CBT Bazar

If you don’t have a fax machine or want to scrap your fax machine, you can still send faxes from your computer if you have Windows XP. The Windows XP Fax service is a program that uses your modem instead of a fax machine to send faxes.

To use the Windows XP Fax service, you will also need a scanner to scan existing documents or a word processing program or text editor to create documents to fax. Ensure that your modem is connected to the phone line before continuing.

Installing and Configuring the Windows XP Fax Service

Windows XP Fax Services aren’t installed by default in Windows XP Home Edition. To install the fax software, click Start, then Control Panel and Add or Remove Programs. Select Add/Remove Windows Components, then select Fax Services and click Next.

Click Start and access the All Programs menu. Select Accessories, Communications, Fax and then Fax Console. From the Tools menu, select Configure Fax and click Next. Type your name and fax number in the Sender Information window. Select your modem in the Select Device for Sending and Receiving Faxes window. Select the check box beside Enable Send, then select Next.

In the Transmitting Subscriber Identification window, type your name and fax number again and click Next.

Then in the Tools menu, choose Fax Printer Configuration. Type a name such as Fax. Click the Devices tab. Make sure that your modem appears under Device Name then click OK.

Sending Faxes with Windows XP Fax Service

If you would like to send a text or word processing document as a fax, open your text editor or word processor to create a file. If you’d like to fax a printed document or a photograph, scan it and open the image in an image viewer or image processing program.

If you have to send multiple text or word processing documents as a fax in Windows XP, you can easily do so by creating a multi-page file in your word processor or text editor. However, if you want to send multiple scanned documents in Windows XP Fax Services, you will have to use the scans to create a PDF file.

You can do this using Create Adobe PDF Online. For a small monthly fee, this service allows you unlimited PDF file conversions, unlimited print to paperless PDF and combining multiple files into one PDF file.

When you’re ready to send your fax, select Print from the program’s File menu. In the Send Fax Wizard, type the name and fax number of the person to whom you’d like to fax your document or image. Type a cover page, if necessary. Click Next. Choose when to send your fax and choose the priority of the fax. Click Next and Finish to send the fax.

For more information, you can read faxZero – Free online Internet fax service – Send faxes for free.

The Encrypting File System (EFS) is a security feature in Windows XP Professional which prevents unauthorized users from accessing your files. You can continue to use the encrypted files without having to decrypt them manually. You can even share them with other users on your computer.

However, if your computer is stolen or attacked by a hacker, the unauthorized user will get an access denied message when trying to access the encrypted files. The Encrypting File System works only on NTFS volumes and isn’t included with Windows XP Home Edition.

Encrypting Files in Windows Explorer

Click Start, then click My Computer. Navigate to the file you’d like to encrypt. Right-click it, then select Properties. Click the General tab, and click Advanced. Under the Compress or Encrypt attributes heading, click the check box beside Encrypt contents to secure data and click OK twice.

You will receive an encryption warning if the file is in an unencrypted folder. If you just wish to encrypt the file, select Encrypt the file only and click OK. If you want to encrypt the folder as well, select Encrypt the file and the parent folder, then click OK. When you encrypt a folder, every file added to that folder will be encrypted. Successfully encrypted files and folders appear green in Windows Explorer.

Safely Using the Encrypting File System

In Windows XP Pro, encrypted files are protected by a user’s username and password. You must create a strong password and keep it hidden from unauthorized users for the encryption to protect your confidential files. Windows XP also uses public and private encryption keys to decrypt the data automatically.

If the private key is lost or damaged, the encrypted data may be unrecoverable. So you must export the EFS keys to removable media and keep them in a secure place to guard against data loss. To export your recovery certificates and private key, make sure you’re logged in as the user that created the encrypted files.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd and click OK. Type cipher /r:filename, where filename is the name of the encrypted file, and press Enter. Type your password when prompted to do so, then confirm the password. No text will appear on the screen as you type your password. These steps will create two files, one with a *.cer extension and one with a *.pfx extension.

Navigate to the folder where you saved these files, then back them up to a floppy disk or CD.

Recovering Encrypted Files

To recover the encrypted files in Windows XP Professional, you must import the EFS recovery certificates and the private key. Log onto the computer as an administrator, then click Start and Run.

Type gpedit.msc and click OK. Expand the nodes for Local Computer Policy, Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Security Settings and Public Key Policies. Right-click the Encrypting File System entry, then select Add Data Recovery Agent.

Click Next and then Browse Folders. Navigate to the *.cer file you created when you exported your recovery certificate, select it, then click Open.

To encrypt and password protect your files in other operating systems, read Encrypt and Password Protect Text Files for Free.