Windows 8.1 Administration: Essentials & Configuration: Pocket Consultant

Windows 8.1 Administration: Essentials & Configuration: Pocket Consultant

by William R. Stanek
Released November 2013
Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
ISBN: 9780735684843

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Book description

Portable and precise, this pocket-sized guide delivers ready answers for core configuration and administrative tasks in Windows 8.1. Zero in on the essentials through quick-reference tables, instructions, and lists. You'll get the focused information you need to save time and get the job done - whether at your desk or in the field.

Coverage includes:

  • Configuring and optimizing Windows 8.1 computers

  • Customizing the desktop and interface

  • Configuring user and computer policies

  • Automating configuration

  • Managing user access and security features

  • Installing and maintaining programs

  • Managing hardware devices and drivers

  • Handling maintenance and support tasks

    •

    Table of contents

    1. Acknowledgments
    2. Introduction
      1. Who is this book for?
      2. How is this book organized?
      3. Conventions used in this book
      4. Other resources
      5. Errata and book support
      6. We want to hear from you
      7. Stay in touch
    3. 1. Introduction to Windows 8.1 administration
      1. Getting started with Windows 8.1: the quick tour
      2. Understanding 32-bit and 64-bit computing options
      3. Deploying Windows 8.1
        1. Using DISM
        2. Understanding Windows imaging
        3. Managing access and prestaging computers
          1. Prestaging computers
          2. Modifying image file security
          3. Requiring administrator approval
        4. Customizing Windows images
      4. Installing Windows 8.1
        1. Preparing for Windows 8.1 installation
        2. Performing a Windows 8.1 installation
        3. Creating a Windows To Go workspace
      5. Running Windows 8.1
        1. Using Action Center and activating Windows
        2. Running Windows 8.1 in groups and domains
          1. Understanding UAC in Windows 8.1
          2. Logging on to, shutting down, and restarting Windows 8.1
          3. Managing user account passwords with Windows 8.1
            1. Changing the Current User’s Password
            2. Changing Other Account Passwords
            3. Creating and Using a Password Reset Disk
            4. Resetting a User’s Password
        3. Power plans, sleep modes, and shutdown
      6. Windows 8.1 architecture
    4. 2. Configuring and optimizing Windows 8.1 computers
      1. Supporting computers running Windows 8.1
        1. Working with the Computer Management console
        2. Getting system information
        3. Working with WMI Control
        4. Managing Computer Browser support
      2. Using system support tools
        1. Working with Disk Cleanup
        2. Verifying system files with File Signature Verification
        3. Managing system configuration, startup, and boot
          1. Understanding startup modes and troubleshooting system startup
          2. Changing boot options
          3. Enabling and disabling startup applications for troubleshooting
          4. Enabling and disabling services for troubleshooting
      3. Managing system properties
        1. The Computer Name tab
        2. The Hardware tab
        3. The Advanced tab: performance options
          1. Setting Windows performance
          2. Setting application performance
          3. Configuring virtual memory
          4. Configuring Data Execution Prevention
        4. The Advanced tab: environment variables
          1. Creating an environment variable
          2. Editing an environment variable
          3. Deleting an environment variable
        5. The Advanced tab: startup and recovery options
          1. Setting startup options
          2. Setting recovery options
        6. The System Protection tab
          1. Understanding system protection
          2. Configuring System Restore
        7. The Remote tab
      4. Configuring power management settings
        1. Managing power options from the command line
        2. Working with power plans
        3. Selecting and optimizing power plans
        4. Creating power plans
        5. Configuring systemwide power button and password protection on wakeup settings
        6. Managing power options in policy settings
        7. Using alarms and configuring alarm actions
          1. Configuring low-battery notification and actions
          2. Configuring reserve-power mode
          3. Configuring critical-battery alarms
    5. 3. Customizing the desktop and the interface
      1. Optimizing PC settings
        1. Personalizing the lock screen
        2. Personalizing account settings
