Chapter 10 - Maintaining Windows

registry

A database that Windows uses to store hardware and software configuration information, user preferences, and setup information.

defragment

A drive maintenance procedure that rearranges fragments or parts of files on a magnetic hard drive so each file is stored on the drive in contiguous clusters.

UDF (Universal Disk Format)

A file system for optical media used by all DVD discs and some CD-R and CD-RW discs. Also see CDFS (Compact Disc File System).

Resilient File System (ReFS)

A file system that offers excellent fault tolerance and compatibility with virtualization and data redundancy in a RAID system.

fragmented file

A file that has been written to different portions of the disk so that it is not in contiguous clusters.

mount point

A folder that is used as a shortcut to space on another volume, which effectively increases the size of the folder to the size of the other volume. Also see mounted drive.

quick format

A format procedure, used to format a hard drive volume or other drive, that doesn't scan the volume or drive for bad sectors; use it only when a drive has been previously formatted and is in healthy condition.

Complete PC Backup

A Vista utility that can make a backup of the entire volume on which Vista is installed and can also back up other volumes. Compare with system image (Windows 8/7).

Storage Spaces

A Windows 8 utility that can create a storage pool using any number of internal or external backup drives. The utility is expected to replace Windows software RAID.

active partition

For Master Boot Record (MBR) hard drives, the primary partition on the drive that boots the OS. Windows calls it the system partition.

EFI System Partition (ESP)

For a GPT hard drive, the bootable partition used to boot the OS and contains the boot manager program for the OS.

striping

Aka RAID 0

Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table (GUID or GPT)

An newer method of partitioning the hard drive, allows for any size hard drive, and, for windows, can have p to 128 partitions on the drive. It is required for drives larger than 2 TB or for systems that boot using UEFI firmware.

sector

On a hard disk drive or SSD, the smallest unit of bytes addressable by the operating system and UEFI/BIOS. On hard disk drives, one usually equals 512 bytes; SSD drives might use larger ones.

cluster

On a magnetic hard drive, one or more sectors that constitute the smallest unit of space on the drive for storing data (also called a file allocation unit). Files are written to a drive as groups of these.

logical drive

On an MBR hard drive, a portion or all of a hard drive extended partition that is treated by the operating system as though it were a physical drive or volume. Each is assigned a drive letter, such as drive F, and contains a file system. Compare with volume.

extended partition

On an MBR hard drive, the only partition on the drive that can contain more than one logical drive. In Windows, a hard drive can have only one of these. Compare with primary partition.

Master Boot Record (MBR)

One of the two methods used to organize the partition tables on a hard drive. On this type hard drive, the first sector on the drive is called this and contains the partition table and a program BIOS used to boot and OS from the drive. Compare with GUID or GPT

hardware RAID

One of two ways to implement RAID. It is more reliable and better performing than software RAID, and is implemented using UEFI/BIOS on the motherboard or a RAID controller card.

master file table (MFT)

The database used by the NTFS file system to track the contents of a volume or logical drive.

boot partition

The hard drive partition where the Windows OS is stored. The system partition and the boot partition may be different partitions.

system partition

The partition of the hard drive that contains the boot loader or boot manager program and the specific files required to start the Windows launch.

slack

Wasted space on a hard drive caused by not using all available space at the end of a cluster.

file allocation unit

aka cluster

erase

aka del

xcopy

A Windows command more powerful than the copy command that is used to copy files and folders.

elevated command prompt window

A Windows command prompt window that allows commands that require administrator privileges.

robocopy (robust file copy)

A Windows command that is similar to and more powerful than the xcopy command, used to copy files and folders.

chkdsk (check disk)

A Windows command to verify the hard drive does not have bad sectors that can corrupt the file system.

Offline Files

A Windows utility that allows users to work with files in the folder when the computer is not connected to the corporate network. When the computer is later connected, Windows syncs up the offline files and folders with those on the network.

System Protection

A Windows utility that automatically backs up system files and stores them in restore points on the hard drive at regular intervals and just before you install software or hardware.

Disk Cleanup

A Windows utility to delete temporary files to free up space on a drive.

System Restore

A Windows utility used to restore the system to a restore point.

user profile

A collection of files and settings about a user account that enables the user's personal data, desktop settings, and other operating parameters to be retained from one session to another.

