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Microsoft Windows XP Features: Dell OptiPlex GX150 System User's Guide
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Based on an enhanced version of the Windows 2000 operating system,
Windows XP is available in consumer and business editions: Windows XP Home Edition and
Windows XP Professional. The features discussed are available in both editions, but the
Professional version, designed for business environments, includes additional
productivity, security, networking, and management features important in business
environments.
For home users, Windows XP brings the significantly increased
stability and security inherent in the Windows 2000/Windows NT® operating systems. It
also provides better support for portable computers. Key new Windows XP features include:
- An improved desktop and user interface
- Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
- Application program compatibility enhancements
- System Restore
- Fast User Switching*
- Expanded home and small office networking functions*
- A personal firewall for always-on Internet connections*
*Home and small office features
The Help and Support Center, introduced with Microsoft Windows
Millennium Edition (Me), replaces Windows Help from earlier operating systems. The Help
and Support Center provides an integrated resource center for information and assistance
in using, configuring, and troubleshooting your computer and installed hardware devices
and software. For Windows XP, the Help and Support Center features expanded search
capabilities, including full-text search and the capability to search across multiple
remote sites in addition to files resident on the hard drive. You can use a single print
command to print an entire chapter of help content.
To open Help and Support Center, click the Start button, and
then click Help and Support. From the home page, you can conduct a search or select
categories of information, leading to task and information topics covering the use of your
computer. Click User and System Guides for information on using your Dell™
computer, including installed hardware devices and software.
Windows XP features a redesigned user interface with a new visual
style, a less cluttered desktop, and built-in desktop cleanup features. Window layout has
also been changed for Windows XP and, as in the Control Panel, emphasizes task
presentation. The Start menu has been redesigned. The left half of the new Start
menu includes the most frequently used icons. As you use your computer, the icons in this
area are changed and rearranged depending on your computer usage patterns. If you wish to
keep one of the icons permanently in its location, right-click the icon and click Pin
to Start menu.
To access all the programs installed on the computer, click All
Programs at the bottom of the Start menu. The right half of the new Start
menu contains useful icons for accessing your files, configuring the computer, and finding
information and assistance. The Dell Solution Center icon opens a portal to
services and application programs installed on your Dell computer.
If you wish, you may change the appearance of the Start menu,
desktop and windows, or Control Panel layout to that of earlier Windows operating
systems. These classic view options are independent of each other.
You can easily switch back and forth between the new Control Panel
category view and the classic icon view by clicking Switch to Classic View or Switch
to Category View in the upper left area of the Control Panel window. This can
be handy if you would like to take advantage of the new, task-oriented features of the
Windows XP Control Panel, but you are accustomed to performing a particular task with the
icon-oriented classic Control Panel.
To change the appearance of the Start menu to the classic
view:
- Right-click the empty area on the
task bar.
- Click Properties.
- Click the Start Menu tab.
- Select Classic Start Menu and
click OK.
If you prefer the classic window and button appearance, perform the
following steps:
- Right-click anywhere on the main
desktop screen and click Properties.
- Click the Appearance tab.
- From the Windows and buttons
dropdown box, select Windows Classic style.
- To customize color, font, and other
classic desktop options, click Advanced.
- When you have completed your
appearance selections, click OK.
Another feature of Windows XP is the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. The
wizard runs 7 days after you first start your computer and every 60 days after that. The
Desktop Cleanup Wizard first opens a dialog box informing you that there are unused icons
on the desktop and asking whether you want to run the wizard. If you elect to run the
wizard, it places unused desktop icons in a folder.
The default for the Desktop Cleanup Wizard is on. To turn the wizard
off:
- Right-click anywhere on the main
desktop screen and click Properties.
- Select the Desktop tab and
click Customize Desktop.
- In the Desktop cleanup options
make sure that the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days box is not checked.
You can run the Desktop Cleanup Wizard anytime by following these
steps:
- Right-click anywhere on the main
desktop screen and select Properties.
- Click the Desktop tab and
click Customize Desktop.
- Click Clean Desktop Now.
- When the Desktop Cleanup Wizard
appears, click Next>.
