Configuring & troubleshooting MS windows XP

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Everything You Need to Install and Configure Windows XP Professional

• Step-by-Step Instructions for Performing a Network Installation of Windows XP Professional

• Complete Coverage of Upgrading Legacy Systems to Windows XP

• Determine a Complete Security Policy for Windows XP Using Internet Connection Firewall, Encrypting File System, and NTFS

Martin Grasdal Technical Editor

Brian Barber Chad Todd Norris L Johnson, Jr.

Robert Shimonski

WINDOWS XP

Configuring and Troubleshooting

Professional

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Brian Barber Chad Todd Norris L Johnson, Jr.

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Windows XP

P r o f e s s i o n a l Configuring and Troubleshooting

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KEY SERIAL NUMBER

Configuring and Troubleshooting Windows XP Professional

Copyright © 2001 by Syngress Publishing, Inc All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher, with the exception that the program listings may be entered, stored, and executed in a computer system, but they may not be reproduced for publication.

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

ISBN: 1-928994-80-6

Technical Editors: Martin Grasdal Freelance Editorial Manager: Maribeth Corona-Evans and John M Gunson II

Technical Reviewer:Will Schmied Cover Designer: Michael Kavish

Co-Publisher: Richard Kristof Page Layout and Art by: Shannon Tozier

Acquisitions Editor: Catherine B Nolan Copy Editor: Darren Meiss

Developmental Editor: Jonathan Babcock Indexer: Jennifer Coker

Distributed by Publishers Group West in the United States and Jaguar Book Group in Canada.

Acknowledgments

v

We would like to acknowledge the following people for their kindness and support

in making this book possible

Richard Kristof and Duncan Anderson of Global Knowledge, for their generousaccess to the IT industry’s best courses, instructors, and training facilities

Ralph Troupe, Rhonda St John, and the team at Callisma for their invaluable insightinto the challenges of designing, deploying and supporting world-class enterprisenetworks

Karen Cross, Lance Tilford, Meaghan Cunningham, Kim Wylie, Harry Kirchner,Kevin Votel, Kent Anderson, and Frida Yara of Publishers Group West for sharingtheir incredible marketing experience and expertise

Mary Ging, Caroline Hird, Simon Beale, Caroline Wheeler,Victoria Fuller, JonathanBunkell, and Klaus Beran of Harcourt International for making certain that ourvision remains worldwide in scope

Annabel Dent of Harcourt Australia for all her help

David Buckland,Wendi Wong, Daniel Loh, Marie Chieng, Lucy Chong, Leslie Lim,Audrey Gan, and Joseph Chan of Transquest Publishers for the enthusiasm withwhich they receive our books

Kwon Sung June at Acorn Publishing for his support

Ethan Atkin at Cranbury International for his help in expanding the Syngress program

Technical Editors and Contributors

Martin Grasdal(BA, MCSE+I on Windows NT 4.0, MCSE onWindows 2000, MCT, CNE, CNI, CTT, A+) is Director of CramsessionContent at BrainBuzz.com and is a co-founder of Eutechnia Solutions, acomputer consulting and training firm based in Edmonton, Canada.Martin has been an MCT since 1995 and an MCSE since 1996 Histraining and network experience covers a broad range of products,including NetWare, Lotus Notes,Windows NT and 2000, ExchangeServer, IIS, Proxy Server, and ISA Server 2000 Martin was the Technical

Editor for the bestselling Syngress Publishing’s Configuring ISA Server

2000: Building Firewalls for Windows 2000 (ISBN: 1-928994-29-6) by

Thomas and Deb Shinder Martin also works actively as a consultant Hisrecent consulting experience includes contract work for Microsoft as aTechnical Contributor to the MCP Program on projects related to servertechnologies Martin lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wifeCathy and their two sons

John M Gunson II(MCSE, MCT, Master CNE, CCNA) is an structure consultant, trainer, author, and speaker He has worked in theInformation Technology field for nearly 13 years, designing and deployingcomplex solutions utilizing Microsoft, Novell, and Cisco products for cor-porations in the Philadelphia and New York areas John has written and

infra-contributed to several Syngress Publishing titles, including Deploying

Windows 2000 with Support Tools, and PC Maintenance & Repair DVD Kit

(ISBN: 1-928994-41-5) He has also written several articles on Microsoftand Cisco technologies for Windows 2000 Magazine and MicrosoftCertified Professional Magazine John lives in the Philadelphia suburbswith his family and ever growing collection of computer and networkequipment

Contributors

David L Hopper(MCSE, MCP+I, CCNP, NNCSS) is a SeniorNetwork Support Engineer with SBC Datacomm David currently pro-vides multivendor network support to internal network engineers andcontract clients His areas of expertise include Microsoft WindowsNT/2000/XP, Cisco and Nortel routers, Symantec Enterprise Firewall(formerly Raptor Firewall), and general network design, implementation,and optimization David’s background includes positions as a SeniorInfrastructure Engineer with the Anixter Inc networking division, anEnterprise LAN Engineer at Anixter Inc., and a Support Engineer withReeves Data Corporation David resides in Waukegan, IL with his fiancéeValerie

