Kilo Seven

A+ Preparing the Hard Disk for Installation, XP/2K

2012-01-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

In Windows XP/2000:

• To use all of the space in the disk, make sure that Unpartitioned Space is highlighted and press Enter

• To use only part of the space, press C to Create Partition, and specify the partition size on the next screen. Press Enter after specifying the desired size.

• To use an existing partition, arrow to that partition so that it becomes highlighted and press Enter. Be careful, whatever partition you select for the installation will be formatted.

• To delete a pre-existing partition, press D, then press Enter at the next screen, and finally press L to confirm.

After partitioning is complete in Windows XP/2000, you need to format the partitions. Normally, you would select NTFS. Select FAT if the partition is under 32GB in size. If you specify FAT, the partition will be FAT16 if it is under 2GB in size and FAT32 if it is 2GB or larger. Windows XP offers the option to perform a quick format (saves time) or a regular format (takes longer but verifies the entire disk surface). Windows formats the partition with the file system you specify and continues the installation process.

A+ Preparing the Hard Disk for Installation, 7/Vista

2012-01-22T22:57:00.000-08:00

There are three different file systems supported by Windows Vista/XP:

• NTFS
• FAT32
• FAT16 (also known as FAT)

Which file system should you use for the operating system installation? Most of the time you will use NTFS, unless you want to install to a pre-existing FAT32 partition and do not want to lose data during the installation. The largest FAT32 partition that Windows can format during installation is 32GB; larger partitions must be formatted as NTFS. FAT16 is supported so that Windows can access other devices such as memory sticks or older hard drives, but chances are you won’t come across it very often.

Keep in mind that much of the data security of Windows comes from the use of NTFS. If NTFS is not used to prepare a drive, encryption and compression are not available, nor is user-level or group-level access control. Windows Vista and 7 can be installed only or NTFS drives.

When prompted, you have the option to use all the unpartitioned space on an empty hard disk for Windows or to use only a part of the space.

In Windows Vista/7:

• To use all of the space in the disk, make sure that the disk and partition you want is highlighted and click Next
• To use only part of the space, click Drive Options (Advanced), click New, specify the partition size, and click Apply
• To use an existing partition, highlight the desired partition and click Next. Be careful; whatever partition you select for the installation will be formatted and all data on that partition will be erased.

You can also format partitions from here; they are automatically formatted as NTFS. In addition, you can extend pre-existing partitions to increase the size of the partition but without losing any data.

A+ Network Configuration

2012-01-21T23:06:00.000-08:00

Windows Vista will recognize and install most networking devices automatically. However, Windows XP recognizes dial-up modems, network adapters, and IEEE-1394 adapters as network devices, but during installation you might receive the following prompts:

• If you have a dial-up modem installed *rare, but you may find these at remote locales), Windows will ask you to provide dialing information, such as the area code for the telephone line used by the modem and whether you must dial 9 to get an outside line.

• If you have a network adapter installed (standard), you are prompted to select either Typical or Custom as the network type and specify the network name and type (workgroup or domain name).

You should select Custom to have the opportunity to fine-tune your network configuration:

• You can prevent your network from treating an IEEE-1394 adapter as a network device by clearing the network component checkboxes for the adapter.

• You can improve network performance between Windows XP and older Windows or non-Windows systems by clearing the QoS Packet Scheduler checkbox.

A+ Replication in Server 2003

2012-01-20T23:40:00.000-08:00

Server 2003 has a directory partition type, the Application directory partition, only on Windows 2003 DCs. Applications and services use this partition for application-specific data. Creating, modifying, moving, and deleting an object trigger a replication between domain controllers. Replications are either:

Intrasite (within a site) replication mostly use LAN connections. Intrasite replication does not compress data, so it saves CPU time. The replication partners poll each other periodically and notify each other when changes need to be replicated, and then pull the information for processing. Active Directory uses a remote procedure call (RPC) transport protocol for intrasite replication.
Intersite (between sites) replication uses WAN connections; large amounts of data are compressed to save WAN bandwidth. Replication partners do not notify each other when changes need to be replicated to save bandwidth. Instead, administrators configure the replication schedule to update the information. Active Directory uses an IP or SMTP protocol for intersite replication.

A+ Server replication

2012-01-19T23:30:00.000-08:00

Server replication copies changes made to a replica on one domain controller (DC) to replicas on all the other DCs in the network. Each DC stores 3 types of replica partitions:

Schemas store definitions & attributes of objects that can be created in the forest and changes made in this partition replicate to all DCs in all the domains in the forest.
Configurations store logical structure of forest deployment, with domain structure and the replication topology used. Changes replicate to all DCs in all the domains in the forest.
Domains store all objects in a domain. Changes replicate to all DCs in the domain.

A+ logical topology AKA signal topology

2012-01-18T23:26:00.000-08:00

All LANs connect devices in a way specifying how they're arranged & how they communicate with each other. The cables or wireless system that moves data, the physical structure, is the physical topology. The logical topology, defines how the signals act on the network media, or the way that the data passes through the network from one device to the next without regard to the physical interconnection of the devices.

Logical topologies are tied to network protocols, or rules, defining how the data moves across a network. Ethernet is now the common logical bus topology protocol.

The logical topology is not necessarily the same as its physical topology. For example, twisted pair Ethernet is a logical bus topology in a physical star layout, whereas old school Ethernet used a physical bus layout.

A+: Installation Method Options

2012-01-15T23:40:00.000-08:00

There are several options to consider when installing Windows, including unattended versus attended installations, the type of file system to select, and the network configuration. In an attended installation, you must provide information at various points during the process.

To create an unattended installation, you must create the appropriate type of answer file for the installation type. Windows Vista uses the Windows System Image Manager, and both Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000 Professional include the Setupmgr.exe program to aid in the creation of an answer file.

In Windows Vista only the Unattend.xml file is created. This takes the place of all the previous files used by Windows XP/2000.

In Windows XP and Windows 2000 the following files are created:

• Unattend.txt— Provides answers when you start the installation from a network share or from a command line.

• Sysprep.inf— Provides answers when running the Sysprep mini-setup on a target machine after copying the image file prepared with Sysprep.

• Winnt.sif— Copy this to a floppy disk to use when booting the system from the Windows XP CD and starting the installation.

A+: Using Boot Disks (XP/2000 only)

2012-01-14T23:16:00.000-08:00

If you need to install Windows XP to a system that cannot be booted from the CD or DVD drive, you can download a file that can be used to make boot disks. Use these disks to start the installation process. The system will prompt you for each floppy disk, one by one, and after you have inserted the last one it should then be able to read off of the CD-ROM to complete the installation. Note that there are different sets of floppy disks for Windows XP Home, and XP Professional, and for the specific service pack that is packaged as part of the CD. Make sure to download the correct version. These disks are available from Microsoft at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994.

After downloading the appropriate file, you must provide six blank (or overwritable) floppy disks that will be used for the boot disk maker program. Start the program and provide each disk when prompted, followed by the Windows XP CD-ROM. At the end of the process, you will have six disks that are used to start the system.

To use the boot disks to start the install process:

Step 1. Make sure the floppy drive is configured as the first boot device in the system BIOS.

Step 2. Insert the Windows XP CD into the system’s CD or DVD drive.

Step 3. Insert the first boot disk into the floppy drive.

Step 4. Restart the system.

Step 5. Insert each additional boot disk as prompted.

Remove the last boot disk and Windows XP CD when finished.

Windows 2000 Professional comes with a CD and four boot disks in the case that the computer’s CD-ROM is not bootable. These disks can also be created by accessing the CD and going to the folder called bootdisk. From here, simply double-click makeboot.exe and the program will guide you through the process of making the disks. To create disks from the CD on an older version of Windows, use makebt32.exe.

If you can’t find the boot disks that you need, you could search for them on the Internet. For example, www.bootdisk.com has an image file for just about every boot disk you can imagine!

A+: Installing Windows from a Recovery DVD/CD

2012-01-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

Most vendors no longer provide a full installation DVD/CD of Windows for computers with preinstalled Windows installations. Instead, a recovery DVD/CD (or sometimes a hidden hard disk partition, or both) containing a special image of the Windows installation is provided. Systems that store the image on a hidden disk partition might offer the opportunity to create a restore image on a recordable DVD/CD.

Note: A recovery disc is also known as a system restoration disc. These special versions of Windows aren’t standalone copies of Windows, meaning you can’t use them to install Windows on another PC (unless the PC is identical to the one for which the disc was made).

Typically, you have limited choices when you want to restore a damaged installation with a recovery disc or recovery files on a disk partition. Typical options include

• Reformatting your hard disk and restoring it to just-shipped condition (causing the loss of all data and programs installed after the system was first used)

• Reinstalling Windows only

• Reinstalling support files or additional software

After you run the recovery disc to restore your system to its original factory condition, you will need to activate it again.

You might need the Windows Product key or your system’s serial number to run the recovery disc program. Keep this information handy. Note that most systems with preinstalled Windows have a sticker with the Windows license key (Product key) somewhere on the system case.

A+: Disk Images and Sysprep

2012-01-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

A cloned system is identical in every way to the original, including having the same Security Identifier (SID). This can cause conflicts in a network. The SID and other differences in network configuration between the original and a cloned system can be automatically configured with the Sysprep utility from Microsoft. The Sysprep utility for Windows Vista is installed with the operating system and can be found by navigating to C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep. The Sysprep utility is available in separate versions for Windows XP and 2000. It is not provided on upgrade versions, but on full and OEM versions of the media, and is located on the CD-ROM at \SUPPORT\TOOLS\ in a cabinet file called DEPLOY.CAB. The most recent version of Sysprep for Windows XP can also be downloaded from the Microsoft website as part of the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Deployment Tools. See the following link for more information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/838080.

Sysprep is installed on a system that will be used for cloning before it is cloned. A special mini-Setup Wizard starts on the cloned computer the first time it is run after cloning. Sysprep uses an answer file created with either the System Image Manager (SIM), or the Setup Manager (Setupmgr.exe) utility described earlier. When it runs on the cloned system, it creates a unique SID and makes other changes as needed to the network configuration of the system. If the answer file does not have the answer needed by the setup program, you will be prompted to provide this information, such as the Windows license number (Product key).

A+: (re)Installation by Disk Image

2012-01-11T23:30:00.000-08:00

Windows can be installed from a disk image of another installation created with a program such as Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost. This process is called disk cloning.

For disk cloning to work, the systems must be identical in every major feature, including

• Same motherboard

• Same ATA/IDE or SCSI host adapter

• Same BIOS configuration

At a Windows software level, the systems must use the same Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) and the same Ntoskrnl.exe (NT kernel) file.

The hard disk of the target for a cloned installation must be at least as large as the original system, if not larger.

Do not use disk cloning to make illegal copies of Windows. You can use disk-cloning software legally to make a backup copy of your installation, but if you want to duplicate the installation on another PC, make sure you are cloning a system created with a multiple-computer license for Windows and make sure that you do not exceed the number of systems covered by that license, or make sure you have the correct license number (Product key) for each duplicate system. You can clone standalone computers or those connected to a workgroup (but not those that are members of a domain).

A+: Network Drive Installation

2012-01-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

You can install Windows from a network drive by starting the computer with a network client and logging on to the server to start the process. If you want to automate the process, Windows 7, Vista, XP, and 2000 can all be installed from a network drive automatically using either Windows Deployment Services (made specifically for deploying Windows Vista), which can be installed on Windows Server 2008/2003, or the Remote Installation Services (RIS) program, which can be installed on Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 Server.

These two server-based programs work along with the Windows System Image Manager program (for Vista), or the Setup Manager Wizard found on the Windows XP and 2000 CD-ROMs. These programs are used to create an answer file. The answer file provides the responses needed for the installation. In Windows Vista, there is a single answer file that is XML-based called Unattend.xml. In Windows XP/2000 the answer files are text-based—for example, Unattend.txt. For more information on how this works and the differences between Vista and XP, visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc765993.aspx

The Windows System Image Manager (SIM) for Vista is part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK), which can be downloaded from Microsoft’s website—search for “Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK).” For a free CBT tutorial on how to use WSIM, search the Microsoft TechNet for “Windows Vista Virtual Lab Express: Windows System Image Manager Overview.”

A+: Installation of XP from CD

2012-01-09T17:04:00.001-08:00

To start the install process from the Windows XP distribution CD, follow these steps:

Step 1. Make sure the CD or DVD drive is configured as the first boot device in the system BIOS.
Step 2. Insert the Windows XP CD into the system’s CD or DVD drive.
Step 3. Restart the system.
Step 4. When prompted to boot from CD, press any key.

When you install Windows XP from the distribution CD, you are prompted to provide the following information during the process, in this order:

Step 1. Drivers for mass storage devices
Step 2. Acceptance of the end-user license agreement
Step 3. If installing from an upgrade version, a CD from a previous version of Windows
Step 4. The location for the installation
Step 5. The file system (if installing to an unpartitioned location)

After the system reboots, the installer switches to graphics mode, and the process continues:

Step 6. Regional settings (languages, keyboard layout)
Step 7. User and company name
Step 8. Product key
Step 9. Computer name
Step 10. Administrator password
Step 11. Dialing information (if the computer has a modem installed)
Step 12. Date, time, time zone, daylight savings adjustments
Step 13. Network settings (if the computer has a network adapter installed)
Step 14. Workgroup or domain name
Step 15. Windows activation (can be delayed up to 30 days)

At the end of the process, the Windows desktop appears. Remove the Windows XP CD.

A+: Installation of Vista

2012-01-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

The Windows Vista installation is much easier and more simplified than earlier versions of Windows. After the installation has begun, you should see a GUI-based window.

When you run a default installation of Windows Vista from the distribution DVD, you are prompted to provide the following information during the process, in this order:

Step 1. Language to Install, Time and Currency Format, and Keyboard or Input Method. At this time there is also an option to learn more about the installation by clicking the What to Know Before Installing Windows link. Once you have input your settings for Step 1, you must click Next, and then on the next screen click Install Now.

Step 2. Product key and whether to automatically activate Windows (can be delayed up to 30 days).

Step 3. Accept the license terms.

Step 4. Select whether you are doing an Upgrade or a Custom install, which includes a clean installation. If you are installing to a computer with no operating system, the Upgrade option will be disabled.

