Windows Configuration PDF

Windows Configuration The first version of the Microsoft Windows operating system was released in 1985. Since then, over 25 versions, subversions, and varieties have been released. As an IT technician and professional you should understand the features of the most prevalent Windows versions in use...

Windows Configuration The first version of the Microsoft Windows operating system was released in 1985. Since then, over 25 versions, subversions, and varieties have been released. As an IT technician and professional you should understand the features of the most prevalent Windows versions in use today, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. In this chapter, you will learn about the different Windows versions and the editions of each that are most suited for corporate and home users. You will learn how to configure the Windows operating system and to perform administrative tasks using the Control Panel in the GUI and commands in the Windows command line (CLI) application and the PowerShell command line utility. You will have an opportunity to put into practice what you learn by working through several labs that involve working with file system commands, disk CLI commands, task and system CLI commands, and others. You will learn about the two methods for organizing and managing Windows computers on a network, the domain and the workgroup, and how to share local computer resources, such as files, folders, and printers on the network. You will also learn how to configure a wired network connection in Windows. You will perform labs creating and sharing folders on the network and setting access permissions. You will also connect a computer to a wireless router and test the wireless connection as well as configure Windows for remote access using the Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance tools. You will learn how a preventive maintenance plan can decrease downtime, improve performance, improve reliability, and lower repair costs and that preventive maintenance should take place when it causes the least amount of disruption to users. Regular scans for viruses and malware are also an important part of preventive maintenance. You will perform several labs to schedule a task using the GUI and at the command line and to manage startup applications using the Run key in the Registry. At the end of the chapter, you will learn how the six steps in the troubleshooting process are applied to Windows operating systems. Windows Versions The first version of the Microsoft Windows operating system was released in 1985, over 30 years ago! Since then, over 25 versions, subversions, and varieties have been released. In addition, each version can also have editions, such as Home, Pro, Ultimate, or Enterprise, and come in either 32-bit or 64-bit versions. In the case of Windows 10, twelve editions were developed and released. However, only nine are currently offered. Corporate and personal users of Windows operating system have different needs. On a corporate network it is usually necessary to manage user accounts and system policies centrally due to the number of devices on the network and higher security requirements. Centralized management is provided through joining an Active Directory domain where the user accounts and security policies are configured on a Domain Controller. Windows Professional, Pro, Enterprise, Ultimate, and Education editions can join an Active Directory domain. Other corporate features include: BitLocker - A feature that enables a user to encrypt all data on a disk drive or removable drive. Found on Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise, and Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education Editions. Encrypted file system (EFS) - A feature found on Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise, and Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education Editions that allows the user to configure file and folder-level encryption. Branch Cache - Allows remote computers to share access to a single cache of data from shared folders and files or document portals such as SharePoint sites. This can reduce WAN traffic because the individual clients do not each need to download their own copy of cache data. Found on Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows 8 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education Editions. There are some features of Windows that are aimed at personal use, such as Windows Media Center. This is a Microsoft app that allows the computer to be used as a home entertainment appliance for playing DVDs. Windows Media Center was included in Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. It was also a paid-for add-on to Windows 8 but was discontinued in Windows 10. This chapter covers the various tools and applications that are available for configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting Windows. The primary focus of this course will be Windows 10. When relevant, Windows 8 and Windows 7 will be discussed when major differences exist between them and Windows 10. Windows 10 There are nine editions of Windows 10 that are currently offered. The examples used in this course are from the Windows 10 Professional edition. The retail version of Windows 10 became available in July 2015. Windows 10 offered a return to the desktop computer-oriented interface that had been replaced in Windows 8. It supports an easy transition between a point-and-click interface and the touch interfaces of tablets, phones, and embedded systems like Internet of Things (IoT) single-board computers. Windows 10 includes support for universal apps that run on desktop and mobile devices. It also introduces the Microsoft Edge web browser. It offers enhanced security features, faster logons, and encryption of system files to save disk space. Charms were replaced with a new Windows Action Center that provides notifications and quick settings. Windows 10 uses a new update model. Twice a year, Microsoft offers feature updates. These updates add new features to Windows and also improve existing features. The updates are numbered, and the description of them is listed on the Microsoft website. It is entirely possible that you will notice changes to the interfaces of some Windows apps and tools after a feature update. Quality updates, or cumulative updates, usually install monthly. They contain patches to fix problems with Windows or they contain security updates to address new threats and vulnerabilities. The most current version of Windows, as of this writing, is Windows 11. Windows 11 changes are mostly superficial, but it does require more robust hardware in order to run. Windows 11 is a 64-bit only operating system. Personalizing the Windows Desktop Windows offers many settings that enable users to personalize the desktop and other aspects of the Windows GUI. The fastest way to get to these settings is to right-click an empty area of the desktop and select **Personalize**. This shows the **Background** settings. Drag the right-hand border of the settings box to widen it. This will reveal the **Personalization** settings menu. The fastest way to change the look and feel of the Windows GUI is to select from the available themes, as shown in the figure. Themes are a preset combination of GUI settings that go together. You can also create themes from settings that you have made so that they can be used later. Themes beyond those that are provided can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Many other changes can be made to Windows GUI from here. In Windows 8 the Apps environment is highly customizable. To re-arrange the tiles, click and drag the tiles. To rename a tile group, right-click on any empty area of the screen and select Name groups. To add tiles to the main screen, right-click the desired Windows app after searching for it and select Pin to Start. To search for an app, click Search from the Charms bar. Alternatively, you can start typing the name of the app from the Windows Apps environment. Search will start automatically. In Windows 7 and 8.1, to customize the desktop, right-click anywhere on the desktop and choose **Personalize**. In the Personalization window, you can change the desktop appearance, display settings, and sound settings. The Windows 10 Start menu consists of three main parts. To the left, a strip of shortcuts to common libraries appears with a button that provides access to settings and the shutdown button. To the right of this is a menu of applications that are available, in alphabetical order, with areas for the most recently installed and most used applications at the top. To the right is an area containing tiles for Apps that are arranged by category, such as games, creative software, etc. The Taskbar The Taskbar provides easy access to many important and commonly used features of Windows. Applications, files, tools, and settings can all be accessed from this one place. Right-clicking the Taskbar or opening the Taskbar and Navigation control panel leads you to a Settings screen that allows easy configuration of the Taskbar appearance, location, operation, and features. The Windows 10 Taskbar Settings screen is shown in the figure. It is available from the Taskbar option in the Personalization Settings window. These are some useful features of the Taskbar: - **Jump lists** - To display a list of tasks that are unique to the application, right-click the application's icon in the taskbar. - **Pinned applications** - To add an application to the taskbar for easy access, right-click the icon of an application and select Pin to taskbar. - **Thumbnail previews** - To view a thumbnail image of a running program, hover the mouse over the program icon on the taskbar. The seven tabs in Windows 10 Task Manager provide important information for monitoring the operation of Windows. You can open Task Manager by right-clicking on the Taskbar and selecting the Task Manager entry or from the Windows+X menu. The CTRL-SHIFT-ESC key combination will also open Task Manager. Finally, task manager is also available on the screen that appears when you issue the CTRL-ALT-DEL key combination. Processes: This tab shows a list of processes currently running on the PC. A process is a set of instructions started by the user, a program, or the OS. Running processes are now categorized as apps, background processes, and Windows system processes. Performance: This tab contains dynamic system performance graphs. You can select any of the options, CPU, Memory, Disk, or Ethernet, etc. to see graphs for each. App History: This tab displays historical resource utilization, such as CPU time, network data usage, and data uploads and downloads. Information is shown by date. The data can be cleared and the date reset to the current date. This information is only available for installed apps, mostly from the Microsoft store, not applications.  Startup: This tab shows what processes that are automatically started during Windows startup. Windows also measures the relative impact each process has on the system\'s overall startup time. To keep a process from starting automatically, right-click on the process and disable its automatic startup. Users: This tab shows the users who are currently connected to the PC and the system resources that they are currently using. The information displayed is much like the performance tab. Users can be disconnected from this tab as well. Details: This tab improves on the Windows 7 Task Manager Process tab. From this, it is possible to tweak the level of CPU priority for a given process. It is also possible to specify which CPU a process will use to run (CPU affinity). Application icons were added as well. Services: This tab displays all services which are available and their status. It allows for easy stopping, starting and restarting of them. Services are identified by their Process ID (PID). Task Manager is different in Windows 7. In many ways, the Windows 10 Task Manager is a significant upgrade from the Windows 7 Task Manager. The Windows 7 Task Manager has six tabs: - **Applications** - This tab shows all running applications. From this tab, you can create, switch to, or close any applications that have stopped responding using the buttons at the bottom. - **Processes** - This tab shows all running processes. From this tab, you can end processes or set process priorities. - **Services** - This tab shows the available services, including their operational status. Services are identified by their PID. - **Performance** - This tab shows the CPU and page file usage. - **Networking** - This tab shows the usage of all network adapters. - **Users** - This tab shows all users that are logged on the computer. Several major differences exist between Task Manager in Windows 7 and Windows 10: 1. The Applications and Processes tabs have been combined in Windows 10. 