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Install or Remove a Font in Windows XP
This step-by-step article describes how to add and remove fonts in Windows XP. The following fonts are included with Windows XP and are installed on every computer:
Courier New (TrueType, including Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic variations)
Arial (TrueType, including Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic variations)
Times New Roman (TrueType, including Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic variations)
Symbol (TrueType)
Wingdings (TrueType)
MS Serif
MS Sans Serif
If any of the standard fonts that are included with Windows XP are missing, you can run Windows XP Setup again. Setup replaces missing or changed files. If these standard fonts are missing, other Windows XP files may also be missing, and Setup corrects these problems.
Adding New Fonts
Windows supports TrueType fonts or fonts that are specially designed for Windows, and these fonts are available commercially. Some programs also include special fonts that are installed as part of the program installation. Additionally, printers frequently come with TrueType or special Windows fonts. Follow the directions that come with these products to install these fonts.
To manually install or re-install a font:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Fonts folder.
On the File menu, click Install New Font.
In the Drives box, click the drive that has the floppy or CD-ROM that contains the fonts you want to add. If you are installing fonts from a floppy disk, this is typically drive A or drive B. If you are installing the fonts from a compact disc, your CD-ROM drive is typically drive D.
Double-click the folder that contains the fonts.
Click the font you want to add. To select more than one font at a time, press and hold down the Ctrl key while you click each font.
Click to select the Copy Fonts To Fonts Folder check box. The Windows\Fonts folder is where the fonts that are included with Windows XP are stored.
Click OK.
Removing Fonts
To completely remove fonts from the hard disk:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Fonts folder.
Click the font you want to remove. To select more than one font at a time, press and hold down the Ctrl key while you click each font.
On the File menu, click Delete.
When you receive the "Are you sure you want to delete these fonts?" prompt, click Yes.
To prevent a font from loading without removing it from the hard disk, move the font from the Fonts folder into another folder. Use this method for troubleshooting purposes. This process does not completely remove the font, because font registry information is not deleted. However, it prevents the font from loading.
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Create a Desktop Shortcut that Locks a Windows XP-Based Workstation
This step-by-step article describes how to create a desktop shortcut that you can use to lock a Windows XP-Based Workstation. To take full advantage of user authentication as a means of network access control, you must be sure that only the logged-on user is able to use the workstation. Authentication-based access control loses viability when users other than the logged-on user are able to obtain access to local and network objects.
If a user steps away from his or her desk, another user can walk up to the unattended computer and carry out local and network activities by using the credentials of the logged-on user. The logged-on user is accountable for any activities that took place on that workstation while away from it. If the logged-on user can account for his or her whereabouts during the time away from the computer, the credentials of that user are no longer useful in tracking down access violations that have been completed under the context of that user's network account.
Users can lock their workstations by using the Ctrl+Alt+Del Security Attention Sequence (SAS). However, some users are reluctant or unable to press these three keys in sequence, and because of this, do not lock their workstations while they are away from the computer.
You can simplify locking the workstation for these users by creating a desktop shortcut. After you create the shortcut, users can double-click the shortcut to lock the workstation.
To create the shortcut:
Right-click an empty area of the desktop, point to New, and then click Shortcut.
In the Create Shortcut Wizard, type %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation in the Type the location of the item box, and then click Next. Note that LockWorkStation is case sensitive.
On the "Type a name for this shortcut" page, type Lock Workstation in the Type a name for this shortcut box, and then click Finish.
Right-click the shortcut you just made, and then click Properties.
Click the Shortcut tab, and then click Change Icon.
In the Change Icon dialog box, type %SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll in the Look for icons in this file box, and then click OK.
Browse through the available icons, and then select an icon that makes it easy for the users to identify that the shortcut is to be used to lock the workstation.
Click the icon you want to use, and then click OK. Click OK again.
Double-click the shortcut, and note that the workstation automatically locks itself.
The user must press Ctrl+Alt+Del, and then type his or her credentials to unlock the workstation.
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How to Automate Advanced Restart Options for Dual-Boot Configurations
This article describes how to automate advanced restart options for dual-boot configurations. If your computer is configured to dual-boot to either Windows XP or Windows 2000, the process to boot to the other operating system can be slow.
For example, if you want to reboot into Safe mode under either operating system, you have to watch the computer reboot, monitor the power-on self tests and various BIOS messages, select which operating system you want to boot with from the Startup menu, and then press F8 at the exact moment to enable the Advanced Boot menu. You can select your Safe mode boot options from the Advanced Boot menu.
This article describes a method you can use to create a custom Advanced Restart menu on the Start menu. You can use the Advanced Restart menu to preselect advanced restart options before you restart your computer. After you select your restart options, you are prompted to restart, and your computer starts with your preselected options, and does not require that you press any keys during startup.
IMPORTANT: The following procedure assumes that you have a dual-boot configuration with Windows XP and Windows 2000. Also, although the following procedure works correctly, Microsoft does not support the following procedure:
Create a shortcut that is named Advanced Restart on the Windows XP Start menu.
For the target path, use the msconfig -4 command. For example, you might use the c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe -4 command.
Create the same shortcut with the same path for the Windows 2000 Start menu. This shortcut on the Windows 2000 Start menu should use the path to the Msconfig.exe tool in the Windows XP folder.
The "Advanced Restart" shortcut you created starts Msconfig.exe with a switch that loads the Boot.ini file properties dialog box. From this dialog box, you can select the default operating system, Safe mode options, and other advanced boot options. After you select the restart options and press OK, you are prompted to restart your computer. When your computer restarts, it starts with the options you previously selected, and does not require that you press any keys during startup.
Note: When you boot into Windows XP or Windows 2000 after you use Msconfig.exe, Msconfig.exe automatically starts in diagnostic mode.
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Use Windows Update to Keep Your Computer Current
Windows XP takes the chore out of keeping your software updated with the newest and best code for device drivers, security, reliability, and performance.