Mark Horninger(A+, MCSE+I, MCSD, MCDBA) is President andfounder of Haverford Consultants Inc (www.haverford-consultants.com),located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA He develops custom applica-tions and system engineering solutions, specializing primarily in Microsoftoperating systems and Microsoft BackOffice products He has over 10years of computer consulting experience and has passed 29 MicrosoftCertified exams During his career, Mark has worked on many extensiveprojects including database development, application development,training, embedded systems development, and Windows NT and 2000project rollout planning and implementations Mark lives with his wifeDebbie and two children in Havertown, PA

Robert J Shimonski(Cisco CCDP, CCNP, Nortel NNCSS, MCSE,MCP+I, Master CNE, CIP, CIBS, CWP, CIW, GSEC, GCIH, Server+,Network+, Inet+, A+) is a Lead Network and Security Engineer forThomson Industries Inc.Thomson Industries is the leading manufacturerand provider of linear motion products and engineering Robert’s special-ties include network infrastructure design with the Cisco and Nortelproduct line, network security design and management with CiscoSecure

and PIX Firewalls, network management and troubleshooting withCiscoWorks and Sniffer-based technologies, systems engineering andadministration with Microsoft NT/2000/XP, UNIX, Linux, Apple, andNovell Netware technologies, and developing a host of Web-based solu-tions for companies securing their market on the Web He has also con-tributed to hundreds of articles, study guides, and certification preparationsoftware for Web sites and organizations worldwide, including

Brainbuzz.com and SANS.Org Robert’s background includes positions as

a Network Architect at Avis Rent A Car and Cendant InformationTechnology Robert holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY, NY and is apart-time Licensed Technical Instructor for Computer Career Center inGarden City, NY teaching Windows-based and Networking Technologies

Brian Barber(MCSE, MCP+I, MCNE, CNE-5, CNE-4, CNA-3,

CNA-GW), co-author of Syngress Publishing’s Configuring Exchange 2000

Server (ISBN: 1-928994-25-3) is a Senior Technology Consultant with

Sierra Systems Consultants Inc in Ottawa, Canada As such, he providestechnical architecture consulting and analysis to public and private sectorclients Brian specializes in technical and network architecture, focusing

on Web-enabled service delivery through directory services and saging His background includes positions as Senior Technical Analyst atMetLife and Senior Technical Coordinator at the LGS Group Inc (now apart of IBM Global Services) He would like to thank his family for all oftheir help, love, and support, and Glen Donegan at Microsoft Canada forproviding the software he needed to set up a test environment

mes-Chad Todd(MCSE, MCT, CNE, CAN, A+, Network+, I-Net+) is aSystems Trainer for Ikon Education Services, a global provider of tech-nology training He currently teaches Windows 2000 and Windows XPcourses In addition to training for Ikon, Chad also provides private con-sulting for small- to medium-sized companies Chad is the author of

Syngress Publishing’s Hack Proofing Windows 2000 Server (ISBN:

1-931836-49-3) Chad first earned his MCSE on Windows NT 4.0 andhas been working with Windows 2000 and Windows XP since their firstbeta releases He was awarded Microsoft Charter Member 2000 for being

one of the first 2000 engineers to attain Windows 2000 MCSE tion Chad would like to thank his wife Sarah for her caring support andencouragement

certifica-Norris L Johnson, Jr.(MCSE, MCT, CTT, A+, Network +) is aTechnology Trainer and owner of a consulting company in the Seattle-Tacoma area His consultancies have included deployments and securityplanning for local firms and public agencies, as well as providing services toother local computer firms in need of problem solving and solutions fortheir clients He specializes in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 issues,providing planning and implementation and integration services In addi-tion to consulting work, Norris trains extensively in the AATP program atHighline Community College’s Federal Way,WA campus, and has taught inthe vocational education arena at Bates Technical College in Tacoma,WA.Norris holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University He isdeeply appreciative of the guidance and support offered by his parents andwife Cindy during the years of transition and education to make the careerchange that has been so wonderful to be involved in

Henk-Evert Sonder(CCNA) has over 15 years of experience as anInformation and Communication Technologies (ICT) professional,building and maintaining ICT infrastructures In recent years, he has spe-cialized in integrating ICT infrastructures with secure business applica-tions Henk’s company, IT Selective, works with small businesses to helpthem develop high-quality, low cost solutions Henk has contributed to

several Syngress Publishing titles, including the E-Mail Virus Protection

Handbook (ISBN: 1-928994-23-7), Designing SQL Server 2000 Databases for NET Enterprise Servers (ISBN: 1-928994-19-9), VB.NET Developer’s Guide (ISBN: 1-928994-48-2), and the forthcoming BizTalk Server 2000 Developer’s Guide for NET (ISBN: 1-928994-40-7) Henk lives in

