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    Windows Startup Process

    Uploaded by

    manoj kumar rout
    The Windows startup process initializes the operating system differently depending on whether it is a DOS-based or Windows NT-based system. In DOS-based systems, files like AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS and device drivers are loaded before launching the graphical shell. In Windows NT, the boot loader NTLDR loads the kernel and drivers, starts the session manager SMSS.EXE which launches Winlogon to handle user authentication before applying policies and running startup programs. Windows Vista's startup is similar but uses WINLOAD.EXE instead of NTLDR and replaces GINA with credential providers.

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    Windows Startup Process

    Uploaded by

    manoj kumar rout
    92 views3 pages
    The Windows startup process initializes the operating system differently depending on whether it is a DOS-based or Windows NT-based system. In DOS-based systems, files like AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS and device drivers are loaded before launching the graphical shell. In Windows NT, the boot loader NTLDR loads the kernel and drivers, starts the session manager SMSS.EXE which launches Winlogon to handle user authentication before applying policies and running startup programs. Windows Vista's startup is similar but uses WINLOAD.EXE instead of NTLDR and replaces GINA with credential providers.

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    The Windows startup process initializes the operating system differently depending on whether it is a DOS-based or Windows NT-based system. In DOS-based systems, files like AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS and device drivers are loaded before launching the graphical shell. In Windows NT, the boot loader NTLDR loads the kernel and drivers, starts the session manager SMSS.EXE which launches Winlogon to handle user authentication before applying policies and running startup programs. Windows Vista's startup is similar but uses WINLOAD.EXE instead of NTLDR and replaces GINA with credential providers.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    92 views3 pages

    Windows Startup Process

    Uploaded by

    manoj kumar rout
    The Windows startup process initializes the operating system differently depending on whether it is a DOS-based or Windows NT-based system. In DOS-based systems, files like AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS and device drivers are loaded before launching the graphical shell. In Windows NT, the boot loader NTLDR loads the kernel and drivers, starts the session manager SMSS.EXE which launches Winlogon to handle user authentication before applying policies and running startup programs. Windows Vista's startup is similar but uses WINLOAD.EXE instead of NTLDR and replaces GINA with credential providers.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Windows startup process

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    (Redirected from Windows Startup Process)


    Jump to: navigation, search

    The Windows Startup Process is the process by which Microsoft's Windows series of
    operating systems initializes.

    Contents
    [hide]

    • 1 DOS-based Windows
    • 2 Windows NT
    • 3 Windows Vista

    • 4 References

    [edit] DOS-based Windows


    In Windows 3.x and 95/98/ME, the boot loader phase is handled by MS DOS. During the
    boot phase, the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys are executed, along with the configuration
    settings files WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI. Virtual device drivers are also loaded in the
    startup process : they are most commonly loaded from the registry
    (HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD) or from the SYSTEM.INI file.

    When all system configuration files and device drivers have been loaded, the 32-bit VxD
    message server (Msgsrv32) starts Mprexe.exe, which is responsible for loading the
    network logon client (such as Client for Microsoft Networks, Microsoft Family Logon or
    Windows Logon).

    When a user is logging on to Windows, the startup sound is played, the shell (usually
    Explorer.exe) is loaded from the [boot] section of the SYSTEM.INI file, and startup items
    are loaded.

    In all DOS-based versions of Windows except ME, it is also possible to load Windows by
    booting to a DOS prompt and typing "win". There are some command line switches that
    can be used with the "Win" command: with the /d switch, Windows boots to safe mode,
    and with the /d:n switch, Windows boots to safe mode with networking. The latter switch
    only works properly with Windows 95 [1]. In Windows 3.1, additional options are
    available, such as /3, which starts Windows in 386 enhanced mode, and /s, which starts
    Windows in standard mode [2]
    [edit] Windows NT
    Main article: Windows NT Startup Process

    In Windows NT, the boot loader is called NTLDR. It is responsible for accessing the file
    system on the boot drive, for starting Ntoskrnl.exe and for loading boot-time device
    drivers into memory. Once all the Boot and System drivers have been loaded, the kernel
    (system thread) starts the Session Manager Subsystem (smss.exe), which in turn starts
    Winlogon, which loads the graphical identification and authentication library.

    After a user has successfully logged in to the machine, Winlogon does the following:

    • User and Computer Group Policy settings are applied.


    • Startup programs are run from the following locations:
    1. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Runonce
    2. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Exp
    lorer\Run
    3. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    4. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows
    NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Run
    5. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    6. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
    7. All Users ProfilePath\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ (please
    note that this path is localized on non-English versions of Windows)
    8. Current User ProfilePath\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ (please
    note that this path is localized on non-English versions of Windows)

    In Windows 95/98/ME, it was also possible to run a program before the user logs on by
    using RunServicesOnce or RunServices keys. In Windows NT, this has been replaced by
    the Services.exe program, which is able to load a set of system services before a user logs
    on.

    Additionally, on English versions of Windows, the startup folder was called "StartUp"
    instead of "Startup" in Win9x.

    Adware\Spyware and other unwanted software might add itself to the system registry in
    order to be automatically started when a Windows NT system logs on.

    There are several programs that let the user control which programs automatically start
    when a Windows NT system logs on, including StartU, OSAM: Autorun Manager and
    Autoruns.

    [edit] Windows Vista


    Main article: Windows Vista Startup Process
    The sequence of booting Windows Vista is slightly different from any previous version of
    windows that uses the NT kernel. The operating system boot loader in Vista is called
    winload.exe, and is invoked by Windows Boot Manager. Additionally, the GINA that has
    been in use all versions of Windows NT since 3.1 has been entirely replaced by
    "Credential Providers".

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