Step 5. Where to install Windows Vista. From here you can select the drive, and administer partitions as you see fit. If necessary, you can also load third-party drivers for the media (hard drive) to be installed to.

The system automatically copies files from the DVD, expands those files, installs features and updates, and completes the installation. The system might have to restart several times during this installation process (for example, after it installs updates and after it completes the installation), but you can let the Vista installation work its magic until you get to the next step:

Step 6. Select a user name, password, and picture.

Step 7. Select a computer name and desktop background.

Step 8. Configure Windows Update to Use Recommended Settings, Install Important Updates Only, or Ask Me Later. (Use Recommended Settings will automatically enable Windows Updates, Windows Defender, updated drivers, and the phishing filter for Internet Explorer.)

Step 9. Set the time zone, time and date.

Step 10. Set the computer’s location: either home, work, or public location.

Now it’s time to start Windows. Vista will check the computer’s performance (which might take a while), and then ask you for your password (if you opted to use one), before you can access Vista. After you have logged on with the proper password the Welcome Center window should appear and you can continue with initial tasks such as connecting to the Internet or transferring files and settings.

A+: Clean Install from the Distribution DVD

2012-01-07T23:58:00.000-08:00

There are two ways to perform a clean install of Windows Vista from the distribution DVD:

• Install Windows Vista by running the Setup program from within the current version of Windows. (This is the recommended method.) Insert the Windows Vista DVD. Otherwise, go to the DVD drive in Windows Explorer and double-click the setup.exe file to start the installation.

• Boot the computer from the Windows Vista DVD. This is necessary if no operating system exists on the computer. If you choose this option, follow these steps:

Step 1. Make sure the DVD drive is configured as the first boot device in the system BIOS.

Step 2. Insert the Windows Vista DVD into the system’s DVD drive. (If the drive won’t open while in the BIOS, insert the disc immediately after saving the BIOS.)

Step 3. Save the BIOS and restart the system.

Step 4. The DVD should boot automatically and start the installation, but if you are prompted to boot from the DVD, press any key.

Microsoft recommends that the DVD-ROM be used for installations of Windows Vista; however, it is possible to order a CD-ROM version, if you can provide proof of purchase. To do so, visit this site: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx.
Keep in mind that unattended installations of 7 or Vista from CD-ROM are not possible due to the fact that the Vista files span multiple CDs.

A+: Installation Methods

2012-01-06T23:36:00.000-08:00

A variety of installation methods can be used to install Windows, including the following:

• Booting from the distribution DVD or CD— This method can be used to install Windows to an individual PC and to create a master PC from which disk images can be created.

• Installing from the network— Use this method to install Windows to one or more systems that have working network connections. To use this method, network adapters need to be configured to boot to a network location.

• Drive imaging— An existing Windows installation (with or without additional software and drivers) is cloned for use with other identical systems.

• Recovery CD or disk partition— Some vendors provide a special recovery CD or partition that contains an image of Windows. This image is used to restore a system to its original as-shipped configuration.

• Booting from downloaded floppy disk images— Use this method when a system cannot boot from a CD. Floppy disk boot images for Windows XP can be downloaded from the Microsoft website and are used when a system cannot boot directly to the CD-ROM. Note: There is no Microsoft supported floppy boot disk for Windows Vista or 7.

A+: Moving Data via Easy Transfer

2012-01-05T23:53:00.000-08:00

Files and Settings Transfer (FAST) Wizard: This is the older version of Windows Easy Transfer and is installed by default on Windows XP. It is meant for transferring files and settings from a Windows XP, 2000, or 9x computer to a Windows XP computer but otherwise works in a similar fashion to Windows Easy Transfer. To transfer files from XP to Vista, download the Windows Easy Transfer program for XP.\ from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer

A+: Moving Data with the User State Migration Tool

2012-01-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

An alternative for moving data is the User State Migration Tool (USMT), a command-line tool that can be used to migrate user files and settings for one or more computers. The program can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com. When installed, two different tools are used: Scanstate.exe saves all the files and settings of the user (or users) on a computer, known as the user state; and loadstate.exe transfers that data to the destination computer(s). There are many options when using the scanstate and loadstate commands, including the ability to select which users are migrated and whether the store of data is uncompressed, compressed, or compressed and encrypted. By utilizing scripting programs, the transfer of files to multiple computers can be automated over the network. For more information on how to transfer files and settings with USMT, see the following TechNet link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc722032(WS.10).aspx.

A+: Migrating User Data & Easy Transfer

2012-01-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

If a user will be using a new operating system, either on the same computer or on a new computer, you might need to move his files and settings to the new system. When doing so, make sure that the destination computer has the latest service packs and updates and the same programs that are currently running on the original computer. There are a few options for migrating data, including Windows Easy Transfer:

This program enables you to copy files, photos, music, email, and settings to a Windows Vista computer; all this information is collectively referred to as user state. It is installed with Windows Vista and can be downloaded for Windows XP from www.microsoft.com; just search for Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP. Either way, the program will be located in Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools. Files and settings can be migrated over the network or by USB cable. The data can also be stored on media like a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive until the destination Vista computer is ready. Normally you would start with the computer that has the files and settings that you want to transfer (the source computer). You can transfer the files and settings for one user account or all the accounts on the computer. All the files and settings will be saved as a single .MIG file (Migration Store). Then, you would move to the computer in which you want to transfer the files to (destination computer), and either load the .MIG file from CD, DVD, USB flash drive, or locate the file on the source computer through the use of a USB cable or network connection. For more information on how to migrate files with Windows Easy Transfer, see the following MSKB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928634.

A+: Verifying Hardware Details

2011-12-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

Windows System Information gives information about your hardware; launch it with {Win-R}msinfo32.exe{Enter}. The earlier winmsd can still be run on Window XP and 2000 as well as msinfo32.

Belarc Advisor is a free download at http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html . It’s extremely quick and painless; all you need to do is double-click it once the download is complete. It will automatically install, look for updates, and create a profile of your computer that runs in a browser window. Here you will find all of the hardware-related (and software-related) information on one screen. It also gives you system security status.

SiSoftware Sandra Lite can also be found at http://www.sisoftware.co.uk .

The Windows 7 Compatibility Center is at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/ and the Windows Logo’d Products List (formerly the HCL) can be found at http://winqual.microsoft.com/HCL/Default.aspx?m=x

For computers without an installed operating system, use self-booting diagnostic programs such as

• #1-TuffTEST (available from http://www.tufftest.com/)

• PC Check (available from http://www.eurosoft-uk.com)

The Windows Vista DVD has a “Check compatibility online” option, but this is meant for upgrades as opposed to clean installations. More on this in the section titled “Upgrading Operating Systems” later in this chapter.

A+: Windows Minimum Requirements

2011-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

Any system built in the last few years can easily achieve the hardware requirements needed for installing Windows Vista or 7 and will far surpass the requirements of Windows XP. However, in the real world, digital dinosaurs that might not be fast enough or have enough free disk space to support some versions of Windows still roam the earth (and for those, there's Linux).

Minimum official specs

CPU - RAM - HD Free - Other

7 (64bit) 1GHz - 2GB - 20GB free - DirectX 9 video, WDDM 1 or better

7 (32bit) 1GHz - 1GB - 16GB free - DirectX 9 video, WDDM 1 or better

Vista 800MHz - 512MB - 15GB free (20GB partition) - DVD or CD drive

XP 233MHz - 64MB - 1.5GB (2GB partition) - DVD or CD drive

2000 133MHz - 64MB - 650MB (2GB partition) - CD or floppy drive

Now, those are the 'official' specs. A recommended guideline for Vista is a 1 GHz processor for all versions, and 1 GB of RAM plus a 40 GB HDD for Home Premium/Business/Ultimate.

A+: Operating systems

2011-12-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

PCs without an operating system (or 'OS') are lumps of metal, fiberglass and solder and silicon. The OS is a foundation, a collection of low level programs which are like a uniform and consistent floor, walls and ceiling you can furnish to do your work and make the computer useful. To get ready to put an OS on a PC, you need to:

• Confirm the PC has sufficient resources and free disk space for the installation

• Make sure you have drivers for the devices and peripherals you want to use with the OS

• Collect the startup disks (if needed) to prepare the hard disk and start the installation

• Figure out where a new OS should be installed to if part of a dual-boot configuration to let you run either the old or new OS.

• Choose the OS edition to install

A+: Halting Apps Gone Zombie

2011-12-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

You can also shut down an unresponsive application, preferably through the Applications tab of the Task Manager. A program listed as Not Responsive might start working again in a few moments. However, if it does not, select the program, click End Task, and Windows will (eventually) shut down the program.

If you are unable to shut down the program using the Applications tab, you can use the Processes tab’s End Process button to stop the application’s underlying process. For example Microsoft Word is an application, but its underlying process is winword.exe. However, you should use this method only as a last resort. Be careful when ending processes; make sure that you know the correct process name for the application you wish to terminate.

Tip: If you have a lot of problems with unresponsive applications, consider a memory upgrade and check for updates to the application, other applications that are running at the same time, and to Windows itself.

A+: Adjusting Processes

2011-12-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Windows Task Manager’s Processes tab lists processes currently taking place by the name of the executable file. To adjust the priority for a particular process from the default (Normal) to a higher or lower priority, right-click the process, select Set Priority, and choose a priority from the listing

Be careful when setting custom priorities for processes. If you want to tweak application priority, make the change just one step at a time. Going to a high priority for one application could make other applications less responsive or could cause the operating system to freeze up. Also, changing the priority of SYSTEM processes isn’t recommended. Doing so could make your system unresponsive.

If you don’t like the changes, reboot the system. Priority changes last only for the current computing session.

A+: Application Performance Adjustment

2011-12-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Applications

Windows offers several ways to fine-tune application performance. These include

• Adjusting the balance between background services and application response

• Adjusting the priority of a process belonging to an application

• Stopping unresponsive applications

Adjusting the Balance Between Background Services and Application Response

Windows since 2000 can be configured to use more memory for background services (non-active windows, printing, and so on) instead of the default (Programs—improves performance for the foreground application). You might want to do this if your Windows Vista or XP computer was acting as a file or print server for a small network. To make this change, use the following steps:

Step 1. Open the System Properties window and click the Advanced tab.

Step 2. Click the Settings button in the Performance box. This opens the Performance Options window.

Step 3. Click the Advanced tab.

Step 4. From here you can adjust for best performance of either: Programs or Background services by clicking the appropriate radio button.

A foreground application is the application you have clicked on and are actively using. Other running programs such as email, web browsers, and Microsoft Word become background applications.

A+: Windows Startup

2011-12-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

Most systems are configured to run programs at startup as well as services. In addition to starting some services at start up, Windows can also start programs automatically from these locations:

• The Startup folder in the Start menu for all users— To view the contents of this folder, open the Run prompt, type %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup, and click OK.

• The Startup folder in the Start menu for the current user— To view the contents of this folder, click Start, Run, type %userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup, and click OK.

• Registry keys, such as

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

Startup programs might wind up in the Task Bar or the systray, or they might be displayed in a window or full-screen. If you don’t want a program loading at startup, you might be able to configure the program not to run at startup. If the program lacks an option for this, however, you can use the Microsoft System Configuration Utility, MSConfig.exe, to block the program from running at startup.

A+: Windows Services

2011-12-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

Since Windows 2000, many core functions are implemented as services, including features such as the print spooler, wireless network zero configuration, DHCP client service, and many more. Services can be run automatically or manually and are controlled through the Services node of the Computer Management Console. To open the Computer Management Console, right-click My Computer/Computer and select Manage. Then expand the Services and Applications node and click Services. You can also access the Services dialog from the Services applet in Control Panel’s Administrative Tools folder (Classic mode). The Services dialog lists each service by name, provides a description, status message, start up type, and whether the service is for a local system or network service.

To view the properties for a particular service, double-click the service listing. The General tab of the properties sheet displays the service name, description, path to executable file, startup type, and status. You can also stop, pause, or resume a service from this dialog, as well as from the Services dialog

Use the Log On tab if you need to configure the service to run for a specific user, the Recovery tab to specify what to do if the service fails, and the Dependencies tab to see what other services work with the specified service.

If a system cannot perform a task that uses a service, go to the Services dialog and restart the service. If a service prevents another task from running (for example, a third-party wireless network client might not run if the Wireless Zero Configuration service is running), go to the Services dialog and stop the service.

Use the Log On tab if you need to configure the service to run for a specific user, the Recovery tab to specify what to do if the service fails, and the Dependencies tab to see what other services work with the specified service.

If a system cannot perform a task that uses a service, go to the Services dialog and restart the service. If a service prevents another task from running (for example, a third-party wireless network client might not run if the Wireless Zero Configuration service is running), go to the Services dialog and stop the service.

For more information about specific Windows services, see The Elder Geek’s Windows Services for Windows XP guide at www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm.

A+: Temp files

2011-12-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

The default location for temporary files in Windows versions prior to Windows Vista/XP is the TEMP folder beneath the default Windows folder (\Windows or \WinNT). Windows Vista and XP use \Windows for system temporary files, and XP uses \Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temp for user-specific temporary files. Vista uses \Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp for user-specific temporary files.
The location can be adjusted with a pair of SET statements.

Some applications use SET TEMP=location; others use SET TMP=location (replace location with the actual drive and folder path). Be sure to change both variables if you need to change the setting for temporary files.

Temporary File Settings in Windows Vista/XP/2000

Use the Advanced tab on the System properties sheet to set environmental variables such as SET TEMP and many others. Here’s how to make the change (you must be logged on as an administrator):

Step 1. Create a folder called TEMP in the root folder of the drive you want to use for your temporary files. You can use Windows Explorer/My Computer/Computer or the MKDIR (MD) command.

Step 2. Open the System properties sheet. You can right-click on My Computer and select Properties or open the System icon in Control Panel.

Step 3. Click the Advanced tab.

Step 4. Click Environmental Variables. A new window opens.

Step 5. Click TEMP in the System variables window and click Edit.

Step 6. The Edit System Variable window opens (see Figure 13-55). Clear the variable value (%SystemRoot%\TEMP) and enter the drive and folder you used in Step 1 (for example, E:\TEMP). Click OK.