Windows Update is the online extension of Windows. It’s a Web site where you find the most recent updates for your operating system, software programs, and hardware. Windows Update scans your computer and lists the code updates needed on your system. Then you can choose whether to download and install them.
Open Windows Update.
Click Scan for updates to find out about recent releases for your system.
Click Yes when prompted to install any required software or device drivers.
To open Windows Update, click Start, then click Help and Support. Under "Pick a task," click Keep your computer up–to–date with Windows Update.
The first time you go to the Windows Update Web site, click Yes when prompted to install any required software or controls.
To use Windows Update, you need to establish a connection to the Internet.
You might need to be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to perform some tasks.
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Copy Files and Folders to CDs
Remember when you loved Rubik’s Cube, Dynasty, and the floppy disk? In the 1980s, before the World Wide Web and ubiquitous e–mail, you could store 1.5 megabytes (MB) of data on a 3.5–inch floppy and transfer it to another computer so easily. And it was beautiful.
Today? That 1.5 MB–floppy won’t hold your 5th grader’s science report.
Enter the compact disc. CDs have become the new standard for removable storage on the computer. Each disc holds 650 megabytes of data and costs little more than a floppy. New computers are more likely to have a CD drive than a floppy drive, although most still have both. With Windows XP and a CD-recordable (CD–R) or CD–rewriteable (CD-RW) drive, you can copy data to a CD as easily as you can to a floppy disk.
To copy files and folders to a CD:
Insert a blank, writable CD into the CD recorder.
Open My Computer.
Click the files or folders you want to copy to the CD. To select more than one file, hold down the Ctrl-key while you click the files you want. Then, under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file, Copy this folder, or Copy the selected items.
If the files are located in My Pictures, under Picture Tasks, click Copy to CD or Copy all items to CD, and then skip to step 5.
In the Copy Items dialog box, click the CD recording drive, and then click Copy.
In My Computer, double–click the CD recording drive. Windows displays a temporary area where the files are held before they are copied to the CD. Verify that the files and folders that you intend to copy to the CD appear under Files Ready to be Written to the CD.
Under CD Writing Tasks, click Write these files to CD. Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard. Follow the instructions in the wizard. Do not copy more files to the CD than it will hold. Standard CDs hold up to 650 megabytes (MB). High–capacity CDs hold up to 850 MB.
Be sure that you have enough disk space on your hard disk to store the temporary files that are created during the CD writing process. For a standard CD, Windows reserves up to 700 MB of the available free space. For a high–capacity CD, Windows reserves up to 1 gigabyte (GB) of the available free space.
After you copy files or folders to the CD, it is useful to view the CD to confirm that the files are copied.
To stop the CD recorder from automatically ejecting the CD:
Open My Computer.
Right–click the CD recording drive, and then click Properties.
On the Recording tab, clear the Automatically eject the CD after writing check box.
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Use Hibernate and Standby to Conserve Batteries
Fast User Switching can be turned-on with Windows XP Professional only when your computer is not part of a domain.
Power Options in Control Panel lets you adjust any power management option that your computer's unique hardware configuration supports. These options vary widely from computer to computer. Power Options automatically detects what is available on your computer and shows you only the options that you can control.
ACPI—If you are not sure whether your computer is ACPI–compliant, check your manufacturer's documentation. During Windows Setup, ACPI is installed only if all components present during Setup support power management.
The Hibernate function in Windows XP Professional can make the batteries in your laptop computer last longer.
Windows XP supports the industry standard power management technology known as the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), which enables the operating system to control power to your computer and peripheral devices. The power management features in Windows XP include Hibernate and Standby. Hibernate saves an image of your desktop with all open files and documents, and then it powers down your computer. When you turn on power, your files and documents are open on your desktop exactly as you left them. Standby reduces the power consumption of your computer by cutting power to hardware components you are not using. Standby can cut power to peripheral devices, your monitor, even your hard drive, but maintains power to your computer’s memory so you don’t lose your work.
Power Management Performance
Windows XP wakes from Hibernate faster than any earlier version of Windows. So you can preserve your batteries without taking time to close all your files and shut down, and then restart and open all your files when you’re ready to work again. If you need to leave your computer, you can just leave it. Windows XP can automatically put your computer into Hibernate mode after a specified period of inactivity. Or Windows XP can detect when your batteries are running low, and then automatically put your computer in Hibernate mode to save your work before the battery fails. To put your computer into hibernation, you must have a computer that is set up by the manufacturer to support this option.
To automatically put your computer into hibernation:
You must be logged on to your computer with an owner account in order to complete this procedure.
Open Power Options in Control Panel. (Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Power Options.).
Click the Hibernate tab, select the Enable hibernate support check box, and then click Apply.
If the Hibernate tab is unavailable, your computer does not support this feature.
Click the APM tab, click Enable Advanced Power Management support, and then click Apply.
The APM tab is unavailable on ACPI–compliant computers. ACPI automatically enables Advanced Power Management, which disables the APM tab.
Click the Power Schemes tab, and then select a time period in System hibernates. Your computer hibernates after it has been idle for the specified amount of time.
To manually put your computer into hibernation:
You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of either the Administrators or Power Users group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this procedure.
Open Power Options in Control Panel. (Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Power Options.).
Click the Hibernate tab, and then select the Enable hibernate support check box.
If the Hibernate tab is not available, your computer does not support this feature.
Click OK to close the Power Options dialog box.
Click Start, and then click Shut Down.
In the What do you want the computer to do drop-down list, click Hibernate.
If you are using Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional with Fast User Switching turned on, the Shut Down menu will present the options to Stand By, Turn Off, or Restart your computer. Hold down the Shift key, and the Stand By button will change to Hibernate.
