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Using Microsoft® Windows® XP

Dell™ Latitude™ D610 User's Guide

Help and Support Center

NOTE: The Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional operating systems have different features and appearances. Also, options available in Windows XP Professional vary depending on whether your computer is connected to a domain.

The Help and Support Center provides help with Windows XP and offers other support and educational tools. With the Help and Support Center, you can:

• Access user's guides for your computer hardware and software.
  
  
• Find detailed information about your computer, including configuration and error logs.
  
  
• Access support and educational tools installed on your computer.
  
  
• Search for topics based on words you provide.
  
  

To access the Help and Support Center, click the Start button and click Help and Support.

Microsoft® Windows® Classic View

You can change the appearance of the Windows desktop, Start menu, and Control Panel so that they look more like previous versions of the Windows operating system.

NOTE: The procedures in this document were written for the Windows default view, so they may not work if you set your Dell™ computer to the Windows classic view.

Desktop

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
   
   
2. Under Pick a category, click Appearance and Themes.
   
   
3. Under Pick a task..., click Change the computer's theme.
   
   
4. In the Theme drop-down menu, click Windows Classic.
   
   
5. Click OK.
   
   

Start Menu

1. Right-click the Start button and click Properties.
   
   
2. Click the Start Menu tab.
   
   
3. Click Classic Start menu and click OK.
   
   

Control Panel

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
   
   
2. In the left panel, click Switch to Classic View.
   
   

Desktop Cleanup Wizard

Your computer is set up to use the Desktop Cleanup Wizard to move programs that are not frequently used to a designated folder 7 days after you first start your computer and every 60 days after that. The appearance of the Start menu changes as programs are moved.

To turn off the Desktop Cleanup Wizard, perform the following steps.

NOTE: You can run the Desktop Cleanup Wizard any time by clicking Clean Desktop Now under Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days.

1. Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and click Properties.
   
   
2. Click the Desktop tab and click Customize Desktop.
   
   
3. Click Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days to remove the check mark.
   
   
4. Click OK.
   
   

To run the Desktop Cleanup Wizard at any time:

1. Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and click Properties.
   
   
2. Click the Desktop tab and click Customize Desktop.
   
   
3. Click Clean Desktop Now.
   
   
4. When the Desktop Cleanup Wizard appears, click Next.
   
   
5. In the list of shortcuts, deselect any shortcuts you want to leave on the desktop and click Next.
   
   
6. Click Finish to remove the shortcuts and close the wizard.
   
   

Transferring Information to a New Computer

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Files and Settings Transfer wizard to move data from the source computer to the new computer. You can move data such as:

• E-mails
  
  
• Toolbar settings
  
  
• Window sizes
  
  
• Internet bookmarks
  
  

You can transfer the data to the new computer over a network or serial connection, or you can store it on a removable medium, such as a writable CD or floppy.

To prepare the new computer for the file transfer:

1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs® Accessories® System Tools, and then click Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.
   
   
2. When the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen appears, click Next.
   
   
3. On the Which computer is this? screen, click New Computer and click Next.
   
   
4. On the Do you have a Windows XP CD? screen, click I will use the wizard from the Windows XP CD and click Next.
   
   
5. When the Now go to your old computer screen appears, go to your old or source computer. Do not click Next at this time.
   
   

To copy data from the old computer:

1. On the old computer, insert the Windows XP Operating System CD.
   
   
2. On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform additional tasks.
   
   
3. Under What do you want to do?, click Transfer files and settings.
   
   
4. On the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard welcome screen, click Next.
   
   
5. On the Which computer is this? screen, click Old Computer and click Next.
   
   
6. On the Select a transfer method screen, click the transfer method you prefer.
   
   
7. On the What do you want to transfer? screen, select the items you want to transfer and click Next.
   
   

After the information has been copied, the Completing the Collection Phase screen appears.

8. Click Finish.
   
   

To transfer data to the new computer:

1. On the Now go to your old computer screen on the new computer, click Next.
   
   
2. On the Where are the files and settings? screen, select the method you chose for transferring your settings and files and click Next.
   
   

The wizard reads the collected files and settings and applies them to your new computer.

When all of the settings and files have been applied, the Finished screen appears.

3. Click Finished and restart the new computer.
   
   

User Accounts and Fast User Switching

Adding User Accounts

After the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system is installed, the administrator or a user with administrator rights can create additional user accounts.

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
   
   
2. In the Control Panel window, click User Accounts.
   
   
3. Under Pick a task, click Create a new account.
   
   
4. Under Name the new account, type the name of the new user and click Next.
   
   
5. Under Pick an account type, click one of the following options:
   
   
   • Computer administrator — You can change all computer settings.
     
     
   • Limited — You can change only your own personal settings, such as your password. You cannot install programs or use the Internet.
     
     

NOTE: Additional options may be available, depending on whether you are using Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional. Also, options available in Windows XP Professional vary depending on whether your computer is connected to a domain.

6. Click Create Account.
   
   

Fast User Switching

NOTE: Fast User Switching is unavailable if your computer is running Windows XP Professional and is a member of a computer domain, or if your computer has less than 128 MB of memory.

Fast User Switching allows multiple users to access one computer without requiring the previous user to log off.

1. Click the Start button and click Log Off.
   
   
2. In the Log Off Windows window, click Switch User.
   
   

When you use Fast User Switching, programs that previous users were using remain running in the background, which might slow your computer's response time. Also, multimedia programs, such as games and DVD software, might not work with Fast User Switching. For more information, see the Help and Support Center.

Setting Up a Home and Office Network

1. Connect the network cable to the network adapter connector on the back of your computer.
   
   

NOTE: Insert the cable until it clicks into place, and then gently pull it to ensure that it is secure.

2. Connect the other end of the network cable to a network connection device, such as a network wall connector.
   
   

NOTE: Do not use a network cable with a telephone wall connector.

Network Setup Wizard

The Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system provides a Network Setup Wizard to guide you through the process of sharing files, printers, or an Internet connection between computers in a home or small office.

1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs® Accessories® Communications, and then click Network Setup Wizard.
   
   
2. On the welcome screen, click Next.
   
   
3. Click Checklist for creating a network.
   
   

NOTE: Selecting the connection method labeled "This computer connects directly to the Internet" enables the integrated firewall provided with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1).

4. Complete the checklist and required preparations.
   
   
5. Return to the Network Setup Wizard and follow the instructions on the screen.
   
   

Internet Connection Firewall

The Internet Connection Firewall provides basic protection from unauthorized access to the computer while the computer is connected to the Internet. The firewall is automatically enabled when you run the Network Setup Wizard. When the firewall is enabled for a network connection, the firewall icon appears with a red background in the Network Connections section of the Control Panel.

Note that enabling the Internet Connection Firewall does not reduce the need for virus-checking software.

For more information, see the Help and Support Center.

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