Course Overview
Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 offer reliable troubleshooting features that allow organisations to operate with improved efficiency. Mastering the technologies available in these systems is essential to the successful operation of your Windows enterprise. In this course, you gain the skills needed to efficiently optimise and troubleshoot your Windows operating system in order to minimise downtime and maximise system availability.
This course has been classified as IT Technical Training.
Audience
Anyone responsible for supporting Windows operating systems
Skills Gained
You Will Learn How to:
- Implement troubleshooting and maintenance tools to support Windows operating systems
- Increase system performance and stability
- Collect and analyse performance statistics and baselines
- Maintain hard disc partition and boot record integrity
- Back up, edit and restore the Registry
- Determine origin and nature of network traffic
Extensive hands-on exercises provide practical experience that reinforces your skills troubleshooting Windows. Exercises, performed under the guidance of an expert instructor, include:
- Performing advanced administrative tasks
- Collecting information using WMI
- Tracking system complications
- Monitoring operating system and component performance
- Troubleshooting system sluggishness
- Locating and eliminating bottlenecks
- Detecting and coping with memory leaks
- Recovering from Registry mishaps
- Restoring system functionality
- Coping with hardware issues
- Benchmarking
Prerequisites
Experience with Windows Vista, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 is assumed.
Course Outline
Overview of Windows Operating Systems
- Major operating system components
- Client/server OS functionality
- User mode vs. Kernal mode processes
- Multitasking vs. multiprocessing
Collecting System Configuration Information
Tools and techniques
- Service, device and process management
- WMI console capabilities
- Service management wizards
- Remote control technologies
- Troubleshooting and diagnostic tools
Maintaining your operating system
- Advanced administrative tasks
- Analysing system information and event logs
- Coping with driver-related Bluescreens
- Updating critical system files
Analysing Performance
Collecting data
- Processor and memory utilisation
- Network and disk I/O sources
Establishing a baseline using the System Monitor and benchmarks
- Creating custom baselines
- Taking a snapshot of an optimal system
Creating and interpreting performance logs
- Configuring performance alerts
- Establishing utilisation trends
Advanced System Troubleshooting
Monitoring operating system components
- Maintaining file system integrity
- Lowering downtime with Automated System Recovery
- Integrating virtual machines into the troubleshooting process
Improving operating system efficiency
- Tuning memory management
- Selecting the most effective hardware
Maintaining services and device drivers
- Manipulating operating system files
- Resolving problems remotely
- Rapidly restoring previous device drivers
Boot process troubleshooting
- Identifying common problems
- Repairing system files and boot process components
Demystifying the Bluescreen
- Identifying common causes of core dumps
- Coping with boot-time Bluescreens
- Managing Registry Integrity
Modifying the Registry
- Making changes with the Registry Editor
- Advanced Registry content analysis
Restoring Registry components
- Restoring Registry hives manually
- Installing a local copy of the Recovery Console
- Creating and using pre-installation environments
Maintaining Disk and Network Reliability
Windows disk features
- Observing Windows file protection in action
- Providing data fault tolerance
- Backing up critical files
Identifying critical components
- Troubleshooting boot sectors
- Repairing corrupt partition tables
Optimising network components
- Disabling unneeded network services
- Configuring optimum performance of application and file servers
Maximising resource availability
- Forming network behaviour expectations
- Observing traffic with a protocol analyser
Capacity Analysis and Planning
Evaluating utilisation trends - System logging and monitoring methods
- Referencing baselines and benchmarks
Determining future requirements
- Planning for upgrades
- Integrating new technologies
Follow On Courses
- 551 Windows XP Professional Comprehensive Introduction
- 951 Deploying Windows Vista
- 599 Securing Windows Server 2003
- 559 Windows Server 2003 AD Troubleshooting
- 597 Deploying & Managing Windows Server 2003
- 558 Automating Windows Administration with VBScript
- 596 Windows Server 2003 Active Directory
