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Features and Characteristics of Windows

Features and Characteristics of Windows. Chapter 3. Overview. In this chapter, you will learn to Identify and differentiate the features an characteristics of Windows 9x/Me Identify and differentiate the features an characteristics of Windows NT/2000/XP.

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Features and Characteristics of Windows

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  1. Features and Characteristics of Windows Chapter 3

  2. Overview • In this chapter, you will learn to • Identify and differentiate the features an characteristics of Windows 9x/Me • Identify and differentiate the features an characteristics of Windows NT/2000/XP

  3. Features and Characteristics of Windows 9x/Me

  4. Windows • Windows 3.1 was a graphical shell that ran on top of DOS • Microsoft debuted Windows 95 as its first standalone GUI operating system • Windows 9x and Me followed in later years • Many files and configuration utilities were held over from earlier OSs

  5. The Windows Boot Process • Windows 9x is a combination of the DOS protected-mode interface (DPMI) and a protected-mode GUI • Windows 9x first starts the DOS aspect of Windows and then the GUI • Booting Windows 9x without the GUI from the boot menu is different than running a DOS window inside Windows 9x

  6. FAT32 • Later versions of Windows 95 and all versions of Windows that followed support the FAT32 file format • Partitions up to 2 terabytes in size

  7. Long Filenames • Windows 9x/Me • Allows long file names up to 255 characters in length • Removed the old 8.3 filename limitation of DOS • Adopted the 16-bit unicode character set • Unicode supports 65,536 characters • ASCII used by DOS was 8-bits and supported only 256 characters

  8. DPMI Core Files • IO.SYS • Combined the previous IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS into IO.SYS • MSDOS.SYS • Used as a startup options file – read-only, hidden text file in root directory • COMMAND.COM • Not needed if the system will always run in the GUI mode

  9. Boot Menu Press F8 (or the left Ctrl key in Windows 98) when “Starting Windows..” appears to access the Boot Menu

  10. Boot Menu • Normal • Logged • Creates a bootlog.txt file detailing the boot up process • Safe mode • Only the OS, mouse, keyboard, and VGA video drivers are loaded • Useful when Windows won’t boot due to a bad driver • Safe mode with network support • Step-by-step confirmation

  11. Boot Menu • Command prompt only • Does everything but start the GUI • Just type win to start Windows • Safe mode command prompt only • Skips all startup files • Must reboot to start Windows • Previous version of MS-DOS • Useful only if you installed Windows over a true DOS system

  12. MSDOS.SYS • MSDOS.SYS • Hidden, read-only text file that replaces many of the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT functions • Edit using any text editor (after unchecking its attributes) • Organized like an INI file with groups and options under each setting • There are many useful options in the [Options] group – see pages 429-430 in the book for a listing

  13. Configuration Files • Windows 9x/Me will use CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to load legacy device drivers and terminate and stay resident (TSR) programs

  14. Legacy GUI Files • After the DPMI-level OS files, configuration files, and utilities load, WIN.COM runs and initiates the graphical portion of the OS • Incorporates legacy INI files to provide support to older applications • INI files are text files that may be edited with any text editor such as Notepad • INI files are broken in sections called groups • Two main INI files from Windows 3.1 that still exist in later versions of Windows are SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI

  15. SYSTEM.INI • All resources were initialized in the SYSTEM.INI file in Windows 3.1 • SYSTEM.INI still exists in Windows 2000/XP today to provide backward compatibility • Windows 9x/Me require SYSTEM.INI

  16. WIN.INI • WIN.INI provided the personalizations of Windows 3.1 • Rarely have a WIN.INI in Windows 9x/Me/2000/XP • Dealing with SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI is usually not necessary • Unless you get error messages indicating a device driver can’t be found • Just find the culprit and put a semicolon in front of the line to disable it • There are two lines in WIN.INI that may cause problems • LOAD= and RUN= that automatically loads programs when Windows starts

