Windows XP Administration: The Basics

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Windows XP AdministrationThe Basics

• An Institute of Technology Labs
• Basic Skills Seminar

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Agenda

• Windows XP Overview
• Differences between Home and Pro Versions
• System Administration Tasks
• Hands-on Time

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Overview

• Security
• Reliability
• Communication
• Media Support
• Compatibility
• Performance
• Extensibility
• Portability

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Features

• Registry File System
• Desktop
• Disks
• Users Groups
• Networking Security
• Services Processes

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Differences between XP Home/Pro

• XP Home Lacks
• 64-bit edition
• desktop policy management
• offline folders
• remote installation
• roaming profiles
• encrypting file system
• ACL editor

• five connections for file-sharing
• automated system recovery
• dynamic disks
• remote desktop support
• multiprocessor support
• IIS (web server)
• ability to join a domain

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System Administration

• Install/uninstall/upgrade software and patches
• Manage desktops
• Define and manage files and disks
• Manage users and groups
• Create startup/shutdown scripts
• Log activity and review logs
• Schedule periodic tasks
• Define and manage processes services
• Manage and audit resources
• Configure network network security

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Install/uninstall/upgrade

• Windows Update
• CPL/Automatic Updates
• CPL/Add or Remove Programs
• Application updaters
• www.pxserver.com
• winaudit

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Manage desktops

• User profiles, home directory, startup
• Icon placement
• Startup menus
• Tray icons
• Folder views

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Define/manage files and disks

• CPL/AT/Comp Mgmt/Disk Management
• basic vs. dynamic
• RAID levels
• mounting
• File permissions
• Junctions
• Backup/restore
• Encryption/Compression

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Manage users and groups

• CPL/AT/Comp Mgmt/Local Users and Groups
• Define
• logon accounts
• groups (for authorization)
• profile, logon script, home directory
• Disable accounts
• Set passwords
• CPL/Local Security Settings/Account Policies
• CPL/Local Security Settings/Local Policies/User
  Rights Assignments

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Create startup/shutdown scripts

• Startup scripts
• Logon scripts
• Logoff trapping
• shutdown command
• Choice of language
• batch files
• Visual Basic
• Perl,Python,OORexx,etc.

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Log activity and review logs

• Event Viewer
• Logging events
• WshShell.LogEvent()
• Perl Win32EventLog Report()
• Resource kit tools
• dumpevt
• eventquery.vbs
• eventtriggers.exe

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Schedule periodic tasks

• Task scheduler
• schtasks command
• Gotchas
• Runas
• Run only if logged on
• verifying execution
• .job files in C\windows\tasks

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Define/manage processes services

• start, runas commands
• Task Manager
• tasklist, taskkill commands
• sc command
• www.sysinternals.com
• Process Explorer
• PS Tools

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Manage and audit resources

• CPL/System
• Hardware/Device Manager
• Advanced/Performance/Settings
• CPL/AT/Local Security Policy
• Local Policies/Audit Policies
• CPL/AT/Performance
• also, Task Manager
• Other tools
• www.pxserver.com winaudit
• www.sysinternals.com

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Configure network network security

• CPL/Network Connections
• Local Area Connection Properties
• Client for Microsoft Networks
• File and Printer Sharing
• with passwords on files and printers
• suggest using tray icons for connection status
• CPL/Windows Firewall
• Exceptions/Add Program and Port
• Advanced/Security Logging and ICMP
• netsh command
• netstat command

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Hands-On Time

• runas command
• Backing up and Restoring
• Setting File Permissions
• Using Task Manager
• Scheduling a Task
• Viewing Events
• Setting Windows Firewall Exceptions