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Delete Files when the Recycle Bin is Hidden
By default, the Windows XP Recycle Bin sits at the bottom right of the desktop, just above the tray notification area and system clock. If you've got a bunch of floating windows open, however, it's possible to obscure the Recycle Bin and make it impossible to drag files and folders there for deletion. However, Microsoft must have thought of this event, because you can automatically hide all of those open windows during a drag operation.
Make sure a bunch of windows are open on the screen, with at least one of them hiding the Recycle Bin.
Find a file or group of files you'd like to drag to the Recycle Bin.
Pick up the files with the mouse and move them to the lower right of the screen.
As you reach the bottom area of the screen, pass the mouse cursor over a blank area of the task bar, hover there for an instant, and--voila!--the open windows all minimize, leaving the Recycle Bin available to accept the dragged files.
This tip also works when windows are maximized, assuming the file(s) you want to delete are visible in one of the available windows.
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Use the ultimate configuration tool (Professional Edition only)
One of the most full featured Windows XP configuration tools available is hidden right there in your system, but most people don't even know it exists. It's called the Local Group Policy Editor, or gpedit for short.
Select Start and then Run.
Then type the following: gpedit.msc
After you hit ENTER, you'll be greeted by gpedit, which lets you modify virtually every feature in Windows XP without having to resort to regedit. Dig around and enjoy!
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Display Hibernate Option on the Shut Down dialog
For some reason, Hibernate isn't available from the default Shut Down dialog. But you can enable it simply enough, by holding down the SHIFT key while the dialog is visible. Now you see it, now you don't!
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Microsoft .NET FAQ
When Microsoft formally introduced its .NET strategy in mid-2000, analysts were confused about how the company would pull off such a massive platform shift. Two years later, they're still wondering. But .NET isn't vaporware, and it's not a pipe dream. In fact, .NET is happening today.
Q: What is .NET?
A: It's a dessert topping, it's a floor cleaner--it's a dessert topping and a floor cleaner! Actually, .NET is many things, but primarily it's a marketing term for a set of products and technologies that Microsoft is creating to move personal and enterprise computing beyond the PC desktop and into a distributed Internet-based environment. So .NET--which was originally called Next Generation Windows Services (NGWS)--is also a platform, one that Microsoft sees as the successor to Windows. The .NET platform is based on Web services which are, in turn, defined by a language called XML.
Q: What is XML?
A: XML--the eXtensible Markup Language--is a self-descriptive, data definition language. It's similar to HTML, the language of the Web, but it's far more powerful because it's not limited to a static list of language constructs ("tags") that the language's authors supply. Instead, XML is extensible and dynamic: Programmers can define new types of data using XML and then describe that data so that others will know how to use it.
Q: What are Web services?
A: Web services are server-side applications that expose their services as programmable units that other applications (and Web services) can access over the Internet.
Q: Does .NET require Windows?
A: Technically, no, but realistically, yes. It's possible the .NET platform could be ported to other operating systems, such as Linux, FreeBSD, the Macintosh, or whatever, and indeed, some work is being done now in this area. However, .NET very much requires Windows today, on both the server and the client. One might say that .NET and Windows have a symbiotic relationship.
Q: .NET is being ported to Linux?
A: Yes. A company called Ximian is porting the standards-based parts of .NET to Linux as you read this, and the work is amazingly far along. Code-named Mono, this project seeks to bring the C# programming language, the Common Language Runtime (CLR, see below), and other .NET features to Linux.
On a related note, Microsoft has contracted Corel (makers of CorelDraw and Word Perfect) to port .NET to FreeBSD at some undetermined date in the future. This project has not yet started.
Q: Which Windows versions support .NET?
A: You can run .NET client applications and services on Windows 98, 98 SE, Millennium Edition (Me), NT 4.0, 2000, or XP. Beginning in late 2002, you will be able to run .NET applications and services on Windows CE .NET products, such as the Pocket PC and Microsoft Smart Phone, as well.
On the server, you can use Windows NT 4.0, 2000, or .NET Server.
Q: Are there any .NET features in Windows XP?
A: Yes, but not much. Because Windows XP was designed and built before the .NET Framework was complete, it only includes bare-bones .NET functionality. The primary conduit for .NET in XP is Windows Messenger, which is used to expose .NET alert and rendezvous services. XP also includes integration with the .NET Passport service, so that you can optionally auto-logon to Passport when you logon to Windows.
Q: Isn't .NET just another name for COM, COM+, Windows DNA, or some other previous Windows technology?
A: Actually, no. Microsoft spent considerable time and effort developing and promoting a set of Windows technologies that was at various times called OLE, COM, COM+, and Windows DNA (Distributed InterNet Architecture), but .NET is not the next iteration. Windows DNA, which was the final umbrella term for this set of technologies, was based around a concept where Windows-based software components could expose their services for other local and remote Windows software components. But though this sounds passingly similar to .NET, Windows DNA is very much based on proprietary Windows technologies. By comparison, .NET is based on open standards (XML and various related technologies), so it will be much easier for other vendors to adopt the platform and write compatible software. So we can eventually expect to see .NET clients and servers on platforms other than Windows.
Q: So are all older applications useless now? What about all those COM components I developed over the past several years?
A: Obviously, any existing applications, services, and components will continue to work with future Windows versions. However, Microsoft has also added interoperability features so that you can use this older code--now referred to as unmanaged code--with new .NET applications and services.
Q: So what technologies are part of .NET?
A: .NET is comprised of several related technologies, including:
.NET Framework - A runtime environment and set of standard services which .NET capable applications and services can utilize. Implemented as a code library, the .NET Framework includes the Common Language Runtime (CLR), the .NET run-time environment; ASP .NET, a Web applications platform; and ADO .NET, for data store access. Microsoft will ship a version of the .NET Framework--dubbed the .NET Compact Framework--for Pocket PCs, Microsoft Smart Phones, and other similar devices in late 2002.
