1

Chapter Overview

Configuring and Troubleshooting the Display

Configuring Power Management Configuring Operating System Settings Configuring and Troubleshooting the

Desktop Environment Managing Windows Components

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Introduction to Configuring Windows XP Professional Microsoft Windows XP Professional stores

configuration information in two locations: the registry and the Active Directory service.

Modifications to the registry or Active Directory change the configuration of the Windows XP Professional environment.

You use the following tools to modify the registry or Active Directory: Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Control Panel Registry Editor

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Configuring Display and Desktop Properties

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Display Adapter Advanced Options

General tab Adapter tab Monitor tab Troubleshoot tab Color Management tab

5

Using Multiple Displays Multiple displays can extend the desktop

across a maximum of 10 monitors. Multiple displays require Peripheral

Component Interconnect (PCI) or Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) devices.

Hardware requirements for primary and secondary displays differ.

Some display adapters are built into the motherboard.

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Configuring Multiple Displays

1. Turn off the computer.2. Install multiple PCI or AGP video

adapters.3. Plug an additional monitor into each PCI

or AGP video adapter.4. Power on the computer.

Windows XP Professional detects the new adapters and installs the appropriate device drivers.

5. Configure each of the multiple displays.

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Troubleshooting Common Problems with Multiple Displays

You cannot see any output on the secondary display.

The Extend My Windows Desktop Onto This Monitor check box is unavailable.

An application fails to display on the secondary display.

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Configuring Power Options

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Selecting a Power Scheme

Home/Office Desk Portable/Laptop Presentation Always On Minimal Power Management Max Battery

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Configuring Advanced Power Options

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Enabling Hibernation

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Configuring Advanced Power Management

Advanced Power Management (APM) helps reduce the power consumption of your system.

If the APM tab is not available, either The computer is compliant with Advanced

Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) The computer does not have an APM basic

input/output system (BIOS) installed

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Configuring an Uninterruptible Power Supply An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device

connected between a computer or another piece of electronic equipment and a power source. The UPS Ensures that the electrical flow to the computer is

not interrupted because of a blackout Protects the computer against potentially damaging

events such as power surges and brownouts Different UPS models offer different levels of

protection. Click the UPS tab in the Power Options Properties

dialog box to configure your UPS.

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Configuring Performance Options

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Configuring Visual Effects

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Configuring Advanced Performance Options

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Configuring Virtual Memory

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Enhancing Performance with Virtual Memory

Create a paging file for each hard disk. Move the paging file off the drive that

contains the Windows XP Professional %systemroot% folder.

Increase the initial size of the paging file.

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Introduction to User Profiles User profiles store settings for your Desktop

and other information related to your user account.

There are two types of user profiles: Local profile, which is created the first time a user

logs on to a computer Roaming profile, which sets up the same desktop

environment no matter what computer the user logs on to

The User Profiles dialog box lets you change the type of profile, delete profiles, or copy existing profiles.

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Configuring Startup and Recovery Settings

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Introduction to Environment Variables

Environment variables define the system and user environment information.

Environment variables provide information that Windows XP Professional uses to control various applications.

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How Windows XP Professional Sets Environment Variables

1. Windows XP Professional searches the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, if it exists, and sets any environment variables.

2. System environment variables are set next. These variables override any conflicting

variables from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

3. User environment variables are set last. These variables override any conflicting

variables that have already been set.

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Configuring Error Reporting

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Configuring System Restore System Restore lets you track and reverse

harmful changes made to your system. System Restore is turned on by default. To turn off System Restore

1. In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Restore tab.

2. Select the Turn Off System Restore On All Drives check box.

To configure a single drive or the disk space usage for System Restore, in the System Restore tab, click Settings.

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Configuring Automatic Updates Automatic Updates (AU) is a proactive service that

allows users with administrative privileges to automatically download and install critical operating system updates.

AU uses the following Notification Settings options: Download The Updates Automatically And Notify Me

When They Are Ready To Be Installed Notify Me Before Downloading Any Updates And Notify

Me Again Before Installing Them On My Computer Turn Off Automatic Updating. I Want To Update My

Computer Manually. AU uses bandwidth throttling technology. Go to the Windows Update Page at www.microsoft.com

to manually install any available update.

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Configuring Remote Access The Remote Access feature lets you invite a

remote assistant to help you over the Internet. Use the Remote Assistance section of the Remote

tab to configure remote access. Select the Allow Remote Assistance Invitations To

Be Sent From This Computer check box to invite a remote assistant to help you.

Click the Advanced button to configure Remote Assistance.

Select or clear the Allow This Computer To Be Controlled Remotely check box.

Set the Maximum Amount Of Time Invitations Can Remain Open option.

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Configuring Remote Access (Cont.) Use the Remote Desktop section of the

Remote tab to enable remote access to your computer.

Select the Allow Users To Connect Remotely To This Computer check box to allow a remote assistant to connect to your computer.

The Select Remote Users button lets you give users access to the computer.

Members of the Administrators group already have remote access.

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Joining a Domain or Workgroup The Computer Name tab of the System Properties

dialog box provides two methods for joining a computer to a workgroup or a domain.

Click the Network ID button to launch the Network ID Wizard.

Click the Change button. Joining a computer to a domain requires one of the

following: A computer account created for your computer in the

domain The name and password of a user account that is a

member of the Domain Admins group so that you can create the computer account as you join the domain

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Regional And Language Options Dialog Box

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Configuring Multiple Languages

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Advanced Tab

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Configuring and Troubleshooting Accessibility Options

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StickyKeys Settings

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FilterKeys Settings

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ToggleKeys Settings

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Configuring Sound Options

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Configuring Display Options

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Configuring Mouse Options

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Configuring General Tab Options

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Installing and Removing Windows Components In Control Panel, click Add Or Remove

Programs. In the Add Or Remove Programs window,

click Add/Remove Windows Components. Windows XP Professional starts the Windows

Components Wizard. To add a component, select the component you want

to add and follow the wizard’s instructions for installing it.

To remove a component, on the Windows Component page, clear the check box for the component you want to remove and follow the wizard’s instructions.

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Chapter Summary

The Desktop Items dialog box lets you include or exclude an icon for My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and the Recycle Bin on your desktop.

By default, the Desktop Cleanup Wizard runs every 60 days and removes any icons from the desktop that have not been used in the last 60 days.

You can extend your display across a maximum of 10 monitors if you use PCI or AGP video adapters.

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Chapter Summary (Cont.) Power Options allows you to configure Windows XP

Professional to turn off the power to your monitor and your hard disk or put the computer in hibernate mode.

The hibernation feature saves the current system state to your hard disk and then shuts down your computer. When you restart the computer, it returns to its previous state.

The Advanced tab of the System Properties dialog box lets you configure performance options, user profiles, startup and recovery settings, environment variables, and error reporting.

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Chapter Summary (Cont.) The System Restore feature lets you track and

reverse harmful changes made to your system. AU lets users with administrative privileges

automatically download and install critical operating system updates.

The Remote Assistance feature lets you invite a remote assistant to help you over the Internet.

To join your computer to a domain or a workgroup, use the Computer Name tab of the System Properties dialog box.

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Chapter Summary (Cont.) Click Date, Time, Language, And Regional

Options in Control Panel to configure Windows XP Professional for multiple languages and multiple locales.

Click the Accessibility Options icon in Control Panel to configure accessibility options.

Use the Add Or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to

Add and remove applications from CD-ROM, floppy disk, or network shares

Add and remove Windows components, such as Internet Information Services (IIS)