Managing Windows XP File

1
Chapter 4

• Managing Windows XP File
• Systems And Storage

2
Objectives

• After completing this chapter, you will be able
  to
• Understand basic and dynamic storage
• Understand the drive configurations supported by
  Windows XP
• Understand the FAT, FAT32, and NTFS file systems
• Understand permissions, sharing, and other
  security issues related to file systems
• Understand Windows XP drive, volume, and
  partition maintenance and administration

3
File Storage Basics

• Windows XP supports two types of storage
• Basic storage centers on partitioning a physical
  disk
• Dynamic storage is supported only by Windows XP
  and Windows 2000
• based on volumes
• Can create expanded volumes and fault-tolerant
  configurations

4
File Storage Basics, contd.

• Basic storage is the traditional,
  industry-standard method of dividing a hard drive
  into partitions
• Partition a logical division of the physical
  space
• Each can be formatted with a different file
  system
• Must be formatted before they can be used
• A primary partition can be marked active
• Tells the BIOS where to find the operating system
  
• Only primary partitions can be active
• Only a single partition can be active at any time
• Does not have to be the first partition on the
  drive

5
File Storage Basics, contd.

• Typically, you create partitions or volumes as
  large as the system allow
• Under Windows XP, those sizes are
• FAT4 GB
• FAT3232 GB
• NTFS4 TB

6
File Storage Basics, contd.

• Dynamic storage does not use partitions it views
  an entire physical hard drive as a single entity
• Can be divided into one or more volumes
• Offers a range of drive structures from simple
  volumes to fully fault tolerant RAID-5
  configurations
• Can be expanded on the fly without rebooting
• Only Windows 2000 and XP Professional systems can
  access data on dynamic storage volumes

7
Functions and Capabilities of Basic and Dynamic
Disks
8
Drive Configurations

• Windows XP supports three drive configurations
• Simple volume - All or part of a single drive
• No fault tolerance
• NTFS volumes can be extended
• FAT/FAT32 volumes cannot
• Spanned volume - A volume configuration of two or
  more parts (up to 32) of one or more drives, or a
  volume configuration of two or more entire drives
• Data written to the first drive until full, then
  continues on with the next drive

9
Drive Configurations, contd.

• Striped volume - Two or more volumes (up to 32)
  of one or more drives or two or more entire
  drives (up to 32)
• Data is written to all drives in equal amounts
• Each must be roughly equal in size
• No fault tolerance provided
• Cannot be mirrored or extended
• Boot and system partitions cannot be part of a
  striped volume

10
File Systems

• Windows XP supports multiple file systems
• File Allocation Table (FAT also called FAT16)
• FAT32
• New
• Technology File System (NTFS)
• XP retains FAT for backward compatibility

11
File Systems, contd.

• FAT, also known as FAT16, was originally
  developed for DOS
• Supports volumes up to 4 GB in size
• Most efficient on volumes smaller than 256 MB
• Root directory can contain only 512 entries
• No file-level compression
• No file-level security
• Maximum file size is 2 GB

12
File Systems, contd.

• FAT32 is an enhanced version of FAT released with
  Windows 95 OSR2
• XP supports FAT32 volumes up to 2 TB
• BUT only volumes up to 32 GB can be created
• Minimum size is 512 MB
• Maximum file size is 4 GB

13
File Systems, contd.
14
File Systems, contd.

• NTFS is the preferred file system of Windows XP
• Supports volumes up to 2 TB in size
• Most efficient on volumes larger than 10 MB
• Root directory can contain unlimited entries
• File-level compression
• File-level security
• File-level encryption
• Disk quotas
• POSIX support
• File size is limited only by the size of the
  volume

15
File Systems, contd.

• When you first format a drive in Windows XP, you
  can select FAT, FAT32, or NTFS
• If you need to change drive formats, you have two
  options
• Reformat with the new file system
• convert from FAT/FAT32 to NTFS using the
  CONVERT.EXE command-line tool.
• A backup should precede either process to ensure
  that you will not lose data

16
File Systems, contd.
17
Disk Management Actions

• The Disk Management tool offers several other
  useful features
• Change Drive Letter and Paths
• Convert to Basic Disk
• Convert to Dynamic Disk
• Delete Partition
• Explore
• Extend Volume

18
Disk Management Actions, contd.

• Format volume or partition
• Help
• Import Foreign Disks
• Mark Partition as Active
• Create New Logical Drive
• Create New Partition
• Create New Volume

19
Disk Management Actions, contd.

• Open volume or partition
• View Properties
• Reactivate Disk
• Reactivate Volume
• Remove Disk
• Refresh
• Rescan Disks

20
Disk Management Actions, contd.
21
Disk Management Actions, contd.
22
Disk Management Actions, contd.
23
Disk Management Actions, contd.

