Microsoft 70-687: Configuring Windows 8.1

Discover how to configure Windows 8.1 through hands-on labs, covering networking basics, security, and exam-focused topics for the 70-687.

We cover a few web sites during the demo to give you a flavor of what a demonstration looks like.

Explore how to set up a virtual lab with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V, install Windows 8, and review the key topics for the 70-687 certification.

Explore key sources to build a Windows 8.1 lab environment, including Microsoft and TechNet evaluations, Windows 8 enterprise trials, Windows Server 2012, 2008 R2, and virtualization options with VHD/Hyper-V.

Explore labs and demos to get the most from this course, whether you're previewing Windows 8 or building it on Hyper-V, and prepare for the certification exam or real-world use.

Explore what's new in Windows 8, including the Metro interface and touch-screen navigation, with an overview from login to interaction.

Discover Windows 8.1 login options, including password and picture password gestures, and switch between local and Live accounts such as admin, child, and father, with lock screen and charm toolbar.

Personalize your Windows 8.1 PC by configuring lock screen, account picture, and start screen themes; control notifications, search behavior, and sharing options, then explore app-switching and touch keyboard layouts.

Explore Windows 8.1 PC settings part 2, detailing desktop and store apps, privacy options, device updates, and recovery choices like refresh, reinstall, or advanced startup.

Close an app by dragging its top to return to the metro screen, then synchronize calendar, use people and messaging, and customize weather with location services and favorites.

Navigate the default metro desktop and apps, using tiles for finance, sports, news, travel, and media, with Bing Travel panoramas, videos, music, maps, and the charms toolbar.

Install apps from the windows store to add new tiles to your metro-style desktop in windows 8.1, explore top free apps, and manage updates.

Explore advanced search on the Metro desktop to locate built-in and installed Windows apps. Learn to backtrack, slide over, and access accessories and ease of access features in Windows system.

Explore how to access and customize Windows 8.1 with charms, manage administrative tools, and use SkyDrive's cloud storage for documents and sharing.

Explore SkyDrive and Internet Explorer 10 part 2, showcasing the metro interface, tab management, and multi-window workflows that navigate between pages and back to the Microsoft home page.

Navigate the non-metro desktop in Windows 8.1, using Internet Explorer, file explorer, and libraries, and learn about ribbons, backups, and viewing ISO files.

Learn to switch between desktop and Metro views in Windows 8.1, access classic tools like Task Manager and Control Panel, and manage settings such as Family Safety and File History.

Explore Windows 8.1 troubleshooting, including refreshing, re-imaging, and automatic fixes, plus Hyper-V virtualization, backups, and Xbox integration for productivity and gaming.

Explore new technologies in Windows 8, including touch screen features, and review chapter 3 highlights about what's new in Windows 8.

Explore Windows 8 installation in chapter 4, covering editions, hardware and software requirements, and the upgrade advisor compatibility tool, plus installation options and a clean-install demo.

Compare Windows 8 editions—standard, pro, and enterprise—and their security and management features, such as virtualization, bit locker, domain join, and group policy, plus ARM and 64-bit architectures.

Discover the minimums for Windows 8.1: gigahertz processor, 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit), and 16–20 GB disk space; includes DirectX 9, EFI secure boot, SLAT, TPM.

Check hardware and software with Windows compatibility center and the setup upgrade test before upgrading. The application compatibility toolkit helps mitigate issues such as permissions and required patches during migration.

Explore windows 8 installation options, including fresh installs, upgrades, and USB- or ISO-based deployments for licensing. Demonstrate deploying a single image across diverse hardware using windows deployment system and multicast.

Perform a clean Windows 8 install in a Hyper-V virtual machine from an ISO. Configure languages, accept the EULA, allocate 32 GB, and complete the setup with hardware compatibility checks.

Configure a clean Windows 8.1 installation by choosing a color and PC name, exploring express settings, and enabling updates, firewall, and privacy options like do-not-track in Internet Explorer.

Learn to perform a clean installation of Windows 8, manage beta feedback and privacy settings, and sign in with a Microsoft account to access the Windows Store.

Review the upgrade and automation options after a clean Windows 8.1 installation, and explore dual-boot and virtualization solutions (VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, Hyper-V, Virtual PC) plus Windows To Go from USB.