  17. The Windows 9x GUI Architecture User interface Core functions handled by the Kernel, Graphical Device Interface, and User modules Virtual Memory Manager Installable File System Real-mode drivers are loaded by config.sys or autoexec.bat. Protected mode drivers are loaded with the GUI

  18. Major Difference Among Windows • Windows 98 is basically Windows 95 with a lot of new toys to improve usability or to address bugs • A startup disk is a special bootable floppy disk that contains utilities to help you fix a system that won’t boot Windows • Both 95 and 98 allow you to make a startup disk • 95’s does not support a CD-ROM • 98’s supports almost all CD-ROMs

  19. Major Difference Among Windows • FAT32 is supported in all Windows versions except the first version of Windows 95 • System Information Tool • Provides a launch point for almost every Windows 98/SE/Me utility • Windows Update • Utility to keep Windows up to date • Found on the Start menu

  20. Major Difference Among Windows • Disk Cleanup Utility • Active Desktop • Load active web pages on your desktop • Vastly improved version of Internet Explorer

  21. Major Difference Among Windows • Internet Connection Sharing • Included since Windows 98 SE • Enables multiple PCs to share an Internet connection • System Restore • Windows Me shares the core files and structure of Windows 9x but has the look and feel of Windows 2000 • Enables you to create Restore Points that will take your system back to its previous state at a given point in time

  22. But Underneath… • Windows 98, 98 SE, and Me are nearly identical to Windows 95

  23. Features and Characteristics of Windows NT/2000/XP

  24. Windows NT • Microsoft released Windows NT in 1996 • High-performance 32-bit GUI OS • Windows 2000 and XP share the same core structure, files, and features but differ in ease of use and hardware support • Windows NT looks like Windows 95 but that’s where the similarities end

  25. OS Organization • Robust, scalable, cross-platform • Object-oriented approach designed to support multiple platforms such as x86, DEC Alpha, MIPS, and PowerPC by using a Hardware Abstraction Layer • Robustness comes from separating process and running them in various subsystems • Supports symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) allowing support for up to 32 CPUs

  26. Window NT Organization

  27. NT File System (NTFS) • NT File System (NTFS) • Robust and powerful • Long filenames containing up to 255 characters • Advanced FAT called the Master File Table (MFT) • Keeps a backup copy in the middle of the drive which shows up as a small, immovable chunk of data when you defrag • Backwards compatible with DOS and Windows 9x • Transaction logging determines incomplete file transactions, and restores the file back to the original format automatically and invisibly

  28. NTFS Security • To gain access to a Windows NT/2000/XP system, you must have a valid user account and password • Every Windows NT/2000 PC has an administrator account that has full access to everything • Create users using Users and Passwords in Windows 2000 or User Accounts in Windows XP

  29. Groups • A group is a collection of user accounts that share the same access capabilities • Assign access to a group and then put users into the group • Users will inherit the access assigned to the group • Windows provides several built-in groups

  30. Administrators May perform all administrative tasks on the computer Backup Operators May use Windows Backup Guests May perform only specific tasks that are granted Guest account is a member Power Users May create and modify local user accounts and share resources on the local computer Replicator Supports file replication in a domain Users May perform only tasks specifically assigned Local user accounts that are created become members Everyone Built-in Groups

  31. NTFS Permissions • NTFS permissions in NT/2000/XP • Details every user and group that has access to a file or folder • Lists the specific level of access allowed • Available only on volumes formatted as NTFS • NTFS security is effective whether a user • Gains access at the computer • Gains access over the network

  32. NTFS Permissions • Ownership • When you create a new file or folder you become the owner • Owners have full control • Be default, everyone is given full control permission • Take Ownership • Enables a user permission to take ownership of a file or folder • Administrator account can take ownership without being given permission

  33. NTFS Permissions • Change permission • Can give or take away permissions for other accounts • Folder permissions • Apply to folders • File permissions • Apply to files

