No matter how you get there, the Control Panel in Windows XP is displayed by default in Category view. Category view organizes the most commonly accessed functions of Control Panel applets into groups. In Windows XP, the Category view is the default method of navigating the Control Panel applets. If you are new to configuring a Windows OS, the Category view offers a natural language guide to finding the right location to make an intended change. Within each category is a list of tasks and related Control Panel icons. As you can see from Figure 24.1, this view is much different from the Control Panel that appeared in previous versions of Windows (which is now referred to as the Classic view).

Figure 24.1. The Control Panel in the default Category view (top), and in the Classic view (bottom).

Selecting a task or its icon in Category view takes you to another Control Panel screen containing either a more specific breakdown of tasks you can select or a screen where the configuration setting described by the selected task must be performed (see Figure 24.2).

Figure 24.2. Clicking the Appearance and Themes category takes you to this screen.

If you need to make a change within the category but the task is not listed in the task list, you can open one of the offered Control Panel icons to open the applet and find the correct tab for your desired setting change.

There are 10 categories in the Category view. Tables 24.1 through 24.8 list the tasks for each category and the applet tab or application the task opens. Table 24.9 lists the Control Panel icons displayed within or related to a category.

As you can see, the Category view offers an alternate route to the Control Panel applets and several other useful utilities. Windows XP defaults to Category view, so it is important to be familiar with how to navigate through this new mechanism.

For those who prefer the old Control Panel display, Windows XP does offer a Classic view where all of the applets are displayed as they were in previous versions of Windows (refer to Figure 24.1). To access the Classic view, click on the Switch to Classic View command in the Quick List to the left the categories within the Control Panel. Then, to return to the Category view, click on the Switch to Category View command in the Quick List.

As you can see, Windows XP often offers multiple means to access a control, setting, application, or display of information. Understanding by what means Windows XP provides these paths by default (such as with Category view of the Control Panel) and the alternates (such as the Classic view of the Control Panel or direct access through an object's Properties), will aid you in extracting the most productivity out of the OS as possible.

Working with the Control Panel in Category view may simplify access to common configuration controls. However, not all of the controls for Windows XP can be accessed through Category view (at least not directly). So, in order to provide an exhaustive discussion of the applets, this chapter focuses on reviewing each applet as listed in the Classic view. If you want to use the Category view, refer to the tables we just presented.

Table 24.10 shows a list of all the standard Control Panel applets and what they accomplish. Your Control Panel may include other applets which are installed by other products from Microsoft and third parties. Following the table, I'll cover each of the included applets (the ones not covered in other chapters) in alphabetical order.

The keyboard settings deal with such problems as accidentally repeating keys or pressing combinations of keys. These options fall into three categories: Sticky keys, Filter keys, and Toggle keys.

Sticky keys are settings that, in effect, stay “down” when you press them once. They are good for controlling the function of the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys if you have trouble pressing two keys at the same time. To use them, set the Sticky keys option on; then choose the sub-options as you see fit. For some users, the shortcut of pressing the Shift key five times is a good way to activate Sticky keys. If you turn on this activation method, note that pressing the Shift key five times again turns off Sticky keys. This trick isn't explained clearly in the dialogs. Also, if you choose the Press Modifier Key Twice to Lock option, that means you press, for example, Shift twice to lock it. You can then press Shift twice again to unlock it.

Filter keys let you “filter” (remove) accidental repeated keystrokes in case you have trouble pressing a key cleanly once and letting it up. This feature prevents you from typing multiple keystrokes. The shortcut key for turning on this feature works like the one for Sticky keys; it's a toggle.

The Toggle keys option, when turned on, sounds a high-pitched tone when Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock keys are activated and a low-pitched tone when they're turned off again.

Each of these three keyboard features can be used independently or together. Note that a slowdown in performance occurs at the keyboard if sounds are used, because the sound is generated by playing a WAV file that briefly eats up your system resources. Processing of keypresses doesn't commence until after the keyboard sound finishes, which can result in jerky performance.

