Windows NT (New Technology) is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was originally designed to be a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement consumer versions of Windows that were based on MS-DOS. NT was the first fully 32-bit version of Windows, whereas its consumer-oriented counterparts, Windows 3.1x and Windows 9x, were 16-bit/32-bit hybrids. Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 (beta), and Windows Home Server are based upon the Windows NT system, although they are not branded as Windows NT.When development started in November 1988, Windows NT was to be known as OS/2 3.0, the third version of the operating system developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM. In addition to working on three versions of OS/2, Microsoft continued parallel development of the DOS-based and less resource-demanding Windows environment. When Windows 3.0 was released in May 1990, it was eventually so successful that Microsoft decided to change the primary application programming interface for the still unreleased NT OS/2 (as it was then known) from an extended OS/2 API to an extended Windows API. This decision caused tension between Microsoft and IBM and the collaboration ultimately fell apart. IBM continued OS/2 development alone while Microsoft continued work on the newly renamed Windows NT. Though neither operating system would immediately be as popular as Microsoft's DOS or Windows products, Windows NT would eventually be far more successful than OS/2.
Microsoft hired a group of developers from Digital Equipment Corporation led by Dave Cutler to build Windows NT, and many elements of the design reflect earlier DEC experience with Cutler's VMS and RSX-11. The operating system was designed to run on multiple instruction set architectures and multiple hardware platforms within each architecture. The platform dependencies are largely hidden from the rest of the system by a kernel mode module called the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer).
Windows NT's kernel mode code further distinguishes between the "kernel", whose primary purpose is to implement processor and architecture dependent functions, and the "executive". This has led some writers to refer to the kernel as a microkernel, but the Windows NT kernel no longer meets many of the criteria of a "microkernel", although this was the original goal of chief architect Cutler. Both the kernel and the executive are linked together into the single loaded module ntoskrnl.exe; from outside this module there is little distinction between the kernel and the executive. Routines from each are directly accessible, as for example from kernel-mode device drivers

Windows Operating System

Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and open source development; its underlying source code can be freely modified, used, and redistributed by anyone.Linux is now packaged for different uses in Linux distributions, which contain the sometimes modified kernel along with a variety of other software packages tailored to different requirements.
Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux is supported by corporations such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, Oracle Corporation, Red Hat, and Sun Microsystems. It is used as an operating system for a wide variety of computer hardware, including desktop computers, supercomputers,[3] video game systems such as PlayStation 2, 3, several arcade games and embedded devices such as mobile phones and routers.
In 1992, Linus Torvalds explained that he pronounces Linux as /ˈlɪnʊks/,[4] though other variations are common.Linux is now packaged for different uses in Linux distributions, which contain the sometimes modified kernel along with a variety of other software packages tailored to different requirements.
Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux is supported by corporations such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, Oracle Corporation, Red Hat, and Sun Microsystems. It is used as an operating system for a wide variety of computer hardware, including desktop computers, supercomputers,[3] video game systems such as PlayStation 2, 3, several arcade games and embedded devices such as mobile phones and routers.
In 1992, Linus Torvalds explained that he pronounces Linux as /ˈlɪnʊks/,[4] though other variations are common.

Windows Vista (IPA: /ˈvɪs.tə/) is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media centers. Prior to its announcement on July 22, 2005, Windows Vista was known by its codename "Longhorn".[1] Development was completed on November 8, 2006; over the following three months it was released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers, and retail channels. On January 30, 2007, it was released worldwide to the general public,[2] and was made available for purchase and downloading from Microsoft's web site.[3] The release of Windows Vista comes more than five years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, making it the longest time span between two releases of Microsoft Windows.
Windows Vista contains hundreds of new and reworked features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files and digital media between computers and devices. For developers, Vista includes version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write applications than with the traditional Windows API.
Microsoft's primary stated objective with Windows Vista, however, has been to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system.[4] One common criticism of Windows XP and its predecessors has been their commonly exploited security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to malware, viruses and buffer overflows. In light of this, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced in early 2002 a company-wide "Trustworthy Computing initiative" which aims to incorporate security work into every aspect of software development at the company. Microsoft stated that it prioritized improving the security of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 above finishing Windows Vista, thus delaying its completion.[5]
Windows Vista is the target of a number of negative assessments by various groups. Criticisms of Windows Vista include protracted development time, more restrictive licensing terms, the inclusion of a number of new Digital Rights Management technologies aimed at restricting the copying of protected digital media, lack of device drivers for some hardware, and the usability of other new features such as User Account Control.

