Hands-On Microsoft

Windows Server 2003

Chapter 3
Configuring the Windows
Server 2003 Environment
Objectives
• Install and configure hardware devices
• Configure the operating system
environment, including performance
options, processor scheduling, memory
usage, environment variables, startup and
recovery options, power options, and
protocols
• Understand the registry and how to use
the Registry Editor
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Configuring Hardware Devices
• Hardware devices include:
– Disk drives and CD-ROM drives
– Disk controllers
– Network adapters
– Keyboards, monitors, and pointing devices
• Install and configure new hardware with
the following tools:
– Plug and Play
– Add Hardware Wizard

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Plug and Play (PnP)
• Automatically detects and configures
newly installed hardware devices
• Almost universally supported
• For PnP to work, it must be:
– Built into the device
– Enabled in the target computer’s BIOS
– Built into the computer operating system
kernel

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Add Hardware Wizard
• Calls on the operating system to use PnP
to detect new hardware.
• Installs new non-PnP compatible
hardware and hardware drivers.
• Troubleshoots problems you may be
having with existing hardware.
• Accessed from Control Panel.

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Configuring and Managing
Hardware
• Device Manager
– Checks for resource conflicts
– Examines and modifies device properties
• Hardware Profiles
– Set of instructions telling the operating system which
devices to start and which device settings to use
• Driver Signing
– Digital signature that Microsoft incorporates into driver
and system files to verify compatibility

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Resource Conflicts
• A server’s resources include:
– Interrupt request (IRQ) line
• Channel of communication with the CPU
• Typically 15 IRQ lines in Intel-based computers
– I/O address
• Address in memory through which data is
transferred between a component and the
processor
– Reserved memory range

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Resource Conflicts (cont.)
• The video display, each disk drive, each
port, and sound card all use a dedicated
IRQ.
• Each also needs reserved memory
addresses for I/O operations.
• Resource conflicts can arise between
devices when new hardware is installed.
• Use Device Manager to determine and
resolve hardware conflicts.
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Hardware Profiles
• By default, one hardware profile is created
during Windows Server 2003 installation.
• Every installed device is enabled in the
profile.
• Multiple profiles are often created for
portable computers.
– Use Device Manager to disable/enable
specific devices for each location.

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Driver Signing
• Three options for unsigned drivers:
– Ignore
– Warn (the default setting)
– Block
• Set driver signing at Warn or Block
• Set the system default to apply to all users
• Driver signing applies to all new software
installations as well
– Can prevent system files from being overwritten

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Driver Signing (cont.)
• System File Checker restores system files that
have inadvertently been overwritten
– Can be set to run when the system boots
– Can be manually started with the sfc /scannow
command
– Should only be used when users are logged off
• Sigverif scans files for driver signatures, but
does not overwrite them
– Can be run when users are logged on
– Results are written to a log file called sigverif.txt
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Configuring the Operating
System
• Performance options
– Processor scheduling and memory usage
– Virtual memory
– Memory for network performance
• Environment variables
• Startup and recovery options
• Power options
• Protocols
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Processor Scheduling and
Memory Usage
• Processor Scheduling
– Controls how processor resources are
allocated to programs
– The default is Background services
• All programs receive equal processor time
• Memory usage
– Controls how much memory is allocated to
run programs vs. server functions
– The default is System cache
• Computer is acting as a network server
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Virtual Memory
• Disk storage used to expand the capacity of
RAM
• When RAM is exceeded, virtual memory is
treated as if it were RAM
• Uses paging technique
– Pages are blocks of information moved from RAM
into virtual memory
– On a Pentium computer, blocks are 4 KB
– Pages are moved back into RAM when needed
• A paging file is the area of disk allocated for
virtual memory
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Virtual Memory
• Initial and maximum size of the paging file
– Set initial size to at least 1.5 times RAM
– Set maximum size to twice the initial size
• Do not place the paging file on the boot partition
• Place a paging file on each disk (except the boot
partition)
• Place paging file on main disk for a mirrored set
or volume
• Do not place a paging file on a stripe set or
volume, or RAID-5 volume
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Network Performance
• Memory is divided into server functions
and network connectivity functions
– Server functions use RAM and paging
• Software applications, printing, and currently
running services
– Network connectivity functions use only RAM
• Number of user connections at a given time
• If memory is busy, check network memory
parameters
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Environment variables
• System environment variables
– Defined by the operated system
– Apply to all users
• User environment variables
– Defined on a per user basis
• Variables are set in the following order:
– System
– Variables in autoexec.bat (except path variables)
– User
– Path variables in the autoexec.bat

