Chapter 3: Help and Support

Overview

The help and support services available in Windows XP Professional represent a significant advance compared to other Windows operating systems. Microsoft has done an excellent job of consolidating most of the operating systems' help and support tools into a single location, the Help and Support Center. The Help and Support Center provides a Web-based interface. It seamlessly combines a local help database with Internet-based help and provides easy access to an assortment of administrative tools, troubleshooters, news groups, and other online content.

In addition to supplying administrators with a consolidated set of tools, the Help and Support Center helps the end user to become more self-sufficient. Its interface is more intuitive, allowing end users to research and answer many of their own questions, thus offloading some administrative responsibilities and helping to make everybody's life a little easier.

In addition to the tools and information provided by the Help and Support Center, Windows XP Professional provides a number of other tools that administrators will find helpful. These tools include an automatic error collection and reporting facility, which automates the submission of error information to Microsoft, and Windows Update, which assists administrators in keeping Windows XP computers updated with the latest updates, enhancements, and fixes.