Hingham, MA with his wife Jude and daughter Lily

John Godfrey (MCSE, MCP+I, CNA) is currently a freelance tant who has a wide range of experience gained from over 12 years in the

consul-IT industry John mainly specializes in Microsoft Technologies providing

Will Schmied(MCSE) is a featured writer on Windows 2000 andWindows XP technologies for CramSession.com He has also authoredseveral works for various Microsoft certification exams.Will provides con-sulting and training on Microsoft products to small- and medium-sizedorganizations in the Hampton Roads,VA area He holds a bachelor’sdegree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Old DominionUniversity and is a member of the American Society of MechanicalEngineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers.Will cur-rently resides in Newport News,VA with his family Allison, Christopher,Austin, Andrea, and Hannah

Technical Reviewer

The Future of Windows 2000 Server:

Introducing the Major Features of Windows XPProfessional 9

Chapter 2 Installing Windows XP Professional 19

Introduction 20Clean Installation of Windows XP Professional 23

Performing an Upgrade to Windows XPProfessional 38

Upgrading from Windows NT/2000 41

Network Installation of Windows XP Professional 47Automating the Windows XP Professional Setup 48

Distribution Point Directory Structure 52Customizing Windows XP Professional Setup 54

Running Sysprep during AutomatedInstallation 81Automating Setup of a Target Computer 81Creating an Answer File Using Setup

Manager 82Running Additional Programs After

Mini-Setup 84Summary 86

Answers to Your

Frequently Asked

Questions

Q:FAT or NTFS? Which

file system should you

choose during the

Chapter 3 Exploring the Windows XP

Overview of the Start Menu and the Taskbar 111

Chapter 4 Managing Windows XP Professional 133

Introduction 134

Exercise 4.1 Creating Local UserAccounts with the Computer

Exercise 4.2 Creating Local UserAccounts by Using the CommandLine 140Exercise 4.3 Deleting Local User

Accounts by Using the CommandLine 141

Accessing the Desktop Settings

You can access the desktop settings several ways:

■ Using the Control Panel

■ Right-Clicking and Selecting from the Pop-Up Menu

■ Via a Command Line

Exercise 4.4 Creating Local UserAccounts with the Control Panel

Exercise 4.5 Joining a Domain 146

Converting a Drive to NTFS via the

you can create, or

the machine creates

by default (usually

ending with a DAT

extension) that

defines your

envi-ronment when

log-ging on The

How to Work with and Troubleshoot

Adjusting the Size of and Saving

Understanding Performance Logs 182

Performance Tuning and Troubleshooting 182Baselining 183The Performance Logs and Alerts

Console 183Creating a New Counter Log 184

Alerts 187

Summary 189

Chapter 5 Working with System Tools 195

Introduction 196Defragmenting Your Hard Disk 196

The Limitations of Disk Defragmenter 199

Controlling Fragmentation of the Pagefile

Transferring Files and Settings betweenComputers 220The Basics of the Files and Settings

Transfer 221Selecting and Transferring the Files

Receiving the Transferable Files andSettings 228

Working with the Task Scheduler 232

Transferring Files and Settings between Computers

The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard allows you

to migrate files and settings from any Windows system to a Windows XP system The advantage of this System tool is not so much in the transfer of files, which can also be achieved by the Backup Utility, but the fact that (nearly) all personal settings can be reinstated

on the Windows XP system, which saves a lot

of time and annoyance.

Managing Scheduled Tasks 239Using the Scheduled Task Wizard 240Changing a Scheduled Task 242

Working with the Backup Tool 253Using the Advanced Mode Backup Utility 256The Backup Utility’s Menu Bar 257Setting the Options in the Backup

Utility 259Using the Welcome Tab Functions 264Using the Backup Tab Function 273Using the Schedule Jobs Tab Function 276Using the Backup or Restore Wizard 277

Using the Restore Wizard (Advanced) 282Using the Restore and Manage Media Tab

Using the Restore Portion of the Backup

Using the Automated System Recovery 286Using the System Restore Tool 287Summary 292

Chapter 6 Windows XP Networking 299

Introduction 300Overview of Networking Technologies 301Open Systems Interconnection Reference

Model 304

Windows XP Networking Architecture 308Configuring Network Interfaces 309

Bridging Network Connections 313

Using the QoS Packet

Scheduler

The QoS Packet Scheduler

is installed by default QoS

has been enhanced in

Windows XP to

automatically optimize

TCP/IP for transmission

across different interfaces

that operate at different

rates This is typically the

situation if you have

turned on Internet

Connection Sharing.

