1-1 OS Fundamentals part 1

1.1 Identify the operating system’s functions, structure, and major system files to navigate the operating system and how to get to needed technical information.

Major Operating System functions

Create folders In explorer click on the drive or folder you want to create the new folder in, next choose the file menu, click new, and then folder.

Checking OS Version

Windows 3.x or Windows NT 3.51

From program manager click help, and about to get version, or from DOS type winver.

Windows 95/98/ME/2000/CE

• Control Panel /System / in the General tab. Or right click My Computer Icon, or from a DOS prompt type ver.

Windows NT 4.0

• You need administrator or Power User rights , /Administrative Tools / Windows NT Diagnostics / Under the version tab. This will tell you the Version of NT also which service pack is installed.

Major Operating System components

Explorer.exe is the default shell of Windows, just as command.com is the shell of DOS. Explorer controls all direct interaction between the user and windows. It determines what you see on the screen and what you use to work with it. The desktop, my computer, start menu, and the windows explorer file manager etc. are all part of explorer.

My Computer When you double click the icon you can access drives, printers, and other systems folders from here. Also by right clicking a drive icon in my computer, you can access sharing (if file and print sharing is enabled) where you can set security for that drive.

If you right click the icon for my computer on the desktop, and select properties you can access version info, the device manager, hardware manager, and system performance settings.

Control Panel

• Accessibility Options. You can adjust keyboard, sound, display, mouse, and other settings easier to use for people with disabilities.
• Add New Hardware. Use this wizard to configure newly installed hardware through auto detection or by selecting the corresponding driver from a list. 
• Add/Remove Programs. You can install/uninstall programs from here. Add components from the Windows setup disks, or create a new startup disk. 
• Display. Change background and screen saver choices. Modify settings for on-screen fonts, colors, color palette, and so on.
• Fonts. View installed fonts or install new fonts.
• Passwords. Change Passwords, security options, enable/disable remote administration.
• Keyboard. Change options for the style of keyboard you use and for the rate at which the characters you type are displayed.
• Modems. Add a new modem. Also use this tool to configure or diagnose installed modems. 
• Mouse. Change mouse or pointer options. 
• Multimedia. Change options for audio playback and recording, MIDI output and schemes, and CD playback volume. Use the Advanced properties to install or configure multimedia hardware, drivers, and codecs. 
• Printers. Add a new printer or configure existing printers. 
• Sound. Create or modify sound events for windows.
• Network Settings. Configures network hardware/software
• Regional Setting. Change how numbers, dates, currency, and time are displayed
• System. Information about hardware on your computer.

 

Contrasts between Windows 9X and Windows 2000

Windows 2000

• Windows 2000 is actually Windows NT 5.0
• designed to run in a secure network environment
• Comes in a server version
• Supports fat, fat32, and the NTFS file system, which improves security, and performance.
• Compression which allows you to compress individual files or folders instead of whole volumes.
• Encrypting File System allows users to encrypt individual files or folders.
• AutoComplete for most dialog boxes that accept paths and file names.
• My Network Places Folder replaces Network Neighborhood which makes locating network resources easier and faster.
• More stable

System, Configuration, and User Interface files

IO.SYS Found in the root directory. DOS has two hidden system files. The first, IO.SYS, which must be the first entry in the root directory. MSDOS.SYS is the second entry.

Windows 9x uses a new, IO.SYS, which replaces the DOS system files IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS. This real-mode operating system file contains the information needed to start the computer. Your computer no longer needs CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to start the Windows 9x operating system (these files are preserved for backward compatibility with certain applications and drivers).

Most of the common functions provided by the CONFIG.SYS are now provided by default in the windows version of IO.SYS. The following lists the common entries in CONFIG.SYS that are now incorporated into IO.SYS for Windows 9x.

• dos=high
• himem.sys
• ifshlp.sys
• setver.exe
• files=
• lastdrive=
• buffers=
• stacks=
• shell=
• fcbs=

The values in Io.sys cannot be edited, to override values in Windows 9x Io.sys, place the entry in Config.sys with the value you want. For example Io.sys does not load Emm386.exe. If any of your applications requires expanded memory or loads data into the high memory area, EMM386 must be loaded in Config.sys.

