Windows XP for Starters: The Missing Manual

Chapter 10. The Control Panel

• Navigating the Panel

• Accessibility Options

• Add Hardware

• Add or Remove Programs

• Administrative Tools

• Automatic Updates

• Bluetooth Devices

• Date and Time

• Display

• Folder Options

• Fonts

• Game Controllers

• Internet Options

• Keyboard

• Mail

• Mouse

• Network Connections

• Network Setup Wizard

• Phone and Modem Options

• Power Options

• Printers and Faxes

• Regional and Language Options

• Scanners and Cameras

• Scheduled Tasks

• Security Center

• Sounds and Audio Devices

• Speech

• System

• Taskbar and Start Menu

• User Accounts

• Windows Firewall

• Wireless Network Setup Wizard

The control panel is an extremely important window in Windows XP. It’s teeming with miniature applications that govern every conceivable setting for every conceivable component of your computer. Some are so important, you may use them (or their corresponding notification-area controls) every day. Others are so obscure, you’ll wonder what on earth inspired Microsoft to create them. This chapter covers the most useful portions of the Control Panel.

Navigating the Panel

To see your PC’s collection of Control Panel programs, open the Control Panel window by choosing Start → Control Panel. You see nine gigantic icons under the headline, “Pick a category.”

First, click the category heading that you think contains the settings you want to change, such as Appearance and Themes. Now you’ll see a second screen (Figure 10-1, bottom) that lists a few common tasks in that category: “Change the desktop background,” ...