Chapter 6 Operating Systems Flashcards
A key purpose of operating systems is to:
keep track of all the files that are used on a computer
A file system describes:
how data and drives are organized
In Windows the file system you choose for a hard drive affects the following:
The rules for how large a logical drive (Drive letter) can be and whether the hard drive can be used as one big drive letter or several smaller drive letters or whether it must be multiple drive letters
The efficiency of data storage (the less waste space, the better)
The security of a system against tampering
Whether a drive can be accessed by more than one operating system
FAT32 was introduced in:
1995
FAT32 has the following characteristics:
It has a 32-bit file allocation table, which allows for 268,435,456 entries per drive. An entry can be a folder or an allocation unit used by a file
The root directory can be located anywhere on the drive and can have an unlimited number of entries, which is a big improvement over FAT
FAT32 uses an 8KB allocation unit size for drives as large as 16GB
The maximum logical partition size allowed is 2TB
The limitations of FAT32 are:
it can only support individual files up to 4GB in size
it can’t use file permissions
it doesn’t support journaling systems that can fix file corruption issues
FAT32 is still used:
to format flash memory cards and USB flash drives for use in not only workstation but media players
smart TVs
printers
cameras
anything else that has a USB port
exFAT is also known as:
FAT64 because it supports 64-bit addressing
exFAT is a:
file system designed to enable mobile personal storage media to be used seamlessly on mobile and desktop computers
exFAT is designed to be:
as simple as FAT32 but with many improvements in capacity and scalability
exFAT’s main features include:
It supports volumes larger than 32GB
The recommended and maximum file sizes increase to 512TB and 64ZB respectively
Improvements in file system structure enable better performance with flash media and for movie recording
It supports Universal Time Coordinate (UTC) date stamps
exFAT support is included in Windows 7,8/8.1, and 10
Operating systems can be classified as either:
open source
closed source
open source refers to:
software that is effectively free to download and modify
closed source refers to:
software that cannot be modified without express permission and licensing
Other terms used to describe closed source software are:
vendor specific
proprietary
vendor specific means:
only one company has access to the source code
proprietary means:
the software is owned and patented and can only be used with permission and usually by paying a licensing fee
Disk Operating Systems (DOS) is a:
command line OS, which means commands are entered as strings of text
Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows:
commands to be entered with the click of a mouse
macOS was released in:
2016
macOS was designed to:
integrate with devices using the iOS operating system, such as the iPhone, Apple TV, and Apple Watch
Linux was derived from:
the UNIX operating system
Linux is named after:
Linus Torvalds
Linux was developed in:
1991
What do companies like Red Hat do?
They modify Linux source code and then charge individuals and organizations to support the modifications
Linux is available as:
command line distros
or GUI distros
Smartphones are typically either:
Android
iOS
Windows Mobile
Some differences between Android and iOS smartphones include:
Operating system updates are provided by the wireless carrier for Android phones
Wireless carriers provide network-specific updates for iPhones (iOS), but Apple provides OS updates
Android’s OS is based on:
Linux kernel
Google also commissioned the:
Android Open Source Project (AOSP), whose mission is to maintain and further develop Android
iOS OS is based on:
macOS, and therefore has its roots in UNIX
Chrome OS is based on:
Linux and is installed on Chromebooks
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
BranchCache
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Media Center
No, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
EFS
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Windows Aero
No, No, No, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Sidebar
No, No, No, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Gadgets
No, No, No, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Start menu
No, No, No, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Start screen
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Pinning apps and files
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Charms
No, Yes, Yes, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Multi-monitor task bars
Yes, Yes, Yes, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Live sign-in (Microsoft accounts for OneDrive, Office 365, and other subscriptions)
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Yes, Yes, Yes, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Local account
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
User Account Control
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Defender antivirus (Microsoft Security Essentials in 7)
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
BitLocker full disk encryption
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Windows Firewall (Windows Defender in 10)
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Action Center
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Security Center Service
Yes, No, No, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Control Panel
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Administrative Tools
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Settings
Yes, Yes, Yes, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
PowerShell
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Event Viewer
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Image Backup
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
File Backup
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Shadow Copy
Yes, No, No, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
System Restore
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Refresh and Reset (Refresh only in 10)
Yes, Yes, Yes, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive)
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
ReadyBoost flash memory disk caching
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Compatibility mode
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Virtual XP mode
No, No, No, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Side-by-side apps
Yes, Yes, Yes, No
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Windows Easy Transfer
No, No, Yes, Yes
Feature Comparisons for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Windows (App) Store
Yes, Yes, Yes, No
BitLocker is a:
data encryption utility that encrypts hard drives for added security
BitLocker To Go encrypts:
removable disks and USB drives
Encrypting File System (EFS) has the capability of:
encrypting individual files
BranchCache is software designed to:
allow efficient use of bandwidth for remote clients and offices
BranchCache caches:
the most commonly requested data on a client computer so that bandwidth is not wasted on repetitive data requests
The boot process involves:
loading the necessary OS files into RAM so the computer becomes functional
The OS can be stored on:
the local hard drive
CD/DVD
an external USB or eSATA drive
another computer on the network
What is the BIOS/UEFI’s Boot Order settings used for?
To tell the computer where to go to find the OS files
When booting, the PC looks in the:
preferred place for files and loads them into RAM, and the computer then becomes operational
There are many methods to boot a system during the installation process:
Optical disc (CD-ROM/DVD/Blu-ray)
Network/PXE boot (Preboot Execution Environment
USB/eSATA boot (booting from USB thumb drive)
Internal hard drive (HDD/SSD)
Partition on the internal hard disk drive or SSD
The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) is used for:
automated installation of Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and Windows Server 2008 R2 and newer versions
The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) does what?
It creates and updates the Unattend.xml file (used to provide answers during the process) automatically during the deployment
How do you perform an in-place upgrade installation of Windows?
Start the installation process from within the existing version of Windows
In-place upgrades do not:
delete previous installations, which means the user can retain apps and settings as well as personal files
You can upgrade an OS only to:
the equivalent or better edition of Windows but not a lower edition
Before starting a clean install process check the following:
Make sure the drive for installation is placed before the hard drive in the boot sequence
If you will be installing to drive that might require additional drivers (SATA, RAID, or third-party host adapters on the motherboard or in an expansion slot), have the drivers available on any type of removable media supported by the system
If you are installing from optical media, from a disk image (ISO or VXD), or within a virtual machine (VM), after restarting the system with the CD or DVD media or image file in place, press a key when prompted to boot
During the installation process, be prepared to confirm, enter, select, or provide the following settings, information, media, or options when prompted:
Custom installation
Edition of Windows you are installing
Location (home, work/office, or public)
Network settings
Partition location, partition type, and file system
Password and password hint
Product key
Time, date, language, and region
Time zone, time, and date
Username and company name
Workgroup or domain name
A multiboot installation of Windows enables a choice between:
two or more operating systems when you start your computer
To use the multiboot support that is built in to Windows, follow these rules:
Install the oldest version of Windows first
Install Windows on a separate disk partition from the previous operating systems and prepare that partition as a primary partition
To install multiple editions of Windows for multibooting, ensure that each installation is on its own primary partition
The Windows multiboot support does not cover non-Windows OS such as Linux
If a Windows OS installation becomes corrupt, use a:
repair installation to restore working files and Registry entries without losing existing programs or information
To perform a repair installation of Windows 10 with a USB flash drive (which needs to be created before you start this process), follow these steps:
- Boot the computer normally and sign into the Administrator account
- Insert the flash drive and run setup.exe to start the setup
- When prompted, download and install updates
- Accept the end-user licensing agreement. The updates begin
- When the updates are ready, click Install when prompted
- Choose the keep personal files if that is the preference
- Let the Windows 10 Setup process run and repair Windows
The remainder of the installation proceeds as with a normal installation
A remote network installation (which involves installing Windows from a network drive) begins by:
starting the computer with a network client and logging on to the server to start the process
Why would you use Windows Deployment Services?
to automate the remote network installation process
An image deployment is the:
process of installing Windows from a disk image of another installation
The image deployment process is also known as:
disk cloning
If deploying a disk image to multiple computers, rather than as a backup of a single computer, consider these special issues:
Hardware differences
Same security identifier
To overcome disk image deployment issues use:
cloning programs designed to capture an image that can be deployed to different types of computers with different hardware and software
For Windows 10, use the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) to:
prepare the image for installation over many computers
If you select Generalize in Sysprep, Windows:
removes unique PC information, including the SID. When the install completes and the computer is restarted, a new SID is generated
All cloning tools can work with:
a target drive that is the same size or larger than the original cloned system drive
Some cloning tools can work with:
a smaller drive
When is a recovery partition created?