Step 7. Repeat steps 5–6, selecting TMP instead of TEMP.

Step 8. Click OK in the Environment Variables window.

Step 9. Click OK on the System properties sheet.

Note: Use this same method to add, delete, or change other system variables. To change the location for individual users’ temporary files, change the settings in the User variables window (top window).

A+: Windows Optimization and Hard Drives

2011-12-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

To optimize the performance of the hard disk, you can use the following methods:

• Upgrade to a hard disk with a faster spin rate and larger cache buffer— Typically, newer SATA hard disks have faster spin rates and larger cache buffer sizes than older SATA or most PATA hard disks. To determine the spin rate and cache size for an installed drive, check the manufacturer’s specifications for the drive.

• Set up a RAID 0 drive array— A RAID 0 drive array is similar to a striped array, but uses a RAID-compatible host adapter on the motherboard or a host adapter card. A software-based version of RAID 0 can also be set up within Windows through the use of the Disk Management snap-in. Keep in mind that there is no fault tolerance involved with RAID 0, this technology is developed solely for speed. If one of the drives fails, you will lose all of the data in the array. Remember to back up your data!

• If the system uses PATA drives, don’t use a single PATA host adapter for two drives— Although PATA host adapters support two drives (primary/secondary, also called master/slave), data transfer between two drives on the same host adapter is slower than between drives on different host adapters.

• Defrag drives regularly, and maintain at least 20% free disk space to enable easy defragmentation— The Windows disk defragmenter cannot run if there is less than 15% free disk space (although others can).

A: Optimizing Windows and Page File Adjustment

2011-12-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

If the Performance Monitor/System Monitor indicates that the Paging File % Usage is consistently near 100% or the Memory Pages/Sec counter is consistently higher than 5, add RAM to improve performance. low levels of usage of the Paging File % Usage and Memory Pages/Sec counters indicate adequate memory.

The performance of the paging file can be improved by

• Setting its minimum and maximum sizes to the same amount.

• Moving the paging file to a physical disk (or disk partition) that is not used as much as others.

• Using a striped volume for the paging file. A striped volume is identical areas of disk space stored on two or more dynamic disks that are referred to as a single drive letter. Create a striped volume with the Windows XP Disk Management tool.

• Creating multiple paging files on multiple physical disks in the system.

• Moving the paging file away from the boot drive.

To adjust the location and size of the paging file in Windows, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open the System Properties window.

• For XP: Click Start, right-click My Computer, and select Properties or open the Control Panel and click the System icon, then the Advanced tab.

• For Vista: Click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties. Then click Advanced System Settings under Tasks.

Step 2. Click the Settings button in the Performance Options box.

Step 3. Click the Advanced tab and then the Change button.

Step 4. Choose the initial and maximum sizes you want to use for the paging file and its location (see Figure 13-54). Click Set and then click OK to finish. (In Vista, you will have to deselect the Automatically Manage Paging File Size checkbox first.)

Step 5. If you make any changes to size or location, you must restart the computer for the changes to take effect.

Note For the longest time the default settings for the paging file were Initial size = 1.5 × RAM, and Maximum size = 3 × RAM. This was a good rule of thumb for a while. However the rule might not work so well with the increasing need for fast memory, and the resulting increase of RAM in today’s computers. For example, a Windows XP computer with 4 GB of RAM might be set this way: Initial size = 1/2; RAM, and Maximum size = RAM. It will all depend on the system you are running and the applications being utilized.

A+: Getting Windows Optimized, Virtual Memory, Performance Monitor, and System Monitor

2011-12-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

If you run short of money, you can borrow some from the bank (assuming your credit’s in decent shape). However, there’s a penalty: interest. Similarly, if your system runs short of memory, it can borrow hard disk space and use it as virtual memory. The penalty for this type of borrowing is performance: Virtual memory is much slower than real RAM memory. However, you can adjust how your system uses virtual memory to achieve better performance.

To minimize the need to use virtual memory, increase the physical memory (RAM) in a Windows system to at least 1GB (1.5GB on a system with integrated graphics; 2GB for Win 7). When additional RAM is added to a computer running Windows, it is automatically used first before the paging file.

The Windows Vista Performance Monitor and Windows XP System Monitor can be used to determine whether more RAM should be added to a computer.

• To access the Windows Vista Performance Monitor, open the Run prompt, type perfmon.exe and press Enter. This opens the Reliability and Performance Monitor window, click the Performance Monitor node.

• To access the Windows XP System monitor, open the Run prompt, type perfmon.exe and press enter. This opens the Performance console window. Click on the System Monitor node.

Many different types of performance factors can be measured with these programs. This is done by measuring objects. Objects include physical devices such as the processor and memory, and software such as protocols and services. The objects are measured with counters. For example, a common counter for the processor is % Processor Time.

To see if additional RAM is needed in a system, select the object called Paging File, then select the counters % Usage and Pages/Sec as shown in the following steps:

Step 1. Click the + sign or right-click in the table beneath the graph and select Add Counters.

Step 2. Choose Paging File as the Performance Object and then choose % Usage. In Windows Vista, simply add pagefile.sys.

Step 3. Choose Memory as the Performance Object and then choose Pages/Sec. In Vista, this is shown as a drop-down menu within the object. In XP it might be added already.

Step 4. Click Add.

Step 5. Click Close and then run normal applications for this computer.

A+: Remote Desktop Connecting Remotely

2011-12-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

Start the process of connecting with Start | All Programs | Accessories | Remote Desktop Connection || Enter the name or IP address of the remote machine and select Connect. Provide a username and password from the list of authorized remote users and click OK when prompted. The remote desktop appears.

Note: If you need additional connection options, click on the Options button. This opens a multi-tabbed connection dialog with options for saving connection settings (General tab); adjusting the size and color depth of the remote desktop (Display tab); configuring options for remote computer sound, keyboard, and devices (Local Resources tab); what program to start on connection (Programs); connection speed, screen handling, and reconnect options (Experience); security and advanced connection settings (Advanced).

A tab at the top of the remote dialog displays the name or IP address of the remote PC, and provides options for minimizing, maximizing/windowing, and closing the session

You have three options for quitting the remote session:

• To end the remote session but stay logged in, click the X in the remote dialog tab and click OK on the Disconnect Terminal Services Session dialog.

• To log out of the remote session, click Start Log Off, and click Log Off when prompted.

• To disconnect, click Start, Disconnect, and click Disconnect when prompted.

A+: Remote Desktop use and configuration

2011-12-06T15:35:00.000-08:00

Windows since XP Professional includes Remote Desktop, a feature that enables a user on that system to access the system remotely and use its desktop, programs, drives, printers, and other resources.

The Remote Desktop server program (a subset of Terminal Services) accepts remote logins, but you can also use other Windows versions as well for the Remote Desktop client. You can download the Remote Desktop client software from Microsoft’s website (www.microsoft.com); search for Remote Desktop Connection Software for current and older versions of Windows. The Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2, also available from the Microsoft website, enables MacOS-based systems to connect remotely to a Windows Vista or XP Pro system.

Ordinary Windows can handle only one remote connection at a time; if another user is currently logged on locally, he or she must log off to permit the remote connection.

Configuring Your Windows System to Accept Remote Client Connections

Windows since XP Pro automatically runs the Terminal Services service, which is required for Remote Desktop incoming connections. To accept remote connections, you must also:

Step 1. Make sure the remote user has been added as a user for this computer and has a password. Use the User Accounts applet in Control Panel (Classic mode) to check this information.

Step 2. Configure your firewall to permit connections via TCP port 3389. If you use Windows Firewall, selecting Remote Desktop on the Exceptions menu automatically opens this port. However, if you use a third-party firewall program or device, you might need to configure this setting manually. See your firewall documentation for details.

Step 3. Open the System properties sheet, click the Remote tab, and select the Allow Users to Connect Remotely to This Computer option in the Remote Desktop portion of the dialog

Step 4. Click the Select Remote Users button to view the list of Remote Desktop Users. If the user you want to grant remote access to isn’t on the list, click Add. On the Select Users dialog, enter the name of the user, and click Check Names. If the name is on the list of users, the server name is added.

Step 5. Repeat Step 4 until all remote user names are added. Click OK when finished.

A+: System Restore

2011-12-05T16:34:00.001-08:00

Ever wish you had a “wayback machine” so roll back time before you added a corrpted driver or a malware app? Windows since XP features a “wayback machine”, System Restore.

Be aware that System Restore is not necessarily the first step you should try when troubleshooting a computer. Simply restarting the computer has been known to “fix” all kinds of issues. It’s also a good idea to try the Last Known Good Configuration. You can access this within the Windows Advanced Boot Options menu by pressing F8 when the computer first boots. Also, if System Restore doesn’t seem to work in normal mode, attempt to use it in Safe Mode. Safe Mode is another option in the Windows Advanced Boot Options menu.

Be wary of using System Restore if you’re fighting a computer virus or malware infection. If you (or the system) create a restore point while the system is infected, you could re-infect the system if you revert the system to that restore point. To prevent re-infection, most anti-virus vendors recommend that you disable System Restore (which eliminates stored restore points) before removing computer viruses.

System Restore enables you to fix problems caused by a defective hardware or software installation by resetting your computer’s configuration to the way it was at a specified earlier time. The driver or software files installed stay on the system, and so does the data you created, but Registry changes made by the hardware or software are reversed so your system works the way it did before the installation. Restore points can be created by the user with System Restore and are also created automatically by the system before new hardware or software is installed.

To create a restore point in Windows Vista, follow these steps:

Step 1. Right-click Computer and select Properties. This opens the System Properties window.

Step 2. Click the System Protection tab.

Step 3. Click the Create button. This opens the System Protection window.

Step 4. Enter a name for the restore point and click Create.

To create a restore point in Windows XP, follow these steps:

Step 1. Navigate to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. This opens the System Restore window

Step 2. Click Create a Restore Point and click Next.

Step 3. Enter a descriptive name for the restore point, such as Before I installed DuzItAll Version 1.0 and click Create.

Step 4. The computer’s current hardware and software configuration is stored as a new restore point.

Follow these steps to restore your system to an earlier condition in Vista:

Step 1. Access the System Protection tab again, and this time click the System Restore button. This opens the System Restore window.

Step 2. Select either Recommended Restore or Choose a Different Restore Point.

Step 3. The Recommended Restore point will ask you to confirm. If you are choosing a different restore point, you will need to select the appropriate one and confirm.

Step 4. The system will initiate the restore and will automatically restart.

Windows Vista also allows you to undo a system restore if it did not repair the problem.

To restore your system to an earlier condition in Windows XP, follow these steps:

Step 1. Go to the same location you did when creating a restore point.

Step 2. Click Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time and click Next.

Step 3. Select a date from the calendar (dates that have restore points are in bold text).

Step 4. Select a restore point and click Next

Step 5. Close any open programs and save your work before you click Next to start the process; Windows will shut down and restart.

Step 6. The system will initiate the restore and will automatically restart.

If System Restore is not available, it might be turned off. Within Windows Vista you can enable or disable System Restore on any volume from the System Properties window/System Protection tab. Simply check or uncheck any volume that you wish to enable or disable. Within Windows XP, the state of System Restore affects all drives, you can only turn the utility on and off. This is done from the System Properties window/System Restore tab. You can also change the amount of disk space it uses here.

A+: Event Viewer

2011-12-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

Windows since 2000 generates many log files during routine use which can help fins what goes wrong. Many logs can be read through the Event Viewer. To see Event Viewer events, right-click Computer/My Computer, click Manage | Event Viewer.

It captures various types of information, and the three most important logs to know for the exam are: Application, Security, and System. In Vista they are inside Event Viewer\Windows Logs; however, in XP these are listed directly inside of the Event Viewer.

To view details about an entry, click on a log in the left window pane; entries appear in the right window pane. To open the event and view more, double click the event, or right-click it and select Event Properties/Properties.

A+: REGEDIT.EXE

2011-12-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

Regedit edits the Windows Registry. (There was another registry editor known as regedt32, which had a different look. If you launch it, it just brings up the standard registry editor.)

Changes made in Regedit are automatically saved when you exit; however, you might have to log off and lock back on, or restart the system, for those changes to take effect. Under most normal circumstances, the Registry will not need to be edited or viewed. However, Registry editing might be necessary under the following circumstances:

• To view a system setting that cannot be viewed through normal interfaces.

• To add, modify (by changing values or data), or remove a Registry key that cannot be changed through normal Windows menus or application settings. This might be necessary to remove traces of a program or hardware device that was not uninstalled properly, or to allow a new device or program to be installed.
• To back up the Registry to a file.

Caution: The Registry should never be edited unless a backup Registry copy has been made first, because there is no Undo option for individual edits and no way to discard all changes when exiting Regedit.

Editing the Windows Registry is even more difficult because registry keys can be expressed in decimal, hexadecimal, or text. When editing the Registry, be sure to carefully follow the instructions provided by a vendor.

Follow these steps to back up part or all of the Registry to a text file:

Launch Regedit (open the Run prompt and type regedit, and then click OK), and do File | Export.

Pick a folder for the Registry backup. (To back up the entire Registry, highlight My Computer/Computer at the top of the left window pane, or Select All to back up the entire Registry.)

Name the file, and click Save.

A+: MSCONFIG.EXE

2011-12-02T23:17:00.000-08:00

The Microsoft System Configuration Utility, Msconfig (starting with XP), allows selective disabling of programs and services that run at startup. If your computer is unstable, runs more slowly than usual, or has problems starting up or shutting down, it can help you determine if a program or service run when the system starts is at fault. To launch it, do Start | Run | msconfig | click OK.

All versions have a multitabbed interface to pick startup options. The General tab lets you select from Normal, Diagnostic (clean boot), or Selective Startup (you choose which items and services to load). You can also expand or extract files or launch System Restore from the Windows XP version of Msconfig.

Other tabs control settings in Msconfig, System.ini (legacy hardware), Win.ini (legacy software and configuration), Boot.ini and services (Windows XP), startup programs, and other version-specific startup options. Vista/7 versions eliminate the System.ini and Win.ini tabs.

Although it wasn’t part of 2000 by default, you can download it from the Internet, or copy it from XP, and it works the same in 2000.