2. The Networking tab is now included with the Performance tab in Windows 10. 3. The Users tab has been enhanced in Windows 10 to not only show the users that are connected but also the resources that they are using. File Explorer File Explorer is a file management application in Window 8 and Windows 10. It is used to navigate the file system and manage the folders, subfolders, and applications on storage media. You can also preview some types of files. In File Explorer, common tasks, such as copying and moving files and creating new folders, can be done using the Ribbon. The tabs at the top of the window change as different types of items are selected. In the figure, the Ribbon for the File tab is displayed for Quick Access. If the Ribbon is not displaying, click the **Expand the Ribbon** icon, represented by a down arrow, on the upper right corner of the window. Windows Explorer is the name of the file management application in Windows 7 and earlier. Windows Explorer performs similar functions as File Explorer but lacks the Ribbon. This PC In Windows versions 10 and 8.1, the This PC feature allows you to access the various Devices and drives installed in the computer. In Windows 7, this same feature is called Computer. Run as Administrator Modern operating systems use a number of methods to improve security. One of these methods is file permissions. Depending on the file permission, only users with enough permission can access the file. System files, other user files, or files with elevated permissions are examples of files that could lead Windows to deny access to a user. To override this behavior and gain access to those files, you must open or execute them as the system administrator. To open or execute a file using elevated permission, right-click the file and choose **Run as Administrator** as shown in the figure. Choose **Yes** in the User Account Control (UAC) window. UAC is the location where administrators can manage user accounts. In some cases, software will not install properly unless the installer is run with Administrator privileges. **Note**: An administrator password is required to use these feature if the current user does not belong to the Administrator group. Windows Libraries Windows Libraries allow you to easily organize content from various storage devices on your local computer and network, including removable media, without actually moving the files. A library is a virtual folder that presents content from different locations within the same view. When Windows 10 is installed, each user has six default libraries, as shown in the figure. You can search a library, and you can filter the content using criteria such as filename, file type, or date modified. In Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, the libraries are hidden by default. The context menu for the left pane of the File Explorer window contains an option that shows the libraries. Directory Structures In Windows, files are organized in a directory structure. A directory structure is designed to store system files, user files, and program files. The root level of the Windows directory structure, the partition, is usually labeled drive C, as shown in the figure. Drive C contains a set of standardized directories, called folders, for the operating system, applications, configuration information, and data files. Directories may contain additional directories, as shown in the figure. These additional directories are commonly called subfolders. The number of nested folders is essentially limited by the maximum length of the path to the folders. In Windows 10, the default limit is 260 characters. The figure shows several nested folders in File Explorer along with the equivalent path. Windows creates a series of folders for each user account that is configured on the computer. These folders appear to be the same in File Explorer for each user, however, they are actually unique to each user account. In this way, users cannot access each other\'s files, applications, or data. **Note**: It is a best practice to store files in folders and subfolders rather than at the root level of a drive. **Users Folder** By default, Windows stores most of the files created by users in the Users Folder, C:\\Users\\User\_name\\. Each user's folder contains folders for music, videos, websites, and pictures, among others. Many programs also store specific user data here. If a single computer has many users, they have their own folders containing their favorites, desktop items, logs, among others.  **System Folder** When the Windows OS is installed, most of the files that are used to run the computer are located in the folder C:\\Windows\\system32. Making changes to the contents of the System Folder could cause problems with Windows operation. **Program Files** The Program Files folder is used by most application installation programs to install software. In 32-bit versions of Windows, all programs are 32-bit and are installed in the folder C:\\Program Files. In 64-bit systems, 64-bit programs are installed in the folder C:\\Program Files, while 32-bit programs are installed in the folder C:\\Program Files (x86). **Windows 10 File Extensions** Files in the directory structure adhere to a Windows naming convention: - A maximum of 255 characters is allowed. - Characters such as a slash or a backslash (/ \\) are not allowed. - An extension of three or four letters is added to the filename to identify the file type. - Filenames are not case sensitive. By default, file extensions are hidden. In Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, in the File Explorer ribbon, click the **View** tab. Then click to check **File name extensions** **Windows 7 File Extensions** To display the file extensions In Windows 7, you must disable the **Hide extensions for known file types** setting in the **FolderOptions** control panel utility, as shown in the figure. The following filename extensions are commonly used: -.docx - Microsoft Word (2007 and later) -.txt - ASCII text only -.jpg - Graphics format -.pptx - Microsoft PowerPoint -.zip - Compression format File Attributes The directory structure maintains a set of attributes for each file that controls how the file can be viewed or altered. These are the most common file attributes: - R - The file is read-only. - A - The file will be archived the next time that the disk is backed up. - S - The file is marked as a system file, and a warning is given if an attempt is made to delete or modify the file. - H - The file is hidden in the directory display. The figure shows the file properties dialog box in which attributes can be viewed or set. Windows 10: Settings and Control Panels Windows 10 offers two ways to configure the operating system. The first is the Settings app. It has an interface that follows the modern Windows interface design guidelines.  Introduction to Control Panel Windows 10 usually defaults to the Settings app for configuration changes. This is good for the casual user, however a PC technician frequently needs more configuration options than what is available in the Settings App. The Control Panel offers many configuration tools and its interface is preferred by many experienced Windows administrators. In fact, some Settings actually link to Control Panel items. To start Control Panel, type Control Panel into the Search box and click the Control Panel Desktop app that appears in the results, as shown in the figure. If you right-click on the result, you can pin it to the Start menu to make it easier to find. You can also open it from the Command Prompt by typing **control**. In Windows 7, the Control Panel has an entry on the Start menu. In Windows 8.1, it can be accessed by right-clicking the Start button. In Windows 8, it can be opened by searching for Control Panel and clicking the result. Control Panel Views The Windows 10 Control Panel opens to the Categories view by default, as shown in the left figure. This helps to organize the forty or more Control Panel items and makes them easier to find. This view also provides a search box which will return a list of Control Panel items that are relevant to a search term. The classic view of Control Panel is reached by changing the setting in the **View by:** dropdown menu to **Small icons**, as shown in the right figure. Note that there will be variations in what is available in Control Panel depending on features of the individual computer. **Define Control Panel Categories** System and Security: In this category, you can view and configure security settings such as Windows Defender Firewall. You can also access administrative tools that enable you to configure a wide range of system functions such as general hardware, storage, and encryption settings and operations. Network and Internet: This category allows configuration, verification and troubleshooting of networking and file sharing. It also allows configuration of the default Microsoft browser that is present on the system.  Hardware and Sound: This category permits configuration of devices such as printers, media devices, power, and mobility. Programs: This category allows changes to installed programs and Windows updates, including removal. Activation or deactivation of a wide range of Windows features can also be accessed here. User Accounts: This category enables administration of Windows user accounts and user account control (UAC). Management of Web and Windows Credentials including the file encryption certificates that are used to encrypt files stored on the computer can also be accessed here. Ease of Access: This category provides many options that make Windows easier to use, especially for people who require accommodations for physical or perceptual challenges. Configuration of speech recognition and text to speech services are also found here. Clock and Region: This category enables configuration of time and date settings and formats. Location and language can also be configured here in some Windows versions. Appearance and Personalization: This category permits configuration of the taskbar and navigation (via Settings), file explorer, and available fonts. More options are available through the personalization Settings app. User Accounts An administrative account is created when Windows is installed. To create a user account afterwards, open the User Accounts Control Panel item, as shown in the figure. Administrator accounts have the ability to change all system settings and access all files and folders on the computer. For that reason, administrator accounts should be carefully controlled. Standard user accounts can manage most configuration settings that don\'t affect other users. They can only access their own files and folders. The User Accounts Control Panel item provides options to help you create, change, and delete user accounts. It is very similar between Windows versions. **Note**: Some features of the User Accounts utility require administrative privileges and will not be accessible with a standard user account. User Account Control Settings The User Account Control (UAC) monitors programs on the computer and warns users when an action might present a threat to the computer. In Windows versions 7 through 10, you can adjust the level of monitoring that the UAC performs. When Windows is installed, the UAC for the primary account defaults to the setting \"Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer,\" as shown in the figure. You are not notified when you make changes to these settings. To change when you are notified about changes that programs may make to your computer, adjust the level of UAC. Credential Manager Credential Manager helps you to manage passwords that are used for websites and Windows applications, as shown in the figure. These passwords