Visible Windows

Early Windows

• Started with Windows 1 – an overlay on DOS that crashed more than it ran.

• Finally got things smoothed out with Windows 3.11 – Windows for Workgroups

• 1989 – Windows NT 3.5, 4.0 and six service packs; started NTFS

• 1995 – Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME called 9x• 2001 – Windows 2000; NTFS on the desktop

XP

• Professional, Home and Media Center• Only Professional can log onto a domain• Home lacks:– encryption– support for multiple processors– Support for Remote Desktop– Support for NTFS Access Control– Support for group policies

XP Media Center

• Add a TV tuner card to record Video• Media Center (the program) allows

organization of media, photos and music• Built on Home edition

Vista

• Home Basic – like XP Home• Home Premium adds Media Center• Business – basic business edition like XP

Professional• Ultimate – All the above• Enterprise – BitLocker Drive Encryption and

support for two CPUs. Not for public use

Windows 7

• “Fixed” Vista• Starter – for netbooks• Home Premium – A lot of media functionality• Professional – Join a domain, XP Mode and

Remote Desktop connection• Ultimate – Everything Windows 7 offers• Enterprise – Again, for corporate use

64 - bitness

• 32-bit can only address 4GB of RAM; 64’s can go a lot higher; can handle larger numbers too

• 2003 for AMD and 64-bit processing• Intel licensed AM64T to run 32/64• XP supported 64, but Vista really did• 64-bit editions will run 32-bit just fine• Compatibility tab of .EXE files to support older

editions of Windows

Windows Interface

• Logon – first screen you see, the gate-keeper• Can be the Welcome screen (icons for users) or

the name/password format• Desktop all too familiar• Aero turns on automatically if your system

supports it• Taskbar at the bottom of desktop• System tray (notification area) at right• Quick Launch toolbar at left next to Start button

Windows Explorer

• In XP, the options are on the left; in Vista/7 it is near the top of window…

• Double-click Documents to get a “different” view…

Icons in Explorer

• Icons assigned based on file extension – normally hidden but we know how to make them visible

• You get a generic window icon if the file extension is unknown to Windows – which also means it will not open the file

• Move/copy files or folders: I prefer to right-click and drag which gives me the option of move or copy; Windows uses CTRL and Shift

• Showing hidden files also means they will be scanned in Searches

XP: My [whatever]

• Don’t normally show on the desktop• Part of the Display applet to show them• Lots of applications can add My … folders

Vista/7

• Drops the “My”• Can add account folder to desktop that

includes more than documents• Right-click desktop | Personalize | Change

desktop icons

Libraries

• Good way to get confused; allows two or more folders to appear as one

• Can choose which folder to save document into from folder view on left side

• When you open a library, you see content from all folders that are part of library

• Have to add folders to a library

Recycle Bin

• Trash can for Mac systems• Safety net for delete• Can restore files to previous location• Can not open a file in the bin• Delete from the Recycle Bin and file is gone –

unless you have undelete program/utility

Sidebar

• Started in Vista, for Gadgets• 7 allows gadgets anywhere on desktop• Google for web sites that offer them;

Microsoft is now into apps for 8

Operating System Folders

• System folder - %systemroot% - usually C:\Windows– Fonts – All of the fonts installed – Offline Files – When you tell IE to save pages for

offline viewing– System32 – The real windows; .dll files, control

panel, IE, etc.– Temp – Temporary files here; windows will delete

files here, so don’t use for storage

Program and Document Folders

• C:\Program Files – Most programs install some of their essential files in a folder here

• C:\Program Files (x86) – For 64-bit systems with 32-bit applications

• Personal folders: XP – Documents and Settings• Personal folders: Vista/7 – Users folder

XP Personal• Default User (hidden) – all of the default settings;

a template for adding users• All Users – Settings for anyone that uses

computer• Shared Documents – Shared to all users of

computer• <User Name> - That’s your folder for settings– Desktop – Items/files on the desktop– Documents – My Documents for user– Application Data (hidden) – settings for user– Start Menu – customizations to Start menu

Vista/7 Personal

• Default (hidden), All Users and <User Name> store same as XP

• Under <User Name>– Desktop – same– Documents – in Vista, in 7 its back to My

Documents– Downloads – for downloaded files– Start Menu – same as XP

Right-Click

• To get to Properties of any object• Brings up a “context menu” – different for

different objects• Often a tech’s best friend

Control Panel

• Handles most of the maintenance, upgrade, and configuration aspects of Windows

• Exams assume you use classic view, large icons

• Most are a graphical view of part of the Registry

Device Manager• Make sure you know at least two ways to get to it• Displays every device that Windows recognizes,

organized by types• Problem devices:– Down arrow– Red X– Black exclamation point on yellow circle

• Up to you, and Microsoft’s Knowledge Base, to figure out solution

• Also a place to update drivers if install program does not do it automatically

System Tools

• Collection of niffty tools• Start | All Programs | Accessories | System

Tools• Can get to similar list from msconfig

Activation

• Nope, we don’t do that here• I usually wait a while to activate just to make

sure system is running correctly• Internet activation is easy; phone call is more

bother

Honorable Mention

• Backup• Character Map• Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (XP) • Windows Easy Transfer (Vista/7)• Disk Cleanup• Defragmenter• Scheduled Tasks• Security Center (XP)

More Honorable Mention

• System Information (msinfo32)• System Restore• Resource Monitor (Reliability and

Performance Monitor – Vista)• Command Prompt• Microsoft Management Console (mmc)• Administrative Tools• Computer Management

Event Viewer

• Once in a while, this is helpful• Fun to look through• Possible place to look for intermittent

problems

More Stuff

• Services – Applet in Administrative Tools applet

• Action Center (7) – collects information from lots of sources