.NET My Services - A set of free, consumer-oriented services that will expand on .NET Passport's authentication services (available today) to offer Web server-based storage of personal information such as name and address, calendar, address book, and credit card information. Microsoft expects to ship .NET My Services (previously code-named Hailstorm) for consumers by the end of 2002. A business oriented version of .NET My Services is also in the works.
.NET Enterprise Servers - A set of expensive Microsoft server software that runs on Windows servers, including Application Server, BizTalk Server, Exchange Server, Host Integration Server, Internet Security and Acceleration Server, SQL Server, and many others. Microsoft is currently shipping many such server products, but they are all based on Windows DNA currently, not .NET. Future server products--beginning with Windows .NET Server, due in late 2002--will actually be based on .NET technologies for the first time.
Visual Studio .NET - Microsoft's .NET development environment, with support for languages such as Visual Basic .NET, Visual C++ .NET, and Visual C# .NET, which all target the .NET Framework. Other vendors can add other language capabilities to Visual Studio .NET, and the suite can be used to target a wide range of applications and services, including .NET Web services, Windows applications, and Web applications. Note that Visual Studio .NET is not required to create .NET applications and services: Developers can download the .NET Framework for free; this download includes compilers for Visual Basic .NET, Visual C++ .NET and Visual C# .NET.
Q: Will I need to upgrade my Windows NT4/2000 servers to Windows .NET Server to serve .NET applications and services?
A: No, you can install the .NET Framework on Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000. However, Microsoft hopes that it's new .NET Enterprise Servers add enough value that you will want to upgrade to one or more of them.
Q: What does Windows .NET Server bring to the picture compared to Windows 2000 Server?
A: Windows .NET Server is a minor upgrade to Windows 2000 Server.
Q: Visual Studio .NET sounds nice, but what about other programming languages?
A: One of the biggest advancements in Visual Studio .NET is that the environment, like the underlying .NET CLR, is not tied to any one language. Microsoft ships C#, C++, Visual Basic, and ECMAScript/JScript/JavaScript support in the box, and will ship its Visual J# .NET add-on later in 2002. But hundreds of companies are porting various programming languages to .NET and the Visual Studio .NET environment, including Delphi/Object Pascal, Perl, PHP, and many more.
Q: What if I want to create standalone Windows applications that don't rely on the .NET Framework? Is this still possible?
A: You can still write Visual C++ applications and services that rely on technology such as the Win32 API, MFC, ATL, or COM/COM+. However, Visual Basic programmers will have to learn the new Windows Form model exposed by the .NET Framework.
Q: What's the future of Web-based scripting under .NET? If one wanted to write Web scripts that work with the widest variety of browsers?
A: You want to look into something called ASP .NET, which is a server-side scripting environment. What this gives you is the ability to use any .NET compatible language, built-in browser detection features you won't need to hand-code, and compatibility with non-PC devices like Smart Phones and Pocket PCs. The future of Web scripting is server-side.
Q: When will the .NET Framework be shipped as part of Windows? Will it be included in Windows 2000 SP3 or Windows XP SP1?
A: Windows .NET Server will be the first Windows version to ship with the .NET Framework included as an integral component; this product is due in late 2002.
Q: Parts of .NET sound a lot like Java. Is it just a Java rip-off?
A: Not exactly. Like Java, .NET includes a run-time environment that provides a number of important developer services, such as garbage protection. And yes, C#--an object oriented, C-like programming language similar to Java--is the preferred language for .NET development. But Java isn't the first object-oriented C-like language, and it certainly isn't the first developer tool to offer a run-time environment (indeed, Microsoft has used a run-time environment for Visual Basic for almost a decade, beginning well before Java was invented).
Also, .NET offers three critical advantages over Java: First, it allows the programmer to use any compatible programming language, compared to the one (Java) that the Java environment allows. Secondly, .NET applications and services are fully compiled, unlike Java applications and services, so they offer much better performance. And finally, critical portions of .NET--including the CLR and the C# programming language--have been opened as international standards. Despite promises, Java's inventor--Sun Microsystems--has constantly reneged on its Java standardization efforts. This standards-based approach will eventually see .NET ported to operating systems other than Windows.
Q: What about Windows? If .NET is successful, does that mean Windows goes away?
A: No. Windows is a crucial component of .NET, on both the server and the client (desktop). Server-side, Windows servers will be used to execute .NET code and provide .NET services to users. On the client, a future Windows version called Windows .NET will provide pervasive .NET integration and be what Microsoft calls the most complete .NET client. And on handheld and connected devices, Windows CE .NET will offer a subset of the .NET Framework called the .NET Compact Framework, that enables .NET compatibility there as well. Even if .NET succeeds beyond Microsoft's wildest dreams, Windows doesn't go away. Instead, it becomes a key component of a far wider strategy that moves beyond the PC to include PC-like devices such as cell phones, PDAs, set-top boxes, and the like.
Q: What about 64-bit Windows versions? Will .NET applications and services have to be recoded or recompiled to run on this new platform?
A: Most .NET applications and services should run fine on 64-bit Windows platforms that are .NET Framework-enabled without having to be recoded or recompiled at all.
Q: .NET sounds like it requires a 24/7 Internet connection. What happens when that connection goes down, or if we have a dial-up Internet connection?
A: For .NET to be fully realized, bandwidth will have to be like electricity. That is, it will have to be always on, and very reliable. In the meantime, Microsoft realizes that many people will be accessing .NET services through an unreliable or slow connection, and for this reason, the technology is being built to deal gracefully with interruptions.
Q: How do we know .NET isn't just a passing fad?
A: I think the clearest way to understand this is to look at how they've architected .NET. Unlike many of Microsoft's previous technology initiatives, .NET is a brand new platform that's been done right. Just head into a Borders or Barnes and Nobles, and check out the wide variety of .NET related topics there are out there, everything from building mobile Web applications, to Windows Form applications, to pre-.NET application porting. Microsoft .NET is real, it's here to stay, and though the phrase betting the company is getting a bit tired, this time it's true: Microsoft's future is completely wrapped up in .NET.
