Windows XP: Windows XP FAQ-2

1. What is WindowsXP?
2. What is the final build? How to know exactly XP version? How to distinguish pirated release of this?
3. What is Windows Product Activation, and why is it needed?
4. What types of delivery are XP?
5. What kind of computer you need to have for the normal operation of XP?
6. What about compatibility with old software?
7. What famous DLL-hell?
8. What is the Dynamic Disk?
9. What is Task Manager?
10. What's new in XP interface compared to previous operating systems from Microsoft?
11. How do I set Tackbar and Start Menu?
12. How to manage users who can access a computer?

General information.

1. What is WindowsXP?
This new OC from Microsoft, from which the attempt is made to combine the two, regardless of pre-existing, W9x line, or NT. Initially, this project called Whisler, but now it is divided into two lines, WindowsXP, positioned to replace W9x and W2kPro, and Windows.NET, positioned to replace NT Server all kinds. Regardless of the name, they are the direct heirs Windows2000, and successors line WindowsNT. This fact determines the main features of WindowsXP. It is fully 32-bit operating system with preemptive multitasking. It is based on the same principles, which are based on all NT. it

1. Compatibility (Compatibility). The system may have a familiar interface of Windows operating system, with some additions and extensions, support filesystems NTFS5, NTFS4, FAT16 and FAT32. Most applications written for MSDOS, W9x, NT4, as well as some programs under OS / 2 and POSIX run and operated without any problems. When designing NT take into account the possibility of the system in different network environments, so the supply includes tools for working in the Unix- and Novell-networks.

2. Portability (Portability). The system works on different processors of x86 Intel and AMD production. There is already a 64 bit version of WindowsXP and Windows.NET, designed to work on Intel Itanium. Implementing support for other processor architectures is possible, but will require some effort.

3. Scalability (Scalability). In WindowsXP implemented SMP technology support. In Windows.NET Advanced Server and Datacenter Server in addition to this there is support COW (Cluster Of Workstations).

4. Security System (Security). Realized customary for NT security system at the user level.

5. The distributed processing (Distributed processing). WindowsXP has networking capabilities built into the system that provides the ability to communicate with different types of hosts of computers thanks to a variety of transport protocols and technology "client-server".

6. Reliability and Fault Tolerance (Reliability and robustness). Architecture OS protects applications from damage each other and the operating system. It uses a fail-safe structured exception handling at all architectural levels which includes the restored NTFS file system and provides protection with integrated security and advanced memory management techniques.

7. Localization (Localization). The system provides the opportunity to work in many countries in national languages, which is achieved by using standard ISO Unicode.

8. Scalability (Extensibility). Due to the modular construction system becomes possible to add new modules to the various architectural OS level.

2. What is the final build? How to know exactly XP version? How to distinguish pirated release of this?
Final build - 2600. Learn it, you can either winver, or according to the XP kernel, for example ntoskrnl.exe file. To distinguish pirated release of this, it's even easier than in any other Windows. This became possible due to the mechanism of activation (Windows Product activation) vostrennym in. In pirate release should include a means of combating it, so if you see a folder named crack, or something like that, you can be confident that the release of a pirate. If there is nothing like it on your disk, and the disk has all the signs of illegal (there is no hologram, the license agreement on paper, no stickers that change color if heated her finger), then you run the risk that your version will cease to work for a month. However, there are "broken" pirated releases, which do not require registration at all.

3. What is Windows Product Activation, and why is it needed?
This is a new technology developed by Microsoft to combat illegal copies of their software. For the first time such a mechanism has been tested on Terminal Service, from W2k Server, but now, it seems, in this way will be protected by all, or many, the following Microsoft products. The essence of technology is as follows. After installing the system on the basis of the serial number, which is given with each copy of XP,, and some of the features of your computer is generated so-called Product ID. It consists of 20 digits, and on its basis (together with the correct serial number, of course), you get the Activation Code, after the introduction of Windows which is considered to be activated. According to Microsoft, they can not on the basis of these two numbers to know anything about your computer. That is, full anonymity. Perhaps this is true. If you do not do this procedure, after 30 days in XP will simply cease to function all but the applet is responsible for aktivatsiyu.Uznat whether your version of XP can be activated in the window System Summary, located in the menu Programs -> Accessories -> System tools -> System Information. If you see the Activation Status line, and opposite it an inscription like Activation Pending (XX days remaining), then through XX days Your XP will no longer work. The applet is responsible for the activation of XP is in the Programs menu -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Activate Windows. When you run this applet opens a simple wizard, which prompts to register your copy of XP over the Internet or by telephone. Once the system is activated (by any means), Activation Pending line of System Information will disappear without a trace.

