1. Working with Windows Vista
Chapter Seventeen
Working with Windows Vista

2. Objectives Covered
1.1 Compare and contrast various features and requirements of Microsoft Operating Systems (Windows Vista).
1.2 Given a scenario, install Windows PC operating systems using appropriate methods.
1.4 Given a scenario, use appropriate Microsoft operating system features and tools.
1.5 Given a scenario, use Windows Control Panel utilities.
1.6 Given a scenario, install and configure Windows networking on a client/desktop.

3. Windows Vista Editions
Windows Vista was released in six different editions, four of which have been available in the retail channel since 2006 (Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, and Windows Vista Ultimate).
Windows Vista Enterprise offers more features than Business and less than Ultimate but is not available in the retail channel.
Windows Vista Starter is also available but is not listed for the CompTIA exam objectives. This version is not marketed in countries such as the United States or the European Union in which technology is more developed than in other countries.

5. AERO The Aero interface was new with Windows Vista.
The main difference between it and the previous Windows interface is the glass design that offers translucent windows.
Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open (AERO)

6. Sidebar
Gadgets can be placed on a bar that appears on the desktop known as the Sidebar (Windows 7 kept the gadgets but did away with the Sidebar).
The main selling point for using Sidebar is that the bar can provide one location for the common gadgets and be configured to always be visible.

7. ReadyBoost
This feature allows you to use free space on a removable drive (usually USB) as virtual memory and speed up a system.
For the option to even be possible, at least 256MB of space must be available on the removable media.
ReadyBoost is configured from the ReadyBoost tab of the Properties dialog box for the removable media device.

8. Compatibility Mode - configure programs to believe that they are running with Windows XP or earlier versions of Windows: Choose Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Programs, and then click Use An Older Program With This Version Of Windows.
Windows Defender - While available for other operating systems, Windows Vista was the first to ship with the Windows Defender antispyware program.

9. Windows Firewall - used to stop incoming and outgoing traffic
Windows Firewall - used to stop incoming and outgoing traffic. 3 basic settings: On, Off, and Block All Incoming Connections.
Security Center Windows provides a single interface for firewall

10. Clean Install 2 Methods: Boot from DVD
Runs Setup.exe within Windows (recommended by Microsoft)
Clean Install
There are two methods of running a clean installation.
Installing Vista over a previous operating system results in the user’s data being moved to a folder called WINDOWS.OLD. The first option is to start the computer with the bootable Windows Vista DVD (CDs were available if you needed them) and begin the installation.
The second method—the one Microsoft recommends—is to run Setup from the DVD within your current Windows version. Once the DVD is inserted, the Setup program should automatically begin. If it does not, setup.exe can be manually run from the root folder and the menu will appear. On the menu, choose Install Now and then select Custom (Advanced) when the Which Type Of Installation Do You Want? screen appears. Answer the prompts to work through the steps and complete the installation.
**When you boot, you will get a Press any key to boot from CD or DVD message upon startup

11. Upgrading to Vista
No version of Windows older than Windows XP can be upgraded to Windows Vista.
The User State Migration Tool (USMT) can be downloaded from Microsoft to migrate user file settings related to applications, desktop configuration, and accounts.
USMT for mass rollout
Windows East Transfer for single stand alone migration
If you are migrating only a few accounts, Microsoft recommends Windows Easy
Transfer (WET) instead of USMT

13. Key Boot Files BOOTMGR BCD WINLOAD.EXE NTOSKRNL.EXE WINRESUME.EXE
System files
HAL.DLL
SMSS.EXE
WINLOGON.EXE
LSASS.EXE
BOOTMGR The Windows Boot Manager (BOOTMGR) bootstraps the system. In other
words, this file starts the loading of an OS on the computer.
BCD The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) holds information about OSs installed on the
computer, such as the location of the OS files.
WINLOAD.EXE The program used to boot Windows 7. It loads the operating system kernel
(NTOSKRNL.EXE).
WINRESUME.EXE If the system is not starting fresh but resuming a previous session, then
WINRESUME.EXE is called by the BOOTMGR.
NTOSKRNL.EXE The Windows OS kernel.
System files In addition to the previously listed files, Windows needs a number of files
from its system directories (for example, SYSTEM and SYSTEM32),

