This chapter covers the following subjects:

• Differences in Windows Versions— This section teaches you how to differentiate between Windows 7, Windows Vista, and XP. The graphical user interfaces (GUI) are different as well as the hardware requirements necessary to run each operating system. This section also covers how to make older programs run properly in newer versions of Windows.

• Primary Windows Components— This section describes the registry, virtual memory, and file systems like NTFS and FAT32.

• Windows Interfaces— This section talks about the tools you will use to interface with Windows such as Windows Explorer, Computer/My Computer, Control Panel, Command Prompt, Network/My Network Places, as well as the Start menu, taskbar, and System Tray.

• Essential Operating System Files— Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP need several files to boot and run the system; this section describes those files in detail.

• Disk Partition, File, and Folder Management— In this section, you learn about the different types of partitions (primary, extended, and so on) and how to work with and back up files and folders effectively.

• Command-Line Functions— Every technician needs to know how to use the command-line, especially the Windows Command Prompt. This section shows how to open and use the Command Prompt and how to work with commands.

• System Management Tools— Keeping the system well managed is important. This section covers tools such as Device Manager, Task Manager, Registry Editor (Regedit), and System Restore, which help to administer a sparkling Windows operating system.

• Optimizing Windows— Making Windows be all it can be is no small task; this section delves into virtual memory, services, applications, temporary files, and how to optimize Windows at startup.