The Windows XP/2000 Answer Book: A Complete Resource from the Desktop to the Enterprise (Paperback)

by John Savill (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Completely revised and updated, best-selling Windows faq book. The presentation and format appeal to system administrators at all levels of experience. Softcover.

From the Back Cover

An invaluable resource for Windows system administrators, small business managers, and home users, The Windows XP/2000 Answer Book answers more than one thousand of the most frequently asked questions about the newest and most powerful versions of the Windows operating system. It provides solutions to real-world Windows system administration problems and shows users of all levels how to take full advantage of their Windows systems.

The Windows XP/2000 Answer Book is based in part on the author’s highly acclaimed Windows 2000/XP/.Organized for easy access, the questions range from basic queries about installation and core functions to the operating system’s most sophisticated capabilities, such as customization, domain concepts, Active Directory, Internet support, and security. Each stand-alone entry begins with an overview of the technology and includes clear explanations, step-by-step instructions, and examples of effective use.

You will find answers to such questions as:

What hardware is needed to run Windows 2000?

What is the difference between Windows XP Professional Edition and XP Home Edition?

What Windows backup options are available?

How can I manage services remotely?

What are the differences between the NT 4.0 and 2000 domains?

Which naming conventions does Active Directory use for objects?

How do I configure a domain on a DNS server?

How do I create a DHCP Relay Agent?

How do I perform Scandisk in Windows XP and Windows 2000?

How can I stop a Windows 2000 upgrade from overwriting special security settings?

How do I speed up server response?

How do I create a queue to a network printer?

What is the Windows Media XP bonus pack?

How can I create a RAS connection script?

Whether you are searching for the answer to a specific question, or just browsing to gain insight and practical techniques, the wealth of information in The Windows XP/2000 Answer Book will enable you to install your system properly, configure it to serve your organization’s needs, and keep it running smoothly.

0321113578B09122002

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1360 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 2nd edition (October 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321113578
• ISBN-13: 978-0321113573
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,397,961 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authoritative and Comprehensive, October 28, 2002

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Finally, Microsoft has merged Windows 9x and the NT series into something called XP. Took long enough, eh? From their standpoint, this greatly simplifies their development, instead of having to maintain two huge codebases. But sysadmins will still have problems. Always! So this book arose out of a website run by the author, windows2000faq.com. The website is tremendously successful, garnering over a million hits a month, and widely recognised, including by Microsoft, as having authoritative answers. The latter is crucial. If you are going to be doing delicate and perhaps irrevocable things to your computer, you want some reassurance that the suggestions you are following are credible. (Which is why some sysadmins prefer only manuals from the manufacturer.)

The book instantiates over 1000 tasks faced by sysadmins of MS Windows 2000 and XP. These are tasks of all levels of complexity.

The book has three great virtues. First, of course, is its comprehensiveness. The sheer sweep of the tasks is staggering, from the trivial "What is the history of NT?" to the "How do I perform an unattended installation?" (slacker) to the "How do I recover a lost Administrator password?" (naughty naughty). Naturally, you will never need to ask the latter!

The second virtue is that you have random access to the tasks. Wait a minute, you might say. "Of course I have random access. I can turn to any page I want. It's a book, isn't it?" Yes. But it is not a textbook. You do not need to read the earlier pages to understand a task. Crucial if you need an emergency fix NOW.

Its final virtue is the contents pages. The tasks are grouped into 38 chapters, for that number of broad topic clusters. Within each, the tasks are listed as questions. How do I do such-and-such? Gets to the point. You can quickly find your fix.

Part of the reason for the heft of this 1275 page book is that the author has been generous in providing screen captures of appropriate windows. Not, I hasten to add, merely to beef up the book. If you have done any sysadmin duties, you will know the value of a good screen capture of what you should be seeing or doing.

The toughest question about this book is "Why buy it?" It is derived from the author's website. So why can't you just go there? Of course you can. But what if your computer won't reboot, and no nearby computer has net access? What if your crashed computer was the gateway? (You're in deep doo-doo now.) Or maybe you only have one computer (it's your one and only home computer). Even a tyro sysadmin soon learns that it is good to have hardcopy manuals within reach. Consider making this one of those manuals.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any Windows system administrator or network manag, October 29, 2002

By	Ryan Tunstall (London) - See all my reviews

I have been a huge fan of NTFAQ since NT3.51 / 4.0, as it has always provided rich source information that enables you to distinguish from being just a professional to being an expert. This book is of no exception. By the title I was sceptical that one book should attempt to cover both XP and Win2k, but the title does not do the content justice. It is also goes much further with easy reference answers relating to Active Directory as well as supplying you with the expert tips Microsoft don't tell you. This book is a must for anyone administering, managing, or deploying Windows 2000 or XP.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, January 15, 2003

By	"lampkind" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This book is excellent! This is probably one of the best XP books I've read. Very to the point, no fluff. This is very easy to read and is a great reference and how-to book. It covers everything I've needed since I got it and I use it almost daily now to look up how to do something. I also like to just go through several sections just to learn something new (or refresh my memory on things I don't do often. I would recommend this book for about anyone at about any level, it's a great reference to have around.

I don't have 2000, but everything for XP has been very accurate...