Windows XP Pocket Reference [Paperback]

David A. Karp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2002

Windows XP Pocket Reference is a handy book for power users and system administrators who need a solid reference with quick answers, but not a lot of explanation. This book is a powerful tool that quickly covers XP's applications and tools, tasks and settings, and commands.

Windows XP Pocket Reference covers the following topics:

• Getting Started
• Mouse and Keyboard Shortcuts
• Components of Windows XP
• Setting Locator
• Registry Tweaks
• Command Prompt & Recovery Console
• Error Messages

Packed with information in an easy-to-read format, Windows XP Pocket Reference is perfect for someone familiar with Windows who wants to get the most out of Windows XP or needs to support other users as part of their job.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book is well laid out and considering that much of it is filled with lists of commands and settings, it is easy to follow. The author has reduced the potential dryness of the subject matter by including helpful tips among the text and giving examples where relevant." - Steve Boniwell, HP/Works

About the Author

Windows expert David Karp is the author of O'Reilly's bestselling "Windows Annoyances" series of books, including his latest, "Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks". He also co-authored "Windows XP in a Nutshell". A clear and engaging writer, he is a consistent voice for empowering Windows users to get more out of their operating system, and his annoyances.com web site has garnered a sizeable following. David has also written "eBay Hacks" and "eBay: The Missing Manual".

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596004257
• ISBN-13: 978-0596004255
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Computers & Internet > General

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a pocket guide for the knowledgable user, December 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Windows XP Pocket Reference (Paperback)

I was surprised and pleased to discover the amount of thought that has gone into this little book. In addition to a rapid 'getting started' section, there's a lot of attention to the types of things I frequently need to look up, such as where a setting is found or what the syntax of an command is. But I was most interested in the last chapter, a "security checklist," which helps close all the "back doors" (as the author puts it) in my system. A bargain and a great find!

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The little book that could!, April 13, 2003

By 

Robert L. Stinnett (Boonville, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Windows XP Pocket Reference (Paperback)

I must admit, when I first saw the size of this book I thought that it was just going to be another half-hearted attempt at a reference manual for the basics of Windows XP. In fact, so sure I was of this, I let it sit on my shelf for over a month before I bothered to read through it. Was I ever wrong...

This book covers a wide range of tasks under Windows XP. Everything from how to schedule tasks, to how to setup user accounts, even an entire section devoted to Windows XP security! The book does a good job of grouping each tip by category, and then going straight into detail with the tips: How do I do it; What are the benefits of doing it; What are the options for doing it?

Advanced topics in this book get into how to use the recovery console (a godsend when needed!), how to boost performance through registry settings, even how to get down to the "brass tacks" of your system through some little-known command-line utility (such as diskpart, a disk partitioner -- something even I had no idea existed until I read about it).

The only thing this book is missing would be a handy "tabbing" along the right side of the book to make it quick to finger over to a particular section. However, the content of this book more than make up for this minor flaw.

This book is good for the moderate to advanced user of Windows XP. It covers many of the advanced tasks and not-so-subtle features that you will find in the OS, including such details as giving a handy class-id listing for common objects under XP. A good "pocket book" for anyone who uses Windows XP on a daily basis.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The little book that could!, April 13, 2003

By 

Robert L. Stinnett (Boonville, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Windows XP Pocket Reference (Paperback)

I must admit, when I first saw the size of this book I thought that it was just going to be another half-hearted attempt at a reference manual for the basics of Windows XP. In fact, so sure I was of this, I let it sit on my shelf for over a month before I bothered to read through it. Was I ever wrong...

This book covers a wide range of tasks under Windows XP. Everything from how to schedule tasks, to how to setup user accounts, even an entire section devoted to Windows XP security! The book does a good job of grouping each tip by category, and then going straight into detail with the tips: How do I do it; What are the benefits of doing it; What are the options for doing it?

The only thing this book is missing would be a handy "tabbing" along the right side of the book to make it quick to finger over to a particular section. However, the content of this book more than make up for this minor omission.

This book is good for the moderate to advanced user of Windows XP. It covers many of the advanced tasks and not-so-subtle features that you will find in the OS, including such details as giving a handy class-id listing for common objects under XP. A good "pocket book" for anyone who uses Windows XP on a daily basis.