• Disk Tools
• Error-checking - find and repair errors on a
  drive
• Defragmentation - reduce file fragmentation
• Backup - back up files

24
Disk Management Actions, contd.
25
Disk Management Actions, contd.
26
Disk Management Actions, contd.
27
Disk Management Actions, contd.
28
Disk Management Actions, contd.
29
Disk Management Actions, contd.
30
File System Object Level Properties

• There are folder- and file level controls that
  are accessed through the Properties dialog boxes
  of either a folder or an object
• An NTFS folder objects properties include Name,
  Type, Location, Size, Size on disk, Contains,
  Created, Read-only Attributes, Hidden Attributes
• A FAT/FAT32 folder objects properties include
  Name, Type, Location, Size, Size on disk,
  Contains, Created, Read-only Attributes, Hidden
  Attributes, Archive Attributes

31
File System Object Level Properties, contd.
32
File System Object Level Properties, contd.

• An NTFS file objects properties include Name,
  Type of file, Description, Opens with, Change,
  Location, Size, Size on disk, Created, Modified,
  Accessed, Read-only Attributes, Hidden
  Attributes, Advanced button File is ready for
  archiving, Advanced button fast searching,
  Advanced button Compress contents, Advanced
  button Encrypt contents
• A FAT/FAT32 file objects properties include
  Name, Type of file, Description, Opens with,
  Change, Location, Size, Size on disk, Created,
  Modified, Accessed, Read-only Attributes, Hidden
  Attributes, Archive Attributes

33
File System Object Level Properties, contd.
34
File System Object Level Properties, contd.

• An NTFS mounted volume objects properties
  include Name, Properties, Type, Location,
  Target, Created, Read-only Attributes, Hidden
  Attributes, Advanced button fast searching,
  Advanced button Compress contents, Advanced
  button Encrypt contents
• A FAT/FAT32 mounted volume objects properties
  include Name, Properties, Type, Location,
  Target, Created, Read-only Attributes, Hidden
  Attributes, Archive Attributes

35
File System Object Level Properties, contd.
36
Managing NTFS Permissions

• NTFS offers file-level control over access on a
  user and group basis
• It is the only file system supported by Windows
  XP that offers file-level security
• NTFS security determines what can be done to a
  file system object and by whom

37
Managing NTFS Permissions, contd.

• The NTFS permissions are as follows Read, Write
  (folders), Write (files), List Folder Contents
  (folders only), Read Execute (folders), Read
  Execute (files), Modify (folders), Modify
  (files), Full Control (folders), Full Control
  (files)
• Configured on the Security tab of the objects
  Properties dialog box

38
Managing NTFS Permissions, contd.
39
Managing NTFS Permissions, contd.

• Rules for working with NTFS permissions
• Object permissions always apply
• Object permissions are cumulative
• File permissions override any contradictory
  settings
• Deny overrides all other specific Allows
• When disabling inheritance for an object, select
  to either Copy the parents permissions to the
  current object or Remove permissions assigned and
  retain only object-specific settings

40
Managing NTFS Permissions, contd.
41
Managing NTFS Permissions, contd.

• When copying or moving NTFS objects
• Moving an object within the same volume or
  partition is a minor change such objects retain
  their original settings
• All of the other copy and move situations create
  a new object
• The system copies the file to the new
  destination, then it deletes the original
• The new object inherits the settings of its new
  parent or container
• This applies whether moving or copying from NTFS
  to FAT, or moving or copying from FAT to NTFS

42
Managing NTFS Permissions, contd.
43
Managing Shared Folders

• The Sharing tab offers the following controls
• Do not share this folder
• Share this folder
• Share name
• Comment
• Comment or description of the share
• User limit
• Limit the number of simultaneous users

44
Managing Shared Folders, contd.
45
Managing Shared Folders, contd.

• The Share Permission levels are
• Read - access, execute, and open resources
• Change - create new, change and delete existing
  objects access, execute, and open resources
• Full Control - perform all actions on resources
• Accessing shares is done through
• Windows Explorer, My Network Places
• By mapping a share to a drive letter