Q: What companies and products does Microsoft's .NET product line compete with?
A: Honestly, there isn't a single company or product line out there that competes with the full .NET initiative. For Web services, the obvious target is Sun, with its J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition). And Java is right there as a non-OS platform of sorts as well, though it has glaring performance and compatibility deficiencies. IBM has a Web services strategy, of sorts, as well. And of course various companies make developer tools that compete with Visual Studio .NET.
However, the biggest .NET competitor might ultimately be Linux. If the Linux community can successful port key .NET technologies and provide key .NET services via free server products, it could give Microsoft a run for its money.
Q: OK, so what's the point? How does this make my life better?
A: With apologies to Microsoft for stealing the term, .NET enables a better PC ecosystem. That is, by making life easier for everyone involved with PCs, the benefits are cross-pollinated. Here's how .NET makes life easier on various groups:
Programmers - Because developers now have a consistent, language-neutral programming environment, they can create better applications and services more quickly. And because .NET encompasses such a wider range of functionality, those applications and services can be connected to back-end services via the Internet, offering better, and more exciting functionality.
IT administrators - Because .NET applications and services do away with the "DLL Hell" found in previous Windows applications, they are amazingly easy to distribute and install.
End users - For the reasons listed above, and many others, a new generation of .NET applications and services will provide new types of connected functionality. Access your email from anywhere. Pay for products online without typing in your credit card information. Access weather, traffic, music, and other personal information from a variety of devices, from anywhere in the world. The future is all connected, and .NET will get us there.
Now, there are problems, of course. Some people concerned about privacy and security are up in arms over .NET, fearing that Microsoft isn't doing enough in these areas. The proof, of course, will be in the implementation, and given the emphasis that Microsoft has placed on .NET and security, I suspect they're going to get it right. Stay tuned!
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Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) FAQ
Windows XP Service Pack 1 (XP SP1) is more than just a collection of security hot-fixes and bug fixes; instead, it's a full-on interim Windows release with tons of new functionality. So here's the first--and most comprehensive--FAQ dedicated to the next version of Windows XP Home Edition and Professional anywhere!
Q: What is Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1)?
A: XP SP1 will roll up critical updates and contain enabling technologies for Windows CE for Smart Displays ("Mira") and new types of PCs like the Tablet PC and the Media Center ("Freestyle") PC. It will also include DirectX 9 and the changes required by the consent decree with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and nine US states.
Q: What are "Mira" and "Freestyle"?
A: Windows CE for Smart Displays ("Mira") is a new remote display technology that uses Windows CE .NET, 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless capabilities, and XP's Remote Desktop feature to enable a new generation of smart displays which you can carry around the home.
Windows XP Media Center Edition ("Freestyle") is a new version of XP that includes a simple, graphical front-end to the XP-based digital media tasks you can perform with a remote control, rather than a keyboard and mouse. This includes listening to digital music, watching photo slideshows, and viewing digital movies and DVDs.
Q: When will XP SP1 ship?
A: SP1 will be finalized in mid-August 2002, with a September 2002 street date. This will give PC makers time to integrate the new XP into PCs for the 2002 holiday season.
Q: What's the XP SP1 code-name?
A: Currently, XP SP1 does not have a code-name.
Q: Wasn't this supposed to ship in early 2002?
A: Yes, the original plan was to ship XP SP1 in the first half of 2002. But with a slew of new features to add and its Trustworthy Computing code review to do, Microsoft decided to integrate it all into a single release aimed at satisfying the need for a yearly Windows release.
Q: When will the XP SP1 beta test start?
A: The XP SP1 beta is closed to Windows XP testers only; it began this spring. A separate Mira beta began in early April and will hit Beta 2 this summer. The Freestyle beta began in early Summer 2002, and is being tested separately from XP SP1.
Q: So what about Longhorn?
A: Longhorn has been delayed until late 2004 and is now a major Windows release.
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Windows .NET Server Family FAQ
If you think of Windows .NET Server ("Whistler Server") as what would have been Windows NT Server 5.1, then you've got the right idea. Here's the first--and most comprehensive--FAQ dedicated to the next version of Windows Server anywhere!
Q: What is Windows .NET Server ("Whistler" Server)?
A: Essentially, Windows .NET Server consists of the server editions of the next version of Windows 2000. This includes Web Server Edition Standard Server Edition, Enterprise Server Edition (32-bit and 64-bit versions), DataCenter Server Edition (32-bit and 64-bit versions), and Windows .NET Server Embedded.
Q: What editions will Windows .NET Server include?
A: Initially, Windows .NET Server will include Web Server, Standard Server, Enterprise Server, and DataCenter versions editions; Enterprise Server and DataCenter Server will ship in 64-bit versions as well. An Embedded version and Small Business Server 2003 will appear soon thereafter.
Q: So what's new in Windows .NET Server?
A: Windows .NET Server is designed as an evolutionary step beyond Windows 2000 Server, thus it is not a major new product revision, though it boasts thousands of mostly small improvements. Windows .NET Server has been updated to include .NET Framework 1.1 and XML Web Services; this additional functionality led Microsoft to change the name of the product (which was originally to be simply titled Windows 2002 Server).
Windows .NET Server also includes features to make Active Directory (AD) deployments faster and more flexible, such as a Domain Controller (DC) Upgrade Wizard that lets administrators restore DC information from removable media such as CD-ROM and DVD-RAM. AD now supports cross forest trust and authentication and authorization. There are new remote, headless and unattended management features for in-band and out of band administration, 160 new Group Policy settings, 28 new command line tools, a new Software Restriction Policies feature, and several Terminal Services enhancements. Windows .NET Server has also been tweaked for better performance and reliability: Microsoft says that the product performs up to 50 percent faster on the same hardware as equivalent Windows 2000 Server products.
