Windows XP in a Nutshell, Second Edition [Paperback]

David A. Karp (Author), Tim O'Reilly (Author), Troy Mott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0596009003 | ISBN-13: 978-0596009007 | Edition: 2

Windows XP in a Nutshell, Second Edition documents everything there is to know about the world's most widely used operating system. Updated to include information on Service Pack 2 (SP2), this compact guide is the ultimate resource for IT professionals and Windows XP power users everywhere.

Written in O'Reilly's time-tested in a Nutshell format, Windows XP in a Nutshell, Second Edition cuts through the hype and delivers practical details in a no-nonsense manner. At the heart of the book is an invaluable 200-plus-page section titled Windows XP Application and Tools. In it, readers will find:

• A list of available commands and utilities, including Start Menu accessories, command prompt tools, and hidden system administration utilities
• A Task and Setting Index for quick access to hundreds of XP settings
• A complete reference to XP's command prompt, including advanced commands and scripting features

Windows XP in a Nutshell, Second Edition also includes a primer on files, folders, and windows; control panels and built-in applications; how to set up a PC for Internet use; and the standard Windows rituals of troubleshooting, installation, and upgrading.

And, of course, this greatly expanded second edition also includes all the need-to-know details about the security technologies featured in SP 2, so you can better defend yourself against viruses, worms, and hackers. Readers even receive guidelines and instructions for installing SP2 on their PC, or across a network of computers.

With its wealth of tips, careful instruction, and expert advice, this must-have desktop reference is dedicated to making your time at the computer safer, easier, and more fun.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As the installed base of Microsoft's newest operating system, XP, grows, guides to its use will continue to proliferate (see also Computer Media, LJ 3/1/02). Upgraders with little previous experience will be drawn to 10 Minute Guide, which highlights changes from earlier versions and explains common tasks step by step. Small and leaving no room for background or troubleshooting assistance, this should be purchased in conjunction with more comprehensive guides, such as The Missing Manual. It provides enough background to allow new home users and upgraders to get up and running, while leaving them feeling as if they have a handle on why and how things work. Ample screen shots and sidebars further this process; recommended for all libraries. Headaches, for beginning to intermediate users, focuses on troubleshooting common XP problems and annoyances, like a too-rapid cursor blink rate. Nutshell is a reference for advanced users of home and professional editions, with an alphabetical format that allows quick lookup of functions and features within larger sections (e.g., networking, the registry, etc.). Each is useful and appropriate for larger libraries.'
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"...it's packed with useful information, tips, tricks and screenshots, all clearly explained. ... An excellent resource." Windows XP, August 2002 "This book is an essential addition to any XP enthusiast's library. Its aim is simple: to chronicle as many undocumented features as possible. It won't tell you much about things that you already know or can find out easily, but it will reveal just how deep XP goes... If you're after an introduction to XP, look elsewhere. If you want a companion to Windows XP Inside Out, or something that will appeal to someone with at least six months' XP experience, then you've struck gold." "If you want to delve deep into Windows XP, take this book with you..." - Nick Peers, PC Answers, September (Platinum Award) "O'Reilly have long had a reputation as the professional's choice when it comes to computer books, and volumes in their 'in a nutshell' series are the next best thing to an original supplier's manual. They contain at least as much information and usually in a more accessible format. And this book is no exception to the rule. At over GBP20 this book isn't cheap, but is is a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide to XP. If you only ever buy one Windows XP Book, you could do a lot worse than this one." - Ian Barker, PC-How To Windows XP, Issue 26 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2 edition (February 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596009003
• ISBN-13: 978-0596009007
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Computers & Technology > Microsoft > Web Publishing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Handbook for the Technically Inclined, May 9, 2002

By 

Dennis (Los Altos, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Windows XP in a Nutshell (Paperback)

This book suits my purposes perfectly. If you are comfortable with computers, if you like details, if you get frustrated with the fluff in most Windows OS books, then this book is for you, too.

The book is well organized, nicely formatted, and printed to the usual O'Reilly standards. The text I've read is clear and brief.

It is a very complete, but dense, reference. The biggest section is a 250-page listing of XP applications and tools and how to use each one--applets, control panels, disk tools, network tools, games, task manager, address book, etc. If itcan be used from the command line, details are included for that as well. There is special 50-page index just for this section where you can look up concepts and tasks to find the right tool.

It also includes:
Full documentation on all the usual console commands.
A good introduction to the registry and what you can do with it.
Everything you really need to know about Windows Script Host.
Full listing of keyboard shortcuts.
Notes on Power Toys you can download from Microsoft.
Keyboard Equivalents for special characters.
A list of file extensions in common use.
Keyboard shortcuts (accelerators) by key and by function.
Descriptions of all the services that are available with XP.

Does that sound great, or what?

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only XP book that I'd buy again, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Windows XP in a Nutshell (Paperback)

After buying a bunch of Windows XP books, this is only one I keep next to my computer. The others are all holding up the short legs of tables.

Every time I get stuck, I just pull it out, and I have my answer in less than a minute. No more wading through cryptic help files or irrelevant websites. If I lost all my XP books, this is the only one I'd buy again.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can see why people love O'Reilly books, August 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Windows XP in a Nutshell (Paperback)

I asked a few friends of mine if they could recommend a Windows XP book, and they all told me to get the O'Reilly book. Given O'Reilly's apparently good reputation, I decided to lay my money down for my own copy.

Now, when I first got my hands on this one, I didn't know quite to make of this dense book. But after a few days, I picked it up and started really getting into it. Then I looked through a few other Windows books I had on my shelf and just had to laugh.

This book is just in a completely different class. So many other books seem to be all screenshots and excerpts from the Windows online help, while this one seems to be written, cover-to-cover, from the perspective of someone who ACTUALLY uses the product. It's littered with tips and "gotchas" that have already saved me a lot of time and aggravation, and it's very well-written and easy to understand.

And I'll say something I can't say about any other Windows book I've seen: I actually learned something reading this book. Pick one up for yourself and I'm sure you'll discover the same thing.