Activate Windows 8 with a serial number, register, and use volume activation for multiple devices while reviewing requirements, editions, architectures, upgrade paths, installation options, and the compatibility center.

Compare upgrade, clean install, and migration options using five key steps to decide the best path for your organization, including automation and Windows 8 activation for large deployments.

Explore upgrade and migration limitations for Windows 8, comparing OEM upgrades, XP-era systems, side-by-side vs wipe-and-load installs, plus folder redirection, roaming profiles, and Active Directory domain policies.

Follow five key steps to upgrade: back up existing system, plan the upgrade, assess hardware compatibility, perform an in-place upgrade, then run Windows Update for critical updates and Office updates.

Upgrade Windows 7 to 8 in place to preserve hardware and applications, using equal or higher versions; note 32-bit to 64-bit requires a fresh install, with data and settings migrated.

Understand upgrading to Windows 8 from Vista or XP, with same architecture, when a re-install is required, and how user data and Windows settings can transfer while applications may not.

Learn to migrate many machines while preserving user profiles using Windows easy transfer or USMT, with scanstate and loadstate, and external or server storage for profiles.

Demonstrate Windows easy transfer to illustrate a partial walkthrough of migrating user state. Present a concise example of the user state migration process.

Move data from Windows 7 to Windows 8 using Windows Easy Transfer, including transfer keys, account selection, and customizing documents, music, and pictures.

Demonstrates migrating user profiles from Windows 7 to Windows 8 using Windows Easy Transfer, including USB transfer, password protection, and transferring accounts, documents, and settings.

download and install the windows assessment and deployment kit, and prepare tools for image manipulation, profiles, and deployments using the user state migration tool.

Load the ISO with a tool, run the Windows automated installation kit, and use the USMT command line with ScanState and LoadState to migrate profiles from old to new machines.

Switch to the command line to use the user state migration tool in Windows 7, troubleshoot issues, and determine what goes wrong.

Navigate the command line to locate the USMT toolkit in Windows 8.1, then run scanstate and loadstate with MIG SML files to migrate user profiles from Windows 7 to 8.

Explore two methods for profile migration and a full USMT example, with command-line options and script generation for enterprise environments, aligned to exam expectations.

Back up user profiles fully before migration, then plan phased Windows 8 deployment with data restoration, install and update office and adobe applications, and perform migration demo.

Demonstrate migrating user profiles from Windows 7 to Windows 8 using Windows Easy Transfer and USMT, log in as different users, and verify transferred folders and mail synchronization across desktops.

Automate Windows 8.1 deployments by building a single Image X image with dimsum. Use Windows PE and Pixi for light or zero touch installations from the Windows automated installer kit.

Explore activation methods for Windows 8, from individual product keys for small businesses to volume activation with MAK and KMS for larger enterprises, including internet requirements and the 25-device threshold.

Review key upgrade and migration steps for Windows 8.1, covering backups, planning, moving profiles and data, plus automation tips and activation strategies.

Learn how to manage images and disks in Windows 8.1, including image installation, disks, partitions, volumes, and virtual hard disk, using gui and command-line tools with an answer file demo.

Explore installing Windows from an image, using a single WIM image stored on a DVD or network share, enabling multiple images and hardware configurations with the deployment toolkit.

Explore imaging disk tools for Windows 8 deployment, including capturing and modifying images, integrating updates and drivers, and using pre-boot environments for unattended deployment.

Explore the Windows System Image Manager to create and edit distribution shares and answer files, link images, and enable hands-off deployments with XML-based configurations.

Explore the master boot record and GUID partition table, learn how GPT supports 128 partitions with CRC redundancy, and manage disks and volumes with disk management, diskpart, and PowerShell.

Explore disk management through a practical demo, covering basic disk structures, striped volumes, resizing, defragging, and disk quotas for the Microsoft 70-687 exam.

Explore basic disk management in Windows 8.1 through computer management, shrink a primary NTFS partition, and create a simple volume while navigating defrag, disk cleanup, and admin tools.

Create a volume, format it (ntfs or quick format), and rename it; explore properties, disk cleanup, compression, indexing, and defragmentation, plus security, sharing, and disk quotas for virtual hard disks.

