XP Professonal features

When I first hear of a new operating system my reflex is to dismiss it and hope it will go away. Then, when I pull my head out of the sand, I begin to see opportunities and benefits. Soon I realise it's not IF, but WHEN to upgrade. Finally I become an advocate championing the new cause at every opportunity.

Which flavour of XP is for you?

Windows XP Professional has two versions:

.NET (Windows XP Server) has four versions:

The first release of XP Professional is a 32 Bit operating system. The 64 Bit version designed for the Itanium Processor was released in late 2002 it is designed for movie making and for scientific usage.

Which types of users will benefit most from XP?

Windows XP has greater reliability and more 'Up Time'

Fewer Reboots

Microsoft have eliminated most scenarios that forced a reboot in NT 4.0. In addition most software installations do not need reboots.

System Restore

The System Restore feature allows users to return a computer to a previous state without losing data. System Restore automatically creates restore points, which allow you to restore the system to a previous time.

Windows File Protection

Prevention is better than cure. Core system files cannot be overwritten by application installations. Should an installation try and overwrite a file, Windows File Protection will restore the correct version.

Device Driver Rollback

When new device drivers are installed, Windows XP Professional keeps a copy of the previously installed driver. The benefit is you can reinstall the initial drive if the new one causes problems.

Device Driver Verifier - Signing

As with Windows 2000, the Windows XP Professional provides for driver signing to reduce the possibility of a rogue driver causing a 'blue screen of death'.

Windows Installer

An integrated service that helps users install, configure, track, upgrade, and remove software programs correctly. Works with System Policy. The total effect is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

New Security System

Kerberos (Mythical guard dog with three heads)

Kerberos provides secure authentication, with fast, single sign-on to network resources. It complies with open standards, which makes it effective for connecting to UNIX networks.

Encrypting File System (EFS)

EFS encrypts each file with a randomly generated key. The encryption and decryption processes are transparent to the user. In Windows XP Professional, EFS can allow multiple users access to an encrypted document. EFS is most useful on Laptops.

IP Security (IPSec)

Helps protect data transmitted across a network. IPSec is an important part of providing security for virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow organizations to transmit data securely over the Internet.

Smart Card Support

Will smart cards replace passwords? Windows XP Professional integrates smart card capabilities into the operating system. It also supports logon to terminal servers.

Easier Deployment and better Management

Group Policy Group

Policy settings simplify the administration of users and objects by first organising them into OU's (organisational Units). Then you assign the same settings—such as security, appearance, and management options—to all employees in that group. There are hundreds of new policies available for Windows XP Professional, over and above those shipped with Windows 2000.

Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) (new acronym)

Allows administrators to see the effect of Group Policy on a targeted user or computer. With RSoP, administrators have a powerful and flexible base-level tool to plan, monitor, and troubleshoot Group Policy.

RIS Remote OS Installation

Can be installed across the network (including SysPrep images). This is a wonderful new feature, but I can see resistance to replacing Ghost. However because it builds on the Intellimirror software do at least test RIS.

System Preparation Tool (SysPrep)

SysPrep helps administrators clone computer configurations, systems, and applications. A single image, which includes the operating system and business applications, can be restored to multiple different machine configurations. Version 1.0 available as download Setup Manager A graphical wizard that guides administrators in designing installation scripts.

User State Migration Tool (USMT)

You are migrating rather than having a clean install? Then this tool will migrate a user's data and application settings from an old computer to a new Windows XP Professional computer.

Setup with Dynamic Update

The Windows XP Professional Setup routine ensures that the operating system files are up to date. Before any files are installed, Windows XP Professional checks the Web for critical system updates and downloads them for installation.

As programs are updated for the new operating system, the fixes and patches will be available on the Windows Update Web site.

Increased Application Compatibility

Most applications that didn’t run in Windows 2000 Professional will now run on Windows XP Professional. The trick is that XP professional will emulate either Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 9x. This allows the program to execute without loss in performance.

Support for Latest Hardware Standards

Improved Desktop Management

Remote Assistance enables a user to share control of their computer with someone on a network or the Internet. An administrator can view the user's screen, and control the mouse to solve a problem. This feature can be disabled if you prefer.

Remote Assistance and improved help

Remote Assistance will enable the help desk to interact with users to solve their problems. (There is also a feature called Remote Desktop which enables you to log on to your desktop from another machine)

People have got out of the habit of using the built in help. The Help and Support Center have been greatly extended and improved with content from the World Wide Web. The troubleshooters are excellent, and will solve all the obvious problems. Tools such as My Computer Information and System Restore are also available to diagnose and fix common problems.

