Windows XP s Help and Registration Features


Windows XP's Help and Registration Features

NOTE

Learn about Windows XP's Help and Support system in Chapter 22, "Getting Help."


The final changes in Windows XP are to the Help and registration systems. Windows Help has never been something to write home about, and it's still far from great, but at least Microsoft is trying to make it better.

NOTE

Learn more about Remote Assistance in Chapter 22.


Revamped Help System

The Help system in Windows XP builds on the new Help system that was introduced in Windows Me. Windows XP Help (now called Help and Support) has been enhanced with a better search system, automatic updating with new content from the Internet, and a new user-friendly interface.

Microsoft has also integrated a number of system tools into the Help system, including the System Configuration Utility, Advanced System Information, and Windows Update. This puts all the system's troubleshooting tools in one place, which is far superior to the scattershot approach embraced by previous versions of Windows.

Remote Assistance

Another new component of the Windows XP Help system is called Remote Assistance. This utility lets you turn over control of your computer to another computer, which enables a technician to troubleshoot your system's problems without actually being there. All you have to do is connect your computer to the Internet, and Remote Assistance enables the other person do the driving.

Online Registration and Activation

Finally, if you've already installed Windows XP, you've no doubt noticed that an Internet connection is almost a necessity to complete the installation. For the first time in Windows history, you actually have to get Microsoft's approval to activate Windows on your system. (This is in addition to the normal product registration, which can also be done online.)

NOTE

For a more detailed discussion of Windows Product Activation, see Appendix A.


Windows XP Product Activation has caught a lot of flack from users afraid that Microsoft is gathering personal information during the activation process. Microsoft claims that isn't so and that it merely encodes information about your system hardware and combines it with the product code on your Windows XP installation CD to create a unique activation code. This machine-specific activation code is meant to prevent you from using a single copy of Windows XP on multiple PCs.

The problem with this Product Activation is that it might also prevent you from reinstalling the operating system on a single PC especially if you've dramatically changed the configuration of your system. This means that if you have to reinstall Windows, you may need to call Microsoft and sweet-talk a support person into letting you reinstall a program that you already paid good money for.

It remains to be seen if Product Activation really works, or what kind of problems it might cause. It might be a good idea to keep Microsoft's tech support number handy just in case!



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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