MCTS 70-680 Cert Guide Microsoft Windows 7, Configuring Chapter 1 Introducing Windows 7

Chapter 1 Objectives Understand the History of Windows Over the Last 20-Plus Years. Compare and Contrast the Available Editions of Windows 7. Understand New and Improved Features in Windows 7. View the Windows 7 Desktop. Understand Libraries and New Features of Control Panel. Understand Microsoft’s Different Methods of Patches, Hotfixes, and Service Packs.

Windows History DOS-Based Operating Systems with Limitations When Used in Corporate Environments: 1980s and 1990s: Windows 3.0, 3.1, and 3.11. 1990s: Windows 95, 98, and Millennium.

Windows History 1990s: Microsoft Developed Operating System Versions for Networking: Windows NT 3.1, Windows NT Workstation 3.5, and Windows NT Workstation 3.51. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Had Interface That Matched Windows 95. Windows 2000 Professional. Windows Server Versions of Windows NT and Windows 2000.

Windows History Home and Corporate Versions Brought Together: Windows XP Home Edition. Windows XP Professional – Contained Components Designed for Integration into Server-Based Networks. Microsoft Added Entertainment Elements, Which Resulted in Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Windows Vista Client and Corporate Versions Became Available in 2007, and Were Negatively Viewed: Required More Powerful Hardware Requirements Than Previous Windows Versions. User Account Control Feature Was Cumbersome. New Interface Required Steep Learning Curve. New Licenses Required. Some Applications Would Not Run Under Windows Vista. Some Device Drivers Unavailable for Windows Vista.

Windows 7 Editions Components included in each version of Windows 7 listed in Table 1-2.

Features of Windows 7 Improved User Interface and Start Menu: Instant Search Assistant – Directs You to Any Program or File on the Computer. Jump Lists Enable You to Access Tasks Associated with the Start Menu or Documents Recently Accessed. Improved Taskbar. Minimizes Clutter. Displays Thumbnails of Running Documents.

Features of Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar

Features of Windows 7 Homegroups Designed for Home Networking in a Non-Domain Environment.

Features of Windows 7 Libraries: Collections of Windows Folders, Such as Documents and Pictures. These Replace Special Folders, Such as My Documents. Automatically Shared with Other Members of a Homegroup.

Features of Windows 7 Libraries:

Features of Windows 7 Aero Glass: Translucent Title Bars on the Desktop Reveal Objects Hidden Beneath Them. Hovering Mouse Reveals Live Thumbnails of a Document or Program. Aero Shake Focuses on a Single Window on a Crowded Display. Aero Peek Makes Windows Transparent to Reveal Hidden Icons and Gadgets. Aero Snap Enables You to Resize Open Windows by Dragging Them to the Edges of the Display.

Features of Windows 7 Windows Live Essentials Is a Series of Free Programs, Such as Windows Mail, Messenger, Writer, and Others Available as Free Downloads. Improved Power Options Has Three Power Plans for Optimizing Energy Use. Sleep Mode Combines Standby and Hibernation Modes, Allowing You to Preserve Open Documents and Programs on Shutdown. Windows Experience Index Suggests Which Component, Such as Processor or Memory, Could Be Upgraded to Improve Computer’s Overall Performance. Windows XP Mode Available on Windows 7 Professional or Higher Installs a Virtual Copy of Windows XP to Run Software That Might Not Run Properly on Windows 7.

Features of Windows 7 Support for Document Metadata Facilitates Searching for Files with the Aid of Metadata – Data About Data.

Security Improvements Secure Startup Prevents Unauthorized Users from Accessing Sensitive Data During Startup by Encrypting the System Drive. User Account Control (UAC) Now Offers Several Levels of Protection, Following Complaints by Windows Vista Users That UAC Produced Too Many Prompts. Credential Manager Stores Credentials in the Windows Vault. AppLocker Enables Administrators to Specify What Programs Are Allowed to Run on the Desktop in a Domain-Based Environment. BitLocker and BitLocker To Go Enables Encryption for Any Hard Drive Partition and for USB Drives to Prevent Unauthorized Individuals from Accessing Data.

Security Improvements Enhanced Auditing Allows for Additional Group Policy Settings. Enhanced Storage Access Provides New Group Policy Settings That Enable You to Manage Portable Data Storage Devices. Windows Biometric Service Provides Improved Support for the Use of Fingerprint Readers. Action Center Enables You to Track Items Such as Windows Firewall, Windows Update, Antivirus, Antispyware, Internet Security Settings, UAC, and Network Access Protection from One Location. New Internet Explorer 8 Security Features for Improved and Secured Web Browsing. Improvements to Windows Firewall Has an Enhanced Interface and Automatic Configuration Settings.

Security Improvements Windows Defender Monitors Computer for Signs of Spyware Infection and Blocks Actions of Malicious Programs. Parental Controls Enable Parents to Set Limits on Their Children’s Activities.

A Quick Tour of Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar: Jump Lists on the Start Menu Are Lists of Program Features. Hovering the Mouse Pointer Over an Item with an Associated Jump List Causes the Jump List to Replace the Right Side of the Start Menu. The All Programs Feature Causes the List on the Left Side of the Start Menu to Change to Display a Menu of All Available Programs. Windows Search Performs Instant Searches for Programs, Files, and Emails, and Can Do Internet Searches. Pinned Items Can Still Be Pinned to the Start Menu as in Vista, But Windows Mail and Internet Explorer Have Taskbar Buttons.

Configuring the Start Menu

Configuring the Taskbar

Windows 7 Control Panel

Windows 7 Control Panel System and Security System and Security Control Panel Applets: Action Center Windows Firewall System Windows Update Power Options Backup and Restore BitLocker Drive Encryption Windows Anytime Upgrade Administrative Tools

Windows 7 Control Panel System and Security

Windows 7 Control Panel Network and Internet Network and Internet Control Panel Applets: Network and Sharing Center Homegroup Internet Options

Windows 7 Control Panel Network and Internet

Windows 7 Control Panel Hardware and Sound Hardware and Sound Applets: Devices and Printers Autoplay Sound Power Options Display

Windows 7 Control Panel Hardware and Sound

Windows 7 Control Panel Programs Programs Applets: Programs and Features Default Programs Desktop Gadgets

Windows 7 Control Panel Programs

Windows 7 Control Panel User Accounts and Family Safety User Accounts and Family Safety Applets: User Accounts Parental Controls Windows CardSpace Credential Manager

Windows 7 Control Panel User Accounts and Family Safety

Windows 7 Control Panel Appearance and Personalization Appearance and Personalization Applets: Personalization Display Taskbar and Start Menu Ease of Access Center Folder Options Fonts

Windows 7 Control Panel Appearance and Personalization

Patches, Hotfixes, and Service Packs Hotfixes Are Solutions to Bugs: Patches Are Security Fixes That Are Released the Second Tuesday of the Month. Service Packs Incorporate Hotfixes and Patches, and Allow Developers the Opportunity to Add New Features to the Operating System.

Chapter 1: Summary Microsoft Windows 7 Incorporates Features from Microsoft Vista and Overcomes Many Objections Raised by Vista Users. Significant New Features Include Improved User Account Control, Libraries, and Homegroups. A Less-Cluttered Desktop, Aero Glass, and an Improved Start Menu and Taskbar Add to the Experience. Next Lesson: Chapter 2, “Installing Windows 7”