CHAP 5

• Msconfig is accessed by choosing Start > Run, typing msconfig, and pressing Enter.
• Regedit is an application that allows you to edit the registry.
• The operating system (OS) is the computer’s most important software, coordinating the actions of the hardware, the software, and the user so they can work as one.
• During bootup, the operating system is loaded from the boot disk (typically the hard disk) to RAM.
• The operating system provides an interface to the user so that he or she can start other programs by entering a command at the keyboard or by using the mouse to perform an action.
• The operating system directs the computer’s hardware when the user saves a file to disk, recording the location so the user can find and access the file in the future and so the operating system will not accidentally write over it with another file.
• The four main roles of an operating system are to manage hardware, run applications, provide a user interface, and manage files.
• There are two types of operating system interfaces: Command Line Interface (CLI) and Graphical User Interface (GUI).
• Command Line Interface (CLI) is an interface where the user types commands at a prompt.
• Graphical User Interface (GUI) is an interface where the user interacts with menus and icons.
• Command Line Operating Systems include DOS, UNIX, and Linux.
• GUI Operating Systems made by Microsoft include Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista, Windows 10.
• As an End User Support, you might have to perform a clean installation of an operating system.
• The Registry is a central, secure database in which Windows 2000 and Windows XP stores all hardware configuration information, software configuration information, and system security policies.
• Components that use the Registry include the Windows kernel, device drivers, setup programs, NTDETECT.COM, hardware profiles, and user profiles.
• The Registry is organized in a hierarchical structure, divided into five subtrees.
• A subtree is similar to a root directory of a disk.
• A hive is a discrete body of keys, subkeys, and values.
• A Registry is a central information database for Windows 2000 and Windows XP organized into a structured hierarchical database to hold hardware, operating system, and application settings and configuration.
• A network operating system, normally installed on a server, has much of the same functionality as a desktop operating system but contains additional components and features that enable the computer to control network functions such as sharing resources.
• When you back up and restore the Registry, you are working with hives.
• Msconfig is a boot configuration utility that allows you to set the programs that will run at startup and to edit configuration files.
• The Registry stores most of its information in sets of files called hives.
• Each hive has a corresponding Registry file and LOG file located in the %systemroot% \ SYSTEM32 \ CONFIG folder.
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG: Contains all the information of the active configuration.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: Contains the settings and information for the hardware that is installed in the computer.
• An active partition is the partition used by the operating system to boot the computer.
• Msconfig also offers simplified control over Windows Services.
• HKEY_USERS: Contains the default user profile and individual user profile for users on the system.
• A service pack is a collection of fixes and patches bundled as a single upgrade.
• Formatting prepares a file system in a partition for files to be stored.
• The Registry Editor (regedit.exe) is used to make changes directly to the Registry.
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER: Contains the user profile information for the person currently logged in to Windows.
• A file system is a method for storing and organizing computer files and the data they contain to make it easy to find and access them.
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT: Contains software configuration information such as the file extension associations.
• Partitioning is the process of assigning part or all of the drive for use by the computer.
• After you have installed Windows, you might want to make changes to the configuration.
• An initialization file is a configuration file that contains configuration data (that is, idiom terms) for Microsoft Windows-based applications.
• Windows Explorer allows a user to manage files and directories from a single graphical interface.