Windows PowerShell

A command-line interface (CLI) that processes objects, called cmdlets, which are prebuilt programs built on the .NET Framework, rather than processing text in a command line.

shadow copy

A copy of open files made so that open files are included in a backup.

primary partition

A hard disk partition that can be used to boot the system. An MBR drive can have up to three primary partitions. In Windows, a GPT drive can have up to 128 primary partitions. Compare with extended partition.

virtual memory

A method whereby the OS uses the hard drive as though it were RAM. Also see pagefile.sys.

high-level formatting

A process performed by the Windows Format program (for example, FORMAT C:/S), the Windows installation program, or the Disk Management utility. The process creates the boot record, file system, and root directory on a hard drive volume or logical drive, a floppy disk, or a USB flash drive. Also called formatting, OS formatting, or operating system formatting. Compare with low-level formatting.

low-level formattingd

A process, usually performed at the factory, that electronically creates thd hard drive tracks and sectors, and tests for bad spots on the disk surface. Compare with high level formatting.

restore point

A snapshot of the Windows system, usually made before installation of new hardware or applications. Restore points are created by the System Protection utility.

FAT (file allocation table)

A table on a hard drive, USB flash drive, or floppy disk used by the FAT file system that tracks the clusters used to contain a file.

partition table

A table that contains information about each partition on the drive. For MBR drives, the partition table is contained in the Master Boot Record. For GPT drives, it is stored in the GPT header and a backup of the table is stored at the end of the drive.

thin provisioning

A technique used by Storage Spaces in Windows whereby virtual storage free space can be configured as if it has more virtual storage than the physical storage allotted to it. When the virtual storage free space is close to depletion, the administrator is prompted to install more physical storage.

simple volume

A type of volume used on a single hard drive. Compare with dynamic volume.

mounted drive

A volume that can be accessed by way of a folder on another volume so that the folder has more available space. Also see mount point.

dynamic volume

A volume type used with dynamic disks by which you can create a single volume that uses space on multiple hard drives.

dynamic disk

A way to partition one or more hard drives so that the drives can work together to store data in order to increase space for data or to provide fault tolerance or improved performance. Also see RAID. Compare with basic disk.

wildcard

An * or ? character used in a command line that represents a character or group of characters in a file name or extension.

custom refresh image

In Windows 8, an image of the entire Windows volume, including the Windows installation. The image can be applied during a Windows 8 refresh operation.

active recovery image

In Windows 8, the custom refresh image of the Windows volume that will be used when a refresh of the Windows installation is performed. Also see custom refresh image.

File History

In Windows 8, the utility that can schedule and maintain backups of data. It can also create a system image for backward compatibility with Windows 7.

BootMgr

In Windows 8/7/Vista, the boot manager program responsible for loading Windows.

resiliency

In Windows 8 Storage Spaces, the term refers to the degree the configuration can resist or recover from drive failure.

formatting

Installing a new file system on a device, and the process erases all data on the device

copy

The Windows command to copy a single file, group of files, or folder and its contents.

md (make directory)

The Windows command to create a directory.

track

One of many concentric circles on the surface of a hard disk drive.

rd (remove directory)

The Windows command to delete a directory (folder) or group of directories (folders).

RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks or redundant array of independent disks)

Several methods of configuring multiple hard drives to store data to increase logical volume size and improve performance, or to ensure that if one hard drive fails, the data is still available from another hard drive.

del

The Windows command to delete a file or group of files. Also called the erase command.

help

The Windows command to get help about another command.

dir

The Windows command to list files and directories.

initialization files

Text files that keep hardware and software configuration information, user preferences, and application settings and are used by the OS when first loaded and when needed by hardware, applications, and users.

CDFS (Compact Disk File System)

The 32 bit file system for CD discs and some CD-R an CD-RW discs.

ren (rename)

The Windows command to rename a file or group of files.

shutdown

The Windows command to shut down the local computer or a remote computer.

pagefile.sys

The Windows swap file that is used to hold the virtual memory that is used to enhance physical memory installed in a system.

recover

The Windows command that can recover a file when part of the file is corrupted.

defrag

The Windows command that examines a magnetic hard drive for fragmented files and rewrites these files to the drive in contiguous clusters.

expand

The Windows command that extracts files from compressed distribution files, which are often used to distribute files for software installation.

cd (change directory)

The Windows command to change the current default directory.

Backup and Restore

The Windows 7/Vista utility used to create and update scheduled backups of user data and the system image.

system image

The backup of the entire Windows 8/7 volume and can also include backups of other volumes. The backup is made using the Windows 8 File History or Windows 7 Backup and Restore utility.

user profile namespace

The group of folders and subfolders in the C:\Users folder that belong to a specific user account and contain the user profile.

basic disk

The term Windows uses that applies to a hard drive when the drive is a stand-alone drive in the system. Compare with dynamic disk.

software RAID

Using Windows to implement RAID. The setup is done using the Disk Management utility.

RAID 0

Using space from two or more physical disks to increased the disk space available for a single volume. Performance improves because data is written evenly across all disks. Windows calls this a striped volume or a striping.