Working with Windows Vista Chapter Seventeen Working with Windows Vista

220-902 Objectives Covered 1.1 Compare and contrast various features and requirements of Microsoft Operating Systems (Windows Vista). 1.2 Given a scenario, install Windows PC operating systems using appropriate methods. 1.4 Given a scenario, use appropriate Microsoft operating system features and tools. 1.5 Given a scenario, use Windows Control Panel utilities. 1.6 Given a scenario, install and configure Windows networking on a client/desktop.

Windows Vista Editions Windows Vista was released in six different editions, four of which have been available in the retail channel since 2006 (Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, and Windows Vista Ultimate). Windows Vista Enterprise offers more features than Business and less than Ultimate but is not available in the retail channel. Windows Vista Starter is also available but is not listed for the CompTIA exam objectives. This version is not marketed in countries such as the United States or the European Union in which technology is more developed than in other countries.

AERO The Aero interface was new with Windows Vista. The main difference between it and the previous Windows interface is the glass design that offers translucent windows. Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open (AERO)

Sidebar Gadgets can be placed on a bar that appears on the desktop known as the Sidebar (Windows 7 kept the gadgets but did away with the Sidebar). The main selling point for using Sidebar is that the bar can provide one location for the common gadgets and be configured to always be visible.

ReadyBoost This feature allows you to use free space on a removable drive (usually USB) as virtual memory and speed up a system. For the option to even be possible, at least 256MB of space must be available on the removable media. ReadyBoost is configured from the ReadyBoost tab of the Properties dialog box for the removable media device.

Compatibility Mode - configure programs to believe that they are running with Windows XP or earlier versions of Windows: Choose Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Programs, and then click Use An Older Program With This Version Of Windows. Windows Defender - While available for other operating systems, Windows Vista was the first to ship with the Windows Defender antispyware program.

Windows Firewall - used to stop incoming and outgoing traffic Windows Firewall - used to stop incoming and outgoing traffic. 3 basic settings: On, Off, and Block All Incoming Connections. Security Center Windows provides a single interface for firewall

Clean Install 2 Methods: Boot from DVD Runs Setup.exe within Windows (recommended by Microsoft) Clean Install There are two methods of running a clean installation. Installing Vista over a previous operating system results in the user’s data being moved to a folder called WINDOWS.OLD. The first option is to start the computer with the bootable Windows Vista DVD (CDs were available if you needed them) and begin the installation. The second method—the one Microsoft recommends—is to run Setup from the DVD within your current Windows version. Once the DVD is inserted, the Setup program should automatically begin. If it does not, setup.exe can be manually run from the root folder and the menu will appear. On the menu, choose Install Now and then select Custom (Advanced) when the Which Type Of Installation Do You Want? screen appears. Answer the prompts to work through the steps and complete the installation. **When you boot, you will get a Press any key to boot from CD or DVD message upon startup

Upgrading to Vista No version of Windows older than Windows XP can be upgraded to Windows Vista. The User State Migration Tool (USMT) can be downloaded from Microsoft to migrate user file settings related to applications, desktop configuration, and accounts. USMT for mass rollout Windows East Transfer for single stand alone migration If you are migrating only a few accounts, Microsoft recommends Windows Easy Transfer (WET) instead of USMT

Key Boot Files BOOTMGR BCD WINLOAD.EXE NTOSKRNL.EXE WINRESUME.EXE System files HAL.DLL SMSS.EXE WINLOGON.EXE LSASS.EXE BOOTMGR The Windows Boot Manager (BOOTMGR) bootstraps the system. In other words, this file starts the loading of an OS on the computer. BCD The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) holds information about OSs installed on the computer, such as the location of the OS files. WINLOAD.EXE The program used to boot Windows 7. It loads the operating system kernel (NTOSKRNL.EXE). WINRESUME.EXE If the system is not starting fresh but resuming a previous session, then WINRESUME.EXE is called by the BOOTMGR. NTOSKRNL.EXE The Windows OS kernel. System files In addition to the previously listed files, Windows needs a number of files from its system directories (for example, SYSTEM and SYSTEM32),