4. What types of delivery are XP?
Originally to be released in two versions, Windows XP Personal and Windows XP Professional. In addition, there is a 64 bit version of Windows XP Professional, made for the 64-bit Intel Itanium. In addition, Widows.NET Server will be released, Windows.NET Advanced Server and Windows.NET Datacenter Server (x86 or 64 bit edition for each). XP Personal positioned as the operating system to replace W9x line, XP Professional, as a change for Windows2000 Professional. Because of significant differences between them, it can be noted the lack of SMP support in XP Personal. But, despite this, even XP Personal built on the NT kernel, so from 25 October 2001 (the date of the official release XP) can talk about long-promised official death W9x line, and MS-DOS ideology along with it. Windows.NET differs from XP availability of system services and applications inherent in the server, and support for more powerful hardware. Thus, if the SMP XP Pro supports only two processors, the NET Server 4 has, NET Advanced Server 8 and NET Datacenter Server 32.

5. What kind of computer you need to have for the normal operation of XP?
Microsoft claims that the successful installation of XP you need a processor of at least 233 MHz, 64 MB RAM, and 1.5 GB of free disk space. However, for a more or less comfortable work will need a processor of at least 500 MHz and at least 128 megabytes of RAM. Although most facilitating interface can ensure that XP will require less memory than W2k, so if you donate any "bells and whistles", and visual effects, it is comfortable and can be run on less powerful systems. As with any OS on NT, XP kernel loves extra RAM, so 512 megabytes for such a system will not entirely superfluous. In addition, the relatively weak processor, XP markedly retarding, regardless of memory capacity.

6. What about compatibility with old software?
As in W2k, NT kernel imposes its limitations, so can not be expected from XP completely full compatibility with older software. However, compared with w2k situation is somewhat improved compatibility. Among the most significant changes can be noted in the old appeared sound the DOS games that was very difficult to achieve in W2k. Supports Sound Blaster emulation 2 and General MIDI, so it can now be no Run Games with a tambourine made to work with sound such old hits as Worms, Duke Nukem 3D, Warcraft 1 and 2, Dune 2. In addition, the built-in XP compatibility mode with old OS . In order to use it you need to create a shortcut (shortcut) on the problematic program and select the Compatibility tab of the Properties tag. In this tab you can specify the guise of what OS you want to run the program, whether to change the resolution or color depth in this (needed for many older programs). Unlike acompat.exe of W2k, XP distribution in compatibility mode does not just report to his program that it is not she (like an old utility from MS-DOS, called subst), but also emulates the structure of the Windows Registry, characteristic of a OS version. However, do not expect and did not manage to achieve this miracle of the mechanism, 100% compatibility.

7. What famous DLL-hell?
This issue has been given the most attention. Moreover, this question came up more comprehensively than ever before. Firstly, no one will just overwrite any DLL in the system directory. Besides, it was familiar to us from W2k mechanism SFC, System File Protection. This system monitors the main system files, and in the case of replacement of any of them, all changes back. In addition, Microsoft why it took care of Krivorukov programmers, who can not write properly, and they should definitely be that their creation worked with their own the DLL, a substitute system. When you install a program, these remodeled DLL still be written to the disk, but instead of the system. Then, when you start such a program, in the case of a call DLL should be called not a system file, and the file was previously saved by this program.