Build confidence in disk management for Windows 8 by reviewing core concepts and solidifying your grasp as you prepare for the Microsoft Windows 8 exam.

Explore virtual hard disks (VHD and VHDX) and how Windows 8 supports volumes from 2 TB up to 64 TB, with fixed or dynamic sizing, attachment, and boot from VHDX.

Explore virtual hard disk capabilities in Hyper-V: manage virtual machines, configure dynamic versus fixed-size VHDs, create and attach new virtual disks, and understand file paths and VHD references.

Explore image-based installation and deployment tools, using unattended answer files for hands-off setup, and master disk and partition management, including virtual hard disks and the VHDX format.

Explore device drivers in Windows 8, from attaching drivers to installing and managing them, including signed drivers and driver staging using command line tools, with troubleshooting tips.

Explore how a driver enables hardware to work with the operating system, while Windows uses a plug-and-play process, a driver store, and unique ID strings to match devices to drivers.

Learn to install and maintain up-to-date drivers with Windows 8's automatic detection, the driver store in system32, and Windows online quality services.

Learn how to manage drivers and devices in Windows 8.1 across multiple locations—device manager, devices and printers, pc settings, metro desktop, and pnputil.

Learn to configure and manage Windows 8.1 devices using the metro interface, settings, and computer management tools like device manager to inspect drivers and device properties.

Access print management and system information in Windows 8.1 to review printer configurations, driver versions, and ports.

Explore how to navigate the control panel to manage hardware, add and configure devices and printers, verify driver information and digital signatures, and install printers via manual or update-based methods.

Explore Microsoft tools for monitoring and managing devices, performing quick status checks to assess operation and, when needed, deeper diagnostics to ensure health.

Explore how signed drivers ensure authenticity and legitimacy, protecting Windows from malicious or bloated software via digital signatures.

Jump into a mini demo that demonstrates how to verify whether a driver is signed, ensuring driver authenticity.

Learn how to verify digitally signed drivers on Windows 8.1 using sigverif and DriverQuery, view the log, and identify unsigned drivers.

Discover how to use the driver staging area to pre-allocate space for driver packages, add or remove them, and verify contents with the PMP utility from an elevated command prompt.

Demonstrate installing the PMP utility with a small example, then perform a quick demo on another machine.

learn to install a driver into the driver store with the PMP utility by running an elevated administrator command prompt, enumerating drivers, and adding a driver from the downloads folder.

Install and verify hardware drivers using the pnp utility, showing where to place the driver and how to confirm it’s working, replacing legacy software and devices.

Learn to troubleshoot Windows devices starting in Device Manager, using delete and re-add, driver rollback or update, and System Restore or last known good configuration to restore functionality.

Explore how drivers establish communication between devices and the operating system on Windows 8.1, covering installation, registry involvement, driver signing, device management, PMP utility staging, and troubleshooting.

Explore networking basics for Windows 8, covering IPv4 addressing, subnetting, and network adapters, with future coverage of IPv6 and troubleshooting to support certification.

Connect devices across wired and wireless networks to share printers and internet access, and learn IP addresses, DHCP, DNS, NICs, and IPv4/IPv6 in Windows 8.

Explore the history of IP addressing from IPv4 to IPv6, compare public and private addresses, and explain classful routing and octets used to organize networks.

Explore IPv4 addressing basics, including 32‑bit binary to decimal conversion, dotted decimal octets, and class A, B, and C networks with practical home and small business examples.

Learn how IP addressing uses variable length subnet masking to split networks into smaller or larger segments, identifying host IDs and network IDs to fit addressing needs.

Configure Windows 8.1 network adapters to support multiple NICs and IP addresses for wired and wireless connections, and implement multiple DNS for failover.

Watch a quick demo showing how to set up Windows network settings, open the adapter, and configure the properties for IP addressing.

Navigate Windows 8.1 network settings by pinning tools to the Start menu and taskbar, then access network and sharing center to view network status and tasks.

Configure ip settings on Windows 8.1 network adapters, choosing dhcp or static, and setting ip, subnet mask, gateway, and dns servers. Explore ipv4 options and alternate configuration for multiple networks.