When Sticky keys or Filter keys are turned on, a symbol appears in the system tray. The Sticky keys feature is indicated by the three small boxes, representative of the Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys. The Filter keys feature is represented by the stopwatch, which is representative of the different key timing that goes into effect when the option is enabled.

The two Accessibility sound settings—Sound Sentry and ShowSounds—are for those with hearing impairments. Instead of playing a sound when an error message or other event that causes a sound occurs, some type of visual display appears onscreen.

With Sound Sentry, a portion of the normal Windows screen blinks, typically the window or application that is generating the error. With ShowSounds turned on, a text caption or special icon will pop up over a window or dialog box when a sound is played. The information in the pop-up window will inform you of the sound played and whether the audio clue as a warning, error, and so on.

If you choose Sound Sentry, you have a choice of the visual warning to use. The options are offered in a pull-down list which includes: Flash active caption bar, Flash active windows, and Flash desktop. Typically, you'll want the window of the application or at least its title bar to flash. Don't make the desktop flash because it won't indicate which program is producing the warning.

Special display settings in the Accessibility Options applet increase the screen contrast by altering the display scheme. Using this applet really is just an easy way to set the display color scheme and font selection for easier reading, just as you could do from the Display applet, as discussed in Chapter 23. The big plus of setting the contrast here is that you can quickly call it up with a shortcut key combination when you need it. Just press Left-Alt, Left-Shift, Prnt Scrn, and the settings go into effect. I have found this feature useful for when my eyes are tired or in imperfect lighting situations. Figure 24.3 shows the effect it had while I was writing this chapter.

Figure 24.3. The effect of turning on the default high-contrast setting.

Using the Mouse Settings tab, you can control the mouse with the keypad, in case you have problems controlling your mouse's movements. This feature can bail you out in case your mouse dies for some reason, too, or if you simply don't like using the mouse. As is covered in Chapter 4, you can execute many Windows and Windows application commands using the keyboard shortcut keys. But sometimes an application still responds only to mouse movements and clicks. Graphics programs are a case in point. When you use this Accessibility option, your arrow keys do double duty, acting like pointer control keys.

To use this option, simply turn on Mouse Keys from the dialog box, and apply the change. Then, to activate the keys, press Left-Alt, Left-Shift, and Num Lock at the same time. The system tray should show a new icon. If the icon has a red line through it, Mouse keys are disabled, so press the Num Lock key to enable them.

Now you can move the pointer around the screen using the arrow keys on the numeric number pad. If you're using a laptop, you'll have to consult its manual to determine how to activate the numeric keypad. The normal arrow keys won't cut it.

Click the Settings button if you need to adjust the speed settings for the arrow keys. Turn on the Ctrl and Shift options for speeding up or slowing down the mouse, assuming you can press two keys simultaneously. This setting really speeds things up.

If you adjust the configuration on the Settings dialog box, you have to click OK and then click Apply before the changes register. Then you can go back and adjust as necessary.

The final Accessibility tab is General, which is divided into four sections, each of which is described in Table 24.11.

You've probably noticed that not all programs show up in the Add or Remove Programs applet. They don't appear because only programs complying with the 32-bit Windows API standard for installation get their filenames and locations recorded in the system database, allowing them to be reliably erased without adversely affecting the operation of Windows. Many older or less-sophisticated applications simply install in their own way and don't bother registering with the operating system.

Most modern applications are written in compliance with the Microsoft Windows standards for installation and removal. Thus, you see them in your installed applications list in the Add or Remove Programs applet. This list is mainly the result of the PC software industry's response to kvetching from users and critics about tenacious programs that are hard to root out after they're installed. Some ambitious programs spread themselves out all over your hard disk like oil on your garage floor with no easy way of reversing the process. Users complained about the loss of precious disk space, unexplained system slowdowns, and so forth.

