| 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 | ||||