- In the Shortcuts list,
deselect any shortcuts you want to leave on the desktop, and then click Next>.
- Click Finish to remove the
shortcuts and close the wizard.
The Windows taskbar is a row of buttons that typically displays
across the bottom of the screen. The taskbar includes the Start button and a button
for each open application. (The taskbar also includes the Quick Launch icons and the
notification area.) Windows XP groups multiple instances of the same application on the
taskbar. For example, if six instances of Internet Explorer are open, each displaying a
button on the taskbar, Windows XP groups the buttons next to one another on the taskbar.
If space becomes an issue on the taskbar, Windows XP consolidates all the Internet
Explorer buttons into a single button. When clicked, that button expands to a menu of the
six Internet Explorer active sessions.
Over time, software icons tend to proliferate in the notification
area, the area in the bottom right corner of the Windows desktop. Windows XP detects when
icons in the notification area are not being accessed and hides them. A caret, or chevron,
button indicates that there are hidden icons that can be viewed by selecting the button.
You can also configure the notification area manually by right-clicking the taskbar,
selecting Properties, and then clicking Customize... in the Taskbar and
Start Menu Properties window. For example, you may choose to hide the antivirus
program icon because it is rarely accessed, but display the audio volume icon because it
is used frequently. The notification area cleanup feature is automatically enabled when
the operating system is installed, but you may disable it by unchecking Hide inactive
icons in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window.
The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is used to migrate personal
files and settings from one computer to another (for instance, when upgrading to a new
computer). Personal files include the documents, images, spreadsheets, presentations, and
e-mail messages on your computer. User settings include display properties, window sizes,
toolbar settings, dial-up connections, Internet bookmarks, and so forth on your computer.
The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is run on a source (old) computer to collect the
data and is run again on the destination (new) computer to import the data. If the old
computer is using an earlier operating system, the wizard can be launched either from the
Windows XP CD or from a diskette created on the new Windows XP computer. You transfer the
data to the new computer over a network or direct serial connection, or store it on a
removable medium such as a floppy disk, Zip disk, or writable CD.
To use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard:
- On the new Windows XP computer, click
the Start button, point to All Programs—> Accessories—> System
Tools, and click Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.
- On the Files and Settings Transfer
Wizard welcome screen, click Next>.
- On the Which computer is this?
screen, select New Computer, and then click Next>.
The Do you have a Windows XP CD? screen
appears.
The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard guides you through the steps
necessary to transfer user settings, personal files, or both to the new computer. If a CD
drive is not available, the wizard allows you to create a wizard diskette to run on your
old computer.
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NOTE: The
time required to collect and transfer data depends on the amount of data collected. Times
can vary from just a few minutes to several hours. |
Although Windows XP is designed to be compatible with a wide range
of application programs and hardware devices, some older programs and devices may not be
usable. Check the Microsoft Web site at www.microsoft.com for application programs
and hardware devices known to be compatible. When buying new software and devices, look
for those that are labeled as ready for Windows XP. If you encounter problems using an
application program designed for an earlier Windows operating system, Windows XP provides
a compatibility mode feature (see "Program Compatibility
Wizard"). If you are unsuccessful at installing application programs or hardware
devices designed to operate on earlier Windows operating systems, contact the manufacturer
of the product for information or updates for Windows XP.
Windows XP also includes a new technology that addresses the
problems sometimes encountered on previous operating systems with Windows application
programs that, when installed, replace current versions of certain Windows files with
older versions. This situation can cause problems with the newer application programs,
which rely on the replaced files. To eliminate this problem and improve operating system
stability, Windows XP manages multiple versions of files and invokes the correct version
required by a program.
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NOTE: If
you experience problems with your operating system or other applications after performing
an installation, you can use System Restore to return
your computer to a previous stable condition. |
A program compatibility feature is provided in Windows XP that
solves some issues that may be encountered when attempting to run older application
programs. Using the Program Compatibility Wizard, you can configure a program to run in an
environment closer to Windows 95, Windows 98/Me, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5, or
Windows 2000.
