Preview
Manageability Enhancements
Introduction
This Quick Start is your first step in the Windows Thin PC
Community Technical Preview (CTP) participation. You will
learn about a few of the new features available in Windows
Thin PC as well as the basics of installation. On completion,
you will have a full installation of Windows Thin PC. We
encourage you to then install your Thin PC solution as well as
your management and monitoring solutions to verify that they
all perform as expected, equivalent to their operation on
Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate.
Look for additional documents on the Windows Thin PC
Connect site for step-by-step guidance of product functionality
throughout the duration of the preview program.
Highlights
Windows Thin PC is based on Windows 7 and benefits from
many of the new features available in Windows 7 that are sure
to enhance Thin PC deployments, including:
Security Enhancements
Building upon the security enhancements of Windows 7,
Windows Thin PC responds to the enterprise’s need to make
the system more manageable and to contain the right security
enhancements to help combat the continually evolving threat
landscape. While not an exhaustive list, there are a number of
features that will help to better secure your device, including
AppLocker, BitLocker, Enhanced Auditing, and Streamlined
User Account Control. For additional information about the
Security Enhancements, please refer to
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/dd548337(WS.10).aspx.
Power Management
Today, more organizations are focusing on power
management as a way of reducing costs. Windows 7 power-
management technologies provide platform and processor
efficiencies that reduce power consumption, helping lower
energy costs. The following video will provide an introduction
to some of the power management features available to
Windows Thin PC: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-
us/windows/ee524728.
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Quick Start Guide
Windows Thin PC introduces a number of manageability
improvements that can reduce the total cost of ownership by
helping to increase automation and provide flexible
administrative control to meet compliance requirements. For
an overview of these features, please see
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/dd443489(WS.10).aspx.
Embedded Enhancements
In addition to Windows 7 functionality, Windows Thin PC has
incorporated a number of embedded specific enhancements
to help lock down public facing devices, including Write Filters
for creating stateless or semi-stateless environments,
suppression of unwanted dialog message boxes, and a
keyboard filter for suppressing unwanted keystrokes such as
CTRL+ALT+DEL, ALT+F4, Windows+L, as well as custom defined
keystroke combinations.
Hardware Requirements
Recommended Hardware Configuration
 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
 1 GB RAM, 16 GB available hard disk space
 DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or later version
driver
 Bootable DVD-ROM drive
NOTE: We recommend that you install Windows Thin PC on a
computer that has at least 16 GB of available disk space.
Various features in Windows Thin PC can quickly increase the
disk space requirements. For optimal performance of the hard
disk, you need at least 15 percent free space at all times and
sufficient space for the paging file, which might be up to two
times the size of the system’s RAM.
Preview
Additional requirements to use certain features:
 Internet access
 Depending on resolution, video playback may require
additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
 BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
 BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
Product functionality and graphics may vary based on the
system configuration. Some features may require advanced or
additional hardware.
Computers with multi-core processors:
Windows Thin PC is designed to work with today's multi-core
processors. It supports up to 32 processor cores.
Computers with multiple processors (CPUs):
Windows Thin PC supports two physical processors, providing
the best performance on these computers.
©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved
Quick Start Guide
Preparing the DVD from the ISO image
An ISO file, also called a disc image, is a single file that’s a copy
of an entire data CD or DVD. When you burn a CD or DVD from
an ISO file, the new disc has the same folders, files, and
properties as the original disc. The most common way to get
an ISO file is to download it from a website. For example, you
might download and then use an ISO file to update software
on your computer.
You can burn a disc image file, which often has either an .iso
or .img file name extension, to a recordable CD or DVD by
using Windows Disc Image Burner. Whether you can burn it to
a recordable CD, DVD, or Blu‑ray Disc depends on your disc
burner and the type of discs it can burn, the size of the disc
image file, as well as the device on which you plan to use the
disc.
1. Insert a recordable CD, DVD, or Blu‑ray Disc into your disc
burner.
2. Open Computer by clicking the Start button, and then
clicking Computer.
3. In Windows Explorer, find the disc image file, and then
double-click it.
4. If you have more than one disc burner, from the Disc
burner list in Windows Disc Image Burner, click the
burner that you want to use.
5. (Optional) If you want to verify that the disc image was
burned correctly to the disc, select the Verify disc after
burning check box.
If the integrity of disc image file is critical (for example,
the disc image file contains a firmware update), you
should select this check box.
6. Click Burn to burn the disc.
Notes
 If a third-party CD or DVD burning program is installed on
your computer, that program might open when you
double-click the disc image file. If this happens, and you
want to use Windows Disc Image Burner to burn the CD
or DVD from the disc image file instead, right-click the disc
image file, and then click Burn disc image.
Preview Quick Start Guide
 You cannot create disc image files using Windows Disc
Image Burner. To create a disc image file, you need to
install and use a third-party CD or DVD burning program
or other program that lets you create disc image files from
a CD or DVD.

©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved

Preview Quick Start Guide
Installing Windows Thin PC
3. Click Install Now to start the installation. Setup will copy
Any computer that meets or exceeds the hardware temporary files and then start.
requirements can run Windows Thin PC. You can perform an
interactive installation of Windows Thin PC by completing the
following steps:

1. Turn on the computer and insert the Windows Thin PC

DVD into the computer’s DVD-ROM drive. When
prompted, press a key to start the Setup program from
the DVD.