A+: Task Manager

2011-12-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

Task Manager gives a useful real-time inside Windows and running programs. Launch it by:

• {Ctrl-Shift-Esc}

• Right-click on the taskbar, select Task Manager

• Open the Run prompt and type taskmgr

• {Ctrl-Alt-Del} then choose Task Manager from the Windows Security dialog box. (In Windows XP, this requires turning off the Welcome Screen option.)

Tabs include Applications (shows running applications); Processes (program components in memory); Performance (CPU, memory, pagefile, and caching stats). XP added a Networking tab (lists network utilization by adapter in use) and a Users tab (lists current users). Vista added a Services tab (displays the services on the computer and their status).

The Applications tab shows if a program has stopped responding; you can shut down these programs by using the End Task button. Use the Processes tab to see which processes are consuming the most memory. Use this dialog along with the System Configuration Utility (MSConfig) to help determine if you are loading unnecessary startup applications; MSConfig can disable them to free up memory.

If you are unable to shut down a program with the Applications tab, you can also shut down its processes with the Processes tab, but this is not recommended unless the program cannot be shut down in any other way.

Use the Performance tab to determine whether you need to install more RAM memory or need to increase your paging file size. Use the Networking tab to monitor the performance of your network.

The top-level menu can be used to adjust the properties of the currently selected tab and to shut down the system.

A+: MMC to manage the computer

2011-11-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

The Computer Management console window has the majority of tools needs to manage your Windows machine, shown in two panes. Open it with:

• Click Start, then right-click Computer/My Computer and select Manage

• Navigate to Start, All Programs, Administrative Tools, Computer Management

• Open the Run prompt (Windows+R) then type compmgmt.msc

The Device Manager, Event Viewer, Local Users and Groups, Services, and disk tools such as Disk Management appear in the console.

Ever since XP, the Management Console (MMC) is a “master” console with multiple snap-ins which can be added. It shows the last snap-in used and preserves all previously used consoles, so management is easier and quicker.

Launch it by opening the Run prompt and entering MMC to open a blank console. {Control-M} or File | Add/Remove Snap-in allows you to click the Add button to select the consoles you want such as Computer Management, Performance Logs and Alerts, or ActiveX Controls. You can also change the “mode” that the user works in when accessing the MMC—for example Author mode, which has access to everything, and User mode, which has various levels of limitation.

When finished, save the MMC, and consider adding it as a shortcut within the desktop or in the Quick Launch area, or add a keyboard shortcut to open it. The next time you open it, it will remember all of the console windows you added, and will start you at the location you were in when you closed the program.

Version 3.0, the Vista version, can be added to XP. Search at www.microsoft.com for “Microsoft Management Console 3.0 for Windows XP” and download it.

A+: Device Manager, a System Management Tool -2

2011-11-29T16:40:00.001-08:00

To see more information about a specific device, double-click the device to open its properties sheet. Device properties sheets have a General tab and some combination of other tabs:

• General— Displays device type, manufacturer, location, status, troubleshoot button, and usage. All devices.

• Properties— Device-specific settings. Applies to multimedia devices.

• Driver— Driver details and version information. All devices.

• Details— Technical details about the device (added in Windows XP SP2). All devices.

• Policies— Optimizes external drives for quick removal or performance. USB, FireWire, and eSATA drives.

• Resources— Hardware resources such as IRQ, DMA, Memory and I/O port address. Applies to I/O devices.

, • Volumes— Drive information such as status, type, capacity, and so on. Click Populate to retrieve information. Applies to hard disk drives.

• Power— Power available per port. Applies to USB root hubs and generic hubs.

• Power Management— Specifies device-specific power management settings. Applies to USB, network, keyboard, and mouse devices.

Virtually all recent systems support Plug and Play (PnP) hardware with automatic resource allocation by a combination of the PnP BIOS and Windows. However, if you need to determine the hardware resources in use in a particular system, click View and select Resources by type. For example, a typical XP system and its ACPI power management enables IRQs above 15, and sharing of PCI IRQs 17, 20, 22, and 23 by multiple devices.

A+: Device Manager, a System Management Tool -1

2011-11-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

Device Manager shows devices which are installed bycategorie, specific installed devices, and helps troubleshoot problems with devices.

To use it in Vista/7, follow these steps:

1. Start | right-click on Computer | select Properties - the System window will appear.
2. On the left side under Tasks, click the Device Manager link.

To use it in XP/2000:

1. Control Panel | Open System Properties or right-click My Computer and select Properties.
2. Pick the Hardware tab then choose Device Manager.

To view the devices in a specific category, click the plus (+) sign next to the category name,

Note 1: There are two other ways to launch Device Manager. The first is by using the Search box within the Start menu. Just type device manager and then click the link for Device Manager that appears in the results box. The second is from the Computer Management console window. It opens the same way in Vista and XP. To open this, right-click on Computer (My Computer in XP), and select Manage. This displays the Computer Management window; from there click Device Manager in the left window pane. Get in the habit of using Computer Management. It has lots of common settings in one location. Another way to open Computer Management is by going to the Run prompt and typing compmgmt.msc.

Note 2: Different systems will have different categories listed in Device Manager, as Device Manager only lists categories for installed hardware.

A+: Command Prompt, plus the Elevated Mode for Vista/7

2011-11-27T23:32:00.000-08:00

The command prompt allows you to type in programs with options , mostly for diagnosis, repair, and troubleshooting.

You can start a command-prompt session by clicking on the Command prompt option in the Start menu; it’s usually located in the Accessories menu on most versions of Windows. However, it’s faster to use the Run command:

• In XP/2000, do Start | Run | type cmd | click OK.

• In Vista and 7, do Start | type cmd | press Enter, or press {Ctrl+Shift+Enter} to run in elevated mode (needed for some powerful executables).

• In any version: Hold down the Window key and press the letter R then release both {Win+R}

A+: Windows Explorer started from the Command Line

2011-11-26T23:28:00.000-08:00

Explorer.exe can be launched from the command prompt with your choice of these options: /n, /e, /root (plus an object), and /select (plus an object):

/n Open a single-pane window, normally the root of the Windows-installed drive (XP/2000)
/e Open in default view (XP/2000)
/root,<object> Open window view of the object
/select,<object> Open window view of the specified folder, file or program

As the following examples demonstrate, the command line options can be used with local or network files and folders:

• Example 1: Explorer /select,X:\Program Files\Acme\Coyote.exe—Opens a window view with Coyote.exe selected.

• Example 2: Explorer /e,/root,C:\Program Files\Acme\RoadRunner.exe—Opens Explorer with drive C: expanded and RoadRunner.exe selected.

• Example 3: Explorer /root,\\TestSvr\TestShare—Opens a window view of the specified share.

• Example 4: Explorer /root,\\OtherSvr\OtherApps,select,OtherApp.exe—Opens a window view of the specified share with OtherApp.exe selected.

A+: FORMAT and removable magnetic media

2011-11-25T22:55:00.000-08:00

Although floppy disks, USB flash memory drives, and removable-media drives are preformatted at the factory, Format is still useful as a means to

• Erase the contents of a disk quickly, especially if it contains many files or folders.
• Place new sector markings across the disk.
• Create a bootable disk that can be used to run MS-DOS programs.

Formatting Floppy and Hard Disks with Windows Explorer

You can use Windows Explorer to format both hard drives and floppy disks. Right-click the drive you want to format, select Format, and the Format options for Windows are displayed (Windows 2000’s options are almost identical, except for the lack of the MS-DOS startup disk option).

Windows 2000 doesn’t offer the Make an MS-DOS Startup Disk option, but is otherwise similar.

A+: FORMAT

2011-11-24T23:16:00.000-08:00

The FORMAT command rebuilds an empty file system on a floppy disk, removable-media disk, or a hard disk. In the process, the contents of the disk are overwritten, or the index of the files is erased ('quick' format).

FORMAT works in very different ways, depending on whether it is used on a hard or floppy disk. When Format is used on a hard drive, it creates a master boot record, two file allocation tables, and a root directory (also referred to as the root folder). The rest of the drive is checked for disk surface errors—any defective areas are marked as bad to prevent their use by the operating system. Format appears to “destroy” the previous contents of a hard disk, but if you use Format on a hard disk by mistake, third-party data recovery programs can be used to retrieve data from the drive. This is possible because most of the disk surface is not changed by Format.

If a floppy disk, USB flash memory drive, or removable-media disk is prepared with Format and the unconditional /U option is used from the command line, or the Windows Explorer Full Format option is used, sector markings (a sector equals 512 bytes) are created across the surface of the floppy disk before other disk structures are created, destroying any previous data on the disk. If the Quick Format or Safe Format option is used, the contents of the disk are marked for deletion but can be retrieved with third-party data recovery software.

Note: The hard disk format process performed by the Format command (which creates the file system) is sometimes referred to as a high-level format to distinguish it from the low-level format used by hard drive manufacturers to set up magnetic structures on the hard drive. When floppy disks are formatted with the Full or Unconditional options, Format performs both a low-level and high-level format on the floppy disk surface. Completely erasing a hard drive with a magnetic bulk-eraser makes the drive permanently unusable as the low-level formatting can't be put back on a hard drive with FORMAT.

A+: CHKDSK

2011-11-23T23:02:00.000-08:00

You can test disk drives for problems and errors with the Chkdsk.exe program. It runs from the command line or from the Windows GUI. Check Now shows up before Defragmentation and Backup in the Windows disk Tools menu for a reason: Check your drive for errors first before you perform a defrag or a backup!

Automatically fixing file system errors with recovery attempts of bad sectors also is a Chkdsk option. If you decide to automatically fix file system errors, Chkdsk will be set to run at the next restart, required since Chkdsk needs sole access to the drive. Chkdsk performs a three-phase test of the drive after the system is rebooted but before the desktop appears.

You can also run Chkdsk from the command prompt. For options, type Chkdsk /? from the command prompt.

In Vista, you will need to run this command in elevated mode:

• Start |All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt | Right-click Command Prompt | select Run as Administrator | Click Continue at the permission window.

• Start | type cmd | press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to execute cmd.exe in elevated mode | Click Continue at the permission window.

If a drive is 'dirty' (has errors), Chkdsk launches automatically at boot up; to change this, run Chkdsk with with options from the command prompt, and chkdsk /? from a command prompt shows you the choices.

A+: Vista and Backup Status and Configuration

2011-11-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

Backup Status and Configuration replaces NTBackup in Vista. It can back up individual files as does Windows XP’s NTBackup and also also create up an entire image of your system to the removable media of your choice, for example DVD,-R, with Complete PC Backup, using these steps:

1. Launch the Complete PC Backup with Start | All | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup Status and Configuration.
2. Click on the Complete PC Backup button.
3. Choose Create a Backup Now, and follow the directions. Have a lot of blanks ready that can hold an image of your operating system, such as DVD-R.

Backup vs Copy/Xcopy/Drag & Drop?

When planning to use a backup program or file copy to protect a file, think about these facts:

• Backups are typically compressed; file copies performed with COPY or XCOPY or with drag and drop from the Windows GUI generally are not (although open source ZIP utilities can provide a compressed command-line backup).

• Backups can span a large file onto two or more separate pieces of supported media; COPY, XCOPY, and drag and drop from the Windows GUI cannot subdivide a large file (although 7-Zip from 7-zip.org can).

• Backups must be restored by the same or compatible program; files copied by COPY, XCOPY, or drag and drop can be retrieved by Windows Explorer and standard Windows programs.

• Backups created by NTBackup can be stored to tape, floppy disk, or other types of removable storage such as iOmega's Zip (no relation to ZIP utilities) drives (but not rewritable CD or DVD) as well as external hard disks; COPY and XCOPY can work only with drives that can be accessed through a drive letter or a UNC (Universal Naming Convention) network path. However, COPY, XCOPY, and drag and drop from the Windows GUI can be used with CD-RW and CD-R media that have been formatted for UDF (drag-and-drop) file copying. Note that third-party backup utilities can use rewriteable CD and DVD media as well as other types of media.

Essentially, if you want to retrieve the information at any time, use drag and drop from the Windows GUI or copy, xcopy.exe, or xcopy32.exe from the command prompt. However, if you need to back up very large files, an entire system image, want to save space, and don’t mind restoring the files with a specific program, use NTBackup (XP and 2000), Backup Status and Configuration (Vista), or a third-party backup program.

A+: NTBackup

2011-11-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

XP and 2000 include a backup program that can be run from the Windows GUI or from the command line, NTBackup. It runs in interactive mode or in wizard mode

Note: The Microsoft Backup utility for Windows XP Home Edition must be installed manually from the \ValueAdd\MSFT\NTBACKUP folder on the Windows XP Home Edition CD.

Launch it from:

• From the System Tools submenu of the Start menu’s Accessories submenu
• From the command line (ntbackup.exe; for command-line options, open Help and Support Center and type ntbackup into the Search box)
• From the Tools menu of the drive properties sheet; choose Backup

NTBackup supports backups to a wide variety of drive types, including tape drives, floppy disk drives, removable-media drives such as Zip, Jaz, and Rev drives, and external hard disks. A backup can be saved to a rewritable CD or DVD drive as long as the backup fits on a single disc, however, the backup file must be created first, it cannot be burned directly to the disc during the backup process.

During the backup process, you can specify the following:

• Which drive(s) to back up
• Which files to back up—whether to select all data files or new and changed files only
• Whether to back up the Windows Registry (part of system state data)
• Where to create the backup—to tape drive, floppy disk, another hard disk, or a removable-media drive
• Whether to replace an existing backup on the backup medium or to append the backup to existing backup files
• How to run the backup—whether to use data compression, protect the backup with a password, verify the backup, and use volume shadow copy (which enables open files to be backed up)

XP added ASR, the Automated System Recovery backup/restore to Windows. It allows rebuilding a Windows install of a system failure, but does not support the ERD (Emergency Repair Disk) of WIndows 2000.

If you need to restore backup files created with NTBackup to a system running Windows Vista, download and install Windows NT Backup - Restore Utility from the Microsoft website. This utility also requires that you enable Removable Storage Management.

A+: Security and Permissions for Files and Folders

2011-11-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

Ever since Windows 2000, Windows drives using NTFS have an extra tab, Security, on the file and folder properties sheet, which controls who can access and change a file.

Specific users, or groups of users, can have these rights:

Full Control (incl. delete)
Modify - change a file
Read & Execute - open and run a file
Read - see into a file
Write - replace file contents
List Folder Contents - see what's inside a folder.

The Security tab shows users and groups with rights to a file or foder above, and the bottom section allows you to determine what permissions that person or group has. You can change the permissions in either section.

However, Simple File Sharing in XP will disable the Security tab and therefore is not recommended for business use. You can disable that in Computer or My Computer or in Windows Explorer with Tools | Folder Options | View (tab) | scroll to bottom | clear the checkmark for Use Simple File Sharing.

A+: Encrypting and compressing files in NTFS

2011-11-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

Encryption and compression are available since Windows 2000 and later on drives formatted with the NTFS file system. To set these options for a file or folder in Windows, you can use Windows Explorer or the command-line programs Compact (to compress a file) or Cipher (to encrypt a file).

To select or deselect the archive attribute, or to set encryption or compression options on a drive using the NTFS file system, click the Advanced button underneath Properties in Windows Explorer. Select Compression to reduce the disk space used by the file, or Encryption to restrict access to only the system’s administrator or the user who encrypted the file. Files can be compressed or encrypted, but not both.

If you are encrypting the file, Windows recommends that you encrypt the folder containing the file (which will also encrypt the file).

Only the user who originally encrypted the file (or the system’s Administrator) can open an encrypted file and view its contents. Only the Administrator can apply compression to a file or folder.

If you need to encrypt an entire drive, Bitllocker is included in Enterprise and Ultimate versions of Windows since Vista, and open source utilities like TrueCrypt offer more advanced and diverse features.

A+: DEFRAG

2011-11-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

Windows does not automatically make sure that a new file is placed at the end of the previous file when writing to hard drives, and as files are added, deleted, expanded or contracted, the space between files grows. Windows also does not make sure that files stay in a consecutive series of locations, and sometimes will scatter a file all over a hard drive. This slows down the computer, as the hard drive must jump all over the drive locations to retrieve file data, a problem which grows with time.

Therefore, disk defragmentation tool has been included to help regain lost read/write performance.

Defragment can be run in the following ways:

• From the Accessories menu’s System Tools submenu (Disk Defragmenter)

• From a drive’s properties sheet’s Tools tab (Defragment Now)

• From the command line (a feature introduced in Windows XP): defrag (type defrag /? for options)

The XP/2000 defragmenters and many third party defragmentation programs have an Analyze feature to test if defragmentation is necessary. Vista omitted this in the interface, but its version of DEFRAG does analyze the disk automatically before defragmenting.

A+: File attributes and Extensions

2011-11-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

ATTRIB, a comand-line application, shows you details about the metadata of a file; whether it can be changed (R), if it has been archived (A), if it is a System file (S) and if it is Hidden (H) from appearing in Windows Explorer and with DIR. + Sets an attibute, and - clears it; /S alters files in the current directory and subdirectories beneath it, and /D modifies folders as well as files.

The Recovery Console in XP and 2000 doesn't have the /S or /D options but instead offers +C to compress a file and -C to extract a file from compression.

Windows Explorer allows you to right-click on a file, select Properties from the Context Menu which appears, and then see and change the attributes in lieu of using ATTRIB from the command line.

Extensions are the part of the file name following the last period. Files with the extensions .BAT, .CMD, .COM and .EXE can be run from the command line prompt, and are considered Executable; other files in the system are consider Data files, even if they're part of a program and the program won't run without them.

A+: Short filenames for DOS and how they're made from long filenames

2011-11-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Ever since XP, Windows supports LFN, long file and folder names. They cab be as long as 255 characters and can have spaces and most other alphanumeric characters, except for illegal characters which are:
\ / : * ? " < > |

Names of files can have more than one period, but only the characters after the last period are considered the 'extension'; applications commonly have one or more default extension types, such as .DOC for Word, .XLS for Excel, and .HTML or .HTM for web browsers.

So operating systems like DOS which don't have LFN support can access files, Windows also stores a DOS alias (also known as the MS-DOS name) as well as the LFN when a file or folder is created. The DOS alias name is created from the first six letters of the LFN, replacing illegal characters with an underscore, removing spaces, and ignoring additional periods in the LFN. To distinguish between different files with the same DOS alias names, the first DOS alias name in a folder is indicated with a tilde and the number 1 (~1); the second as ~2, and so on. If more than nine files with the same initial letters are saved to a given folder, the first five letters are used for files numbered ~10 and up, and so forth. The three-letter file extension is reused for the DOS alias.

A+: PING

2011-11-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

Ping is another networking command, and simply shows if you can connect to a specified address (wither a numeric address such as 8.8.8.8, an open Google DNS server, or www.google.com), as well how long (in thousandths of a second, or milliseconds) it takes for a signal to go through the internet to a specified address and back again.

It uses ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) and shows any loss of data packets (which in general mean a serious problem), as well as the quickest, slowest, and mean average times for a round-trip.

Some servers and networks won't reply to a ping for security purposes, and ping can be abused to flood a targeted machine or network with so many pings it can't do anything else (a Denial-Of-Service Attack).

The term can also be used to mean any connection test not using ICMP, and video game servers often send a similar test using UDP (the Universal Datagram Protocol) to test the quality of an internet connection to a gaming console.

Dropbox alert

2011-11-14T16:39:00.001-08:00

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/dropbox-bolsters-client-software-security/16140?tag=nl.e019

A+: IPCONFIG

2011-11-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

One of the commands _not_ inherited from MS-DOS is ipconfig which shows yr PC's current IP address, subnet mask & default gateway, as well as the DNS servers used and other networking information. Ipconfig /all shows it all; ipconfig omits DNS and other information, and ipconfig /? shows available options.

Many machines have multiple network adapters, so when using ipconfig. make sure to look for the networking connection currently in use.

IPv6 is inevitably coming, someday, but nearly all connections use IPv4 and that's the data you should look at now.

On networks where the IP address is assigned by a server using DHCP, ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew obtains a new IP address lease and solves some networking fail-to-connect problems.

A+: Internal Commands list

2011-11-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

These commands of the Windows Command Prompt are built into CMD.EXE and do not need to load from an external file: DATE, TIME, COPY, DEL, ERASE, DIR, MD, MKDIR, CD, CHDIR, RD, RMDIR, VER, VOL, SET, PROMPT, PATH, ECHO, CLS, HELP and TYPE.

Command-prompt functions and utilities can be used to operate on a group of files with similar names by using one of the following wildcard symbols:

? replaces a single character, and you can use ??? to find any three characters, excluding two or four characters.

* replaces a group of characters.

A+: Command Line uses

2011-11-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Invoke the command prompt to run DOS-style apps primarily for diagnosis, repair, and troubleshooting.

You can start a command-prompt session in Windows by clicking on the Command Prompt option in the Start menu; it’s usually located in the Accessories menu on most versions of Windows. But it’s faster to use the Run command:

• In Windows XP/2000—Click Start > Run. Then, type cmd and click OK.

• In Windows Vista/7—Click Start type cmd, and then press Enter, or press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run in elevated mode (might be necessary for some commands).

• In any version—Click {Win-R}

HELP shows a list of commands you can use at the Command Prompt, and HELP NAMEOFPROGRAM or NAMEOFPROGRAM /? shows more details about that particular command.

Some of those programs are embedded in CMD.EXE but other apps are executables and reside in other .EXE or .COM files.

A+: Working with Folders/Directories

2011-11-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

Windows provides two ways to work with folders (also called directories): visually, through Windows Explorer (which you also start by using the Computer / My Computer icons), or at the command line (MKDIR/MD, CHDIR/CD, RMDIR/RD).

To navigate between folders in Windows Explorer, follow these procedures:

• To view the subfolders (subdirectories) in a folder (directory), click the plus (+) sign next to the folder name in the left pane of Windows Explorer.

• To view the contents of a folder (including files and other folders), click the folder in the left pane of Windows Explorer. The contents of the folder appear in the right pane.

• To navigate to the previous view, click the left-hand arrow above the address bar.

• To move to the next view, click the right-hand arrow.

• To navigate to the next higher folder in the folder hierarchy, click the up-arrow/folder button.

To create a new folder in Windows Explorer, follow these steps:

Open the folder in which you want to create a new folder. The folder’s contents are displayed in the right pane.
Right-click an empty space in the right pane and select New, Folder
Enter the new folder name and press Enter.

To remove a folder from either Windows Explorer or My Computer views, follow these steps.

Right-click the folder and select Delete.
Click Yes on the Confirm Folder Delete dialog.

The folder and its contents move to the Recycle Bin. To bypass the Recycle Bin in deleting, hold down either Shift key and select Delete and then click Yes.

A+: Checking and changing file systems

2011-11-10T10:51:00.000-08:00

Follow these steps to determine what file system was used to prepare a Windows hard drive:

Step 1. Open Windows Explorer.

Step 2. Right-click the drive letter in the Explorer Window and select Properties.

Step 3. The Properties sheet for the drive will list FAT32 for a drive prepared with FAT32, and NTFS for a drive prepared with NTFS.

Convert.exe

Windows includes the command-line Convert.exe program to enable users to change the current FAT32 file system on a drive to NTFS without reformatting the drive (which would wipe out all of the information on the drive). To convert a drive’s file system using Convert.exe, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open a command-prompt window. (For Windows Vista, refer to the options that follow this list.)

Step 2. Type Convert x: /fs:ntfsand press Enter.

Note:
The x: is a variable. Replace it with the drive you want to convert, for example c:, d:, f:, and so on.

To see advanced options for Convert, type convert /?.

In Windows Vista, you will need to run this command in elevated mode. There are several ways to open a command-line in elevated mode. Here are two options:

• Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator. Click Continue at the permission window.

• Click Start and type cmd. Then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to execute cmd.exe in elevated mode. Click Continue at the permission window.

A+: File Systems

2011-11-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

Partitions hold file systems, which describe how data and drives are put together and work. Windows file systems determine:

• The rules for how large a logical drive (drive letter) can be, and whether the hard disk can be used as one big drive letter, several smaller drive letters, or must be multiple drive letters.

• How efficiently a system stores data; the less wasted space, the better.

• How secure a system is against tampering.

• Whether a drive can be accessed by more than one operating system.

Windows normally use two different file systems for hard disks, FAT32 and NTFS, plus the original FAT12 aka FAT for floppy disks and file systems for CD and DVD discs.

FAT32

FAT32 was introduced in 1995, replacing the earlier FAT16, and is supported by Windows Vista, XP, and 2000, although NTFS is preferred. FAT32 has the following characteristics:

• The 32-bit file allocation table, which allows for 268,435,456 entries (2³²) per drive. Remember, an entry can be a folder or an allocation unit used by a file.

• The root directory can be located anywhere on the drive and can have an unlimited number of entries. Hooray!

• FAT32 uses an 8KB allocation unit size for drives as large as 16GB.

• The maximum logical partition size allowed is 2TB (more than 2 trillion bytes).

You can use FAT32 to format hard disks, flash memory, and removable media drives. However, FAT32 is recommended for hard disks only if the hard disk must also be accessed by dual-booting with an older version of Windows, for example Windows 95, 98, or Me, which do not support NTFS.

NTFS

The New Technology File System (NTFS) is the native file system of Windows Vista, XP, and 2000. As implemented in Windows Vista and XP, NTFS has many differences from FAT32, including

• Access Control— Different levels of access control by group or user can be configured for both folders and individual files.

• Built-in compression— Individual files, folders, or an entire drive can be compressed without the use of third-party software.

• A practical limit for partition sizes of 2TB— The same as with FAT32, although partitions theoretically can reach a maximum size of 16 exabytes (16 billion billion bytes).

• Individual Recycle Bins— Unlike FAT32, NTFS includes a separate recycle bin for each user.

• Support for the Encrypting File System (EFS)—EFS enables data to be stored in an encrypted form. No password, no access to files!

• Support for mounting a drive— Drive mounting enables you to address a removable-media drive’s contents, for example, as if its contents are stored on your hard disk. The hard disk’s drive letter is used to access data on both the hard disk and the removable media drive.

• Disk quota support— The administrator of a system can enforce rules about how much disk space each user is allowed to use for storage.

• Hot-swapping— Removable-media drives that have been formatted with NTFS (such as Jaz, Orb, and others) can be connected or removed while the operating system is running..

• Indexing— The Indexing service helps users locate information more quickly when the Search tool is used.

Note
Windows Vista, XP, and 2000 can’t create a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB. However, if the partition already exists, they can use it.

Android 2.3 cellphone for $99 w/ $19/mo plan

2011-11-08T21:47:00.000-08:00

http://www.mobilemag.com/2011/11/08/republic-wireless-19month-unlimited-plan-has-soft-caps details a $19/mo cellphone plan for a $199 Android cellphhone ($99 w/ the discount code “welcome19″) running version 2.3 aka 'Ice Cream". This depends on using WiFi to talk most of the time, with 'soft' limits of 550 minutes, 150 texts, and 300MB of data which you should not exceed when you're on 3G cellular; no limits apply when you're on WiFi. The phone is basic but decent, and if most of your time is spent inside where there's WiFi, it's an intriguing deal.

A+: Disk Management

2011-11-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

Although you can use text-based applications like FDISK to prepare and configure hard drives, the Disk Management snap-in of the Computer Management console is easier to use. To launch it, right-click on Computer / My Computer | Manage | and in the left-hand task pane, click on Disk Management.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738101(WS.10).aspx provides more information on disk status results from Disk Management.

You can also use the app to give names to paths within NTFS folders:

Right-click the partition or volume you want to mount and select Change Drive Letters and Paths.
In the displayed window click Add.
Then browse to the empty folder you wish to mount the volume to, and click OK for both windows.

Vista and 7 allow changing the partition without destroying data; you need thirst party utilities to do that with XP and earlier systems.

A+: Managing Disk Partitions

2011-11-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Hard drives (whether PATA, SATA or SCSI) and drive-like drvices (such as USB Flash Memory Drives) must be partitioned before use (although the latter are preformatted before packaging). Repartitioning destroys any data on the drive so BE CAREFUL.

A partition determines if a drive can boot a PC, how many drive letters the hard disk can have, and whether space is set aside for future or other use.

