Emphasize that there are several Windows XP Editions (products), but none of them is a true network server operating system. Windows XP Professional is the focus of this chapter.
Ask the students if they find the Windows XP user interface visually appealing and easy to navigate. Why or why not? Windows XP is now over a decade old. Do any find the interface out-dated? Does it lack features that they now look for in any computing device they use?
Step-by-Step 5.01 Installing Windows XP Professional. If you have done any special preparation work for this exercise, as suggested in the beginning of the Instructor’s Manual under Preparing for Class, be sure to include appropriate instructions to the students before they begin this exercise.
If the classroom computers have a version of Windows 7 that supports Windows XP Mode, consider replacing this exercise with one in which you install and configure Windows XP Mode. You may have already guided them through this in Chapter 3.
In this Step-by-Step exercise, students will do a clean installation of Windows XP Professional. Draw the students’ attention to the bulleted list at the beginning of the exercise. Have them write down the information they need to the right of this list next to the description of each item. These include the Product ID code, a unique computer name, the name of the work group, a password for the Administrator account, and the IP configuration information (unless they will keep the default and use DHCP).
Guide the students through using Windows Update to hasten the updating of the new Windows XP installation. Windows Update is accessible through a shortcut on the Start Menu. Ideally, this requires high-speed Internet access. If it is not practical to allow all the students to update their computers at once, demonstrate it for them. If you have placed a copy of the appropriate service pack in a network share, instruct the students on the steps required to connect and initiate the installation of the service pack.
If you acquired an application, as recommended in the Class Preparation Notes at the beginning of this Chapter IM, then demonstrate installing that application. If you are using a suite, such as OpenOffice, install two or more applications, using one to demonstrate removing an application (the next discussion). Then use another application from the suite to demonstrate customizing an application for users. One customization change you could show is changing the default location where an application saves data.
Step-by-Step 5.02 Using the Display Applet. This Step-by-Step exercise guides the students through using the Display Applet. Also, at this point, we assume that the student computers only have a single account, Administrator, because they do not create additional user accounts until later in the textbook. Therefore, they will have logged on as Administrator, and will not run into problems when they explore the Advanced options
Consider demonstrating adding a local printer. This does not require a physical printer.
Windows supports long names for folders and files, but that does not mean that you should make directory and file names LONG.
If the Security tab is not visible in the properties dialog box for files or folders, open the Tools menu, and choose Folder Options. On the View tab, scroll to the bottom of the Advanced Settings and clear (click) the check box next to "Use Simple File Sharing." Click OK to apply the change, and the Security tab will be visible in the properties dialog box for any folder or file on an NTFS volume, as well as in the properties dialog box for a printer.
Step-by-Step 5.03 Creating User Accounts and a Password Reset Disk in Windows XP. This exercise is important because it shows how to create user accounts in the two Windows XP Professional account administration tools, User Accounts and Local Users and Groups. Additionally, it has them create a password reset disk for their account. Ideally, students will have an opportunity to complete this exercise. If not, demonstrate it for them as this is an important exercise. The password reset disk is simply and aptly named. Students should understand that it requires resetting of the password. If password policy allows reuse of recent passwords, the students will be able to reset to the old password.
Step-by-Step 5.04 Viewing Permissions on Personal Folders. Ideally, students will complete this exercise themselves in Windows XP Professional.
If the Security tab is not visible in the printer properties dialog box, open the Tools menu, and choose Folder Options. On the View tab, scroll to the bottom of the Advanced Settings and clear (click) the check box next to "Use Simple File Sharing." Click OK to apply the change, and the Security tab will be visible in the properties dialog box for any folder or file on an NTFS volume, as well as in the properties dialog box for a printer. These are the same instructions given earlier for making the security tab visible in a file or folder properties dialog box.
The Windows XP Help and Support Center is always available, whether a computer connects to the Internet or not. However, it will search the Microsoft site for solutions when the computer is connected to the Internet. If possible, take students on a search for solutions for some intermediate Windows XP Professional problems. For instance, have them research how to change their printing preferences for the newly installed printer.
The Windows Backup program is named NTBACKUP.EXE, and can be started from Start | Run | ntbackup. Point out to students that Windows Backup will not back up to a writable CD or DVD, but they can achieve a similar result by backing up to a folder on the local computer, and then copying the resulting backup files to a writable CD or DVD. Another strategy that works well for those of us who have one or more external "Firewire" (IEEE 1394) or USB hard disk drives, is to back up directly to the external drive. Then it is easy to connect the hard disk drive to another computer and run the Windows Backup restore option.
Step-by-Step 5.05 Explore the Backup Program (NTBACKUP). This exercise walks the students through a tour of the Backup Utility. Automated System Recovery wizard replaces the former Emergency Repair disk. They will use the Backup page of the Backup Utility as well as the Automated System Recovery wizard.