8. What is the Dynamic Disk?
It is the physical disk on which the dynamic partitions can be created. This drive can be accessed only from W2k or XP.Dinamicheskie sections may be of the following types:

1. Simple (simple). Simple sections practically no different from those to which we are accustomed.
2. Compound (spanned). They consist of several dynamic disks that are presented as a single disk. The data are written and read sequentially.
3. Alternating (stripped). Several dynamic disks, which are presented as a single disk. The data are written and read simultaneously across multiple disks. This should theoretically provide double the speed of disk operations. In practice, although a significant increase, but less than twice. We would recommend using this mode only if there are already two drives. Otherwise, it is much cheaper to buy a hard drive, twice the volume, with excellent high-speed characteristics than the two smaller and slower, counting on the fact that they will be a lot faster. Of course, if you take two fast disk and combine them Stripped Volume, they will be faster than one. However, the system partition can not be Stripped Volume. In this case, reasonable purchase hardware IDE-RAID Controller that provides the opportunity to work with the RAID even from under DOS; thus it is possible to make the system partition alternating.
4. Mirror (mirrored). These sections consist of two physical disks. Data is written to one drive is automatically duplicated on the other. It does not provide any advantage in terms of speed, but provides twice the degree of reliability of data integrity.
5. RAID5. It consists of three or more disks. It represents a stripped volume with kontrolёm errors. That is, data is written to two disks, in two blocks, and the third disc, and the third block is written ECC, an error correction code, by which, according to any of the blocks can restore the contents of the second block. And ECC code is written alternately to each of the disks in the array. This technology allows for a more economical use of disk space than mirrored volumes, but is slower. Each of these sections can be formatted as a FAT32, and under NTFS. Dynamic disk partition management through Disk Management Computer Management window.

Note: All of these sections, except for simple can only be created on dynamic disks.

Normal disk can be converted to dynamic, from the windows Disk Management, however, the reverse process (to convert dynamic disk to simple) is not always possible. For example, if the disc was created from the outset as a dynamic, then it is not usual partition table, and that would create it, it will have to re-break with fdisk and format.
Additionally, if you delete a dynamic disk to several partitions, the space is not merged and the new partition, which is equal to the size of a remote, will consist of several small partitions obedinnennyh in volume set by a single letter.

9. What is Task Manager?
Task Manager - it is one of the most powerful and easy to use tools in the NT, designed for process control. Called it a Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or by selecting from the menu that appears when you right-click on the Taskbar-e.
Task manager in XP has five tabs - Applications, Processes, Performance, Networking and Users.

Let's start with the Performance. This tab displays information about the CPU (s) in real-time (green processes user, a red system processes), representing a load of physical memory, it is shown how busy / free memory, and how busy the system Swap-a. In addition, given other additional information, such as Threads and Processes, - the number of threads and processes executed currently by car, Peak - peak Swap-size and mid-session, Nonpaged - the amount of memory allotted by the kernel. This information can be used when it is necessary to answer the question of which factor in the system is a "bottleneck", slows down (although for these purposes it is better to use the Performance Monitor).

The second tab, the Processes, contains a list of processes that are currently active. For each process, you can find some additional information, such as: PID (Process ID), the amount of RAM used, the number of threads generated by the process, and more. From useful additions that have appeared in XP, it should be noted that appears column User Name. In it you can find out which user or system service launched this or that process. Add / remove parameters can be displayed via View -> Select Columns. In addition, any of these processes can make certain actions. To do this, simply click on it right mouse button, a context menu will appear, through which you can complete, "kill" the process (End Process), you can kill the process, and all the others that he "gave birth" (End Process Tree). You can set the priority of the process, from the top Real-Time to the lowest, Low. If the machine is equipped with two processors and multiprocessor kernel, another item appears in the menu, Set Affinity, which allows you to transfer the process to another processor, The Cpu 0, CPU1, and so on until Cpu31.

Bookmark Task Manager - Applications, allows you to view a list of running applications, and "kill" any of them. Task Manager allows you not only to "kill" the application, it can also run new applications. File -> New task (Run ..). Sometimes it can be very useful. For example, if for any reason will hang the user interface, it can be easily "kill" (explorer.exe process), and then start again. Moreover, it need not necessarily be explorer.exe. You can, for example, run progman.exe, and get an interface similar to interface W3.1, or any of the external interfaces that can be found in abundance on the Internet.

Networking tab. This is one of the bookmarks which appeared in the Task Manager that appeared only in XP. It shows the network load.

Bookmark Users. On it you can see the users who are currently running on the machine. If you have sufficient rights, you can disable this user, or just send him a message. This sort of thing for a long time and are widely used in the various software designed to manage multi-user system, but it was in the Task Manager, this opportunity has appeared for the first time.

