Microsoft Windows Vista Configuring 70-620

If you want Windows Vista to run as expected, your hardware has to be up to snuff. First this nugget covers two types of Vista hardware -- hardware to work okay and hardware to work blazing fast. Then you'll learn about all the different Vista editions, including the features you'll find in each. This includes all the features and functionalities in Windows Vista Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate.

Upgrading to Windows Vista has a few differences from a clean install. When you put the Windows Vista installation DVD into computer running an older version of Windows or another edition of Windows Vista, you'll see the Upgrade Advisor -- this is what you'll use to run through the upgrade. In this video you'll learn how Upgrade Advisor will help you recognize any hurdles to upgrading and then work them out before problems come up. You'll also learn what upgrade paths are available to you. Plus you'll get a first introduction to the Windows Easy Transfer migration tool. Finally, you'll see a simple demonstration of an upgrade to Windows Vista.

This nugget explains in detail how Anytime Upgrade makes it easy to move from one edition of Vista to another, without losing any important settings or information. Plus you'll learn some of the best techniques for troubleshooting Windows Vista installation issues. Finally this nugget covers application compatibility -- so you don't hit a brick wall when you have Windows Vista up and running just fine but you can't seem to get your favorite application to run.

Okay -- Vista is installed. Now what? This nugget takes you through configurations and system settings you'll want to implement post-installation to get Vista to run well. This includes advanced options and selections in Device Manager. Also, you'll learn how problem reports help you track down and solve problems coming from the processes and applications running on your system. Finally, you'll discover how customizing display properties can drastically effect system performance -- including using, not using, or limiting the front-end Windows Aero interface.

This first nugget on security in Windows Vista walks you through how to configure and troubleshoot User Account Control, understand the core concepts surrounding user accounts including permissions for different types and groups of accounts, plus learn what behavior you can expect from User Account Control. Also you'll walk through how to setup and manage policies including group and local policies. Finally, this nugget covers what the "Secure Desktop" is, how it effects users, and how it can help IT professionals.

Internet Explorer continues to give you more options for locking down security. This nugget details how to use these features, including Protected Mode, the Phishing Filter, the Pop-up blocker, Security Zones that help you control what can be downloaded and run on your computer, Privacy settings including cookie handling, how to identify Secure Websites in IE7, and finally controlling Add-ons that sometimes improve user experience but also pose a security risk.

Now that you have security in line it's time to connect to the network. This nugget starts with understanding IP Addressing and Network Services. Then it moves into common network types you'll see and how Vista fits within each. Also, you'll see how easy it has become to connect to networks using the Network and Sharing Center inside Vista, including both wired and wireless networks. Next you'll learn about Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), and finally about various network connection properties. And along the way DNS Name Resolution, Network Address Translation (NAT), and Troubleshooting Connectivity are covered as well.

Remote access in Vista is split into two core uses -- remote assistance for supporting others, and remote desktop for using all your computer's files and resources from another location. This nugget covers how to configure remote access in Vista including both remote desktop and remote assistance. This will be a key point of confusion on the 70-620 exam and instructor James Conrad contacted an insider at Microsoft to clarify that the content in this nugget maps exactly to the remote access topics you will see on the exam -- this is not the remote access you're already familiar with!

Windows Mail replaces Outlook Express as the native Email and Newsgroup client in Windows Vista. In this nugget you'll first review mail protocols including SMTP, POP3, and IMAP4. Then you'll dive in and configure Windows Mail and work with mail messages you send and receive through Windows Mail. Finally, you'll also look at how to configure newsgroups and work with newsgroup messages.

This nugget covers a few more applications you'll see included with Windows Vista -- Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, Windows Fax and Scan, and the Windows Sidebar. You'll learn how to configure each of these applications, plus you'll get demos of some cool features you'll want to play around with to discover in more depth.

Making sure your computer runs reliably is a big topic. This nugget doesn't fall short. You'll learn about troubleshooting with Problem Reports and Solutions, plus using Problem History to track problem trends. You'll learn how to cleanup Internet Explorer including deleting browsing history. You'll learn how hardware can limit performance and how to discover if that is happening on your system. And how the dramatically improved Event Viewer helps make troubleshooting easier. And how the Reliability and Performance Monitor gives you an inside look into current and past performance of your computer. Plus how to diagnose the overall system health. And for the final two topics this nugget covers the Task Manager and where to find comprehensive System Information.

This final nugget covers unique features and functionality of Vista for use with notebooks and other mobile computers. First you'll learn how to configure external displays. Then you'll learn how to configure and use Network Projectors, Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC), Sync Center, Offline Files SideShow, Tablet PCs, and finally the nugget concludes with a discussion of the three Power States available in Windows Vista.