Learn to monitor, check, and modify network settings from the command line in Windows 8.1, complementing the graphical user interface and preparing you for IT professional work.

Learn to access the command prompt in Windows 8, run ipconfig with /all, and interpret IPv4 and IPv6 details, DNS, DHCP lease, and MAC addresses.

Learn to use ipconfig and other command line tools to configure essential network settings in windows 8.1, preparing you for daily it support tasks.

Review how to network devices, printers, and wireless laptops, tablets, and phones; cover IPv4 basics, dotted-decimal addressing, classful structure, and how to access and modify the Windows 8 network adapter.

Explore IPv6 network configuration, compare IPv6 with IPv4, and understand migration and day-to-day use. Learn addressing basics, how to read IPv6 information, and adjust network adapter settings.

Explain why we migrate from ipv4 to ipv6 due to depletion of the 32-bit address space, and describe accelerating ipv6 deployment and growing end-user adoption.

Explore IPv6 basics, including 128-bit addresses and 340 undecillion available addresses, with stateless and stateful DHP V-6 methods, while private addresses persist for security.

Windows 8 enables dual stack networking on IPv4 and IPv6, supports Direct Access, and underscores DNS as a critical, user-friendly naming mechanism.

Learn to simplify IPv6 addresses by compressing zeros with the double colon and removing leading zeros, and distinguish unicast (global, link-local, unique local), multicast, and anycast types.

Explore how IPv6 addresses look and demonstrate the Windows network settings for IPv6 in a hands-on demo.

Navigate to the control panel, view adapters, and configure IPv6 on Windows 8.1 by adjusting IPv6 properties, DNS settings, and the advanced tab options, including automatic or static assignments.

Identify and classify entries as IPv4 or IPv6 within the same scenario, continuing from the previous chapter.

Explore using the command line to work with IPv6 addressing within the Windows environment, building hands-on skills for configuring network addresses.

Use the command line to view and manage IP configurations with ipconfig /all. Release and renew IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, including the link-local IPv6 address, during dual-stack scenarios.

Master command line usage for IPv6 by using the -6 flag to target version 6 of the IP address; without it, it defaults to IPv4.

Review IPv6 addresses, why we migrated from IPv4, and how IPv6 expands addresses and introduces new handling, with a demo of Windows and command line network adapter settings.

Explore wireless networking in windows 8, including how to connect to an access point, check adapter settings, secure the network, and locate printing options.

Explore how wireless networks use radio waves to connect devices without wires, including 802.11 variations, Bluetooth, and infrared, and how home networks use routers and modems for broadband internet.

Learn wireless basics from ad hoc connections to infrastructure mode, where a single access point supports multiple devices. Understand SSIDs, broadband integration, and the 211 protocol for robust coverage.

Explore wireless advantages such as cost savings from avoiding wiring, increased productivity, and roaming access, while noting security concerns, signal strength issues, and need for wireless access points and networks.

Connect wireless devices to access points, assess signal strength with mobile tools, and manage visibility and security through obscurity, pre-stored passwords, and manual entries.

Explore wireless adapter settings and compare them with wired adapters, noting radio type, signal strength, and SSID, and learn how both can operate simultaneously.

Demonstrate the network settings on a wireless adapter and show how to join a wireless network.

Explore wireless network settings in Windows 8.1, view wireless and ethernet IP addresses, assess signal strength and security, and use the Network and Sharing Center for troubleshooting.

Explore wireless adapter settings, IPv6 off and IPv4 working, SSID, 54 Mbps speed, MAC address, WPA2 personal security, password reveal option, and managing networks including unsecured networks.

Explore wireless adapter network settings in Windows 8.1, with a practical demonstration on supporting wireless desktops and addressing security considerations.

Change the router name, SSID, admin password, and IP scheme; then secure the network with WPA/WPA2, TKIP, and optionally 802.1X or MAC filtering.

Enable location aware printing to switch your default printer as you move between work, home, and coffee shop networks, a Windows feature from Windows 7 now present in Windows 8.

Explore wireless networking innovations in Windows 8.1, weighing the pros and cons, securing connections, selecting access points and SSIDs, and enabling centralized home or office printing.