and usernames are stored in a secure location. Credentials are automatically updated as they are created or changed. You can view, add, edit, or delete the credentials that are stored by Credential Manager. Credential Manager has been enhanced since the Windows 7 version although the interface is similar. **Note**: Web credentials are not saved for sites accessed by browsers other than Internet Explorer and Edge. Credentials created with other browsers must be managed from within that browser. Sync Center Sync Center allows files to be edited from multiple Windows devices. While accessing networked files from multiple devices is nothing new, Sync Center allows a form of version control. This means that changes made to the networked files by one device will be made on all devices that are configured to synchronize those files. With this synchronization service, there is no need to physically copy a new version of a file from the device on which the changes were made to the device that you are currently working on. The updated file is on the networked storage location and the local versions are updated to the latest version automatically. When changes are made, those changes will be made to networked file too. All devices must be able to connect to the same networked storage location. Another value to Sync Center is that users can work on files on a device that is offline and the server copy can be updated over the network when the device reconnects. Using Sync Center requires activation of the Offline Files feature. This sets up a local file location that will store the files to be synchronized. It also requires you to set up a sync partnership with the networked file location. Files can be synchronized manually and synchronization can also be scheduled to occur automatically. Microsoft OneDrive offers a similar service. OneDrive is a cloud storage service that is available to Microsoft Windows users. Since OneDrive is reachable over the internet, work can be done on any device that can connect to OneDrive from any location with internet access. Sync Center requires access to a network server that may not be reachable from networks in other locations. Network Settings Windows 10 has a new Settings app for network settings. It combines many different functions into one high-level app, as shown in the figure. The links in this app can point to new settings screens, Control Panel items, or even the Action Center. Some of the options, such as Airplane Mode, Mobile Hotspot, and Data Usage are more relevant to mobile devices than to desktop computers. Mobile devices use Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) or cellular Internet access technology. WWAN requires using an adapter to link to a cellular provider's network through the nearest base station or transmitter. WWAN adapters can be internal or external connected by USB. The bandwidth available over WWAN connections is dependent on the technologies supported by the adapter and the transmitter, such as 3G or 4G. Connection to the WWAN is automatic once the adapter and adapter software are installed. Network and Sharing Center Network and Sharing Center allows an administrator to configure and review nearly all network settings on a Windows computer. With it, you can do everything from viewing network status to changing properties of the protocols and services that are running on a network adapter. The figures show the Network and Sharing Center for Windows 10, 8, and 7. Note that although they look very similar. Small differences exist between the versions. Network and Sharing Center shows how your computer connects to a network. Internet connectivity, if present, will also be displayed here. The window displays and allows the configuration of shared network resources. Some useful and common network-related tasks are displayed on the left pane of the window. Network and Sharing center allows the configuration of file and device sharing through the use of network profiles. The network profiles enable basic sharing settings to change depending on whether you are attached to a private or public network. This enables sharing to be inactive on an insecure public network but active on a private secure network. HomeGroup In Windows networking, a homegroup is a group of computers that are on the same network. Homegroups simplify sharing files on simple networks. They are intended to make networking in the home easier by requiring a minimum of configuration. You can share your library folders on the network, making it easy for other devices to access your music, videos, photos, and documents. Devices that are attached to computers in the homegroup can also be shared. Users will need the homegroup password in order to join the homegroup and access shared resources. Homegroups were used in Windows 7 and 8. Microsoft has been phasing out the homegroup functionality. In Windows 8.1 homegroups cannot be created, however Windows 8.1 computers can join existing home groups. In newer versions of Windows 10 (version 1803 and higher), home group functionality is not available. Display Settings and Configuration In Windows 10, much of the Appearance and Personalization configuration has been moved to the Settings app, as shown in the left figure. The Windows 10 display settings are reached by right-clicking an empty area of the desktop and selecting Display settings from the context menu. Alternatively, the Settings app can be opened. Display settings are available in the System category. You can change the appearance of the desktop by modifying the resolution that is output by the graphics adapter. If the screen resolution is not set properly, you might get unexpected display results from different video cards and monitors. You can also change the magnification of the desktop and text size in Windows interface elements. The Windows 8.1 Display control panel item is shown in the right figure. In Windows 7 and 8, the Display Control Panel item is found in the Hardware and Sound category. When using an LCD screen, set the resolution to the recommended setting. This will set the resolution to the native resolution, which sets the video output to the same number of pixels that the monitor has. If you do not use native resolution, the monitor does not produce the best picture Display Features You can adjust the following features in the Windows 8 and 7 Display control panel item: - **Display** - A specific monitor can be configured if there is more than one monitor. - **Screen resolution** - This specifies the number of pixels horizontally and vertically. A higher number of pixels provides better resolution. Typically expressed as horizontal pixels x vertical pixels or 1920 x 1080, for example. - **Orientation** - This determines whether the display appears in Landscape, Portrait, flipped Landscape, or flipped Portrait orientation. - **Refresh rate** - This sets how often the image in the screen is redrawn. The refresh rate is in Hertz (Hz). 60Hz means the screen is redrawn 60 times per second. The higher the refresh rate, the steadier the screen image appears. However, some monitors cannot handle all refresh rate settings. - **Display colors** - In older systems, the number of colors to display, or the bit depth, needed to be set to a value that is compatible with graphics adapter and monitor. The higher the bit depth, the greater the number of colors. For example, the 24-bit color (True Color) palette contains 16 million colors. The 32-bit color palette contains 24-bit color and 8 bits for other data such as transparency. - **Multiple displays** - Some computers or graphics cards permit the attachment of two or more monitors to the same computer. The desktop can be extended, meaning the displays combine to make one large display, or mirrored, meaning the same image is shown on all displays. Power Options The Power Options Control Panel item allows you to change the power consumption of certain devices or the entire computer. Use Power Options to maximize battery performance or conserve energy by configuring a power plan. Power plans are a collection of hardware and system settings that manage the power usage of the computer. The figure shows the Power Options Control Panel item in Windows 10. It varies slightly in Windows 7 and 8. One important difference is that that the setting that requires a password when the computer wakes has been moved from Power Options to User Accounts in Windows 10. This is an important setting for data security. Windows has preset power plans. These are default settings that were created when Windows was installed. You can use the default settings or create your own customized plans that are based on specific work or device requirements. **Note**: Windows automatically detects some devices that are part of the computer and creates power settings accordingly. Therefore, the Power Options settings will vary based on the hardware that is detected. Power Options Settings The Power Options Control Panel item is part of the System and Security Control Panel category. The Widows 8 Power Options are shown in the figure. You can choose from the following options: - Require a password on wakeup (Windows 7 and 8 only) - Choose what the power buttons do - Choose what closing the lid does (for laptops only) - Create a power plan - Choose when to turn off the display - Change when the computer sleeps Power Options Actions Selecting **Choose what the power buttons do**, or **Choose what closing the lid does**, configures how a computer acts when power or sleep buttons are pressed, or the lid is closed. Some of these settings also appear as shutdown options for the Windows Start button or the Windows 10 Power button. If users do not want to completely shut down a computer, the following options may be available: - **Do nothing** - The computer continues to run at full power. - **Sleep** -- Documents, applications, and the state of the operating system are saved in RAM. This allows the computer to power on quickly, but uses power to retain the information in RAM. - **Hibernate** -- Documents, applications, and the state of the operating system are saved to a temporary file on the hard drive. With this option, the computer takes a little longer to power on than the Sleep state, but does not use any power to retain the information on the hard drive. - **Turn off the display** - The computer operates at full power. The display is turned off. - **Shut down** - Shuts down the computer. System Control Panel Item The System Control Panel item allows all users to view basic system information, access tools, and configure advanced system settings. The System Control Panel item is found under the System and Security category. The Windows 10 System Control Panel item is shown in the figure. The System Control Panel item is very similar in Windows 7 and 8. The various settings can be accessed by clicking the links on the left panel. Increasing Performance To enhance the performance of the OS, you can change the virtual memory configuration settings, as shown in the figure. When Windows determines that system RAM is insufficient, it will create a paging file on the hard drive that contains some of the data from RAM. When the data is required back in RAM, it is read from the paging file. This process is much slower than accessing the RAM directly. If a computer has a small amount of RAM, consider purchasing additional RAM to reduce paging. Another form of virtual memory is the use of an external flash device and Windows ReadyBoost to enhance system performance. Windows ReadyBoost enables Windows to treat an external flash device, such as a USB drive, as hard drive cache. ReadyBoost will not be available if Windows determines that no performance improvement will be gained. To activate Windows ReadyBoost, insert a flash device and right-click the drive in File Explorer. Click Properties and select the ReadyBoost tab Device Manager Device Manager, shown at right, displays a list of all the devices installed in the computer, allowing you to diagnose and resolve device problems. You can view details about the installed hardware and drivers, as well as perform the following functions: - **Update a driver** - Change the currently installed driver. - **Roll back a driver** - Change the currently installed driver to the previously