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Chapter 16. Managing and Supporting Windows XP. You Will Learn…. How to use Windows XP features to secure the PC and protect users and their data About the Windows NT/2000/XP registry About tools for troubleshooting and maintaining Windows XP How to troubleshoot the Windows XP boot process.
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Chapter 16 Managing and SupportingWindows XP
You Will Learn… • How to use Windows XP features to secure the PC and protect users and their data • About the Windows NT/2000/XP registry • About tools for troubleshooting and maintaining Windows XP • How to troubleshoot the Windows XP boot process
Security Using Windows NT/2000/XP • Two goals • Secure system resources, including hardware and software, from improper use • Secure users’ data from improper access • Concept of user accounts is key to understanding Windows XP
User Accounts • Define users to Windows • Record information about users (eg, user name, password used to access the account, groups the account belongs to, and rights and permissions assigned to the account) • Three types • Global user accounts • Local user accounts • Built-in user accounts
User Profiles • Created by the system after administrator creates a local user account and user logs on for first time • Types • Roaming user profile • Mandatory user profile • Group profile
Administering Local User Accounts • Password guidelines for users and administrators • Usernames can consist of up to 15 characters • Passwords can be up to 127 characters • Do not use a password that is easy to guess • Use combination of letters, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters for greatest security • Always set a password for the Administrator account • Passwords can be controlled by administrator, but generally users should be allowed to change their own • Each user should create a forgotten password floppy disk
Options for Controlling How a User Logs On • Use the Welcome screen (default) • Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to get to a logon window similar to Windows NT/2000 • Use Fast User Switching
User Groups • Efficient way for administrator to manage multiple user accounts that require same privileges and similar profiles • Choices • Administrators • Backup Operators • Power Users • Limited Users • Guests
Group Policy • Another way to control how the system can be used • Normally intended to be used on a domain, but can also be used on a standalone or computer in a workgroup • Can be applied to the computer or can be applied to each user who logs on • MMC snap-in that can be accessed by typing gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box
Disk Quotas • Limit how much disk space a user can access • Does not specify location of files, just total space allowed • Can be set only if you are using NTFS
EFS (Encrypted File System) • Process of putting readable data into code that must be translated before it can be accessed (usually done using a key) • Protects encrypted data even when someone who is not authorized to view files or folders has full access to computer’s data storage • Applies only to Windows 2000/XP NTFS file system
How to Use Encryption • Can be implemented at either the folder or file level • Folder level is encouraged and considered a “best practice” strategy
The Cipher Command • For use when encrypting a large number of files or folders from a command prompt or using a batch file • CIPHER [/E, /D] [/S:dir] [pathname[…]] • /E encrypts specified files or folders • /D decrypts specified files or folders • /S:dir applies the action to the specified folder (directory) and all its subfolders • Pathname is the name of the file/folder and its path that is to be encrypted/decrypted
Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) • Designed to protect a PC from unauthorized access from the Internet when the PC is connected directly to the Internet • Examines every communication that comes to the PC to determine if it: • Has been initiated by the PC (permitted) • Is being initiated by an outside device/computer (refused)
The Windows NT/2000/XP Registry • Hierarchical database containing information about all hardware, software, device drivers, network protocols, and user configuration needed by the OS and applications • Provides a secure and stable location for the information
How the Registry Is Organized • Logical organization • Upside-down tree structure of keys, subkeys, and values • Physical organization • Stored in five files called hives
Editing the Registry • Modified automatically when you make a change (eg, in Control Panel or Device Manager) • Rare occasions when you might need to edit manually • Changes take effect immediately and are permanent • Registry editors • Regedt.32exe (Windows NT/2000) shows each key in a separate window • Regedit.exe (Windows NT/2000/XP) shows all keys in the same window
Other Maintenance and Troubleshooting Tools • Executed from a command line (.exe file extension); some can be executed from the Run dialog box • Microsoft Management Console snap-ins (.msc file extension) • Executed from the Run dialog box or can sometimes be accessed using Windows menus • Built-in graphical tools (eg, Device Manager)
Help on the Web • Windows Update feature • Automated process • Windows XP newsgroups • Post a question in a forum or read questions and answers posted by other users
Troubleshooting theBoot Process (Hierarchical List) • Last Known Good Configuration (and sometimes Driver Rollback) • Safe mode from Advanced Options menu • System Restore (new) • Does not affect user data on hard drive • Recovery Console • Automated System Recovery (new) • Affects user data on hard drive • Reinstall Windows XP using Windows XP CD
