Microsoft Windows

Freedom High School

Desktop

All current OS GUIs looking alike Started with Macintosh back in 1990

• Microsoft borrowed the look• Apple sued, won, Microsoft introduced a

new release….

Start button at the bottom of the screen

Long File Names

Eliminated the 8.3 DOS restriction Up to 255 characters could be used Some characters cannot be used:| * > < ? : / \ “

Windows Startup Disk

Used by Windows 95 and 98 Contained only essential files

• Not the entire OS Could be used to repair/verify some

hardware components Not recommended for Vista

OS Boot Sequences

Process of starting the computer• Combination of hardware and software

control to initialize hardware and load operating system

A+ Certification requires knowledge of the process

Warm and Cold Boots

Warm / soft boot• Computer is already running• Typically after an update or program

load• Usually software initiated

Cold / hard boot• Power switch is turned on

Power On Self Test (POST)

Common to all OS• Even MAC OS X and Linux

Initiated by the BIOS bootstrap• Short program• Locates the Master Boot Record (MBR)• Loads into memory basic files• Turns the operation over to the OS

Comes from the saying• “to pull oneself up by one’s bootstraps”

Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)

Modern approach to BIOS Developed by Intel Now a standard is being developed

by several manufactures

Windows95, 98, Me Boot Sequence

Evolved from DOS Dated, but useful even with XP/Vista Only files needed are•io.sys•msdos.sys•command.com

Includes DOS, 95, 98 and Me config.sys and autoexec.bat are

used for legacy programs

Windows95, 98, Me Boot Sequence

1. BIOS performs the POST2. BIOS locates the MBR and loads it3. BIOS loads io.sys4. io.sys loads file allocation table5. io.sys processes msdos.sys6. io.sys the processes config.sys,

command.com, autoexec.bat & win.com

7. win.com loads the Windows kernel

Config.sys

Used in early versions of Windows• Customize certain features

How many file could be opened

• Loaded device drivers

Still included in BOOT• Only to support legacy applications

Replaced by the registry Simple ASCII file that can be edited

Autoexec.bat

Load and run programs at startup Optional for Windows 95 and later Only required for legacy (DOS)

applications sysedit.exe is used to edit system.ini, win.ini, autoexec.bat, and config.sys

Windows NT-basedBoot Sequence

First Microsoft independent of DOS Redesigned around a new kernel Boot sequence as a series of phases No longer sequential command, but

several files working together

Windows NT-basedBoot Sequence

1. BIOS performs POST2. BIOS locates MBR and loads it3. MBR loads ntldr (OS loader)4. ntldr reads boot.ini5. If boot.ini references a SCSII drive

ntbootdd.sys loads6. ntldr calls ntdetect.com7. ntdetect.com detects system hardware

and passes info to ntldr

Windows NT-basedBoot Sequence

1. ntldr passes hardware info and control to ntoskrnl.exe

2. ntoskrnl.exe loads device drivers and hal.dll

3. ntoskrnl.exe then initializes the computer settings stored in the registry

4. winlogon.exe load, user can then begin to log on

5. User successfully logons on to the computer

Vista Boot Sequence

Microsoft made additional changes Vista can boot from BIOS or EFI After POST the process progresses

through the initial startup Process then enters the Windows

Boot Manager (bootmgr) bootmgr reads a registry-type file,

Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

Vista Boot Sequence bootmgr replaces bootcfg.exe found

in Windows NT-based operating systems

bootmgr shows multiple OS (if installed)

Windows Boot Loader (winload.exe) phase begins

Windows Vista kernel (ntoskrnl.exe) is loaded, but not executed

Vista Boot Sequence

hal.dll and registry data are loaded kernel is executed and Windows Boot

Loader phase ends Session Manager (smss.exe) starts

• creates the system environment• text-based to this point

GUI is now loaded.

Vista Boot Sequence

1. BIOS performs POST2. BIOS locates MBR and loads to

memory3. BIOS locates and loads bootmgr4. Windows Boot Manager reads BCD

file and displays boot menu5. Windows Boot Manager starts

winload.exe

Vista Boot Sequence

6. ntoskrnl.exe and hal.dll load into memory

7. kernel loads device drivers and hal.dll

8. kernel starts smss.exe9. OS switches to graphics mode10. Logon Manager allows logon

process to begin

Dual-Boot Systems

Two or more operating systems installed

Windows Boot Manager allows user to select which to start

If nothing is selected, Vista will start by default

Virtual Machines

Dual-boot or multiple-boot systems only one OS can run at a time

With VirtualPC (Microsoft) or VMware (3rd party) allows more than one OS to be executed

