Table 6-3 Windows Features

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