Windows XP for Starters: The Missing Manual

Chapter 2. The Desktop and Start Menu

• Logging In

• The Elements of the XP Desktop

• The Start Menu

• Start → Log Off

• Start → Shut Down (Turn Off Computer)

• Start → All Programs

• Start → Search

• Start → Help and Support

• Start → Control Panel

• Start → My Network Places

• Start → My Computer

• Start → My Music, My Pictures

• Start → My Recent Documents

• Start → My Documents

When you turn on a brand-new Windows XP computer for the first time, you’re treated to a series of blue “Welcome to Microsoft Windows” setup screens. This Setup Wizard guides you through setting up an Internet account, activating your copy of Windows, setting up accounts for all the people who use the computer, and so on. If you’ve been through that process once, read on.

Tip

You don’t have to create accounts for different users, but if you’re interested, you can learn all about the subject in Chapter 12.

Logging In

If your PC isn’t connected to any others and you’re the only one who uses it, life is easy. You arrive at the Windows XP desktop without needing to log in.

Otherwise, what happens when you turn on your PC (or when you complete your first setup) depends on whether your PC is connected to some kind of network. Windows XP behaves a bit differently when the computer is on a big, corporate network than when it’s on a home network. That’s why what you see onscreen when you log in may not match the examples you see in magazines, books, and Web sites.

Workgroups vs. Domains

Although Windows XP works very well for ...