In an ideal world, an operating system would do its job in the background, while you did yours in the foreground. In reality, though, operating systems often get in the way, fouling up the process at the most inopportune times. And Windows XP is no exception. O'Reilly's popular series for customizing and troubleshooting Windows once again comes to the rescue with Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks. Offering dozens of on-target tips, workarounds, and warnings, Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks allows users to improve their overall experience with the Windows XP operating system in every way possible. You'll learn how to use the Registry Editor; how to customize the interface beyond Microsoft's own intentions; and how to master Windows' built-in networking capabilities, including advanced technologies such as Internet Connection sharing, Remote Desktop sharing, and virtual private networking. And now, with this updated edition, you can also expect detailed coverage of the newly released Service Pack 2 (SP2) technology. SP2 is designed to make your work with the Windows XP operating system even easier and safer by providing superior protection against viruses, hackers, and worms. Among the core SP2 components covered in Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks are Windows Firewall, Pop-up Blocker for Internet Explorer, and the new Windows Security Center. David Karp, veteran author of several titles in the Windows Annoyances series, is behind the wheel of this comprehensive guide, as well. Karp points out numerous SP2-related quirks and unaccountable behaviors that are guaranteed to increase your level of perplexity and frustration. By recognizing these shortcomings, Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks arms you with the knowledge to overcome them. Karp leaves no stone unturned in providing the ultimate resource for the ever-expanding Windows XP market. As a result, you'll be able to seize complete control of the Windows XP operating system--instead of the other way around.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 8 Ratings

Not as much depth as expected - 2008-01-09
Reviewer Rating:
This is a good, solid book on Windows XP, but it is disappointing in that it is not as deep as I would have hoped. O' Reilly seems to have wanted to distinguish this annoyances book from their excellent XP Hacks book.

Perhaps it is the "for Geeks" in the title that increased my expectations. But it seems the author strained a bit to fill pages - sixty of them, for example, on VB Scripting and the Command Line. The short section on "Choosing the Right Filesystem", discussing whether to use FAT, FAT32 or NTFS seems superfluous in a book aimed at "Geeks". As the book itself says "[i]f Windows XP is the only operating system . . . you should be using NTDS - no question." Even though the book dates from 2004, any "Geek" would have known that. In fact, author Karp is actually wrong: there are certain applications that require you to use FAT32, but those would be used only by real geeks.

Overall, it's worth the money as so many O'Reilly books are, and a solid addiiton to any geek's library.

Jerry

Great Book! - 2006-11-05
Reviewer Rating:
Lots of good stuff here for getting the most out of your system. Highly recommended for tech types. (I have been using, building and programming computers since 1983.)

Great reference for fine tuning your system - 2008-03-01
Reviewer Rating:
The O'Reilly Annoyances books for windows are a real Godsend. They have always opened up some of the inner workings of windows so that one is able to tailor the system to a much better performer than what comes with the standard setup. Anyone who wishes to make the OS more to their liking needs to have this book as the wealth of information in one source can't be beat. There are a lot of tweaks that you can make that Microsoft doesn't provide easily found information for. This book is a must have to have that information right at hand.

Just about what I wanted - 2008-02-29
Reviewer Rating:
This book knocks off many of the rough edges of Microsoft's XP operating system by revealing the complications of their programming and their convoluted logic. For the discerning user struggling to be master of the machine rather than the captive user of a second rate product

Very useful book to configure and fine tune your PC - 2007-06-11
Reviewer Rating:
I came across this book looking in the college library for a book to help me solve many problems I had with my PC that accumulated over the years. I decided to own the book as an inexpensive consultant to make my PC work to its utmost performance. I was so excited to find it at Amazon that I inadvertently purchased two copies. The strange thing, one purchase was quite a bit less expensive than the other which I returned to Amazon without any problems for a refund. Amazon even paid for the return postage.That's good business.

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