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13
*your
PC
user guide
12
*your
PC
user guide
Windows XP Home Edition – Compatibility issues
Windows XP is an operating system from Microsoft, and is available in two
versions:
Windows XP Home Edition - Consumer/Home orientated
Windows XP Professional Edition - Business/Corporate orientated
A major support issue with Windows XP is compatibility with older software and hardware. To
understand why there are compatibility problems with Windows XP, it is important to broadly
understand the history of Microsoft's operating systems. Historically, Microsoft operating
systems have fitted into two categories:
Consumer Group Corporate Group
Windows 95 Windows NT
Windows 98 Windows 2000
Windows ME
The Consumer group was primarily aimed at the home users and Corporate group at the
business users. Microsoft have now replaced both of these categories with the two versions of
Windows XP mentioned above.
However, the key thing to remember is that Windows XP is based on the technology used by
the corporate group of operating systems (i.e. Windows NT/2000). Although the basic
architecture of the Consumer Group and Corporate Group is the same, there are key
differences. It is these differences that have in the past required software applications and
hardware device drivers to be written separately for one or both categories of operating
system.
Therefore, in simple terms if software applications or hardware device drivers were written to
be compatible with both categories of operating system then the chances are they will be
compatible with Windows XP. If however, the software applications were written for the
Consumer Group of operating systems only then it is highly probable that they will not be
compatible with Windows XP.
On a positive note, at launch, Windows XP supported approximately 12,000 third-party devices
-- from scanners and printers to external drives and add-in cards -- nearly twice the number
supported by Windows 2000 at its launch. Windows XP also supports the vast majority of
popular software applications. More than 1,500 new applications and 4,000 existing
applications were tested. As a result of extensive testing in the United States, 90 percent of
the 1,500 most popular applications (distributed in North America) will run on Windows XP.
An additional 2,000 applications are being tested outside the United States, and initial results
show that 80 percent to 95 percent are compatible.
Shutting Down
Don’t forget to save any work you have done!
• Exit any programs you are using.
• Click on ‘Start’ and then ‘Turn Off Computer’.
• Select ‘Turn off’ to shut down the computer.
You can use the ‘Standby’ and ‘Restart’ Options by simply
clicking on them.
! NOTE: Standby is recommended for short periods of
inactivity.
! NOTE: Switching the PC off without following the
shutdown procedure should only be done in emergencies as
this can cause loss of data and software corruption.
Logging Off or Changing the User:
To end your computer session and allow someone else to use the PC without Shutting Down:
• Click ‘Start ’and ‘Log Off ’.
• Click ‘Switch User ’
or
• To end your session completely and
return to the main ‘Log In’ screen:
• Click ‘Log Off’