14. Boot Process Self-check, BIOS finds MBR MBR finds volume boot sector
MBR loads BOOTMGR
BOOTMGR uses WINRESUME.EXE if needed
BOOTMGR processes BCD
BOOTMGR loads WINLOAD.EXE
WINLOAD.EXE loads kernel
Device drivers are loaded. WIN32K.SYS and SMSS. EXE are loaded
WINLOGON.EXE presents the login screen
1. The system self-checks and enumerates hardware resources. The BIOS looks for the Master Boot Record.
2. The Master Boot Record (MBR) loads and finds the volume boot sector. The MBR finds the bootable partition and searches it for the NT boot sector of that partition.
3. The MBR determines the file system and loads BOOTMGR. Information in the boot sector allows the system to locate the system partition and to find and load the file located there into memory.
4. BOOTMGR checks to see if WINRESUME.EXE is needed.
5. BOOTMGR processes BCD.
6. BOOTMGR loads and runs WINLOAD.EXE.
7. WINLOAD.EXE loads NTOSKRNL.EXE and HAL.DLL. NTOSKRNL.EXE holds the OS kernel and also what’s known as the executive subsystems. Executive subsystems are software components
that parse the Registry for configuration information and start the needed services and drivers. HAL.DLL enables communication between the OS and the installed hardware.
8. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM Registry hive and device drivers are loaded, and control is transferred to NTOSKRNL.EXE to complete the boot process. It calls the WIN32K.SYS subsystem and the session manager SMSS.EXE.
9. WINLOGON.EXE loads. At this point, you are presented with the Logon screen. After you enter a username and password, you’re taken to the Windows Desktop.

15. Restore Points
It allows you to restore the system to a previous point in time
With Windows Vista, manually creating the restore point must be accomplished from the System Protection tab of System Properties (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ System).

16. Windows Defender
Windows Defender can identify spyware and unwanted software, and it is native to all versions of Vista (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Windows Defender).
Windows Firewall
Windows Firewall (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Windows Firewall) is used to block access from the network (be it internal or the Internet).

17. Security Center Security Center
Security Center (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Security Center) provides a single interface where you can administer Windows Firewall, Automatic Updates, Malware Protection, and other
security settings

18. Administrative Tools Users and Groups – mmc.exe
Local Security Policy - secpol.msc or Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Local Security Policy
Component Services – MMC snap-in

19. Administrative Tools
Data Sources - allows you to interact with database management systems. Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Data Sources (ODBC)
Print Management – New to Vista. allows you to manage multiple printers and print servers from a single interface
Print Management (Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Print Management)
Print Management is not available for Windows Vista in any edition other than Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Ultimate, and Windows Vista Enterprise

20. Administrative Tools

21. System Configuration Tool
The System Configuration tool - (msconfig.exe) in Windows Vista is used to control the way the system behaves at startup, and it includes a number of tabs and options, as shown

22. Boot Options

23. Memory Diagnostic Used to check a system for memory problems.
Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Administrative Tools ➢ Memory Diagnostics Tool
Restart required

24. Unique Control Panel Utilities
Tablet PC Settings
Pen And Input Devices
Offline files
Problem Reports And Solutions
Printers
A must for Exam!!

25. Tablet and PC Setting Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Tablet PC Settings
Used to configure the device on which the operating system is installed to function as a true tablet
You can tweak handwriting recognition, handedness (left versus right), and other tablet-relevant settings

26. Pen and Input Devices Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Pen And Input Devices
It’s used in conjunction with the Tablet PC Settings applet to configure the pen and pointer options
The Home Basic edition of Windows Vista does not support a tablet PC or have this applet, but all other editions of the operating system do.

27. Offline Files
Windows Vista includes a Sync Center (Start ➢ Control Panel, then click Sync Center
Only Windows Vista Business Ultimate and Enterprise support offline files.
“Online: resources are synced with an “offline” copy - replicated

28. Problems Reports and Solutions
Error reporting feature
Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Problem Reports And Solutions
3 options for users – On, Off, Allow each user to choose setting
By default, all program errors from all programs are reported, but you can configure the reporting of errors on a
program-by-program basis

29. Printers Start ➢ Control Panel ➢ Printers
Provides a simple interface for adding a new printer or managing existing ones
By right-clicking on any printer shown in the interface, you can choose to make it the default printer from the options menu that appears
Clicking Add A Printer will start the Add Printer Wizard and allow you to add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer

30. Creating a Network Connection

32. NIC Properties half-duplex (data going one direction at a time),
full-duplex (data going both directions at the same time),
Automatic
Wake on LAN (WoL)- Wakes a sleeping machine
Quality of Service (QoS) – Packet scheduling to control flow of traffic
Quality of Service (QoS), implements packet scheduling to control the flow of traffic and help with network transmission speeds.

33. QoS

34. Configuring AERO
Right-click on the Desktop and choose Personalize from the context menu, and then choose Window Color And Appearance
Turn off Transparency, Change colors
Turn Off Aero by using Classic Appearance
Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open

35. Aero Configuration Window

37. User Access Control Not recommended to turn off however annoying
Choose “Run This Program As An Administrator” for frequently run programs instead

38. Indexing
Allow the OS to find files quickly by looking through a database of entries rather than having to start from scratch each time
Indexing Options applet is in Control Panel
The Advanced button of the configuration you can choose whether to include encrypted files and what types of files to include in the index.
Most meaningful is the ability to choose whether the index should include properties only (the default) or also include file contents.
While choosing to include contents in the index greatly decreases search time, it can also slow the system down on a regular basis as it builds the index

40. Sidebar Allows easy access to gadgets
if not visible, click Start ➢ All Programs ➢ Accessories ➢ Windows Sidebar).