On Line Assistance

Do you need help with XP? Whether it is making a decision on which version is right for you, looking for installation tips or finding answers to common problems this page should have something to offer even the most seasoned user.

Windows Expert Zone - This will take you to Microsoft's official on-line community for Windows XP enthusiasts. Check out the tips and weekly columns. Subscribe to Windows XP Newsgroups were you can learn from others and share what you have discovered about using XP. This site gives you access to some of the best technical advisors you'll find anywhere and it is always free!

Microsoft's Windows XP Support Center - The name says it all. This is Microsoft's on ramp with links to a huge selection of FAQs, articles and How To's regarding all aspects of the Windows XP system.

Microsoft Knowledgebase Search  - The Knowledge Base has more than 250,000 articles, created by thousands of support professionals who have resolved issues for our customers. It is regularly updated, expanded, and refined to ensure that you have access to the very latest information.

msnews.microsoft.com Newsgroup Search - Use Google to search through the wealth of msnews.microsoft.com articles archived by Google. Just select the option to Open or Run then  type your question into the search bar see if your question has already been asked and answered. Thank Bert Kinney MS MVP for putting this handy tool together. It is based on a script developed by Alex Angelopolous MS -MVP.

OEM Support Sites - If you purchased a system with XP pre-installed then you are likely to find this link helpful.

Freebytes Guide to Finding Drivers, DLLs and BIOS Updates - Locate and download your missing dll, driver or Bios upgrade for free.

Windows XP Upgrade Advisor - Off to another great Microsoft site. The Upgrade Advisor is a tool that checks your system hardware and software to see if it is ready for upgrade to Windows XP. This is an intensive test and requires you to download a huge 35-50MB application. If you don't have cable or DSL I suggest you check out the next link.

Windows XP Readiness Test - Want to see if your computer is ready to run Windows XP? This is a link to the PC Pitstop site which has a compatibility checker to test your PC with.

Windows XP Ready PCs - Microsoft provides links to many popular brands of computers to help you find a system that is XP compatible.

Purchase Additional Licenses - Your license to install Windows XP is limited to "one license per one computer" but what if you have more than one system you want to install to? Microsoft makes additional licenses available so that you do not have to purchase a second product. For Volume Licensing Details go here.

Microsoft CD-Rom Replacement Policy - If you've damaged your Microsoft CD then check out their replacement options.

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware - Lost or misplaced your Product Key? If it was a retail version then contact Microsoft for a replacement. BUT if it was an OEM version on your computer came with XP preinstalled then you need to conatct the vender because Microsoft can't help with OEM versions of their software.

Microsoft TechNet - The site for IT professionals and advanced users. Info here pertains primarily to Professional platforms like Windows 2000 and XP Professional version.

Jim Eshelman MVP has put together another great resource. This one is specific to Windows XP/2000 and includes troubleshooting tips and links to other help sites. You need to bookmark this site folks.

Windows XP as an Upgrade - Gary Woodruff MVP. Posted on JAE's site this excellent resource should take the pain out of upgrading to XP.

Task List Programs - From WWW.AnswersThatWork.com comes a guide to understanding the processes and services at work behind the scene on Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 platforms.

How To Install a Hard Drive - step-by-step instructions show how to upgrade your HD.

BIOS Optimization Guide - comprehensive, step-by-step guides to optimizing performance for BIOSes, caches, swapfiles, and more.

Dropload.com - No FTP server? No problem here is a  place for you to drop your files off and have them picked up at a later time. Recipients you specify are sent an email with instructions on how to download the file. Files are removed from the system after 48 hours, regardless if they have been picked up or not. Anyone with an e-mail address can pick up files.

The Microsoft Virtual Machine (Microsoft VM) is available only as a Web download. Be advised that once installed you can not uninstall MS Virtual Machine

Windows Update Download Site - Download and save Critical Updates and other files from the Windows Update Site. Choose your version of Windows and then do a search.

The Lowdown on NTFS - A page from Scott Finnies News Letter. Worth a read.

Windows XP Home Edition vs. Professional - Do you need help determining which version is right for you?
                *Or check out this additional link which gives a quick comparison between all three versions of XP.

Windows XP Home Edition Comparison Guide - Compare the features in Windows XP Home Edition to those in Windows 95, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition.

Windows XP Home Edition How-To Articles - Well organized in an easy to understand format this is a one stop  resource that will help get the most out of Windows XP's Home Edition.

Windows XP Professional Comparison Guide - With the strengths of Windows 2000 Professional and the best business features of Windows 98, Windows XP Professional is the best desktop operating system for business. See how it compares with previous versions of Windows.

Windows XP Professional How-To Articles - A collection of FAQs and tips for getting from installation to tweaking the settings.

Windows Product Activation - Do you need accurate information about Windows Product Activation? Rumors and half-truths abound. Get your  info from the source.

Technical Details on Microsoft Product Activation for Windows XP - Download the official technical bulletin and read how WPA really works. This is a Microsoft Word document. A downloadable MS Word version is available here.

50 Things You Didn't Know About XP - Chris Pirillio o Lokergnome fame give you his run down on many of XP's new features.

Windows XP Hardware Compatibility List - Are you looking to see if your hardware is supported?

Windows XP Software Compatibility Site - Are you wondering if your favorite program will work with XP?

Windows XP and Software - this is a page I put together which offers my install  experience with a variety of popular programs. 

Using the Windows Recovery Console - Sooner or later you will find a need to Repair. Yes XP is very stable but human error or "some small glitch" will dictate that you will need to run Repair and when you do you'll likely encounter the Recovery Console.

Windows XP Tweaks 'n' Tips - Posted by "teck" at the ISONEWS.COM Forum here is a project in the making. Thanks goes out for the great ideas.

Universal Windows Slipstreaming and Bootable CD Guide - Slipstreaming a Service Pack, is the process to integrate the Service Pack into the installation so that with every new installation the Operating System and Service Pack are installed at the same time. 

Powertoys For XP - Looking for Tweakui? The XP version is included in this set of great add-ons that make XP even better.

Microsoft Office Converters and Viewers - With the help of these free converters and viewers from the Office Download Center, you can share your Microsoft Office files with people who have versions of Office programs different from your own, or even with people who don't have Office at all.

Home Networking with TCP/IP - Tutorial includes setting up Windows XP home network

Direct Cable Connection - do you need to setup your Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP system to another system to transfer files? Use DCC

Test Your Cable or DSL Line Speed - Ever wonder how fast your connection speed is? 
Test Your Analog Modem speed here

How to Remove the Windows XP Uninstallation Files - This article describes how to remove the uninstallation files that are created when you upgrade a computer from a previous operating system to Microsoft Windows XP. This may be useful if you want to create more free space on your hard disk.

Removing Windows XP and restoring Windows 9x/Me - If you upgraded over Windows 98 or Me check your Control Panel->Add and Remove Programs to Uninstall Windows XP. If you can't uninstall that way check this info.

How to uninstall the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (JVM) from Windows XP - You might want to remove the Microsoft JVM, which Microsoft no longer supports, in favor of the more recent Sun Microsystems JVM.

The Windows XP Layout - Ever wonder what XP's folder house? check here.

156 Useful Run Commands - If you use the Run command then check here for a host of useful commands to launch many of your oftend used programs and applets