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Chapter 5Chapter 5

Chapter 5Chapter 5

• Chapter 5 is a Large Chapter• It has a great deal of useful

information about operating systems.

• You will find this VERY helpful when dealing with computer problems

• Chapter 5 is a Large Chapter• It has a great deal of useful

information about operating systems.

• You will find this VERY helpful when dealing with computer problems

The Boot ProcessThe Boot Process

• When the computer starts up the BIOS has a setting that tells the computer where to find the boot device(s).

• It also has the order the computer is to check them in.

• You can set the order.

• When the computer starts up the BIOS has a setting that tells the computer where to find the boot device(s).

• It also has the order the computer is to check them in.

• You can set the order.

The Boot ProcessThe Boot Process

• When Windows starts it finds the boot device information in a file called boot.ini

• .ini files are used by Windows to hold all kinds of setting information.

• These files live in a place called the Registry.

• When Windows starts it finds the boot device information in a file called boot.ini

• .ini files are used by Windows to hold all kinds of setting information.

• These files live in a place called the Registry.

The Boot ProcessThe Boot Process• In Windows if you get a message

during boot up that “NTLDR is missing” the OS Kernel has been corrupted or erased.

• The machine will not boot until the file is fixed or replaced.

• You do this by launching the “Recovery Console” from the installation disk under “Repair XP”.

• In Windows if you get a message during boot up that “NTLDR is missing” the OS Kernel has been corrupted or erased.

• The machine will not boot until the file is fixed or replaced.

• You do this by launching the “Recovery Console” from the installation disk under “Repair XP”.

The Boot ProcessThe Boot Process• In Windows 95 and 98 a utility that

checked the hard drive for errors was called Chkdsk.

• It ran if the machine did not shut down properly.

• The utility is still part of the OS and you can run it anytime you have concerns about the hard drive.

• In Windows 95 and 98 a utility that checked the hard drive for errors was called Chkdsk.

• It ran if the machine did not shut down properly.

• The utility is still part of the OS and you can run it anytime you have concerns about the hard drive.

File FormatsFile Formats

• Windows mainly uses 2 currently.• They are FAT32 and NTFS• You can convert a drive from FAT 32 to

NTFS by running a convert utility.• NTFS has more security features than

FAT32.• Other OS’s can read Windows formats

or they may have their own.

• Windows mainly uses 2 currently.• They are FAT32 and NTFS• You can convert a drive from FAT 32 to

NTFS by running a convert utility.• NTFS has more security features than

FAT32.• Other OS’s can read Windows formats

or they may have their own.

Installing WindowsInstalling Windows

• Drive partitioning is done at the beginning of the installation process.

• Windows XP can support up to 4 partitions per hard drive.

• Drive partitioning is done at the beginning of the installation process.

• Windows XP can support up to 4 partitions per hard drive.

Installing WindowsInstalling Windows

• If Windows XP Pro fails to autostart the installation process you can do so by launching a file called winnt32.

• If Windows XP Pro fails to autostart the installation process you can do so by launching a file called winnt32.

Installing WindowsInstalling Windows• The process of installing takes over an

hour.• A shortcut if you are doing several

identical machines is to create an image of the first machine and copy it to the others.

• This is called several names including cloning, ghosting and imaging.

• The process of installing takes over an hour.

• A shortcut if you are doing several identical machines is to create an image of the first machine and copy it to the others.

• This is called several names including cloning, ghosting and imaging.

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates• In Windows if you cannot boot

properly after upgrading you can roll back the drivers by:• Hitting F8 during the boot process• Choosing “boot to last known good

configuration”.• You can also boot into “Safe Mode” to

run without most device drivers to fix a problem manually.

• In Windows if you cannot boot properly after upgrading you can roll back the drivers by:• Hitting F8 during the boot process• Choosing “boot to last known good

configuration”.• You can also boot into “Safe Mode” to

run without most device drivers to fix a problem manually.

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates

• In Windows installing new hardware has been made simpler through technology called “Plug ‘N Play”. (PnP)

• In Windows installing new hardware has been made simpler through technology called “Plug ‘N Play”. (PnP)

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates

• Windows can be set to automatically update itself by activating “Automatic Updates” in the control panel.

• Windows can be set to automatically update itself by activating “Automatic Updates” in the control panel.

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates

• New hardware is assured compatibility with Windows because developers follow a set of guidelines called API.

• New hardware is assured compatibility with Windows because developers follow a set of guidelines called API.

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates

• In Windows you can confirm that hardware is working properly and has the proper driver by checking Device Manager.

• In Windows you can confirm that hardware is working properly and has the proper driver by checking Device Manager.

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates• Restore Points can be created in

Windows to get you back to a place before software was installed.

• These points should be created before installing new device drivers or OS updates.

• MAC just added this feature.

• Restore Points can be created in Windows to get you back to a place before software was installed.

• These points should be created before installing new device drivers or OS updates.

• MAC just added this feature.

Upgrades/UpdatesUpgrades/Updates

• New hardware can be checked for compatibility on Microsoft’s Compatibility List

• New hardware can be checked for compatibility on Microsoft’s Compatibility List

Other OS’sOther OS’s

• Other OS’s have the same basic functions as Windows.

• They include:• DOS• Mac• Linux• Others

• Other OS’s have the same basic functions as Windows.

• They include:• DOS• Mac• Linux• Others

Other OS’sOther OS’s

• DOS• DOS (Disk Operating System) did

most everything Windows does through a command-line interface.

• DOS still exists within Windows• It is useful for many functions• Automating tasks

• DOS• DOS (Disk Operating System) did

most everything Windows does through a command-line interface.

• DOS still exists within Windows• It is useful for many functions• Automating tasks

Other OS’sOther OS’s

• DOS• Some commands:• Dir - Generates a list of all files and

folders in the current directory.• CD/ Changes current directory• MD Makes a directory• Copy filename.xxx

c:/directory/filename.xxx

• DOS• Some commands:• Dir - Generates a list of all files and

folders in the current directory.• CD/ Changes current directory• MD Makes a directory• Copy filename.xxx

c:/directory/filename.xxx

Other OS’sOther OS’s

• DOS• All of the OS’s allow you to set file

attributes.• These include things like “Read Only”

and Archival.• Archival means that the file will be backed

up.• Backing up data is the best way to protect

it.

• DOS• All of the OS’s allow you to set file

attributes.• These include things like “Read Only”

and Archival.• Archival means that the file will be backed

up.• Backing up data is the best way to protect

it.

Network OS’sNetwork OS’s

• Servers (Or other computers) in Windows can be found in “My Network Places”.

• Servers usually run a different version of the system software.

• Servers (Or other computers) in Windows can be found in “My Network Places”.

• Servers usually run a different version of the system software.