Note

This problem was the inspiration for such programs as Uninstaller, CleanSweep, and other utilities that monitor and keep a database of the files a program installs; they wipe out these files effectively when you decide to remove the program, also returning any modified Windows settings to their previous state with any luck. This process is better relegated to those writing the operating system, I feel, and Microsoft rightly set up standards for installation and removal of applications, overseen by this applet. Even if an application isn't installed via the Add or Remove Programs applet per se, if well behaved, it should still make itself known to the operating system and register changes it makes, enabling you to make changes and/or uninstall it from there.

What's more, the built-in uninstaller lets you make changes to applications, such as adding or removing suboptions (assuming the application supports that feature).

Use of the uninstall feature of the applet is simple:

Some applications (for example, Microsoft Office) prompt you to insert the program CD when you attempt to change or remove the app. These prompts can be annoying, but what can you do? The setup, change, and uninstall programs for some large suites are stored on their CDs, not on your hard disk. So, just insert the disc when prompted.

As you know, installation of new programs is usually as simple as inserting a CD into the drive. The autorun program on most application CDs does the rest. Or, when it doesn't, you can run the Setup file on the disk, and the rest is automatic. Ditto for programs you download off the Net. Still, you can install from the Add or Remove Programs applet if you want or if the program's instructions suggest it. This part of the applet provides a front end for running an application's Setup program. Big Whoop. But, what launching a setup through the applet does is gather uninstall data for applications that otherwise don't properly register with the OS for uninstallation. Here's what you do:

As you learned in Chapter 1, “Introducing Windows XP Professional,” an administrator of a Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 domain can “publish” or “push” applications to workstations. When an application is published over the LAN, it usually is automatic. In other words, the software is installed without the knowledge of the user or the necessity for user input. However, some applications can be marked as optional instead of mandatory. An optional application can be installed over the network from Add New Programs.

When you choose Add New Programs, you have another option, showing applications that are available on the network.

Next, open the box called Category, which you use to narrow down the class of application you want to install. (The system administrator makes up the categories.) When you select such an application for installation, note that the administrator who set it up for publishing may have turned off the possibility for you to make installation choices such as which portions, add-ins, or other options to install.

The capability for a server system to push applications to clients is part of IntelliMirror. For more information on IntelliMirror and pushing applications to client systems, please consult the Windows XP Resource Kit and documentation on Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003.

In addition to managing add-on products and applications through the Add or Remove Programs applet, the components of Windows XP itself are installed and removed here. Clicking the Add/Remove Windows Components button opens the Windows Components Wizard dialog box (Figure 24.5). From here, you can install additional Windows XP components by marking their check boxes. Plus, you can remove existing components by clearing their check boxes. However, be careful since there are often many sub-levels of selections. Click on the name of an item, not its check box, and then click the Details button to view its sub-components. Marking or clearing a top-level item will install or remove all of its subcomponents.

Figure 24.5. The Windows Components Wizard dialog box.

After you've made your selections and clicked Next, the system will install or remove components based on your instructions. You may be prompted for the Windows XP distribution CD, so be prepared.

This new feature in Windows XP, added with Service Pack 1, enables you to choose your own default middleware applications. For more on how to do this, see the section “Department of Justice Consent Decree Compliance” in Appendix B.

Windows XP has a telephony interface, essentially an API that provides the means (hooks) for communications applications to work through the operating system. In fact, this interface is called TAPI. Through TAPI, the operating system provides a standard way for communications applications to access COM ports and devices such as modems and telephone sets when handling data, fax, and voice transmissions.

TAPI empowers applications to make, answer, and hang up calls; put calls on hold; perform call transfer; record voice mail; and make conference calls. Fully TAPI-compliant applications should be able to work with conventional telephone lines, PBX and Centrex systems, and with specialized services such as cellular, ISDN, and DSL.

