Chapter 6 - Operating Systems Flashcards
You want to transfer files from your computer to a remote server. To do this, you want to
connect to a shared directory on the server and copy the files. Which command- line utility
will allow you to do this?
A. netstat
B. net
C. netshare
D. netdom
B. Depending on the version of Windows you are using, net can be one of the most powerful commands at your disposal. While all Windows versions include a net command, its
capabilities differ based on whether it is used on a server or workstation and the version of
the operating system. Commonly net share is used to create shared folders, and net use
is used to connect to shared resources. The net user command allows administrators to
create and manage user accounts. netstat shows what sockets (IP address plus port) are
being used and by which protocols. net share is a valid command for managing shared
resources, but netshare and netdom are not valid commands.
A technician is troubleshooting a computer that occasionally will not read data from the
hard drive. What should they try first?
A. Run Defragment and Optimize Drives.
B. Run chkdsk at a command prompt.
C. Format the hard drive and reinstall the OS.
D. Replace the hard drive.
B. It’s possible that the hard drive has some bad sectors, so run chkdsk to scan the drive
and attempt to repair them. If that doesn’t work, formatting is the second option, and replacing the drive is the third. If your drive is getting read/write errors, having an extra hard drive
on hand would be wise.
You have replaced a failed hard drive and need to prepare the new drive for data storage.
Which utility will you use first?
A. format
B. chkdsk
C. diskpart
D. gpupdate
C. The diskpart utility lets the user see and manage partitions on the computer’s hard
drives. Because of the enormous power it holds, the user must have administrator status to
run diskpart. Once a partition is created, the format command will set up the filesystem
on the new volume. The chkdsk command verifies the disk integrity, and gpupdate forces
Group Policy changes to take effect immediately
You are at a Windows computer with the Command Prompt open. You believe that a user is
improperly accessing files on a shared folder named docs. On the Windows computer, the
D:\userfiles folder is shared as docs. Which command will immediately stop the sharing
of this folder?
A. net share D:\userfiles /delete
B. net share D:\userfiles /stop
C. net share docs /delete
D. net share docs /stop
C. The net share command is used to share folders on a network as well as stop sharing
folders. The proper syntax to share a folder is
net share <share>=<drive>:<path>. To stop sharing, use
net share <share> /delete. You must be running the Command Prompt
as an administrator to create and delete shares.</share></path></drive></share>
You want to use BitLocker to encrypt the company president’s laptop drive, but when you
go into Control Panel to find it, it isn’t there. What Windows 10 edition does this com-
puter have?
A. Home
B. Pro
C. Pro for Workstations
D. Enterprise
A. Windows 10 Home edition does not offer BitLocker as an option. BitLocker is available
in the Pro, Pro for Workstations, and Enterprise editions.
Which of the following Windows editions support ReFS (Resilient File System)?
(Choose two.)
A. Home
B. Pro
C. Pro for Workstations
D. Enterprise
C, D. Resilient File System (ReFS) is a feature available on Windows Pro for Workstations
and Windows Enterprise editions. ReFS will detect when data on a mirrored drive has been
corrupted and will use a healthy copy of the data on other drives to attempt to correct corrupted data and protect data.
You just purchased a new computer that has four CPUs. What edition of Windows will you
need, at a minimum, to take advantage of the computer’s processing capability?
A. Home
B. Pro
C. Pro for Workstations
D. Enterprise
C. Windows Pro for Workstations is designed so that users can take advantage of the capa-
bilities of high- end workstations. Windows Home edition can support one physical processor,
Windows Pro can support up to two physical processors, while Windows Pro for Worksta-
tions can support up to four physical processors.
An employee wants to bring their Windows device to use at work. At work they will need to
log into a domain. Which reason below will prohibit the employee from using their device on
the domain?
A. Their device only has one processor.
B. Their device OS is Windows Home.
C. Their device only has 8 GB of RAM.
D. Their device must be Windows Enterprise.
1 Enterprise and Embedded Industry editions cannot be upgraded to Windows 10, but
the other Windows 8.1 editions can. No Windows 8 editions can be directly upgraded to
Windows 10. They must be first upgraded to Windows 8.1, then Windows 10. Only Win-
dows 10 Home can be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro, or an in- place upgrade from Win-
dows 10 Pro to the same or newer version of Windows 10 Pro can be done to troubleshoot
problems with the existing installation.
