hardware requirements

hat are the hardware requirements of Windows operating systems?
This section outlines the typical hardware requirements for the Windows operating systems. You should be aware that these are recommended figures, and in actual practice more memory and disk space is recommended if you intend to run applications and programs in addition to the base Windows operating system. System requirements for Windows 95

386DX or higher
4MB memory or higher [8MB recommended]
35-40MB disk space
3.5" floppy drive or CD-ROM
VGA or higher resolution graphics card

System requirements for Windows 98

486DX/66MHz or higher
16MB memory or higher
195MB disk space
CD-ROM
VGA or higher resolution graphics card

System requirements for Windows NT Workstation 4.0

16 MB RAM Recommended
486/25MHz or higher processor
110 MB available hard-disk space
VGA, Super VGA, or video graphics adapter
CD-ROM drive.

System requirements for Windows 2000 Professional

Not known at time of printing. Software still in beta.

What are the general features of Windows operating systems?
This section outlines some of the more general features found in the Windows 95/98 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 operating systems.
Easy installation
Windows can be installed from floppy disk, CDROM, or via a network. Windows uses an installation wizard, a graphical program designed to make installation of the operating system simpler and friendlier.
Previously, when installing MSDOS or Windows 3.1 operating systems, additional programs need to be run after installation to add support for devices like CD-ROM's or sound cards. The Windows wizard takes care of this, automatically searching the computer for hardware devices like printers, network cards, CD-ROM drives, sound cards and modems then installs the software for these at installation time. This means Windows is easier to install and configure than previous operating systems.
As the Windows installation wizard detects what the computer hardware is, it modifies the display screens accordingly. Using a set of easy to follow menus and dialog boxes, it guides the installer through the installation process. When the installation wizard is finished, it prompts the installer to reboot the computer. At this stage, the computer has been fully installed with the operating system and will be ready to use after the reboot. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to install Windows from CD-ROM.

Graphical Interface
Windows offers an improved user interface called the desktop. The desktop consists of a screen area, and a taskbar, which is by default at the bottom of the screen.
The taskbar is used for starting programs, or switching between programs. As the user starts each program, the name of the program is displayed on the taskbar. Clicking on the name of the program on the taskbar will display the window associated with that program on the desktop.

The far right end of the task bar also displays the current time and other controls.
The Start button on the taskbar displays a cascading menu of program choices. When a user clicks on the Start button, a pop up menu appears. This provides easy access to installed applications.
The My Computer Icon on the desktop is a shortcut to viewing what is on your computer. Double-clicking an icon on the desktop displays the information within a window.
The Recycle Bin Icon on the desktop is used to hold recently deleted files. When you delete a program or file, it is saved in the recycle bin just in case you deleted it by accident. This allows you to recover from mistakes when you delete something you should not have.
The Network Neighborhood Icon on the desktop is used to display the various resources like servers and applications available on the network (assuming the computer is network enabled).

Plug and Play Support
Windows makes it much easier to add new hardware. It supports Plug and Play technology, which means new hardware can be added to the computer and Windows will automatically detect the new hardware and install software support for it when rebooted. Please note that adding new hardware first requires the computer to be turned off before the hardware is added.

Add/Remove Programs
Adding and removing programs is also easier. Previously, the removal of programs was very difficult. Under Windows, a record is kept track of the files installed and used by programs. The use of installation wizards helps install and remove programs, so that when a program is removed, parts used by other programs are left intact.

Networking Support
Windows supports a wide number of protocols and networks. This allows easy connection to both Microsoft and non-Microsoft networks.
Internet Ready: Dial up networking and Internet Explorer
Windows comes with Dial-up network support, making an Internet connection to an Internet service provider (ISP) an easy task via a setup wizard. In addition, under Windows, a user can configure the dial-up networking to support more than one ISP.