Chapter Seventeen

Working with Windows Vista

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 220-902 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.

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 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.

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 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)

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 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.

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 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.
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• 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.

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• 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

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 Clean Install

2 Methods:
1.Boot from DVD
2.Runs Setup.exe within Windows
(recommended by Microsoft)

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 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
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 Key Boot Files
• BOOTMGR
• BCD
• WINLOAD.EXE
• NTOSKRNL.EXE
• WINRESUME.EXE
• System files
– HAL.DLL
– SMSS.EXE
– WINLOGON.EXE
– LSASS.EXE
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 Boot Process
1. Self-check, BIOS finds MBR
2. MBR finds volume boot sector
3. MBR loads BOOTMGR
4. BOOTMGR uses WINRESUME.EXE if
needed
5. BOOTMGR processes BCD
6. BOOTMGR loads WINLOAD.EXE
7. WINLOAD.EXE loads kernel
8. Device drivers are loaded. WIN32K.SYS
and SMSS. EXE are loaded
9. WINLOGON.EXE presents the login
screen
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 Restore Points

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 Security Center

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 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

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 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
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 Administrative Tools

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 System Configuration Tool

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 Boot Options

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 Memory Diagnostic

• Used to check a system for

memory problems.
• Start ➢ Control Panel ➢
Administrative Tools ➢ Memory
Diagnostics Tool
• Restart required

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 Unique Control Panel Utilities

• Tablet PC Settings
• Pen And Input Devices
• Offline files
• Problem Reports And Solutions
• Printers

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 Tablet and PC Setting

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 Pen and Input Devices

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 Offline Files

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 Problems Reports and
Solutions

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 Printers

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Creating a Network Connection

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 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

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 QoS

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 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

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 Aero Configuration Window

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 User Access Control

• Not recommended to turn off

however annoying
• Choose “Run This Program As
An Administrator” for frequently
run programs instead

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 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

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 Sidebar

• Allows easy access to gadgets

• if not visible, click Start ➢ All
Programs ➢ Accessories ➢
Windows Sidebar).

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