When upgrading Windows or doing a clean install with Windows Setup
The recovery partition is:
a space that holds the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), which can repair some common boot errors
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is built into:
Windows 10 versions of desktop editions
A hard drive cannot be used until it is prepared for use. There are two steps involved in preparing a hard drive:
- Create partitions
2. Format partitions (and assign drive letters)
A disk partition is a logical structure on a hard drive that specifies the following:
Whether the drive can be bootable
How many drive letters (one, two, or more) the hard drive will contain
Whether any of the hard drive’s capacity will be reserved for a future operating system or another use
Every hard drive must go through a:
partitioning process, even if you want to use the entire hard drive as a single drive letter
All versions of Windows support two or major types of disk partitions:
Primary partition
Extended partition
A primary partition can contain only:
a single drive letter and can be made active (bootable)
Only one primary partition can be:
active
Only one primary partition is needed on a drive that contains:
a single OS
If installing a new OS in a multiboot configuration with your current OS, install:
the new OS to a different disk partition than is used for the previous Windows version
If using a non-Windows OS along with your current OS, it should be:
installed into its own primary partition
A drive partitioned using GPT can have up to:
128 primary partitions
an extended partitions differs from a primary partition in two important ways:
An extended partition doesn’t get a drive letter but can contain one or more logical drives, each of which is assigned a drive letter
Neither an extended partition nor any drive it contains can be bootable
Only one extended partition can be:
stored on each physical drive
Extended partitions are used only with:
Master Boot Record (MBR) drives
Master Boot Record (MBR) partitions are supported by:
classic ROM BIOS
UEFI firmware
Master Boot Record (MBR) supports:
a maximum drive size of 2TB and up to four primary partitions
A GUID Partition Table (GPT) supports:
drives up to 256TB and up to 128 primary partitions
GUID Partition Table (GPT) is more reliable than Master Boot Record (MBR) because:
it protects the partition table with replication and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) of the partition table’s contents
GUID Partition Table (GPT) provides:
a standard way for system vendors to create additional partitions
GUID Partition Table (GPT) are supported by:
UEFI firmware
If a drive will be used by a single OS using a Master Boot Record (MBR) partition table, one of these three ways of partitioning the drive will be used:
Primary partition occupies 100% of the physical drive’s capacity
Primary partition occupies a portion of the physical drive’s capacity, and the remainder of the drive is occupied by an extended partition
Extended partition occupies 100% of the physical drive’s capacity
Primary partition occupying 100% of the physical drive’s capacity is suitable for:
the only drive in a system or an additional drive that can be used to boot a system but should not be used for additional drives in a system that will be used for data storage
Primary partition occupying a portion of the physical drive’s capacity, and the remainder of the drive is occupying an extended partition is a common setup for:
laptop but requires the partitioning process to be performed with different settings than the defaults
Extended partition occupying 100% of the physical drive’s capacity is suitable for:
additional hard drives in a system (not the first drive); an extended partition can contain only one logical drive or multiple logical drives
GPT partitioning creates:
one or more primary partitions
Windows Disk Management supports two types of disks:
basic
dynamic
A dynamic disk is:
more versatile than a basic disk because it can span two physical drives into a single logical drive, create striped or mirrored arrays, and adjust the size of a partition
Only basic disks can be:
bootable
When installing Windows 7/8/8.1/10 to an empty hard drive, there is a prompt for:
a location
To use all the space in the disk for creating partitions, make sure that:
the desired disk and partition is highlighted and click Next
To use only part of the space in the disk for creating partitions, follow these steps:
click Drive Options (Advanced)
click New
specify the partition size, and click Apply
A file system determines:
how data and drives are organized, but it is also general term for how an OS stores various types of files
The New Technology File System (NTFS) is the:
native file system of Windows 7/8/8.1/10
The New Technology File System (NTFS) has many differences from FAT32, including:
Access control
Built-in compression
Individual Recycle Bins
Support for Encrypting File System (EFS)
Support for mounting a drive
Disk quota support
Hot-swapping
Indexing
Follow these steps to determine what file system was used to prepare a Windows hard drive:
- Open Windows Explorer or File Explorer
2. Right-click the drive letter in the Explorer window and select Properties
During installation, Windows 7/8/8.1/10 automatically:
formats the partitions created by the partition process with NTFS
System Type Full Name; Details
exFAT
Extended File Allocation Table; Microsoft file system used for flash drives larger than 32GB and files larger than 4GB
System Type Full Name; Details
FAT32
File Allocation Table; Format for USB flash drives holding files smaller than 4GB, game consoles, and so on. Works with all OS
System Type Full Name; Details
NTFS
New Technology File System; Windows default formatting for hard drives. Supports sharing and journaling
System Type Full Name; Details
CDFS
Compact Disc File System; Windows legacy format for CDs for storage. Supported by Windows and Linux
System Type Full Name; Details
NFS
Network File System; Works independently of the OS, allowing network user access. It appears local but is a common network drive. Open source
System Type Full Name; Details
ext3
Third Extended File System; Linux version of NTFS. Allows journaling of changes to minimize damage if crash occurs. Supports a maximum of 32,000 subdirectories
System Type Full Name; Details
ext4
Fourth extended file system; Linux. Supports larger file sizes than ext3. Can disable journaling. Supports a maximum of 64,000 subdirectories
System Type Full Name; Details
HFS
Hierarchical File System; Used like NTFS on macOS
System Type Full Name; Details
HFS Plus
Extended Hierarchical File System; Used like NTFS on macOS Lion and later. Improves HFS security, size, and other features
When should you use an Optical disc (CD-ROM/DVD/Blu-ray) to boot a system during the installation process?
to install Windows to one or more systems that have working network connections
When should you use a USB/eSATA boot (booting from USB thumb drive) to boot a system during the installation process?
when installing from a DVD isn’t feasible
Windows can be installed in a variety of ways. The most common methods are:
As an in-place upgrade to an existing version
As a clean install to an empty hard drive or to the same partition as the current version
As a multi-boot, which means installing to unused disk space (a new partition) to enable a choice between the current version and the new version, as needed)
As a repair installation to fix problems with the current installation
With the recovery partition (which resets the system to its original installed state)
Refresh and Reset in Windows 8/8.1
Large-scale or customized installations might use the following methods:
Unattended installation
Remote network installation
Image deployment
In an attended installation:
information must be provided at various points during the process
In an unattended installation:
you must create the appropriate type of answer file for the installation type
A swap partition is:
disk space partitioned to be available in case extra RAM is needed
A swap partition feature is called what in Windows?
virtual memory
A swap partition feature is called what in Linux?
swap space
A swap partition can not be used for:
storage
With new hard drives or existing drives that are known to be error free, you can use the quick format option to:
quickly clear the arears of the hard drive that store data location records
With the full format option, Windows must:
rewrite the disk structures across the entire disk surface.
