Microsoft® Windows® XP Inside Out, Second Edition (Bpg-Inside Out) [Paperback]

Ed Bott (Author), Carl Siechert (Author), Craig Stinson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 073562044X | ISBN-13: 978-0735620445 | Publication Date: November 3, 2004 | Edition: 20th

Hey, you know your way around a desktop—so now dig into Windows XP and really put your PC to work! Fully revised for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and other recent updates, this supremely organized reference now packs even more timesaving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and handy workarounds in concise, fast-answer format. It’s all muscle and no fluff. Discover the best and fastest ways to perform everyday tasks, and challenge yourself to new levels of Windows mastery!

• Build on what you already know about Windows and quickly dive into what’s new
• NEW—Master security essentials, including updates from Windows XP Service Pack 2
• Set up your own network; manage shared folders and printers
• NEW—Produce your own music CDs and create movies with special effects
• Learn security tactics for Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Manage browser add-ons and help block pop-ups
• Employ smart startup and shutdown options
• Get expert tips for editing—and monitoring—the Registry
• Automate routine tasks with scripts and batch programs
• Tune, tweak, and troubleshoot your system

Covers Windows XP Service Pack 2

A Note Regarding the CD or DVD

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Ed Bott and Carl Siechert have combined their considerable talents for producing user-level documentation in creating Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out. One of the most carefully researched books on Windows XP to date, this large volume has all the information and procedures most everyday users of the operating system will want. With its nicely formatted how-to instructions, detailed documentation of command-line commands, intelligent explanatory text, and broad scope, this book makes a great reference for a family or business that uses Windows XP extensively. Even the illustrations are more helpful than usual, largely because the publisher has gone to the trouble of annotating many of them with pointers and labels.

Bott and Siechert deal with the most controversial features of Windows XP, notably product activation, in a straightforward way. They simply explain what activation is for, tell how to go about it, and move on. If you're a power user interested in getting around activation and performing other unsanctioned hacks, look for your information in online newsletters. This book plays by Microsoft's rules, and that's fine. It's obvious that the authors have had access to Windows XP for some time, and spent a lot of time exploring its new features. Count on this book to explain the complete set of Windows XP's features--even the exciting networking stuff--in terms you can easily follow. --David Wall

Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP (Professional and Home editions) for home and office users who want to install, use, and run applications. Emphasis is on basic set-up and configuration, hardware installation and modification, file management, multimedia, and networking. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Ed Bott is an award-winning journalist and one of the most recognized voices in the computing world. He's been writing about Microsoft® Windows® and Office for two decades and is the author of more than two dozen books.

Carl Siechert specializes in implementing and documenting operating system technologies. He has coauthored several Windows®-related books, including the popular Windows Vista® Inside Out, Deluxe Edition, with Ed Bott and Craig Stinson.

Craig Stinson is a journalist and author. He has written or coauthored more than 20 books including Windows Vista® Inside Out, Deluxe Edition and Microsoft® Office Excel® 2007 Inside Out.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1344 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press; 20th edition (November 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073562044X
• ISBN-13: 978-0735620445
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent power user's guide, June 3, 2003

By 

Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out, Deluxe Edition (Hardcover)

This huge volume is definitely a must-have guide for everyone aspiring to becoming a Windows XP advanced user. Casual users should stay away for now until they become familiar with Windows. Also, strangely, you won't find coverage of Windows Movie Maker in this otherwise complete power user's guide to WinXP.

This "deluxe edition" is hardcover (vs. paperback for the regular, cheaper edition), has two added chapters (one on fax and one on advanced user adminitration), and includes a couple interesting e-books from Microsoft on the CD-ROM, in addition to an e-book version of the book itself.

This book covers both the Pro and Home editions of WinXP -- and each chapter has a handy brief discussion of the differences between the two editions. In fact, I find this feature, together with the two extra free e-books, worth the price premium over the regular edition. Besides, hardcovers are just easier to lay down on a desk and they last longer as well.

In terms of "meaty stuff," this book will satisfy your hunger for advanced knowledge of XP. After reading the book you'll become an XP expert. If you want to become a guru, then get the other "Inside Out" books such as Windows XP Networking Inside Out and Windows XP Security Inside Out (highly recommended). Or you can use this book as a jumping board to acquire some advanced knowledge and then figure out the guru-advanced topics yourself. Either way, this book can help you master Windows XP.

Still not convinced? Pick a copy and read the chapter on system optimization. Clearly written and organized, the chapter gives you everything you need to know about optimizing Windows, including the best explanation of the performance monitor I've come across (as well as concrete steps for taking advantage of this and other tools). Then you'll see how useful this book is.

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Microsoft Press is making XP a welcome addition., January 9, 2002

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out (CPG-Inside Out) (Paperback)

After installing Windows XP I began to ask several question about the configuration and administration of the operating system. I found this book to have the answers and much, much more information for me. I also found that this 1250 page reference manual is very useful in studying for the Windows XP Professional Exam, 70-270.

Published by the company that produced the software, this book is broken down into 9 parts, with part 1 being the XP Overview of installing, configuring, deploying, moving files and components. Also covered here is accounts, permissions, policies, passwords and troubleshooting hardware.

Part 2 is the customization of XP with task scheduling, power management which includes hibernation. Part 3 is the explorer which has areas like managing and finding files, encryption and offline work covered. Part 4 is the digital media section which includes the media player, scanner and imaging.

Part 5 is the advanced IE area including internet security, customizing Outlook express, web hosting and communications. Part 6 the goes into system maintenance and recovery, which tackles topics like routing and disk management, troubleshooting errors messages and regedit.

Part 7 is the networking part talking about small to large networks, sharing resources and remote access. Part 8 teaches about system administration with topics like profiles and policies and the even viewer. Finally part 9 is the Appendices which include the command prompt. MMC, services and system information.

The cd-rom included has a number of utilities and tools and you need to have XP installed in order to run the cd. Also include the e-book of the book and overall an excellent manual to have on hand.

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just plain good, December 4, 2001

By 

Stephen Krug "author of Don't Make Me Think" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out (CPG-Inside Out) (Paperback)

Like someone who wrote one of the earlier reviews, every few years I also find myself buying another 1,000+ page book about whatever new version of Windows I can finally no longer avoid installing. Then several years later I try (unsuccesfully) to give it away in a yard sale, never having looked at more than a handful of pages.

But this one is different. Excellent writing (even if it is a big, fat book; some things just can't be made short) and excellent information. (How happy are you when you've spent days looking for an obscure tidbit, and you turn to the index in a new book and not only find it, but three whole pages devoted to it?) This book had paid for itself before I even got out of the bookstore. (Ooops. I suppose I shouldn't have said that here.) And--even more amazing--I've actually spent time reading it since I got it home.