Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION by Woody Leonhard Author of Windows® XP All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies® with Justin Leonhard Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION by Woody Leonhard Author of Windows® XP All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies® with Justin Leonhard Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ For Dummies ® , 2nd Edition Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2004116452 ISBN: 0-7645-7883-9 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2V/QU/QR/QV/IN About the Authors Woody Leonhard: Curmudgeon, critic, and perennial “Windows Victim,” Woody Leonhard runs a fiercely independent Web site devoted to delivering the truth about Windows and Office, whether Microsoft likes it or not. With up-to-the-nanosecond news, observations, tips and help, AskWoody.com has become the premiere source of unbiased information for people who actually use the products. In the past decade, Woody has written more than two dozen books, drawing an unprece- dented six Computer Press Association awards and two American Business Press awards. Woody was one of the first Microsoft Consulting Partners and is a charter member of the Microsoft Solutions Provider organization. He’s widely quoted — and reviled — on the Redmond campus. Justin Leonhard: Lives with his dad in Phuket, Thailand. Justin contributed to Windows XP All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies. He frequently helps Woody with various writ- ing projects and keeps the office network going. Justin is an accomplished scuba diver, budding novelist, and the best video game player for miles. He was admitted to Mensa International at the age of 14. Dedication To Duangkhae Tongthueng (better known as “Add”), a truly amazing lady, who has helped me in so many ways. Author’s Acknowledgments I would like to thank Phakdee Noosri, my researcher (better known as “Lek”), Web mas- ter, and assistant extraordinaire. Lek was born in Nakhorn Si Thammarat, in southern Thailand. He recently graduated with a degree in Computer Science at Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus. Lek is an avid photographer, camper, and swimmer. You can frequently find him swimming around Lampsing Beach — one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You can see his handiwork at AskWoody.com. I would also like to thank my wondrous agents, Claudette Moore and Debbie McKenna; Becky Huehls, who got all the hard work, including the nail-biting task of ensuring this book made it out on time; Steven Hayes, who approached me with a fascinating idea that ultimately turned into the first edition of this book; Rebecca Senninger for yeoman’s work on the editing, and all the composition services people who have done an out- standing job with the unique layout that makes this book so easy to use. Thanks, folks. Composition Services Senior Project Coordinator: Nancee Reeves Layout and Graphics: Amanda Carter, Lauren Goddard, Denny Hager, Stephanie D. Jumper, Melanee Prendergast, Jacque Roth, Heather Ryan Proofreaders: Leeann Harney, Joe Niesen, Carl William Pierce, Christine Pingleton Indexer: Rebecca R. Plunkett Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development Project Editor: Rebecca Huehls Senior Acquisitions Editor: Steve Hayes Copy Editor: Rebecca Senninger Technical Editor: Lee Musick Editorial Manager: Leah P. Cameron Media Development Manager: Laura VanWinkle Media Development Supervisor: Richard Graves Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth Cartoons: Rich Tennant ( www.the5thwave.com) Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online regis- tration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director Publishing for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services Contents at a Glance Introduction 1 Part I: No-Bull Installation and Setup 7 Technique 1: Getting the Latest Version of Windows 9 Technique 2: Running the Activation Gauntlet 25 Technique 3: Retrieving Your Product Key 31 Technique 4: Installing a Legal Copy of Windows XP over a Bootleg 36 Part II: Making Windows Lean and Clean 41 Technique 5: Making Windows Work Faster 43 Technique 6: Shut Down, Restart, and Switch Users Quickly 57 Technique 7: Saving Time (And Your Eyes) On-Screen 61 Technique 8: Stopping a Thief with Your Welcome Screen 72 Technique 9: Rapid Power Passwords 80 Technique 10: Windows Power Management 89 Technique 11: Keeping Programs from Starting Automatically 94 Technique 12: Removing and Reinstalling Programs 102 Part III: Convincing Windows to Work Your Way 111 Technique 13: Streamlining the Start Menu 113 Technique 14: Building a Power Desktop 126 Technique 15: Tricking Out the Taskbar 140 Technique 16: Launching Your Most-Used Programs Quickly 147 Technique 17: Making Programs Run Your Way 153 Technique 18: Using Built-In Keyboard Shortcuts 158 Technique 19: Making Your Own Keyboard Shortcuts 163 Technique 20: Exploring Effectively 175 Technique 21: Finding the Files You Want Fast 189 Technique 22: Listing Files Quickly 199 Part IV: Making the Most of Internet and E-Mail 209 Technique 23: Customizing Internet Explorer 211 Technique 24: Saving Time with Google 229 Technique 25: Locating and Sharing Files on the Internet 239 Technique 26: Keeping Messenger in Line 246 Technique 27: Polyglot IMing with Trillian 254 Technique 28: Streamlining Outlook Express 258 Technique 29: Zapping Junk Mail 268 Technique 30: Protecting Your Kids 277 Part V: Optimizing Your Musical Entertainment 281 Technique 31: Using Windows Media Player 283 Technique 32: No-Nonsense Music Gathering 289 Technique 33: Buying Music on the Web 296 Technique 34: Tuning In the Radio 299 Technique 35: Creating Your Own Music CDs 302 Technique 36: Transferring Music to MP3 Players 306 Part IX: Keeping Your PC Alive 433 Technique 55: Updating Windows on Your Own Terms 435 Technique 56: Running Disk Chores While You Sleep 442 Technique 57: Keeping Your Hard Drive in Shape 451 Technique 58: Updating Drivers Safely 458 Technique 59: Running Periodic Maintenance 466 Technique 60: Making Backups — Fast 473 Technique 61: Requesting Remote Assistance 482 Technique 62: Getting Help Fast 487 Part X: Fast (Nearly Painless) Disaster Recovery 493 Technique 63: Getting Your PC to Boot When It Doesn’t Want To 495 Technique 64: Restoring Your System after Calamitous Change 505 Technique 65: Recovering a Lost Password 510 Technique 66: Surviving the Blue Screen of Death 516 Technique 67: Creating a Startup Disk 521 Part XI: The Scary (Or Fun!) Stuff 527 Technique 68: Changing the Registry without Getting Burned 529 Technique 69: Updating Windows’ Registered Owner 536 Technique 70: Speeding Up Scanning for Squishable Files 539 Technique 71: Using Program Compatibility Modes 542 Technique 72: Fast, Easy, and Safe Online Shopping 547 Index 555 Part VI: Having Fun and Saving Time with Visual Media 309 Technique 37: Taking Snapshots with a Webcam 311 Technique 38: Recording Video with a Webcam 315 Technique 39: Editing Your Home Movies 319 Technique 40: Managing Pictures from a Digital Camera 326 Technique 41: Doing More with Your Pics 333 Technique 42: Decreasing Picture Download Times 341 Technique 43: Printing and Posting Pictures 345 Technique 44: Using a Scanner Effectively 350 Part VII: Ensuring Peak Network Performance 355 Technique 45: Installing a Small Network 357 Technique 46: Securing Your Wireless Network 367 Technique 47: Adding and Configuring a New User 371 Technique 48: Sharing Drives and Folders 383 Part VIII: Fast Security Techniques 391 Technique 49: Protecting Your PC from Viruses While You Sleep 393 Technique 50: Plugging and Unplugging Windows Firewall 401 Technique 51: Building a Better Firewall 409 Technique 52: Zapping Scumware 417 Technique 53: Canning Adware and Obnoxious Cookies 420 Technique 54: Checking Your Security Perimeter 428 [...]... Quickly 17 TABLE 1-1 : ACCEPTABLE WINDOWS XP IN-PLACE UPGRADE PATHS Upgrading From Windows XP Home Windows XP Professional Other Info Windows 3.x, 95, NT 3.x No No You can use your old Windows 95 disk to verify installation if you’re willing to reformat your drive Windows 98 Yes Yes Generally regarded as the most difficult upgrade path; lots of potential for problems with older hardware Windows 98 Second... to be run before you install SP2 4 11 8 Run the update Stick the CD in the drive and follow the instructions on-screen Or double-click the Windows XP- KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe file and run it Or, choose Start➪All Programs Windows Update, and wade through a zillion questions to get SP2 Express Update going 9 When the installer finishes, restart your computer SP2 immediately asks for security information,... to the old-fashioned notion that PCs are supposed to save time, not waste it by the bushelful? What can average people do to make Windows work for them, not against them? That’s where this book comes in This book isn’t limited to dry “click this, press that” tips: Windows XP Timesaving Techniques For Dummies goes outside the traditional computer box to solve real-world problems that Windows XP users... folks who just said “No” to the original Windows XP may be convinced to part with their hard-earned clams to upgrade their current machines to the “reloaded” Windows XP SP2 If you’re struggling with the question of whether to get Windows XP Home or part with the extra hundred bucks and go straight for Windows XP Professional, the first part of this technique pays for the book several times over — and... Windows XP Timesaving Techniques For Dummies concentrates on highpayoff techniques that save you time These techniques make Windows work faster, more reliably, and more like the way you work, day in and day out Use these techniques to spend less time spluttering and futzing with your machine 2 Introduction Foolish Assumptions I assume that you know how to use a computer and you can navigate Windows XP. .. look at Technique 50 for detailed information on poking through Windows Firewall With a bit of luck, you’ll have Service Pack 2 up and running in no time Choosing Between XP Home and XP Professional Everybody knows that Windows XP Professional is “better” than Windows XP Home, right? That’s why XP Professional costs a hundred bucks more But the simple fact is that most individual Windows users (that... that novel you’ve been writing for the last ten years Your system can survive for a few minutes while you upgrade 5 Insert the upgrade CD (see Figure 1-6 ) and click Install Windows XP In addition to the permitted in-place upgrades I list in Table 1-1 , Microsoft has a specially priced “stepup” pack if you decide to move from XP Home to XP Professional To perform an in-place upgrade, follow these steps:... PC Windows XP talks directly to the BIOS If you aren’t running the latest version of the BIOS, don’t attempt to upgrade to Windows XP I’ve seen more fatal Windows XP upgrade problems that could be attributed to problems with an outdated BIOS than all other problems combined • Figure 1-6 : This way to install Windows XP 6 Follow the instructions on-screen When the installer asks if you want to perform... exceptions — some techniques apply only to Windows XP Home Edition or only Windows XP Professional Edition When a given technique only applies to a specific version of Windows XP, I’ll be sure to give you some advanced warning But you should be aware of the fact that a great schism is lurking here Some people think that there’s a big difference between Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional... install of Windows XP — all you need to do is insert an old Windows CD (Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Me, NT 4, or 2000) for a moment at one specific point early in the installation process There’s no check to see if the old version of Windows is registered properly — on this or any other machine All the upgrade requires is that old CD Microsoft says that Windows 95 does not qualify for an upgrade to Windows XP, . Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION by Woody Leonhard Author of Windows XP All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies with Justin Leonhard Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND. Leonhard Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION by Woody Leonhard Author of Windows XP All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies with Justin Leonhard Windows ® XP Timesaving Techniques ™ For Dummies ® ,. grips with it. Not an easy task, eh? Windows XP Timesaving Techniques For Dummies concentrates on high- payoff techniques that save you time. These techniques make Windows work faster, more reliably,