If Windows does not detect hard drives during installation, an:
alternative third-party driver must be provided
The most likely situations in which Windows does not detect hard drives during installation are when:
third-party SATA or RAID onboard or add-on card host adapters are used in Windows 7/8/8.1/10
In Windows 7/8/8.1/10, device drivers are:
added using the same screen that is used for partitioning and clicking Load Driver
Device drivers can be installed from:
CD
DVD
USB flash drive
During the installation process, Windows can connect to either a:
workgroup (the default setting)
network managed by a domain controller
Domain controllers are typically used in:
large networks at workplaces or schools
What networks use workgroups?
Home networks
small-office networks
computers running Windows 7 or newer might also belong to one
For individual PCs, the easiest way to perform updates is to:
set up Windows Update for automatic updates
What is a factory recovery partition?
a disk partition containing a special recovery image of the Windows installation is provided
Typically, there are limited choices for restoring a damaged installation with a recovery disc or recovery files on a disk partition. Typical options include:
Reformatting the hard drive and restoring it to just-shipped condition (which causes the loss of all data and programs installed after the system was first used
Reinstalling Windows only
Reinstalling support files or additional software
The following list is a summary of the current requirements for Windows 10:
Processor: 1GHz or faster processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
RAM: 1GB for 32-bit OS or 2GB for 64-bit OS
Hard drive space: 16GB for 32-bit OS or 32GB for 64-bit OS
Graphic Card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
Display: 800x600
Internet Connection: Internet connectivity to perform updates and to take advantage of some features
The Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) provides:
information about manufactures and drivers that can be used with Windows
Although most computer users don’t use the command prompt often, technicians use it to:
Recover data from systems that can’t boot normally
Reinstall lost or corrupted system files
Print file listings (which can’t be done in Windows Explorer, File Explorer, This PC, or Computer)
Copy, move, and delete data
Display or configure certain OS settings
Most command prompt commands can be run with:
standard privileges
Some command prompt commands can be run only with:
administrative privileges
Administrative privileges are also known as:
elevated mode
administrative mode
Command Prompt Commands Use
DIR
Displays list of the current folder’s files and subfolders
Command Prompt Commands Use
CD (CHDIR)
Changes the working directory
Command Prompt Commands Use
CD ..
Navigates to the previous directory
Command Prompt Commands Use
IPCONFIG
Displays TCP/IP network information on the device
Command Prompt Commands Use
PING
Sends IP packets to check network connectivity
Command Prompt Commands Use
TRACERT
Similar to ping but returns path information to an IP address destination; similar to the traceroute command in macOS and Linux
Command Prompt Commands Use
NETSTAT
Displays a list of active TCP connections on a local network
Command Prompt Commands Use
NSLOOKUP
Gather’s the network’s Domain Name System (DNS) information
Command Prompt Commands Use
SHUTDOWN
Shuts down the computer
Command Prompt Commands Use
DISM
Services images; stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management
Command Prompt Commands Use
SFC
Scans system files and replaces damaged or missing files
must run in elevated mode
Command Prompt Commands Use
CHKDSK
Scans specified drive for errors and repairs them
must run in elevated mode
Command Prompt Commands Use
DISKPART
Creates, removes, and manages disk partitions
must run in elevated mode
Command Prompt Commands Use
TASKKILL
Stops specified task(s) on a local or remote computer
Command Prompt Commands Use
GPUPDATE
Refreshes group policy on local or Active Directory systems
Command Prompt Commands Use
GPRESULT
Displays the resultant set of policy for the specified computer and user
Command Prompt Commands Use
FORMAT
Creates or re-creates the specified file system on recordable or rewritable storage (magnetic, flash, or optical media) and overwrites the contents of the drive
Command Prompt Commands Use
COPY
Copies one or more files to another folder or drive
Command Prompt Commands Use
XCOPY
Copies one or more files and folders to another folder or drive
Command Prompt Commands Use
ROBOCOPY
Copies one or more files and folders; can be configured via various optional GUIs
Command Prompt Commands Use
NET USE
Connects to shared folders; similar to mapping a network drive
Command Prompt Commands Use
NET USER
Manages user accounts (add, remove, change)
Command Prompt Commands Use
[Command]/?
Displays help for the specified command
If FORMAT is used on a hard disk by mistake:
third-party data recovery programs can be used to retrieve data from the drive. This is possible because most of the disk surface is not changed by FORMAT when a quick format option is selected
What does FORMAT F: /Q do?
it performs a quick format on drive F
To see the additional options for FORMAT, use:
FORMAT /?
The number of clusters on a volume for FAT is:
<=65,526
The number of clusters on a volume for FAT32 is:
65,526< Number of clusters< 4,177,918
FORMAT immediately stops processing if:
it decides that the preceding requirements cannot be met using the specified cluster size
NTFS compression is not supported for:
allocation unit sizes above 4,096
The folder specified by COPY must:
already exist on the target drive
COPY does not work with:
files that have the system or hidden file attributes; to copy these files, use XCOPY or ROBOCOPY instead
What does COPY . F do?
copies all files in the current folder to the current folder on the F: drive
What does COPY *.TXT C:Users/Username do?
copies all .txt files in the current folder to the Username folder on the C:drive
What does COPY C:\WINDOWS\TEMP*BAK do?
copies all *.bak files in the \WindowTemp folder on drive C: to the current folder
What does COPY C:\WINDOW*BMP D do?
copies all .bmp files in the \Windows folder on drive C: to the current folder on drive D:
The XCOPY command can be used in place of COPY in most cases and has the following advantages:
Provides faster operation on a group of files
Creates folders as needed
Operates as backup utility
Copies files changed or created on or after a specified date
XCOPY can be used to “clone”:
an entire drive’s contents to another drive
ROBOCOPY has several advantages over XCOPY, including the capability to:
tolerate pauses in network connections
mirror the contents of the source and destination folders by removing all files as well as copying files
perform multi-threaded copies for faster copying on multicore PCs
log copy processes
list or copy files matching specified criteria including minimum file size
To copy files in sourcefolder that are at least 16MB (16,777,216) in size to targetfolder write this syntax:
ROBOCOPY C:/SOURCEFOLDER D:\TARGETFOLDER /MIN:16777216
System File Checker (SFC) is a:
Windows utility that checks protected system files and replaces incorrect versions or missing files with the correct files
System File Checker (SFC) check files such as:
.dll files
.sys files
.ocx files
.exe files
font files used by the Windows desktop
Use System File Checker (SFC) to:
fix problems with Internet Explorer or other built-in Windows programs caused by the installation of obsolete Windows system files, user error, deliberate erasure, virus or Trojan horse infections, and similar problems
What does CHKDSK /F do?
scans for and fixes errors on the current drive
What does CHKDSK F: /F do?
scans for and fixes errors on drive F:
If CHKDSK /F is run on the system drive, the following message appears:
The type of the file system is NTFS
Cannot lock current drive
Chkdsk cannot run becuase the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)
What does GPRESULT /R do?
displays summary data
What does GPRESULT /H GPReport.html do?
saves report as GPReport.html
What does GPRESULT /USER targetname /V do?
