Complete Computer Internals

A textbook-style course on how computers and Windows work on the inside.

Start reading Course Roadmap Course Index Progress Tracker

35 of 80 chapters complete

All parts

Part 1 · Foundational Hardware

Chapter 1 · The Complete Computer ArchitectureComplete
Chapter 2 · CPU InternalsComplete
Chapter 3 · RAM and Memory InternalsComplete
Chapter 4 · Motherboard and Hardware CommunicationComplete

Part 2 · Boot and Startup

Chapter 5 · BIOS and UEFIComplete
Chapter 6 · Complete Boot ProcessComplete

Part 3 · Operating System

Chapter 7 · What an Operating System Really DoesComplete
Chapter 8 · Windows ArchitectureComplete

Part 4 · Processes and Execution

Chapter 9 · ProcessesComplete
Chapter 10 · ThreadsComplete
Chapter 11 · Windows Task ManagerComplete

Part 5 · Windows Services

Chapter 12 · Windows ServicesComplete

Part 6 · Device Drivers

Chapter 13 · Device DriversComplete
Chapter 14 · Device ManagerComplete

Part 7 · Control Panel and Settings

Chapter 15 · Windows Control PanelComplete
Chapter 16 · Windows Settings ApplicationComplete
Chapter 17 · Windows RegistryComplete

Part 8 · File Systems and Storage

Chapter 18 · Hard Disk and SSD InternalsComplete
Chapter 19 · File SystemsComplete
Chapter 20 · Windows Storage ArchitectureComplete
Chapter 21 · Windows System Files and DirectoriesComplete

Part 9 · DLLs and Windows APIs

Chapter 22 · DLL ArchitectureComplete
Chapter 23 · Windows APIsComplete

Part 10 · Windows Security

Chapter 24 · Windows AuthenticationComplete
Chapter 25 · Windows PermissionsComplete
Chapter 26 · Windows Security ArchitectureComplete

Part 11 · Networking Internals

Chapter 27 · How Networking Actually WorksComplete
Chapter 28 · Windows Networking InternalsComplete
Chapter 29 · Browser InternalsComplete

Part 12 · Windows User Interface

Chapter 30 · Windows Desktop InternalsComplete

Part 13 · Input Output and Audio

Chapter 31 · Keyboard and Mouse InternalsComplete
Chapter 32 · Display and GPUComplete
Chapter 33 · Computer Audio ArchitectureComplete

Part 14 · Power Management

Chapter 34 · Power ManagementComplete

Part 15 · Update and Installation

Chapter 35 · Windows UpdateComplete
Chapter 36 · Software InstallationComing soon

Part 16 · Environment Variables

Chapter 37 · Environment VariablesComing soon

Part 17 · Command Line

Chapter 38 · Windows Command LineComing soon

Part 18 · Administration

Chapter 39 · Administrative ToolsComing soon

Part 19 · Event Logging

Chapter 40 · Windows Event ViewerComing soon

Part 20 · Task Scheduler

Chapter 41 · Windows Task SchedulerComing soon

Part 21 · Group Policy

Chapter 42 · Group PolicyComing soon

Part 22 · Recovery and Failure

Chapter 43 · Windows RecoveryComing soon
Chapter 44 · Blue Screen of DeathComing soon

Part 23 · Performance

Chapter 45 · Computer Performance InternalsComing soon

Part 24 · Virtualization

Chapter 46 · Virtual MachinesComing soon

Part 25 · Containers

Chapter 47 · ContainersComing soon

Part 26 · Programming to Machine Level

Chapter 48 · From Source Code to CPUComing soon

Part 27 · Application Memory

Chapter 49 · What Happens When a Program RunsComing soon

Part 28 · Windows PE Format

Chapter 50 · PE Executable FormatComing soon

Part 29 · Deep System Tools

Chapter 51 · SysinternalsComing soon

Part 30 · Troubleshooting

Chapter 52 · How Professional Engineers Troubleshoot ComputersComing soon

Part 31 · Advanced Windows Internals

Chapter 53 · Windows Object ManagerComing soon
Chapter 54 · Windows HandlesComing soon
Chapter 55 · I-O ManagerComing soon
Chapter 56 · Windows Memory ManagerComing soon
Chapter 57 · Windows SchedulerComing soon
Chapter 58 · Windows Security Reference MonitorComing soon
Chapter 59 · Windows ExecutiveComing soon
Chapter 60 · Hardware Abstraction LayerComing soon
Chapter 61 · Windows KernelComing soon
Chapter 62 · NT Native APIComing soon
Chapter 63 · Windows System CallsComing soon
Chapter 64 · Windows Process Environment Block (PEB)Coming soon
Chapter 65 · Thread Environment Block (TEB)Coming soon
Chapter 66 · Windows LoaderComing soon
Chapter 67 · DLL LoaderComing soon
Chapter 68 · Windows IPCComing soon

Part 32 · Advanced Hardware

Chapter 69 · InterruptsComing soon
Chapter 70 · DMAComing soon
Chapter 71 · PCIe InternalsComing soon
Chapter 72 · USB InternalsComing soon
Chapter 73 · SATA and NVMe InternalsComing soon
Chapter 74 · TPMComing soon
Chapter 75 · Secure BootComing soon
Chapter 76 · ACPIComing soon
Chapter 77 · Firmware UpdatesComing soon

Part 33 · Security Deep Dive

Chapter 78 · Malware BasicsComing soon
Chapter 79 · Endpoint SecurityComing soon

Part 34 · End to End Scenarios

Chapter 80 · Complete End-to-End ScenariosComing soon