Chapter 12, Reliability and Availability

Chapter 12, Lesson 1

Managing Hardware Devices and Drivers

1. Hardware Overview

|1| A. Introduction

1. Hardware includes any devices that were connected to your computer when it was manufactured, as well as peripheral equipment added later.

2. Some devices are connected to expansion slots inside the computer.

3. Some devices are connected to ports on the outside of the computer.

4. Each device has its own unique device driver.

|2| B. Hardware types

1. Microsoft Windows 2000 classifies devices by hardware type.

2. Hardware types include the individual devices.

3. Devices can be classified according to how they are connected to your computer.

4. Permanently connected devices can include several types of hardware.

a. Sound cards

b. Video display cards

c. Modems

d. Hard disks

5. Devices designed to be connected and disconnected can include several different types of hardware.

a. PC cards that connect to portable computers

b. Hardware that connects to a universal serial bus (USB) or an IEEE 1394 bus

c. Docking stations that support hot docking and undocking of portable computers

d. Hardware that connects to serial or parallel ports

6. The Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) contains a comprehensive list of devices supported by Windows 2000.

|3| C. Plug and Play overview

1. Introduction

a. A Plug and Play device adheres to a set of specifications developed by the IEEE and computer and software manufacturers.

b. The Plug and Play specifications allow a computer to automatically detect and configure a device and install the appropriate device drivers.

c. Plug and Play works with the Windows 2000 Power Options utility to manage the power requirements of your hardware and peripherals.

2. Plug and Play device driver support

a. Windows 2000 installs a Plug and Play device and its driver automatically.

b. Using a Plug and Play driver to install a non–Plug and Play device might provide some Plug and Play support.

c. Generally, you cannot install non–Plug and Play hardware without performing some manual setup.

|4| 2. Installing Devices

A. Installing a new device typically involves three steps.

1. Connecting the device to your computer

2. Loading the appropriate device drivers for the device

3. Configuring device properties and settings

B. You should follow the device manufacturer’s installation instructions.

1. If the device is Plug and Play or is a necessary startup device, the device should be detected automatically.

2. If the device is not Plug and Play, you might have to use the Add/Remove Hardware utility in Control Panel.

C. Once device drivers are loaded, Windows 2000 configures the settings and properties for the device.

D. To install a device, connect it to the appropriate port or slot according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

1. If you need to restart your computer, Windows 2000 should detect the device and start the Found New Hardware wizard.

2. If your device does not install properly, you might have an older, non–Plug and Play device.

3. If the device is a small computer system interface (SCSI) device, connect it to the SCSI controller port according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. If the device is a USB or IEEE 1394 device, plug it into any USB or IEEE port.

|5| 3. Uninstalling Devices

A. You can usually uninstall Plug and Play devices by disconnecting them or removing them.

B. You should notify Windows 2000 when uninstalling non–Plug and Play devices.

1. Use the Add/Remove Hardware wizard.

2. Use the Device Manager snap-in.

C. You can disable a Plug and Play device rather than uninstall it.

1. The physical device stays connected to your computer.

2. Windows 2000 updates the system registry so that the device drivers are no longer loaded when you start the computer.

|6| 4. Tools for Managing Devices and Drivers

A. Overview

1. Several tools are available for managing hardware devices and their drivers.

2. Most tools can be accessed through the Hardware tab of the System Properties dialog box.

|7| B. Add/Remove Hardware wizard

1. The Add/Remove Hardware wizard allows you to perform several tasks.

a. Adding new hardware

b. Unplugging or removing hardware

c. Troubleshooting hardware-related problems

2. You can open the wizard from the System Properties dialog box or from Control Panel.

3. To use the wizard, you must be logged on to or running in the context of an account with administrator privileges.

|8| C. Device Manager snap-in

1. The Device Manager snap-in provides you with a graphical view of the hardware that is installed on your computer.

2. You can open the snap-in from the System Properties dialog box or from the Computer Management MMC (Microsoft Management Console) console.

3. The Device Manager snap-in allows you to perform a number of tasks.

a. Determine whether the hardware on your computer is working properly

b. Change hardware configuration settings

c. Identify the device drivers loaded for each device, and obtain information about each device driver

d. Change advanced settings and properties for devices

e. Install updated device drivers

f. Disable, enable, and uninstall devices

g. Identify device conflicts and manually configure resource settings

h. Print a System Resource Report of the devices installed on your computer

4. Usually you do not need to change resource settings because resources are allocated by Windows 2000.

5. To use the Device Manager, you must be logged on to or running in the context of an account with administrator privileges.

|9| D. Driver Signing

1. Driver Signing allows Windows 2000 to notify users whether or not a driver they are installing has passed the Microsoft certification process.