Network Client and Protocol Considerations 316Configuring Microsoft and Novell Clients 317Working with Network Protocols 319

Configuring a RAS Connection 330Tunneling with a VPN Connection 337Sharing Your Internet Connection 341Configuring Internet Connection Sharing 344

Configuring the Internet ConnectionFirewall 348

Microsoft’s Implementation of IEEE802.11 and 802.1x Standards 354Summary 357

Chapter 7 Configuring Internet Technologies 367

Introduction 368Configuring Internet Explorer 6 368What’s New in Internet Explorer 6? 368

Advanced Configuration for the CorporateEnvironment 392

Configuring Internet Explorer 6

You can easily customize Internet Explorer 6 to suit business requirements and individual tastes Microsoft has built-in features that embrace Web standards, guard the user’s privacy, protect the user from malicious sites, and make browsing the Web more convenient and efficient

Configuring Outlook Express 6 394

Summary 411

Chapter 8 Adding New Hardware

Introduction 418Adding New Hardware to Your System 418Using the Add Hardware Wizard 419

Chapter 9 Using the

Introduction 444

Connecting to Other Windows XPMachines 446Connecting to Windows 2000 Terminal

Servers 453Configuring Windows XP for Faxing 454

Windows XP client These

other versions of Windows

Solutions Fast Track 480

Chapter 10 Using the Control Panel 483

Introduction 484Setting Power Management Options 486Windows XP Accessibility Options 493

Startup and Recovery Settings 520

Summary 525

Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions

Q:My machine is compliant When I look

ACPI-at Power Management Options, I do not see

an APM tab Is this OK? How do I configure Advance Power Management?

A:On ACPI-compliant machines, APM is not installed because it is not required ACPI improves upon APM as

a power management standard, and it provides greater control over devices that are subject to power saving measures You can configure power management by using the remaining tabs.

The actual power management that goes

on behind the scenes is executed using the ACPI standard, not the APM standard.

Modifying or Adding Advanced File or Folder Permissions 537Modifying File and Folder Permissions

Inheritance 539

Creating an Encrypted File or Folder 548Decrypting Files or Folders 550

Software Restriction Policies 570

Chapter 12 Using IntelliMirror Technologies 589

Introduction 590

How Group Policies Are Applied 601Troubleshooting Group Policies 601Using Group Policy to Replace System

Policy 603

Software Installation and Maintenance 608Using Group Policy to Install Software 609Changing Software Group Policy

Options 613MSIEXEC.EXE 618Software Installation Properties 619

Offline Files and Synchronization 620

Synchronizing Your Data with the Network 623

Installing Windows XP with RIS 625

Prestaging a Client for RIS Operation 629Summary 631

Chapter 13 Working with Printers 635

It is important to have Active Directory installed and configured properly prior to using IntelliMirror for software deployment and configuration management Be sure to test Active Directory completely before relying

on the IntelliMirror functions.

Configuring Print Drivers for NetworkClients 646Exercise 13.2 Sharing a Local Printer 646Connecting to a Network Printer 649

Exercise 13.3 Mapping to a Shared

The Properties of a Logical Printer 654

Exercise 13.4 Connecting to a Printer

Troubleshooting Printer Problems 665

Exercise 13.5 Redirecting Printers 666

Exercise 13.6 Enabling Printer Auditing 667Summary 671

Chapter 14 Troubleshooting Windows XP 675

Introduction 676

TechNet 677Help and Support Center Page 678

methodology Before you

begin, remember the

Troubleshooting the Logon Process 697Troubleshooting Network/

Troubleshooting System Performance 704

Summary 721

Chapter 15 Best Practice Disaster

Introduction 726Booting in Safe Mode and Last Known Good 726Using System Restore to Create Restore

Points and Recover from Failures 727Creating a Manual Restore Point 728Restoring a Previously Created Restore

Point 729

Installing the Recovery Console 732Running the Recovery Console from CD 734Using Recover Console Commands 734

Recovering Your System with Automated SystemRecovery 746Summary 748

interpreter, which is different from the normal Windows XP cmd.exe command interpreter in that it has a different set

of commands and it allows you to access a Windows XP system that is not booting normally or is otherwise inaccessible

As I write this foreword, the official release of Windows XP is only weeks away.Already,Windows XP is proving to be an extremely popular operating system amongthose fortunate enough to have access to prior beta releases or the Release to

Manufacture (RTM) version Most of the Windows XP users I have talked to areenthusiastic about Windows XP, and I have no doubt future users will be as well.There is already a huge amount of Internet activity, in newsgroups and Web sites,dedicated to the advent of this latest operating system from Microsoft

For many home and corporate users, the replacement of Windows 98 andWindows Me, in particular, with a stable operating system based on a 32-bit NTkernel will likely be welcome news Users who use NT Workstation or Windows

2000 Professional and already experience the benefits of a stable 32-bit NT kernelwill also likely be impressed by the many new and useful features of Windows XPand will be strongly motivated to upgrade