installed driver. - **Uninstall a driver** - Remove a driver. - **Disable a device** - Disable a device. Device Manager organizes devices by type. To view the actual devices, expand the appropriate category. You can view the properties of any device in the computer by double-clicking the device name. The Device Manager utility uses icons to indicate the types of problems that may exist with a device, as indicated in the icons that are shown in the table. The devices that are available in Device Manager vary from computer to computer. Device Manager is very similar in Windows versions 7, 8, and 10. Devices and Printers Use the Devices and Printers Control Panel item for a high-level view of the devices connected to a computer, as shown in the figure. Devices displayed in the Devices and Printers Control Panel item are typically external devices you can connect to your computer through a port such as USB, or a network connection. Devices and Printers also allows you to quickly add a new device to the computer. In most cases, Windows will automatically install any necessary drivers that are required by the device. Note that the desktop computer device in the figure shows a yellow triangle alert, indicate that there is a problem with the driver. The green check mark next to a device indicates that is to be used as the default device. Right-click on a device to view its properties. Devices typically shown in Devices and Printers include: - Portable devices that you occasionally connect to your computer, such as mobile phones, personal fitness devices, and digital cameras. - Devices you plug into a USB port on your computer, such as external USB hard drives, flash drives, webcams, keyboards, and mice. - Printers connected to your computer or available on the network. - Wireless devices connected to your computer, such as Bluetooth and wireless USB devices. - Compatible network devices connected to your computer, such as network-enabled scanners, media extenders, or Network Attached Storage devices (NAS). Devices and Printers is very similar in Windows versions 7, 8, and 10. Sound Use the Sound Control Panel item to configure audio devices or change the sound scheme of the computer. For example, you can change the email notification sound from a beep to a chime. Sound also allows a user to choose which audio device is to be used for playback or recording. The Sound Control Panel utility is largely unchanged between Windows 7, 8, and 10. Clock Windows allows you to change the system time and date through the Date and Time control panel item, as shown in the figure. You can also adjust your time zone. Windows will automatically update the time settings when time changes occur. The Windows clock will automatically synchronize with a time authority on the internet. This ensures that the time value is accurate. Time and Date is accessed through the Clock and Region Control Panel category in Windows 10. In Windows 7 and 8, it is accessed through the Clock, Language, and Region Control Panel category. Region Windows allows you to change the format of numbers, currencies, dates, and times by using the Region Control Panel item. In Windows 7 there were tabs available to allow changing the system keyboard layout and language, and the computer location. In Windows 8 the keyboard and language tab was removed. Windows 10 attempts to use location services to automatically detect the location of the computer. The location can also be set manually if the location can\'t be determined. The Windows 8 and Windows 10 Region Control Panel item are shown in the figures below, respectively. Date and time setting formats can be changed by changing the display patterns available in the Date and Time formats area. Click Additional settings to change number and currency formats and the measurement system used in the region. Additional date and time formats are also available. Language In Windows 7 and Windows 8, shown in the left figure, Language can be configured through Control Panel items. This allowed users to install language packs that included fonts and other resources required by different languages. In Windows 10, this was moved to the Region settings app, shown in the right figure. When adding a language, you can even choose to install Cortana support for voice commands in that language, if available. Programs Use the Program and Features Control Panel items to uninstall a program from your computer if you no longer use it or if you want to free up space on your hard disk, as shown in the figure. It is important that applications be uninstalled either through the Programs and Features Control Panel item or from an uninstallation menu choice that is associated with the application in the Start menu. In addition, you can repair the installation of some programs that may have problems. You can also troubleshoot problems with programs that were made for older versions of Windows that are not running correctly. Finally, you can choose to manually install software from the network. It is possible that your organization provides updates or patches that could require manual installation. Windows Features and Updates You can also activate or deactivate Windows features, as shown in the figure. Programs and Features also allows you to view the Windows updates that have been installed, and uninstall specific updates if they are causing problems and don\'t have dependencies with other installed updates or software. Default Programs The Default Programs Control Panel item provides the means to configure the way that Windows handles files and the applications that are used to work with them, as shown in the figure. For example, if you have multiple web browsers installed, you can choose which web browser will open to view a link that you have clicked on in an email or other file. This can be done by choosing default applications, or by choosing which application opens for a specific file type. For example, you configure a JPEG graphics file to open in a browser, for viewing, or in a graphics editor. Finally, you can choose how AutoPlay works. You can select how Windows will automatically open files of different types depending on the type of removable storage media that they are stored on. You can select to have audio CDs open automatically in Windows Media Player, or have a Windows File Explorer display a directory of the disk contents. Windows 10 uses a settings app for all but the AutoPlay configuration. Windows 7 and 8 use Control Panel utilities. Troubleshooting The Troubleshooting Control Panel item has a number of built-in scripts that are used to identify and solve common problems with many Windows components, as shown in the figure. The scripts run automatically and can be configured to automatically make the changes to fix the problems that are found. You can also view when the troubleshooting scripts have been run in the past by using the View History feature. BitLocker Drive Encryption BitLocker is a service provided with Windows that will encrypt an entire volume of disk data so that it can\'t be read by unauthorized parties. Data can be lost if your computer or disk drives are stolen. In addition, when the computer is taken out of service, BitLocker can help insure that the hard drive can\'t be read when it has been removed from the computer and scrapped. File Explorer and Folder Options The Folder Option Control Panel item permits changing a variety of settings regarding the way files are displayed in Windows Explorer or File Explorer. This Control Panel item is called File Explorer Options in Windows 10, and Folder Options in Windows 7 and 8.1 The Windows 10 File Explorer Options Control Panel item is shown in the left figure. The Windows 7 and 8 version is very similar. The Windows 8 version is shown in the right figure. In Windows 10, many of the most commonly used file and folder options can be found in the File Explorer ribbon. In Windows 8.1 some functions are present in the ribbon, but the selection is not as comprehensive as it is in Windows 10. In Windows 7, there is no ribbon, so the Control Panel must be used. The functions of the tabs in Windows 10 are described below. The **General** tab is used to adjust the following settings: - **Browse folders** - Configures how a folder is displayed when it is opened. - **Click items as follows** - Specifies the number of clicks required to open an item. - **Privacy** - Determines which files and folders are shown in Quick Access. Also allows File History to be cleared. The **View** tab is used to adjust the following settings: - **Folder views** - Applies the view settings for a folder being viewed to all folders of the same type. - **Advanced settings** - Customizes the viewing experience including the ability to view hidden files and file extensions. The **Search** tab is used to adjust the following settings: - **What to search (Windows 7**) - Configures search settings based on indexed and non-indexed locations to make files and folders easier to find. - **How to search** - Choose whether an indexed search is used. - **When searching non-indexed locations** - Determines whether system directories, compressed files and file contents are included when searching non-indexed locations. Administrative Tools Control Panel Item The Administrative Tools Control Panel item is a collection of tools that are used to monitor and configure Windows operation. This Control Panel item has evolved over time. In Windows 7 it was somewhat limited. Microsoft added many different utilities in Windows 8.1. In Windows 10, the available tools changed slightly. The Administrative Tools Control Panel item is unusual in that it is a collection of shortcuts that open in File Explorer. Since each icon represents a shortcut to an application, investigate the properties of each shortcut to see the name of the application file that is run when the shortcut is clicked. You can start the same applications by typing the name of application at the command prompt. Once you become experienced with managing Windows, this may be the most efficient way for you to access the tools you need. The figure shows the Administrative Tools Control Panel item in Windows 10. Computer Management One of the Administrative Tools items is the Computer Management console, shown in the figure. It allows you to manage many aspects of your computer and remote computers in one tool. The Computer Management console provides access to three groups of utilities. Here we will learn about the System Tools group. Conveniently, the Computer Management tool can be accessed by right-clicking This PC in Windows 8.1 or 10, or by right-clicking Computer in Windows 7 and 8 and selecting Manage. Administrator privileges are required to open Computer Management. To view the Computer Management console for a remote computer, follow these steps: **Step 1**. In the console tree, click **Computer Management (Local)** and select **Connect to another computer**. **Step 2**. Enter the name of the computer or click **Browse** to find the computer to manage on the network. Event Viewer Event Viewer, shown in the figure, allows viewing the history of application, security, and Windows system events. These events are stored in log files. They are a valuable troubleshooting tool because they provide information necessary to identify a problem. Event Viewer permits filtering and customization of log views to make it easier to find important information from the various log files that Windows compiles. Windows logs many events that can originate from applications, the Windows OS, application setup, and security events, by default. Each message is identified by its type or level: - **Information** - A successful event. A driver or program has executed successfully. Windows logs thousands of information level events. - **Warning** - Indication of a potential problem with a software component that is not functioning ideally. - **Error** - A problem exists, but no immediate action is required. - **Critical** - Immediate attention is required. Usually related to system or software crashes or lockups. - **Success Audit (security only)** - A security event has been successful. For example, a successful logon from a user will trigger an event with this level. - **Failure Audit (security only)** - A security event has not