Chapter Objectives

Chapter Objectives • In this chapter, you will learn: • About consoles and snap-ins in Windows XP • How to use Windows XP features to secure the PC and protect users and their data • About the Windows XP registry • How to troubleshoot the Windows XP boot process • About tools for troubleshooting and maintaining Windows XP Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Computer Management • Computer Management is a console that consolidates several Windows XP administrative tools for managing the local computer and other computers on the network • To access the Computer Management console, click the Start button and then right-click My Computer on the Start menu. Click Manage on the shortcut menu Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Computer Management Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Security Using Windows XP:User Accounts and Profiles • A local user account enables users to log on to a single, specific computer, so that the account has access to resources on that computer • Built-in user accounts • Limited accounts • A domain user account allows users to logon to a computer, just like a local user account, except that the account is recognized by all of the computers in a domain Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Security Using Windows XP:User Accounts and Profiles • Each user account on a computer network is associated with a user profile, which stores desktop settings, applications, network and printer connection settings, and more • The first time you log on to a computer, the system creates a local user profile, which is stored on the computer’s hard disk • A roaming user profile is created by your system administrator and stored on a server on the network, so the profile is available every time you log on to any computer on the network Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Security Using Windows XP:User Accounts and Profiles • A mandatory user profile is a roaming user profile that can be used to specify particular settings for individuals or an entire group of users • Individual users cannot change a mandatory user profile • When defined for a group, a mandatory user profile often is called a group profile Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Security Using Windows XP:User Accounts and Profiles Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Controlling How a User Logs On • Welcome screen • To log on to the computer, a user clicks his or her user name and enters the password if a password has been set • The Welcome screen is not an available option if your computer is connected to a domain • Fast User Switching • Multiple users can share a computer, switching back and forth between users without closing the programs they are running Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

User Groups • User groups are an efficient way for an administrator to manage multiple user accounts that require the same privileges and similar profiles • Windows XP sets up similar groups: • Administrators • Backup Operators • Power Users • Limited Users • Guests Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Adding a New User Group Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Group Policy • Group Policy defines and controls how programs, network resources, and the operating system behave for users and computers in an organization • The Group Policy console is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in • Group Policy can be applied using • Computer Configuration • User Configuration Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Group Policy Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Disk Quotas • A disk quota limits how much disk space a user can access • Important when multiple users need to share a computer’s storage capacity • You can only set disk quotas if you are using NTFS Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

EFS (Encrypted File System) • EFS is a technology which allows users to store their data in encrypted format • Encryption is the process of putting readable data into code that must be translated before it can be accessed • This process typically uses a key that encrypts the data and also provides a way to decrypt it, or translate it back into readable data • Decryption is the process of converting data from encrypted format back to its original format Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

EFS (Encrypted File System) Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

The Windows XP Registry Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Logical Organization of the Registry Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Physical Organization of the Registry Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Backing Up and Editing the Registry • When you make a change in the Control Panel, Device Manager, or many other places in Windows XP, Windows XP updates the registry • To backup the registry, you must select the option to back up the System State data during the backup process in the Windows XP Backup tool • The Registry Editor is a tool for viewing and changing settings in your system registry Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Backing Up and Editing the Registry Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Troubleshooting the Boot Process • If problems arise with the boot process, try simple things first (power, reboot, cables) • Windows XP provides tools to help solve problems with the boot process • Advanced Options Menu • System Restore • Windows XP Boot Disk • Recovery Console • Automated System Recovery • Reinstall Windows XP using the Windows XP CD Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Additional Windows XP Maintenance and Troubleshooting Tools Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Event Viewer • The Event Viewer tool displays logs about significant system events that occur in Windows XP or in applications running under the operating system • The Event Viewer displays three different types of logs: • Application log • Security log • System log Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Event Viewer • An information event is recorded when a driver, service, or application functions successfully • A warning event is recorded when something happens that may indicate a future problem • An error event is recorded when something goes wrong with the system Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Event Viewer Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Task Manager • Task Manager allows you to view the applications and processes running on your computer, as well as performance information for the processor and the memory • Task manager has several tabs: • Applications • Processes • Performance • Networking • Users Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Task Manager Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Dr. Watson and Memory Dumps • Dr. Watson is used to debug errors in applications by recording error events to a log file • Automatically starts behind the scenes when an application error occurs Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Dr. Watson and Memory Dumps • A memory dump saves the contents of memory at the time a stop error halts the system, in a file called a dump file • A stop error is an error so severe that the operating system stops all processes • A stop error also often is called a blue screen Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Windows Update • Windows Update provides an automated way to update the OS, applications, and device drivers made available on the Microsoft Web site • Administrator privileges are required if an update requires user interaction • To start Windows Update, first be sure the computer is connected to the Internet • Select Windows Update from the All Programs submenu on the Start menu Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Windows Update Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Additional Help and Support Resources • Windows Help and Support • Microsoft Web site • Windows Newsgroups Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Chapter Summary • In this chapter, you learned: • About consoles and snap-ins in Windows XP • How to use Windows XP features to secure the PC and protect users and their data • About the Windows XP registry • How to troubleshoot the Windows XP boot process • About tools for troubleshooting and maintaining Windows XP Chapter 9: Managing and Supporting Windows XP

Chapter 9 Complete

Chapter Objectives