Much like the way process contention is handled by TCP/IP for network transmission or by the process scheduler for CPU usage, TAPI allows multiple communications to request the same resources, without a data collision occurring. The advantage to the end user is that you don't have to shut down a program that's waiting for incoming calls before you use a different program to send a fax, for example. Nor do you have to keep entering modem, phone number, dialing options, and COM port settings into each new communications program installed. These settings, just like printer settings, are stored in the system and are available for every communications program, such as HyperTerminal or dial-up connections through Network Connections.

The Phone and Modems applet in the Control Panel offers a central location for altering some TAPI settings, as well as for installing and configuring modems and telephone devices. Installing and configuring a modem were covered in Chapter 8, “Internet and TCP/IP Connection Options,” so I'll dispense with the basics of modem installation here. Refer to that chapter if you're hooking up a new modem.

In general, your default TAPI and modem properties will probably work fine and won't need to be changed. If you do need to change them, remember that changes affect all applications that use the modem whose properties you modify. To change the modem properties after installation is complete, open the Control Panel, and double-click the Phone and Modem Options icon.

On the Dialing Rules tab of the Phone and Modem Options dialog, you can set up your dialing locations and rules pertaining to those locations, such as phone number prefixes for outside lines, calling card access codes, and so on. If you move around (road-warrior style), you can add some new locations to the default one that's already set up for you as the current user.

You can either edit or add a dialing location from this tab. Table 24.12 describes the settings.

On the Area Code Rules tab, you can set details about the use of an area code, specifically the use of the 1 prefix for certain exchanges. If you have to dial 1 (but no area code) for certain areas, you can add those prefixes here.

Click New to create a new rule, and fill in the resulting dialog box.

You might not need to worry about calling cards at all if you travel using an ISP that has many points of presence. The larger ISPs such as Mindspring, CompuServe, and AOL have local dial-up numbers from most major cities. Some also have 800 numbers that you can use when connecting phones from remote locations. If you need to bill your connection to a telephone company (or long-distance service) calling card, though, you set those options on the Calling Card tab.

As you probably know from using a calling card for voice calls, to place and charge a call with a calling card, you dial a special string of numbers that includes a carrier access code, your account number, and the number you're calling. In some cases, you have to call a service provider, enter your account number, and wait for a second dial tone before you can actually enter the number you want to call.

To assign a calling card, follow these steps:

So much for dialing rules. The second tab in the Phone and Modem Options dialog—Modems—is for setting modem properties. Accessing a modem's properties opens the same dialog box as when accessing a device's properties through the Device Manager. Typically, you don't need to change your modem properties, so unless you're having difficulty, remember this old adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

To alter a modem's properties, follow these steps:

You can dig pretty deeply into the tabs on a modem's Properties dialog box, especially the Advanced one. As per usual Microsoft strategy on its communications stuff, if you're used to pre-Windows XP dialogs, you'll find things have shifted around, and you'll have to do a little hunting. Table 24.13 lists a few notes about some of the more salient settings.

You can click the Diagnostics tab in the original Modem Properties dialog box to make it active. The Diagnostics tab asks the modem to identify itself. It can further test the modem's capability to respond to the standard AT command set, display the contents of its internal registers, and display its settings. Click Query Modem to make it so. The results of the diagnostics query will make sense only if you compare them to the expected results in the modem's manual. If things don't look square, you should look for troubleshooting information in the manual or contact the vendor for modem-specific repair options.

How you acquire images from the device into the computer varies depending on the product. Some cameras use a USB connection, some use a serial cable, and some use FireWire, while others use PC Card memory sticks or even high-density floppies.

When the physical connection is made, it's a matter of triggering the correct “event” to initiate communication between the system and the digital imaging device for image transfer. To link a program to a scanner or digital camera event, follow these steps:

The Volume tab is used to set the master volume. This is the same master volume control which appears in the Volume Control tool and when you single-click the speaker in the system tray. Clicking the Advanced button opens the Volume Control tool so you can access all of the input and output audio controls.

Also on this tab are speaker controls. If you have a special speaker system, such as surround sound or 3-D audio, these controls help you fine-tune your settings.