been successful. Failed attempts by someone attempting to log on to a computer will trigger this event. Local Users and Groups Local Users and Groups, shown in the figure, provides an efficient way of managing users. You can create new users and assign those users to membership in Groups. Groups have rights and permissions assigned that are suitable for different types of users. Rather than configuring rights and permissions for each individual user, a user can be assigned an appropriate group. Windows provides default user accounts and groups to make managing users easier: - **Administrators** - Full control of the computer and access to all folders. - **Guests** - Guests can access the computer through a temporary profile that is created at logon and deleted on logoff. Guest accounts are disabled by default - **Users** - Users can perform common tasks such as running applications and accessing local or network printers. A user profile is created and persists on the system. Performance Monitor Performance Monitor allows customized performance graphs and reports to be created from a wide range of hardware and software components. Data Collector Sets are collections of metrics, called performance counters. Windows has a number of default Data Collector Sets and you can create your own. A wide range of counters can be graphed against time and reports can also be generated and read or printed. Data collection can be scheduled to occur at different times and for different durations and stop criterion for a monitoring session can also be set. The Performance Monitor provided here is different from the performance information that is available through Task Manager and Resource Monitor. The purpose of the Performance Monitor administrative tool is the creation of detailed custom reports from very specific counters. The figure shows a graph derived from a selection of data counters that are available for the CPU. Component Services and Data Sources Component Services is an administrative tool used by administrators and developers to deploy, configure, and manage Component Object Model (COM) components. COM is a way to allow the use of software components in distributed environments such as in enterprise, internet, and intranet applications. Services The Services console (SERVICES.MSC) allows you to manage all the services on your computer and remote computers. A service is a type of application that runs in the background to achieve a specific goal, or to wait for service requests. To reduce security risks, only start the necessary services. You can use the following settings, or states, to control a service: - **Automatic** - The service starts when the computer is started. This prioritizes the most important services. - **Automatic (delayed)** - The service starts after services that are set to Automatic have started. The Automatic (delayed) setting is available only in Windows 7. - **Manual** - The service must be started manually by the user or by a service or program that needs it. - **Disabled** - The service cannot be started until it is enabled. - **Stopped** - The service is not running. To view the Services console for a remote computer right-click on **Services (Local)** in the Computer Management window and select **Connect to another computer**. Enter the name for the computer or click **Browse** to allow Windows to scan the network for connected computers. Data Sources Data Sources is a tool used by administrators to add, remove, or manage data sources using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). ODBC is a technology that programs use to access a wide range of databases or data sources. The tool is shown in the figure. Print Management The Print Management utility, shown in the figure, provides a detailed view of all of the printers that are available to a computer. It is not available in all Windows editions. It is available in Windows servers, Pro, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. It enables efficient configuration and monitoring of directly attached and network printers, including print queues for all printers to which it has access. It also allows the deployment of a printer configuration to multiple computers on a network through the use of group policies. Windows Memory Diagnostics The Windows Memory Diagnostics tool schedules a memory test that will be executed when the computer starts. It can be configured to automatically restart the computer or execute the test the next time the computer starts. After the tests are complete, Windows will restart. The type of diagnostics to be run can be configured by pressing F1 from the diagnostic as it runs, as shown in the figure. The results of the test can be viewed by finding the memory diagnostic test result in the Windows Log folder in Event Viewer. System Information Administrators can use the System Information tool, as shown in the figure, to collect and display information about local and remote computers. The System Information tool is designed to quickly find information about software, drivers, hardware configurations, and computer components. Support personnel can use this information to diagnose and troubleshoot a computer. You can also create a file containing all the information about the computer to send to someone. To export a System Information file, select File \> Export, type the filename, choose a location, and click Save. The System Information utility can also display the configuration of other machines on the network. The System Information tool can be opened from the command prompt by typing **msinfo32**, or it can be found in the Administrative Tools Control Panel item. System Configuration System Configuration (MSCONFIG) is a tool used to identify problems that keep Windows from starting correctly. To help with isolating the issue, services and startup programs can be turned off and turned back on one at a time. After you have determined the cause, permanently remove or disable the program or service, or reinstall it. **General** Displays three startup selections to aid troubleshooting. **Normal startup**- full startup as normal **Diagnostic startup**- starts with basic services and drivers only **Selective startup**- starts with basic services and drivers by default, can be changed **Boot** You can choose the Windows OS version to boot if more than one is present. You can also choose to boot up in **Safe boot** (formerly Safe mode) with different options regarding the way that Windows starts. **Services** Displays a list of services that are started with the operating system. Allows individual services to not be loaded on boot for troubleshooting purposes. **Startup** In Windows 7, displays a list of all the applications that run automatically when Windows starts. Individual items can be disabled. In Windows 8.1 and 10, the user is referred to the same settings in Task Manager. **Tools** Displays a compact and very comprehensive list of diagnostic tools that can be run to help with troubleshooting. [The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options for the Microsoft Windows operating system and installed applications^1^](https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-11/what-is-the-windows-registry-and-what-can-you-do-with-it/)[^2^](https://www.digitalcitizen.life/simple-questions-what-windows-registry-and-what-does-it-do/). It contains information, settings, and options for both the operating system and the hardware, software, and user preferences. **Key Points:** - **Structure**: The Registry is organized into a tree-like structure with keys and subkeys, similar to folders and subfolders. Each key can contain values, which store the actual settings. - **Main Components**: The primary sections, or "hives," include: - **HKEY\_CLASSES\_ROOT**: Information about file associations and COM objects. - **HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER**: Settings for the currently logged-in user. - **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE**: Configuration settings for the local machine. - **HKEY\_USERS**: Settings for all user profiles on the computer. - **HKEY\_CURRENT\_CONFIG**: Information about the current hardware profile. - **Usage**: The Registry is used by Windows and many applications to store settings and configuration data. It allows the system and applications to retrieve and update settings efficiently. - **Editing**: Users can edit the Registry using the Registry Editor (regedit), but caution is advised as incorrect changes can cause system instability or failure. Regedit The Registry Editor allows an administrator to view or make changes to the Windows Registry. Using the Registry Editor utility incorrectly could cause hardware, application, or operating system problems, including problems that require you to reinstall the operating system. The registry editor can only be opened from a search or command prompt. You can search for **regedit** and open it from the search results, or you can open a command or PowerShell prompt and type **regedit**. The figure shows the **regedit** utility with the value of the OneDrive subkey open for modification. icrosoft Management Console Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is an application that allows the creation of custom management consoles for collections of utilities and tools from Microsoft or other sources. The Computer Management console that was previously discussed is a premade MMC. When initially opened, the console is empty. Utilities and tools, known as snap-ins, can be added to the console. You can also add web page links, tasks, ActiveX controls, and folders. The console can then be saved and reopened when needed. This allows the construction of management consoles for specific purposes. You can create as many customized MMCs as needed, each with a different name. This is useful when multiple administrators manage different aspects of the same computer. Each administrator can have an individualized MMC for monitoring and configuring computer settings. DxDiag DxDiag stands for DirectX Diagnostic Tool. It displays details for all DirectX components and drivers that are installed in a computer, as shown in the figure. DxDiag is run from a search or from the command line. DirectX is a software environment and interface for multimedia applications, especially games. It defines interfaces for 2D and 3D graphics, audio, media encoders and decoders, etc. PowerShell The old Windows command line application was replaced in the Windows Power User menu Win+X with PowerShell. The original command line still exists in Windows 10, and can be opened by typing cmd into the search field on the Taskbar. You can also change which command line is displayed in the menu by changing a Taskbar setting. PowerShell is a more powerful command line utility. It offers many advanced features, such as scripting and automation. It even comes with its own scripting development environment, called PowerShell ISE, to help with the task of writing scripts. PowerShell uses \"cmdlets\", or small applications, that represent the commands that are available. PowerShell also allows naming of cmdlets with aliases, so the same cmdlet can be run at the command line with any name that adheres to naming conventions that you choose to assign to it. Microsoft has created aliases for all of the old cmd commands so that it works much like the older command line. The Command Shell Windows has two command line utilities. One is the classic **command** application, known as **cmd**. This command line is a remnant of the very early days of Microsoft when DOS was the only operating system that Microsoft had to offer. Many users were experienced with using cmd, so it was retained when Windows was developed. It has persisted as the default command line for Windows until Windows 10 build 14791 when PowerShell became the default. To open the command shell, type **cmd** in the search box and click the app in the results. You can also use the **Win+R** key to open a run box. Type **cmd** in the run box and click **OK**. Press **Ctrl+Shift+Enter** to run the command prompt as an administrator. The title bar for the command window will indicate that the command window is open in Administrator mode. You can also use the **whoami** command to display the name of the computer that the prompt is open on and the user account. Here we will focus on the **cmd** command line. All commonly used commands are supported by Windows 7, 8, and 10. File System Navigation When working at the command line, there is no File Explorer to help you get to the files and folders that you want to work with. Instead, you need to move through the folder structure using a combination of commands, normally displaying the contents of a drive or directory and changing directories until you find what you are looking for. File System Navigation - Commands For file system navigation at the command line, you can change drives, list contents, and change directories. The examples below show file system navigation at the command line. **\**: - Display contents from a different drive. Simply type the drive letter followed by a colon at the command prompt. The example shows directories displayed for the C: drive and then the drive is changed, and a directory is displayed for the D: drive. **dir** - Display the contents of the current directory. **dir** \[\:\] \[\\] \[\\]\ \ Has options to display various file attributes and properties. Options will also change how the file list is displayed.