Time will tell what the ultimate success of Windows XP will be However, earlyindications are that its release will be comparable in some of its effects to the release ofWindows 95 Although Windows XP is unlikely to have the large impact on sales ofcomputer hardware that Windows 95 did,Windows XP may prove to be just as pop-ular Many corporate and home consumers will find its features attractive enough towarrant purchasing it, especially if they are running an operating system based on the

Windows 9x code base For those users running products such as Windows 95, 98, or

Me, the better stability of Windows XP is probably sufficient reason alone to upgrade.With XP, the chances that poorly written code will cause the entire system tofail, an event otherwise known as a stop error or “the blue screen of death (BSOD)”,are greatly reduced Stop errors may still occur because of faulty hardware However,software-related stop errors will only occur if the software in question is a poorlywritten device driver (a program that provides the means of allowing the operatingsystem to communicate with a piece of hardware, such as a modem or sound card,

xxvii

Foreword

attached to the computer) A system-wide failure of Windows XP will not occurbecause of a poorly written application, such as a game If the application fails, onlythe application stops, not Windows XP.

This kind of stability has long been available with Windows NT and Windows

2000 However, that stability has come at somewhat of a price: the inability to run as

many programs as the Win 9x code base can As a result, NT Workstation and

Windows 2000 Professional have not been the first choice of many knowledgeablehome computer hobbyists, in particular those who like computer games.That issueshould no longer be a factor in the decision to use Windows XP.Windows XP is able

to a run wide range of legacy applications and to run them, if necessary, in an ronment that emulates that of an earlier operating system, such as Windows 95.Thisfeature, known as the Program Compatibility Mode, ensures that a program specifi-cally written for an earlier operating system will most likely run on Windows XP.Because Windows XP is less prone to stopping and requiring a reboot, there isless chance of file corruption and other related problems occurring that were beyondthe skills of many users to troubleshoot and correct without assistance.Windows XP

envi-is also as easy to set up as Windows 98 or Me For the home user, there are manywizards and simplified interfaces that will make even hitherto advanced configura-tions relatively easy In particular, home users will find that Windows XP offerssuperb functionality for connecting the computer to the Internet and for making theInternet available through Internet Connection Sharing to other computers in thehousehold.Windows XP is also potentially much more secure than the earlier con-sumer operating systems For example,Windows XP includes an Internet ConnectionFirewall, which will go a long way towards helping protect the computer from mali-cious users on the Internet

Home and corporate users will be able to leverage the security and stability ofthe NTFS file system Users and administrators will be able to control access to indi-vidual files and folders based on permission, something not possible with the

Windows 9x operating systems Furthermore, even if the computer stops or is turned

off unexpectedly, NTFS will make it far less likely that files are damaged

Among the other benefits provided by NTFS in Windows XP are the EncryptingFile System (EFS) and compression Users will be better able to secure sensitive files

on their computer by encrypting them with EFS.This is an especially desirable ture for laptop users whose computers may contain sensitive information

fea-Unfortunately, EFS is not available in XP Home, the edition that is targeted for themass consumer market

Corporate administrators will also find that Windows XP offers a number of nificant advantages over other operating systems If the corporate network comprises

sig-computers running the Windows 9x code base, administrators will find many reasons

to advocate upgrading to Windows XP.The most significant reason is probably thereduction in time administrators will spend responding to help desk calls from users,due to the superior stability of Windows XP and its other many improvements.For companies that already use NT Workstation or Windows 2000 Professional astheir desktop standard, the benefits that result from a more stable operating systemshould already be clear In these cases,Windows XP represents an incrementalupgrade and provides fewer reasons for upgrading However, one new feature ofWindows XP will turn many administrators into advocates for Windows XP: theRemote Assistant.With the Remote Assistant feature, administrators will be able totake control of a user’s desktop to correct a problem or to provide a teachingdemonstration to the user.The administrator will be able to do this from his worksta-tion and will not have to be physically present at the user’s workstation

The Remote Assistant uses the same technology as another tool in XP that willhelp productivity: Remote Desktop.With Remote Desktop, which is available on XPPro but not XP Home, users can connect to their computers from a remote computerusing the Remote Desktop Connection client, which was previously called the

Terminal Services client Upon connection, users are able to gain access to a sessionrunning on the remote Windows XP computer.This means that they will be see thedesktop of the remote computer within a window on the local computer and be able

to work within that window as if they were sitting down at the remote computer Auser working from home could connect to her computer on the corporate networkand be able to use it as if she were physically sitting down at it.The bulk of the trafficthat occurs between the two computers would mainly comprise information about thedesktop display on the remote computer, a very small amount of traffic Even over rela-tively slow links, such as 28.8 Kbps dial-up connections, performance is excellent.Help and Support in Windows XP features a completely new design thatimproves greatly on the Help found in prior operating systems.The Help andSupport search engine not only searches its own local files for information, but willalso search the Microsoft Knowledge Base, if the computer has a connection to theInternet.The Help and Support utility, like many of the tools on Windows XP, offers

a lot of configuration options Users can turn off the ability to search the KnowledgeBase, or they can change the focus of the Knowledge Base search on the MicrosoftWeb site to some other category.The Help and Support utility also provides usefultips and advice in a “Did You Know?” section of the interface.The headlines in the

“Did You Know?” section are refreshed with content from the Web whenever userslaunch the utility.This ensures that up-to-date and relevant information, such as secu-rity bulletins, is displayed here.