Windows Me introduced the "System Restore" logging and reversion system, which was meant to simplify troubleshooting and solving problems. It was intended to work as a "safety net" so that if the installation of an application or a driver adversely affected the system, the user could undo the install and return the system to a previously working state. It does this by monitoring changes to Windows system files and the registry (System Restore is not a backup program). System Restore can slow the computer's performance and compromise its stability if it chooses to checkpoint the system while a user is using it. Since its method of keeping track of changes is fairly simplistic, it sometimes ends up restoring a virus which the user had previously removed.Millennium" was the codename for a future version of Windows NT that was expected to be released in 2000 or 2001. In 1998, Microsoft stated that there would be no version of Windows 9x after Windows 98.[3] In 1999, however, Microsoft announced a new version of Windows 9x, that was later revealed to be codenamed Millennium. In 2000, this was released as Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me).[4]Millennium" was the codename for a future version of Windows NT that was expected to be released in 2000 or 2001. In 1998, Microsoft stated that there would be no version of Windows 9x after Windows 98.[3] In 1999, however, Microsoft announced a new version of Windows 9x, that was later revealed to be codenamed Millennium. In 2000, this was released as Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me).[4]Windows Me is a continuation of the Windows 9x model, but with access to real mode MS-DOS restricted in order to speed up system boot time. This was one of the most publicized changes in Windows Me, because applications that needed real mode DOS to run, such as older disk utilities, did not run under Windows Me.
Compared with other releases of Windows, Windows Me had a short shelf-life, of just over a year; it was soon replaced by the NT-based Windows XP, which was launched on October 25, 2001.

Windows NT is a Microsoft Windows personal computer operating system designed for users and businesses needing advanced capability. NT's technology is the base for the Microsoft successor operating system, Windows 2000. Windows NT (which may originally have stood for "New Technology," although Microsoft doesn't say) is actually two products: Microsoft NT Workstation and Microsoft NT Server. The Workstation is designed for users, especially business users, who need faster performance and a system a little more fail-safe than Windows 95 and Windows 98. The Server is designed for business machines that need to provide services for network-attached computers. The Server is required, together with an Internet server such as Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS), for a Windows system that plans to serve Web pagesThe NT Server is probably the second most installed network server operating system after Novell's NetWare operating system. Microsoft claims that its NT servers are beginning to replace both NetWare and the various Unix-based systems such as those of Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard. NT Server 5.0. essentially became what was renamed Windows 2000. Notable features of the Windows 2000 products are: Microsoft says that 32-bit applications run 20% faster on this system than on Windows 95 (assuming both have 32 megabytes of RAM). Since older 16-bit applications run in a separate address space, one can crash without crashing other applications or the operating system. Security and management features not available on Windows 95 are provided. The Workstation has the same desktop user interface as Windows 95.

Windows 2000 (W2K) is a est commercial version of Microsoft's evolving Windows operating system. Previously called Windows NT 5.0, Microsoft emphasizes that Windows 2000 is evolutionary and "Built on NT Technology." Windows 2000 is designed to appeal to small business and professional users as well as to the more technical and larger business market for which the NT was designed.
Windows 2000 Professional, aimed at individuals and businesses of all sizes. It includes security and mobile use enhancements. It is the most economical choice.
Windows 2000 Server, aimed at small-to-medium size businesses. It can function as a Web server and/or a workgroup (or branch office) server. It can be part of a two-way symmetric multiprocessing system. NT 4.0 servers can be upgraded to this server.
Windows 2000 Advanced Server, aimed at being a network operating system server and/or an application server, including those involving large databases. This server facilitates clustering and load-balancing. NT 4.0 servers with up to eight-way SMP can upgrade to this product.
Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, designed for large data warehouses, online transaction processing (OLTP), econometric analysis, and other applications requiring high-speed computation and large databases. The Datacenter Server supports up to 16-way SMP and up to 64 gigabytes of physical memory.
Windows 2000 is reported to be more stable (less apt to crash) than Windows 98/NT systems. A significant new feature is Microsoft's Active Directory, which, among other capabilities, enables a company to set up virtual private networks, to encrypt data locally or on the network, and to give users access to shared files in a consistent way from any network computer.

Windows Resource Kits have always been a quasi-definitive source of information for configuring and troubleshooting Windows. Anyone who does it for a living is almost certain to own a copy. But if you've found that past editions of the Resource Kit covered everything under the sun except the problem that you were trying to solve at the moment, you'll be pleased with this edition, which easily surpasses previous Resource Kits in the depth of coverage and the detailed explanations. The book's massive 1,750-page bulk is divided up into seven major sections covering enterprise deployment and installation, system configuration, networking (including remote access and Windows 98's new Point- to-Point Tunneling Protocol virtual private networking features), Internet and telecommunications, system administration, performance tuning, and the architecture of Windows 98. The bundled CD-ROM contains a collection of nifty diagnostic tools, hardware compatibility lists, card troubleshooting info, and the complete e-text of the book. The Resource Kit is clearly aimed at the professional administrator, and many sections are only relevant to Windows deployment on business networks. But advanced computer users will also find invaluable information about many tasks that they'll need to perform.

