Windows XP in a Nutshell, Second Edition

Internet Explorer, the default web browser included with Windows, is also responsible for the Windows Update feature, discussed later in this chapter, as well as Help and Support (discussed in Chapter 4) and several other features of Windows XP. These settings primarily affect the display of web pages in Internet Explorer as well as many of the security features of the browser. Some settings also affect the Internet connection, used by all browsers.

Internet Connection, set up

Control Panel Internet Options Connection tab Setup

Internet Explorer, abbreviate link addresses in status bar

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Show friendly URLs

Internet Explorer, ActiveX settings

Control Panel Internet Options Security tab Custom Level

Internet Explorer, additional security policies

Group Policy ( gpedit.msc ) Computer Configuration Administrative Templates Windows Components Internet Explorer

Group Policy ( gpedit.msc ) User Configuration Administrative Templates Windows Components Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer, animated GIFs (enable / disable)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Play animations in web pages

Internet Explorer, AutoComplete settings

See "Autocomplete".

Internet Explorer, automatically check for updates

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Automatically check for Internet Explorer updates

Internet Explorer, automatically download linked pages for Desktop web pages

Control Panel Display Desktop tab Customize Desktop Web tab select item Properties Download tab

Internet Explorer, automatically update Desktop web pages

Control Panel Display Desktop tab Customize Desktop Web tab select item Properties Schedule tab

Internet Explorer, buttons and controls, use display settings

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Enable visual styles on buttons and controls in web pages

Internet Explorer, cache settings

Control Panel Internet Options General tab Temporary Internet Files section Settings

Internet Explorer, cache settings for encrypted pages

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Security Do not save encrypted pages to disk

Internet Explorer, cache, clear automatically when browser is closed

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Security Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed

Internet Explorer, certificates for secure sites

See "Certificates".

Internet Explorer, check to see if it is the default browser

Control Panel Internet Options Programs tab Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser

Internet Explorer, colors and fonts

Control Panel Internet Options General tab

Internet Explorer, cookies

See "Cookies".

Internet Explorer, default home page

Control Panel Internet Options General tab Home page

Internet Explorer, disable compositing effects when using Terminal Server

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Force offscreen compositing even under Terminal Server

Internet Explorer, download complete notification

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Notify when downloads complete

Internet Explorer, enable / disable HTTP 1.1

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag HTTP 1.1 settings

Internet Explorer, enable / disable moving or resizing web page items on Desktop

Control Panel Display Desktop tab Customize Desktop Web tab Lock Desktop items

Internet Explorer, enlarge picture boxes to accommodate "ALT" captions (if pictures are disabled in web pages)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Accessibility Always expand ALT text for images

Internet Explorer, explain server error messages

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Show friendly HTTP error messages

Internet Explorer, fading animation when moving from one web page to another

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Enable page transitions

Internet Explorer, Go button

See "Go button, show in Address Bar".

Internet Explorer, hand icon (change)

Control Panel Mouse Pointers tab choose "Link Select" from "Customize" list

Internet Explorer, hide infrequently used Favorites

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Enable Personalized Favorites Menu

Internet Explorer, History settings

Control Panel Internet Options General tab History section

Internet Explorer, icon, change

Control Panel Display Desktop tab Customize Desktop General tab select icon Change Icon

Internet Explorer, icon, show on Desktop

Control Panel Display Desktop tab Customize Desktop General tab Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer, image placeholders (if pictures are disabled in web pages)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Show image download placeholders

Internet Explorer, Image Toolbar (enable / disable)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Enable Image Toolbar

Internet Explorer, Java

See the topics related to Java (later in this chapter).

Internet Explorer, Link underline

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Underline links

Internet Explorer, list additional settings

System Information ( winmsd.exe ) Internet Settings Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer, Media Bar content

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Dont display online media content in the media bar

Internet Explorer, plug-ins (enable / disable)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Enable third-party browser extensions

Internet Explorer, print background colors and images when printing web pages

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Printings Print background colors and images

Internet Explorer, profile assistant (enable / disable)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Security Enable Profile Assistant

Internet Explorer, restrict certain sites

Control Panel Internet Options Content tab Content Advisor section

Internet Explorer, reuse folder windows when launching shortcuts

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Reuse windows for launching shortcuts

Internet Explorer, save form data

Control Panel Internet Options Content tab AutoComplete

Internet Explorer, script debugging

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Disable script debugging

Internet Explorer, script error notification

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Display a notification about every script error

Internet Explorer, search from the Address Bar

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Search from the Address Bar

Internet Explorer, show web page on Desktop

Control Panel Display Desktop tab Customize Desktop Web tab

Internet Explorer, shrink large images to fit browser window

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Enable Automatic Image Resizing

Internet Explorer, smooth scrolling

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Use smooth scrolling

Internet Explorer, sounds (enable / disable)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Play sounds in web pages

Internet Explorer, SSL settings

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Security

Internet Explorer, status bar shows abbreviated link addresses

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Show friendly URLs

Internet Explorer, Underline links

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Underline links

Internet Explorer, use passive mode in FTP

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Browsing Use Passive FTP

Internet Explorer, video clips (enable / disable)

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Multimedia Play videos in web pages

Internet Explorer, warning for redirected form submission

Control Panel Internet Options Advanced tag Security Warn if forms submittal is being redirected

Internet Explorer, warnings, enable / disable

Control Panel Internet Options Security tab Custom Level