provides verbose information for the specified username
The following tools are administrative tools but are found under Computer Management (Windows 10):
Device Manager
Local Users and Groups
Data Sources
User Account Management
To start any administrative tools, follow these steps:
- Open Control Panel
- Open the System and Security category
- Click or tap Administrative Tools
- Click or tap the tool you want to use
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is a:
blank console that uses various snap-in console windows
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) saves:
the consoles you snap in and remembers the last place you were working which makes it a valuable and time-saving tool
Load Security Policy is a:
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in you can use to view and set security policies for the local system or a system on a workgroup network
The Windows Performance Monitor can be used for:
real-time performance monitoring or to record performance over time
Using Performance Monitor you can measure objects, including:
physical devices, such as the processor and memory
software, such as protocols and services
Use the System Configuration utility (MSCONFIG.exe) to:
configure how Windows starts, to chooses startup programs and services, and to change the boot procedure
Windows uses Task Scheduler to:
run a task on a specified schedule
To create a basic task using Task Scheduler in Windows, follow this procedure:
- Open Control Panel in Small Icons or Large Icons mode
- Open the Administrative Tools folder
- Double-click Task Scheduler
- Click Create Basic Task in the Actions menu
- Enter a name and a description for the task and click Next
- Select an interval (for example, daily, weekly, monthly, one-time only, when my computer starts, when I log on, or when a specific event is logged) and click Next
- Specify when to start the task and recurrence and whether to synchronize across time zones and then click Next
- Specify to start a program (or send an email or display a message) and click Next
- Select a program or script to run, add options (arguments), and specify where to start the program or script. Click Next
- Review the settings for the task and click Finish
The ODBC Data Source Administrator is used to:
list and mange data sources and drivers
Data sources are listed by:
user
system
file
Data Source Administrator lists:
drivers
Data Source Administrator provides:
options for tracing and pooling data sources
Print Management is:
a utility for managing printers connected to the computer or on a network
The Windows Memory Diagnostics tool tests:
system and cache memory before the Windows desktop is loaded
Windows Firewall can:
block unwanted traffic going into or out of the computer
The Even Viewer allows:
an administrator to track and log event logins, security actions, crashes, and other events that have happened in the computer
A down-arrow icon on Device Manager indicates what?
a disabled device
An exclamation point in a yellow triangle indicates what?
a device that cannot run
Device properties tabs
General
Displays device type, manufacturer, location, status, troubleshoot button and usage. Applies to all devices
Device properties tabs
Properties
Displays device-specific settings. Applies to multimedia devices
Device properties tabs
Driver
Displays technical details and version information. Applies to all devices
Device properties tabs
Policies
Optimizes technical details about the device. Applies to USB, FireWire (IEEE 1394), and eSATA drives
Device properties tabs
Resources
Displays hardware resources such as IRQ, DMA, memory, and I/O port address. Applies to I/O devices
Device properties tabs
Volumes
Displays drive information such as status, type, and capacity. Click Populate to retrieve information. Applies to hard disk drives
Device properties tabs
Power
Displays the power available per port. Applies to USB root hubs and generic hubs
Device properties tabs
Power Management
Specifies device-specific power management settings. Applies to USB, network, keyboard, and mouse devices
When you have a malfunctioning device you have several options for resolving the problem:
Look up the Device Manage code to determine the problem and its solution
Click the troubleshoot button (if any) shown on the device’s General Properties tab; the buttons name and usage depend on the problem
Manually change resources
Manually update drivers
You can use Device Manage to disable a device that is conflicting with another device. To disable a device, follow these steps:
- Click the + sign next to the device category containing the device
- Double-click the device, click the Driver tab, and select Disable
To use Device Manager to remove a device, follow these steps:
- Click the + sign next to the device category containing the device
- Double-click the device and select Uninstall
- Shut down the system and remove the physical device
OR:
- Double-click the device and select Properties
- Click the Driver tab and click the Uninstall button
- Shut down the system and remove the physical device
If a device malfunctions after a driver update, click:
the Roll Back Driver button on the Driver tab to return to the preceding driver version
To start MSCONFIG in Windows 7 follow these steps:
- Click Start to open the Windows Desktop Search pane
2. Type MSCONFIG and press Enter
To start MSCONFIG in Windows 8/8.1/10 follow these steps:
- Press Windows+X
- Click or tap Run
- Type MSCONFIG and press Enter
The Task Manager utility provides:
a useful real-time look into the inner workings of Windows and the programs that are running
There are several ways to display Task Manager, including:
Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc
Open the Run or Search box and type taskmgr
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select Task Manager from the Windows Security dialog
The Windows 7 Task Manager includes the following tabs:
Applications
Processes
Performance
Networking
Users
Services
The Windows 8/8.1 Task Manager includes the following tabs:
Processes
Performance
App history
Startup
Users
Details
Services
The Disk Management snap-in of the MMC is:
a GUI-based application for analyzing and configuring hard drives
You can use Disk Management to:
mount drives
A mounted drive is:
a drive that is mapped to an empty folder within a volume that has been formatted as NTFS
Instead of using drive letters, mounted drives use:
drive paths
Mounted drives provide:
more space for temporary files and can enable you to move folders to different drives if space runs low on the current drive.
To mount a drive, follow these steps:
- Right-click the partition or volume you want to mount and select Change Drive Letters and Paths
- In the displayed window, click Add
- Click Mount in the following empty NTFS folder
- Browse the empty folder to which you want to mount the volume and click OK
- Click Next
- Choose the appropriate drive partitioning settings and click Next
- Review the settings and click Finish
When a new drive is connected, the OS may prompt to:
initialize it
A new simple volume can:
occupy a portion or all of the space on an unallocated disk
Follow these steps to create a new simple volume:
- Right-click unallocated space on a drive (With a new drive, the entire drive is listed as unallocated)
- Select New Simple Volume
- Click Next
- To use the entire space for a volume (drive letter), click Next
- Select the drive letter to install and click Next
- Specify the file system (NTFS is the default), the volume name, and whether to use a quick format or prepare the drive as compressed. Click Next
- Review all options and click Finish
Windows enables you to extend the:
size of a partition (volume) with the Desk Management utility
When extending or shrinking the size of a partition it’s highly recommended to:
back up your data before attempting this operation
When extending the size of a partition follow these steps:
- Right-click the volume to be extended
- Select Extend Volume
- Click Next and select how much space you’d like to add to the partition
- Click Finish at the summary screen
(This process can also be done by using the DISKPART command)
To split a single partition into two or more using Disk Management, follow this procedure:
- Shrink the existing partition to make room for an additional partition. If you are unable to shrink the partition sufficiently, back up some of the information in the partition and try again
- Create one or more new partitions in the unallocated space created in step 1
To free up space on a drive in order to install another OS, it is possible to:
shrink the partition
To shrink the partition, follow these steps:
- Right-click the volume to be shrunk
- Select Shrink Volume
- Select the amount of space you’d like to use the partition
- Click Shrink
(The free space created by this process is listed as unallocated)
If a volume was created without a drive letter being assigned, use:
Change Letters and Paths
Here’s how to use Change Letters and Paths:
- Right-click the partition or volume and select Change Drive Letters and Paths
- In the window that appears, click Add
- Make sure Assign the Following Drive Letter is selected.