One of your technicians needs to use the Task Manager utility. What are ways they can open
Task Manager? (Choose two.)
A. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and then click Task Manager.
B. Press Ctrl+Shift+T.
C. Press Ctrl+Alt+T.
D. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
A, D. Task Manager is a powerful tool that works in all versions of Windows, although it
has different capabilities in different versions. In Windows 10 and 11 it allows you to shut
down nonresponsive applications; view performance of CPU, memory, disks, Wi- Fi, and
GPUs; as well as show application usage history, services, and programs that are launched at
startup, users who are attached to the system, and other useful information.
You need to configure Internet connections on a Windows workstation. Which tabs of the
Internet Options utility in Control Panel would you use to set the home page and enable the
pop- up blocker?
A. Connections, Security
B. General, Security
C. General, Privacy
D. Connections, Privacy
C. The Internet Options utility in Windows Control Panel has six tabs that allow you to con-
figure how your browser interacts with the Internet. The six tabs are General, Security, Pri-
vacy, Content, Connections, Programs, and Advanced. Not all versions of Windows have the
Content tab. The General tab allows you to change the home page whereas the Privacy tab
has a Turn On Pop-u p Blocker option.
A network connection doesn’t seem to be working as it should. You’ve verified that the cables
are good from end to end. Where can you quickly look in the OS to see if there is a problem
with the onboard NIC driver?
A. Device Manager
B. Programs and Features
C. File Explorer Options
D. Ease of Access
Programs and
Features allows the user to add, remove, or troubleshoot installed programs (the options
will change by program) and add or remove Windows features. Indexing Options catalogs
words in files and the files’ metadata to provide faster file searches.
A salesperson in your company travels regularly to foreign countries, through different
time zones. They have asked you if there is a way to set their Windows 10 PC so that it will
always show the time and date for their location. How can this be done?
A. In Windows Settings, choose Time & Language, then Date & time, and select Set time
automatically.
B. In Control Panel, choose Date and Time, then select Set Time Zone Automatically.
C. In Windows Settings, choose Date And Time, then select Synchronize Your Clock.
D. In Windows Settings, choose Time & Language, then choose Date & time, and select Set
time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
D. To always show the time and date correctly for the salesperson’s location, you would
need to enable both Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically, as shown in
the graphic. Synchronize your clock would work in the moment but will not automatically
change the time and time zone as the salesperson travels. The Date And Time utility of Con-
trol Panel will let you change the date and time, but it does not have a setting for automat-
ically changing them as you move from place to place. In Windows 11 Time And Language
appears as Time & Language, but otherwise the choices are the same.
One of your Windows 10 users has limited eyesight and has asked you to enable voice
activation for as many applications as possible. Where can this be done?
A. In Control Panel, Default Programs
B. In Windows Settings, under Privacy, Notifications
C. In Windows Settings, under Privacy, Voice Activation
D. In Control Panel, Indexing Options
C. Voice activation, found under Privacy in Windows Settings will allow the user to turn on
microphone access and choose which apps are allowed to use voice activation, even when
the device is locked. The choices are slightly different in Windows 11. In Windows Settings,
choose Privacy & security, then Speech. The setting is on by default. The Default Programs
app of Control Panel allows you to manage default applications for opening types of files
such as photos or mail by opening those settings in Windows Settings. By choosing Privacy,
You are working with a customer that has a small workgroup (peer- to- peer) network with
Windows 10 PCs. The employee computers have a program that requires using the X: drive.
Several computer users need to be able to access this drive, which is actually a shared folder
located on the manager’s PC. What can you do to make this drive available for other com-
puters to access as drive X:? (Choose two.)
A. On each client computer, open File Explorer, click This PC, then click Map network
drive. Choose drive letter X, then navigate to the shared resource.
B. On the manager’s PC, navigate to the shared folder, then right- click it and choose Map
network drive.
C. On the manager’s PC, ensure that each user who will connect to the manager’s PC has a
user account.