  34. NTFS Folder Permissions • Full Control • Enables you to do anything you want • To deny all access, deny Full Control • Modify • Cannot delete files or subfolders but may modify them • Read & Execute • Enables you to see the contents of the folder and subfolders • List Folder Contents • Enables you to see the contents of the folder and subfolders

  35. NTFS Folder Permissions • Read • Enables you to read any files in the folder • Write • Enables you to write to files and create new files and folders • By default, permissions are inherited from parent folders • This may be prevented by removing the check mark at the bottom

  36. NTFS Folder Permissions

  37. NTFS File Permissions • Full Control • Enables you to do anything • Modify • Enables you to do anything except take ownership or change permissions • Read & Execute • If the file is a program, you can run it • Read • If the file is data, you can read it • Write • Enables you to write to the file

  38. User’s effective permissions are the cumulative (or least restrictive) permissions resulting from a combination of user and group permissions Deny permission overrides all other permissions…Deny always becomes the effective permission File permissions override folder permissions Combining Permissions

  39. Booting Up vs. Going Graphical • Windows 9x and Windows 2000 differ significantly in the level of integration between the graphical interface and the text-based functions • Both operating systems have primary boot files that start the operating system • The boot file must be on the boot partition and the GUI file can be installed in any other drive letter • Microsoft terminology for NT/2000 • System partition: partition you boot from • Boot partition: partition that holds NT or 2000 files

  40. Booting Up vs. Going Graphical • Windows NT and Windows 2000 do not have a pure command prompt environment • Windows NT can log on to the command prompt only after the GUI is started

  41. Preboot Sequence • The computer runs power-on self test (POST) routines to determine the amount of physical memory, hardware components, and so on • The computer BIOS locates the boot device and loads and runs the master boot record (MBR) • The MBR locates, loads into memory, and executes the boot sector • The computer loads and initializes the NTLDR file

  42. The Boot Process • NT Loader manages the booting process • Windows NT/2000/XP boot files that must be in the root directory of the system partition are • NTLDR (NT Loader) • BOOT.INI • NTDETECT.COM • NTBOOTDD.SYS (only needed for SCSI controllers that don’t have their own ROM BIOS) • After the boot files start the PC, NTLDR passes control to the Windows NT kernel (NTOSKRNL.EXE) • The GUI begins to load

  43. Boot Files: NTLDR • NTLDR (NT Loader) manages the boot up process until control is handed over to NTOSKRL (NT kernel) • To find available operating systems, NTLDR reads the boot.ini file • If multiple OSs are available a menu shows up

  44. Boot Files: BOOT.INI • BOOT.INI is a text file that lists the available OSs and where to find the boot partition

  45. More Boot Files • BOOTSEC.DOS is read by NTLDR if it finds a different OS to load • NTDETECT.COM detects the hardware if you choose to boot to NT/2000/XP • NTBOOTDD.SYS is used if NTLDR detects that the boot partition resides on a SCSI drive that lacks a ROM chip for BIOS support

  46. Service Packs • Windows NT uses service packs to fix operating system bugs and limitations in the architecture

  47. Major Differences among Windows NT, 2000, and XP • Windows 2000 combines an improved NT core with the ease-of-use and tech-friendly elements from Windows 9x • The robustness of NT with the Windows 98 user interface • Windows XP extended that merger into a fully new OS • User organization is better to enhance file and folder security • NTFS 5.0 added encryption, mount points, disk quotas, and dynamic disks to NT’s NTFS 4.0

  48. Major Differences among Windows NT, 2000, and XP • Easier administration through Microsoft Management Console and the Computer Management tool • Windows XP improved upon 2000 by adding built in support for burning CDs, an improved Start menu, and the Windows Update utility • Windows XP has the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard that allows you to transfer everything from an old drive to a new one (get the update before using)

  49. Major Differences among Windows NT, 2000, and XP • Windows XP comes with System Restore to take a snapshot of your system in order to restore it to its previous state • Driver Rollback enables you to rollback individual device drivers in Windows XP • Remote Assistance is possible with Remote Access • Gives you the ability to take control of any Windows XP PC remotely

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