How to Administer Windows XP: The Basics

Last updated: 27 Nov 2006

Overview

Overview of Windows XP and system administration; hands-on experience with basic administration tasks; testing results

Seminar Duration

2 hrs.

Student Prerequisites

none

Student Provides

1. nothing

Lab Provides

1. Computer
2. Disk drive with Windows XP on it
3. Administrator account and password

Preparation

1. Fresh installation of Windows XP SP2 cloned to x disk drives

2. Disk drives inserted and locked into computers

3. Setup itadmin account with administrator rights and password

Delivery

Slides from 15 Nov 2006 Seminar

1. Windows XP Home vs. Professional

   Home lacks:

   1. 64-bit edition

   2. desktop policy management

   3. offline folders

   4. remote installation

   5. roaming profiles

   6. encrypting file system

   7. ACL editor

   8. five connections for file-sharing

   9. automated system recovery

   10. dynamic disks

   11. remote desktop support

   12. multiprocessor support

   13. IIS (web server)

   14. ability to join a domain

2. Windows XP Features
   1. Registry & File System

   2. Desktop

   3. Disks

   4. Users and Groups

   5. Networking & Security

   6. Services & Processes

3. System Administration
   1. Registry & File System

   2. Desktop Management

   3. Disk Management

   4. User Management

   5. Startup & Shutdown

   6. Log Management

   7. Service & Process Management

   8. Networking & Security

   9. Backup & Restore

   10. Software Updates

4. Hands-on Time
   1. Creste ituser account with Users membership and password

   2. Logoff and login as "ituser".

   3. runas /user:ituser regedit

   4. Create C:\test directory and a file in it
      • mkdir C:\test
      • echo hi >C:\test\testfile

   5. Backup/restore
      • Backup c:\test to C:\temp.bkf
      • Delete test subdirectory (rmdir /s /q c:\test)
      • Restore

   6. Change permissions on c:\test
      • Turn off "Simple file sharing"
      • Set read and execute on C:\test for ituser ONLY
      • Use runas with itadmin to determine if itadmin can read C:\test

   7. Run Task Manager
      • Which task uses the most CPU?
      • Which task uses the most memory?

   8. Create a task to open a CMD prompt every 5 minutes.

   9. Auditing
      • Turn on process auditing

      • Start eventvwr

      • Look at security log

   10. Firewalling
       • Block pings
       • log dropped packets
       • ping localhost

Cleanup

1. Clone the disk drives