Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 66 Computer Service and Repair Windows Easy Transfer Windows Easy Transfer tool is designed to assist during a custom install to back up and transfer user fi les and settings. You can use it to transfer user accounts, fi les, and settings to a USB storage drive, similar to performing a backup. Th en, after performing a custom install, use Windows Easy Transfer tool to reinstall the fi les and settings to the new operating system. You can also use this tool to transfer user accounts, fi les, and settings from an old computer to a new computer. Windows Easy Transfer is available for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 and is not supported in Windows 10. Windows 10 users will need to use a third-party tool to replicate the functionality of Windows Easy Transfer. Windows PE Windows Pre-installation Environment (WinPE) is a minimal 32-bit Windows operat- ing system that prepares a disk storage system before the complete operating system is installed. In addition, Windows PE supports CD, DVD, and USB fl ash drives, all of which may be required for the complete operating system installation. Windows PE supports the Remote Installation Services (RIS), which allows an operating system to be installed from across a network. Windows PE is part of the Windows installation program when performing a complete installation from a Windows DVD. Th e latest version at the time of this writing is based in the Windows 10 environ- ment. In Windows 10, Windows PE functions as a small operating system. It is used to install, deploy, and repair Windows 10 for Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education edi- tions. It can also be used for Windows Server and other Windows operating systems. In addition to preparing a computer for operating system installation, Windows PE can be used to recover a failed computer or for troubleshooting pur- poses. Windows PE is part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). Th e WAIK is a set of installation tools available for free download from the Microsoft Support website. Th e tools allow a computer technician to create disk images, deploy operating systems automatically to computers that have no operating systems, manage existing systems by automatically installing new device drivers, and create a Windows Pre-installation Environment on a disk or fl ash memory device. Microsoft Windows Boot Sequences A boot sequence is the step-by-step process of bringing a computer to an operation- al state. Th is involves a combination of hardware and software control to initialize hardware and load operating system fi les. Th is section serves as an introduction to the boot sequences of Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. An in-depth un- derstanding of boot sequences is essential to troubleshooting startup problems. Th erefore, a more detailed description is presented in Chapter 17. Warm and Cold Booting A computer cannot begin the boot sequence if it is not initiated. When the boot se- quence is initiated, it is called booting the computer. Th ere are two styles of booting a computer: cold boot and warm boot. A cold boot, also called a hard boot, means that the electrical power switch is used to turn on the computer. A warm boot, or soft boot, is used to restart a computer that is already running. A warm boot can be initi- ated by a software program as part of a typical installation, such as installing a game. Another common style of initiating a warm boot is by using the [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] keyboard combination or selecting Start Power Restart, as shown in Figure 2-26. TECH TIP When possible, always use the latest version of WinPE to deploy Windows. A+ NOTE The A+ Certifi cation Exams usually stress knowledge of the boot sequence. Exercises in the accompanying Laboratory Manual will help you under- stand the boot process better.