Department Of Software Engineering

ASSIGNMENT 02

Course name : Operating System

Submitted by : Zara Khush Bakhat
Submitted to : Miss Maryam
Semester : 4 Th
Submitted on : 01 March 2024

Topic : Summary of Chapter 21 (Windows)

 Summary of Windows
Windows NT Evolution:
○ Late 1980s: Collaborative effort by Microsoft and IBM for OS/2 and POSIX APIs.
○ Windows 2000 (2000): Introduced Active Directory, improved networking, and laptop
support.
○ Windows XP, Vista, 7: XP (2001) brought GUI updates; Vista (2007) faced criticism,
leading to Windows 7 (2009) with enhanced engineering.
○ Windows 8 (2012): Introduced new UI (Metro), WinRT, and Windows Store; faced market
challenges.
○ Windows 8.1 (2013): Addressed usability flaws, and improved security and performance.
○ Windows 10 (2015): Adopted the "WindowsasaService" model, reintroduced the start menu,
UWP, Pico Providers, and cross-platform compatibility.

Technical Advancements:
○ Performance Gains: Achieved through DWM, DirectX, and subsequent versions.
○ Windows 10 Improvements: Enhanced power, performance, and scalability; introduced 64-
bit versions, multiuser support, IoT, and cloud compatibility.

Design Principles:
○ Security: Emphasized with integrity levels, ABAC, CABC, encryption, ASLR, DEP, CFG,
and ACG.
○ Reliability: Enhanced with memory diagnostics, fault-tolerant memory heap, and continuous
updates.
○ Compatibility: Addressed through shim engine, compatibility layers, and Pico Providers;
supports legacy and Linux compatibility (WSL).

System Components:
○ HyperV Hypervisor: Provides hardware virtualization, intercepts operations, and facilitates
communication between kernel and virtual machines.
○ Secure Kernel: Operates in VTL 1, manages hardware secrets, TPM, and code integrity
policies for data privacy and integrity.
○ HardwareAbstraction Layer (HAL): Conceals hardware differences, and ensures
compatibility for device drivers.
○ Kernel: Manages thread scheduling, context switching, low-level processor synchronization,
and interrupt handling.
○ Executive: Core services including Object Manager, Virtual Memory Manager, Process
Manager, I/O Manager, and Security Reference Monitor.

Object Manager:
○ Manages kernel-mode entities through generic interfaces.
○ Handles provide access to objects like files, registry keys, and processes.
○ The Security Reference Monitor enforces security checks.
○ Quotas are enforced by charging processes for occupied memory.

Virtual Memory Manager:

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 ○ Manages virtual address space, physical memory allocation, and paging.
○ Supports a 4 GB per process on 32bit and 256 TB on 64bit virtual address space.
○ Implements multilevel page tables for virtual to physical address translation.
○ Manages physical memory with free, zeroed, modified, and standby states.
○ Implements SuperFetch for data prefetching and Compression Store Manager for optimizing
memory usage.

Process Manager:
○ Manages processes, threads, and jobs.
○ Processes contain threads, and processes can be grouped into job objects.
○ Supports features for Windows Store, UWP applications, and Docker Containers.
○ Involves Win32 application, parameter conversions, and NT executive APIs for creation.
○ Provides APIs for suspending, and resuming threads; accessing and manipulating virtual
memory.

I/O Manager:
○ Manages device drivers and defines communication models.
○ I/O is targeted to a file object; special support for filesystem drivers.
○ Interfaces with MM for memorymapped file I/O.
○ Allows filter drivers to modify or enhance I/O operations.
○ Adheres to the Windows Driver Model specification.

Security Reference Monitor (SRM):

○ Integrates with Object Manager for access validation and audit checks.
○ Checks effective security tokens, and supports impersonation.
○ Manages privileges, and integrity levels to prevent unauthorized access.
○ Token extension introduced in Windows 8 for enhanced security.
○ Log security audit events, meeting Common Criteria standards.

PlugandPlay Manager (PnP Manager):

○ Adapts to changes in hardware configuration, detects and manages devices.
○ Involves adddevice, and startdevice requests; supports queries, stops, and removals.
○ Supports notifications for device changes; service-trigger mechanism introduced in Windows
7.

Power Manager:
○ Implements strategies for better energy efficiency, sleep, and hibernation.
○ Utilizes sleep mode for low-power states; hibernation transfers memory contents to storage.
○ Introduced in Windows 7 and 8 for core parking, CPU throttling, and functional power states.
○ Notifies the system of power state changes; used by applications and Desktop Activity
Moderator.

Registry:
○ The stores configuration information in hives for a system, user preferences, software,
security, and boot options.
○ Organized hierarchically with keys and values; serves as a general-purpose database and IPC
mechanism.

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 ○ Provides notifications for system changes; supports self-healing algorithms.
○ System restore points enhance stability.

Booting:
○ Involves firmware execution, POST diagnostics; ACPI description built, system boot device
located.
○ Loading boot manager, initializing kernel processes, launching user-mode processes.
○ Includes hibernated and shutdown systems.
○ Hybrid Boot combines hibernation with logoff for quick system startup.

Terminal Services and Fast User Switching:

○ Supports GUI-based console with advanced features.
○ Allows multiple user sessions simultaneously; Fast User Switching enables quick session
switching.
○ Facilitates remote desktop connections for troubleshooting and thin-client computing.

File System:
○ NTFS is the native file system; FAT is used for portable storage.
○ NTFS features include ACLs, BitLocker encryption, data recovery, large files, multiple data
streams, UNICODE names, journaling, and compression.
○ Internal layout involves clusters and a Master File Table (MFT).

➢ Windows NT has evolved over decades, incorporating technical advancements, robust design
principles, and a modular system architecture. It emphasizes security, reliability, and
compatibility while introducing features like virtualization, power management, and extensive
file system capabilities. The system's components work cohesively to provide a stable and
efficient platform for various computing needs.