        3. Personalizing search and apps settings
        4. Managing privacy settings
        5. Configuring sync settings
      2. Working with desktops and startup applications
        1. Creating shortcuts for desktops, startup, and more
        2. Adding and removing startup applications
      3. Customizing the taskbar
        1. Understanding the taskbar
        2. Pinning shortcuts to the taskbar
        3. Changing the taskbar’s size and position
        4. Auto-hiding, locking, and controlling taskbar visibility
        5. Controlling programs in the notification area
        6. Controlling icon display in the notification area
      4. Optimizing toolbars
        1. Displaying toolbars
        2. Creating personal toolbars
      5. Working with desktop themes
        1. Applying and removing themes
        2. Tailoring and saving themes
        3. Deleting custom themes
      6. Optimizing the desktop environment
        1. Setting the desktop background
        2. Working with the default desktop icons
      7. Screen saver dos and don’ts
        1. Configuring screen savers with password protection
        2. Reducing screen saver resource usage
        3. Setting energy-saving settings for monitors
      8. Modifying display appearance and video settings
        1. Configuring window color and appearance
        2. Optimizing display readability
        3. Configuring video settings
          1. Checking the current video adapter and monitor
          2. Changing the video driver
          3. Changing the monitor driver
          4. Configuring multiple monitor support
          5. Customizing display appearance
        4. Troubleshooting display problems
      9. Optimizing corner and Start navigation
    6. 4. Automating Windows 8.1 configuration
      1. Understanding Group Policy preferences
        1. Accessing Group Policy in Active Directory
        2. Essentials for working with preferences
      2. Configuring Group Policy preferences
        1. Working with management actions
        2. Working with editing states
        3. Working with alternative actions and states
      3. Managing preference items
        1. Creating and managing a preference item
        2. Setting Common tab options
    7. 5. Managing user access and security
      1. Understanding user and group accounts
        1. User account essentials
        2. Group account essentials
        3. Domain vs. local logon
      2. Managing User Account Control and elevation prompts
        1. Redefining standard user and administrator user accounts
        2. Optimizing UAC and Admin Approval Mode
      3. Managing local logon
        1. Creating local user accounts in a homegroup or workgroup
        2. Granting access to an existing domain account to allow local logon
        3. Changing local user account types
        4. Switching between connected and regular accounts
        5. Creating passwords for local user accounts
        6. Recovering local user account passwords
        7. Controlling logon
        8. Removing accounts and denying local access to workstations
      4. Managing stored credentials
        1. Using stored credentials
        2. Adding Windows or generic credentials
        3. Adding certificate-based credentials
        4. Editing credentials
        5. Backing up and restoring Windows credentials
        6. Removing credential entries
      5. Managing local user accounts and groups
        1. Creating local user accounts
        2. Creating local groups for workstations
        3. Adding and removing local group members
        4. Enabling or disabling local user accounts
        5. Creating a secure guest account
        6. Renaming local user accounts and groups
        7. Deleting local user accounts and groups
    8. 6. Managing remote access to workstations
      1. Using the Steps Recorder prior to Remote Assistance
      2. Using Remote Assistance to resolve problems
        1. Understanding Remote Assistance
        2. Configuring Remote Assistance
        3. Creating Remote Assistance invitations
        4. Offering remote assistance or answering a Remote Assistance invitation
      3. Using Remote Desktop
        1. Configuring Remote Desktop access
        2. Making Remote Desktop connections
    9. 7. Installing and maintaining applications
      1. Managing desktop apps
        1. Working with apps: the essentials
        2. Configuring trusted apps and Windows Store access
        3. Enhancing security for apps and overriding default settings
        4. Enhancing networking security for apps
      2. Managing application virtualization and run levels
        1. Application access tokens and location virtualization
        2. Application integrity and run levels
        3. Setting run levels
        4. Optimizing virtualization and installation prompting for elevation