Once the partition is created, it defines a drive letter for the logical drive. Phyisical and logical drives must then be formatted to build the file system before they can hold data.

Only a primary partition can be bootable and it can only have one drive letter. Only one primary partition can be active in a Windows PC. If you have a simple system, that's all you need, and most systems are set up this way.

Extended partitions can't boot and don't have drive letters themselves, but you can create one or more logical drives which then can be formatted. These partitions can hold data, including image files used to recover a PC to its original state.

A+: Hibernation and the Page File

2011-11-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

Start | Shut Down | Hibernate makes (or replaces) a file from 250MB to 1GB+ in the root named hiberfile.sys and it can be deleted after reviving with no risk. It should be deleted before defragging with the stock defragmenter as it can't be moved or reorganized.

XP and 2000 can clear it with Start | Settings | Control Panel | Power Options | Hibernate | and clear the Enable Hibernation tickbox. Check that tickbox on to allow Hibernation once more.

In Vista do {Win+R} CMD powercfg.exe/hibernate off to disable and {Win+R} CMD powercfg.exe/hibernate on to reenable hibernation.

Another root file which can't be moved or reorganized is pagefile.sys which is used to temporarily hold the contents of memory when apps and processes exceed the available memory. {Win+R} CMD attrib -s -h pagefile.sys followed by del pagefile.sys can delete it, but please only do that immediately using the Control Panel | System | Advanced | Performance | Settings | Advanced | Virtual memory | Change to set the minimum and maximum size to double to triple the current size of memory, reboot with {F8} into Safe Mode to minimize memory use . Then, immediately perform a defragmentation, then reboot the PC into normal mode so the pagefile will be recreated in contiguous space.

A+: Registry backup in differing Windows versions

2011-11-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Windows 2000 and XP has their own backup app; launch it with Start | Accessories | System Tools | Backup pick Emergency Repair Disk then on the following screen select Registry back up the Registry. For NT, load a formatted and blank disk when requested to create that Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) which does not have the Registry since it can be larger than 20MB but instead stores a Registry copy in \WinNT\Repair\RegBack.

Windows XP backup is more thorough and also backs up boot files, the COM+ Class Registration database and Windows File Protection guarded files, in a larger package called the System State. Instead of only a floppy plus copy to hard drive, this backup can be stored on tape, an external hard disk, or removable media.

Vista offers three Registry backup options:

The Backup Status and Configuration app performs a complete backup including the Registry.
The System Restore wizard backs up the Registry when a new restore point is made.
REGEDIT can export the entire Registry, which can be a whopper of a file, exceeding 200MB.

When you install new hardware or apps, make a new backup (and ERD for NT).

A+: The Registry and its files

2011-11-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Multiple files under the default Windows folder in a subdirectory named SYSTEM32\CONFIG (so that's normally C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG) make up the Windows Registry. The files closely, but not exactly, match up with sections of the Registry.

— default.LOG has the .DEFAULT data from HKEY_USERS

— SAM.LOG keeps some of the Security Account Manager information from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM (Beware: there are no user-editable keys, and don’t erase the matching Registry files!)

— SECURITY.LOG is the file with the remainder of the Security Account Manager database from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SECURITY (Beware: there are no user-editable keys, and don’t erase the matching Registry files!)

— SOFTWARE.LOG has the settings from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE

— system.LOG has HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM

Each user which has booted on that machine also has:

— NTUSER.DAT.LOG for most preference settings in the \Documents and Settings\username folder for that user

— UsrClass.dat.LOGkeeps the remaining user-preference settings for file associations and applications in the \Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows folder for each user

A+: NTDETECT.COM plus NTLDR in the boot process

2011-11-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

When your PC finishes the Power-On Self Test and the 'bootstrap loader' of its system Basic Input Output System (BIOS) reads the NTLDR file from the root directory of the default Windows drive, it checks BOOT.INI (same location) to show you how many versions of Windows are available, and waits for the specified time for you to choose, before it starts the default version by loading its startup files.

Then, it has NTDETECT.COM check for installed hardware and puts a list of same in the Registry before it loads the Windows Kernel NTOSKRNL.EXE with its Hardware Abstraction Layer HAL.DLL into memory then passes control to it after getting the device drivers which match your PC's hardware.

If your PC's Windows drive is SCSI and its host adapter is missing an enabled BIOS onboard, it also has to call NTBOOTDD.SYS, but that's pretty rare since modern PCs almost all use Serial ATA or Parallel ATA drives (aka 'IDE') and many of the newer SCSI adapters have that onboard BIOS.

A+: XP's boot.ini

2011-11-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Boot.ini is a file n the default boot drive (even if Windows is installed on a different drive letter) which configures how to start XP, and is very specifically formatted. It can be edited by Notepad or MSConfig, or Bootcfg can revise it from wither Windows XP or from the XP Recovery Console.

The [boot loader] section specifies how long XP waits for an override command to start loading the default OS.

The [operating systems] section specifies the name to call each version of Windows on the system, and in which partition of which hard drive to find each.

Do NOT alter boot.ini unless your PC won't boot, and if that strikes, the Microsoft Knowledge Base for XP should be your first stop to look for solutions.

A+: Files to never even _think_ about messin' with

2011-11-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

The Vista/7 boot sequence must have these files undisturbed to boot. Many, many other files are also needed for Windows to work even semi-well, but these are essential:

Bootmgr the OS loader needed to start the OS, replacing NTLDR
BCD is in \boot\bcd and is an updated-for-EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) version of boot.ini which tells the Boot Manager about the OS and which can be altered with MSCONFIG or by bcdedit.exe
Ntoskrnl.exe Bootmgr tells it to take over booting, which it completes doing
Hal.dll The Hardware Abstraction Layer, a go-between from different system hardware to Windows
The Registry's SYSTEM Key Defines the system configuration
Device drivers (many) Listed as need-to-load in the Registry

Likewise, XP has its own essentials:

NTLDR the OS loader needed to start the OS
Boot.ini tells the Boot Manager about the OS and how to load up; edit with notepad.exe at yr risk!
Ntdetect.com Detects your PC's hardware
Ntoskrnl.exe NTLDR tells it to take over booting, which it completes doing
Hal.dll The Hardware Abstraction Layer, a go-between from different system hardware to Windows
The Registry's SYSTEM Key Defines the system configuration
Device drivers (many) Listed as need-to-load in the Registry

Bootsect.dos only exists if you have other operating systems on the hard drive and defines where they are

Ntbootdd.sys is used only on old SCSI hard drives without an onboard SCSI BIOS in the host adapter

A+: Indexing in Windows

2011-10-31T13:04:00.001-07:00

Indexing, in theory, helps you find files faster, but also consumes hard disk space can can steal CPU and memory to slow down your system overall. Instead, you might just set up indexing of your My Documents folders (XP) or your User folders (Vista/7).

XP indexing can be disabled with Start | My Computer | Manage (which invokes Computer Management) | (at left) Services and Applications | Services | (at right) Indexing Service | right-click, pick Stop. Pick Start to resume indexing. A right-click on the Indexing Service will show it the service is Automatic (it will restart at the next reboot), Manual (only restarts if asks for) or Disabled (won't run). A right-click on any drive or volume, picking Properties and un-choosing Allow Indexing Service to Index This Disk for Fast File Searching can also turn off indexing. Do not index optical discs or removable flash memory devices.

In Vista/7, indexing can be disabled with Start | right-clicking on Computer | Manage (which invokes Computer Management) | (at left) Services and Applications | Services | (at right) Windows Search | right-click, pick Stop. Pick Start to resume indexing. A right-click on Windows Search will show it the service is Automatic (it will restart at the next reboot), Manual (only restarts if asks for) or Disabled (won't run). You can also right-click on any drive or volume in Windows Explorer followed by picking Properties then clearing Index This Drive for Faster Searching.

An alternative to indexing all file attributes is to use only the NTFS file index of file names, which is enough for me and much faster as well as not consuming hard disk space. Everything is donationware which does this on XP, Vista and 7. I have found it very useful.

A+: Tuning the Start Menu Properties

2011-10-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Picking Properties after right-clicking on the Taskbar invokes Taskbar and Start Menu Properties lets you choose the Start Menu to customize it, including:

Choosing the icon size
Removing recently opened document shortcuts
Pick from a list for what appears in the Start Menu and Taskbar
(Classic Start menu only) Clear the IE browser history, cookies and cache
(Default Start menu only) Whether to add most frequently used programs

Its Advanced tab also allows choice of

Submenu auto-open
Newly installed app highlighting
Links vs menus for standard Start menu items
Standard Start menu items
Listing or not listing most recently used documents

A+: Start Menu

2011-10-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

Manually editing the automatically generated Start Menu can ease the selection of programs. Most apps automatically assign one or more links and/or folders in it for one-click launching, but click-and-drag allows you to recategorize programs, and right clicking allows sorts and cut-and-paste as well as renaming and deleting. You can also switch from large to small icons to permit more apps in a list, or upsize the icons if desired.

Adding to the default Start menu starts with a right-click on its button; pick Explore to add a new item to your own menu or Explore All Users to add to all users' Start menus. Shortcuts appear on the right, the menu folder opens on the left. Expand a folder by clicking on its + symbol.

Pick on a folder by clicking on it at left, or right click to create a new folder. File | New | Shortcut starts a wizard for the Shortcut (for your menu only); then, directly enter a path to the app or browse to it. You can optionally rename the app as it will appear before you do Finish | OK.

Vista and XP can use the Classic Start menu mode from Windows 2000 (which runs faster if you are short on memory or CPU cycles) and you can find a registry patch to do the same in 7. It's far easier to edit the Start menu in Classic mode.

A+: More Control Panel

2011-10-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Properties Sheets allow you to invoke many Control Panel functions by picking Properties after right-clicking in:

My Computer/Computer, for the System Window
Taskbar, for Taskbar and Start Menu Properties
Desktop (in XP) for the Display window (In Vista/7, the Personalize Control Panel opens Personalization for the same functionality)
Network in Vista/7, for the Network and Sharing Center (In XP, right-clicking on My Network Places to pick Properties opens Network Connections)

You can also launch many Control Panel options from the Command Prompt; for example Start | Run | inetcpl.cpl opens the Internet Properties dialog where you can click on Delete to clear Temporary Internet Files (aka Cache), Cookies and Browsing History, which can solve many Internet Explorer problems.

A+: My Computer (aka Computer in Vista and 7) and the Control Panel

2011-10-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Computer/My Computer is another option of Windows Explorer which can show

local drives
network drives
the Control Panel folder
imaging devices (cameras, scanners)

XP uses the System Tasks pane at left to view system information by opening the system properties sheet, to Add or Remove Programs or Change a Setting. Vista and 7 show those options beneath the menu bar.

The Control Panel

The Category View is the default view of this launching pad for tuning the user interface and hardware settings of Windows, although the Classic View is also popular for new users who like a more function-by-function visualization. Available tasks are shown when you click on an icon.

Start the Control Panel from the left window pane of Windows Explorer, the Start button, or from My Computer/Computer; the Classic Start menu requires the flow Start | Settings | Control Panel.

The Classic View in XP requires a double click; otherwise, use a single click.

A+: Task Bar and the Tray

2011-10-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

The Tray, Notification area, System Tray or SysTray is the expandable bit at (normally) lower right which holds the Clock as well as icons for other always-running apps you need to interact with, such as the Speaker icon for sound control, the Safely Remove Hardware icon for un-mounting USB flash drives, and the Wireless icon on laptops to show if you're connected and how much signal strength you have.

To the left of the Tray you may see other components; the most popular to the left of the Tray is the Language Bar, which unless you do computer dictation is of little use, then the Task Bar itself, which tells you what programs are running, followed further to the left by the optional Quick Launch (which is highly useful and shows very frequently used apps for a very quick start). At farthest left is always the Start button where you invoke the start menu showing a path to all apps and all settings.

Always, that is, unless you click and drag the inside the bar from its customary position at the bottom to the top, left or right, where it will stick and stay, or if you enable Auto-Hide (in which case the toolbar will disappear when the cursor is not within its area, or if you disable Keep the taskbar on top of other windows in which case it will only appear when an app is not maximized. The Task Bar can also be expanded by click-and-drag of its top edge to show more than one row of apps, so the icons for running apps can show the file they're working on.

Locking the Task Bar prevents it from being moved or resized by accident and is highly recommended.

A+: My Network Places

2011-10-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

My Network Places manages both dial-up and broadband, and shows network locations listed in the standard multi-pane Explorer view. If you need to see the type of connection, go to the tasks pane and and click on View Network Connections. Right-clicking on the connection and choosing Properties lets you configure a connection. If you need to fix a failed connection, select it then choose Repair This Connection in the pane for Network Tasks.

The Properties sheet shows services, network clients and protocols, and the Sharing tab under Properties lets you share a Wi-Fi connection with an Xbox 360 over a cable if you're on a road trip in a hotel with an Internet connection which requires a sign-in to connect.

A+: Switching Viewing Choices in Windows Explorer

2011-10-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

Changing Viewing Options in Windows Explorer

By default, Windows Explorer prevents users from seeing information such as

• File extensions for registered file types; for example, a file called LETTER.DOC will be displayed as LETTER because WordPad (or Microsoft Word) is associated with .DOC files.

• The full path to the current folder.

• Files with hidden or system attributes, such as Bootlog.txt and Msdos.sys.

• Folders with hidden or system attributes, such as INF (used for hardware installation).

Concealing this information is intended to make it harder for users to “break” Windows, but it makes management and troubleshooting more difficult. To change these and other viewing options, follow this procedure:

Step 1. Start Windows Explorer.

Step 2. Click Tools on the menu bar, Folder Options and select the View tab.

In Windows Vista, the Menu Bar is hidden by default. To show it temporarily, press Alt+T (which in this case will bring up the Tools menu). To show it permanently, click on the Organize button, then Layout, then Menu Bar.

Step 3. Select the options you want. Experienced end users may benefit from:

• Enable the Display the Full Path in the Title Bar option. (In Vista, this only works if you are using the Classic theme.)

• Disable the Hide Extensions for Known File Types option.

For maintaining or troubleshooting a system, these may also help:

• Enable the Show Hidden Files and Folders setting.

• Disable the Hide Protected Operating System Files setting.