- Click OK. The drive is now referred to by the selected drive letter
To change the drive letter of a connected drive, follow this procedure:
- Right-click the partition or volume to be changed and select Change Drive Letters and Paths
- When the current drive letter assignment is shown, click Change
- Use the pull-down menu to choose the preferred drive letter
- Click OK
- Click Yes to change the drive letter. The drive is now referred to by the selected drive letter
Although dynamic disks can’t be used as boot disks, they can be used in the following types of drive arrays:
Spanned
Striped
Mirrored
RAID 5
Describe Spanned Arrays:
The capacity of all disks is added together
This is the equivalent to just a bunch of disks (JBOD) hardware array and requires at least two disks
Describe Striped Arrays:
Data is written across all drives to enhance speed
This is equivalent to a RAID 0 hardware array and requires two disks
Describe Mirrored Arrays:
Copies of data are written to all disks at the same time to enhance data security
If one drive fails, data is still safe, and the array can be rebuilt
This is equivalent to a RAID 1 hardware array and requires two disks
Describe RAID 5 Arrays:
Data and recovery information is written across all disks to enable recovery if one disk in the array fails
This is equivalent to RAID 5 hardware array and requires at least three disks
To create an array, follow these steps:
- Make sure the disks to be used in the drive array have been backed up. Any disk in an array has its previous information overwritten
- Right-click the first drive to add to the array and select the array type
- Click Next to continue
- Select the next drive to add to the array and click Add
- If creating a RAID 5 array, repeat step 3 until the desired number of disks are added to the array
- Click Next to continue
- Assign a drive letter or mount point. Click Next
- Select the option to format the volume and name it. Click Next
- Review settings. Click Finish
- Click Yes to convert the drives to dynamic disks (required for arrays). The array is created
Windows 8/8.1/10 include Storage Spaces, which provides:
a way to use multiple hard disks or SSDs for redundant storage
Storage Spaces can be used to:
expand storage by adding additional drives
Storage Spaces Overview Drive Requirement; Description
Simple Configuration
Requires at least one drive
The capacity of all drives is grouped together and used as a single logical drive. If any drive fails, all data is lost
Storage Spaces Overview Drive Requirement; Description
Two-way mirror Configuration
Requires at least two drives
Each drive has a copy of the information. If one drive fails, the mirror can be rebuilt from the surviving drive after a new drive is attached
Storage Spaces Overview Drive Requirement; Description
Three-way mirror Configuration
Requires at least five drives
The drive pool includes three copies of the data. If one or two drives fail, the mirror can be rebuilt from the surviving drive after new drives are attached
Storage Spaces Overview Drive Requirement; Description
Parity Configuration
Requires at least three drives
The pool is written with data and parity information. If a single drive fails, the surviving drives an rebuild the pool
To use Storage Spaces, follow these steps:
- Open Search and search for Storage Spaces
- Click or tap Storage Spaces
- Click or tap Create a New Pool and Storage Space
- Click Create Pool
- When Storage Spaces displays a recommended layout, make any changes desired and then click or tap Create Storage Space
Windows includes a variety of command line utilities known as:
system utilities that are used for system management
System Utilities
REGEDIT
Launches Registry Editor
System Utilities
CMD
Opens the command prompt
System Utilities
SERVICES.MSC
Shows Windows Services
System Utilities
MMC
Starts Microsoft Management Console
System Utilities
MSTSC
Remote Desktop Connection
System Utilities
NOTEPAD
Opens the Notepad text editor/viewer
System Utilities
EXPLORER
Starts Windows Explorer in 7 or File Explorer in 8/8.1/10
System Utilities
MSINFO32
Starts Windows System Information
System Utilities
DxDiag
Starts DirectX Diagnostic
System Utilities
Disk Defragmenter/Optimizer
Used to increase performance (access speed) by rearranging files stored on a disk to occupy contiguous locations
System Utilities
System Restore
Allows the PC to reset to a previous configuration
System Utilities
MSCONFIG
Starts the System Configuration utility
Registry editing might be necessary under the following circumstances:
To view a system setting that cannot be viewed through other interfaces
To add, modify (by changing values or data) or remove a Registry key that cannot be changed through normal Windows menus or application settings
To back up the Registry to a file
Changes made using REGEDIT are:
automatically saved upon exit. However, it may be necessary to log off and log back on or restart the system for changes to take effect
Always back up the Registry before editing it. Follow these steps to back up part or all of the Registry to a text file:
- Start REGEDIT
- To make a partial backup, highlight the section of the Registry to be backed up
- Click File and select Export
- Select a location to store the Registry backup
- Enter a name for the backup
- Click All to back up the entire Registry. Click Selected Branch to back up only the Registry branch you select in step 2
- Click Save
Microsoft uses MSTSC, better known as the Remote Desktop connection program to:
facilitate connections to remote computers and allow full remote control
MSTSC, better known as the Remote Desktop connection program works in three ways:
Users can be given limited access to a remote computer’s applications
Administrators can be given full access to a computer so that they can troubleshoot problems from another location
Another part of the program, known as Remote Assistance, allows a user to invite a technician to view his or her desktop in the hopes that the technician can fix any encountered problems
MSTSC, better known as the Remote Desktop connection program connections can only be made with PCs that are running these Windows OSs:
Windows 8/8.1,10 Pro or Enterprise
Windows 7 Enterprise, Professional, or Ultimate
To set up a computer’s remote settings options to receive remote connections, follow these steps:
- Open the System properties sheet in Control Panel
- Click or tap Remote
- Click or tap the empty Allow Remote Connections to This Computer check box
- Specify which users can connect and whether a connection must use a Network Level Authentication (NLA)
- Click OK
To run MSTSC in Windows 7, follow these steps:
- Click Start to open the Windows Desktop Search pane
2. Type MSTSC and press Enter
To run MSTSC in Windows 8/8.1, follow these steps:
- Press Windows+X
- Click Run
- Type MSTSC and press Enter
To connect to the remote computer, follow these steps:
- Enter the name or IP address of the remote computer
- Click Connect
- Select or enter the account name and enter the account password. The connection starts
Notepad is a simple plain-text editor that has several uses in system management, the uses are:
Creating batch files and scripts
Viewing text-based reports
Editing HTML files
Notepad is the default program for opening:
.txt (plain-text) files
To open a text file with a different extension in Notepad, follow these steps:
- Right-clock the file in Windows Explorer or File Explorer
- Select Open With
- Choose Notepad
Explorer offers the following viewing options:
Small icons
Lists
Medium icons, large icons, and extra large icons
Details
Tiles
Contents
What does DxDiag do?
displays and troubleshoots DirectX components in Windows
Defragging a hard disk drive can:
help improve system performance, especially if the drive is frequently changed
Defragmentation is:
the process of reorganizing the data into contiguous blocks
System Restore enables:
you to fix problems caused by a defective hardware or software installation by resetting the computer’s configuration to the way it was at a specified earlier time (restore points)
Restore points can be created by:
the user with System Restore and are also created automatically by the system before new hardware or software is installed
To create a restore point in Windows 7, follow these steps:
- Open the Start menu, right-click Computer, and select Properties
- Click the System Protection task, and the System Protection tab on the System properties sheet opens
- Click the Create button
- Type a name for the restore point and click Create
To create a restore point in Windows 8/8.1, follow these steps:
- Swipe in from the right to open the charms menu
- Click or tap Search and enter System Restore
- Click or tap Create a Restore Point
- Click the Create button
- Type a name for the restore point and click Create
To create a restore point in Windows 10, follow these steps:
- Click or tap Search and enter System Restore
- Click or tap the Create button
- Type a name for the restore point and click Create
Follow these steps to restore your system to an earlier condition:
- Open the System Protection tab and click the System Restore button
- Click Next, and you see the window Restore Your Computer to the State It Was in Before the Select Event
- Select a restore point to restore to and click Next
- Click Finish on the Confirm Your Restore Point page
Safe mode and other advanced boot options can be used when:
the system won’t boot normally
To enter Safe mode in Windows 7:
press f8 repeatedly when starting the system until you see the Advanced Boot Options menu and then select Safe Mode
To enter Safe mode in Windows 8/8.1/10:
Press the Power button on the login screen, hold down the Shift key, and click/tap Restart. Select Troubleshoot> Advanced Options> Startup Settings> Restart
What does Debugging Mode in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Enables the use of a debug program to examine the system kernel for troubleshooting
What does Enable Boot Logging in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Creates an ntbtlog.txt file
What does Enable Low-Resolution Video in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Uses a standard VGA driver in place of a GPU-specific display driver but uses all other drivers as normal
What does Safe Mode in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Starts the system with a minimal set of drivers; can be used to start System Restore or to load Windows GUI for diagnostics
What does Safe Mode in Windows 10 Startup Settings with Networking do?
Starts the system with a minimal set of drivers and enables network support
What does Safe Mode in Windows 10 Startup Settings with Command Prompt do?
Starts the system with the last configuration known to work; useful for solving problems caused by newly installed hardware or software
What does Last Known Good Configuration in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Starts the system with the last configuration known to work; useful for solving problems caused by newly installed hardware or software
What does Disable Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Allows drivers containing
What does Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Prevents Windows from automatically restarting if a STOP (BSOD) error causes Windows to fail
What does Disable Early Launch Anti-malware Protection in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Helps when a legitimate driver is mistaken for malware by Windows 8/8.1/10’s Early Launch Anti-Malware Protection feature
What does Start Windows Normally in Windows 10 Startup Settings do?