BOOT.INI Used in Win NT and 2000

WIN.COM performs checks and loads the core components of Windows. (Kernel, User and GUI) If windows is not shut down properly, WIN.COM will run Scandisk. You can type WIN at the command prompt to start Windows.

MSDOS.SYS is a hidden system file,found in root directory. It contains settings that are processed during startup. Windows renames the DOS version to msdos.dos and replaces it with its own version (see above). It is divided into two sections.

Example MSDOS.SYS file

AUTOEXEC.BAT Stands for automatically executed batch file, the file that DOS automatically executes when a computer boots up. You can put commands in this file that you want to execute when your computer executes.

Win 9x does not need this file but includes it for compatibility with some older programs that use it.

CONFIG.SYS DOS configuration file which loads the device drivers, not necessary to run Windows but retained for backward compatibility.

Memory management

Conventional 1k-640k it is used by DOS for applications and TSR's.(Terminate and Stay Resident) programs.

Upper memory 640k-1024k loads DOS device drivers in Upper memory to free up conventional memory for DOS applications.

High memory 1024k - 1088k Reserved for use by single application.

Extended memory 1088k and above allows DOS applications to be able to access RAM outside of the first 640k.

Virtual memory refers to the fact that the operating system can actually allocate more memory than the computer physically contains. This memory is actually hard disk space in the form of a windows swap file.

HIMEM.SYS Extended memory manager. Coordinates the use of your computer's extended memory including the HMA so that no two applications or device drivers use the same memory at the same time.

EMM386.exe Provides access to the upper memory area and uses extended memory to simulate expanded memory.

Windows 9x

IO.SYS The win 95 file IO.SYS, replaces both of the DOS IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS files. This file contains the information needed to start the computer. You no longer need CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to start Windows, but these files are kept for some drivers and programs that use still them.

The drivers loaded by default in win 9x IO.SYS include :

HIMEM.SYS

IFSHLP.SYS

SETVER.EXE

DBLSPACE.BIN or DRVSPACE.BIN

Most of the entries that used to be in your CONFIG.SYS are now included in the win 9x IO.SYS

IO.SYS does not load EMM386.EXE. If any application requires expanded memory , EMM386 must be loaded in CONFIG.SYS. To override default values in Windows 95 IO.SYS enter the value you want in your config.sys

WIN.INI This used to contain user and program settings. The registry replaces the basic functions of the ini files used in earlier versions of Windows, the System.ini, WIN.INI, and Winfile.ini. Windows 9x keeps these files for backward compatibility with 16 bit applications that can not access the windows registry.

User.dat Is one of three files that make up the windows registry. It is located in c:\windows directory , but if User Profiles are enabled then users may have there setting stored in c:\windows\profiles

USER.DAT contains the following settings:

Logon names

Desktop settings

Start menu settings

The other two files that make up the registry are:

System.dat Contains all the hardware configuration, Plug and Play settings, and application settings. It is located in c:\windows as a hidden file.

Policy.pol May override any settings contained in the other two registry files. And can contain additional data specific to a network .You do not need Policy.pol to run windows.

SYSEDIT System Configuration Editor , can be found in c:\windows\system. This program allows you to edit protocol.ini, System.ini, win.ini, config.sys, and your autoexec.bat files.

SYSTEM.INI In win 3.1 hardware setting were found here. Most configuration options for Windows 9x are now stored in the Registry and are no longer required in SYSTEM.INI. but this file is retained for backwards compatibility.

MSCONFIG (98) This is the System Configuration Utility located at c:\windows\system\msconfig.exe. This program lets you troubleshoot system configuration problems, by removing entries with check boxes, reducing the chance of typing errors which may happen if you use Notepad or the System Configuration Editor. It also allows you to create a backup of your system files before you change anything. It allows you to remove programs that are automatically started when windows starts.

COMMAND.COM DOS file that contains the DOS command processor, receives and executes operating system commands

REGEDIT.EXE Registry Editor is a tool for displaying and editing the registry database. It is located in c:\Windows directory . If you are running win 2000 you should use regedit32 instead.

SYSTEM.DAT Contains all the hardware configuration, Plug and Play settings, and application settings. It is located in c:\windows as a hidden file.

RUN COMMAND where you enter a command in the windows run box interpreted by windows not DOS

COMMAND LINE PROMPT where you enter a command in DOS which is interpreted and executed by command.com i.e.: c:\copy