46
Managing Shared Folders, contd.
47
Media Folders and the Customize Tab

• Media folders are the My Documents, My Music, and
  My Pictures folders
• These are the default storage locations for
  documents, music files, and images
• They cannot be altered BUT
• folders added beneath them can be fully
  customized
• The Customize tab is used to define the type of
  folder by
• selecting a folder template
• defining a folder picture
• customizing a folder icon

48
Media Folders and the Customize Tab, contd.
49
Simple File Sharing

• Simple File Sharing is used when quick and easy
  file sharing is needed
• only effective when XP is a member of a workgroup
• When enabled all shared folders are accessible by
  everyone on the network
• disables the Sharing tab on the Properties dialog
  box
• When Simple File Sharing is disabled, shared
  folders can be restricted by user and group
  permissions

50
Zipping Files and Compressed Folders

• Zipped files are compressed files that include
  one or more files into a single .zip file
• Zipping files makes them smaller and creates a
  single filename for transfer
• XP has zip capabilities built into the file
  system
• A zipped file can be created using
• New, Compressed Folder command from the File menu
  
• right-click menu within Windows Explorer or My
  Computer

51
CD Burning

• Windows XP includes native support for writing
  files to a CDR or CDRW
• Requires a compatible CDR or CDRW drive
• Includes the ability to
• Duplicate CDs
• Record audio CDs from other audio CDs or music
  files
• Erase CDRWs

52
Offline Files

• Microsoft has developed a scheme known as Offline
  Files that involves file designation, data
  transfer, and follow-up synchronization
• A solution to the challenge offered by mobile
  computers
• You can define whether objects are synchronized
• automatically upon logon or logoff
• when idle
• at scheduled times

53
Offline Files, contd.
54
Folder Redirection

• Folder Redirection alters the physical storage
  location of folders to a network server while
  retaining the original local access methods
• Can be configured through two different
  mechanisms
• Alter the location of the My Documents folder
  through the My Documents Properties dialog box
• Can be altered using the Move button

55
Removable Media

• Removable media can be configured through the
  Device Manager
• Manage the media themselves through the Removable
  Storage tool
• Lists all media present on the system and grants
  the ability to create custom sets of media
• Computer Management tool can be used to
• Define the media type for each device
• Set permissions for the media device
• Rename the media

56
Troubleshooting Access Problems

• In most access problems, either the resource
  object has the wrong settings or the user account
  has the wrong settings
• Resource object can have
• Incorrect permissions settings due to
  inheritance, lack of inheritance, moving/copying,
  or simple human error
• User account can have
• Incorrect permissions due to improper group
  membership, improper permission settings on a
  valid group, or human error

57
Troubleshooting Access Problems, contd.

• To resolve permission or access problems, follow
  this procedure
• Determine the valid access
• Inspect the resource objects permissions
• Inspect the shares permissions
• Inspect the users group memberships
• Attempt to access other resources from here and
  other resources from elsewhere
• Attempt to access the problematic resource with
  the Administrator account

58
Troubleshooting Access Problems, contd.

• In general, use the following guidelines
• Grant permission only as needed
• Rely upon NTFS to restrict access
• Grant Full Control only when necessary
• Change permissions on a folder level, allow
  changes to affect all child elements
• Use multiple folders and subfolders to separate
  files into groups for different permission levels
• Stay away from the Deny setting

59
The Microsoft Distributed File System

• The Microsoft Distributed File System (DFS)
  combines shared resources from various locations
  into a single hierarchical system
• Provides a single access or reference point
  without regard to the physical location of the
  resources

60
Summary

• Basic and dynamic storage
• Volume and partitions can be formatted with FAT,
  FAT32, or NTFS
• Pre-existing basic-storage-drive configurations
  can be managed by XP
• Basic storage devices can be converted to dynamic
  devices
• XP supports simple volumes, spanned volumes, and
  striped volumes
• The FAT and FAT32 file systems are retained by
  Windows XP for backward compatibility
• FAT does not offer any form of file-level
  security
• NTFS is recommended because it offers file-level
  security, encryption, and disk quotas

61
Summary, contd.

• There are several disk-related utilities Disk
  Cleanup, Check Disk, and Disk Defragmenter
• File system objects have unique properties and
  controls
• All NTFS objects offer security, encryption,
  compression, and auditing
• NTFS permissions control access to resources
• XP supports Simple File Sharing, zipped files, CD
  burning, folder redirection, management of
  removable media, and support for DFS