2. Microsoft digitally signs drivers as part of Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) testing if the driver runs on Windows 2000.

3. Driver Signing allows for three responses.

a. The Ignore mode allows all files to be installed.

b. The Warn mode notifies the user if a driver that’s being installed hasn’t been signed, and gives the user a chance to say no to the installation.

c. The Block mode prevents all unsigned drivers from being installed.

4. Windows 2000 ships with the Warn mode set as the default.

5. Driver Signing does not affect the code itself.

6. A hash of the driver binary and relevant information are stored in a catalog file.

|10| E. Hardware profiles

1. A hardware profile is a set of instructions that tells Windows 2000 which devices to start and what settings to use when you start your computer.

2. By default, every device installed on your computer at the time you install Windows 2000 is enabled in the hardware profile.

3. Hardware profiles allow you to change which devices your computer uses when you move it from location to location.

4. You can manage hardware profiles by using the System utility in Control panel.

5. The installation profile provides a model for you to create new hardware profiles.

|11| F. Event logs

1. The System log can help you predict and identify the sources of system problems.

2. The Application log and System log can help you confirm problems with software.

3. Follow certain guidelines when you use event logs to diagnose problems.

a. Archive logs in log format.

b. Note event IDs.

c. Address hardware problems.

d. Address system problems.

5. Installing Service Packs

|12| A. Overview

1. Windows 2000 makes it easier for administrators to add service packs.

2. Windows 2000 supports service pack slipstreaming.

3. Windows 2000 eliminates the need to reinstall components applied before a service pack was installed.

|13| B. Service pack slipstreaming

1. Service pack slipstreaming refers to a service pack being applied to Windows 2000 distribution files.

2. To apply a new service pack, use Update.exe with the /slip switch.

3. Windows 2000 replaces several key files.

a. A new layout.inf, dosnet.inf, and txtsetup.sif that contains updated checksums for all the service pack files. These files need additional entries if additional files are added.

b. A new driver.cab if the drivers in the cabinet file are changed.

|14| C. Post-setup installation of a service pack

1. A service pack is applied on an existing Windows 2000 system by running Update.exe.

2. If the system state changes, Windows 2000 installs the correct files, whether those files originate from the Windows 2000 installation CD‑ROM or from the service pack.

Chapter 12, Lesson 2

Backing Up Data

|15| 1. Introduction to Windows Backup

A. Windows Backup allows you to easily back up and restore data.

B. You can back up data manually or schedule unattended backup jobs.

C. To successfully back up and restore data, you must have the appropriate permissions.

1. All users can back up their own files and folders. They can also back up files for which they have the Read, Read and Execute, Modify, or Full Control permission.

2. All users can restore files and folders for which they have the Write, Modify, or Full Control permission.

3. Members of the Administrators, Backup Operators, and Server Operators groups can back up and restore all files (regardless of the assigned permissions). By default, members of these groups have the Backup Files and Directories permission and the Restore Files and Directories permission.

|16| 2. Planning for Windows Backup

A. Determine which files and folders to back up.

B. Determine how often to back up.

C. Determine which target media to use for storing backup data.

1. You can store files on a removable media device, such as an Iomega Zip drive, or on a network location, such as a file server.

2. A tape is more convenient for large backup jobs because of its high storage capacity.

D. Determine whether to perform network or local backup jobs.

1. Network backup

a. A network backup can contain data from multiple network computers.

b. A network backup allows one administrator to back up the entire network.

2. Local backup

a. You must move from computer to computer so that you can perform a backup at each computer, or you must rely on users to back up their own computers.

b. If you use removable storage media devices, you must have one for each computer.

3. Setting Backup Options

|17| A. Introduction

1. Windows Backup allows you to change the default settings for all backup and restore jobs.

2. Each tab in the Options dialog box contains options that you can configure.

a. The General tab includes settings that affect data verification, the status information for backup and restore jobs, alert messages, and what is backed up. You should select the Verify Data After The Backup Completes check box because it is critical that your backup data is not corrupt.

b. The Restore tab includes settings that affect what happens when the file to restore is identical to an existing file.

c. The Backup Type tab includes settings that affect the default backup type when you perform a backup job. The options you select depend on how often you back up, how quickly you want to restore, and how much storage space you have. Backup types are discussed in more detail below.

d. The Backup Log tab includes settings that affect the amount of information included in the backup log.

e. The Exclude Files tab includes settings that affect which files are excluded from backup jobs.

|18| B. Backup types

1. Normal

a. All selected files and folders are backed up.

b. A normal backup does not rely on markers, which mark a file as having changed, but it does clear the archive attribute (marker) from all files.

