Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Master Visually Windows XP, Service Pack 2 Edition

"One picture is worth a thousand words." If you prefer instructions that show you how rather than tell you why, then this intermediate to advanced level reference is for you. Hundreds of succinctly captioned, step-by-step screen shots reveal how to accomplish more than 170 Windows XP tasks, including:
* Installing the Service Pack 2 upgrade
* Disabling automatic updates
* Using speech recognition or text-to-speech
* Configuring the Security Center
* Securing Outlook(r) and Outlook Express
* Working with Windows(r) Media Player 10
* Managing multiple users

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Part I Installation, Configuration, and Customization
• 1 Preparing for Installation
• Differences between Home and Professional Editions (p. 4)
• Collect System Information (p. 6)
• Use the Upgrade Compatibility Wizard (p. 8)
• Transfer Files and Settings (p. 12)
• Restore Files and Settings (p. 16)
• 2 Installing Windows XP
• Introduction to Installation Types (p. 18)
• Install Windows XP: New Installation (p. 20)
• Install Windows XP: Upgrade Installation (p. 30)
• Install Windows XP: Dual-Boot (Side-by-Side) Installation (p. 34)
• Install Windows XP: Service-Pack-Only Installation (p. 36)
• Install Windows XP: Network Installation (p. 40)
• Automate the Installation Process (p. 42)
• Remove or Uninstall Windows XP (p. 48)
• Install the Recovery Console (p. 50)
• Use the Recovery Console (p. 52)
• Launch and Use Safe Mode (p. 54)
• 3 Customizing and Updating Windows XP
• Customize Windows Startup with MSCONFIG (p. 56)
• Configure Automatic Updates (p. 58)
• Add, Remove, and Change Windows Components (p. 60)
• Configure PowerToys for Windows XP (p. 62)
• Configure Application Compatibility (p. 64)
• Part II Managing the Desktop Environment
• 4 Using the Windows XP Interface
• Get to Know the Windows XP Desktop (p. 70)
• Get to Know the Windows XP Start Menu (p. 71)
• Find Help on a Topic (p. 72)
• Fix a Problem with Troubleshooters (p. 74)
• Get Support Online from Microsoft (p. 76)
• Search the Microsoft Support Knowledge Base (p. 80)
• Adjust Mouse Controls (p. 84)
• Disable (or Enable) Touchpads (p. 86)
• Save Time with the Right Mouse Button (p. 88)
• Make Use of Speech Recognition (p. 90)
• Make Use of Text to Speech (p. 92)
• Activate Accessibility Features (p. 94)
• Launch Programs with the Run Command (p. 96)
• 5 Customizing the Desktop
• Change Display Settings (p. 98)
• Change to 640x480 256-Color Mode (p. 100)
• Choose Windows Themes (p. 102)
• Switch to Large Windows Fonts and Icons (p. 104)
• Change the Look of Windows and Menus (p. 106)
• Clean Up the Desktop (p. 108)
• Select a Screen Saver (p. 110)
• Change Items on the Start Menu (p. 112)
• Hide or Show Notifications on the Taskbar (p. 116)
• Enable and Add Items to Quick Launch (p. 118)
• Create Your Own Toolbar (p. 120)
• 6 Managing Users
• Add a User Account (p. 122)
• Modify User Accounts (p. 124)
• Change Group Membership (p. 128)
• Create a Password Reset Disk (p. 132)
• Configure Fast User Switching (p. 134)
• Launch the Run As Command (p. 136)
• Edit Group Policies (p. 138)
• Configure Roaming Group Policies (p. 140)
• 7 Managing Files and Folders
• Change Folder Views (p. 142)
• Customize Folder Details (p. 144)
• Change File Associations (p. 146)
• Add Files and Folders to the Start Menu (p. 148)
• Customize Folder Properties (p. 150)
• Configure Simple File Sharing (p. 152)
• Share a Folder Using Simple File Sharing (p. 158)
• Configure NTFS File Sharing (p. 160)
• Create Compressed Folders (p. 162)
• Encrypt a Folder (p. 164)
• 8 Managing Security
• Check Security at the Security Center (p. 166)
• Manage Windows Firewall (p. 168)
• Manage and Monitor Antivirus Software (p. 170)
• Add a Logon Warning (p. 174)
• Install and Manage Digital Certificates (p. 178)
• Secure Outlook and Outlook Express (p. 182)
• Secure Internet Explorer (p. 184)
• Install .NET Passport (p. 188)
• 9 Mastering Multimedia with XP
• Work with Windows Media Player 10 (p. 192)
