Chapter 4 Configuring the Windows XP Environment MICROSOFT EXAM OBJECTIVES COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER:  Implement, manage, and troubleshoot disk devices.  Install, configure, and manage DVD and CD-ROM devices.  Monitor and configure removable media, such as tape devices.  Implement, manage, and troubleshoot display devices.  Configure multiple-display support.  Install, configure, and troubleshoot a video adapter.  Configure Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI).  Implement, manage, and troubleshoot input and output (I/O) devices.  Monitor, configure, and troubleshoot I/O devices, such as printers, scanners, multimedia devices, mouse, keyboard, and smart card reader.  Monitor, configure, and troubleshoot multimedia hardware, such as cameras.  Install, configure, and manage Infrared Data Association (IrDA) devices.  Install, configure, and manage wireless devices.  Install, configure, and manage USB devices.  Install, configure, and manage hand held devices.  Manage and troubleshoot drivers and driver signing.  Monitor and configure multiprocessor computers.  Manage, monitor, and optimize system performance for mobile users. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com After you’ve installed Windows XP Professional, you will need to install and configure your hardware. The easiest hardware devices to install are those that follow the Plug and Play standard. However, it’s not that difficult to install non–Plug and Play hardware through the Add/Remove Hardware utility in Control Panel. To configure your hardware, you generally use the Computer Management utility or Control Panel. You can also create custom administrative consoles through the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). In this chapter, you will examine the process of configuring the Windows XP environment, beginning with an overview of the main configuration utilities. Then you will learn how to update drivers and manage driver signing. Next, you will see how to configure many different types of hardware, including disk devices, display devices, mobile computer hardware, I/O devices, imaging devices, and multiple processors. Finally, you will learn how to configure and manage Windows XP services and multiple hardware profiles. New Device and Hardware Support for Windows XP If you are familiar with Windows 2000 configuration, then Windows XP configuration will be very similar. For those readers who are familiar with Windows 2000 configuration, this chapter begins with the difference between Windows XP configuration support and Windows 2000 configuration support. Windows XP includes new device and hardware support for the following options:  Windows Image Acquisition architecture (WIA)  Better support for digital audio and video  Improved Dualview multi-monitor support These options are covered in greater detail in the following sections. Windows Image Acquisition Architecture Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) is designed to manage images between the image capture device (such as digital cameras or image scanners) and the computer’s software applications. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com New Device and Hardware Support for Windows XP 119 This allows still images to be easily transferred and edited. There is also support for Microsoft DirectShow webcams and digital video camcorders so you can capture frames from video streams. Connecting WIA Devices You can connect capture devices to Windows XP Professional with WIA technology through the following:  IEEE 1394  Universal Serial Bus (USB)  Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) If you connect your image device through a standard COM port (serial or parallel port) or through infrared, then support would be based on existing standards. Components of WIA WIA is made up of several software components. They include the following:  Scanner and Camera Wizard  Extensions to the Windows Explorer User Interface (UI)  WIA applications  Imaging Class Installer  WIA scripting interface  Common system dialog devices  Device objects  WIA Device Manager Each component is covered in greater detail in the following subsections. Scanner and Camera Wizard The Scanner and Camera Wizard is used to retrieve images from WIA-enabled devices. The wizard allows you to preview and view picture properties. The wizard is launched for the following activities:  Connect events, which occur when a Plug and Play image device that uses the WIA standard is connected  Scan events, which are activated when WIA-enabled scanners are used  Media-insertion events, which are triggered by inserting flash memory cards or CD-ROMs, which contain image files You can configure your computer so that it will use another imaging application instead of the Scanner and Camera Wizard for image management. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com 120 Chapter 4  Configuring the Windows XP Environment Extensions to the Windows Explorer User Interface (UI) When you install a WIA device, it will automatically appear as an icon in My Computer. When you open the WIA device in My Computer, you will see thumbnail pictures of all the pictures stored on the WIA device. Other extensions include the following:  Option to e-mail pictures  Option to order prints from the Internet  Support for posting pictures to a website  Ability to save pictures to CD-RW media WIA Applications Windows XP Professional supports two classes of WIA applications, those for editing images and those for authoring documents. Imaging Class Installer The Imaging Class Installer is the component of Windows XP that allows Plug and Play support for WIA devices. WIA Scripting Interface The WIA scripting interface is used to support the development of WIA applications through scripting languages such as Microsoft Visual Basic. Common System Dialog Devices The common system dialog devices are used to view pictures and their properties, scan pictures, edit pictures, and select WIA devices and device properties. These objects are viewed through the UI as dialog boxes. The common system dialog objects include the following:  Scanner common dialog object  Still camera common dialog object  Video camera common dialog object  Device selection common dialog object Device Objects When a WIA device is installed and its associated driver is loaded, a device object is started by the operating system. The device objects that are created include the following:  WIA mini driver  WIA generic flatbed scanner  WIA generic digital still camera, which is based on the Public Transfer Protocol (PTP)  WIA generic video camera object WIA Device Manager The WIA Device Manager establishes communication between WIA devices and imaging applications. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Windows XP Management Utilities 121 Support for Digital Audio and Video Windows 2000 and Windows Me include support for digital audio and video. Windows XP extends the support for digital audio and video through the following options:  Multichannel audio output and playback support, which, if your speakers are configured in a multichannel configuration, sets each speaker’s volume individually  Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), which is a technology that reduces echo and feedback from an input channel such as a USM microphone  Global Effects (GFX), which is used to support USB audio devices such as USB array microphones Dualview Multi-Monitor Support Multi-monitor support is available with Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows Me. Windows XP expands this support with Dualview, which is used to support mobile computers. Dualview support is used to allow mobile computers to use multiple display outputs, such as a laptop’s built-in display and an external monitor, at the same time. Each display can then be configured to display independent applications or data. Windows XP Management Utilities Windows XP Professional includes several utilities for managing various aspects of the operating system configuration. In this section, you will learn about the Microsoft Management Console and the Registry Editor. Microsoft Management Console The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is the console framework for management appli- cations. The MMC provides a common environment for snap-ins , which are administrative tools developed by Microsoft or third-party vendors. The MMC offers many benefits, including the following:  The MMC is highly customizable—you add only the snap-ins you need.  Snap-ins use a standard, intuitive interface, so they are easier to use than previous versions of administrative utilities.  MMC consoles can be saved and shared with other administrators.  You can configure permissions so that the MMC runs in authoring mode, which an administrator can manage, or in user mode, which limits what users can access.  Most snap-ins can be used for remote computer management. As shown in Figure 4.1, the MMC console contains two panes: a console tree on the left and a details pane on the right. The console tree lists the hierarchical structure of all snap-ins that Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com 122 Chapter 4  Configuring the Windows XP Environment have been loaded into the console. The details pane contains a list of properties or other items that are part of the snap-in that is highlighted in the console tree. FIGURE 4.1 The MMC console tree and details pane On a Windows XP Professional computer, there is no item created for the MMC by default. To open the console, select Start  Run and type MMC in the Run dialog box. When you first open the MMC, it contains only the Console Root folder, as shown in Figure 4.2. The MMC does not have any default administrative functionality. It is simply a framework used to organize administrative tools through the addition of snap-in utilities. FIGURE 4.2 The opening MMC window Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Windows XP Management Utilities 123 Configuring MMC Modes You can configure the MMC to run in author mode, for full access to the MMC functions, or in one of three user modes, which have more limited access to the MMC functions. To set a console mode, select File  Options to open the Options dialog box. In this dialog box, you can select from the console modes listed in Table 4.1. Adding Snap-Ins To add snap-ins to the MMC console and save it, take the following steps: 1. From the main console window, select File  Add/Remove Snap-In to open the Add/Remove Snap-In dialog box. 2. Click the Add button to open the Add Standalone Snap-In dialog box. 3. Highlight the snap-in you wish to add, and click the Add button. 4. If prompted, specify whether the snap-in will be used to manage the local computer or a remote computer. Then click the Finish button. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add each snap-in you want to include in your console. 6. When you are finished adding snap-ins, click the Close button. 7. Click the OK button to return to the main console screen. 