Chapter 1: Mastering Control Panel, Policies, and PowerToys

Overview

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to:

• Use Control Panel and understand its icons.

• Work with Control Panel files directly.

• Get easier access to Control Panel.

• Work with group policies.

• Use the various programs that come with the Windows XP PowerToys.

Plain and simple, our goal for this book is to help you get the most that you possibly can out of Microsoft Windows XP. Our premise is that rather than sticking to the obvious, you must go below the surface if you want to fully reap Windows XP’s bounty. Throughout this book, we do just that. We show you the numerous insider techniques and secrets that lurk within Windows XP that can help you work faster and more efficiently. As you’ll see in almost every chapter of this book, these insider techniques involve not only in-depth examination of numerous topics but also the use of certain tools that Windows XP provides. Some of these tools come up again and again in this book, so it makes sense to learn to use them well, which is what you’ll do in this chapter. We’ll show you how to get the most out of Control Panel, system policies, and the PowerToys add-ons.