Windows Fundamentals 1

The file system used in modern versions of Windows is the New Technology File System or simply NTFS.

On NTFS volumes, you can set permissions that grant or deny access to files and folders.

The permissions are:

• Full control

• Modify

• Read & Execute

• List folder contents

• Read

• Write

User accounts can be one of two types on a typical local Windows system: Administrator & Standard User.

The user account type will determine what actions the user can perform on that specific Windows system.

• An Administrator can make changes to the system: add users, delete users, modify groups, modify settings on the system, etc.

• A Standard User can only make changes to folders/files attributed to the user & can't perform system-level changes, such as install programs.

Command Prompt

In early operating systems, the command line was the sole way to interact with the operating system.

commands

hostname: output the computer name.

whoami: output the name of the logged-in user.

ipconfig: show the network address settings

/? : retrieve help manual | ipconfig /?

cls : clear the command prompt screen

netstat : display protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections.

net: usedto manage network resources

comprehensive list of commands you can execute in the command prompt here.

Registry Editor

The Windows Registry (per Microsoft) is a central hierarchical database used to store information necessary to configure the system for one or more users, applications, and hardware devices. The registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as:

• Profiles for each user

• Applications installed on the computer and the types of documents that each can create

• Property sheet settings for folders and application icons

• What hardware exists on the system

• The ports that are being used

There are various ways to view/edit the registry. One way is to use the Registry Editor (regedit).