The Sounds tab is used to associate Windows events with sounds. Windows XP comes with tons of sound files, a big improvement over the measly assemblage of WAV files supplied with some earlier versions of Windows. In fact, just as with the color schemes, you can create and save sound schemes by using the Control Panel's Display applet (covered in Chapter 23); you can set up and save personalized schemes to suit your mood. Microsoft supplies a fairly rich variety of sounds for your auditory pleasure.

Despite the diverse selection, I still use a few of the sounds I've put together using the Sound Recorder. I have one, for example, that says “New Mail” when I receive email. Sometimes I didn't notice the generic “boop” sound when new mail arrived, so I changed it.

If you want to get fancy, you can record from a CD or tape recorder rather than from a microphone. This way, you can sample bits and pieces from your favorite artists by popping the audio CD into the computer and tapping directly into it rather than by sticking a microphone up in front of your boom box and accidentally recording the telephone when it rings. Just check out the Volume Control applet, and figure out which slider on the mixer panel controls the input volume of the CD. Then use the Sound Recorder applet to make the recording. I have a few good ones, such as James Brown's incomparable “Ow!” for an error message sound.

You assign sounds to specific Windows “events” like this:

At the top of the list of available sounds is an option called <none>, which has the obvious effect: No sound will occur for that event. Assigning all events to <none> effectively silences your laptop for use in a library or other silent setting. You can also silence all sounds easily by choosing the No Sounds sound scheme as explained next.

In the same way that the Display Properties page lets you save color schemes, the Sounds and Audio Devices applet lets you save sound schemes. You can set up goofy sounds for your humorous moods and somber ones for those gloomy days. I often tire of a sound scheme, so I have a few setups that I can easily switch to. The ones supplied with Windows XP are pretty decent, actually, and considering the amount of work required to set up your own schemes, you'll probably make out best just trying a scheme to see if you like it. To choose an existing sound scheme, just use the Sound scheme pull-down list and select one.

You can set up your own sound schemes by assigning or reassigning individual sounds, as I've already explained. But unless you save the scheme with the Save As button, it'll be lost the next time you change to a new one. So, the moral is that after you get your favorite sounds assigned to system events, save the scheme. Then you can call it up any time you like.

On both the Audio and Voice tabs, you can declare the default hardware you want to use for audio playback, recording, MIDI playback, voice playback, and voice recording. Most systems offer minimal choices in these departments because typical computers have only a single sound system. You might find something strange in the sound playback and recording settings, such as the option to use your modem for these purposes (if your modem has voice messaging capability). Don't bother trying to use your modem for voice messaging unless you have multiple sound cards in the computer.

The Advanced buttons for these categories could be useful, however, depending on your sound system's chipset. Some offer options to adjust bass and treble; expanded stereo (sort of a wider sound based on adjustment of the “phase” of the signal going to the amplifier); sample-rate conversion options; equalization optimization based on the kind of speakers you have; and hardware acceleration (use full acceleration if you're a gamer because it affects DirectSound used in some games).

The Use Only Default Devices option determines which sound card or cards your programs will use. If you use programs that require a specific type of sound card, and that sound card is selected as a default device on this tab, select this check box. That way, if for some reason your preferred devices aren't available, the program doesn't bomb or freak out by trying to use a sound card that Windows thinks is a reasonable replacement. For any situation I've been in, leaving the check box cleared has never been a problem.

The Hardware tab of the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog simply lists all the sound, video, DVD, and other multimedia hardware items currently installed. You can check their properties and current status, as well as troubleshoot them. You can get to the same properties dialog boxes offered here via the Device Manager, but this tab limits the device list only to multimedia-related hardware.

A program I'm trying to kill doesn't show up in the Add or Remove Programs applet. How can I remove it?

This often is the case with programs that don't announce themselves thoroughly to Windows as they are being installed. You have to find the program on the hard disk and eliminate it using the Windows Explorer. Finding a program is often as simple as browsing to the Program Files folder, opening it, and looking around for a folder holding the program in question. Often, deleting the folder is all you have to do. Look for an “uninstall” application there first because it will do a more complete job of removal than just killing the folder, most likely, because some stray DLLs and other support files may be scattered about, not to mention shortcuts in your Start menus that you'll want axed.

