Data to Music CDs
-
VIDEO
-
4. The Web and Email
-
THE WEB
- Lock Down Internet Explorer
- Turn Off Internet Explorer
- Choose a Default Browser
- Fix Internet Shortcuts
- Change Internet Shortcut Icons
- Remember Web Site Passwords
- Living with Firefox in an IE World
- Funny Symbols in Web Pages
- Pictures Don’t Show Up in Some Web Pages
- Improve Any Web Site
- Put an End to Pop-Ups
- Stop That Browser Hijacker!
- Solve the Blank Form Mystery
- Stop Annoying Animations
- Open PDFs Outside the Web Browser
- Control Tabbed Browsing
- Faster Downloads Without the Hassle
- Set Download Defaults in Mozilla Suite
- Surf Anonymously for Free
-
THE WEB
-
5. Wireless and Networking
-
SHARING AND SECURITY
- Network Two Computers
- Share Files with Other Computers
- Find Missing Computers in My Network Places
- Protect Shared Files
- Share an Entire Drive
- List All Your Shared Folders
- Turn Off Administrative Shares
- Speed Up Network Browsing
- Connect to a Windows 9X/Me PC
- Find Missing Remote Printers
- PC Slows When Accessed over the Network
- Log in Automatically
- Use the Administrator Account
- INTERNET CONNECTIONS
- WIRELESS CONNECTIONS
-
SHARING AND SECURITY
-
6. Setup and Hardware
- SET UP
- STARTUP AND SHUTDOWN
- WINDOWS UPDATE
-
HARDWARE
- Add a New Hard Disk
- Stop Heavy Hard Disk Usage
- Scanner Says It’s Not Connected
- Troubleshoot Multiple Monitors
- Fix Cranky Mice
- Disappearing CD and DVD Drives
- Send and Receive Faxes
- Find Drivers for Old Hardware
- What’s a Digitally Signed Driver?
- Windows Won’t Detect New Device
- Replace an Incorrect Driver
- Undo an Unwanted Driver Update
- Find Out More About Your Hardware
- Index
- About the Author
- Copyright
Product information
- Title: Fixing Windows XP Annoyances
- Author(s):
- Release date: March 2006
- Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
- ISBN: 9780596100537
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