Analyzing Computer

Devices and
Explaining Windows
Registry Editor

Lesson I. Computer System

Motherboard- A motherboard is the main printed circuit
board (PCB) in a computer. The motherboard is a
computer's central communications backbone
connectivity point, connecting all components and
external peripherals. Motherboards can be found in
virtually all computers, especially desktop and laptop
PCs.
CPU- The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the primary
component of a computer that acts as its “control
center.” The CPU also referred to as the “central” or
“main” processor, is a complex set of electronic
circuitries that runs the machine's operating system and
apps.

RAM- What Is RAM? RAM is a common computing

acronym that stands for random-access memory.
Sometimes it's called PC memory or just memory. In
essence, RAM is your computer or laptop's short-term
memory. It's where the data is stored that your
computer processor needs to run your applications and
open your files.
GPU- A graphics processing unit is a specialized
electronic circuit initially designed to accelerate
computer graphics and image processing. However, it
was later used for non-graphic calculations involving
embarrassingly parallel problems due to their parallel
structure.

Computer Data Storage- Computer data storage is a

technology consisting of computer components and
recording media that are used to retain digital data. It
is a core function and fundamental component of
computers. A computer's central processing unit
manipulates data by performing computations.
 Power
Supply Unit- A power supply unit converts mains AC to
low-voltage regulated DC power for the internal
components of a computer. Modern personal computers
universally use switched-mode power supplies. Some
power supplies have a manual switch for selecting input
voltage, while others automatically adapt to the main
voltage.
Now that we have finished analyzing and explaining the
computer’s systems, we will now proceed to explain
Microsoft’s Windows Registry Editor.
Lesson II. Registry Editor
What is a Registry Editor? The Windows Registry is a
hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for
the Microsoft Windows operating system and for
applications that opt to use the registry. The kernel,
device drivers, services, Security Accounts Manager, and
user interfaces can all use the registry. The registry also
allows access to counters for profiling system
performance.
Can you provide me with more information about the
specific functions of each hive in the Windows Registry
Editor?
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT — keeps track of default file
associations. This is how your computer knows to open a
Word (doc) file.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER — contains settings specific to
your username in Windows.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE — contains passwords, boot
files, software installation files, and security settings. This
hive is abbreviated as HKLM and is the most critical hive.
 HKEY_USERS — like the CURRENT_USER hive, except
it’s for when more than one user is logged onto the server or
computer.
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG — a real-time measurement
of different hardware activities. Information in this hive isn’t
saved permanently to the registry.

Should we have a bonus lesson? All right! This will be fun!

Bonus Lesson I. Evolution of Windows Operating Systems

Windows 1.0 - is the first major release of Microsoft Windows,

a family of graphical operating systems for personal
computers developed by Microsoft. It was first released to
manufacturing in the United States on November 20, 1985,
while the European version was released as Windows 1.02 in
May 1986.
Windows 2.0 - is a major release of Microsoft Windows, a
family of graphical operating systems for personal computers
developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on
December 9, 1987, as a successor to Windows 1.0.
Windows 2.1 is a major release of Microsoft Windows. It was
released to manufacturing on May 27, 1988, as a successor to
Windows 2.0. It was released with two different variants with
differing CPU compatibility, also known as Windows/286 and
Windows/386, so the versions are considered to be similar to
its predecessor.
Windows 3.0 - is the third major release of Microsoft
Windows, launched in 1990. It features a new graphical user
interface where applications are represented as clickable
icons, as opposed to the list of file names seen in its
predecessors.
Windows 3.1 - is a major release of Microsoft Windows. It was
released to manufacturing on April 6, 1992, as a successor to
Windows 3.0. Like its predecessors, the Windows 3.1 series
ran as a shell on top of MS-DOS. Codenamed Janus, Windows
3.1 introduced the TrueType font system as a competitor to
Adobe Type Manager.
Windows NT 4.0 - is a major release of the Windows NT
operating system developed by Microsoft and oriented toward
businesses. It is the direct successor to Windows NT 3.5 and
was released to manufacturing on July 31, 1996, and then to
retail on August 24, 1996.
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system
developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of
operating systems.
Windows 98 is a consumer-oriented operating system
developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of
Microsoft Windows operating systems. The second operating
system in the 9x line, it is the successor to Windows 95, and
was released to manufacturing on May 15, 1998, and
generally to retail on June 25, 1998.
Windows 2000 is a major release of the Windows NT
operating system developed by Microsoft and designed for
businesses.
Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows Me, is an operating
system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x
family of Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is the
successor to Windows 98 and was released to manufacturing
on June 19, 2000, and then to retail on September 14, 2000.
Windows XP is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT
operating system. It was released to manufacturing on August
24, 2001, and later to retail on October 25, 2001.
Windows Vista is a major release of the Windows NT
operating system developed by Microsoft as the direct
successor to Windows XP, which was released in 2001. At the
time, this 5-year gap was the longest time span between
successive releases of Microsoft's Windows desktop operating
systems.

Windows 7 is a major release of the Windows NT operating

system developed by Microsoft. It was released to
manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and became generally
available on October 22, 2009. It is the successor to Windows
Vista, released nearly three years earlier.
Windows 8 is a major release of the Windows NT operating
system developed by Microsoft. It was released to
manufacturing on August 1, 2012; it was subsequently made
available for download via MSDN and TechNet on August 15,
2012, and later to retail on October 26, 2012
Windows 8.1 is a release of the Windows NT operating system
developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on
August 27, 2013, and broadly released for retail sale on
October 17, 2013, about a year after the retail release of its
predecessor, and succeeded by Windows 10 on July 29, 2015.
Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT
operating system. It is the direct successor to Windows 8.1,
which was released nearly two years earlier. It was released
to manufacturing on July 15, 2015, and later to retail on July
29, 2015.
Windows 11 is the latest major release of Microsoft's
Windows NT operating system, released on October 5, 2021.
Windows 12 Release Date is expected to be out by March
2024. What will be the Windows 12 Features?

Bonus Lesson II. What are the Types of a Computer

A personal computer (PC) is a microcomputer designed for use
by one person at a time. Prior to the PC, computers were
designed for -- and only affordable for -- companies that
attached terminals for multiple users to a single large
mainframe computer whose resources were shared among all
users.

A workstation is a high-performance computer system that is

basically designed for a single user and has advanced graphics
capabilities, large storage capacity, and a powerful central
processing unit.

A laptop, sometimes called a

notebook computer by manufacturers, is a battery- or AC-
powered personal computer (PC) smaller than a briefcase. A
laptop can be easily transported and used in temporary
spaces such as on airplanes, in libraries, in temporary offices,
and at meetings.

A tablet is a wireless, portable personal computer with a

touchscreen interface. The tablet form factor is typically
smaller than a notebook computer, but larger than a
smartphone. The idea of tablet computing is generally
credited to Alan Kay of Xerox, who sketched out the idea in
1971.

A handheld personal computer is a pocket-sized computer

typically built around a clamshell form factor and is
significantly smaller than any standard laptop computer, but
based on the same principles.
A smartphone is a cellular telephone with an integrated
computer and other features not originally associated with
telephones, such as an operating system (OS), web browsing,
and the ability to run software applications. Smartphones are
used by consumers and as part of a person's business or work.

A server computer is a high-performance computer designed

to handle, store, and manage network data, devices, and
systems. Servers are the engines that drive businesses by
supplying network devices and systems with adequate
resources.