Boots to regular Windows
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
General
Set the home page
set tab settings
delete browsing history, cookies, temporary files, and saved passwords
change appearance
configure accessibility settings
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
Security
Configure security zones
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
Privacy
Select privacy settings for the current zone, location settings, pop-up blocker, and InPrivate browsing settings
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
Content
Set options for family safety, SSL certificate management, AutoComplete, and feeds
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
Connections
Set options for VPNs, dial-up, LAN connections, and proxy servers
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
Programs
Select the default web browser, manage add-ons, select the default HTML editor, and set the default apps for email and other Internet services
Internet Properties Dialog Tabs Function
Advanced
Enable/disable accelerated graphics
configure accessibility settings, browsing settings, HTTP settings, international settings, multimedia settings, and security settings
reset Internet Explorer to the default settings
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Resolution
Screen Resolution; Screen Resolution
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Color depth
Display Advanced/List Monitor; N/A (32-bit color used for all modes)
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Screen saver
Personalization; Personalization
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Background
Personalization; Personalization
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Theme
Personalization; Personalization
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Windows color
Personalization; Personalization
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Add additional displays
Screen Resolution; Screen Resolution
Configuring Display Settings in Windows 7; Windows 8/8.1/10
Refresh rate
Advanced Settings/Monitor; Advanced Settings/Monitor
The Folder Options properties sheet affects how Explorer:
Displays file and folder information (view tab)
Selects folders to index for searching (search tab)
Opens folders (general options tab)
By default, Explorer hides the following file information:
File extensions for registered file types
The full path to the current folder
Files or folders with hidden or system attributes
The Windows folder
As an alternative to using the Folder Options applet in Control Panel, you can use this procedure in Windows 8/8,1/10:
- Open File Explorer
- Click or tap the View tab
- Select the options
- Click OK to close the Folder Options window
Use the System properties sheet to view:
Windows version
Edition (32-bit or 64-bit)
Processor model number and clock speed
Windows Experience Index (WEI) (Windows 7 only)
Selecting Change Settings in the System properties sheet for Windows 10 brings up the System applet, which allows you to change the following:
Computer name
Workgroup name
Domain name
System protection settings (System Restore)
Hardware profiles
Remote settings
Performance and virtual memory settings
Compare Virtual memory to RAM memory:
Virtual memory is much slower
The performance of the paging file can be improve by:
Setting its minimum and maximum sizes to the same amount
Moving the paging file to a physical disk (or disk partition) that is not used as much as others
Using a striped volume for the paging file. A striped volume is an identical area of disk space on two or more dynamic disks referred to using a single letter
Creating multiple paging files on multiple physical disks in the system
Moving the paging file away from the boot drive
To adjust the location and size of the paging file in Windows, follow these steps:
- In the System Properties window, click or tap Advanced System Settings under Tasks
- Click or tap the Settings button in the Performance box
- Click or tap the Advanced tab and then click or tap the Change button
- Clear or tap the Automatically Manage Paging File Size check box
- Click or tap the Custom Size radio button
- Specify the initial and maximum sizes you want to use for the paging file and its location. Click or tap Set and then click or tap OK to finish
- If you make any changes to size or location, restart the computer so that the changes take effect
Windows Firewall provides:
protection against unwanted inbound connections and can also be configured to filter outbound connections.
Windows offers three standard power plans:
Balanced
High Performance
Power Saver
Describe balanced power:
Default plan; balances performance with energy consumption
Describe High Performance:
Fastest CPU performance, brightest screen, and shortest battery life
Describe Power Saver:
Reduces CPU performance and screen brightness more than Balanced power for longest battery life
You can change power settings for:
Hard-disk shutoff timing
Desktop backgrounds
Wireless adapters
Sleep timings
Hibernation options
USB ports and devices
Power buttons and lid
PCI Express devices
CPU performance and cooling
Display shutoff timings
Multimedia idle time and screen quality
Internet Explorer JavaScript timing frequency
To create a new power plan, click Create a Power Plan in the Power Options dialog. Then, in the Create a Power Plan dialog, follow these steps:
- Select a plan to use as the basis for your plan
- Enter a plan name and click Next
- Specify timings for the display and sleep and then click Create
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Credential Manager
User Accounts; View/Change user logon information for networks and websites
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Programs and Features
Programs; Install/Uninstall programs, enable/disable Windows features, run programs made for earlier versions of Windows
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Homegroup
Network and Internet; Windows 7/8 only
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Devices and Printers
Hardware and Sound; Manage webcams, scanners, printers/faxes, and so on and print jobs
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Troubleshooting
System and Security; Link to Windows Program Compatibility Troubleshooter app, run the app and select the program causing problems
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Network and Sharing Center
Network and Internet; Network preferences, sharing, and status changes
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Device Manager
Hardware and Sound; Add/remove devices, check status and roll back device drivers
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
BitLocker
System and Security; Encrypt drives for enhanced security
Panel Link Location (Windows 10); Description
Sync Center
Control Panel> Sync Center; Manage synchronization activity and settings and initialize a sync, sync files between the current computer and network folders
Installation and Configuration Concepts
System requirements for hard drive space and RAM
Make sure the physical hardware can handle the work required of the software
Check the OS and applications requirements to make sure there is enough drive space to store the data and enough RAM installed to open and run the software
If possible, exceed the minimum requirements. Future downloads and updates will consume more drive space and RAM
Installation and Configuration Concepts
OS requirements for compatibility
Make sure the software version selected will run with the operating system. Make sure the OS updates have not impacted the use of the software
Installation and Configuration Concepts
Methods of installation and deployment (local or network based)
Be familiar with using image files on USB flash drives, external drives, or CD/DVDs on local installs
Understand the basis of a network-based installation process
Installation and Configuration Concepts
Local user permissions Folder/file access for installation
Understand what is involved in setting up local user permissions and getting a workstation to work in an organization’s domain. Know how to grant and restrict access to files and folders for different users
Installation and Configuration Concepts
Security considerations
Understand the threats and vulnerabilities in a network and how to mitigate them. Be able to describe how end-user education is fundamental to an organization’s security and over success
Windows 7, 8/8.1, and 10 support two different types of SOHO networks:
workgroups
homegroups
In a workgroup network:
All computers can share folders and devices with other computers in a peer-to-peer arrangement
All computers must be part of the same local network or subnet
The workgroup does not have a password, however, each computer must have a user account for each user who will access that computer (unless password-protected sharing is disabled)
The workgroup is identified through the:
Computer Name section of the System properties sheet
To create a workgroup in Windows follow these steps:
- Configure all devices in the workgroup to use the same range of IP addresses and the same subnet. If the devices obtain their IP addresses from a router, this step has already been done
- Confirm that each device has a unique computer name
- Confirm that each device is in the same workgroup
HomeGroup networking enables:
easier security and sharing than workgroup networking does
HomeGroup details:
Although one user on one computer creates a homegroup, all computers that join a homegroup can share folders and devices with other homegroup computers in a peer-to-peer arrangement
A single password is used for security for all homegroup shares. The password is generated automatically when a homegroup is created and is used only when a computer/user joins a homegroup
If a computer has two or more user accounts, each user can choose whether to join a homegroup
When custom file or device shares are created, a single share enables all members of a homegroup to access the device or file share
To create a homegroup in Windows 7/8/8.1/10, use this procedure:
- Open the Control Panel
- Click or tap Network and Internet
- Click or tap HomeGroup
- Click or tap Create a Homegroup
- Click Next
- Select the items (folders, libraries, or printers) you want to share
- When the homegroup password appears, write it down. Each user wants to join the homegroup must provide it when prompted
- Click or tap Finish
Some of the special features of domain networking include:
Shared resources and user accounts are stored on servers. An Active Directory server is used to authenticate users, and other servers can be used for print, file, email, and other services
User accounts are not tied to a particular computer. A user on a domain can use any computer or computers on the domain and have access to their files and shared resources
Resources available to a particular user can be limited by group policy
Group policy can also be used to limit configuration settings that are available to a user
Different local networks with hundred to thousands of users can be part of a single domain
The domain setup for a computer is performed from:
the Computer Name section of the System properties sheet
To join a domain follow these steps:
- Open the System properties sheet
- Click or tap Change Settings
- On the Computer Name tab, click or tap Network ID
- Confirm that This Computer Is Part of a Business Network is selected. Click or tap Next
- Confirm that My Company Uses a Network with a Domain is selected. Click or tap Next
- Review the information needed to connect to a domain and click Next
- Enter the username, password, and domain name and click Next
- Click OK on the Welcome to the Domain message
A shared folder or drive can be accessed by other computers on the network. Shares can be provided in three ways:
On a client/server-based network or on a peer-to-peer network with peer servers that support user/group permissions, shares are protected by lists of authorized user or groups
A workgroup network can offer unlimited sharing (full control or read-only) for any user who connects to a system if password-protected sharing is disabled (this is not recommended)
A homegroup network offers read-only access for any shared resource to any homegroup user.
