Windows XP Cookbook

By Robbie Allen, Preston Gralla
August 2005
Pages: 678
Series: Cookbooks
ISBN 10: 0-596-00725-6 | ISBN 13: 9780596007256
(5) (Average of 1 Customer Reviews)

Description

Designed for all levels of IT professionals and power users, this handy reference guide provides practical solutions for the most common Windows XP tasks. These step-by-step recipes allow you to install, manage, and support your operating system with ease. Also covers Microsoft's XP Service Pack 2.
Full Description

Each year, Windows XP is pre-installed on 30 million PCs sold in the U.S.--and 90 million worldwide--making it the world's most popular operating system, and proving to frustrated users everywhere that preponderance does not equate to ease of use. There are literally thousands of programs, tools, commands, screens, scripts, buttons, tabs, applets, menus, and settings contained within Windows XP. And it has only been in the last couple of years that Microsoft's documentation has actually been more of a help than a hindrance. But it still isn't enough.

Windows XP users and administrators need a quick and easy way to find answers. Plenty of books go into detail about the theory behind a particular technology or application, but few go straight to the essentials for getting the job done. Windows XP Cookbook does just that, tackling the most common tasks needed to install, manage, and support Windows XP.

Featuring a new twist to O'Reilly's proven Cookbook formula, this problem-solving guide offers multiple solutions for each of its 300-plus recipes. Solve dilemmas with the graphical user interface, the command line, through the Registry, or by using scripts. Each step-by-step recipe includes a discussion that explains how and why it works. The book is also among the first to cover Microsoft's XP Service Pack 2. With these practical, on-the-job solutions, Windows XP Cookbook will save you hours of time searching for answers.

Windows XP Cookbook will be useful to anyone that has to use, deploy, administer, or automate Windows XP. But this isn't a typical end-user book; it covers the spectrum of topics involved with running Windows XP in both small and large environments. As a result, IT professionals and system administrators will find it a great day-to-day reference. And power users will find Windows XP Cookbook a great source for information on tweaking XP and getting the most out of their systems. The bottom line is that Windows XP Cookbook will make just about anyone who uses XP more productive.

Featured customer reviews

Great Book, January 12 2006

Rating:

Submitted by Carlos F. P. Rocha [Respond | View]

Reviewed by Carlos F. P. Rocha,
Microsoft Users Group – Rio Grande do Sul – MUG-RS.

When I started reading the book I felt like, gee its not a good book because its too basic. What a mistake! Its an amazing book because its good for beginners, medium and advanced users as it brings up example from real world and takes an approach to help any range of users. You just need to jump what ever you already know and certainly you will find new things or even a new way to do what you already know how to solve.

It’s a must read for professor and students and a must have for IT pros. I recommend this one and give it 5 stars in our rank that ranges from no stars to 5 stars.

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Media reviews
"Windows XP Cookbook is packed with solutions, outlining common user problems and even including scripts where necessary to fix 'em."
-- Diane Donovan, Donovan's Bookshelf

"There's a very nice mix of admin and desktop recipes, enough that both groups can feel like they've gotten their money's worth even if they don't cross over between the two. Just during my initial review, I finally found how to set the properties on a particular feature that I used in Windows 2000 but that eluded me in Windows XP. That definitely gained my attention and trust in short order...I have a sneaking suspicion that this book and I are going to become close friends over time."
-- Thomas Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings

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"Windows XP Cookbook is packed with solutions, outlining common user problems and even including scripts where necessary to fix 'em."
--Diane Donovan, Donovan's Bookshelf