You should probably change these settings back to their defaults before you return the system to normal use.

Step 4. Click OK to close the Folder Options window.

Objects such as files and folders can be displayed in several ways within Windows Explorer:

• Tiles— The default in Windows XP, is similar to Large Icons view in earlier Windows versions.

• Icons— Displays more objects onscreen without scrolling vertically; might require the user to scroll horizontally to view multiple columns; similar to Small Icons view in earlier Windows versions. Vista has options for small, medium, large, and extra large icons.

• List— Displays more objects onscreen than large icons in a single column.

• Filmstrip— A preview of picture files in larger size at upper right, with smaller pictures a la thumbnails underneath it of adjacent files

• Details— (Vista and 7 only) The same size of icons used by Small or List, plus size and last-modified date details

• Stacks— (Vista and 7 only) group to specifications of the users - can be filtered, and also saved as a virtual filter or as Search Folders

A+: Windows and the Common Tasks View

2011-10-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

When you start My Computer in Windows XP, the Common Tasks view is displayed by default. The Common Tasks view displays the properties of the selected object and displays a preview when available. However, the most significant feature is the changeable task pane in the upper-left side of the display. In Windows Vista, this has been replaced by “Favorite Links” and Windows 7 adds the "Libraries" option.

The contents and name of the task pane change according to the characteristics of the selected or displayed object. For example, display My Computer, and the task pane is titled System Tasks, with a choice of options such as View System Information, Add or Remove Programs, or Change a Setting. The contents of Other Places also changes to display related objects. To switch between Common Tasks and Classic view, click the Folders icon on the toolbar.

A+: Windows interfaces and Windows Explorer

2011-10-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

Windows features a variety of user interfaces, from Windows Explorer to the Start menu.

Windows Explorer is the file-management utility used by Windows. Windows can use Explorer to view both local drive/network and Internet content. In Windows XP it integrates tightly with My Computer and Internet Explorer. However, in Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP systems using Internet Explorer 7 or higher, Windows Explorer will launch a new process when connecting to Internet sites.

By default, Windows Explorer doesn’t display hidden and system files unless the View options are changed.

Windows Explorer can be started in any of the following ways in Windows:

• From the Start menu, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Windows Explorer.

• Open the Run prompt, type Explorer and press Enter.

• Open My Computer to start Explorer automatically.

A+: Key Windows components to emphasize

2011-10-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

Key Windows components to emphasize in A+ study are:

• Registry

• Virtual Memory

• File Systems

Windows' Registry is a database for Windows, applications, and user settings. When you install a program, update Windows, or even change the color of the desktop, a part of the Windows Registry changes. There are five different sections (known as hives) to the Windows Registry, whether it’s the Registry in Windows 7, Vista, XP, or 2000:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT—Links file extensions to specific applications installed on the computer (also stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER—Stores configurations specific to the current user, such as screensaver, desktop theme, and Microsoft Office user information (also stored in HKEY_USERS)

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE—Stores hardware and software setup information

• HKEY_USERS—Stores user-specific information for all users of this computer

• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG—Stores the settings for the current hardware profile (also stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)

Any setting in Windows is stored in one of two top-level keys (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_USERS). The other three keys provide shortcuts to sections of these two keys.

A+: Advancements to the GUI since XP

2011-10-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

Now that more machines use Windows 7 than use Windows XP, let's look at advancements in the GUI (Graphical User Interface) advances made since XP:

• Windows Aero— Microsoft’s new visual experience, with translucent windows, window animations, three-dimensional viewing of windows, and a modified taskbar. You can make modifications to the look of Aero by right-clicking the desktop and selecting Personalize, and then clicking Windows Color and Appearance. From here you can modify things such as the transparency of windows. To disable Windows Aero, click the Theme link from within the Personalize window. Then, from the Theme drop down menu, select Windows Classic.

• Welcome Center— This is the window that opens automatically when you first start Windows Vista. After installing the operating system, it a good starting point for running initial tasks such as connecting to the Internet, transferring files from another computer, adding users, and learning more about Windows. The Welcome Center will continue to show up every time you start Windows unless you deselect the checkbox to the bottom left of the window. To open Welcome Center later, go to Control Panel, System and Maintenance.

• Windows Sidebar and gadgets— The Windows Sidebar is a new window pane on the side of the desktop. It is primarily used to house gadgets. Gadgets are mini applications that provide a variety of services, such as connecting to the Web to access weather updates and traffic or Internet radio streams. They can also interact with other applications to streamline the Windows experience. Additional gadgets can be downloaded from Microsoft. You can modify the Sidebar by right-clicking on it and selecting Properties. From here you can select whether the Sidebar starts when Windows does, place it above other Windows, change its orientation, and remove gadgets. To add gadgets, click the + directly over the topmost gadget.

• Modified Start menu— The new Start menu has a few changes compared to Windows XP. For example there is a useful search field directly above the Start button. However, the Run prompt has been removed by default, but can be added by accessing the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window. The Start menu and desktop can also be configured to run in ““Classic mode”” similar to the one used by Windows 2000 and by XP, if it was configured that way. In Classic mode, the Start menu displays the name of the operating system along the left side in the same way that earlier versions of Windows display the name. This is usually done to optimize Windows performance.

A+: Operating systems, and GUI advancements of XP over Windows 2000

2011-10-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Operating systems: Advancements from Windows 2000

The Windows XP GUI (Graphic User Interface) has several differences compared to its predecessor Windows 2000:

• Personalized start menu for each user.

• Two-column start menu; the left column displays the most recently or frequently used programs and access to default applications for Internet and email, while the right column provides access to the user’s documents folders and Control Panel. To see all programs, hover your mouse over All Programs.

• Task bar adjusts in size according to the number of programs that are running and the number of quick launch icons in use.

• Start menu and desktop can also be configured to run in a Classic mode similar to the one used by Windows 2000. In Classic mode, the Start menu displays the name of the operating system along the left side in the same way that earlier versions of Windows display the name.

To change only the start menu to the Classic mode, right-click the Start button, select Properties, and choose Classic Start menu. To change the start menu and the desktop to the Classic mode, open the Display properties sheet, select Themes, and select Windows Classic. You can open the Display properties sheet from Control Panel or by right-clicking an empty area of the desktop and selecting Properties.

A+: Application compatibility with Windows versions

2011-10-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Most commercial business applications should run properly on Windows 7/Vista/XP as well as on older versions of Windows. However, some commercial and custom applications designed for older versions of Windows to run properly on Windows 7, Vista or XP, you can use the Program Compatibility Wizard built into Windows, or the Compatibility tab located on the executable file’s properties sheet to run the program in a selected compatibility mode.

To start the wizard in Windows 7 or Vista, click Start, Control Panel and then click the Programs icon. Then, under Programs and Features click the link Use an Older Program with This Version of Windows. This program works essentially the same in 7 and Vista as it does in XP.

To start the wizard in Windows XP, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Program Compatibility Wizard.

Once the wizard is started, you can select from programs already installed on your computer, select the current program in the CD-ROM drive, or browse to the program manually. After you select a program, you can select the version of Windows the program worked best under.

You can select one or more of the following options to aid compatibility:

• 256 Colors— Many older Windows programs can’t run under 16-bit or higher color depths.

• 640×480 Screen Resolution— Many older Windows programs use a fixed screen size and can’t run properly on a high-resolution screen.

• Disable Visual Themes— Many older Windows programs were created before visual themes were common.

After selecting the options, test the program (which applies the settings you selected and runs the program).

After you close the program, Windows switches back to its normal screen settings if necessary, and you can decide whether to use these settings for your software or try others. You can choose whether to inform Microsoft of your settings, and the settings you chose for the program are used automatically every time you run the program.

Keep in mind that the Program Compatibility Wizard won’t work with all old Windows programs; in particular, the wizard should not be used with antivirus, disk, or system utilities that are not compatible with your Windows. Instead, replace outdated applications with updated versions made for your version of Windows.

Microsoft periodically offers Application Compatibility Updates through Windows Update. These updates improve Windows’s compatibility with older applications. If you can’t get an older program to work with Windows now, it might be able to work in the future. To see which programs are affected by a particular Application Compatibility Update, click the Details button on the listing in Windows Update.

As an alternative to the Program Compatibility Wizard, you can apply the same settings by using the Compatibility tab on an executable file’s properties sheet. Use this method if you already know the appropriate settings to use.

A+: History of Windows

2011-10-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

1985: Windows 1.0 offered titled windows, the use of a mouse (heretofore restricted largely to graphics creation programs) and borrowed on IBM's Common User Interface ('CUI') to create the menu-at-the-top interface still used today in many apps. Multi-tasking was co-operative, not pre-emptive, and all programs were 16-bit, just like MS-DOS applications.

1987: Windows 2.0 added icons to make program launching easier, as well as the Program Information File (.PIF) which allowed easier configuration of programs to launch from the Windows desktop. Windows could now overlap, whereas with 1.0, they could only be tiled.

1990: Windows 3.0 allowed use of memory past the 640 KB limit, added virtual memory, and the File Manager and Program Manager applications.

1992: Windows 3.1 added Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) which permits data from one application to be easily used in another (such as drag-and-drop of a picture from Paint or a spreadsheet from Excel into a Word document). It also enhanced media playback as well as graphics capability in general.

1993: Windows for Workgroups 3.11 integrated small-scale networking into the operating system whereas before it required an expensive dedicated server running server software, such as Novell's Netware. 32-bit software could now be run which allowed more memory to be used by the program.

Also, the first version of Windows NT, an entirely 32-bit operating system with entirely 32-bit memory addressing, was introduced for the business community, with stability and networking its primary features. It introduced the NTFS file system for formatting its hard drives with journaling and redundancy in its directory, and runs on a Hardware Abstraction Layer ('HAL') to allow its installation on CPUs other than Pentiums. NT was originally intended to be OS/3, but Microsoft's decision to add Windows APIs to NT led to a falling out with IBM and NT instead effectively replaced OS/2 in the business world over the years to come.

1995: Windows 95 was the first version to run without MS-DOS; it now emulated DOS within Windows. Plug and Play ('PnP') allowed new motherboards designed for PnP and new components also designed for PnP to be installed with no need for external drivers. The network stack, the behind-the-scenes programs which permit networking of personal computers, was also more rugged and resilient.

Also, Windows NT 3.51 was introduced, following closely on the heels of the fall 1994 release of ver. 3.5.

1998: Windows 98 was released and quickly replaced by Windows 98SE ('Second Edition') to fix stability issues.

2000: Windows 2000 replaced Windows NT, adding the Windows 95 look-and-feel to the business version of Windows while moving video management, spooler and server functions from the user space to the kernel for greater reliability. It shipped in Professional and Server editions. Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2003, 7 and Server 2008 are all more sophisticated versions of Windows NT.

Also, Windows ME replaces 98SE, but the restricted access to real mode MS-DOS (in order to speed up system boot time) made ME unpopular.

2001: Windows XP replaces Windows ME (and the crowd goes wild!). Like Windows 2000, it is NT-based. It comes in Home, Professional and Media Center versions.

2003: Windows Server 2003 replaces Server 2000.

2007: Windows Vista is supposed to replace XP. If you don't have 2GB, it won't run well, if at all. Its User Access Control feature was also rough around the edges (if you still have Vista, you can turn it off with Start | Control Panel | Security | Security Center | Other Security Settings).

2008: Windows Server 2008 replaces Server 2003.

2009: Windows 7 replaces Vista (and the crowd goes wild!).

A+: More on Operating Systems

2011-10-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Multi-tasking and task switching:

Task switching looks like your computer is doing many things at once, but really it just puts one program on hold and changes to another when you ask for it.

Co-operative multi-tasking was an early Windows method which waited for the application running to control and release resources such as memory, but when that program failed, your computer locked up.

Preemptive multi-tasking is more sophisticated; the OS now schedules when a program can use resources, and takes back control of resources to give to other programs. If one application locks up, other programs also running don't suffer.

Windows processor features and memory:

Multi-threading allows one CPU (Central Processing Unit, the central chip of personal computers) to look to Windows as if it were multiple CPUs. Multi-threading first reached the desktop in 2002 with the 3.06 GHz version of Intel's Pentium 4. Also known as Hyper-Threading, it's also included in Intel's Atom low power processors as well as the Core i7.

CPUs labeled as x86 are Pentiums; 32-bit CPUs can run 32-bit programming, with a Microsoft-imposed limit of 4GB of memory (from which one must subtract the video card memory since it shares the same memory space). x64 AKA 64-bit CPUs can run 64-bit operating systems and applications, and the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Pro has a limit of 192GB, whereas Windows Server 2008 is capped at 8GB-2TB depending on the version.

The foundation of Windows:

Windows was developed by Microsoft using principles created in 1974 and first shown in the Xerox Alto, a machine never commercially sold. The Apple Macintosh also used Xerox's innovations from the Alto.

  Version 1.0 shipped in 1985, despite IBM's focus on OS/2, a competing windowing system with much better integration of the Graphical User Interface ('GUI') into the operating system. By contrast, Windows ran atop MS-DOS, and the two were not integrated until Windows 95 and Windows NT.

Compatibility:
  Microsoft publishes a Hardware Compatibility List for its different versions, which will be replaced by a Windows Catalog. It shows the user whether their computer and its components are compatible with the next version of Windows, and microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/search.mspx has the Windows 7 version.

Before installing an OS:
  1. Check for the OS minimum requirements and hardware compatibility
  2. Choose the installation options (manual? automatic? cloning?)
  3. Choose the installation method (from CD? DVD? Memory drive? Over-the-wire?)
  4. Prepare the PC for installation

A+: Operating Systems Intro

2011-10-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

The operating system, or 'OS', communicates with PC hardware so users can give input & get output. It provides standardized disk and file management, access to devices, manages memory and formats the output from the system to display, storage and printing devices. Some tasks a computer does are used so often that it makes sense to move those tasks into the OS so the application developer does not need to duplicate the efforts of other developers.

Driver software tells the OS how to control and work with specific hardware. Again, offloading the development of drivers, like the development of the OS, away from the application, allows quicker development of programs, as well as greater diversity and faster innovation in computer peripheral development.

Applications supplement the commands within the OS to do jobs not built in to the OS.