CPU and RAM performance are negatively affected• The OS's must share

Windows Family History 3.x

• Not really a new OS• DOS with a graphic

layer Windows 95

• Plug and Play (PnP)• Right mouse click• 32-bit operating

system• Enhanced CD

player

Windows Family History

Windows 98• Code name Memphis, Windows 97• Delayed numerous times• Supported

DVDMMXAGPFAT32

• Included built-in Web browser

Windows Family History

Windows NT (New Technology)• Developed to replace MS-DOS• Two versions

PC operating systemServer operating system

• 32-bit system• Enhanced security

Windows Family History

• 1983 saw the introduction of the first Microsoft graphic user interface (GUI)• It was not a new OS, the existing file

structure was just displayed differently

• Windows 95 was a new OS that was not completely dependent on DOS• Windows 3.x and Windows 95 are no

longer on the CompTIA exam

Windows Family History

• Windows 95• Plug and Play (PnP)• Right mouse click• 32-bit operating system• Enhanced CD player

Shortcut Menu / Right Click

Windows Family History

• Windows 98• Release delayed several times• Offered support new technologies

• DVD, MMX, AGP, and FAT32

• Web browser was integrated into the OS• Very controversial• Involved Microsoft in an antitrust suit that

made it to the US Supreme Court

• Downward compatible with earlier versions of Windows and DOS

Windows Family History

• Windows NT (New Technology)• Developed to replace DOS• It was too big and powerful for the

typical PC at the time• Two versions

• Server• Client

• Security enhanced

Windows Family History

• Windows ME (Millennium Edition)• Followed the GUI style of previous

versions of Windows• More stable (??) than previous versions

of Windows• Introduced an advanced Network

Wizard for the home/small office• More support for digital music/video• Last version of Windows to use the

Windows 95 kernel

Windows Family History

• Windows 2000 (2K)• Continued improvement of the Windows

operating system• New hard drive file system (NFTS5.0)

• Windows XP (eXPerience)• Released 2001• Written on a modified NT kernel• Much more stable• Two versions, one for home one for

business

Windows Vista

• Released January 2007• Due to be replaced during the 4th

Quarter of 2009 (October)• Significant Changes

• Enhanced security• Enhanced user interface

• Requires a faster processor, more RAM, and better graphics capabilities

Vista Features

• Windows Aero• Enhanced user interface• More sophisticated• The main reason more RAM is required

• Gadgets• Mini software programs that reside on

the right side of the screen

Vista Features

• Windows Media Center• Collection of media manipulation utilities

• Windows Mobility Center• Central location for accessing the most

commonly used features• Windows Hot Start allows a laptop to

instantly start a selected program• Due to laptop theft enhanced security

features have been incorporated

Vista Features

• Network Discovery• Enables Vista to automatically detect

and configure a network

• Windows Shadow Copy and Previous Versions• Not available in Home Basic or Premium

• Windows BitLocker• An encryption feature

Vista Features

• Windows Ready Boost• Allows a USB Flash drive to supplement

RAM in place of the hard drive• Flash drives are faster than hard drives

• Windows Defender• Scans files as they are downloaded

through IE (version 7 and later)• Checks for spyware

Non-Windows Operating Systems

Not covered on the A+ Certification exam

• Linux• A derivative of UNIX• Will run on Intel and/or Motorola

processors• Powerful operating system• Open source code

Non-Windows Operating Systems

• OS/2• Developed by Microsoft for IBM• When released had features that at the

time were only available on the Mac• Discontinued, but still used by some

industrial and consumer electronic product application

• Replaced by versions of Linux

Non-WindowsOperating Systems

• OS 9• Developed by Microware and Motorola• Developed in the early 1980s• Used by many industrial technologies

• OS X• Developed when Motorola could no

longer manufacture processors to meet Apple’s specifications

• Will run on the Intel processor

Common OS Terminology

• File Allocation Table (FAT)• Tracks what areas of the hard drive are

used and those that are not

• Configuration Files• Information about the system hardware

and software• Windows originally stored the

information in the win.ini and system.ini

• Now stored in the registry

Common OS Terminology

• Registry• Database that stores configuration

information• Major sections are:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT• HKEY_CURRENT_USERS• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE• HKEY_USERS• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

Common OS Terminology

• Application Software• End-user software• Designed for a specific use

• Software Drivers• Software that enables proper

communication between computers and peripherals

• Stored in cabinet (cab) files• Compressed files that contain OS software