| Windows XP automatically starts when you turn on your computer. When you first start Windows XP, you see a Welcome screen, or a Log On dialog box depending on your installation. The Welcome screen identifies you on a shared or workgroup computer, while the Log On dialog box identifies you on a domain network. After you enter a user name, password, and in some cases a domain name (for large network purposes), you see the Windows XP desktop. Start Windows XP Using the Welcome Screen -
| | Turn on your computer, and wait while Windows XP loads and displays the Welcome screen. | -
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| | Type your password. Be sure to use the correct capitalization. | -
Click the green arrow, or press Enter. The first time you start Windows XP, a ScreenTip pointing to the Windows XP Tour icon on the taskbar appears, asking if you want to take a tour of Windows XP. Click the ScreenTip to take the tour, or click the Close button. Did You Know? You can start the Windows XP tour later . Click the Start button on the taskbar, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Tour Windows XP. The Windows password is case-sensitive . Windows makes a distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters . Your password should be at least seven characters long, the optimal length for encryption, which is the process of logically scrambling data to keep a password secure. | Start Windows XP Using a Network Log On Dialog Box -
| | Turn on your computer and wait while Windows XP loads and opens the Welcome to Windows dialog box. | -
Press and then release the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time. The Log On to Windows dialog box opens. -
| | Type the name that your network administrator assigned you, and then press Tab. | -
| | Type your password. Be sure to use the correct capitalization. | -
| | Select a domain from the list arrow, or type the network domain. If you're logging on locally, select the computer name. | -
Did You Know? A domain network and a workgroup are different . A domain network is a group of computers connected together to share and manage resources by an administrator from a central computer called a domain controller. A workgroup is a network of computers connected together to share resources, but each computer is maintained and shared separately. | | What you see at start up | Means you have a | | Desktop | Nonshared (single user) computer; no user name and password required | | Welcome screen | Shared (multiple users) or workgroup computer; user name and password required | | Log On dialog box | Networked (connected to a computer on a domain network) computer; user name and password required | | |