2. Copy

a. All selected files and folders are backed up.

b. A copy backup does not look for nor clear markers.

3. Differential

a. Only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up.

b. A differential backup does not clear markers.

4. Incremental

a. Only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up.

b. An incremental backup clears markers.

5. Daily

a. All selected files and folders that have changed during the day are backed up.

b. A daily backup neither looks for nor clears markers.

|19| C. Setting backup types for specific jobs

1. You can set the backup type for a specific backup job when you are running the Backup wizard.

2. You can set the backup type for a specific backup job when you perform a backup without using the Backup wizard.

|20| D. Combining backup types

1. You can combine different backup types.

a. Normal and differential backups

b. Normal and incremental backups

c. Normal, differential, and copy backups

2. If you combine backup types, markers are critical.

4. Backing Up Data

|21| A. Performing preliminary tasks

1. Before each backup job, ensure that the files to be backed up are closed.

2. If you use a removable media device, make sure that several preliminary tasks are completed.

a. The backup device is attached to a computer on the network and is turned on. If you are backing up to tape, you must attach the tape device to the computer on which you run Windows Backup.

b. The media device is listed on the Windows 2000 HCL.

c. The media is loaded in the media device. For example, if you are using a tape drive, ensure that a tape is loaded in the tape drive.

|22| B. Selecting files and folders to back up

1. You can use the Backup wizard to perform a backup.

2. The first step in setting up a backup job is to specify what you want to back up.

3. You must select one of three backup options.

a. Back up everything on my computer

b. Back up selected files, drives, or network data

c. Only back up the system state data

|23| C. Specifying backup destination and media settings

1. You must provide information for the backup media options.

a. Backup media type

b. Backup media or file name

2. After you provide the media information, you must perform one of two steps.

a. Start the backup

b. Specify advanced backup options

|24| D. Specifying advanced backup settings

1. When you specify advanced backup options, you are changing the default backup settings for the current backup job.

2. You can configure a number of advanced options.

3. Depending on whether you choose to back up now or later, the Backup wizard provides you with the opportunity to perform one of two actions.

a. If you chose to finish the backup process, the Backup wizard displays the Completing The Backup Wizard settings and then presents the option to finish and immediately start the backup. During the backup, the wizard displays status information about the backup job.

b. If you chose to back up later, you are shown additional dialog boxes to schedule the backup process to occur later, as described in the next section.

|25| E. Scheduling backup jobs

1. A scheduled backup job occurs at a later time and is unattended.

2. Windows Backup is integrated with the Task Scheduler service.

3. To schedule a backup job, click the Later radio button on the When To Back Up screen of the Backup Wizard.

4. After you have scheduled the backup job, the job is placed on the Windows Backup calendar.

Chapter 12, Lesson 3

Implementing Disaster Protection

1. Configuring an Uninterruptible Power Supply

|26| A. Overview of UPS

1. Disaster recovery is the restoration of a computer so that you can log on and access system resources after a disaster has occurred.

2. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides power if the local power fails.

3. A UPS is usually rated to provide a specific amount of power for a specific period of time.

|27| B. Configuring options for the UPS service

1. Use the UPS tab of the Power Options Properties dialog box to configure the UPS service.

2. To configure the UPS service, you must specify certain information.

a. The COM port to which the UPS device is connected

b. The conditions that trigger the UPS device to send a signal, such as a power failure, low battery power, and remote shutdown by the UPS device

c. The time interval for maintaining battery power, recharging the battery, and sending warning messages after power failure

|28| C. Testing a UPS configuration

1. You should test the UPS configuration to ensure that your computer is protected from power failures.

2. You should not use a production computer to test the UPS configuration.

3. You should wait until the UPS battery reaches a low level to verify that an orderly shutdown occurs.

2. Implementing Disk Fault Tolerance

|29| A. Overview of disk fault tolerance

1. Fault tolerance is the ability of a computer or operating system to respond to a catastrophic event so that no data is lost or corrupted.

2. Disk fault tolerance is not an alternative to a backup strategy.

|30| B. RAID implementations

1. To maintain access to data during the loss of a single hard disk, Windows 2000 Server provides a software implementation of fault tolerance known as RAID (redundant array of independent disks).

2. RAID provides fault tolerance by implementing data redundancy.

3. You can implement RAID fault tolerance as a software solution.

a. Windows 2000 supports two software implementations of RAID.

(1) Mirrored volumes (RAID 1)

(2) Striped volumes with parity (RAID 5)

b. You can create new RAID volumes only on Windows 2000 dynamic disks.

c. There is no fault tolerance following a failure until the fault is repaired.

4. You can implement RAID fault tolerance as a hardware solution.

a. The disk controller interface handles the creation and regeneration of redundant information.

b. RAID data protection can be implemented directly in the hardware.

c. Consider a number of factors when deciding whether to use a software or hardware implementation of RAID.

(1) Hardware fault tolerance is more expensive than software fault tolerance.

(2) Hardware fault tolerance generally provides faster disk I/O than software fault tolerance.

(3) Hardware fault tolerance solutions might limit equipment options to a single vendor.

(4) Hardware fault tolerance solutions might implement hot swapping of hard disks to allow for replacement of a failed hard disk without shutting down the computer and hot sparing so that a failed disk is automatically replaced by an online spare.

|31| C. Mirrored volumes

1. A mirrored volume uses Ftdisk.sys to write the same data to a volume on each of two physical disks.

2. Each volume is considered a member of the mirrored volume.

3. A mirrored volume can contain any partition.

4. Both disks in a mirrored volume must be Windows 2000 dynamic disks.

5. Mirrored volumes can be striped across multiple disks.

6. Performance can be affected on mirrored volumes.

a. Mirrored volumes can enhance read performance because the fault tolerance driver reads from both members of the volume at once.

b. There can be a slight decrease in write performance because the fault tolerance driver must write to both members.

7. Disk duplexing refers to the installation of a second disk controller in a computer.

a. If the same disk controller controls both disks and the controller fails, neither member of the mirrored volume is accessible.

b. Disk duplexing can protect the mirrored volume against controller failure and hard disk failure.

c. Disk duplexing reduces bus traffic and potentially improves read performance.

|32| D. RAID-5 volumes

1. Windows 2000 Server supports fault tolerance through striped volumes with parity (RAID 5).

2. Windows 2000 achieves fault tolerance by adding a parity-information stripe to each disk partition in the volume.

3. Write operations on a RAID-5 volume are slower than on a mirrored volume.

4. Disk usage is optimized in RAID-5 volumes.

5. The amount of space required for the data stripe decreases with the addition of 2-GB disks to the RAID-5 volume.

6. RAID-5 volumes implement some restrictions in software.

a. RAID-5 volumes require a minimum of three drives and a maximum of 32 drives.

b. A software-level RAID-5 volume cannot contain the boot or system partition.

7. Windows 2000 is not aware of RAID implementation in hardware; the restrictions that apply to software-level RAID do not apply to hardware-level RAID.

|33| E. Mirrored volumes vs. RAID-5 volumes

1. Mirrored volumes and RAID-5 volumes provide different levels of fault tolerance.

2. Mirrored volumes offer read and write performance comparable to a single disk.

3. Disk utilization improves with RAID 5.

|34| F. Implementing RAID systems

1. The software-level fault tolerance features of Windows 2000 are available only on Windows 2000 dynamic disks.

2. You can create software-level mirrored and RAID-5 volumes by using the Create Volume wizard in the Computer Management snap-in.

Chapter 12, Lesson 4

Recovering from a Disaster

1. Repairing the Windows 2000 Installation

|35| A. Safe mode

1. Safe mode lets you start your system with a minimal set of device drivers and services.

2. Safe mode does not work in all circumstances.

a. If system files are corrupted or missing

b. If the hard disk is damaged or has failed

3. In Safe mode, Windows 2000 uses default settings.

a. VGA

b. Microsoft mouse driver

c. Device drivers necessary to start Windows

4. You can choose one of a number of options when you start Safe mode.

a. Safe Mode

b. Safe Mode With Networking

c. Safe Mode With Command Prompt

d. Enable Boot Logging

e. Enable VGA Mode

f. Last Known Good Configuration

g. Directory Service Restore Mode

h. Debugging Mode

5. If you are using or have used Remote Install Services (RIS) to install Windows 2000, you might see additional options related to RIS.

6. To start Windows 2000 in Safe mode, restart your computer, and press F8 when you are prompted to select an operating system.

