Supporting Windows 9x

1
Chapter 12

• Supporting Windows 9x

2
A Compromise Between Windows and DOS

• The core a combination of 16-bit and 32-bit code
• Memory management
• DOS (base, upper, and extended memory)
• Windows (memory paging and virtual memory)
• Device drivers 16-bit and 32-bit

3
Core OS Files
4
Virtual Machines

• Set of resources made available to an application
  through predefined application programming
  interface calls (APIs)
• Multiple logical machines within one physical
  machine

5
Virtual Machines (continued)
6
Clean Installation

• Ignores system settings, including information
  for hardware and software
• Must reinstall all hardware and software
• Data files can be retained
• To do a clean installation
• The hard drive does have to be formatted, but
  \Windows folder should be deleted

7
Upgrade Installation

• Carries forward system settings and information
  in the current OS
• Software and hardware do not need to be
  reinstalled
• Problems in the current OS may be carried forward

8
Installation Process

• Make sure to create the Startup disk
• Setup options
• Typical
• Portable when install Windows on a laptop
• Compact smallest possible installation
• Custom the users can select components
• Setup log files
• Setuplog.txt records the progress of the
  installation
• Detlog.txt records the hardware detected

9
Hands-on Project Install Windows 98

• Do a clean install of Windows 98
• Add additional system components (pp. 535)
• Download service packs or patches (pp. 535)
• Install a new hardware (pp. 539)
• Install a new software (pp. 543)

10
Configuring the Boot Process

• Most done through registry
• Modify Msdos.sys (pp. 536 and Table 12-3)
• Configure initialization files
• Use sysedit to open initialization files (Figure
  12-14)
• Other window files (Table 12-5)

11
Windows .ini Files
12
Windows 9x Startup Process
13
Windows 9x Startup Process (continued)
14
The Windows 9x Registry

• Database of configuration information and
  settings for users, hardware, applications, and
  the OS
• Hierarchical database with a treelike,
  top-to-bottom design
• Takes over essential functions of .ini files
• Supports System.ini and Win.ini for backward
  compatibility

15
How the Registry Is Organized
16
How the Registry Is Organized (continued)
17
Recovering from a Corrupted Registry

• Windows 95 backup of the registry
• Maintains backup copy of the two registry files
• Windows 98/Me Registry Checker (Figure 12-33)
• Automatically backs up registry every day
• Keeps last five days of backups

18
Recovering from a Corrupted Registry with Windows
98/Me
19
Hands-on Project System Monitor

• pp. 571 Figure 12-18

20
Hands-on Project System Configuration Utility

• pp. 572 Figure 12-19

21
Windows Utilities

• System Configuration Utility (Msconfig.exe) (pp.
  572)
• System File Checker (pp. 568)
• Automatic Skip Driver Agent (ADDA) (pp 576)
• Dr. Watson (pp. 573)

22
Windows 9x Startup Menu Options

• Normal
• Logged (\Bootlog.txt)
• Safe Mode
• Safe Mode with Network support
• Step-by-step confirmation
• Command prompt only
• Safe Mode command prompt only
• Previous version of MS-DOS

23
Trouble Shooting

• If Normal mode has problems, but safe mode does
  not, check
• Config.sys and autoexec.bat (step step
  confirmation)
• System.ini and win.ini (pp. 583)