A network share can be accessed by either its:
mapped drive letters
folder names in File Explorer
Administrative shares are:
hidden shares that can be identified by a S at the end of the share name
Administrative shares cannot be:
seen by standard users when browsing the computer over the network; they are meant for administrative use
To share a folder with Windows 7/8/8.1/10, follow these steps:
- Ensure that file sharing is enabled by opening the Control Panel and double-clicking the Network and Sharing Center icon
- Open Windows Explorer/File Explorer and click Computer/This PC
- In the Computer/This PC window, navigate to a folder that you want to share
- Right-click the folder that you want to share and choose Share With
- If password-protected sharing is enabled, click Select People and select which users will have access to the shared folder and select their permission levels
- When finished configuring permissions, click Share and then click Done
When joining a homegroup in Windows 7/8/8.1, joining the homegroup and configuring default sharing settings is a simple process:
- In the Network and Internet window, click HomeGroup
- Click Join Now
- Click Next
- Select the items you want to share
- Click Next
- Type the homegroup password
- Click Next
- Click Finish
To set up custom access for a particular folder follow these steps:
- In the Computer/This PC window, navigate to a folder that you want to share
- Right-click the folder that you want to share and choose Share With. The File Sharing window appears
- In Windows 7, choose from Homegroup (Read), Homegroup (Read/Write), Nobody, or Specific People. In Windows 8/8.1/10, choose from Homegroup (View), Homegroup (View/Edit), Stop Sharing, and Specific People
- When you are done configuring permissions, click Share and then click Done
Drive mapping has the following benefits:
A shared folder mapped as a drive can be referred to by the drive name instead of by using a long Universal Naming Convention (UNC): path
When using MS-DOS programs, keep in mind that using mapped drives is the only way for those programs to access shared folders
Mapping drives is done by these steps:
- Open the Network view in Windows Explorer/File Explorer
- Right-click the shared folder in Network view and select Map Network Drive
- Select a drive letter from a list of available drive letters; only drive letters not used by local drives are listed
- Click the Reconnect at Login box if you want to use the mapped drive every time you connect to the network
- Click the Connect Using Different Credentials box if you want to use a different username/password to connect to the shared resource
- Click Finish
The Universal Naming Convention (UNC) is designed to:
enable users to access network resources such as folders or printers without mapping drive letters to network drives or specifying the type of device that stores the file or hosts the print
The Universal Naming Convention (UNC) enables:
files and printers to be accessed by the user with 32-bit and 64-bit Windows applications
To perform printer sharing, follow these steps:
- Open the Devices and Printers or Printers and Faxes folder
- Right-click a printer and select Sharing
- Select Share This Printer and specify a share name
- Click Additional Drivers to select additional drivers to install for other OSs that will use the printer on the network. Supply driver media when prompted
Whether a printer has its own IP address or is connected to a computer as a shared printer, use this procedure to install it on a system in a process called network printer mapping:
- Open Devices and Printers in the Control Panel
- Click or tap Add a Printer
- Click or tap Add a Network, Wireless, or Bluetooth. Click The Printer I Want Isn’t Listed
- To find a printer on an Active Directory (domain-based) network, choose Find a Printer in the Directory, Based on Location or Features. Click Next
- After the printer is selected, specify whether you want to use the new printer as the default printer. Click Next
- Specify whether you want to print a test page
- Click Finish to complete the setup process
The Network and Sharing Center includes a Set Up a New Connection or Network wizard for the following connection types:
Virtual private networking
Dialup networking
Broadband
A VPN connections creates:
a secure tunnel over a public network, such as the Internet, between computers
To configure a new VPN connection follow these steps:
- In the Set Up a Connection or Network dialog, click or tap Connect to a Workplace and click or tap Next
- Click or tap Use My Internet Connection (VPN)
- In Windows 7, 8/8.1, enter the Internet address and the destination name, and click Create.
- In Windows 8/8.1, to display the VPN connection, click the network connection icon in the taskbar or from the charms menu
Windows can create two types of dial-up connections on systems with analog modems:
Dial-up networking connections to an ISP
Direct dial-in connections to a corporate computer
To configure a new dial-up connection to an ISP follow these steps:
- In the Set Up a Connection or Network dialog, click or tap Connect to the Internet and click Next
- Click or tap Dial-up and click or tap Next
- Enter the ISP’s dial-up phone number, username, and password
To configure a new direct dial-in connection to a corporate computer follow these steps:
- In the Set Up a Connection or Network dialog, click or tap Connect a Workplace and click or tap Next
- Click or tap Dial Directly and click or tap Next
- Enter the remote computer’s dial-up phone number and destination name. Click or tap Next
- Enter the username and password. Enter the domain. Click or tap Connect or Create
You can create a wireless connection by following these steps:
- In the Set Up a Connection or Network dialog, click or tap Connect to a Wireless Network and click or tap Next
- Enter the network name. Select the Security type and enter the security key. Click or tap Next
- Click or tap Close. The connection is added to the list of connections
Follow these steps to set up a wired connection:
- In the Set Up a Connection or Network dialog, click or tap Connect to the Internet and click or tap Next
- Click or tap Broadband (PPPoE) and click or tap Next
- Enter the username and password. Enter the domain. Check the Remember This Password box if the user doesn’t want to enter the password again. Click or tap Connect
A WWAN (cellular) connection shows up in the list of network connections after:
a SIM card is installed and activated by a mobile provider.