These are only a limited sample of some of the new and desirable features ofWindows XP that will help to drive its popularity.There are many other features ofWindows XP that administrators and users alike will find desirable and useful

Windows XP, for all its ease of configuration and use, is a large and complex product

To provide expert support for it and to make the most of it in the corporate orhome environment requires significant knowledge

In creating this book on Windows XP, we were always mindful of the need forthe content of the book to provide an accurate reflection of the depth and com-plexity of the product itself.That is why this book is relatively large Given the sizeand complexity of the product and the enormous number of useful features included

in it, the book has to provide a lot of information to do justice to the product itself.This book contains 15 chapters that together provide comprehensive information

on Windows XP Chapter 1 establishes the foundation for the book and provides anintroduction to the new Windows XP and NET family of products from Microsoft.This chapter provides the larger overall context in which we can see where Windows

XP is positioned and how it fits into the strategic goals of the next generation ofMicrosoft operating systems.The chapter also provides a discussion of the notablenew features that set it apart from Microsoft’s prior operating systems

Chapter 2 provides information on the various methods for installing Windows XP.Here, you will find information on how to install Windows XP from a CD or from thenetwork.You will also find information on how to use Setup Manager and how toperform scripted, unattended installations of the product.We also discuss installingWindows XP using Remote Installation Services (RIS), but we place this discussion inChapter 12, where we provide information on other IntelliMirror technologies

The user interface of Windows XP has undergone significant changes from priorversions of Windows Chapter 3 guides you through the complexities of using boththe Windows XP and the Classic interface view.You will find advice and instructionfor configuring the interface so that you can use it productively, whatever your par-ticular needs may be.You will find information on configuring the desktop, Startmenu, and taskbar In Windows XP, Control Panel now provides two different views:the Category and Classic views.This chapter will show you how to configure

Control Panel for your preferred view

We next look at managing Windows XP in Chapter 4.This chapter covers awide range of topics that are central to the management of Windows XP.These

topics include creating Users and Groups, sharing folders, managing devices andstorage, in addition to using tools such as Event Viewer and Trace and PerformanceLogs.You will learn, for example, how to create Alerts to notify you when the com-puter encounters some critical event that you define, such as running out of diskspace or excessive CPU use.You will also find an explanation of the differencesbetween file systems such as NTFS and FAT32, as well as explanations of Basic Disksand Dynamic Volumes.

System tools that will assist you in the maintenance of Windows XP are the ject of Chapter 5 If you haven’t looked at the System Tools in Windows XP, you will

sub-be pleasantly surprised by the new additions and the functionality of these tools Forexample, you will find the new Disk Cleanup and System Restore tools in addition

to the tools you would normally expect to see, such as the Backup,Task Scheduler,and Disk Defragmenter utility.You will find thorough information on the use ofthese tools

Chapter 6 provides a comprehensive examination of networking in Windows XP.Because this book is intended for both new and experienced users and administra-tors, you will find a summary explanation of the basic concepts of computer net-working After this introduction to networking, the chapter takes you through thedetails of configuring TCP/IP, IPS/SPX (NWLink), RAS and Virtual PrivateNetwork (VPN) connections.We also look at how to configure Bridging, InternetConnection Sharing (ICS), and the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) Chapter Sixalso provides information on the new Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) standard,which is more a networking standard than a hardware standard, in spite of its name.The chapter ends with a discussion of the new features for wireless networking inWindows XP

Internet Explorer is no longer integrated with the operating system to the same

extent it was in Windows 9x or Windows 2000 However, because Internet Explorer

6.0 introduces a number of new and useful features and because it will be thebrowser of choice for the majority of users, this book would not be completewithout a separate chapter that provides in-depth information on IE 6.0, along withOutlook Express One of the exciting new features of IE 6 that we examine inChapter 7 is the privacy settings that allow you to control whether your computerwill receive cookies, based on whether the Web site has a machine-readable privacypolicy.This is very recent and emerging technology, and we have striven to provideyou with the latest information on it Of course, you will also find lots of goodinformation for configuring the familiar features of Internet Explorer and OutlookExpress for both the home and corporate environment

Windows 95 introduced the world to a Plug and Play operating system and wasrevolutionary in providing consumers with an easy way to add hardware devices totheir computers, hence the enormous boom in computer peripheral devices in recentyears However, compared to the Plug and Play capability of Windows XP, that firstattempt at Plug and Play in Windows 95 seems crude.Windows XP will put to restthe tired and clichéd joke of “Plug and Pray.” Plug and Play in Windows XP is muchmore reliable than in previous operating systems.That said, you will still have toknow how Plug and Play works and how to add and remove hardware devices to thecomputer running Windows XP.

