Chapter 4 Flashcards
Computer Management Console
The Computer Management Console provides tools for administering the local computer, including Device Manager, Event Viewer, Disk Management, Services, and Performance Monitor. To access the console, alt-click (My) Computer and select Manage.
DOS (Disk Operating System)
Single tasking, real-mode operating system developed by Microsoft and widely adopted in the early 1980s. The last Microsoft release is MS-DOS Version 6.22, in June of 1994.
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
A GUI provides an easy to use, intuitive interface for a computer operating system. Most GUIs require a pointing device, such as a mouse, to operate efficiently. One of the world’s first GUI-based operating systems was the Apple Mac OS, released in 1984. Thereafter, Microsoft produced their Windows family of products based around their GUI. In fact, recognizing that GUI covers a whole range of designs, the Windows interface is better described as a WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointing [device]) interface.
Registry
The registry database is the configuration database for Windows. The registry can be directly edited by experienced support personnel using a variety of tools. The registry should be backed up before system changes are made.
Service
Windows machines run services to provide functions; for example, Plug-and-Play, the print spooler, DHCP client, and so on. These services can be viewed, configured, and started/stopped via the Services console. You can also configure which services run at startup using msconfig. You can view background services (as well as applications) using the Processes tab in Task Manager.
Task Manager
Program used to provide recovery of stalled applications. Task Manager also allows for control of running tasks, processes, and CPU/memory utilization. Task Manager can be displayed by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc, Ctrl+Alt+Del, or alt-clicking the taskbar.
Task Scheduler
The Task Scheduler enables the user to perform an action (such as running a program or a script) automatically at a pre-set time or in response to some sort of trigger.
UAC (User Account Control)
Security system in Windows designed to restrict abuse of accounts with administrator privileges. Actions such as installing hardware and software can be performed without changing accounts but the user must authorize the use of administrative rights by clicking a prompt or re-entering user credentials.
Virtual Memory
Virtual memory (also known as swapping or paging) is an area on the hard disk allocated to contain pages of memory. When the operating system doesn’t have sufficient physical memory (RAM) to perform a task (such as load a program) pages of memory are moved to the paging file (also known as a swap file). This frees physical RAM to enable the task to be completed. When the paged RAM is needed again, it is re-read into memory. Understanding and configuring virtual memory settings is critical to optimizing the performance of the operating system.
What term is used to describe terminating a process that is not responding to user input?
A. This is often called “killing” the process.
B. This is often called “exterminate” the process.
C. This is called “choking” the process.
D. This is called “process abort.”
A
The term used to describe terminating a process that is not responding to user input is “killing” the process. Kill causes an abnormal process termination and should be used only when necessary as data may be lost when closing applications this way.
The term “exterminate” is not the common term for describing what you do to fix a process that is not responding to user input.
The term “choking” is not used to describe the act of terminating a process that is not responding to user input.
While it may make sense, “process abort” is not the common term used describing the termination process.
Why might you use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Services snap-in to manage background processes rather than Task Manager?
A. The Task Manager allows you to modify which user or system account the service runs as but the Services snap-in has restart functionality.
B. The Service snap-in tool allows you to start and stop services, but the Task Manager will also allow you to configure service properties.
C. Task Manager allows you to start and stop services but the Services snap-in also allows you to configure service properties.
D. The Task Manager requires administrative privileges to run but the Services snap-in can be run by any user.
C
The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) provides a framework for building management consoles. The Service snap-in allows you to configure service properties as well as start and stop services. The Task Manager allows only the starting, stopping, or restarting of services.
The Task Manager does not have the ability to configure service properties. The Service snap-in must be used to configure service properties.
Modifying which user or system account a service runs as is part of the service properties which can only be modified using the Services snap-in.
Task Manager can run with normal user privileges whereas the Services snap-in will require administrative permissions to make changes.
The Task Scheduler allows you to run a process automatically in Windows. What is a widely-used Linux equivalent?
Taskkill Cron Vi Nano
B
Linux uses cron to do task scheduling. It typically automates system maintenance or administration though its general-purpose nature makes it useful for things like downloading files from the Internet and downloading email at regular intervals.
Taskkill is a windows command-line utility used to terminate a non-responsive process. In Linux, pskill can terminate non-responsive processes.
In Linux, the utility vi is used to modify text files; however, the interface is not user intuitive and is not meant for beginners.
The Linux utility called nano is a text editor that is user-friendly and has a text-based user interface.
Which method does a technician use to configure and improve a system’s memory usage?
Users do not configure any of the system memory setup because the OS handles all system memory activities. Use of virtual memory or a pagefile, where disk space is used to supplement system RAM. Use of general system memory, where a percentage of memory can be allocated to specific applications. Use of mass storage, where disks can be partitioned to separate OS files from user files.
B
Pagefile is also known as the swap file, or virtual memory file. It’s a file that Windows uses as Virtual Memory. Virtual Memory is disk space Windows uses when it runs out of physical memory, or RAM.
Most memory resource activities are automatically handled internal to the OS but it doesn’t handle everything. A user can configure a page file if extra memory is needed.
The operating system allocates system memory based on which applications need it. A user does not manually allocate system memory.
The use of mass storage is user configurable; however, this is not considered system memory. System memory is provided by Random Access Memory (RAM).
What two things are configured on a disk to make storage space on the disk available to the Windows OS?
The disk must have a recovery file and configure the backup settings to point to that file. The disk must have 6 GB of RAM configured and the system should automatically allocate a matching pagefile. The disk must contain at least one partition, typically allocated a drive letter, and the partition must be formatted with a suitable file system. The GUID Partition Table (GPT) needs to be configured and then you must populate the volumes.
C
A disk must have at least one partition for the OS to use it. Also, each partition must be formatted with a file system so that the OS can read and write files to the drive.
The disk refers to management of physical disks, not system memory (RAM). Therefore, the amount of RAM and the virtual memory configuration (pagefile) is not related to storage space on a disk.
A recovery file does not need to be configured to make storage space available to windows.
A GUID partition table does not need to be configured nor do you have to populate the volumes.
What is a Command Line Interface (CLI)?
The Command Line Interface allows the user to schedule tasks to run at a particular time. The Command Line Interface allows the user to format mass storage devices using a GUI. A Command Line Interface allows the user to interact with the OS using typed commands or scripts rather than a GUI. The Command Line Interface prevents access to administrative functions without administrative privileges.
C
The CLI is the Command Line Interface and it allows users to interface with the operating system without using a Graphical User Interface (GUI). It is not recommended for use by a standard user.
The Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) Disk Management tool allows a user to format mass storage devices.
The Task Scheduler allows the user to schedule tasks to run at a particular time using a GUI. The CLI can be used to send commands to the task scheduler.
User Account Control (UAC) prevents access to administrative functions without administrative privileges. UAC is Window’s solution to the problem of abusing elevated privileges.
