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A+ Guide to Software, 4e

A+ Guide to Software, 4e. Chapter 7 Supporting Windows 9x/Me. Windows 9x/Me Architecture. Encompasses a number of releases: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me Two components of the OS: shell and kernel Shell Relates to the user and applications User component: manages I/O

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A+ Guide to Software, 4e

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  1. A+ Guide to Software, 4e Chapter 7 Supporting Windows 9x/Me

  2. Windows 9x/Me Architecture • Encompasses a number of releases: • Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me • Two components of the OS: shell and kernel • Shell • Relates to the user and applications • User component: manages I/O • Graphic Devices Interface (GDI): supports graphics • Kernel • Interacts with the hardware • Fulfills requests for service passed from the shell A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  3. Virtual Machines • Application programming interface (API) call • Used by application to access hardware or software • Virtual machine (VM) • Set of resources made available through APIs • Analogy: virtual machines are like logical drives • Virtual machines allocated by OS based on need • DOS program: provided with its own VM • Windows 16-bit application: shares VM and addresses • Windows 32-bit application: shares VM only • General Protection Fault: caused by 16-bit programs A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  4. Virtual Memory • Virtual memory: hard drive space acting like memory • Functions of Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) • Stores virtual memory in a file called a swap file • Moves 4KB pages into and out of physical RAM • Disk thrashing: caused by excess memory paging • Settings you can change in Virtual Memory dialog box • Minimum and maximum file size • The location of the swap file (Win386.swp) • Swap files can be placed on a compressed drive A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  5. Table 7-2 Minimum and recommended hardware requirements for Windows 9x/Me A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  6. Installing Windows 9x/Me (continued) • Choosing a file system • FAT16: 16-bit cluster entries allowing 65,535 clusters • FAT32: 28-bit cluster entries allowing more clusters • FAT32 drives are less likely to have slack • Installing a Windows 9x/Me as a clean installation • Prepare your system first; e.g., verify boot sequence • Install Windows 98/Me from a bootable setup CD • If PC does not boot from CD, boot from a floppy disk • Then insert the CD and enter D:\Setup.exe • When dialog box opens, follow onscreen instructions A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  7. Installing Windows 9x/Me (continued) • Installing Windows 9x/Me as an upgrade • Prepare for installation; e.g., create a rescue disk • Start the PC, loading the current operating system • Close all open applications • Insert CD in CD-ROM drive or floppy disk in floppy drive • Enter the command D:\Setup.exe in Run Dialog box • Follow the instructions on the setup screen • Installation process from the setup screen forward • Four options: Typical, Portable, Compact, Customer • Installation logs: Setuplog.txt, Detlog.txt, Detcrash.log A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  8. Installing Windows 9x/Me (continued) • Downloading/installing updates for Windows 9x/Me • Updates include service packs or patches • Microsoft is no longer updating Windows 9x/Me • Find previous updates at windowsupdate.microsoft.com • Use Windows Update on Start menu to access page • Configuring Windows 9x/Me Startup with Msdos.sys • Msdos.sys is a hidden, read-only system file • Msdos.sys has parameters affecting how the OS boots • You must change Msdos.sys file attributes before use • Table 7-3 (partially reproduced): details file contents A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  9. Installing and Managing Hardware with Windows 9x/Me • Driver: interfaces application and OS with a device • Ways to begin device driver installation process • Install device, power on PC, launch install wizard • Run installation program on setup disk or CD • Download driver from Internet, run setup file • Scenario: view and change current video driver • Open the Control Panel and double-click Display • Go to Settings tab to view the installed display driver • To change driver, go to AvancedAdapterChange A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  10. Installing and Managing Hardware with Windows 9x/Me (continued) • Plug and Play (PnP) • Specifications simplifying the installation of hardware • Criteria for use of PnP • The system BIOS must be PnP • All devices and expansion cards must be PnP-compliant • The OS must support PnP • A 32-bit device driver must be available • DriveSpace utility • Used to compress FAT16 volumes in Windows 9x A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  11. Figure 7-20 ScanDisk results A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  12. Installing and Managing Software in Windows 9x/Me • Preparing for the software installation • Check available resources • Protect the original software • Back up the registry and system configuration files • Installing software • Open Control Panel • Double-click Add/Remove Programs • Insert software CD or disk in appropriate drive • Alternatively, download software file from the Internet • Follow directions on setup screen A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  13. Installing and Managing Software in Windows 9x/Me (continued) • Troubleshooting software installations • Delete all files and folders under \Windows\Temp • Look for guidance in Readme.htm hypertext file • Supporting DOS applications under Windows 9x/Me • Access the Properties feature of DOS program file • Select Program tab and then click Advanced tab • Example: select Specify a new MS-DOS configuration • Changes are stored in program’s information file (PIF) A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  