10. What's new in XP interface compared to previous operating systems from Microsoft?
After quite a long break Microsoft significantly alters the appearance of their operating system. Basic principles of operation remain the same interface, but any small, and not very, changes and improvements just a huge number. The first thing that catches the eye, it will change the design of the system. In place of strict, smooth lines rounded lines come without unnecessary "frills", soft midtones and shadows. Actually, the Microsoft did not invent the "wheel", many of the trends that have found their expression in the new design of XP we have seen before, including on the PC. As W2k, use color gamut for the first time appeared in KDE 1.2, XP uses elements of colors and design of some of the interface elements (such as scroll bars) are similar to those used in KDE 2.0 this pace, we will someday still wait for translucent windows, icons and antialiased fonts in the operating system from Microsoft Smile happy If someone does not like the new trends in "computer mode", it can easily result in the appearance of the system in a more familiar form, such as in W2k and W98.

11. How do I set Tackbar and Start Menu?
All wealth Tackbar settings invoked by right-clicking on the taskbar, Properties item. The first tab, Taskbar, has two sections. In the first section, Taskbar Appearance following check boxes are available

Lock the taskbar noting this point you will lose the ability to add / delete icons in the quick menu launch, can not change its size and location. On the other hand, will remove the dividing line between the quick launch menu and the main part of the taskbar.

Auto-hide taskbar similar item already existed in w98, and noting it you make your taskbar to go down off the screen when the mouse pointer is not on it.
Keep taskbar on top of other windows Removing this checkbox will cause that the disclosed full-screen window will close a taskbar

Group similar taskbar buttons when this option is checked, multiple copies of the same program are grouped into a single button. For example, if you open several dozen IE windows, they do not crawl on several rows, and grouped into a single button, and discarded the list by clicking on it.

Show Quick Launch Show / Hide Quick launch.

The second section, Notification area:

Show the clock enables / disables the clock on the taskbar.

Hide inactive icons allows you to hide unused icons in the notification area. By clicking on the adjacent button to customize, you can see a list of icons displayed in this area, and to choose for each of them, it must run at all times, should be hidden at once, or should be hidden when not in use.

The second tab - Start Menu.
Just two points, Start menu and Classic start menu. What they do is perfectly clear from the pictures on them, which varies with the choice of one or the other item. A few more interesting Customize buttons next to each of the points, but there is still quite clear and obvious.

For the Start Menu, you can adjust the size of icons, how many programs will be displayed in the list of most frequently used programs, select a program run when you click on the Internet and E-Mail, select the mode that will show a variety of menu items, and whether to show all (Display as link - pressing will open a window, Display as menu - when you hover the mouse throw the menu, do not display item - do not show).

For Classic Start Menu is available the same options that were in W2k, and a few new ones, from which point it should be noted, earlier available only through the registry or through a variety of tweaking, the removal of the Start Menu item Run.

12. How to manage users who can access a computer?
In XP there is user authentication mechanism, and each user can be limited in their rights. Members can be set, and that would be easier to manage them on the same machine, users are divided into groups. Managing users and user groups by using Users Accounts applet in Control Panel. After installing the system, formed only two users, one with administrative privileges, which you created in the XP installation process and Guest, are shown in the window (in fact there are several users, such as the Administrator account, but to login to them only from the local machine, and only in safe mode. this is done to increase security, now there is the same for all users by Administrator, picking up the password to that obtained by an attacker full control over the machine). If you have administrator privileges, you can add or delete a user in this window, you can change the user password or the icon corresponding to the user, change the method that you use to login. To do this, select Change the way users log on and off. The default is Use the Welcome screen that means that logon should only click on the icon from the list and enter the password. If you remove the check mark from this item will be used the good old familiar method of entry for all the NT, a window prompting you to type a username and password. But this control over users of Windows Users Accounts, you do not get. To do this you have to look in the Control Panel applet and seek Administrative Tools - Computer Management - Local Users and Groups. вы окажитесь в хорошо знакомом пользователям предыдущих ОС линейки NT апплете, в котором вы сможете добавить или удалить пользователей отредактировать уже существующих, поменять им группу, и т.д.. Кроме этого, некоторые настройки для пользователей, такие как время жизни пароля, конкретные права для различных групп, и некоторые другие настраиваются из апплета Local Security Setings из Administrative Tools.