Microsoft® Windows® Internals: Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000, 4th Edition

Key System Components

Now that we've looked at the high-level architecture of Windows, let's delve deeper into the internal structure and the role each key operating system component plays. Figure 2-3 is a more detailed and complete diagram of the core Windows system architecture and components than was shown earlier in the chapter (in Figure 2-2). Note that it still does not show all components (networking in particular, which is explained in Chapter 13).

Figure 2-3. Windows architecture

The following sections elaborate on each major element of this diagram. Chapter 3 explains the primary control mechanisms the system uses (such as the object manager, ...