As a second (and possibly quicker) means of discovering the location of an unlisted program, you can use its Start menu shortcut to lead you to the application's source. Open the Start menu, and click your way to the application. When you see it, right-click it. Now choose Properties from the context menu. Then click Find Target to go directly to the folder where the program resides. Then you can start your dirty work.

If you're trying to kill a program that seems to start up all on its own when you boot up, choose Start, Programs, Startup. Anything in this group autoexecutes upon bootup. Right-click the offending item, and choose Delete. This trick doesn't remove the program from your hard disk, but it prevents the program from starting at boot time.

I don't see a battery icon in the system tray. My laptop seems to be brain dead about batteries and power conservation.

Be sure APM is enabled for the computer via the Power Options applet in the Control Panel. Also, make sure the computer complies with APM (check your BIOS settings).

My modem isn't connecting for some reason.

More often than not, modem problems are caused by incorrect phone numbers and/or a bad phone line connection. Assuming Windows detected and installed your modem, don't get esoteric in your troubleshooting. Just as you're most likely to find a lost item where you think it should be, it's the silly things that keep modems from working—a bad or incompletely inserted phone wire, bad wall jack, or splitter; or a phone number that's missing an area code (or has an unnecessary area code) being dialed. Another typical goof is to specify an external access number (typically 9), which might be necessary at the office but not on the road. Check the properties for the dial-up networking connection you're trying to use. Also, of course, double-check the user ID and password. You might be dialing in and physically connecting just fine, but the remote server is kicking you off because of incorrect user ID or password.

Finally, recall that a number of troubleshooters are built into Windows XP. One of them is for modems. Choose Start, Help, and in the right pane, click Troubleshooting.

My camera or scanner doesn't show up.

Sometimes starting with the obvious is easiest. Does the device have power? Is your scanner or camera plugged in and turned on? Check the power cables and the data connection. Does the camera have a good power source? Digital cameras eat up batteries at a ravenous rate. Either use fresh batteries or an external power source. (I recommend getting nickel-metal hydride batteries for digital cameras. They work much longer than normal alkalines or Ni-Cad batteries.) If the connection is an infrared one, make sure the camera and computer IR sensor are lined up properly.

Some devices don't connect correctly unless they're turned on. See your device documentation if you need more information.

As per my usual admonition, check your cables! Make sure you have the correct type of cable plugged into the correct ports on both the device and your computer. See your scanner or camera documentation for more information. Your device may be connected to a port that is disabled. A serial port, for example, is often disabled to allow an internal modem to work.

Next, check to see whether the driver for your device is installed. Virtually all cameras and scanners are Plug and Play these days, so Windows XP should install the drivers for them automatically. However, you might need to install drivers for some devices manually. See the section in this chapter covering the Scanners and Cameras applet for details on installing a driver. If that doesn't help, and the device is listed as installed (in Control Panel, Scanners and Cameras), try removing it and reinstalling it via that applet and then reinstalling it (by clicking Remove and then Add).

Why is the mouse pointer still on the screen while I'm in DOS?

Lots of folks still run DOS programs, even under Windows 9x, NT, 2000, and now XP. Most DOS programs are keyboard driven and don't require a mouse. Normally, however, when you run DOS programs in a window, the mouse pointer sits annoyingly on the screen, even though it's useless.

You can hide the mouse pointer when running an MS-DOS program, assuming you don't need it. To hide it, right-click the title bar of the MS-DOS window to display the menu, and then click Hide Mouse Pointer. (If the program switches between character-based and graphics modes, you might need to hide the mouse pointer again.) When the mouse pointer is hidden, you can't see it inside or outside the program's window. To display the mouse pointer, press Alt+Spacebar, and choose Display Mouse Pointer from the resulting menu.