8. After you have added snap-ins to create a console, you can save it by selecting File  Save As and entering a name for your console. You can save the console to a variety of locations, including a program group or the Desktop. By default, custom consoles have an .msc extension. In exercises in later chapters, you will add MMC snap-ins to create different custom consoles and save them in various locations. This will give you an idea of the flexibility of the MMC and how you can set up custom consoles for your administrative tasks. TABLE 4.1 MMC Console Modes Console Mode Description Author mode Allows use of all the MMC functions. User mode—full access Allows users full access to window management commands, but they cannot add or remove snap-ins. User mode—limited access, multiple window Allows users to create new windows, but they can access only the areas of the console tree that were visible when the console was last saved. User mode—limited access, single window Allows users to access only the areas of the console tree that were visible when the console was last saved, and they cannot create new windows. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com 124 Chapter 4  Configuring the Windows XP Environment Registry Editor The Registry is a database used by the operating system to store configuration information. The Registry Editor program is used to edit the Registry. This utility is designed for advanced configuration of the system. Normally, when you make changes to your configuration, you use other utilities, such as Control Panel. Only experienced administrators should use the Registry Editor. It is intended for making configuration changes that can only be made directly through the Registry. For example, you might edit the Registry to specify an alternate location for a print spool folder. Improper changes to the Registry can cause the computer to fail to boot. Use the Registry Editor with extreme caution. Windows XP uses the REGEDIT program as the primary utility for Registry editing in Win- dows XP. It supports full editing of the Registry. To use REGEDIT, select Start  Run and type REGEDIT in the Run dialog box. The REGEDIT program that is included with Windows XP Professional includes full search capabilities and full Registry support. You can still use the REGEDT32 from the Run command, but it will redirect you to the REGEDIT command. The Registry is organized in a hierarchical tree format of keys and subkeys that represent logical areas of computer configuration. By default, when you open the Registry Editor, you see five Registry key listings, as shown in Figure 4.3 and described in Table 4.2. FIGURE 4.3 The Registry Editor Window Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Installing Hardware 125 Installing Hardware If you buy new hardware, it will probably be Plug and Play. If you use older, non–Plug and Play hardware, you will most likely need to configure the hardware to be properly recognized by the operating system. Installing Plug and Play Devices Plug and Play technology uses a combination of hardware and software that allows the operating system to automatically recognize and configure new hardware without any user intervention. Windows XP Plug and Play support includes the following features:  Automatic and dynamic recognition of hardware that is installed  Automatic resource allocation (or reallocation, if necessary)  Determination of the correct driver that needs to be loaded for hardware support  Support for interaction with the Plug and Play system  Support for power management features Installing Non–Plug and Play Devices Legacy or older hardware is also supported by Windows XP Professional. When you install this type of hardware, you need to configure it just as you did before Plug and Play technology was introduced. First, you need to configure the hardware device’s resources manually on the device or through a software configuration program. Hardware resources include the device’s interrupt request (IRQ), I/O port address, memory address, and Direct Memory Access (DMA) settings. Before TABLE 4.2 Registry Keys Registry Key Description HKEY_CURRENT_USER Configuration information for the user who is currently logged on to the computer. This key is a subkey of the HKEY_USERS key. HKEY_USERS Configuration information for all users of the computer. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Computer hardware configuration information. This computer configuration is used regardless of the user who is logged in. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Configuration information used by Windows Explorer to properly associate file types with applications. HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG Configuration of the hardware profile that is used during system startup. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com 126 Chapter 4  Configuring the Windows XP Environment you configure the resources for the new device, determine which resources are available. You can view a listing of the currently allocated resources in the Device Manager utility, as follows: 1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and select Manage. In the Computer Management window, select System Tools and then Device Manager. 2. Select View  Resources by Connection. 