Figure 1: Boot from DVD

2. Choose your time format, currency format, keyboard

layout, and then click Next.
Note:
English is the only language supported at installation. This
is an English-only CTP release. Figure 3: Install now

4. Read the Microsoft Software License Terms. Click “I

accept the license terms”, and then click Next.

Figure 2: Language Options

Figure 4: License Terms

5. Specify the installation type as Custom (Advanced) to

install a clean copy of Windows Thin PC.
Important:

©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved

Preview Quick Start Guide
Upgrading from a prior version of Windows is not
6. When prompted for an installation location, select the
supported by Windows Thin PC.
disk drive where you want to install the operating system,
and then click Next.
Tip
Click on Drive options (advanced) to expose additional
functionality such as Delete (remove partition), New (new
partition) and Format to customize the configuration of
your storage device.

Figure 5: Installation Type

Figure 6: Installation Target

Setup will then start the installation. During this process,

Setup copies Windows Thin PC to the disk you have
selected. Next, Setup will install drivers for the detected
hardware. This process requires several automatic
restarts. When Setup finishes the installation, the
operating system will be loaded and the system will be set
up for first use.

©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved

Preview Quick Start Guide
7. When prompted, enter a user name for the local 9. When prompted for the Windows product key, skip this
administrator account, enter a name for the computer, screen to activate evaluation copy of Windows Thin PC:
and then click Next.

Figure 9: Product Key

Note:
This is an evaluation product key that will activate the
image for 90 days, however the Windows Thin PC Preview
release is set to expire on 10/31/2011, after which this
release will stop functioning.

Figure 7: User Account and Computer Name

8. Type and confirm a password, enter a password hint, and

then click Next.

Figure 8: Password for your account

©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved

Preview Quick Start Guide
12. If a network card is detected during setup, networking
10. Select a Windows Update option for the computer.
components are installed automatically. Based on the
selection, Windows Thin PC will configure networking for
this location.

Figure 10: Updates

Note:
Typically, an enterprise should manage updates from Figure 12: Current Location
Windows Update using a centralize management solution
such as Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 13. Once Setup is finished, Windows Thin PC will prepare and
(WSUS) or Microsoft System Center Configuration display the desktop.
Manager. This allows the enterprise to schedule updates
to specific machine groups, such as a test environment
prior to advertising the updates to the production
environment.

11. Review the date and time settings, make changes as

necessary, and then click Next.

Figure11: Time and Date Settings

Figure 13: Finalizing Settings

©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved

Preview
Providing Feedback
Your feedback is important on this CTP release. Our goal is to
produce a product that satisfies the needs of your enterprise
solutions, but we need your help in validating. We value your
input.
The product teams can address issues submitted in detailed,
clearly-written reports more quickly and efficiently than ones
submitted in reports which are unclear or lack detailed
information and reproduction steps.
Submitting Feedback
How to submit a bug or suggestion through the Windows Thin
PC connect website:
1. Log into connect and select the Windows Thin PC connect
website.
2. Click on the Feedback link in the left-hand pane then
Search for existing reports using keywords that related to
the feedback you are reporting.
3. If the search does not find any results click on the Submit
Feedback button in the left-hand pane.
4. Select one of the following connect feedback forms by
clicking on the appropriate hyperlink presented.
5. Fill in the forms with as much detail as possible.
6. Optional: Attach any files as needed.
7. Click Submit at the bottom of the form.
Quick Start Guide
information. This delays our ability to address the problem
and may ultimately result in a change getting postponed to a
future release.
Report workarounds in the Steps to Reproduce field. If you
have a workaround, include step-by-step instructions in your
bug report.
Follow the recommended format. Include a detailed
description, numbered reproduction steps, expected results,
actual results, and any discussion or comments, including
recommendations or workarounds.
Guidelines
If your feedback does not follow the below guidelines there is
a high likelihood that it will be sent back to you for additional
information.
Submit one problem or issue per report.
One problem at a time is easier to reproduce, track, and fix.
Attach files, screenshots and logs to every report.
We rely on all this information to troubleshoot problems
accurately.
Use a clear and understandable title.
We look at a lot of feedback. Make your feedback stand out by
using a clear and understandable title.

Tips for Providing Useful Feedback Create clear and detailed repro steps.
If we cannot reproduce the issue, it is almost impossible to
Write your report clearly so that anyone can understand your take action on the issue.
request or reproduce the problem you are reporting. Avoid
using jargon or abbreviated words because the person reading
the feedback may not be familiar with the terms. If you have Attach screenshots.
difficulty following your own steps to reproduce the problem, For any UI issues, a screenshot is extremely useful. Also think
chances are that others will have difficulty as well. about when a screenshot can be used to more clearly
communicate your issue. Please do not use screenshots to be
Test your feedback before submitting. Do the steps to a substitute for text such as a specific error message.
reproduce the problem you encountered consistently? Did you
forget to write down a step? Walking through your feedback
before submitting helps ensure that your report is complete
and contains enough information for us to research the
problem effectively.
Too often we receive feedback but we are unable to take
action because the feedback is unclear or is missing important
information. When this happens, our only recourse is to
resolve the feedback as “Not Repro” and to request additional

©2011 Microsoft. All Rights Reserved