Difference between FAT,NTFS & NTFSVersion5

NTFS Version 5 features

Encryption is possible

We can enable Disk Quotas

File compression is possible

Sparse files

Indexing Service

NTFS change journal

In FAT file system we can apply only share level security. File level protection is not possible. In NTFS we can apply both share level as well as file level security

NTFS supports large partition sizes than FAT file systems

NTFS supports long file names than FAT file systems

Difference between 2000 & 2003

Application Server mode is introduced in windows 2003

Possible to configure stub zones in windows 2003 DNS

Volume shadow copy services is introduced

Windows 2003 gives an option to replicate DNS data b/w all DNS servers in forest or All DNS servers in the domain.

Difference between NT & 2000

NT SAM database is a flat database. Where as in windows 2000 active directory is a
hierarchical database.

In Windows NT only PDC is having writable copy of SAM database but the BDC is only read only database. In case of Windows 2000 both DC and ADC is having write copy of the database

Windows NT will not support FAT32 file system. Windows 2000 supports FAT32

Default authentication protocol in NT is NTLM (NT LAN manager). In windows 2000 default authentication protocol is Kerberos V5.

Windows 2000 depends and Integrated with DNS. NT user Netbios names

Active Directory can be backed up easily with System state data

The Difference Between POP3 and IMAP

There are two different protocols available to access e-mail: POP3 and IMAP. POP3 is useful when e-mail is checked from only one computer. IMAP is the better choice when you would like to check your mail from multiple computers, at work and home, for example. IMAP has the added benefit of accessing folders on the server, allowing you to organize your e-mail, and access it from anywhere. If you use Webmail, you should use IMAP on all of your e-mail clients. Use of a POP3 mail client in association with Webmail can cause errors in your inbox that will result in a temporary loss of access to your mail.

The Difference

POP3 works by reviewing the inbox on the mail server, and downloading the new messages to your computer. Clients can access their inboxes. no other folders on the server can be accessed. POP3 only handles retrieval of messages from a client's inbox. When using POP3, your mail is stored on your PC.

IMAP downloads the headers of the new messages on the server, then retrieves the message you want to read when you click on it. IMAP4 can be used to access multiple mailboxes and mailbox folders, and public folders, as well. When using IMAP, the mail is stored on the mail server. Unless you copy a message to a "Local Folder" the messages are never copied to your PC.

Webmail (a.k.a. Outlook Web Access) uses HTTP/HTTPS to provide Web browser-based access to clients' inboxes, their other mail folders and to public folders.

Scenarios of Use

POP3

• You only check e-mail from one computer.

• You want to remove your e-mail from the mail server.

IMAP

• You check e-mail from multiple locations. at work and home

• You use Webmail.

Tips Keep your Inbox small! This will speed up your e-mail retrieval. Checking the e-mail is directly dependent on how many e-mail messages are in your inbox on the mail server.

POP3

• Set to remove mail from server after 30 days.

• Don't check more frequently than every 15 minutes.

• 75 MB is the maximum for POP3 users. POP'ing large mail boxes consumes excessive server resources.

IMAP

Do NOT check all folders for new messages! This slows your e-mail substantially.

• Use "mail/" ( without the quotes ) as your IMAP folder directory.

• You can set your client to download the mail and to remove the mail from the server, like a POP3 client.

• Organize your mail into folders, and archive your older messages. This speeds e-mail retrieval by minimizing the number of messages in the inbox.

POP3	IMAP
Downloads messages to computer and deletes from server.	Downloads only header of the message. It retrieves the message only if you want to read.
Only inbox is accessible. No other folder on the server can be accessed.	Cab be used to access multiple mail box and mail box folders.
Mail is stored in PC	Mail is stored in server, unless you copy the message to local folder.
Choose if You only check e-mail from one computer	Choose if You check e-mail from multiple locations. at work and home
Choose if You want to remove your e-mail from the mail server	Choose if You use Webmail.

Difference between Outlook and Outlook Express

Outlook express E-mail client.

Outlook Express is a POP3- and IMAP-compatible mail client with a built-in newsreader. It is available with Internet explorer for Windows (and is the newsreader in outlook ) Outlook Express is designed for home users who gain access to their e-mail messages by dialing in to an Internet service provider. designed for use with Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), and Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP). Supports LDAP, MHTML,HTML, S-MIME & NNTP. full support for HTML mail enables you to personalize your messages with custom backgrounds and graphics. Backup file : .dbx

Choose Outlook Express if You require only Internet e-mail and newsgroup functionality

Outlook.

messaging and collaboration client. it is also a personal information manager. perfect client for business users. Complete integration of e-mail, calendaring, and contact management. With Outlook, you can integrate and manage e-mail from multiple e-mail accounts, personal and group calendars, contacts, and tasks. With exchange server, you can use workgroup information sharing workflow communications, group scheduling, public folders, forms, and enhanced Internet connectivity. Outlook is designed for use with the Internet (SMTP, POP3, and IMAP4), Exchange Server, or any other standards-based communication system that supports Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI), including voice mail. Supports, LDAP, MHTML, NNTP, MIME, and S/MIME, vCalendar, vCard, iCalendar, and full support for HTML mail. Backup file : .Pst. supports up to 1 gb of data storage.