A corporate network may use a proxy server as:
an intermediary between a network client and destination of the request (such as a web page) from the network client
To configure manual proxy settings for a LAN connection in Windows follow these steps:
- Open the Internet properties (Internet options) dialog from the Control Panel
- On the Connections tab, click LAN Settings
- In the Local Area Network (LAN) Settings window, choose the appropriate option under Proxy Server
- Specify the correct server and port number to use
- Click OK to save changes in each dialog until you return to the browser display
Remote Desktop also includes Remote Assistance, which allows:
a user to invite a technician to view his or her desktop in the hopes that the technician can fix any encountered problems
In Windows, the settings Home, Work, Public, and Private refer to:
network locations
When a computer running Windows 7 is connected to a network for the first time, Windows prompts the user to select a location. The location options are:
Home
Work (Windows 7)
Public
By choosing Home or Work (Office) as location, you can:
configure the network connection as private
By choosing Public as location, you can:
configure a non-secured network. This option turns off network discovery, so the computer is not visible to other computers using the network
When a computer running Windows 8/8.1 is connected to a network for the first time, Windows prompts the user to select a location. In Windows 8, the dialog has two options:
Yes, Turn on Sharing and Connect to Devices (for home or work networks)
No, Don’t Turn on Sharing or Connect to Devices (for networks in public places)
The Network and Sharing Center in Windows 8.1 displays:
the current network connection and location
To change the network in Windows 8.1 you must follow these steps:
- Sweep in from the right to open the charms menu
- Click or tap Settings
- Click or tap the active network connection icon in the Settings pan. If no network connection is active, click or tap Change PC Settings, Network
- Click or tap the connection to change
- Use the Find Devices and Content slider to change the location. Turn it on for a private network. Turn it off for a public network
- Close the menu (by dragging it down until it disappears)
Windows Firewall can be configured to:
permit specified applications to pass through the firewall
open specific ports needed by applications
block all traffic
An exception is:
each application or port that is opened by a firewall
An alternative IP address enables:
a system to stay on the network if the DHCP server fails or if the system is sometimes on a different network than normal
To view or change the settings on the Alternate Configuration tab for a network adapter follow these steps:
- Open the Network and Sharing Center
- Click or tap Change Adapter Settings
- Click or tap the connection to change
- Click or tap Change Settings of This Connection
- Click or tap Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
- Click or tap Properties
- Click or tap Alternate Configuration
The Alternate Configuration tab is used to:
set up a different TCP/IPv4 configuration for use when a DHCP server is not available or when a different set of user-configured settings is needed, as when a laptop is being used as a secondary location
To access network properties follow these steps:
- Open the Network and Sharing Center
- Click or tap Change Adapter Settings
- Click or tap a wired connection
- Click or tap Change Settings of This Connection
- Click or tap Configure
Half duplex/full duplex/ auto are settings that:
determine how a network card communicates with the rest of the network
Full duplex modes enables:
the adapter to send and receive data at the same time, which doubles network speed compared to the default half-duplex mode
To change duplex and speed settings for a network follow these steps:
- Click or tap Configure on the adapter properties sheet
- Click or tap the Advanced tab
- Click or tap Speed & Duplex
- Select the value desired
- Click OK when done
Wake-on-LAN (WOL or WoL) enables:
a computer to a wired network to be awakened from sleep mode via a special “magic packet” signal delivered by the network
Wake-on-LAN (WOL or WoL) can be used to:
awaken a computer for updates, backup, or other tasks, as needed, and allow it to run in low-power mode when not in use
The successful configuration of Wake-on-LAN (WOL or WoL) requires:
changes to the default settings of a computer’s BIOS or UEFI firmware, network adapter, Windows services, firewall settings, and router port forwarding.
The following change in system configuration are needed to make Wake-on-LAN (WOL or WoL) work properly:
Enable Wake-on-LAN in the system BIOS or UEFI firmware and save changes
Open the Control Panel’s Windows Features dialog and turn on Simple TCP/IP Services
Open Computer Management’s Services dialog, start Simple TCP/IP Services, and configure it to run automatically
Ensure the UDP port 9 (recommended) or port 7 (if 9 isn’t working) is open in your firewall
Configure your router to forward UDP 9 (or 7) to the computers that need WOL services
Quality of server (QoS) enables:
a computer connected to a wired network to optimize real-time streaming traffic, such as VoIP, streaming video, or streaming music services
The BIOS in an on-board NIC can be used to:
boot the computer if it is configured as a bootable device in the BIOS or UEFI firmware setup. Enable this setting to obtain an installable OS image from the network
To maintain any computer system, you should follow best practices related to:
Scheduled backups
Scheduled disk maintenance
System updates/App store
Patch management
Driver/firmware updates
Antivirus/antimalware updates
Scheduled backups help prevent:
major data loss in case of system failure, accident, or loss.
Backups can be used to safeguard:
Contacts
Media files (photos, videos, and music)
Documents
The default backup app in macOS is:
Time Machine
Backup features to look for include:
Compression
Support for incremental as well as full backups
Local and network backup destinations
Describe Backup Compression:
Reduces the amount of file space and often the amount of time needed to make a backup
Describe Support for incremental as well as full backups:
Good backup practice calls for periodic full backups followed by backups of files changed since the last full backup (incremental backups)
Describe Local and network backup destinations:
Some backup utilities might require additional configuration before a network backup can be performed
To enable and configure Time Machine in macOS follow these steps:
- Connect a suitable external disk to a macOS system
- When prompted, click Use as Backup Disk. You can also check the Encrypt Backup Disk box to protect the backup
- If you select the option to encrypt your backup in step 2, enter a password, confirm it, and enter a password hint
- Make sure Time Machine is turned on. After the selected disk is encrypted, the backup starts
Disk Utility in macOS can be used to:
create blank disk images that can be used as containers for other files, including image backups
When a file is deleted from a macOS system or when a different version of an existing file is needed, you can restore a file from a Time Machine backup follow these steps:
- Open a Finder window where the restored file belongs
- Open Time Machine from Dock
- Scroll through the backups shown to find the file(s) to restore
- Select the file(s) to restore and click Restore
(The file is restored to its original location)
macOS offers several image recovery options likes:
After you create an image with Disk Utility, the image can be restored by using Edit> Restore
Disk Utility can also be used to reinstall macOS
macOS First Aid can:
repair problems with the file system, partitions, and other issues
Some useful disk maintenance commands for the Linux Terminal mode include:
df -h: List files and free space in a computer
> directory path/filename: Removes the contents of the specified file without removing the file itself
ls -lsr | tail -5: Finds the five largest files in the current directory
macOS and Linux bot include shell/terminal apps that:
open a command line environment
Screen Sharing enables:
local users on the network or remote users running virtual network computing (VNC) to control the screen for training or troubleshooting
The Force Quit feature in macOS enables:
the use to shut down a malfunctioning app
To access Force Quit in macOS from the keyboard, press:
Cmd+Option+Esc
Mission Control displays:
all apps open on the desktop so you can copy or move them between different desktops
Spotlight is the macOS:
search tool for files, apps, photos, web results, dictionary entries, news, moving listings, and more
To open Spotlight in macOS from the keyboard press:
Cmd+Spacebar
macOS uses iCloud cloud storage for:
photo sharing, document, and data storage, and Find My Mac
Use iCloud Keychain to:
safely store Safari usernames and passwords, credit card information, and WiFi network information across Apple devices
With gestures on macOS a user can:
convert common touch patterns to customizable commands such as “fast forward” zoom commands
Finder is macOS’s:
file manager
Recent Apple models do not have optical disks. Remote Disc enables:
access to files from a CD or DVD on another computer on a network
macOS uses the Dock to:
display and switch between running apps along the bottom of the display
Boot Camp is the macOS:
multiboot utility for installing Windows on a macOS computer
Basic Linux Commands
ls
lists the contents of a directory (folder), including permissions and other information
Basic Linux Commands
grep
performs text searches. The command line specifies what to search for and where to search
Basic Linux Commands
cd
use this to change directories (folders)
Basic Linux Commands
shutdown
shuts down the system
Basic Linux Commands
pwd
Displays the name of the current/working directory
Basic Linux Commands
passwd
Starts the password change process
Basic Linux Commands
mv
moves files to a specified location
Basic Linux Commands
cp
copies files to a specified location
Basic Linux Commands
rm
removes (deletes) files from the system
Basic Linux Commands
chmod
changes permissions of files and directories
Basic Linux Commands
chown
changes file ownership using the syntax sudo chown newowner filename
Basic Linux Commands
iwconfig
displays wireless network connections (Linux only)
Basic Linux Commands
ps
lists the currently running processes
Basic Linux Commands
sudo
runs a command as another user
Basic Linux Commands
su
switches between user accounts
Basic Linux Commands
apt-get
installs or manages Advanced Packaging Tool (APT) software packages
Basic Linux Commands
vi
starts the vi text editor
Basic Linux Commands
dd
performs a block file copy to convert between formats
Basic Linux Commands
kill
stops specified applications