Automatic Updates

Windows XP Professional automatically downloads critical updates when the user is connected to the Internet. These downloads are designed to minimize the impact on Internet browsing. Once the update has been downloaded, the user can choose to install it - or not!

(MMC) Microsoft Management Console

The MMC is like mission control on the star ship Enterprise. Master it to give a consistent environment to manage all your administrative tools.

Recovery Console

Windows XP provides a command-line console for administrators to start and stop services, format drives, read and write data NTFS partitions. Install it by winnt \cmdcons.

Safe Mode Options

Allows Windows XP Professional to boot the system at the most basic level, using default settings and minimum device drivers.

User productivity improvements.

'Luna' Design replaces Windows 95 interface

Windows XP Professional has a fresh visual design. Common tasks have been consolidated and simplified, and new visual cues have been added to help users navigate their computers. Users can choose this updated user interface or the classic Windows 2000 interface with the click of a button.

More Productive

In Windows 2000, and Windows98, those Taskbar buttons got smaller and smaller as you opened more documents. Each new document created a new icon and squeezed it onto your taskbar, eventually the buttons were so small you couldn’t read them.

In Windows XP, you get one button per application. Down on the taskbar now, you will see one button for Outlook or whatever your e-mail program is. You’ll see one button for Microsoft Word, one for Notepad, one for each program that is running. Each button has a number indicating how many documents of that type are open. For example: “8 Microsoft Word,” means that eight Word documents are open.

What's more you can see what the documents are when you click on the Microsoft Word button. A menu pops up, listing the names of all your Word documents. You then click on the document you want, and it opens. To close down there is a new command called 'Close Group'. This closes all Word documents with one click.

File Associations improvements

Some file types, especially image files, become difficult to open because some programs act like bullies and change the associations. Windows XP Professional restores associations with default programs, such as Microsoft Image Viewer.

Default programs are integrated with the operating system so the files are always easy to open. When you select a file with Explorer, a dynamic menu appears, listing the tasks that are appropriate for the file you selected.

Smoother Network Support

Network Setup Wizard

Makes it easy for a small business owner to set up and manage a network. The Wizard walks through key steps, such as sharing files and printers, sharing the Internet connection, and configuring the Internet Connection Firewall.

Network Bridge

Simplifies the setup and configuration of small networks that use mixed network connections (such as Cat-5 Ethernet and wireless) by linking the different types of networks together.

Remote user support has come of age

Remote Desktop revolutionises the way users can keep in touch with their office. Using Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), a user could connect over the Internet and control the XP computer in his office. Remote Desktop lets a user access his computer and any programs, from any computer, anywhere with internet access.

Offline Files and Folders

A user can specify which network-based files and folders they need when they disconnect from the network. Additionally, with Windows XP Professional, offline folders can now be encrypted to provide the highest level of security. Offline Viewing Makes entire Web pages with graphics available for viewing offline.

Synchronization Manager

Lets users compare and update their offline files and folders with those on the network.

Improvements for video conferencing:

Enhanced Online Conferencing

TAPI based applications, such as NetMeeting® 3.1 conferencing software, will benefit from advances in audio and video streaming.

Enhanced Laptop features

Improved Power Management

Batteries will last longer. By monitoring the CPU state, Windows XP Professional can reduce the amount of power it is using. Also you can put the computer into hibernation.

Power management can now be set for each user on a computer. Hibernate After a set time, Windows XP Professional will save memory to disk, and shut the power down. When power is restored, all the applications are reopened exactly as they were left.

Hot Docking

Lets you dock or undock your notebook computer without changing hardware configuration or rebooting. Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) Provides the latest in power management and Plug and Play support.

Network location awareness provides an underlying service that allows the operating system and applications to determine when a machine has changed network locations.

Assorted improvements, mainly for home users

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

Connects a small office network to the Internet, using a dial-up or broadband connection. Windows XP Professional can provide network address translation, addressing, and name resolution services for all computers on a small business network to share a single connection.

Easier Remote Access Configuration Wizards Guide users through the steps for setting up remote access to a network or virtual private network (VPN).

Internet Connection Firewall

A firewall client that can protect peer to peer networks from common Internet attacks.

Integrated CD Burning Windows

XP Professional has integrated support for burning CDs on CD-R and CD-RW drives.

Easily Publish Information to the Web

Files and folders can be easily published to any Web service that uses the WebDAV protocol.

DualView

A single computer desktop can be displayed on two monitors driven off of a single display adapter. With a laptop computer, a user could run the internal LCD display as well as an external monitor. There are a variety of high-end display adapters that will support this functionality for desktops.

Credential Manager

A secured store for password information. It allows users to input usernames and passwords once, and then have the system automatically supply them.

Windows XP Professional

Are Windows XP, Windows 2002 and Whistler the same? - YES!