3.1 Troubleshooting Windows Flashcards
Given a scenario, troubleshoot common Windows OS problems
Where is the MBR always located?
In the first sector of the disk
What does the UEFI check when doing a power on self-check?
GUID partition table
What is the point of a power on self-check?
To verify that all the system components are working properly
When it executes, which steps does bootmgr.exe perform?
- Reading the BCD file
- Reading files referred to by the BCD (WIM image and ramdisk SDI path)
Which system file loads essential device drivers?
winload.exe
Why could the GUI fail to load or a black screen appear?
Because the boot order was set incorrectly
Which error would you get if the selected boot drive has no OS installed?
“No OS found”
List the order of the first five files/processes to run when a PC is booted up
- bootmgr.exe
- winload.exe
- Kernel
- Hardware abstraction layer
- Boot device drivers
Which command would you use to remove nonstandard code/fix corruption in the MBR?
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot does what?
Writes a new boot sector to the system partition
What bootrec command would you use if the boot sector is damaged?
bootrec/ fixboot
If you see the startup message “bootmgr is missing,” which command might you run to fix this?
bootrec /rebuildbcd
What tool would you use to mark the system partition as active?
Diskpart command
List 3 different boot recovery tools
- Advanced Boot Options
- Startup Repair
- WinRE
What could you do if problems were caused by a system update?
Rollback the update
What does system restore do?
Allows you to create multiple different points to restore data to on your system
Contrast a system restore vs a system reinstall
A system restore only restores the configs and files of the OS itself. A system reinstall puts an entirely new version of Windows on the device and does not carry over files (you would need a backup)
System image
A snapshot of how a system is at any given point in time, including all files, apps, and installations
Give 3 common hardware issues that may occur
Overhearting, power, processor
Malfunctioning RAM could cause what errors during boot?
Kernel errors
How to access the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool?
Control panel > Windows tools > Memory diagnostic tool
Where do you get the latest chipset/system drivers from?
The vendor’s website
When should USB selective suspend be disabled and why?
When USB-connected devices are not being frequently used; to save power and prolong battery life
What is a simple fix for an application crash?
Uninstall, reboot the PC, reinstall
How can you register the DLL (dynamic link library)?
By using the Registry Server (regsvr32)
List 4 services where their status can be checked through the Windows Services tool
- Filtering Service
- Network Agent
- Policy Server
- User Service
The real-time clock (RTC) is powered by what?
A battery on the motherboard
What would be an indicator that the CMOS battery on the motherboard has died?
If the device is experiencing time drift
How does RTC function?
As a battery-powered automatic clock fitted in a microchip of the motherboard
How are the CMOS and the RTC connected?
The CMOS chip stores information and instructions about the components and system settings, including storing values for the RTC. They are two separate motherboard chips though.