\   - /a - to display all files including hidden files. - /os - to sort files by size - /b - list file and folder names only - /w - display wide view, with files and folders arranged in columns **cd - **Change directory **cd** \[/d\] \[\:\] \[\\]\ \ Change the current directory to the path specified after the command. - \: - display root directory of another drive - /d - change drive and directory -. - refers to current path -.. - (two dots) to go up the path one level - \- Go to the root of the drive. Manipulating Folders - Commands You can create, move, and remove folders using the command line. The examples below show manipulating folders from the command line. **md** - Make directory. Create a new directory. **md** \[\:\]\\ \ Make a new directory at the location specified. If you don\'t provide a drive and path, the new directory is created at the current location. **rd** - Remove directory. Delete a directory. **rd** \[\:\]\\   - /s - remove all subdirectories and files. - /q - quiet mode, do not request confirmation when deleting subdirectories and files. **move** - Move a file or directory from one directory to another. **move** \[source\]\[target\]\ \ The source can be in the current folder, but the destination must be another folder. Full paths including different drives can be supplied. **ren** - Rename a directory or file. **ren** \[path:old name\] \[new name\]\ \ Renames a folder or file. The renamed folder must appear in the same folder as the original. **System CLI Commands** **tasklist** - Displays a list of the processes that are currently running on the local or a remote computer. **tasklist**\ \ Options concern the format and filtering of the output of the command and connecting to other PCs on the network.\ \ Running process are identified by their process IDs (PID). **taskkill** - Allows a running process to be killed. **taskkill** \[/pid \ \| /im \\]\ \ Options permit working on remote computers, means to specify a set of tasks to kill, and the ways in which the processes should be terminated. - /pid - specify task to kill by process ID - /im - specify task to kill by image name (name of the process). - /f -forcefully terminate process - /t - terminate process and any child processes started by it **dism** - Deployment Image Servicing and Management. Used to work with system images before they are deployed. **dism**\ \ Used to create customized system image files that will be installed on computers in the enterprise. **sfc** - Verifies and repairs Windows system files. **sfc**\ \ Scans important protected system files for changes and can make repairs. Can verify a single file or all files. Can restore files from cached versions. - /scannow - scans and repairs - /verifyonly - checks only, no repair Requires Administrator privilege. **shutdown** - Power off a local or remote computer. **shutdown** Shutdown a local or remote computer. Options include naming a remote computer, the shutdown mode, messaging to the user, etc. - /m \\\\ComputerName - specify remote computer - /s - shutdown computer - /r - restart computer - /h - put local computer into hibernation - /f - forces running applications to close without user warning Requires shutdown permissions and Administrator privilege. Other Useful Commands The examples below show other useful commands. **gpupdate** - Group Policy update. **gpupdate**\ \ Group Policies can be set by an administrator and configured on all machines on a network from a central location. gpupdate is used to update a local machine and verify that the machine is getting Group Policy updates. - /target:computer - force update of another computer - /force - force and update even if Group Policy has not changed - /boot - restart computer after update **gpresult** - Display Group Policy Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) information. **gpresult /R**\ \ Displays the Group Policy settings that are in effect for a currently logged in user. Works locally and for remote computers. Good for checking that computers have received a distributed Group Policy. Options concern the system and system user for whom the policy will be viewed. The type of report to view is also configurable. - /s - the system to the view the result on, name or IP address. - /r - displays summary data (still lengthy) **net use** - Display and connect to network resources. **net use**\ \ **Net use** is one of a series of **net** commands that are for configuring how a computer works on a network. You can display the network resources that a computer is connected to and also connect the computer to resources such as shared drives. **net user** - Display and change information about computer users. **net user** Display and change information about computer users.\ \ Displays information about all of the user accounts on a computer. Also allows many settings to be changed for the account as well as the creation of new accounts.\ \ Options - username - The username that you want to work with. - /add - after username creates new user - /delete - after username deletes user Running System Utilities The Windows run line utility can be opened by pressing the **Win+R** keys and entering **cmd** to open the command line window, as shown in the figure. The following windows utilities and tools can also be run by entering the commands shown in the run line utility. - **EXPLORER** - Opens File Explorer or Windows Explorer. - **MMC** - Opens Microsoft Management Console (MMC). Specify the path and.msc filename to open a saved console. - **MSINFO32** - Opens the System Information window, which shows a summary of system components, including hardware components and software information. - **MSTSC** - Opens the Remote Desktop utility. - **NOTEPAD** - Opens the Notepad basic text editor. Domain and Workgroup Domain and workgroup are methods for organizing and managing computers on a network. They are defined as: - **Domain** - A domain is a group of computers and electronic devices with a common set of rules and procedures administered as a unit. Computers in a domain can be located in different locations in the world. A specialized server called a domain controller manages all security-related aspects of users and network resources, centralizing security and administration. For example, within a domain, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a protocol used to allow computers to access data directories that are distributed throughout the network. - **Workgroup** - A workgroup is a collection of workstations and servers on a LAN that are designed to communicate and exchange data with one another. Each individual workstation controls its user accounts, security information, and access to data and resources. All computers on a network must be part of either a domain or a workgroup. When Windows is first installed on a computer, it is automatically assigned to a workgroup. Homegroup A homegroup was a feature introduced in Windows 7 and is also available in Windows 8 to simplify secure access to shared resources such as folders, pictures, music, videos, and printers on a home network. Homegroup has been removed from Windows 10 with the release of Windows 10 (1803). All Windows computers that belong to the same workgroup can also belong to a homegroup. There can only be one homegroup per workgroup on a network. Computers can only be a member of one homegroup at a time. Homegroups are secured with a simple password. A homegroup can be a mix of Windows 7 and Windows 8 computers. One user in the workgroup creates the homegroup. The other users can join the homegroup, provided they know the homegroup password. Homegroup availability depends on your network location profile: - **Home Network** - allowed to create or join a homegroup - **Work Network** - not allowed to create or join a homegroup, but you can view and share resources with other computers - **Public Network** - homegroup not available When a computer joins a homegroup, all user accounts on the computer, except the Guest account, become members of the homegroup. Being part of a homegroup makes it easy to share pictures, music, videos, documents, libraries, and printers with other people in the same homegroup. Users control access to their own resources. **Note**: If a computer belongs to a domain, you can join a homegroup and access files and resources on other homegroup computers. You are not allowed to create a new homegroup or share your own files and resources with a homegroup. **Network file sharing and mapping networks** Network file sharing and mapping network drives is a secure and convenient way to provide easy access to network resources. This is especially true when different versions of Windows require access to network resources. **Mapped Drive** Mapping a local drive is a useful way to access a single file, specific folders, or an entire drive between different operating systems over a network. Mapping a drive is done by assigning a letter (A to Z) to the resource on a remote drive, and allows you to use the remote drive as if it was a local drive. **Network File Sharing** Determine which resources will be shared over the network and the type of permissions users will have to the resources. Permissions define the type of access a user has to a file or folder. - **Read **- The user can view the file and subfolder names, navigate to subfolders, view data in files, and run program files. - **Change **- In addition to Read permissions, the user can add files and subfolders, change the data in files, and delete subfolders and files. - **Full Control **- In addition to Change and Read permissions, the user can change the permission of files and folders in an NTFS partition and take ownership of files and folders. Administrative Shares Administrative shares, also called hidden shares, are identified with a dollar sign (\$) at the end of the share name. By default, Windows creates several hidden administrative shares. These include the root folder of any local drives (C\$), the system folder (ADMIN\$), and the print driver folder (PRINT\$). Administrative shares are hidden from users and only accessible by members of the local administrators' group. The figure shows administrative shares on a Windows 10 PC. Note the \$ after each share name making them hidden shares. Adding a \$ sign to the end of any local share name will cause it to become a hidden share. It will not be visible by browsing but can be accessed via the command-line by mapping a drive to the share name. Sharing Local Resources Windows 10 controls which resources are shared and how they are shared by turning specific sharing features on and off. Advanced Sharing Settings, located in the Network and Sharing Center, manages the sharing options for three different network profiles; Private, Guest or Public, and All Networks. Different options can be chosen for each profile. The following items can be controlled: - Network discovery - File and printer sharing - Public folder sharing - Password protected sharing - Media Streaming To access Advanced Sharing Settings, use the following path: **Start \> Control Panel \> Network and Internet \> Network and Sharing Center** To enable sharing resources between computers connected to the same workgroup, Network Discovery and File and printer sharing must be turned on, as shown in the figure. There are simple file sharing mechanisms developed by OS vendors. Microsoft's file sharing mechanism is called Nearby Sharing. Nearby Sharing was introduced in Windows 10, partly replacing the previous Homegroup feature. Nearby Sharing provides the ability to share content with a nearby device using both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. AirDrop is supported by Apple iOS and macOS and uses Bluetooth to establish a Wi-Fi direct connection between devices for the file transfer to take place. There are also many third-party and open source alternatives, however, there is the potential for security vulnerabilities that allow unsolicited transfers. **Printer Sharing vs. Network Printer Mapping** **Printer** Printing is one of the most common tasks for users in both home and business environments. **Printer sharing** A print device can be directly attached to a computer via USB or direct network connection. This is considered a "local" printer and the PC it is attached to is acting as the print server. The local printer can be shared on the network via the Sharing tab on the Printer Properties dialog box as shown in the figure. Once a printer is shared, users with the correct permissions can connect to the network shared printer. Drivers for the print device can also be installed on the local computer so that clients obtain the driver when they connect to the print share.