Software, whether a driver, an application or the OS, has a version number, so the administrator or user can see which version of a program is on hand, so they can be assured what that program can do.

Programs are almost always written in a high-level 'language', which has a grammar and a syntax which allows programmers to more efficiently develop the program. The text in that language for the program can either be available to anyone, in which case it is 'open' source, and can be reviewed for errors and security risks, or unavailable, 'closed' or 'proprietary', in which case only the programmer knows completely what the program can do and how it works. CP/M, AppleDOS, PC-DOS, MS-DOS, Windows and MacOS are closed source; Linux and FreeDOS are open source.

Originally, business computer programs only used a keyboard for input, with every command hand typed or replayed from storage media (punch cards, paper tape or magnetic tape) but an important innovation was the 'shell' program which allows not only a menu to pick commands from but also, later, the use of a GUI, or Graphic User Interface, where a pointing device such as a mouse and a point-and-click interface can be used to select commands instead of typing the commands.

Free business management cloud service, SohoOS

2011-10-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.sohoos.com/welcome/what-is-sohoos/solution explains a new, free, business service providing accounting and CRM (Customer Relations Management) with billing, receivables and payables, plus document, project and inventory management, which also works from a smartphone.

PC Magazine's review noted: SohoOS sports two tabs, Tools and Communication, which carry costs. Users can either pay per usage or sign up for a "VIP" membership that loads extra cash, direct support, and training. If you're looking to distribute bulk e-mails or SMS messages, host a VOIP conference, or send a fax, you can pay to play through the Communication tab.

If you run your small business out of your hat, their FAQ and manual can tell you more about how it works.

Easy website builder w/ hosting

2011-10-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

http://onepagerapp.com/ lets you create your own business website without technical knowledge, and host it cheaply, too.

Inc, Tech said, "Business owners enter the name of their company, a tagline, and body text on a template provided by Onepager. The site registers the company’s domain name and helps create custom email addresses. The company says its product strips away any technical knowledge that may keep a company from building its own website."

If you'd like to avoid having to build that vanity business website for your brother-in-law, looks like a good choice.

However, Blogger, Google's web logging service which creates, hosts and manages this site, is also free and allows building some attractive web pages, or you can use free tools to create the web page(s) like MarkdownPad, a full-featured Markdown editor for Windows XP-Vista-7, which does text-to-HTML conversion tool for web writers, converting text to structurally valid XHTML (or HTML), using .NET 4.0 and Windows Presentation Foundation 4 frameworks.

A+: Laser printers and their other components

2011-10-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Printer Interfaces:
Ethernet (max 330' of cable without an intermediate switch or bridge), USB (max 16' without a powered hub or special cable) and WiFi are the most common now, but others include parallel (old popular system, maximum of 50' using a very bulky cable), serial (very slow, also with a bulky cable), SCSI (rare), InfraRed ('IR'), Appletalk (no longer sold by Apple and slow), IEEE-1394 AKA Firewire (rare), and Bluetooth (33' max.).

Printer languages:

If the computer has to send a dot-by-dot map ('bitmap') of each page to be printed, that's a lot of data to send down the wire. That's inescapable when printing pictures, but when you're sending a page of text Therefore, printer control languages were created, so the data stream can be shrunk. The more powerful languages, such as Postscript, require more processing power in the printer control circuitry, shifting the printing burden from the computer and using a terse, elegant syntax, easily read. When laser printers were very expensive anyway, the extra cost of the Postscript language and its interpreter was an acceptable burden, but now that computers are wickedly fast and since people often buy on price, not elegance, the simpler, dumber printer is more popular, and PCL6 (developed by HP) now leads the pack as the predominant printer control language. GDI, another control language, is often the basis for even less expensive printers, with less text and more bitmaps sent from the computer to the printer. Since data transmission rates continue to rise with faster and faster networks and interfaces, the trade offs make sense.

Printer drivers:

The manufacturer of the printer is responsible to create drivers, small programs, which allow other programs to create the datastream for the printer to use, and to communicate with the printer. Operating systems are shipped with drivers for popular printers, but as new features are added, the manufacturer must add to the drivers to enable the new features.
The feature set in the driver lets you determine the resolution, scaling, color vs B&W and other modes of printing as either the default or on a job-by-job basis.

Paper:

Paper quality is important to satisfactory printing. The composition (virgin paper vs. recycled content percentage plus rag content), weight and caliper (thickness) are all important to avoid jams. The brightness determines how 'white' the paper appears.

Other printing material:

Make sure not to use any transparency or label stocks which were not specifically designed for your model of printer.

A+: Laser Printer Details

2011-10-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Toner in electrophotographic systems bears a negative charge, and paper (like most objects) has a positive charge. The fusing system uses heat and pressure to fuse, or melt, toner onto the paper. The fuser roller is a Teflon-coated solid aluminum roller, heated by a halogen lamp.

Fusers run at 329-365 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to PAINFULLY burn you!

Another health risk is the ozone from older laser printers which us a corona wire, instead of a corona roller. Make sure to remove the ozone filter and dust it off outside when chnging your toner if you have one of those older printers.

The controller in the laser printer orchestrates all processes, especially turning the stream of data coming from a computer into a 'bitmap' of black and white areas so the black areas are covered with melted toner. More memory in the buffer of the controller speeds up the intake of the print job from the computer so the computer program can move on to the next page, print job or task.

The process, from start to finish, could be summarized as:

Clean: Scrape the drum/belt clean, and illuminate it to eliminate charges.
Charge: Apply around 600 volts to the drum or belt.
Write: Laser scanning the drum drops the drum/belt to around 100 volts of charge.
Develop: Put toner on the drum or belt, it sticks to where the image should be.
Transfer: Move the toner to the paper.
Fuse: Melt the toner & mash it into the paper.

A mnemonic to help remember this is Charlie Can Walk, Dance, Talk French.

A+: Laser printer fundamentals

2011-10-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

The laser ('electrophotographic') printer was invented in 1971, and first sold in 1984. It uses 'toner', a black or colored substance mixed with iron oxide so electrostatic charges can move it, plus a polyester resin which melts into the paper.

Toner cartridges add a developer/carrier as well as contain the toner. A drum or belt is also normally built into the cartridge, along with a scraper blade which removes excess toner. When a laser beam strikes the drum or belt, a photo-sensitive coating gives up a charge, so the toner will stick to the drum or belt where needed. The drum/belt not hit by the laser beam are statically charged so toner won't stick to it. A high voltage power supply in the laser printer generates the charge; that power supply is dangerous, can threaten your life, and should never be opened up.

A transfer corona wire or roller (roller-based systems are faster) moves the toner from the drum to the paper. A static eliminator strip drains the charge from the paper once the toner is fused to the paper.

Okidata and Panasonic created LED printers to compete with laser printers. They're less expensive and less complicated, but also print at a lower resolution (300 dpi instead of the 600 dpi or above of lasers and better bubble jet printers). The charging roller and erasing lamp are not in the toner cartridge, and are instead in a separate replacable assembly. The laser assembly is replaced by a row of LEDs which blink on and off as the belt or drum turns.

A+ More on bubblejet printing:

2011-10-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

The printhead carriage contains the heads, the ink (in almost all designs) and connections to the print head. The carriage is moved by the carriage belt, carriage motor (for large scale motion) and stepper motor (for the tiny motions which allow one row of bubble jets to consecutively print to form letters and other characters). It rides on a stabilizer bar linked by pulleys attached to the carriage motor.

Pickup rollers in the paper tray or paper feeder work against coarse cork or rubber separator pads to pick just one sheet at a time, and are turned by a printer stepper motor. Clean those rollers and pads with mild soap and warm water; alcohol and solvents can dry out rubber and cork.

Paper feed sensors watch for jams and report to the printer control circuits. Those control circuits connect to the interface circuits and the printer's buffer to process data, and the power circuits turn wall outlet power into the voltages (typically 12vDC and 5vDC) needed for the motors and logic of the printer.

A+ More on printing tech

2011-10-04T17:22:00.001-07:00

A+ More on printing tech
Bubble jet printers have four major types of components
a) The print head and ink cartridge (HP designs normally combine those in one part, Canon designs normally keeps them separated)
b) The head carriage, belt and stepper motor
c) The paper feed system
d) The power supply, interface and control board.

The print head typically uses ink in the colors of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, with 100-200 mozzles. HP designs push ink through the nozzles by applying heat and vaporizing a small amount of ink to push more ink out onto the paper; Canon designs use piezo-electric principles, applying electricity to crystals which then flex and push ink through the nozzles. Either way, the print head and ink cartridge return to a 'maintenance station' at the edge of the printer where the printhead assembly rests and where ink is suctioned out of the nozzles to prevent clogs.

A+: Printing technologies

2011-10-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Printer mechanisms are mostly either Impact Printers (Daisywheel and Dot Matrix), Bubble-Jet (including Ink Jet) and Laser Printers. Less popular mechanisms include LED printers (Okidata's & Panasonic's less expensive / simpler equivalents of laser printers), solid ink printers (pioneered by Textronix before assimilated by Xerox) and dye-sublimation printers (slow, spendy and superb quality).

Also, there are the ubiquitous thermal printers (cheap, but heat destroys the image so not used for anything you want to save, and the slick paper has toxic BPA in it).

A+: Less Power!

2011-10-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

A+: Less Power!
ACPI, the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface, was first published in 1996 as an open standard, was first included in Windows '98, and has replaced the earlier APM Advanced Power Management, which was dropped from Windows when Vista was released. ACPI provides common interfaces for finding what kind of hardware a PC has, and how to manage it. The computer's main board, CPU and operating system must all support it to work.

How do I fine-tune my power settings?
in XP, do Start | Control Panel | Performance and Maintenance | Power Options
in Vista, do Start | Control Panel | Mobile PC | Power Options
in Seven, do Start | Control Panel | Power Options

Or, right-click on an empty spot on the Windows Desktop, | Properties | Screen Saver | Power

There are four or five tabs: Power Schemes, Alarms (laptop) or UPS (some desktops), Power Meter, Advanced and Hibernate. In Power Scheme, Portable and Laptop machines have a separate setting for when plugged in vs when on battery. Save As allows customization and fine tuning of the power settings.

A+ More on IP addresses

2011-09-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are 'hierarchical'; like phone numbers, where the area code and the first two digits of the phone number can tell you where the phone number is (like 305 is Miami and 503 is NW Oregon)
(except for numbers which have been Ported, but don't get me started on THAT infernally bad idea).

IP addresses also group and can be identified by the nation and the ISP which issue them, at sites like http://tools.whois.net/whoisbyip.

Every packet of Internet data contains the IP address the packet is supposed to go to, as well as the Software Port it's supposed to arrive at, and the Protocol (ICMP, UDP or TCP) which will use the data.

Popular ports include 20 and 21 for FTP, 23 for Telnet, 25 for SMTP, 53 for DNS (the 'white pages' of the Internet), 67 for SMTP, 80 for HTTP, 110 for POP, 443 for HTTPS, 1863 for the Kinect and 3074 for the Xbox. RFC 1597 outlines the most popular port assignments, and you can see those at iana.org/assignments/port-numbers.

DNS looks up www.whatever and finds an IP address for it, and if it can't find an address, it goes and asks another DNS server.

A+ laptop power tips

2011-09-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

A+ laptop power tips: Power supplies can be built in to laptops but the current fashion is to put them in an external 'brick'. This puts the largest source of waste heat outside the laptop itself.

The laptop's serial number label normally has the specification for the power supply, although it can be printed elsewhere on the laptop underside. Adapters can be substituted as long as you follow these rules:

1) AC does not equal DC: If the output voltage specification calls for AC, the adapter must provide AC; if DC is called for, make sure the replacement provides DC.

2) The output voltage must be within 5% of the specification and should be the same voltage.

3) The wattage or amperage (watts/volts) of the replacement must be at least as much as the original specification. If you replace a power supply with a higher-wattage or higher-amperage supply, that's OK.

A+: Laptop Batteries and best care for long life

2011-09-21T23:24:00.000-07:00

A+: Laptop Batteries and best care for long life

Batteries left in a laptop that's running all the time will 'cook' by exposure to the heat of a running laptop 24/7 and lose lifetime capacity. Therefore, once charged, if your laptop will boot up without a battery and you're using it on AC, that's OK; otherwise, set your laptop to sleep or hibernate when idle so your battery lasts longer.

Four major types of batteries are used nowadays to power laptops; lead-acid batteries are passe and throwaway alkaline or lithium batteries could be used in a handmade external battery pack (say for long flights) but the sturmtruppen of the TSA might look askance at such a practical device.

WARNING: BATTERIES ARE TOXIC, AND CAN CATCH FIRE. DISPOSE OF PROPERLY.

We commonly find in laptop use (oldest to newest):

NiCD AKA Nickel-Cadmium - a complete discharge/recharge every 30 uses is a good idea. They drain down by themselves 10%/month and can last for a thousand cycles or more.

NiMH AKA Nickel Metal Hydride - a complete discharge/recharge every 30 uses is a good idea. They only store 40% as much charge per pound as NiCD batteries, self-discharge around 15%/mo and only last 500+ cycles.

Li-Ion AKA Lithium Ion - these should be completely discharged and recharged when the charge drops rapidly from 30% to 0%. It's OK to partially recharge/discharge them, they're much less fussy about needing a full discharge-recharge cycle than the Nickel batteries.

Li-Poly AKA Lithium Polymer - these store less charge per weight than Li-Ion but are more flexible and can be formed into complex shapes (I'm wearing one, like a wrist watch, right now).

G+ and anonymous posting

2011-08-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

Founding Fathers found obvious pseudonyms necessary to public discourse; e.g., Publius, the Federalist Papers nom de plume of Alexander Hamilton.

Samuel Clemens wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain; Robert A. Heinlein published under Anson MacDonald, Lyle Monroe, and others. Even the currently reactionary Supreme Court defines anonymous speech as constituionally protected.

All would have been banned from G+ under Google's no pseudonyms policy. This flies in the face of American rights to anonymous free speech. Yes, one can always 'go elsewhere', but when 'Google' is used as a verb, day in, day out, as I've observed in providing tech support to the public, I feel Google must support our constitutional rights.

Oddly enough, their policy is waived for Google Exec “Vic” Gundotra.