3. Device Manager displays a list of the current resources. Click a resource, then the Resources tab to see all of the allocated resources of that type. Figure 4.4 shows an example of an IRQ listing in Device Manager. FIGURE 4.4 Viewing resource allocation in Device Manager Through View  Resources by Type, you see a listing for Direct Memory Access (DMA), Input/Output (I/O), Interrupt Request (IRQ), and Memory. By expanding each resource type, you will see all devices that have been assigned resources within the category. This view is useful when you are determining what resources are in use, and what resources are available. After you’ve configured the hardware resources, you can use the Add Hardware icon in Control Panel (Classic View) to add the new device to Windows XP Professional and install the device driver. If the device is not listed, you will need a manufacturer-provided driver. Insert the disk that contains the driver and click the Have Disk button in Add/Remove Hardware. You can also access Device Manager by right-clicking My Computer in the Start menu, and then selecting the Properties  Hardware tab  Device Manager button. Windows XP Professional often offers many alternatives for completing the same task. Throughout this book, you will be presented with some of the different options for completing the same tasks. Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Copyright ©2003 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com [...]... Figure 4. 13 Simply select the Enable Hibernation check box FIGURE 4. 13 The Hibernate tab of Power Options Properties Copyright ©20 03 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501 COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 142 Chapter 4 Configuring the Windows XP Environment If you have a laptop running Windows XP Professional, ... computer has the video adapter built into the system board, you should install Windows XP Professional before you install the second video adapter This is because Windows XP will disable the video adapter that is built into the system board if it detects a second video adapter When you add a second video adapter after Windows XP is installed, it will automatically become the primary video adapter In Exercise... Plug and Play device, all you Copyright ©20 03 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501 COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 132 Chapter 4 Configuring the Windows XP Environment need to do is shut down your computer, add the video adapter, and turn on your computer Windows XP Professional will automatically recognize... in Windows Professional To start the service, take the following steps: 1 Right-click My Computer from the Start menu and select Manage from the pop-up menu 2 Expand Services and Applications, then Services 3 Double-click Fax Service and click the Start button 4 Select Automatic as the Startup Type and click the OK button 5 Close the Computer Management window Starting and configuring Windows XP Professional. .. mode For Windows applications, try running the application in a maximized window Managing Mobile Computer Hardware Windows XP Professional includes several features that are particularly useful for laptop computers For example, through Power Options in Control Panel (found in the Performance and Maintenance section), you can set power schemes and enable power management features with Windows XP You will... Table 4 .3 Alternatively, you can create a custom power scheme by clicking the Save As button, giving the power scheme a new name, and choosing power scheme options Copyright ©20 03 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501 COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com Managing Mobile Computer Hardware TABLE 4 .3 139 Windows XP Power... change can be successfully implemented If necessary, restart your computer Copyright ©20 03 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501 COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 128 Chapter 4 Configuring the Windows XP Environment Windows XP Professional offers a new feature called Roll Back Driver This option can be used to... computer Troubleshooting Power Management Issues Windows XP (and all versions of Windows NT, 2000, and Server 20 03) rely on a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) to provide hardware-independent code for specific hardware platforms By using portable code to act between the Windows operating system and platform-specific hardware, the code that is used within the Windows operating system itself it platform independent... COPYING PROHIBITED www.sybex.com Simpo PDF Merge and Split Unregistered Version - http://www.simpopdf.com 136 Chapter 4 Configuring the Windows XP Environment support Confirm that you have the most current drivers (that are XP compliant and support dual-mode capabilities) loaded Confirm that Windows XP is able to detect the secondary video adapter Try selecting the secondary adapter rather than the primary... Drivers 127 Managing Device Drivers A device driver is software that allows a specific piece of hardware to communicate with the Windows XP operating system Most of the devices on the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) have drivers that are included on the Windows XP Professional distribution CD Managing device drivers involves updating them when necessary and deciding how to handle drivers that . and manage Windows XP services and multiple hardware profiles. New Device and Hardware Support for Windows XP If you are familiar with Windows 2000 configuration, then Windows XP configuration. are familiar with Windows 2000 configuration, this chapter begins with the difference between Windows XP configuration support and Windows 2000 configuration support. Windows XP includes new. Dualview Multi-Monitor Support Multi-monitor support is available with Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows Me. Windows XP expands this support with Dualview, which is used to support mobile computers. Dualview