Understanding 64-Bit Computing

Since it was introduced for Windows operating systems, 64-bit computing has changed substantially. Not only do computers running 64-bit versions of Windows perform better and run faster than their 32-bit counterparts, they are also more scalable because they can process more data per clock cycle, address more memory, and perform numeric calculations faster. Windows 7 supports two different 64-bit architectures:

x64 This architecture is based on 64-bit extensions to the x86 instruction set, which is implemented in AMD Opteron (AMD64) processors, Intel Xeon processors with 64-bit extension technology, and other processors. This architecture offers native 32-bit processing and 64-bit extension processing, allowing simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit computing. IA64 This architecture is based on the Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) processor architecture, which is implemented in Intel Itanium (IA64) processors and other processors. This architecture offers native 64-bit processing, allowing 64-bit applications to achieve optimal performance.

Sixty-four-bit computing is designed for performing operations that are memory intensive and that require extensive numeric calculations. With 64-bit processing, applications can load large data sets entirely into physical memory (that is, RAM), which reduces the need to page to disk and increases performance substantially. The EPIC instruction set enables Itanium-based processors to perform up to 20 operations simultaneously. Currently, the prevalent rmware interfaces are:

Basic input/output system (BIOS) Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) Unied Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

Itanium-based computers differ in many fundamental ways from computers based on the x86 and x64 specications. While Itanium-based computers use EFI and the GUID partition table (GPT) disk type, computers based on x86 use BIOS and the master boot record (MBR) disk type. Computers based on x64 use UEFI wrapped around BIOS or EFI, as discussed in Navigating and Understanding Firmware Options in Chapter 10. This means that there are differences in the way you manage computers with these architectures, particularly when it comes to setup and disk conguration. However, with the increasing acceptance and use of UEFI and the ability of Windows 7 to use both MBR and GPT disks regardless of rmware type, the underlying chip architecture wont necessarily determine what rmware type and disk type a computer uses. This decision is in the hands of the hardware manufacturer.

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Windows 7 Administration

Installing Windows 7
Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions are the only editions intended for use in Active Directory domains. When you install Windows 7 on a computer with an existing operating system, you can perform a clean installation or an upgrade. The major differences between a clean installation and an upgrade are the following:

Clean installation With a clean installation, the Windows Setup program completely replaces the original operating system on the computer, and all user and application settings are lost. You should use a clean installation when the operating system cannot be upgraded, the system must boot to multiple operating systems, a standardized conguration is required, or when no operating system is currently installed. Upgrade installation During an upgrade, user settings are retained, existing applications and their settings are kept, and basic system conguration is not required. An upgrade installation should be used when you have computers running the Windows operating system that support upgrading to Windows 7 and you want to minimize disruption by maintaining the existing settings, user information, and application congurations.

The way an upgrade works depends on the operating system being upgraded. When you are upgrading from Windows Vista, Windows Setup performs an in-place upgrade. Upgrade copies are available for Windows XP, but you cant perform an in-place upgrade. When you are upgrading from Windows XP, you need to use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer your les and settings and then run Windows Setup. Windows Setup will then perform a clean installation of the operating system. Afterward, you need to reinstall your applications.

Preparing for Windows 7 Installation

To install Windows 7, you can boot from the Windows distribution media, run Setup from your current Windows operating system, perform a command-line installation, or use one of the automated installation options. There are two basic approaches to setting up Windows 7interactively or as an automated process. An interactive installation is what many people regard as the regular Windows installationthe kind where you walk through the setup process and enter a lot of information. It can be performed from distribution media (by booting from the distribution media or running Windows Setup from a command line). The default Windows setup process when booting from the retail Windows 7 DVD is interactive, prompting you for conguration information throughout the process. There are several types of automated setup, which actually have administratorcongurable amounts of user interaction. The most basic form of unattended setup you can perform is an unattended installation using only answer les. An answer le contains all or part of the conguration information usually prompted for
10 CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Windows 7 Administration