Choose Outlook if:

You require advanced Internet standards-based e-mail and discussion group functionality.

integrated personal calendars, group scheduling, task, and contact management.

integrated e-mail and calendaring, cross-platform clients for earlier windows.

robust, integrated run-time and design-time collaboration capabilities

Files Used in the Windows Server 2003 Boot Process

File Location Boot Stage
Ntldr System partition root (CA) Preboot and boot
Boot.ini System partition root Boot
Bootsect.dos System partition root Boot (optional)
Ntdetect.com System partition root Boot
Ntbootdd.sys System partition root Boot (optional
Ntoskrnl.exe systemroot\System32 Kernel load
Hal.dll systemroot\System32 Kernel load
System systemroot\System32\Config Kernel initialization

Pre-boot sequence
Initialization of boot partition
Post – to determine amount of memory and hardware’s
Plug and play - enumeration and configuration of hardware devices
Bios -> locates boot device -> Loads and runs MBR

Boot sequence
Loads NTLDR -> Memory
gathers information about hardware and drivers
This haves four Phases
• Initial Boot Loader: Ntldr-> switches the microprocessor from real mode to
32-bit flat memory mode starts the appropriate
the minifile system drivers
(The minifile system drivers are inbuilt in Ntldr )
so that Ntldr can find and load Windows Server
2003 from partitions

• Operating System Selection: Ntldr reads the Boot.ini file and displays os
start menu. If no boot.ini presents Ntldr loads
Windows Server 2003 from the Windows
folder on the first partition of the first disk,
typically C:\Windows.

• Hardware Detection: Ntdetect.com and Ntoskrnl.exe perform hardware
detection.
Ntdetect.com collects a list of installed hardware
components and returns this list to Ntldr for later
inclusion in the registry under the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE key.

• Configuration Selection: the operating system loader process displays the
Hardware Profile/Configuration
Recovery Menu screen (if more that one hard
profile exists on the computer, the first
hardware profile is highlighted.)

Kernel Load

Ntoskrnl.exe -> Initialize and loads Windows 2003 kernel and device drivers ->
loads services.
• Loads Ntoskrnl.exe but does not initialize it.
• Loads the hardware abstraction layer file (Hal.dll).
• Loads the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM registry key.
• Selects the control set required to initialize the computer.
• Loads device drivers with a value of 0x0 for the Start entry. These are typically
low-level hardware device drivers, such as those for a hard disk.

Kernel Initialization

the kernel initializes and takes control from Ntldr.
four tasks are performed:
• The Hardware key is created.
• The Clone control set is created.
• Device drivers are loaded and initialized.
• The Session Manager (smss.exe) is initialized.

The Session Manager
reads the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
registry key to find and initialize entries under Boot Execute. ( like chkdsk )
sets up the paging file (Pagefile.sys).
Loads winlogon.exe to start the authentication verification process.
winlogon.exe starts -> Local Security Authority Subsystem with their
. Print spooler.
supporting function libraries

Loads Screg.exe (Services Controller) which loads the rest of the devices and
services.
Boot .ini ARC Path conventions

Convention Description
multi(x) | scsi(x) -> Indicates hardware adapter or disk controller.
Scsi(x) -> indicate a SCSI controller on which SCSI BIOS is not enabled.
Multi(X) -> indicates All other hardware adapter or disk controllers
( (x) -> indicates the load order of the hardware adapter.
Disk(y) -> ID. For multi, this value is always (0).
Rdisk(z) -> A number that identifies the disk and starts with (0).
Partition(a) -> A number that identifies the partition. Partition numbers start with (1)


Boot.ini Switches

Switch Description
/basevideo Boots the computer using the standard VGA video driver.
/fastdetect Disables serial mouse detection. Without a port specification, this
Switch disables peripheral detection on all COM ports. By default,
this switch is included in every entry in the Boot.ini file.
/maxmem:n Specifies the amount of RAM that the operating system should use.
/noguiboot Boots the computer without displaying the graphical boot status
screen.
/sos Displays the device driver names as they are loading.

Advanced Boot Options

Safe Mode, loads only basic files and drivers that are required to support the
operating system

Safe Mode With Networking, -> safe mode + the drivers and services required to enable
network access

Safe Mode With Command Prompt -> after safe mode, it displays a command prompt.

• Enable Boot Logging -> logs the loading and initialization of drivers and services in
the ntbtlog.txt file, which is located in the windir folder and
can be used for troubleshooting boot problems.
• Enable VGA Mode -> starts Windows Server 2003 with a basic VGA driver.

• Last Known Good Configuration-> Starts Windows using the registry information that
windows saved after the last successful startup.

( After a logon, the system automatically copies the Clone control set to the
LastKnownGood control set making the current control set the Last Known
Good Configuration )

The Recovery Console
The Recovery Console is a command-line interface that can be used to perform a variety of troubleshooting and recovery tasks on the local computer. These tasks include:
• Starting and stopping services;
• Reading and writing data on a local drive; and
• Formatting hard disks.

Basic disk – can Four primary partition but only one extended partition
Dynamic disk -- five types simple volumes;
> default volume type on a dynamic disk.
> no fault tolerance.

spanned volumes;
> contain disk space from up to 32 physical disks.
> enables to group different disks of the same or different sizes
and access them as a single disk.
> provide 100 percent drive utilization
> No fault tolerance.

striped volumes;
mirrored volumes;
striped volumes with parity disk ( Raid 3 )
striped volumes with parity. ( Raid 5 )

Converting basic -> dynamic no data loss
Dynamic -> basic incurs data loss.