      3. Installing programs: the essentials
        1. Working with Autorun
        2. Managing application setup and compatibility
        3. Making programs available to all or selected users
      4. Deploying applications through Group Policy
      5. Configuring program compatibility
        1. Special installation considerations for 16-bit and MS-DOS-based programs
        2. Forcing program compatibility
          1. Using the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter Wizard
          2. Setting compatibility options directly
      6. Managing installed and running programs
        1. Managing currently running programs
        2. Managing, repairing, and uninstalling programs
        3. Designating default programs
        4. Managing the command path
        5. Managing file name extensions and file associations
        6. Configuring AutoPlay options
        7. Adding and removing Windows features
    10. 8. Managing hardware devices and drivers
      1. Working with the automated Help and support system
        1. Using automated Help and support
        2. Customizing automated Help and support
        3. Working with support services
          1. Starting, stopping, and pausing services
          2. Configuring service startup
          3. Configuring service logon
          4. Configuring service recovery
          5. Disabling unnecessary services
        4. Managing services by using preferences
      2. Installing and maintaining devices: the essentials
        1. Installing preexisting devices
        2. Installing internal, USB, FireWire, and eSATA devices
        3. Installing Bluetooth, wireless, and network devices
        4. Installing local and network printers
          1. Setting up a local printer
          2. Setting up NFC, wireless, Bluetooth, or network printers
      3. Getting started with Device Manager
      4. Working with device drivers
        1. Device driver essentials
        2. Using signed and unsigned device drivers
        3. Tracking driver information
        4. Installing and updating device drivers
        5. Installing a device by using the generic USB driver
        6. Enabling and disabling types of devices
        7. Restricting device installation by using Group Policy
        8. Rolling back drivers
        9. Removing device drivers for removed devices
        10. Uninstalling, reinstalling, and disabling device drivers
        11. Enabling and disabling hardware devices
        12. Troubleshooting hardware
    11. 9. Handling maintenance and support tasks
      1. Managing automatic updates
        1. Windows Update: the essentials
        2. Restoring payloads and components via Windows Update
        3. Configuring automatic updating
        4. Checking for updates
        5. Viewing update history and installed updates
        6. Removing automatic updates to recover from problems
        7. Hiding available updates
        8. Restoring declined updates
      2. Detecting and resolving Windows 8.1 errors
        1. Using the event logs for error tracking and diagnosis
        2. Viewing and managing the event logs
      3. Scheduling maintenance tasks
        1. Understanding task scheduling
        2. Viewing and managing tasks on local and remote systems
        3. Creating scheduled tasks
        4. Troubleshooting scheduled tasks
    12. 10. Backing up and recovering a computer
      1. Backing up and recovering files and folders
      2. Recovering from a failed start
      3. Recovering from a failed resume
      4. Repairing a computer to enable startup
      5. Recovering from a locked disk or invalid BCD settings
      6. Backing up and recovering system state by using System Restore
        1. Understanding restore points
        2. Creating manual restore points
        3. Recovering from restore points
        4. Troubleshooting System Restore
      7. Using PC recovery options
        1. Determining whether a computer has a recovery partition
        2. Initiating a PC recovery
        3. Creating a recovery partition
        4. Creating a USB recovery drive
      8. Creating and using File History
        1. Configuring File History backups
        2. Enabling File History backups and configuring drives
        3. Excluding folders from File History backups
        4. Modifying default save settings
        5. Recovering personal data
      9. Troubleshooting startup and shutdown
        1. Resolving restart or shutdown issues
        2. Making sense of Stop errors
    13. A. About the author
    14. Index
    15. About the Author
    16. Copyright

    Product information

    • Title: Windows 8.1 Administration: Essentials & Configuration: Pocket Consultant
    • Author(s): William R. Stanek
    • Release date: November 2013
    • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
    • ISBN: 9780735684843