• Install and Remove Codecs for Media Player 10 (p. 194)
• Rip Music with Windows Media Player 10 (p. 196)
• Create Playlists (p. 198)
• Burn CDs (p. 200)
• Play DVDs (p. 202)
• Synchronize with Portable Devices (p. 204)
• Work with Scanners (p. 206)
• Work with a Digital Camera (p. 208)
• Work with a Digital Video Camera (p. 210)
• Work with Windows Movie Maker 2 (p. 212)
• Part III Networking with Windows XP
• 10 Networking and the Internet
• Configure LAN Connections (p. 218)
• Configure Broadband Connections (p. 222)
• Configure Dial-Up Connections (p. 226)
• Configure Internet Connection Sharing (p. 230)
• Manage IPSec (p. 232)
• Configure Wireless Networking (p. 234)
• Modify Internet Explorer's Behavior (p. 236)
• Read Newsgroups with Outlook Express (p. 240)
• 11 Working with Network Services
• Share and Manage Printers (p. 244)
• Configure and Send Faxes (p. 250)
• Troubleshoot Network Errors (p. 254)
• Configure Remote Desktop (p. 258)
• Configure Remote Assistance (p. 260)
• Configure for Novell Networks (p. 262)
• Install Services for Unix (p. 264)
• 12 Working with IIS Components
• Install and Configure Web Server (p. 266)
• Install and Configure an FTP Server (p. 272)
• Install and Configure SMTP Virtual Server (p. 276)
• Install and Configure Remote Desktop Web Connection (p. 278)
• Work with FrontPage Server Extensions (p. 282)
• Work with the IIS Snap-In with MMC (p. 286)
• 13 Integrating with Active Directory
• Configure XP for a Domain (p. 290)
• Connect to a Domain (p. 292)
• Disconnect from a Domain (p. 293)
• Search for Users (p. 294)
• Search for Printers (p. 296)
• Redirect the My Documents Folder (p. 298)
• Part IV Managing the Hardware Environment
• 14 Working with Windows Internals
• Display System Information (p. 302)
• Manage Devices (p. 304)
• Manage Tasks (p. 306)
• View Events (p. 308)
• Monitor Performance (p. 310)
• Configure and Control Services (p. 312)
• Schedule Tasks (p. 314)
• Diagnose Memory Problems (p. 318)
• Work with the Command Prompt (p. 319)
• Work with the Resource Kit (p. 320)
• 15 Working with Hard Drives
• Improve System Performance (p. 328)
• Create New Partitions (p. 330)
• Create Dynamic Disks (p. 334)
• Create RAID Disks (p. 336)
• Set Disk Quotas (p. 340)
• Back Up and Restore Data (p. 342)
• Configure a UPS (p. 348)
• 16 Managing Portable Computers
• Use Hardware Profiles (p. 350)
• Work with Wireless Networks (p. 354)
• Install and Use ClearType (p. 358)
• Configure Power Management (p. 360)
• Configure Standby and Hibernation Modes (p. 364)
• Set Up VPN Connections (p. 366)
• Configure Offline File Settings (p. 370)
• 17 Optimizing Performance
• Use Disk Cleanup (p. 372)
• Defragment the Hard Drive (p. 376)
• Set Windows Performance Options (p. 378)
• 18 Troubleshooting Windows XP
• Common Troubleshooting Steps (p. 384)
• Start Windows in Safe Mode (p. 386)
• Restore Windows (p. 388)
• Repair Windows (p. 390)
• Reinstall Windows (p. 392)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

David J. Clark has been working with some form of Windows since the beta version of 1.0 and with Windows XP since the early beta while working at Microsoft. He has been explaining how Windows works to others for just as long, with over 15 years experience as an author, editor, translator, and technical editor of computer books, working at major computer book publishers from 1984 through 1994, and then at Microsoft from 1994 through 2002. He now runs DJC Productions and works as a freelance author and editor living in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two daughters. His clients include John Wiley & Sons and Intel Corporation. He hasn't given up hope on finding time to finish that inevitable novel.

Michael S. Toot is a Seattle-based author and consultant. When he's not writing books, customer case studies, or marketing materials for various software products, he is remodeling his 1908 home, reading, sailing, cleaning up cat hair from his two Maine Coon cats, or exploring the great outdoors of Washington state. You can visit his Web site at www.miketoot.com.