Chapter 8 covers the topic of adding new and legacy hardware.The primary toolfor this is the Add Hardware Wizard, which makes it possible for novice and experi-enced users alike to install and configure hardware with relative ease Chapter 8 alsocovers installing new software through the use of the Add And Remove Programstool Additionally, the chapter provides information on the use of Windows Installerfor managing the installation and removal of programs on your computer.Togetherthe tools for hardware and software addition and removal provides mechanisms thatenable Windows XP to repair itself to some degree and to eliminate much of thefrustration associated with troubleshooting and correcting failed software or hardwarecomponents

Windows XP provides a wide range of tools to enable communication withother people and computers Included among these tools is the new Remote

Desktop tool, which enables you to view the desktop on your Windows XP puter from another, remote computer Chapter 9 begins with coverage of this tooland then explores other tools that you can use for communication.These toolsinclude HyperTerminal and NetMeeting, which appears to be headed for replace-ment by Windows Messenger.The chapter also provides detailed information onconfiguring Windows XP for faxing and configuring connections to the Internet.Power management on Windows XP has been improved and offers better func-tionality and greater configurability than prior operating systems Chapter 10 dis-cusses the power management features that will allow you to minimize the poweryou consume on both your laptop and desktop computer

com-Making computers easier to use for persons with disabilities has been one of

Microsoft’s laudable goals for some time now.You will find a great deal of information

in Chapter 10 regarding the accessibility features Microsoft has built into Windows XP,

which again improves on the accessibility features of Windows 9x and 2000.

Windows XP is designed to be used in many geographic locales Chapter 10 alsoincludes an in-depth look at the available regional and languages settings

Chapter 10 ends with a thorough examination of the System Properties, one ofthe most important interfaces in Windows XP.Through System Properties, you canconfigure settings for Automatic Updates, System Restore settings, performance,login, user profiles, remote desktop, and others.

Security is an important concern for anyone who uses computers.Windows XPhas many features that, if properly configured, will go a long way towards making yoursystem more secure For example, one of the new features that Windows XP provides isthe Internet Connection Firewall (ICF).With ICF, you can block any unsolicited trafficfrom the Internet If you have ICF enabled and configured with the most restrictivesettings, your computer will be invisible to other computers on the Internet (unless youinitiate the traffic to a remote host by, for example, using your browser) and will dropany traffic, including pings, from any host.This is an especially useful feature if you areconnected to the Internet with a permanent connection

ICF is only one feature of Windows XP that can enhance the security of yoursystem.There are many others, such as Encrypting File System and NTFS Chapter

11 examines these features and also provides information and advice on configuringfile security, account security, network security, and other security-related topics

If you are using Windows XP Pro, as opposed to Windows XP Home, you cantake advantage of the IntelliMirror technologies that Microsoft has developed for use

in Windows IntelliMirror technologies, of which Group Policy is a core element,allow you to control and manage all aspects of the Windows 2000 or Windows XPdesktop environments.These include Registry settings, software installation, logonand logoff scripts, and so on For example, with IntelliMirror you can control theautomatic installation (or deinstallation) of software through Group Policy settings.Chapter 12 provides information on this topic, Group Policy, Resultant Set of Policy(RSOP), Remote Installation Services (RIS), and other topics related to the use ofIntelliMirror

Chapter 13 looks at printing from beginning to end, from installing a printer toconfiguring auditing for it

In spite of the improvements in Windows XP over other operating systems andadvances in computer hardware and computer hardware standards, users and adminis-trator will still need to troubleshoot problems that may arise from any number ofcauses.Windows XP includes a large number of useful tools to help you troubleshootproblems that you may experience One such tool is the new Network Diagnosticstool, which provides a very detailed report on the status of your network connectionand system Chapter 14 shows you how to locate and use the many tools that willprove invaluable for troubleshooting.You will also find a detailed explanation of

Remote Assistance, which will prove to be a boon for many administrators and helpdesk personnel Chapter 14 also includes some solid advice on how to approachtroubleshooting to help ensure success.

Finally, Chapter 15 looks at best practices for disaster recovery and prevention.Windows XP includes an impressive array of new improvements that will help toensure you can recover your system in the case of a serious failure.You will finddetailed information on Automatic System Recovery (ASR), the Recovery Console,the System Restore utility, and the Backup and Restore utility.The chapter discusseswhen it is appropriate to use a particular disaster recovery method

Working on this book has been a pleasure.When I first saw Windows XP in theearly beta versions, I was astonished by the number of additions and improvementsthat Microsoft had incorporated into it.Windows XP is the most feature-rich anduseful desktop operating system yet Because Windows XP includes so many new anduseful features, the prospect of mastering it may appear daunting However, manyusers will find that using Windows XP will make using a computer more enjoyable,and that mastering XP is more a matter of play, rather than work.To put it simply:

XP rocks I found both myself and the other contributors with whom I worked onthis book sharing a common enthusiasm for the product It is our hope that we alsocommunicate this enthusiasm to you, and that you will find this book both informa-tive and enjoyable

—Martin Grasdal,Technical Editor and Contributor MCSE + I on Windows NT 4.0, MCSE on Windows 2000, MCT, CNE, CNI, CTT, A+ Director of Cramsession Content, Brainbuzz.com

Next Generation Windows

Solutions in this chapter:

■ Introducing the Windows XP Family

■ Introducing the Major Features of Windows XP Professional

; Summary

; Solutions Fast Track

; Frequently Asked Questions

Chapter 1

1

Welcome to the next generation of Windows operating systems.Windows XP(WinXP) represents the latest version released by Microsoft, and quite possibly,the most comprehensive Users have long requested an operating system thatwould run both business and home applications equally well, and Windows XP isthe OS that will allow just that type of interoperability to take place

This book provides a detailed look into the configuration and operation ofWindows XP Professional, which is the successor to Windows 2000 Professional

We start off by talking about the various flavors of Windows XP—Home Editionand Professional—and also discuss the next generation of server-class operatingsystems, which will be named Windows NET Server Next, we provide a quickoverview of the features of Windows XP Professional

The remaining chapters provide a detailed look into the configuration of thecomponents of Windows XP, such as networking, user configuration, and manyothers.The Windows XP operating system takes the user experience to an

exciting new level, and we hope that this book will be your guide to all of thefeatures and functionality of Windows XP Professional

Introducing the Windows XP Family

As mentioned earlier,Windows XP represents the combination of the best aspects

of several versions of Windows.Windows 9x and Me were known for their Plug

and Play (PnP) capabilities, their multimedia capabilities, and their home user

“friendliness.”Windows 2000 is known for its security features, its robustness, andits business-class performance.Windows XP takes the best from both of theseoperating systems

You can choose from two different flavors of Windows XP:Windows XPHome Edition and Windows XP Professional.The two versions have a largenumber of similarities All versions of Windows XP (including the NET servers)are built on the Windows 2000 code base However, each has a place in themarket—Windows XP Home Edition is designed to replace Windows 98 and

Me in the home environment, and Windows XP Professional is meant to succeedWindows 2000 in the office Let’s take a closer look at what each of these ver-sions brings to the table

Windows XP Home EditionWindows XP Home Edition is the next release of Windows destined for theconsumer market Although XP Home Edition and Professional are very similar,

XP Home Edition contains only a subset of the functionality of XP Professional

Microsoft is expecting Home Edition to appeal to customers in a home ronment, as well as to business customers who lack a formal IT staff.The key dif-ference is that Home Edition is not meant to operate in a managed environment

envi-The best way to describe the features included in Home Edition is to pare the product to its predecessor.Windows XP Home Edition offers the fol-lowing improvements over Windows 2000 Professional:

com-■ Improved multimedia capabilities

■ An improved user interface

■ A simplified security model

■ The ability to quickly switch between user sessions

■ Better hardware and software compatibility

Multimedia CapabilitiesMicrosoft added a number of new multimedia and Internet features to Windows

XP Home Edition, including the following:

■ Internet Explorer 6 (IE6)

■ Windows Media Player 8 (WMP8)

■ MSN Explorer browserIE6 is the next version of the popular browser from Microsoft In its newestrelease, it contains a couple of interesting features, which are contained in thePersonal Bar.The Personal Bar contains a Search applet, an MSNBC News/

Stock/Weather applet, and a Media Player applet in a resizable window However,for the most part, IE6 acts like IE5 From the outside, it has been refreshed tomatch the new interface, with redesigned icons and rounded edges.You can seesome of these changes in Figure 1.1

Another addition to the Windows XP platform is Windows Media Player 8

WMP8 builds upon the successful Windows Media Player 7 by adding new face changes, improvements in copying from audio CD to hard disk (otherwise

inter-known as ripping), and more skins for customizing the look of the player Figure

1.2 displays a screenshot of WMP8.WMP8 now supports burning of audio CDsfrom within the WMP itself.The following files types can be burned to audioCD: wma, mp3 and wav

Figure 1.1Internet Explorer 6 with Personal Bar

Figure 1.2Windows Media Player 8

Improved User Interface

The user interface in Windows XP Home Edition has been completely eled For starters, the Start menu button has changed, as well as the taskbar A neatfeature of the new taskbar is the option to group similar programs together on asingle taskbar button.When you click on the button to restore the program, yousee a small menu listing the instances of the program, and you can choose which

remod-to resremod-tore Figure 1.3 shows Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

The Start menu has also been transformed into a panel of links to the variousfeatures within the OS Figure 1.4 shows an example of the new Start menu withmost of the options enabled

Figure 1.3Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

Figure 1.4New Start Menu