Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows

 

Features and Requirements

 

The following sections help you to understand how these versions of Windows compare to each other and differ from each other.

 

Minimum System Requirements

 

Table 6-1 compares the major operating systems’ minimum requirements. These are the absolute minimum. If you want to run anything else, such as Office software, antivirus, Internet apps, and so on, at the very least, double these values when shopping low-end PCs.

 

The Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) gives the OS more control of the video content. The Internet connection is used for verification of authenticity and for providing support for inte-grated programs, such as instant messaging (IM), Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, desktop and sidebar gadgets, and updates and service packs.

 

Table 6-1 Minimum System Requirements

OS	CPU	RAM	Hard	Display	Other
			Drive
			Available
			Space
Microsoft	233MHz	64MB	1.5GB	SVGA	CD-ROM or
Windows XP			(2GB par-		DVD-ROM
			tition)
Microsoft	1GHz	512MB	15GB	DirectX	DVD-ROM,
Windows		(Home	(40GB	9-compatible	Internet con-
Vista		Basic)	partition)	graphic with	nection, audio
		1GB (other		WDDM 1.0
			driver or higher,
		editions)
			128MB graph-
				ics RAM
Microsoft	1GHz	1GB	16GB	Direct X	DVD-ROM,
Windows 7		(32-bit)	(32-bit)	9-compatible	Internet con-
		2GB	20GB	graphics with	nection, audio
		WDDM 1.0
		(64-bit)	(64-bit)
		driver or later

 

 

Differences in Windows Editions

 

Windows XP, Vista, and 7 are available in several different editions. When evaluating a system’s suitability for a particular task, make sure you understand the differences. Table 6-2 provides a brief overview of the differences.

				Chapter 6: Operating Systems 99
Table 6-2 Differences in Windows Editions (XP, Vista, 7)
OS	Editions	32-bit	64-bit	Major Features
Microsoft	Home	Yes	No	Base edition
Windows
XP
	Professional	Yes	Yes	Home + domain networking, EFS,
				IIS, group policies, roaming user
				profiles, remote desktop server;
				64-bit support in 64-bit Professional
				edition
	Media	Yes	No	Professional + Windows Media
	Center			Center for use with big-screen TVs
	Edition			and home theater systems, Media
				Center Extenders, DVD burning
				(MCE 2005)
Microsoft	Home Basic	Yes	No	Base edition
Windows
Home	Yes	Yes	Home Basic + Aero Glass, Tablet
Vista
	Premium			PC support, Windows Media Center
				and extenders, scheduled file backup,
				Windows Movie Maker HD, games
	Business	Yes	Yes	Home Basic + Aero, Tablet PC
				support, scheduled image and file
				backup, Windows Fax and Scan,
				Remote Desktop Connection, domain
				networking, EFS
	Ultimate	Yes	Yes	Home Premium + Business +
				BitLocker full disk encryption for
				system drive + multilingual UI
	Enterprise	Yes	Yes	Business + Multilingual UI +
				BitLocker + UNIX application
				support

100 CompTIA A+ Quick Reference

 

Table 6-2 Continued

OS	Editions	32-bit	64-bit	Major Features
Microsoft	Starter	Yes	No	Base edition
Windows 7
Home	Yes	Yes	Starter + Aero, multiple monitor sup-
	Premium			port, Tablet PC support, Windows
				Mobility Center, Windows Media
				Center
	Professional	Yes	Yes	Home Premium + domain network-
				ing, backup to network drives,
				Remote Desktop Connection,
				Windows XP Mode (requires
				Windows Virtual PC), group policy,
				EFS, offline folders
	Ultimate	Yes	Yes	Professional +BitLocker disk encryp-
				tion, language packs, direct boot
				from VHD
	Enterprise	Yes	Yes	Professional +BitLocker disk encryp-
				tion, language packs, direct boot
				from VHD

 

 

Table 6-3 provides more information about specific Windows features. Note that Vista Home Basic and Windows 7 Starter lack most of these features.

 

Table 6-3 Windows Features

Feature	How Used	Windows XP	Windows	Windows 7
			Vista
Aero	3D desktop,	No	Yes	Yes
	transparent win-
	dow edges, hard-
	ware accelerated
	display
Gadgets	Small programs	Yes	Sidebar	Anywhere on
	displayed on			desktop
	desktop
User Account	Asks user to	No	Yes	Yes, improved
Control (UAC)	confirm poten-			functionality
	tially harmful
	changes to sys-
	tem

Chapter 6: Operating Systems 101

 

 

Feature	How Used	Windows XP	Windows	Windows 7
			Vista
BitLocker	Full disk	No	Yes: system	Yes: any local
	encryption		drive only	hard disk or
				removable
				drive
Shadow Copy	Backs up open	Yes	Yes; also backs	Yes; also
	files for system		up open files	backs up open
	restore		during backup	files during
				backup
System	Returns com-	Yes	Yes; can be run	Yes; can be
Restore	puter to previous		from System	run from sys-
	system state		Repair CD	tem repair CD
	(programs, driv-			and displays
	ers) without loss			changes
	of data
ReadyBoost	Uses fast USB	No	Yes	Yes
	flash memory
	drives and cards
	to improve
	memory access
	on systems
	that don’t have
	enough system
	RAM
Sidebar	Gadgets run on	No	Yes	Removed;
	the side of the			gadgets can
	desktop			run anywhere
				on desktop
Compatibility	Run program in	Yes	Yes	Yes
mode	a mode emulat-
	ing selected
	older Windows
	version (color
	depth, themes,
	display resolu-
	tion, and so on)

102 CompTIA A+ Quick Reference

 

Table 6-3 Continued

Feature	How Used	Windows XP	Windows	Windows 7
			Vista
XP Mode	Runs older	No	No	Yes;
	program in a			Professional,
	Windows XP			Ultimate,
	virtual machine			Enterprise;
	(VM)			requires
				download
				of Windows
				Virtual PC
				and XP VM
Windows Easy	Transfers data	No; uses Files	Yes	Yes
Transfer	files and pro-	and Settings
	gram settings	Transfer
	from old to new	Wizard
	computer
Administrative	Computer man-	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tools	agement, Event
	Viewer, services,
	Performance
	Monitor, and
	other tools
Windows	Antispyware	Yes; must be	Yes	Yes
Defender	detection and	downloaded
	removal tool	from Microsoft
		website
Windows	Blocks inbound	Yes	Yes	Yes
Firewall	network traffic
	from unauthor-
	ized computers
Security	Centralized	Yes (SP2 and	Yes	Replaced by
Center	management	SP3)		Action Center
	for antispyware,
	antivirus, and
	firewall
Event Viewer	Displays secu-	Yes	Yes	Yes
	rity, software,
	hardware, and
	other system
	logs

Chapter 6: Operating Systems 103

 

 

Feature	How Used	Windows XP	Windows	Windows 7
			Vista
Control Panel	Individual icons	Classic,	Classic, Control	Small icons,
options	or groups of	Category	Panel Home	large icons,
	icons			Category
Default user	Where user files	C:\Documents	C:\Users\ your	C:\Users\
file locations	are normally	and Settings\	username \	your
	stored	username \My	(Documents,	username \
		Documents
		Photos,	(Documents,
		(My Videos,	Videos, Music,	Photos,
		My Music, My	Downloads,	Videos,
		Pictures are	and so on are in	Music,
		subfolders.)	subfolders.)	Downloads,
				and so on are
				in subfolders.)
Libraries	Possible to	No	No	Yes
	combine mul-
	tiple folders
	for documents,
	photos, videos,
	and music into
	a single logical
	folder