To use the Program Compatibility Wizard:
- Click the Start button, point
to All Programs—> Accessories, and click Program Compatibility Wizard.
- When the Program Compatibility Wizard
appears, click Next>.
- Select how you want to locate the
program to run with compatibility settings: from a list, available on a CD, or manually
located. Then click Next>.
- Select the type of operating system
for which the program was designed or on which it ran successfully, and then click Next>.
- If necessary, as for some games,
select display settings for the program.
- Click Next>.
- To test the compatibility settings
for the program, click Next>.
After you have determined whether the program is
running correctly, return to the Program Compatibility Wizard window.
- Select Yes if the program ran
correctly, No, try different compatibility settings, or No, I am finished trying
compatibility settings and click Next>.
- Select either Yes to send
information about the settings you used and whether they fixed the problem, or select No,
and then click Next>.
- Click Finish to close the
wizard.
The System Restore feature of Windows XP provides the capability to
restore the operating system, in the event of a problem, to a previous state without
losing personal data files (such as Word documents, drawings, or e-mail).
System Restore actively monitors system file changes and some
application file changes to record or store previous versions before the changes occurred.
System Restore maintains a rolling record of restore points; to limit the amount of space
used, older restore points are purged to make room for newer ones.
In the event of a serious operating system problem, System Restore
can be used from Safe Mode or Normal Mode to go back to a previous system state, restoring
optimal system functionality.
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NOTES: System
Restore does not revert user data or document files, so restoring does not cause loss of
work, mail, or browsing history and favorites.
Dell recommends that you make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not
monitor changes to or recover your data files. In the event the original data on the hard
drive is accidentally erased or overwritten or becomes inaccessible because of a
hard-drive malfunction, backup files are required to recover lost or damaged data.
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System Restore monitors a core set of system and application program
files, recording and sometimes copying states of these files before changes are made.
System Restore automatically creates restore points; no user intervention is required. In
addition, you can create restore points manually, if desired.
Restore points are created to allow you to choose previous system
states. Each restore point gathers the necessary information needed to restore to a
precisely chosen system state. There are three types of restore points:
- System (automatically created) restore points (scheduled by your
computer)
- Installation (event-triggered) restore points (when a program is
installed)
- Manual restore points (created by you as needed)
By default, System Restore creates a restore point every day that
the computer is running. If your computer is off for more than a day, a new restore point
is created the next time you turn the computer on.
Event-triggered restore points are created before key changes are
made to the system. System Restore automatically creates a restore point before the
following events:
- Application installations — System restore creates a
restore point before you install an application program designed for Windows XP. You may
wish to create a manual restore point before attempting to install an older program.
- AutoUpdate installation — When you choose to install the
update, System Restore creates a restore point before the actual installation of the
update begins.
- Restore operation — The restore operation itself also
creates a restore point for undo purposes.
- Microsoft Backup Utility recovery — Before Microsoft
Backup Utility (only available in Windows XP Professional) performs a backup recovery,
System Restore creates a restore point.
- Unsigned driver installation — The INF installer of
Windows detects unsigned device-driver installations. Drivers that are signed
(electronically certified by the device manufacturer) do not generate a restore point.
If you are logged on to the computer as computer administrator or as
a user with administrator rights, you may create and name an on-demand restore point. (For
information on types of user accounts, see "How to Add
Users.") This is useful to create a checkpoint to return to before making a
particularly risky change, before leaving a shared system to other users, or at a
particular state you believe is optimal.
To create a restore point, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button, point
to All Programs—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click System
Restore.
- Select Create a restore point
and click Next>.
- Type a description of the restore
point and click Create.
The date and time are automatically added to the
description of the new restore point.
As the computer is used over time, restore points are collected in
the archive without any management or intervention. If you encounter operating system
problems, you can use the System Restore feature to select any of the restore points
presented through the System Restore Wizard.
If problems occur after installing a device driver, you should first
attempt to use Driver Rollback. If that is unsuccessful,
then use System Restore.
To return your computer to a previous, stable condition, perform the
following steps:
- Click the Start button, point
to All Programs—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click System
Restore.
