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As companies keep their existing hardware and operating systems for more years than ever before, the need to diagnose and repair problems is becoming ever more important for IT Pros and system administrators.

Whatever version of Windows you´re using (including Windows 10) you´ll likely need to maintain compatibility with older software that the company must use for mission-critical operations, or older hardware that´s required for specific purposes, but you don´t want to sacrifice security for the sake of compatibility. In this briefbook you´ll learn how to maintain optimal compatibility with the older software and devices that you need to use.

The authors are well-versed in training in classrooms and video, with Andrew Bettany running the IT Academy at the University of York, and IT Masterclasses and Mike Halsey being a teacher, tech-book author, and having produced many tutorial videos under the brand PC Support.tv.

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Chapter 1: All About Compatibility
Chapter Goal: What is it that causes compatibility problems for software and hardware, and what effect does a "Certified for Windows" logo actually have. This chapter will introduce compatibility for the reader.

1. What Causes compatibility problems

2. Internal and external factors for compatibility

3. Certified for Windows... what does the logo mean?

Chapter 2: Common Software Compatibility Issues

Chapter Goal: What are the problems associated with software compatibility in Microsoft Windows?

1. Legacy Software and Windows

2. The Blue Screen of Death

3. User Account Control and security permissions

4. Internet Explorer and browser plug-ins

Chapter 3: Common Hardware Compatibility Issues

Chapter Goal: What causes hardware incompatibilities, and how is older hardware supported by modern PCs and Microsoft Windows?

1. Plug and Play

2. x86 vs x64 architecture

3. Locating quality device drivers

4. Compatible and third-party drivers

5. Driver signing in Windows

6. Maintaining legacy hardware

1. Third-party hardware support for legacy hardware

7. Managing printers

8. Video and graphics cards

Chapter 4: Resolving Software Compatibility Issues

Chapter Goal: Learn how to use Windows in-built and external tools to maintain software compatibility on your PCs.

1. The Software compatibility troubleshooter

2. Micro
soft application compatibility toolkit

1. Compatibility Administrator and Shims

3. Th
e Windows compatible hardware and software website
4. The Standard User Analyser (SUA)

5. Resolving browser plug-in compatibility issues

6. Resolving Internet and Intranet site compatibility issues

Chapter 5: Resolving Hardware Compatibility Issues

Chapter Goal: Learn how to diagnose and repair problems with legacy and other hardware in Microsoft Windows.

1. Drivers, drivers, drivers!

2. The Windows Device Manager

1. Driver status indicators

2. Managing drivers

1. Updating drivers

2. Rolling back drivers3. Driver maintenance

1. Understanding Device Manager views

2. Manually configuring device drivers

4. Advanced Boot Options: Safe Mode and Safe Boot Mode

5. Cables and physical hardware faults

Chapter 6: External Factors That Affect Hardware

Chapter Goal: What are the external and environmental factors which can affect the proper operation of hardware on your PC? In this chapter you´ll learn how to identify and mitigate them.

1. Safely Working with physical hardware

2. Interference

3. The Human factor

4. Additional environmental factors

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