\ To find the network shared printer users can browse through network resources using the Network object in File Explorer  **Network printer mapping** A print device can come with integrated Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter and connected directly to the network. Once the print device is connected to the network it can be mapped using the Add printer wizard in the Devices and Printers window as shown. Mapping a printer to a computer allows the user to print over the network without the need for a direct connection to the print device. Once mapped the printer will show up in the list of available printers on the computer. Configuring Wired Network Interfaces in Windows 10 Windows 10 network settings are managed through the Network & Internet section in the Settings App. From the Network & Internet window, there are links to View network properties and to the Network and Sharing Center. Available network connections, both wired and wireless, can be viewed by selecting the Change Adapter Options link. From there, each network connection can be configured. Network card properties are configured in the Advanced tab of the adapter properties window. Navigate to Device Manager. Locate and right click the network adapter. Choose **Properties \> Advanced** tab. A list of properties allows configuration of features such as Speed & Duplex, QoS, Wake-on LAN, and many others. Click the desired feature in the **Property:** drop down list. Each property has configurable values in the Value: drop list. The Windows Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties window includes an Alternate Configuration tab which allows an administrator to configure an alternative IP address for the PC to use if it is unable to contact a DHCP server. Note that this tab is not visible if a static IPv4 address configuration is configured in the General tab. **Configuring a Wired NIC** After the NIC driver is installed, the IP address settings must be configured. A computer can be assigned its IP configuration in one of two ways: - **Manually** -- The host is statically assigned a specific IP configuration. - **Dynamically** -- The host requests its IP address configuration from a DHCP server. From the properties window of the wired NIC, both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and other options such as the default gateway and DNS server address can be configured, as shown in the figure. The default setting for both IPv4 and IPv6 is to obtain the IP settings automatically using DHCP in the case of IPv4 and Stateless Automatic Address Configuration (SLAAC) in the case of IPv6. **Note**: Most computers today come with an onboard NIC. If you are installing a new NIC, it is considered a best practice to disable the onboard NIC in BIOS settings. **IPv4 Configuration** To configure the IPv4 setting manually click **Use the following IP address** and enter the appropriate IPv4 address, subnet mask, and default gateway. If a Windows machine fails to obtain an IPv4 address dynamically it will use an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address from a reserved range in the 169.254.x.y network space. **IPv4 Alternate Configuration** Windows 10 allows for an alternative IPv4 address configuration for a computer if it cannot access a DHCP server and if APIPA is unsuitable or not desired. This is useful for mobile devices that move between a network with DHCP and another network that needs a static IPv4 address. **IPv6 Configuration** To configure IPv6 settings click **Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) \> Properties** to open the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) Properties window. Click **Use the following IPv6 address** and enter the appropriate IPv6 address, prefix length, and default gateway. Setting a Network Profile The first time a computer with Windows 10 connects to a network, a network profile must be selected. Each network profile has different default settings. Depending on the profile selected, file and printer sharing, or network discovery can be turned off or on, and different firewall settings can be applied. Windows 10 has two network profiles: - **Public** -- The public profile disables file and printer sharing and network discovery on the link. The PC is hidden from other devices. - **Private** -- The private profile allows the user to customize the sharing options. This profile is for use on trusted networks. The PC is discoverable by other devices. Verify Connectivity with the Windows GUI The easiest way to test for an internet connection is to open a web browser and see if the internet is available. To troubleshoot a connection, you can use the Windows GUI or CLI. In Windows 10, the status of a network connection can be viewed under the General tab, as shown in the figure. Click the **Details** button to view IP addressing information, subnet mask, default gateway, MAC address, and other information. If the connection is not functioning correctly, close the Details window and click **Diagnose** to have the Windows Network Diagnostics troubleshooter attempt to troubleshoot and fix the issue. [The ipconfig command, short for Internet Protocol Configuration, is a command-line utility used in Windows operating systems to display and manage the network settings of your computer^1^](https://lazyadmin.nl/it/ipconfig-command/)[^2^](https://petri.com/ipconfig-commands/). Here are some key aspects of the ipconfig command: **Basic Usage** - ipconfig: Running this command without any parameters displays the basic network configuration for all network adapters, including the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. **Common Parameters** - ipconfig /all: Displays detailed information about all network adapters, including MAC address, DHCP status, DNS servers, and more. - ipconfig /release: Releases the current IP address assigned by the DHCP server. - ipconfig /renew: Renews the IP address from the DHCP server. - ipconfig /flushdns: Clears the DNS resolver cache, which can help resolve DNS-related issues. - ipconfig /displaydns: Displays the contents of the DNS resolver cache. **Usage Scenarios** - **Troubleshooting Network Issues**: By providing detailed information about network settings, ipconfig helps diagnose connectivity problems. - **Refreshing Network Settings**: Commands like /release and /renew are useful for resetting network connections and obtaining new IP addresses. - **Managing DNS Cache**: Commands like /flushdns and /displaydns help manage and troubleshoot DNS-related issues. Network CLI Commands There are several CLI commands that can be executed from the command prompt to test network connectivity. - **ping** -- The command tests basic connectivity between devices by using ICMP echo request and reply messages. - **tracert** -- The command traces the route that packets take from your computer to a destination host. At the command prompt, enter **tracert***hostname*. The first listing in the results is your default gateway. Each listing after that is the router that packets are traveling through to reach the destination. Tracert shows you where packets are stopping, indicating where the problem is occurring. - **nslookup** -- The command tests and troubleshoots DNS servers. It queries the DNS server to discover IP addresses or host names. At the command prompt, enter **nslookup***hostname*. Nslookup returns the IP address for the host name entered. A reverse nslookup command, **nslookup***IP\_address* returns the corresponding host name for the IP address entered. Wireless Settings Wireless networks can be added in Windows 10 by going to Settings \> Network & Internet \> Wi-Fi \> Manage known networks, as shown in the figure. Enter the network name and select a security type that matches the configuration on the wireless router. There are four security type options: - **No authentication (Open)** -- Data is sent unencrypted and with no authentication - **WEP** -- Provides very weak security and should not be relied upon for confidentiality - **WPA2**-Personal -- Uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cipher and a Pre-shared Key (PSK) to encrypt communications. - **WPA2-Enterprise** -- Authentication is passed from the access point to a centralized authentication server running Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service (RADIUS) Remote authentication for wireless devices can be provided by a scalable authentication architecture by using RADIUS or Terminal Controller Access Control System Plus (TACACS+). Both technologies use a separate server (an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server) that performs the authentication on behalf of network devices. Rather than the network devices storing and validating user credentials directly, they pass the request to the AAA server and forward the response to the user. VPN Access in Windows To communicate and share resources over a network that is not secure, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is used. A VPN is a private network that connects remote sites or users together over a public network, like the internet. The most common type of VPN is used to access a corporate private network. The VPN uses dedicated secure connections, routed through the internet, from the corporate private network to the remote user. When connected to the corporate private network, users become part of that network and have access to all services and resources as if they were physically connected to it. Remote-access users must install a VPN client on their computers to form a secure connection with the corporate private network. Special routers can also be used to connect computers connected to it to the corporate private network. The VPN software encrypts data before sending it over the internet to the VPN gateway at the corporate private network. VPN gateways establish, manage, and control VPN connections, also known as VPN tunnels.  