Help and Support Center

Published: September 7, 2006

The Start menu in Microsoft Windows XP includes a link to an online Help and Support Center maintained by Microsoft. Windows XP can walk you through solving most computer problems.

Note: Some companies and computer manufacturers maintain their own specialized version of this resource. Your computer will be set up to link to the right version for you.

To use Help and Support Center

1.

Click Start, and then click Help and Support.

Start menu with Help and Support selected

2.

Help and Support Center displays common help topics. If you do not see a topic that describes the problem you are having, click Fixing a problem in the lower-left corner.

Help and Support Center window with Fixing a problem selected

3.

Click the topic that best matches the problem you are having.

Fixing a problem pane in Help and Support Center window

4.

Follow the prompts that appear for troubleshooting assistance.

If this doesn't fix your problem, type the error message or a description of your problem in the Search box in the upper-left corner, and then click the green arrow. Help and Support Center will display topics that might help you fix your problem.

Search term entered in Help and Support Center Search box

Although the Help and Support Center can help you solve many common problems, you may run into a problem it doesn't cover. Fortunately, you have several other support options.