second round (small rant)

[Bob]

OK, I installed XP yesterday afterjust getting
comfortable with WIN 98. I'm finding I can't do things
in XP that I used to in '98. I couldn't even find help
topics on some things. Here's a sample:

A.) After loading all my programs on XP, I get an error
when I pull up "ALL PROGRAMS". It states that it
couldn't show everything on the list. What good is a
list that doesn't? Of course, in '98, I just went into
Start/Settings/TaskBar and Start Menu/ Start Menu
Programs/Advanced and edited and consolidated
everything. I could even do the same thing from Windows
explorer (Windows/Start Menu). Can I do this in WIN XP?

B.)Aparently under Administrative Tools/Computer
Management/Storage, WIN XP recognises the theoretical
existance of Removable Storage insofar as cd and dvd
drives. However, as I moaned in a previous post, I can't
find out how to recognise a removable hard drive. This
is even when it shows up in Control Panel/System
Properties/device Manager. Can I do this in WIN XP?

There are all these things I knew how to do in '98 that
slap me in the face in WIN XP. I guess I'm disappointed
because I thought that advances in windows technology
would proportionately free me from manuals (I'm not so
sure it's a good thing that there isn't one) or tech
support for "common tasks".

 

[Sharon F]

Replies are in line:

OK, I installed XP yesterday afterjust getting
comfortable with WIN 98. I'm finding I can't do things
in XP that I used to in '98. I couldn't even find help
topics on some things. Here's a sample:

A.) After loading all my programs on XP, I get an error
when I pull up "ALL PROGRAMS". It states that it
couldn't show everything on the list. What good is a
list that doesn't? Of course, in '98, I just went into
Start/Settings/TaskBar and Start Menu/ Start Menu
Programs/Advanced and edited and consolidated
everything. I could even do the same thing from Windows
explorer (Windows/Start Menu). Can I do this in WIN XP?

If the message appears when the first panel of the XP style start menu
appears, it is referring to too many items in that panel. Change your
resolution or remove some of these items. System items can be removed
using Start Menu properties> Customize.

Organizing the start menu is similar to Win98 but there's a slight
difference. Each user's Start Menu is a composite derived from two
sources:
Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
Documents and Settings\<your account>\Start Menu.

To organize, right click the start button and select Explore. This will
open Windows Explorer to your start menu folders. Right click the start
button a second time and select Explore All Users. This will open a
second window with the focus on the start menus for All Users. Using
both screens, customize to your start menu to your heart's content.

B.)Aparently under Administrative Tools/Computer
Management/Storage, WIN XP recognises the theoretical
existance of Removable Storage insofar as cd and dvd
drives. However, as I moaned in a previous post, I can't
find out how to recognise a removable hard drive. This
is even when it shows up in Control Panel/System
Properties/device Manager. Can I do this in WIN XP?

Sorry. Have not run into this yet. I believe there are a few updates
related to removable storage those. May want to save working on this
issue until after XP is current on updates.

There are all these things I knew how to do in '98 that
slap me in the face in WIN XP. I guess I'm disappointed
because I thought that advances in windows technology
would proportionately free me from manuals (I'm not so
sure it's a good thing that there isn't one) or tech
support for "common tasks".

Windows XP is from a line of Windows that is a bit more complex than
Win9x/ME. Even though it has been adapted in many ways for home use, it is
still an operating system evolved from the "business line of Windows" - the NT
family and there is a small learning curve involved. When first using it, I railed
against some of the differences (came from Win9x to XP too) but now after a
few years, I have a hard time recalling what they were.

While many things were "simpler" in Win98, I have yet to reboot for a lack
of resources (not necessary with XP) and very rarely see a system lockup.
For me, having a more trouble free environment was worth the
investment of time and effort to adjust to the differences. You may never
like XP as well as 98 but I hope that you at least become more comfortable
with it in the near future.

 

[Maureen Goldman]

OK, I installed XP yesterday afterjust getting
comfortable with WIN 98. I'm finding I can't do things
in XP that I used to in '98. I couldn't even find help
topics on some things. Here's a sample:

A.) After loading all my programs on XP, I get an error
when I pull up "ALL PROGRAMS". It states that it
couldn't show everything on the list. What good is a
list that doesn't? Of course, in '98, I just went into
Start/Settings/TaskBar and Start Menu/ Start Menu
Programs/Advanced and edited and consolidated
everything. I could even do the same thing from Windows
explorer (Windows/Start Menu). Can I do this in WIN XP?

While you're learning the system you might feel more comfortable with
the classic menu. Right-click the start button, properties. Look
around the Customize area while you're there. Personally, I loathe the
XP programs menu.

There are all these things I knew how to do in '98 that
slap me in the face in WIN XP. I guess I'm disappointed
because I thought that advances in windows technology
would proportionately free me from manuals (I'm not so
sure it's a good thing that there isn't one) or tech
support for "common tasks".

Kelly's Korner is a website that will answer many of your concerns.
Below are links to the A-Z and tweaks areas.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm