Windows

Windows is a symetric multiprocessing OS: all CPUs are equal, the Windows kernel can schedule a process to run on any pr`.

Configuring Windows

Windows can be configured through different methods:

Generally, a control panel item is aimed for general users while an MMC snap-in is targeted at IT professionals.

TODO

WSUS Offline Update

Default user profile win-default-user-profile

The default user profile id duplicated when a new user account is created. A default user profile includes special folders such as My Documents and Desktop.

Apparently, at least part of the default user profile is stored under %SystemDrive%\Users\Default.

Freeing up disk space

cleanmgr.exe

%SystemDrive%\$Recycle.Bin

%LocalAppData%\Temp

%SystemRoot%\Installer

Downloaded files

Compressing old files

Temporary Internet files

Cached (offline) web pages

Temporary Windows files

Log Files (for example under %SystemRoot%\System32\LogFiles)

Old chkdsk files

Recent files

Catalog files (created by content indexer)

WinSXS

Licensing and activation

Two types of activation:

consumer level
volume licensing

Licensingdiag.exe

LicensingUI.exe

slmgr.vbs

slui.exe

changepk.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation

sppwinob.dll

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\spp

The sppsvc service.

Windows product key

Possible license states are