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Windows 7

New Features

File System

The file system used by Windows 7 is primarily NTFS.

SSD

Per MS KB2727880, when Windows 7 is installed on a system with an SSD drive, automatic defragmentation and SuperFetch/prefetching are disabled.

Further, this TechNet post states:

Since ReadyBoost will not provide a performance gain when the primary disk is an SSD, Windows 7 disables ReadyBoost when reading from an SSD drive.

Jump Lists

Jump Lists are Task Bar artifacts first introduced on Windows 7 (and also available on Windows 8).

Prefetch

The prefetch hash function is similar to Windows 2008.

Registry

The Windows Registry remains a central component of the Windows 7 operating system.

Known Registry keys of forensic interest

TODO: add some description why they are of interest

SAM Registry

  • SAM\SAM\Domains\Account\Users
  • SAM\SAM\Domains\Builtin\Aliases

Security Registry

  • Security\Policy\PolAcDmSPolicy\PolPrDmS
  • Security\Policy\PolAdtEv
  • Security\Policy\Secrets

NTUSER Registry

  • NTUSER\Control Panel\Desktop
  • NTUSER\Control Panel\don\
  • NTUSER\Environment
  • NTUSER\Network
  • NTUSER\Printers\Settings\Wizard\ConnectMRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\
  • NTUSER\Software\Ahead
  • NTUSER\Software\America Online\AOL Instant Messenger (TM)\CurrentVersion\Users
  • NTUSER\Software\Ares
  • NTUSER\Software\bindshell.net\Odysseus
  • NTUSER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III\String
  • NTUSER\Software\Cain\Settings
  • NTUSER\Software\DECAFme
  • NTUSER\Software\Google\Google Toolbar\4.0\whitelist
  • NTUSER\Software\Google\NavClient\1.1\History
  • NTUSER\Software\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy\JavaFX
  • NTUSER\Software\JavaSoft\Prefs\haven
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Dependency Walker\Recent File List
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\IntelliPoint\AppSpecific
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MainSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoCompleteSoftware\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager\Accounts
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Settings
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLsTime
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentFileList
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Management Console\Recent File List
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Multimedia\OtherSoftware\Microsoft\CTF\LangBarAddIn
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Software\Microsoft\Office\
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\OfficeSoftware\Microsoft\Office\
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\PIMSRV
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Snapshot Viewer\Recent File List
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\DefaultSoftware\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Servers
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Servers
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\User Location Service\Client
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts\Database
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Persisted
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Outlook\0a0d020000000000c000000000000046
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\BitBucket
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComputerDescriptions
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Map Network Drive MRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\PublishingWizard\AddNetworkPlace\AddNetPlace\LocationMRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StreamMRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TypedPaths
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\UserAssist
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpaper\MRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WordWheelQuery
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{8AD9C840-044E-11D1-B3E9-00805F499D93}
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FileHistory
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet SettingsSoftware\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\WindowsSearch
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\UFH\SHC
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\UnreadMail
  • NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
  • NTUSER\Software\Nico Mak Computing\WinZip
  • NTUSER\Software\ORL\VNCHooks\Application_Prefs
  • NTUSER\Software\ORL\VNCviewer\MRUSoftware\RealVNC\VNCViewer4\MRU
  • NTUSER\Software\Piriform\CCleaner
  • NTUSER\Software\Privoxy
  • NTUSER\Software\RealNetworks\RealPlayer\6.0\Preferences
  • NTUSER\Software\RealVNC\VNCViewer4\MRU
  • NTUSER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SshHostKeys
  • NTUSER\Software\Skype
  • NTUSER\Software\SmartLine Vision\aports
  • NTUSER\Software\SysInternals
  • NTUSER\Software\Sysinternals\RootkitRevealer
  • NTUSER\Software\VMware
  • NTUSER\Software\WinRAR\ArcHistory

See Also