Windows .NET Server includes Internet Information Server (IIS) 6, the latest version of Microsoft's Web server product. IIS 6 has been rewritten for better security, performance and reliability and now ships in lockdown mode by default.
Q: What's the difference between the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows .NET Server?
A: The 64-bit versions of Windows .NET Server run only on Intel's 64-bit Itanium 2 hardware, while the other versions run on 32-bit Intel Pentium-based servers.
Q: Will I be able to upgrade Windows 2000 Server to Windows .NET Standard Server?
A: Yes. You will be able to upgrade each edition to the corresponding new version (i.e. you can upgrade Windows 2000 Advanced Server to Windows .NET Enterprise Server). You cannot "downgrade" releases, however; for example, you cannot upgrade Windows 2000 Server to Windows .NET Web Server.
Q: When will Windows .NET Server be released?
A: Windows .NET Server is on a radically different release schedule from the desktop version of Whistler (Windows XP). The final release will ship by the end of 2002, after being delayed twice, though customers won't be able to purchase it until early 2003.
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Windows "Longhorn" FAQ
Once envisioned as a minor upgrade to Windows XP, Windows "Longhorn" took on all-new importance in early 2002 when Microsoft decided to reach for the brass ring and make the new Windows release an all-encompassing major upgrade with a new security architecture called Palladium, a 3D-enabled user interface, and brand-new, database-based file system, and many more exciting new features. Here's the first--and most comprehensive--Longhorn FAQ ever created, constantly updated to include the latest information about this release.
Q: What is "Longhorn"?
A: Longhorn is the next major Windows release, which will follow Windows XP and XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). Originally expected to be a fairly minor upgrade, Longhorn will now include a number of new features including a revised task-based (or "inductive") user interface, an extensible, dock-like, Start panel, and a SQL Server 2003-based file system.
Q: So what will be new and different in Longhorn?
A: Though speculation on Longhorn continues, what we know about this Windows release is steeped in generalities and rumors. Given that, here's what we know about Longhorn:
Longhorn will feature a task-based (or "iterative") interface that goes far beyond the task-based interface found today in Windows XP. Microsoft has been working to move beyond the dated desktop metaphor still used by Mac OS X and Linux for many years.
The Longhorn Start Menu will likely take on the form of the Task Panes from Office XP and occupy a good percentage of the right- or left-most portion of the Longhorn desktop.
Longhorn will take full advantage of 3D video hardware to render special effects that will make the screen more photorealistic and deep. This doesn't mean that the basic windows and mouse interface is being replaced, just that it will look a lot better.
Longhorn will optionally include the Palladium technology Microsoft is developing with Intel and AMD (see the next question for details).
Longhorn will include a database-like file system based on technology from SQL Server 2003 (code-named Yukon). This file system will abstract physical file locations from the user and allow for the sorts of complex data searching that are impossible today. For example, today, your email messages, contacts, Word documents, and music files are all completely separate. That won't be the case in Longhorn.
Longhorn will include integrated DVD+R and DVD+RW DVD burning capabilities. Digital media enthusiasts will be able to copy video from a digital camcorder directly to DVD+R, bypassing the system's hard drive entirely, if desired.
Q: What's with this Palladium stuff I keep hearing about?
A: One of the most exciting aspects of Longhorn is its integration with Palladium, Microsoft's technology for realizing the Trustworthy Computing vision. Palladium is basically a secure run-time environment for Windows and other operating systems that allows a coming generation of software applications and services to protect the end user from privacy invasion, outside hacking, spam, and other electronic attacks. Palladium requires special hardware security chips and microprocessors (which will be made by Intel and AMD) and doesn't interfere with the normal operation of the PC. That is, Palladium-based PCs will still operate normally, working with legacy operating systems and applications. But specially-made Palladium applications and services will offer a range of features of functionality not found in the non-Palladium world, and if the initiative is successful, we'll one day be running only Palladium-based software.
If you're familiar with the .NET model, you might be aware of the notion of "managed" and "non-managed" (or legacy) code. Palladium will institute a similar model for PC software, where a trusted execution mode is used for Palladium applications and services and the old, "untrusted" mode is used for legacy code.
Microsoft designed Palladium around the following ideals:
Palladium will tell you who you're dealing with online, and what they're doing. It will uniquely identify you to your PC and can limit what arrives (and runs on) that computer. Information that comes in from the Internet will be verified before you can access it.
Palladium protects information using encryption to seal data so that "snoops and thieves are thwarted." The system can maintain document integrity so that documents can't be altered without your knowledge.
Palladium stops viruses and worms. The system won't run unauthorized programs, preventing viruses from trashing your system.
Palladium stops spam. Spam will be stopped before it even hits your email inbox. Unsolicited mail that you might actually want to receive will be allowed through if it has credentials that meet your user-defined standards.
Palladium safeguards privacy. In addition to the system's ability to seal data on your PC, Palladium can also seal data sent across the Internet using software agents that ensure the data reaches only the proper people. Newsweek reports that the agent has been nicknamed "My Man," a goof on ".NET My Services," "My Documents," and other similar names at Microsoft.
Palladium controls information after it's sent from your PC. Using Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, Palladium can be used to securely distribute music, movies, and other intellectual property securely over the Internet. Movie studios and the recording industry could use this technology to let their customers exercise their fair use rights to copy audio CDs and movies, for example. "It's a funny thing," says Bill Gates. "We came at this thinking about music, but then we realized that e-mail and documents were far more interesting domains." Gates says that Palladium could ensure that email designated as private could not be forwarded or copied to other people, for example. Or, the Newsweek reports reads, "you could create Word documents that could be read only in the next week. In all cases, it would be the user, not Microsoft, who sets these policies."
Q: I thought the next version of Windows was code-named "Blackcomb."
