Req; Good manual for learning XP.

[Jackson]

Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
material.

For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
"boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.

I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
material.

For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
"boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.

I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
Any suggestions?

My personal favorite is "Windows XP Inside Out," by Bott, Siechert,
and Stinson.

Although I have heard good things about the "...for Dummies" series of
books, I find their titles condescending and insulting, and refuse to
buy any of them.

 

[Phil Weldon]

'Jackson' wrote:
| Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
| could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
| guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
| jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
| material.
|
| For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
| dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
| "boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
| but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.
|
| I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
| Any suggestions?
'Windows XP Professional Resource Kit' 3rd Edition
by
The Microsoft Windows Team with Charlie Russel and Sharon Crawford
1523 pp plus CD ROM
IBSN 0-7356-2176-5
USA $59.99 (easily found discounted to about $30 US)

This is NOT a beginners manual; it is an in-depth reference manual and
resource kit for installing and using Windows XP.
Examples of contents you will find helpful -
'Wireless Networking'
'System Troubleshooting'
'Managing Files and Folders'
'Managing Devices'
'Managing Digital Media'
'Working with File Systems'
'Backing up Data'
The index is very good, and the entire text is searchable on the CD-ROM.

From the Index:

safe mode
starting in, 1197 - 1198
using, 1269 - 1271

At the very least this reference will show you what there is to know and
answer a lot of specific questions.

Phil Weldon





| Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
| could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
| guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
| jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
| material.
|
| For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
| dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
| "boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
| but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.
|
| I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
| Any suggestions?
|
| Thanks

 

[Bob Harris]

QUE puiblishing has a couple of good books, although much of what they
contain might be consodered advanced. Most larger book stores will have
some to browse. Or, look on-line:
http://www.quepublishing.com/index.asp?rl=1

O'Reilly publishing has the "missing manual" series, which is also good.
http://www.missingmanuals.com/

 

[Stan Brown]

Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
material.

For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
"boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.

I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
Any suggestions?

Google.

I'm not being facetious -- if you want answers to questions, Googling
usually provides them. And the index can't be beat.

For example "how to boot into safe mode" (with the quotes) yields
16,900 hits. I looked at the summaries of the first dozen and all but
one of them look quite promising. (The "one" was about Windows 98,
and you specified XP.)

If you can frame a pretty specific question, Google is good. It's
less good if you want an overview -- you can still find them, but
it's a little harder IMHO.

So, when you say "learning XP", ask yourself what you mean. Your
"Dummies" book probably gave you some sense of the overall
capabilities. Now ask yourself just what it is that you want to learn
about XP.

As with Google, so with the newsgroups. The more specific and focused
your question, the happier you will be with the results you get.

 

[Stan Brown]

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 10:40:42 -0700 from Ken Blake, MVP

Although I have heard good things about the "...for Dummies" series of
books, I find their titles condescending and insulting, and refuse to
buy any of them.

I feel the same way. It blows my mind that one person will even buy
such a book for another, in complete seriousness, as a gift!

 

[J&P]

Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
material.

For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
"boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.

I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
Any suggestions?

Thanks

Why not start with Google. For instance, typing into Google search "XP
boot into safe mode" will bring up quite a few good examples. Or typing
in "XP tutorials" etc.

It's free! And as long you keep to reputable sites you should be okay.

The MVPs have very good websites, too.

Regards,

Joe Steele

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

'Jackson' wrote:
| Can anyone recommend a decent book for learning XP? The only thing I
| could find locally was "Windows XP for Dummies" by Woody Leonhard. I
| guess it serves a need but it you remove all the extraneous corny
| jokes and wisecracks there isn't much left in the way of reference
| material.
|
| For example: I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. But the
| dummies book does not have an index entry for "safe mode" nor for
| "boot...". I know it's Function something at some point in boot up
| but you'll never find stuff like that in the dummy book.
|
| I need a decent reference (not a joke book) that has a good index.
| Any suggestions?

'Windows XP Professional Resource Kit' 3rd Edition

Although the Resource Kit is a very good and comprehensive work, I
really don't think it's what Jackson had in mind when he asked for "a
decent book for learning XP." I'm afraid it's way overkill for his
purposes, and won't help him at all.

 

[J&P]

Google.

I'm not being facetious -- if you want answers to questions, Googling
usually provides them. And the index can't be beat.

For example "how to boot into safe mode" (with the quotes) yields
16,900 hits. I looked at the summaries of the first dozen and all but
one of them look quite promising. (The "one" was about Windows 98,
and you specified XP.)

If you can frame a pretty specific question, Google is good. It's
less good if you want an overview -- you can still find them, but
it's a little harder IMHO.

So, when you say "learning XP", ask yourself what you mean. Your
"Dummies" book probably gave you some sense of the overall
capabilities. Now ask yourself just what it is that you want to learn
about XP.

As with Google, so with the newsgroups. The more specific and focused
your question, the happier you will be with the results you get.

Yes, you I and many others agree, Stan. And we also know that you can
get varying explanations via Google which can be quite brief or very
detailed, and which can be printed off or saved in a Favorites folder -
making your own "more relevant to your own needs" manual.

Joe Steele

 

[Stan Brown]

Why not start with Google. For instance, typing into Google search
"XP boot into safe mode" will bring up quite a few good examples.
Or typing in "XP tutorials" etc.

It's free! And as long you keep to reputable sites you should be
okay.

I'm not sure what you mean by "reputable sites", but as you see I
posted independently a Google recommendation.

The MVPs have very good websites, too.

That's good advice! When I get an unmanageably large number of hits,
I often repeat the search with the added term MVP. That often helps
winnow things down.

 

[Guest]

IMHO,
You have the best XP learning information right at your fingertips, (The MSN
NEWSGROUPS), and it doesn't cost you one cent. Granted there are some jokers
out there but you don't have to pay even one cent for that either. You can
pick your own particular subject without thumbing through an index. There are
many XP experts out there that are willing and kind enough to help a serious
minded inquirer. Most have helped me. Thanks MVP'S/etc.
Franktee

 

[Jackson]

My personal favorite is "Windows XP Inside Out," by Bott, Siechert,
and Stinson.

Although I have heard good things about the "...for Dummies" series of
books, I find their titles condescending and insulting, and refuse to
buy any of them.

Thanks for the tip, Ken. I have ordered the book from Amazon.

Thanks to all who responded and I will try to remember to Google more.
It never occurred to use Google as one used Ask Jeeves. But I still
like to have a hard copy book. I usually leave a book in the
bathroom, where it is at hand for a quick read.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks for the tip, Ken. I have ordered the book from Amazon.

You're welcome. Glad to help. Write back after you've read some of it
and let us how you like it.

Thanks to all who responded and I will try to remember to Google more.
It never occurred to use Google as one used Ask Jeeves. But I still
like to have a hard copy book. I usually leave a book in the
bathroom, where it is at hand for a quick read.

I'm with you. I like a book too. I think the combination of it and
Google is perfect. You don't easily find everything in either source,
but taken together, you can come pretty close.