Telnet and SSH Telnet is a command-line terminal emulation protocol and program. The Telnet daemon listens for connections on TCP port 23. Telnet is sometimes used for troubleshooting services and for connecting to routers and switches for entering configurations. Telnet is not installed in Windows by default but can be added using Programs and Features. There are also third-party and free terminal emulation programs available that have support for Telnet. Telnet messages are sent in clear text. Anyone with a packet sniffer can capture and see the contents of Telnet messages. This is why it is advisable to use a secure connection rather than Telnet. Secure Shell (SSH) is a secure alternative to Telnet and other file copy programs such as FTP. SSH communicates over TCP port 22 and uses encryption to protect the session. There are several methods in which a client can authenticate to an SSH server: - **Username/Password** - The client sends credentials to the SSH host, which are then verified against a local user database or sent to a centralized authentication server. - **Kerberos** - Networks which use Kerberos authentication protocol, such as Windows Active Directory, allow for Single Sign-On (SSO). SSO allows users to sign in to multiple systems with only one username and password. - **Host-based authentication** - The client requests authentication with a public key. The server generates a challenge with this key which the client must decrypt with the matching private key to complete the authentication. - **Public key authentication** - This provides additional protection over host-based authentication. The user must enter a passphrase to access the private key. This helps prevent the private key from becoming compromises. Preventive Maintenance Plan Contents To ensure that an OS remains fully functional, you must implement a preventive maintenance plan. A preventive maintenance plan provides many benefits to users and organizations such as decreased downtime, improved performance, improved reliability, and lower repair costs. Preventive maintenance plans should include detailed information about the maintenance of all computers and network equipment. The plan should prioritize equipment that would affect the organization the most if that equipment fails. Preventive maintenance for an OS includes automating tasks to perform scheduled updates. Preventive maintenance also includes installing service packs that help keep the system up to date and compatible with new software and hardware. Preventive maintenance includes the following important tasks: - Hard drive error checking, defragmentation, and backup - Updates to the operating system, applications, antivirus, and other protective software Perform preventive maintenance regularly, and record all actions taken and observations made. A repair log helps you determine which equipment is the most or least reliable. It also provides a history of when a computer was last fixed, how it was fixed, and what the problem was. Preventive maintenance should take place when it causes the least amount of disruption to the users. This often means scheduling tasks at night, early in the morning, or over the weekend. There are also tools and techniques that can automate many preventive maintenance tasks. **Security** Security is an important aspect of your preventive maintenance program. Install virus and malware protection software and perform regular scans on computers to help ensure that they remain free of malicious software. Use the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to check a computer for malicious software. If an infection is found, the tool removes it. Each time a new version of the tool is available from Microsoft, download it and scan your computer for new threats. This should be a standard item in your preventive maintenance program, along with regular updates to your antivirus and spyware removal tools. **Startup Programs** Some programs, such as antivirus scanners and spyware removal tools, do not automatically start when the computer boots. To ensure that these programs run each time the computer is booted, add the program to the Startup folder of the Start Menu. Many programs have switches to allow the program to perform a specific action such as starting without being displayed. Check the documentation to determine if your programs allow the use of special switches. **Windows Updates** Windows Update is a website located at update.microsoft.com. The site hosts maintenance updates, critical updates, and security patches as well as optional software and hardware updates for Microsoft Windows versions 7, 8 and 10. There is also a program called Microsoft Update which can keep Microsoft Office software patched at the same time. A control installed in Windows allows the OS to browse the update site and select updates for download and installation using the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, or BITS, protocol. Microsoft releases updates on the second Tuesday of each month, unofficially known as Patch Tuesday. Windows 10 automatically downloads and installs updates to make sure your device is secure and up to date. This means you receive the latest fixes and security updates, helping your device run efficiently and securely. In most cases, the only user interaction required is the restarting of your device to complete the update. You can manually check for updates in Windows 10 via Settings \> Update and Security as shown in the figure. You can choose which updates to apply and configure update settings. A windowsupdate.log file stored in the **%SystemRoot%** directory contains records of update activity. If an update fails to install properly you can check the log file for an error code that can be referenced on the Microsoft Knowledge Base. If an update causes problems, it can be uninstalled from **Settings \> Update and Security \> View Update History**. **Device Driver Updates** Manufacturers occasionally release new drivers to address issues with the current drivers. Check for updated drivers when your hardware does not work properly or to prevent future problems. It is also important to update drivers that patch or correct security problems. If a driver update does not work properly, use the Roll Back Driver feature to revert back to the previously installed driver. **Firmware Updates** Firmware updates are less common than driver updates. Manufacturers release new firmware updates to address issues that might not be fixed with driver updates. Firmware updates can increase the speed of certain types of hardware, enable new features, or increase the stability of a product. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully when performing a firmware update to avoid making the hardware unusable. Research the update completely because it might not be possible to revert to the original firmware. Restore Points Sometimes installing an application or hardware driver can cause instability or create unexpected problems. Uninstalling the application or hardware driver usually corrects the problem. If not, you can restore the computer to a time before the installation with the System Restore utility. Restore points contain information about the operating system, installed programs, and registry settings. If a computer crashes or if an update causes a problem, the computer can be rolled back to a previous configuration using a restore point. System restore does not back up personal data files, nor does it recover personal files that have been corrupted or deleted. Always use a dedicated backup system, such as a tape drive, optical disc, or USB storage device to back up personal files. A technician should always create a restore point before making changes to a system in the following situations: - When updating the OS - When installing or upgrading hardware - When installing an application - When installing a driver To open the System Restore utility in Windows 10, open **System Properties** and click **System Restore**. Hard Drive Backup It is important to establish a backup strategy that includes data recovery of personal files. You can use the Microsoft Backup utility to perform backups as required. How the computer system is used, as well as organizational requirements, determines how often the data must be backed up and the type of backup to perform. It can take a long time to run a backup. If the backup strategy is followed carefully, it is not necessary to back up all files every time. Only the files that have changed since the last backup need to be backed up. The backup tool included with Windows 7 allowed users to back up files, or create and use a system image backup, or repair disc. Windows 8 and Windows 10 ship with **File History** which can be used to back up the files in the Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, and Desktop folders. Over time, File History builds a history of your files, allowing you to go back and recover specific versions of a file. This is a helpful feature if there are damaged or lost files. File History in Windows 10 is located in **Settings \> Update&Security \> Backup**. [According to NetAcad, the six steps of the troubleshooting process are^1^](https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=2999386&seqNum=5): 1. **Identify the Problem**: Gather information from the user and the system to understand the issue. 2. **Establish a Theory of Probable Cause**: Based on the information collected, hypothesize what might be causing the problem. 3. **Test the Theory to Determine the Cause**: Verify the theory by testing it. If the theory is not confirmed, establish a new theory and test again. 4. **Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the Problem and Implement the Solution**: Once the cause is identified, plan and execute the necessary steps to fix the issue. 5. **Verify Full System Functionality and, if Applicable, Implement Preventive Measures**: Ensure the system is fully operational and take steps to prevent the problem from recurring. 6. **Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes**: Record what was discovered, the actions taken, and the results to help with future troubleshooting. Windows Configuration The focus of this chapter was on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. Each version comes in several editions, such as Home, Pro, Ultimate, or Enterprise, and come in either 32-bit or 64-bit versions. The Windows editions are tailored for the needs of corporate and personal users. You explored the Windows Desktop, Start Menu, and Taskbar and to work with the Task Manager and File Explorer to monitor system performance and manage files and folders on a computer running Windows in labs. You learned about the various system tools used to configure the Windows operating system and to change settings. You learned that Control Panel offers many configuration tools that are used to create and modify user accounts, configure updates and backups, personalize the look and feel of Windows, install and uninstall apps, and configure network settings. You performed several lab exercises using tools found in the control panel. In these labs, you used the User Accounts Control Panel to create and modify users, configured Internet settings in Internet Explorer, used the System Control Panel to configure and manage virtual memory, used device manager to display devices and monitor settings, changed region and language options, and many other administrative tasks. In addition to using the Control Panel GUI, you also learned how to use the Windows CLI and PowerShell command line utility to perform administrative tasks. You also learned system commands that provide the same functions as those found in Task Manager and how to run system utilities from the Windows CLI. To practice what you learned you performed several labs that involved working with file system commands, disk CLI commands, task and system CLI commands, and other useful commands. You also learned about the two methods for organizing and managing Windows computers on a network, the domain and the workgroup. You learned how to share local computer resources, such as files, folders, and printers on the network and how to configure a wired network connection. You performed labs related to Windows networking where you created and shared a folder and set permissions, connected your computer to a wireless router and tested the wireless connection, and configured Windows for remote access using Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance. At the end of the chapter, you learned the importance of a preventive maintenance plan to decrease downtime, improve performance, improve reliability, and lower repair costs. A good preventive maintenance plan includes detailed information about the maintenance of all computers and network equipment. Preventive maintenance should take place when it causes the least amount of disruption to the users. This often means scheduling tasks at night, early in the morning, or over the weekend. You scheduled a task using the GUI and at the command line in the lab. Regular scans for v