- Select Restore my computer to an
earlier time and click Next>.
The Select a Restore Point screen appears. The
calendar on the left indicates in bold the dates on which restore points were created.
- Click a date, click a restore point
for that date, and click Next>.
- Click Next> to confirm the
restore point selection and complete the restore process.
After System Restore finishes collecting data, the
computer automatically restarts and the Restoration Complete screen appears.
- Click OK.
If you are not satisfied with the results of the
restoration, you can repeat the preceding steps, using a different restore point, or you
can undo the restoration.
To undo a restoration, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button, point
to All Programs—> Accessories—> System Tools, and then click System
Restore.
- Select Undo my last restoration and
click Next>.
- Click Next> to confirm the
restoration undo.
After System Restore finishes collecting data, the
computer automatically restarts and the Undo Complete screen appears.
- Click OK.
Windows XP device Driver Rollback can replace a device driver with
the previously installed version. When you install a new device driver that causes system
instability, use Driver Rollback to reinstall the previous drivers. In the event that
Driver Rollback cannot reinstall your previous driver, you can use System Restore to
return your operating system to its state before the new device driver installation.
To use Driver Rollback, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button, and
then right-click My Computer.
- Click Properties.
- Click the Hardware tab, and
then click Device Manager.
- In the Device Manager window,
right-click the device for which the new driver was installed, and then click Properties.
- Click the Drivers tab, and
then click Roll Back Driver.
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NOTE: Fast
User Switching is the default user screen for both Home and Professional editions, but is
disabled in Windows XP Professional when the computer is a member of a computer domain.
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Microsoft Windows XP includes a new feature that provides multiuser
access to a single computer. Fast User Switching, which is available in both the Home and
Professional editions, allows users to access the computer with their specific settings,
including the desktop and various applications, without requiring the previous user to log
off. New users log on and switch from the original user's session to their own. New users
can run their desktop and applications without interfering with the original user. When
the original user returns, that user can switch back to the desktop and applications with
the original settings. All of this is accomplished without the delay of each individual
user logging off the computer.
During setup, the computer administrator creates all the accounts
that will be used on the computer. (For information on types of accounts and adding new
accounts, see "How to Add Users.") When the
computer starts, the main user screen appears with all of the user names. From this screen
you select an account and log in to that session.
To access Fast User Switching, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button and
click Log Off.
- When the Log Off Windows
screen appears, click either Switch User or Log Off.
When you select Switch User, the main user screen appears.
You can then select your account name and log in. Your personal desktop appears.
When a fast user switch occurs, the original user is not logged off
the computer as previously happened on other Microsoft operating systems. On Windows XP,
the user's logon remains active, but is replaced by the new user. Users can switch between
login IDs as often as they want.
However, user applications active during a user switch remain active
and running in the background while the new user is working; this can result in a slower
computer until the process finishes. For example, if one user is downloading a large file
from the Internet and another user logs on to the computer, the file download continues in
the background until it is complete.
While most applications continue to run in the background during a
fast user switch, multimedia applications do not. Because multimedia applications use
resources that cannot easily be shared between different users on a single computer, those
applications terminate during the user switch, allowing the new user to take full
advantage of the multimedia capabilities.
Considerations when using Fast User Switching include:
- Some older Windows games may not operate with a fast user switch.
- Multimedia games may shut down on a fast user switch.
- DVD software shuts down and requires a restart when the user comes
back.
- Computers with low memory configurations can experience problems. The
computer uses memory to keep the first user's programs running in the background while the
second user is logged on. On computers with limited memory, this can cause the entire
computer to run slowly. Fast User Switching is off by default on computers with less than
128 megabytes (MB) of random-access memory (RAM).
Fast User Switching is unavailable if the computer has Windows XP
Professional installed and is a member of a computer domain.
You must have a computer administrator account on the computer to
turn off Fast User Switching. (For information on types of accounts, see "How to Add Users.")
To disable Fast User Switching, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button, and
click Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel window,
click User Accounts.
- Under Pick a task, click Change
the way users log on or off and do one of the following:
- Select the Use Fast User Switching to log off
check box to enable Fast User Switching.
