1. Under the Windows Desktop
Chapter 7
Under the Windows Desktop
McGraw-Hill

2. Learning Outcomes
Define the role of the registry in Windows, and back up and modify the registry when needed
Describe the Windows startup process
Install and manage device drivers
Troubleshoot common Windows problems

3. Understanding the Registry
The Registry Defined
Database of configuration settings for
Device drivers
Services
Installed application programs
Operating system components
User Preferences
Start out the lecture with Windows Explorer open and be prepared to locate the registry files as you discuss them. Then, a Try This activity involves running Registry Editor in order to view the registry structure. he objective of this section is to give the students an understanding of the function of the registry, its pieces and parts, and the location of registry hive files. e don’t encourage them to actually modify the registry, but to understand that many things they do day-to-day modify the registry. Step-by-Step 7.01 guides them through using System Restore to create a restore point, an indirect way to back up the entire registry and more. This section concludes with a brief description of how to backup just a portion of the registry using Registry Editor.

4. Understanding the Registry
Automatic Registry Changes when:
Windows starts up or shuts down
Windows Setup runs
Changes are mode through a Control Panel applet
A new device is installed
Any changes are made to the Windows configuration
Any changes are made to a user’s preferences
An application is installed or modified
Changes are made to application user preferences

5. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Registry Files (hives)
DEFAULT
NTUSER.DAT
SAM
SECURITY
SOFTWARE
SYSTEM

6. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Registry file locations
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG
All but NTUSER.DAT

7. Figure 7-1 This view of the CONFIG folder shows registry files

8. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Registry File Descriptions
SYSTEM
What to load at startup
Order of loading at startup
Settings for drivers, services, OS components
SOFTWARE
Settings for installed software
Other configuration information
SECURITY
Security policies

9. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Registry File Descriptions
SAM
Security Accounts Manager
Local security accounts database
DEFAULT
User profile settings
Used when no user is logged on
Logon screen

10. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Registry File Descriptions
NTUSER.DATA
User profile for a single user
Application preferences, screen colors, and more
After a user logs on, that user’s NTUSER.DAT is loaded
Saved in top-level personal folder for the user
Hidden file

11. Table 7-1 Locations of the Hives within the Registry

12. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Viewing and Editing the Registry
View and edit the registry with REGEDIT.EXE
Navigation similar to Windows Explorer
Key: a folder containing settings and other keys
Root keys: five keys at the top of the hierarchy
Value entry: settings within a key
Data type: format of a value entry
Open REGEDIT during this part of the lecture, and instruct the students to follow the instructions in the Try This on page 245 to open this program and view the registry structure. Then demonstrate the hierarchical structure of the registry and point out the key points. This section has several key terms. Be sure to use the text and the REGEDIT program to differentiate among these registry components.

13. Figure 7-3 The registry root keys

14. Figure 7-4 Registry components

15. Table 7-2 Contents of Registry Root Keys

16. Table 7-3 Windows Registry Data Types (The Short List)

17. Understanding the Registry (cont.)
Backing up the Registry
Create a Restore Point
Backs up the registry and the entire OS
Use REDEGIT to back up all or a portion
Use Export Registry File option
Double-click on the .REG file to restore

18. The Windows Startup Process
Phases of the Startup Process
Power-on Self-test
Initial Startup
Boot Loader
Windows XP Boot Loader Phase
NTLDR reads BOOT.INI
Windows Vista and Windows 7 Boot Loader Phase
BOOTMGR (boot loader) reads BCD
WINLOAD.EXE is OS loader
Detect and Configure Hardware
Explain that at every startup the Windows OS is "rebuilt" from the ground up through six phases. Then continue with the description of these phases. Also, point out that Beginning with Windows Vista, the Windows files involved in the Windows startup changed, and that the text describes the differences.

19. The Windows Startup Process
Phases of the Startup Process (cont.)
Kernel Loading
NTOSKRNL.EXE loads into memory
Hardware abstraction layer (HAL) loads
System portion of the registry loads
Drivers required at startup load
Kernel initializes services and drivers and loads other code
Kernel switches Windows to GUI mode
CSRSS.EXE user-mode code starts
PAGEFILE.SYS created and WINLOGON.EXE started
Point out that the Windows Vista/Windows 7 BOOTMGR and WINLOAD.EXE files together replace the functions of the old NTLDR file. These newer versions of Windows do not need NTLDR, BOOT.INI, and NTDETECT.COM, but BOOT.INI and NTDETECT.COM will be present on a computer that multi-boots between an old OS and Windows Vista or newer.

20. The Windows Startup Process
Phases of the Startup Process (cont.)
Logon
User Logon
Program Startup
Plug and Play Detection
Emphasize that much happens during the logon phase in addition to logon

21. The Windows Startup Process
Modifying System Startup
Modifying System Startup for Windows XP
BOOT.INI must be modified directly or indirectly
System Properties | Advanced | Startup and Recovery

22. Figure 7-6 The Advanced System Settings in Windows XP

23. The Windows Startup Process
BOOT.INI for a Dual-boot System
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS=”Windows XP
Professional”/fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT=”Windows 2000

24. The Windows Startup Process
Simple BOOT.INI
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS=”Windows XP
Professional”/fastdetect
This example is not in the book.

25. The Windows Startup Process
Modifying System Startup for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Boot configuration database (BCD) is a hidden part of the registry
C:\BOOT\BCD
Contains
Locale information
Location of the boot disk
Location of the Windows files
Other startup information

26. The Windows Startup Process
Modifying System Startup for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Directly edit BDC using BCDEDIT
Modify in Startup and Recovery dialog