A: The existence of Longhorn was first revealed by Windows product manager Tom Laemmel, who I met July 17, 2001 during an XP press tour. Laemmel spilled the beans to eWeek a few days later, and Microsoft executive vice president Jim Allchin verified that a new interim release, Longhorn, would ship before Blackcomb. Since then, information about Longhorn has appeared in Microsoft and Department of Justice (DOJ) legal filings related to the Microsoft antitrust case. It's real, and now it's common knowledge.
Q: So when will Longhorn ship?
A: Microsoft originally said that we could expect Longhorn in late 2002 or early 2003, but the release was recently pushed back until late 2004. This suggests that an XP refresh, possibly called Windows XP Second Edition (XP2E) will ship first, in late 2003.
Q: When will the Longhorn beta start?
A: After Windows XP shipped, Microsoft said that the beta for the next version wouldn't start until the beta for Windows XP SP1 was completed. That will happen in mid-August, so I expect the Longhorn beta to begin sometime this fall.
Q: What's up with the name Longhorn?
A: The name wasn't chosen randomly. Remember that Windows XP was code-named Whistler and the next major version of Windows is code-named Blackcomb. Both of these names come from ski areas in British Columbia, close to Microsoft's headquarters. At the foot of Whistler Mountain, there is a saloon named Longhorn that serves the local skiing population. So if you're ever in the area and want to take in some local color, Longhorn is a nice stop… after you're done with Whistler.
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Speed Up Those Searches New!
Windows can create an index of the files on your computer to speed up searching.
Open Search, then choose Change preferences and then With Indexing Service (for faster local searches).
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"Go" Places Quicker on the Internet New!
Many common Internet searches can be performed quickly using the "go" shortcut. For example, if you open Search in Internet Explorer and type go yellow pages, the page will jump to a form where you can lookup a business phone number. Likewise, typing go email automatically brings up a form for searching for a person's email.
You can even type go yellow pages Acme Corp to automatically search for the phone number of a company called Acme Corp. And you can type go amzn to look up the value of a stock quote (in this case Amazon's).
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Quick Search Tips New!
Using capitalization can result in better performance when using Search Companion. For instance, Mary Smith may produce better results than mary smith.
If you didn't find what you wanted on the first search engine, choose Automatically send your search to other search engines to submit your search to other engines that are appropriate for your query.
If you like having an animated character, but want to use a different one, choose Change Preferences, then With a different character to choose the helper you like.
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Use the On-Screen Keyboard
An on-screen keyboard is built into Windows XP. It can be useful if you have mobility impairments, if you are using a tablet PC, or if your keyboard breaks down unexpectedly.
To access the on-screen keyboard:
Go to Start, then click Run, and then type osk.
Now the keyboard opens on your computer screen, featuring three typing modes you can use to type data:
Clicking mode, where you click the on-screen keys.
Scanning mode, where you press a hot key or use a switch-input device to type highlighted characters.
Hovering mode, where you use a mouse or joystick to point to a key, which is then typed.
To make a shortcut icon on your desktop to the on-screen keyboard:
Right-click the desktop and choose New, then Shortcut.
Type osk, click Next.
Type a name for the shortcut, and then click Finish.
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Use Ctrl+Alt+Del Without Pushing All the Buttons
For some people, pushing Ctrl, ALT and Delete (Ctrl+Alt+Del) at the same time can be an inconvenience, if not a complete impossibility. With Windows XP, there are two ways to get around this.
First option: Configure the system so that you do not need to press Ctrl+Alt+Del at all during logon (assuming you're not using the Welcome screen, in which case this key combo is not required).
Open Control Panel then User Accounts.
Navigate to the Advanced tab.
Uncheck the Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Del checkbox under Secure Logon.
Second option: Configure XP's accessibility options so that "sticky keys" will be activated at the secure desktop: That way, you may "press" ALT, Ctrl, and DEL sequentially rather than simultaneously. You can turn that on via the Accessibility control panel. (Control Panel then Accessibility Options):
Bring up the Accessibility Control panel and navigate to the Keyboard tab.
Check Use Sticky keys.
Navigate to the General Tab.
Check Apply all settings to logon desktop.
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Turn on ClearType Font-Rendering Technology
Get that extra text clarity you've always wanted. The incredible Microsoft ClearType technology can be enabled in Windows XP to smooth all fonts at all sizes, making the whole system so much easier to read.
Click Start, then Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Themes.
Click the Display icon, then the Appearance tab, and then Effects.
Click the Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts check box and select ClearType from the list.
Click OK, and then click OK again.
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Remove Interference in Movie Files
If you have any AVI files that you saved in Windows 9x, they might have interference when opened in Windows XP. Fortunately, there is an easy fix to get rid of the interference:
Open Windows Movie Maker.
Click View and then Options.
Uncheck Automatically create clips.
Now, import the movie file that has interference and drag it onto the timeline.
Then save the movie. During the re-rendering, the interference will be removed.
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Working with Album Art in Windows Media Player
Set your own Album Art for your media folders and Media Player for Windows XP (MPXP). If you don't like the album art or have a folder of downloaded music that you want to add art to:
Simply select any graphic from your browser.
Save it inside the folder you want, and call it Folder.jpg.
Now when you play any music that resides in that folder, the Media Player will automatically pick it up and display that as album art.
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Managing Multiple Photos or Other Files
If you have numerous files to rename, select a group of photos, then rename the FIRST one and the rest will follow.
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Turn Off File Names in Thumbnail View
Find that you need more space for thumbnails and would like to turn the file names off?
Hold down shift when you open a folder or when you switch into thumbnail view. This will turn of the file names, giving more space for the thumbnails. Doing it again turns them back on.
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Try Grouping Files for Effortless Manageability
In any My Computer window, select View > Arrange Icons by > Type.
Then, select View > Arrange Icons by > Show in Groups.
If you prefer Details view, you can right-click on the column header in and choose the columns you want displayed. And you can drag and drop the column headers to reorder them.