- Deselect the Use Fast User Switching to log off
check box to disable Fast User Switching.
- Click Apply Options.
Only a computer administrator or a user with administrator rights
can create multiple user accounts. The individual who performs the initial operating
system setup creates a computer administrator account and can add any number of users
during the initial setup. All user accounts created during setup have administrator
rights.
After initial operating system setup, the computer administrator or
a user with administrator rights can create additional user accounts.
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NOTE: Different
account options are available when a Windows XP Professional computer is connected to a
domain. |
To add users, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button, and
click Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel window,
click User Accounts.
- In the User Accounts window
under Pick a Task, click Create a new account.
- In the box under Name the new
account, type the name of the new user. Click Next>.
- Under Pick an account type,
click the bullet next to the type of account you are going to create — Computer
administrator or Limited.
- Computer administrators can change all computer settings.
- Limited account users can change only a few settings such
as their own passwords.
- Click Create Account.
After the accounts are created, each shows up on the main user
screen.
The Network Setup Wizard includes a checklist and steps to guide you
through the process of sharing resources, such as files, printers, or an Internet
connection, between computers in a home or small office. In Windows XP, Microsoft has
improved the online documentation and usability of operating-system tools for setting up a
home or small office network. New features in the operating system include support for the
Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) and a built-in firewall.
The Home Network Wizard first appeared in Windows Me. To make
setting up a home or small office network easier, Microsoft developed an enhanced Network
Setup Wizard for Windows XP. This version provides more complete online documentation and
support for setting up a home or small office network. The new wizard automatically
enables the personal firewall discussed later in this section (see "Internet Connection Firewall").
To use the wizard, perform the following steps:
- Click the Start button, point
to All Programs—> Accessories—> Communications, and click Network
Setup Wizard.
- When the Network Setup Wizard
appears, click Next>.
- Click checklist for creating a
network.
The checklist leads you through the steps necessary
to set up a home or small office network and provides extensive references for each step.
When you have completed the necessary connections and preparations, return to the Network
Setup Wizard.
- Select the Internet connection method
and click Next>.
- Select the desired Internet
connection if required, and click Next>.
- Type a description of the computer
and a computer name, and then click Next>.
- Review the network settings and click
Next> to finish the setup.
- When the setup process is complete,
click Finish to close the wizard.
Today's always-on cable modem and DSL Internet access connections
offer unprecedented bandwidth to the home, but also leave the connected computer or home
network vulnerable to hacker attacks. The nature of these attacks varies, but the goal is
to gain access to individual computers attached to the Internet. With this access, a
hacker can browse the hard drive and add or delete files, discover passwords and credit
card numbers, and set the system up to launch attacks on other systems or websites. As a
result, firewall protection from these attacks is increasingly required on computers.
Recognizing this need, Microsoft provides an integrated firewall in Windows XP to provide
immediate protection from outside access attempts. When enabled, the Internet Connection
Firewall provides basic protection suitable for most home and small office users. The
Internet Connection Firewall is disabled when the computer is connected to a domain.
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NOTE: Enabling
the Internet Connection Firewall does not reduce the need for virus-checking software.
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The firewall is automatically enabled when you run the Network Setup
Wizard. When the firewall is enabled for a network connection, its icon appears with a red
background in the Network Connections portion of the Control Panel. The Internet
Connection Firewall can be applied to each Internet connection on the computer. The
firewall also provides basic logging capabilities. Not all events that appear in the log
are hacker attacks. Many different types of harmless events can appear in the log, such as
routine checks by an Internet Service Provider to verify the presence of your computer
(pings).
The firewall is configured using the Properties dialog box
associated with each Internet connection in the Control Panel. The firewall can be enabled
or disabled. Additional configuration options are available for more advanced users. These
advanced options include the ability to open or close specific Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports or to enable port redirection. Port
redirection allows access requests to a specific port on the firewall (such as port 80,
the Web server port) to be automatically redirected to another computer on the local
network. This capability allows a Web server on a home network to be protected by an edge
firewall.
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