14. Files Used to Customize the Startup Process • Autoexec.bat and Config.sys • Contain settings for loading 16-bit drivers and TSRs • Supported for backwards compatibility with DOS • Initialization files (those with .ini extension) • Custom settings used to load Windows 3.x programs • Supported for backwards compatibility with Windows 3.x • You can edit text files with various tools; e.g., Sysedit • Comment line: information ignored by application A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  15. Figure 7-22 Sysedit can be used to edit Windows system files A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  16. Table 7-4 Windows .ini files A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  17. Figure 7-24 Windows 9x/Me core components and the loading process A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  18. System Monitor • Monitors how system resources are being used • Items monitored • The file system • Memory • The kernel • Printer sharing services • Network performance data A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  19. System Configuration Utility (Msconfig) • Used to reduce startup to core components • Similar to Safe Mode • How to access the System Configuration Utility • Enter Msconfig in the Run Dialog Box • How to isolate a problem using Msconfig • Select Diagnostic startup, click OK and restart PC • Next, select Selective startup from the dialog box • Methodically add items until the problem reappears • Source of problem is related to the last added item • A few alternatives: Registry Checker, CMOS setup A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  20. Dr. Watson • Used to troubleshoot problems running a program • Information logged by Dr. Watson • Detailed system information • Errors • Programs that caused errors • Using Dr. Watson • Start the utility • Reproduce the application error • Go to Diagnosis tab to view events • Cross-check information to support.microsoft.com A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  21. The Windows 9x/Me Registry and Registry Checker • Registry • Database of configuration information and settings • Takes over the essential functions of .ini files • 16-bit applications cannot access the Registry • Organization of the Registry • Hierarchical database appearing as an inverted tree • Six major keys appearing in the left pane • Values and value data appear in the right pane • System.dat and User.dat • Files used to store the Windows 95/98 registry A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  22. Table 7-7 Six major branches, or keys, of the Windows 9x/Me registry A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  23. The Windows 9x/Me Registry and Registry Checker (continued) • Ways to recover registry data in Windows 95 • OS replaces System.dat with backup System.da0 • OS enters Safe Mode and prompts recovery process • If backups are missing, restore registry from setup disk • Ways to recover registry data in Windows 9x/Me • Recover using backups made by Registry Checker • Registry Checker types: Scanreg.exe, Scanregw.exe • Modifying the registry • Automatically performed in most cases • Manually edit the registry using Regedit.exe A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  24. Troubleshooting Windows 9x/Me • Problems are categorized by phase of OS operation • Windows installation • Startup process • Normal Windows operations • Troubleshooting techniques are tailored to problem A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  25. Table 7-9 Some problems and solutions when installing Windows 9x/Me A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  26. Table 7-9 Some problems and solutions when installing Windows 9x/Me (continued) A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  27. Troubleshooting Windows 9x/Me Startup (continued) • Press F8 during startup to open startup menu • Windows 9x/Me startup menu options • 1. Normal • 2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT) • 3. Safe Mode • 4. Safe Mode with network support • 5. Step-by-step confirmation • 6. Command prompt only (not in Windows Me) • 7. Safe Mode command prompt only (not in Win Me) • 8. Previous version of MS-DOS A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  28. Troubleshooting Windows 9x/Me Startup (continued) • A few tips for troubleshooting with the startup menu • Try a hard boot • If you have not already done so, try Safe Mode next • Look for errors using Step-by-Step confirmation • Use Logged option and examine Bootlog.txt • Using the startup disk for troubleshooting • If the emergency disk is not available, make one • Check disk for viruses before inserting it into PC • Disk should have drivers needed to access CD drive A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  29. Troubleshooting Problems After Windows 9x/Me Startup • A few questions to ask the user • When did the problem start? • Did you move your computer system recently? • Has someone else been using your computer recently? • Some general tips for troubleshooting hardware • Try rebooting the computer • Test the device with another application • Check Device Manager for errors reported on device • The driver might be corrupted or need updating • Try reseating an expansion card A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  30. Troubleshooting Problems After Windows 9x/Me Startup (continued) • Some tips for troubleshooting application problems • Address error messages appearing during program use • Try uninstalling and reinstalling the software • Some tips for troubleshooting a shortcut icon • Decide if the icon on the desktop is actually a shortcut • Check name and location of target file for the shortcut • Some tips for troubleshooting a slow system • Check for applications unnecessarily loaded at startup • Verify Windows is using optimum caching on hard drive A+ Guide to Software, 4e

  31. Figure 7-37 Troubleshooter making a suggestion to resolve a hardware conflict A+ Guide to Software, 4e

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