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Add a Map Drive Button to the Toolbar
Do you want to quickly map a network drive, but can't find the toolbar button? If you map drives often, use one of these options to add a Map Drive button to the folder toolbar in My Computer.
Option One (Long Term Fix):
Open My Computer, right-click the toolbar, then unlock the toolbars, if necessary.
Right-click the toolbar again and click Customize.
Under Available toolbar buttons, locate Map Drive, and drag it into the position you want on the right under Current toolbar buttons.
Click Close, click OK, and then click OK again.
You now have a drive mapping buttons on your My Computer toolbar, so you can map drives from any folder window. To unmap drives, follow the above procedure, selecting Disconnect under Available toolbar buttons.
Option Two (Quick Fix):
Right-click My Computer and choose Map Network Drive. If you place your My Computer icon directly on the desktop, you can make this move in only two clicks! Otherwise, you can right-click the My Computer icon in the Start Menu.
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Fax Tips
Here are some useful tips for working with Fax and Image Viewer:
Typing Ctrl-I in the picture viewer will bring up the property sheet for the image (doesn't work in slide show).
Typing DEL in the picture viewer will delete.
Holding down the Ctrl key in the picture viewer enables "panning" (hand cursor)
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Use the Windows Classic Look
Are you more comfortable performing a task with the familiar Windows Classic user interface than you are with Windows XP's new interface? You can quickly switch the user interface to the familiar Windows Classic appearance on your computer if it helps you remember a task in your operating system or program. Then, you can go back to the original Windows look with a couple of clicks.
Right-click on a blank area of the desktop, then click Properties.
Click the Appearance tab.
On the Windows and Buttons menu, select Windows Classic, then Click OK.
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Change the Start Menu Style
Does the new Windows XP Start menu take up too much space on your desktop? You can easily change the look back to the Windows Classic Start menu by following these steps:
Right-click the Start button, and then click Properties.
Click the Classic Start menu choice.
Click the Customize button to select items to display on the Start menu.
By default, selecting the Classic Start menu also adds the My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer icons to your desktop. If you don't want this:
Right-click a blank area of the Desktop, choose Properties, and then navigate to the Desktop page. Click Customize Desktop to determine which icons are shown on the desktop.
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Add Fields to the Details View of Folders
You can add other columns to the Details view of the files contained in Windows XP folders, such as Comments, Description, Category, and many others. To add new columns:
Right-click the column header of the files list, and then click one of the fields listed, or click More.
In the Choose Details dialog box, you can reorganize the order of column headers, specify column widths, and add columns to display details for the files in that folder.
When you click the new column header, the width of the selected column is displayed in pixels in the Choose Details dialog box.
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Using a Folder Type as a Template
Every Windows XP folder provides a list of hyperlinked tasks appropriate to that type of folder next to the folder contents. For example, the Pictures folder type contains task links for ordering prints online and for printing pictures. If you want to use a folder type as a template for a selected folder, follow these steps:
Right-click a newly created folder, and then click Properties.
Click the Customize tab.
In the Use this folder type as a template list, click the template type you want to apply, and then click OK.
Now, when you open the new folder, it will contain a hyperlinked task list common to the type of folder you selected as the template.
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Create a Personal Screen Saver
For a great way to put your digital photos to work, try creating a slide show presentation for use as a screen saver.
Right-click an empty spot on your desktop and then click Properties.
Click the Screen Saver tab.
In the Screen saver list, click My Pictures Slideshow.
Click Settings to make any adjustments, such as how often the pictures should change, what size they should be, and whether you'll use transition effects between pictures, and then click OK.
Now your screen saver is a random display of the pictures taken from your My Pictures folder.
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Keep Your Favorite Programs Near the Top of the Start Menu
Do you have a favorite application that you frequently use? If so, you can elevate its priority on the Start menu by putting it at the top of the list. This ensures that the program will remain on the Start menu and cannot be bumped by other programs, even if you use the others more frequently.
Right-click the link to your favorite program on the Start menu and select Pin to Start Menu.
Your program will be moved permanently to the top part of the list, just below your browser and e-mail programs.
Use the Address Bar to Launch Programs or Web Page. Windows XP enhanced the functionality of the Address bar to make it easier to launch your favorite programs. You can add the Address bar to the taskbar on the bottom of your desktop. Then you can launch programs simply by entering their names in the Address bar.
For example, to launch Calculator, simply enter calc in the Address bar. Anything you would normally enter in the Run box on the Start menu can be entered in the Address bar. The Address bar also lets you quickly go to any Web page you specify.
To add the Address bar to the taskbar:
Right-click an empty area on the taskbar.
Point to Toolbars, and then click Address.
Open the Address bar by double-clicking it.
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Manually Put Your Computer into Hibernation
Hibernation is a cool feature in Windows XP that is 'hidden' in the Shut Down dialog box. If you have enabled hibernation on your computer, you can manually place it into hibernation. But first, it must be enabled. To enable hibernation support on your computer, you must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators or Power Users group. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent this procedure.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Power Options.
Click the Hibernate tab, and then select the Enable hibernate support check box. If the Hibernate tab is not available, your hardware does not support this feature.
Click OK to close the Power Options dialog box.
Note: When you put your computer into hibernation, everything in computer memory is saved on your hard disk. When you turn the computer back on, all programs and documents that were open when you turned the computer off are restored on the desktop.
Here's a shortcut to hibernate:
Hold down shift key in the shutdown dialog, then hit ENTER.
or just hit H.
or make your power button do hibernate through the Power Options dialog
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Display the Quick Launch Toolbar
Is your Quick Launch toolbar missing from the taskbar?
To display the familiar Quick Launch toolbar:
Right-click an empty area on the taskbar.
Click Toolbars, and then click Quick Launch.
Easy as that your Quick Launch bar appears.
To add items to your Quick Launch toolbar:
Click the icon for the program you want to add, and drag it to the Quick Launch portion of the taskbar.
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