Windows XP s New System Utilities


Windows XP's New System Utilities

Windows XP includes pretty much the same complement of system utilities found in Windows 98 and Windows Me, with a few significant additions and improvements.

NOTE

Learn more about System Restore in Chapter 25, "Troubleshooting Common Problems."


System Restore

System Restore was one of the most important additions to Windows Me. Fortunately, this utility continues into Windows XP.

The System Restore utility is a major-league safety net in case you ever experience a catastrophic problem with your computer. Before System Restore, you may have been forced to reinstall your complete operating system. With System Restore, reinstallations are a thing of the past. The utility can automatically restore your system to the state it was in before the problem cropped up.

System Restore works by actively monitoring your system and noting changes made when you install new applications. Each time it notes a change, it automatically creates a snapshot of the key system files on your system. If an installation goes bad, you can run System Restore and undo any changes made to your system by the installation. This restores your system to the pre-installation state, which should get you up and running again.

Although it isn't perfect, I thought that System Restore was one of the most important selling points for Windows Me. If you're still using Windows 98 or Windows 95, this utility alone might make it worthwhile to upgrade to Windows XP.

Compressed Folders

File compression, in the form of "zipped" files, has been around since the days of MS-DOS. Until recently, though, you had to do your compressing with a third-party utility, such as the venerable WinZip.

Starting with the Windows 98 Plus! Pack, and continuing into Windows Me, file compression was built into the operating system through what Microsoft calls compressed folders. The compressed folders feature has been enhanced in Windows XP with a new Extraction Wizard. When you right-click a compressed folder and select Extract All from the pop-up menu, the Extraction Wizard starts, and walks you through the process of extracting some or all the files from the compressed folder.

NOTE

Learn more about compressed folders in Chapter 3, "Managing Files."


NOTE

Learn more about the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard in Chapter 23, "Updating Windows."


This might sound like a small thing, but the Extraction Wizard effectively eliminates the need for any third-party compression software. Because the Extraction Wizard does everything WinZip and other programs do, including the creation and extraction of multiple-disk zip files, you don't need another utility.

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

NOTE

Learn more about changing your default applications in Chapter 2.


This final new utility in Windows XP was designed to help users move between different computers. The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard walks you through the process of transferring important documents, files, and settings to another computer. This is a great way to take all your good stuff with you when you upgrade to a new computer system and you can even run the wizard from the Windows XP CD on a non-XP system.



Microsoft Windows XP for Home Users Service Pack
Windows XP for Home Users, Service Pack 2 Edition
ISBN: 0321369890
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 270

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