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Startup and Recovery
• Enables the modification of the Boot.ini file
– Boot.ini can also be modified manually
• Provides instructions on how to recover from a
system failure
– Write an event to the system log
– Send an administrative alert
– Write debug information to a file
– Have the computer reboot automatically after a
system failure
• Disallow automatic rebooting to allow the system to work
before users log on

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Power Options
• Default power scheme is Always On
– Monitor turns off after 20 minutes of no activity
– Hard disk is always on
• Default setup for power off button is Shut down
– Standby mode shuts down computer components and
does not write to hard disk
– Hibernate takes longer to resume, but writes to hard
disk
• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
– Provides battery power for a limited time in case of
power outage
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Protocols
• NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible
Transport Protocol
– Install if using pre-NetWare 5.x computers
– Configure network number and frame type
• If there is more than one frame type, each frame type must
be configured
• If connecting to a NetWare computer as a server, designate
an internal network number for each frame type
• AppleTalk
– Not necessary to configure frame type and network
number
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Additional Windows Server
2003 Components
• Installation using the Network Connections tool
– QoS Packet Schedule
• Levels of guaranteed delivery of data packets
– Server Advertising Protocol (SAP)
• Compatible protocol for NetWare clients
– Internet Connection Protocol
• Used when multiple computers share an Internet connection
• Installation using the Add or Remove Programs
tool
– Used for most components, such as Web Application
Server and Networking Services

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Windows Server 2003 Registry
• Complex database containing all the information
the operating system needs to know about the
server
• Examples:
– Information about all hardware components
– Information about Windows Server 2003 services that
are installed, which services they depend on, and the
order in which they are started
– Data about user profiles and Group Policies
– Data on the last current and last known Setup used to
boot the computer

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Windows Server 2003 Registry
– Configuration information about all software in use
– Software licensing information
– Control Panel parameter configuration
• Registry Editor is launched by running either
Regedt32 or Regedit
• Use precautions when working with the registry
– Limit access privileges to specific administrators
– Only make changes as a last resort
– Back up the registry often
– Never copy the registry from one system to another

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Registry Contents
• Key
– Category or division of information
– Five root keys, or subtrees, make up the primary
categories in a registry:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER
• HKEY_USERS
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
• Subkey
– Lower-level key that can contain entries or subkeys
– Sets of subkeys are called hives
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Registry Contents (cont.)
• Entry
– Data parameter associated with a software or
hardware characteristic under a key/subkey
• Example: ErrorControl:REG_DWORD:0
– Three parts:
• Name
• Data type
• Configuration parameter
– Three data formats:
• DWORD is hexadecimal
• String is text data
• Binary is two hexadecimal values

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Registry Root Keys
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
– Information on every hardware component

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Registry Root Keys (cont.)
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER
– Information about the desktop setup for the account
currently logged onto the server console
• HKEY_USERS
– Profile information for each user logged onto the
computer
• HKEYS_CLASSES_ROOT
– Data to associate file extensions with programs
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
– Information about the current hardware profile(s)

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Summary
• Windows Server 2003 provides a variety of tools to
customize and optimize your server, as well as to
troubleshoot problems
• Modern computer hardware and operating systems
support Plug and Play for automatic detection of newly
installed devices
• New hardware can be added using the Add Hardware
option, and then configured and managed using Device
Manager
• Driver signing enables you to block the installation of
drivers and other components that have not been tested
and approved by Microsoft

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Summary
• Always tune your server for best performance by
configuring processor scheduling and memory, virtual
memory, and memory used for networking tools
• Also, plan to configure environment variables, system
startup and recovery, power options, and additional
protocols
• Most Windows Server 2003 components are installed
using the Network Connections tool or the Add or
Remove Programs tool
• The registry contains system configuration information
that should usually be carefully edited by using the
Registry Editor or better yet, the options in Control Panel

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