Understanding Windows
Windows Interface
User Interface
Login Desktop Taskbar and Start Menu System Tray
Windows Interface
My Computer
Folder Options
Windows Explorer My Documents
My Pictures
Recycle Bin My Network Places
Hot Keys
Function Keys
F1 Help F2 Rename F3 Search menu F4 Open the Address Bar options F5 Refresh the current window F6 Move among selections in current windows F10 Activate menu bar options
Hot Keys
Popular Hot Keys
CTRL-ESC Open Start menu ALT-TAB Switch between open programs ALT-F4 Quit program CTRL-Z Undo the last command CTRL-A Select all the items in the current window SHIFT-DELETE Delete item permanently SHIFT-F10 Open a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object) SHIFT Bypass the automatic-run feature for optical media (by pressing and holding down the SHIFT key while you insert optical media ALT-SPACE Display the main windows System menu (from this menu you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window) ALT-ENTER Open the properties for the selected object
Hot Keys
Working with Text
CTRL-C CTRL-X CTRL-V CTRL-Z CTRL-B CTRL-U CTRL-I
Copy Cut Paste Undo Bold Underline Italic
Hot Keys
Windows Key Shortcuts These shortcuts use the special Windows key:
Windows key Start menu Windows key-C Open the Control Panel Windows key-D Show desktop Windows key-E Windows Explorer Windows key-F Search menu Windows key-L Log off Windows Windows key-P Start Print Manager Windows key-R Run dialog box Windows key-S Toggle CAPS LOCK Windows key-V Open the Clipboard Windows key-CTRL-F Find computer Windows key-TAB Cycle through taskbar buttons Windows key-BREAK Open the System Properties dialog box
Tech Utilities
Control Panel
Add/Remove Hardware User Accounts
Device Manager System Tools Backup Disk Cleanup Disk Defragmenter
Tech Utilities
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (XP Only) Task Scheduler Security Center (XP Only) System Information System Restore (XP Only) Command Line Microsoft Management Console
Tech Utilities
Administrative Tools Computer Management Event Viewer Performance
OS Folders
System Folder Other Important Folders C:\Program Files
This is the default location for all of the installed programs personal settings for each user are stored. In each user folder, youll find another level of folders with familiar names such as Desktop, My Documents, and Start Menu. The SystemRoot has a number of critical subfolders, Remember that this is C:\WINDOWS on a Windows XP system! All of the fonts installed in Windows live here This is the real Windows! All of the most critical programs that make Windows run are stored here
C:\Documents and Settings
C:\WINNT
C:\WINNT\FONTS
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32
Registry
A huge database that stores everything about your PC, including information on all the hardware in the PC, network information, user preferences, file types, and virtually anything else you might run into with Windows Almost any form of configuration done to a Windows system involves editing the Registry Accessing the Registry REGEDT32.EXE older REGEDIT.EXE
Registry Components
The Registry is organized in a tree structure similar to the folders in the PC. Once you open the Registry Editor in Windows, you will see five main subgroups, or root keys
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT HKEY_CURRENT_USER HKEY_USERS HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
Swap File or Page File
Windows uses a portion of the hard drive as an extension of system RAM
Called a RAM cache A RAM cache is a block of cylinders on a hard drive set aside as whats called a swap file, page file, or virtual memory
When the PC starts running out of real RAM because youve loaded too many programs, the system swaps programs from RAM to the swap file, opening more space for programs currently active
Features and Characteristics of Windows 2000/XP
Features and Characteristics of Windows 2000/XP
NT File System (NTFS)
Offers the following excellent features:
Long filenames (LFNs) Redundancy Backward compatibility Recoverability Security
Security
Accounts Groups NTFS Permissions Full Control Enables you to do anything you want! Modify Enables you to do anything except take ownership or change permissions on the file Read & Execute If the file is a program, you can run it Read If the file is data, you can read it Write Enables you to write to the file
The Boot Process
System Partition Files
Windows 2000 and XP require the three system files in the root directory of the system partition:
NTLDR BOOT.INI NTDETECT.COM
Windows Versions
Windows XP Professional
Offers a complete computing solution Tuned for office environments that support multiple users It provides full-blown data security It is the only version of Windows with the capability of logging into a special Windows Server-controlled network called a domain
Windows Versions
Windows XP Home
Is Designed for the home and small office user The ability to log on to a Windows domain Encrypted File System Support for multiple processors! Support for Remote Desktop Support for NTFS Access Control Support for group policies
Windows XP Home does not have:
Windows XP Media Center
A specialized XP version that includes the very handy Windows Media Center program A powerful Personal Video Recorder (PVR) program that enables you to watch and record television (youll need a TV tuner card) and organize all of your media, from photos to music