Boot Process Self-check, BIOS finds MBR MBR finds volume boot sector MBR loads BOOTMGR BOOTMGR uses WINRESUME.EXE if needed BOOTMGR processes BCD BOOTMGR loads WINLOAD.EXE WINLOAD.EXE loads kernel Device drivers are loaded. WIN32K.SYS and SMSS. EXE are loaded WINLOGON.EXE presents the login screen 1. The system self-checks and enumerates hardware resources. The BIOS looks for the Master Boot Record. 2. The Master Boot Record (MBR) loads and finds the volume boot sector. The MBR finds the bootable partition and searches it for the NT boot sector of that partition. 3. The MBR determines the file system and loads BOOTMGR. Information in the boot sector allows the system to locate the system partition and to find and load the file located there into memory. 4. BOOTMGR checks to see if WINRESUME.EXE is needed. 5. BOOTMGR processes BCD. 6. BOOTMGR loads and runs WINLOAD.EXE. 7. WINLOAD.EXE loads NTOSKRNL.EXE and HAL.DLL. NTOSKRNL.EXE holds the OS kernel and also what’s known as the executive subsystems. Executive subsystems are software components that parse the Registry for configuration information and start the needed services and drivers. HAL.DLL enables communication between the OS and the installed hardware. 8. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM Registry hive and device drivers are loaded, and control is transferred to NTOSKRNL.EXE to complete the boot process. It calls the WIN32K.SYS subsystem and the session manager SMSS.EXE. 9. WINLOGON.EXE loads. At this point, you are presented with the Logon screen. After you enter a username and password, you’re taken to the Windows Desktop.

Restore Points It allows you to restore the system to a previous point in time With Windows Vista, manually creating the restore point must be accomplished from the System Protection tab of System Properties (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ System).

Windows Defender Windows Defender can identify spyware and unwanted software, and it is native to all versions of Vista (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Windows Defender). Windows Firewall Windows Firewall (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Windows Firewall) is used to block access from the network (be it internal or the Internet).

Security Center Security Center Security Center (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Security Center) provides a single interface where you can administer Windows Firewall, Automatic Updates, Malware Protection, and other security settings

Administrative Tools Users and Groups – mmc.exe Local Security Policy - secpol.msc or Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Local Security Policy Component Services – MMC snap-in

Administrative Tools Data Sources - allows you to interact with database management systems. Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Data Sources (ODBC) Print Management – New to Vista. allows you to manage multiple printers and print servers from a single interface Print Management (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Print Management) Print Management is not available for Windows Vista in any edition other than Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Ultimate, and Windows Vista Enterprise

Administrative Tools

System Configuration Tool The System Configuration tool - (msconfig.exe) in Windows Vista is used to control the way the system behaves at startup, and it includes a number of tabs and options, as shown

Boot Options

Memory Diagnostic Used to check a system for memory problems. Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Memory Diagnostics Tool Restart required

Unique Control Panel Utilities Tablet PC Settings Pen And Input Devices Offline files Problem Reports And Solutions Printers A must for Exam!!

Tablet and PC Setting Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Tablet PC Settings Used to configure the device on which the operating system is installed to function as a true tablet You can tweak handwriting recognition, handedness (left versus right), and other tablet-relevant settings

Pen and Input Devices Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Pen And Input Devices It’s used in conjunction with the Tablet PC Settings applet to configure the pen and pointer options The Home Basic edition of Windows Vista does not support a tablet PC or have this applet, but all other editions of the operating system do.

Offline Files Windows Vista includes a Sync Center (Start ➢ Control Panel, then click Sync Center Only Windows Vista Business Ultimate and Enterprise support offline files. “Online: resources are synced with an “offline” copy - replicated

Problems Reports and Solutions Error reporting feature Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Problem Reports And Solutions 3 options for users – On, Off, Allow each user to choose setting By default, all program errors from all programs are reported, but you can configure the reporting of errors on a program-by-program basis

Printers Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Printers Provides a simple interface for adding a new printer or managing existing ones By right-clicking on any printer shown in the interface, you can choose to make it the default printer from the options menu that appears Clicking Add A Printer will start the Add Printer Wizard and allow you to add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer

Creating a Network Connection

NIC Properties half-duplex (data going one direction at a time), full-duplex (data going both directions at the same time), Automatic Wake on LAN (WoL)- Wakes a sleeping machine Quality of Service (QoS) – Packet scheduling to control flow of traffic Quality of Service (QoS), implements packet scheduling to control the flow of traffic and help with network transmission speeds.

QoS

Configuring AERO Right-click on the Desktop and choose Personalize from the context menu, and then choose Window Color And Appearance Turn off Transparency, Change colors Turn Off Aero by using Classic Appearance Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open

Aero Configuration Window

User Access Control Not recommended to turn off however annoying Choose “Run This Program As An Administrator” for frequently run programs instead

Indexing Allow the OS to find files quickly by looking through a database of entries rather than having to start from scratch each time Indexing Options applet is in Control Panel The Advanced button of the configuration you can choose whether to include encrypted files and what types of files to include in the index. Most meaningful is the ability to choose whether the index should include properties only (the default) or also include file contents. While choosing to include contents in the index greatly decreases search time, it can also slow the system down on a regular basis as it builds the index

Sidebar Allows easy access to gadgets if not visible, click Start ➢ All Programs ➢ Accessories ➢ Windows Sidebar).