A major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system released in 1995. Windows 95 represents a significant advance over its precursor, Windows 3.1. In addition to sporting a new user interface, Windows 95 also includes a number of important internal improvements. Perhaps most important, it supports 32-bit applications, which means that applications written specifically for this operating system should run much faster. And although Windows 95 can run older Windows and DOS applications, it has essentially removed DOS as the underlying platform. This has meant removal of many of the old DOS limitations, such as 640K of main memory and 8-character filenames.

Microsoft to develop a 16-bit operating system for the personal computer for the fee of 186,000 dollars. Although the company Digital Research of Gary Kildall allready had with CP/M 86 such a 16-bit version,but by circumstances no contract has been established with IBM. Microsoft did not have yet any operating system, Microsoft licensed CP/M from Digital Research in November 1977 for 50,000 dollars. Since Microsoft could not sell licenses, a corresponding agreement with the company Seattle Computer Products was reached for QDOS. QDOS is a 16-bit clone of CP/M and was finished by Tim Paterson in April 1980. At first Microsoft licensed QDOS for 25,000 dollars. After a licence agreement with IBM was signed, Bill Gates bought QDOS for 50,000 dollars in July 1981. How proved this was a very lucrative business. IBM delivered it on all IBM computers as PC DOS for the first time on the IBM 5150 PC, for all other ones the name MS-DOS was for OEM partner. MS DOS 1.0 consists of about 4,000 lines assembler code. The command interpreter is integrated in the file command.com with the internal commands for MS-DOS. Together with the file io.sys for simple device routines like the access to the monitor, keyboard, fixed storage disks and interfaces as well as the booting code these form the base operating system. DOS works very hardware near. MS-DOS established and had reached measured on the market share a monopoly in the DOS market. The number of the MS-DOS installations grew worldwide to about 60 million and surpassed all other systems with that amount. Almost every software company offered standard applications like word processing, calculation or also special solutions like measurement tools, CAD (Computer Aided Design) or image processing for MS-DOS. The PC manufacturers designed her systems compatible to MS-DOS except for few manufacturers.

Latest ECS Motherboard

ECS is well known for thinking up innovative solutions for motherboards, but the company's developers have surpassed themselves with their latest motherboard; the PF88 Extreme. As a basic Intel board this is very well priced, but with the addition of the A9S SIMA card, it transforms into a reasonably priced Socket 939 AMD board.
When you first look at the motherboard you could be forgiven for thinking it's one of the new Intel Socket 775 SLI boards, as there are two PCI-E graphic slots. But on closer inspection the long slot and two rows of jumpers that separate the two reveal the truth. The reason for two graphic cards slots is quite straightforward; once you add the SIMA card into its slot it covers one of the PCI-E slots.
The basic PF88 Extreme is a well laid out Socket 775 board using an SIS 656 Northbridge combined with an SIS 965 Southbridge, and has four DIMM slots supporting up to 4GB of either dual channel DDR2-533 or DDR-667, DDR2 memory.

Memory

Here's a closer look from the "West". We're actually seeing the backside of the memory slot from this angle. One memory slot is populated. There are two more memory slots that are not populated. Having the first one already populated makes it easy to know where to put the second memory module. They must be populated in order beginning with the first slot. But not all the slots need to be populated. Notice the white locking clips on the middle memory slot (the first unfilled slot) are in the open - unlocked position. The locking clips on the third and final memory slot (the one closest in the picture) are in the locked position, but of course they can be moved either way since there is no actual memory module in the slot.

Processor

Conspiracy theorists claim that Intel, tired of replacing processors with bent pins under warranty, decided to move the fragile pins to the socket, offloading the warranty headaches onto motherboard manufacturers. In fact, that makes no sense. Intel itself is the largest motherboard manufacturer, and replacing a motherboard under warranty is more costly than replacing a processor. Various articles have also claimed that Socket 775 is good for only 5 (or 10, or 20) insertion cycles, with the implication that the older Socket 478 is essentially indestructible. In fact, Socket 478 and Socket 775 are both rated for 20 insertions, so neither is more durable than the other. Even on our test benches, we've never worn out a socket or a processor, and we don't expect that to change with Socket 775.

Slots

An opening in a computer where you can insert a printed circuit board. Slots are often called expansion slots because they allow you to expand the capabilities of a computer. The boards you insert in expansion slots are called expansion boards or add-on boards.
Do not confuse slots with bays. Bays are sites within the computer where you can install disk drives. Typically, slots are in the back of the computer and bays are in the front.