7. Safe mode helps you diagnose problems.

|36| B. Recovery Console

1. The Recovery Console is a text-mode command interpreter that is separate from the Windows 2000 command prompt.

2. The Recovery Console allows you to gain access to the hard disk of a Windows 2000 computer.

3. You can obtain limited access to NTFS and FAT volumes.

4. To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000 installation CD‑ROM or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks.

a. If the Recovery Console was installed on the local hard disk, it can be accessed from the startup menu.

b. Use the winnt32 /cmdcons command to add the Recovery Console to an existing installation of Windows 2000.

c. The installation of the Recovery Console requires about 7 MB of disk space on the system partition.

d. Certain installations and configurations can affect how you use the Recovery Console.

(1) If there is more than one installation of Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0 or earlier, they are shown in the Recovery Console startup menu.

(2) Mirrored volumes appear twice in the Recovery Console startup menu, but each entry has the same drive letter, so they are actually the same drive.

(3) Changes made with the Recovery Console to mirrored volumes are mirrored.

e. To use the Recovery Console, you must know the password for the local Administrator account.

f. You can access certain partitions and folders on your computer.

(1) %systemroot% and subfolders of the Windows 2000 installation in which you are currently logged on

(2) The root of all partitions, including %systemdrive%, the CD-ROM, and floppy drive with some restrictions. (Floppy drive restrictions are outlined later in this lesson.)

g. The Recovery Console prevents access to certain folders, such as those that contain other installations of Windows 2000.

h. The Recovery Console affects your file-copying capabilities.

(1) You cannot copy a file from the local hard disk to a floppy disk.

(2) You can copy a file from a floppy disk or a CD‑ROM to any hard disk.

(3) You can copy a file from a hard disk to another hard disk.

i. The Recovery Console buffers previously entered commands and makes them available to the user.

|37| C. Emergency repair disk (ERD)

1. Windows Backup includes a wizard to help you create the ERD.

2. You should create an ERD when your computer is functioning properly.

3. The Windows 2000 ERD does not contain a copy of the registry files.

4. The backup registry files are in the %systemroot%\Repair folder.

5. You can create the emergency repair disk.

a. When the ERD is created, specific files are copied to a floppy disk.

(1) Autoexec.nt

(2) Config.nt

(3) Setup.log

b. You should create the ERD after Windows 2000 is installed.

6. You can use the ERD to help repair system files after starting the computer.

a. The ERD must include current configuration information.

b. When you start the emergency repair process, you will be asked to choose one of two options.

(1) Manual Repair

(2) Fast Repair

c. If you select Manual Repair, the registry files are not checked.

d. Manual Repair allows you to select from one of three options.

(1) Inspect Startup Environment

(2) Verify Windows 2000 System Files

(3) Inspect Boot Sector

7. If the emergency repair process does not fix your system, you can perform an in-place upgrade over the existing installation.

2. Restoring Data

|38| A. Preparing to restore data

1. Base your restore strategy on the backup type you used for the backup.

2. Perform a trial restore periodically to verify that Windows Backup is backing up your files correctly.

3. Keep documentation for each backup job. Create and print a detailed backup log for each backup job.

4. Keep a record of multiple backup jobs in a calendar format that shows the days on which you perform the backup jobs.

|39| B. Selecting backup sets, files, and folders to restore

1. The first step in restoring data is to select the data to restore.

2. Use the Restore wizard to restore data.

3. After you run the Restore wizard, you can perform one of two actions.

a. Finish the restore process by clicking the Finish button.

b. Specify advanced restore options by clicking the Advanced button.

|40| C. Specifying advanced restore settings

1. The advanced settings in the Restore wizard vary.

2. After you have finished the Restore wizard, Windows Backup takes specific actions.

a. Prompts you to verify your selection of the source media to use to restore data. After the verification, Windows Backup starts the restore process.

b. Displays status information about the restore process.

3. You can configure a number of restore options.

a. Restore Files To

b. When Restoring A File That Is Already On My Computer

c. Advanced Restore Options

3. Recovering a Mirrored or RAID-5 Volume

|41| A. Recovering from a mirrored volume failure

1. To replace the failed member, you must remove the failed disk from the mirrored volume.

2. Replace the failed disk with a functional disk.

3. Re-create the mirrored volume.

|42| B. Repairing a RAID-5 volume

1. Replace the failed drive, and then repair the RAID-5 volume.

2. The fault tolerance driver reads the parity information stripes on the remaining members, and then re-creates the data contained on the missing member.