Microsoft Windows NT
Windows NT (short for New Technology) comes in two flavors workstation and server. Workstation was designed as a high-end operating system mainly for corporations and anyone needing a robust, reliable and secure workstation for its employees. The server version adds a comprehensive set of tools for managing and administering networks (LAN).
I deal with the workstation version in this write up and only version 4.0 (not 3.5). Windows NT marked the first time ever in a Microsoft windows base operating system was coined truly secure. It's designed in such a way that it earned a C-2 security rating. This just means that it meets certain government specifications for secure computing.
With Windows 95 and 98 if you didn't know the password needed t log in to a machine, all that was necessary to thwart the security features was to press the ESC key. This of course gave you access to the entire file system. Unlike Windows 95 and 98, Windows NT will not allow you access to the file system or the desktop by pressing the ESC key. You must know your password to gain entry.
Many of the features common to Windows 95 were added to Windows NT version 4.0. Windows NT Version 4.0 sported the same Graphical User Interface (GUI, pronounced Gooey) and many other improvements. Unfortunately Windows NT lacked some features as well, the most glaring was no Plug-and-Play capabilities.
Differences between Windows NT
Workstation and NT
Server
| Area | NT Workstation | NT Server |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 | Unlimited |
| Multiprocessors | 2 | 4 (32 with OEM) |
| RAS Sessions | 1 | 256 |
| Replication | Import | Import and Export |
| Network Services | None | DHCP server, DNS server and WINS server |
| Internet Services | Peer Web Services | Internet Information Server |
| Network Services | No | Yes |
| Macintosh Services | No | Yes |
| Disk Fault Tolerance | No | Yes (RAID 1, 5) |
| Domain Logon Validation | No | Yes |
Table Courtesy NT Workstation 4, Exam Cram
Certification Insider Press
Copyright © The Coriolis Group, 1998
Differences between Windows NT Workstation and Windows 95
| Area | NT Workstation | Windows 95 |
| Uses DOS and Win16 device drivers | No | Yes |
| Multiplatform | Yes | No |
| Multiprocessors | Yes | No |
| Win16 applications | Yes | Yes |
| DOS applications | Yes | Yes |
| POSIX and OS/2 applications | Yes | No |
| File Systems | NTFS, VFAT | VFAT, FAT32 |
| Plug and Play | No | Yes |
| Application/memory protection | Yes | No |
| Internet Services | Peer Web Services | No |
| RAS | Inbound and Outbound | Outbound only |
Table Courtesy NT Workstation 4, Exam Cram
Certification Insider Press
Copyright © The Coriolis Group, 1998
How Do I?
How to make sure the NUM LOCK key is always activated at when the computer is turned on
How to bypass the Login Screen
How to hide Windows NT Taskbar
How to quickly activate screen saver lock
Help! Windows NT Won't Boot Up
How to delete your old or unwanted software programs
How to create a Windows NT boot up diskette
How to close a program that is no longer responding
How to quickly get to a file without drilling through the folder(s)