D. On the client computer, create a folder called Drive X:, then on the manager’s PC,
map Drive X: to that folder.
A, C. In a workgroup (peer- to- peer) network, you would first need to ensure that each
person who will be using the shared resource has a username and password on the manager’s
computer. The resource would then be shared on the manager’s PC, and on each employee’s
computer, go into File Explorer, click This PC, then Map network drive and follow the
onscreen prompts to map drive X: to that shared resource. The choices in Windows 11 are
slightly different. In File Explorer, after clicking This PC you would click the three dots in the
ribbon then choose Map network drive.
You are setting up a network for a very small company. They have a total of 10 computers
running a mix of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro computers, and they have a
network- attached printer. What will you use to allow them to share files and their printer?
A. Domain
B. Workgroup
C. Homegroup
D. Crossover cables
B. In order to have a domain, you would need a domain controller (DC), for which the
company would need Windows Server software installed on a network connected computer.
They only have Windows 10 workstations. Homegroups were a networking scheme that
shared a computer’s libraries with other people on the same Homegroup, but Homegroups
are no longer an option. Crossover cables are not a practical way to share anything among
10 computers. By default, the computers would belong to the workgroup named workgroup.
Each computer that is sharing a resource would need to have the user they are sharing with
listed on that computer, then the person sharing information could right- click a folder and
choose Give access to, then Specific people and choose who they want to share that particular
resource with. Workgroups are great for small groups of people, but if there are more than
20 or 30 people in the group, you’ll likely want to move up to a DC and centralized security.
A user’s Windows workstation seems to be using an excessive amount of memory. Which
management tool could you use to identify the application that is causing the problem?
A. Performance Monitor
B. Computer Management
C. Windows Memory Diagnostics
D. Processes tab of Task Manager
D. One of Task Manager’s many capabilities is allowing you to see what resources (memory,
CPU, GPU, network, and disk) are being used by application, and it allows you to end the
process or the entire process tree to free up those resources. Performance Monitor will show
resources used but not by application. Computer Management gives access to several other
resources, but not Task Manager, whereas Windows Memory Diagnostics is used to test the
health of RAM modules.
The CEO will be attending several meetings whose discussions must remain confidential.
They want to ensure that the microphone on their Windows 10 PC is not available while they
are using certain apps. Where can these settings be configured?
A. In Windows Settings, choose Privacy, then Microphone.
B. Device Manager.
C. Computer Management.
D. In Windows Settings, choose Personalization.
A. In Windows Settings, choosing Privacy, then Microphone opens a window that pro-
vides granular settings for microphone use, including which apps can use the microphone.
Device Manager could be used to disable the microphone, but it would be for all purposes.
Computer Management provides access to several tools, but not granular microphone set-
tings. In Windows Settings, Personalization options allow the user to change settings such as
background, colors, and lock screen. In Windows 11 the only difference is that you would
choose Privacy & Security, not Privacy.
You are manually configuring IPv4 addresses on a computer. The IP address is 200.100.1.10,
and the network number is 200.100.0.0. What is the appropriate subnet mask for
this computer?
A. 200.100.0.0
B. 255.255.0.0
C. 0.0.255.255
D. 192.168.0.0
B. The best way to understand IPv4 addressing is to convert the IP address and subnet
mask to binary numbers. This is essentially what the operating system is looking at when
determining the network and host portion of an IP address. What we see as dotted dec-
imal notation is seen by the computer as four sets of eight binary bits (either a 1 or a 0).
In the subnet mask, a binary 1 indicates that the position of that bit is part of the network
number and a 0 indicates that it is part of the host number. Network numbers always go
consecutively from left to right with no breaks between. Eight binary bits that are all ones
(11111111) equates to 255 in decimal, so the maximum value of a subnet mask’s octet is
You are configuring a Windows client computer on a network that has a DHCP and DNS
server attached. Where will the computer get its IP address and subnet mask?
A. You will manually configure them in Windows Settings by choosing Personalization.
B. You will manually configure them in Windows Settings, by choosing Network & Internet.
C. It will automatically get them from the DHCP server.
D. It will automatically get them from the DNS server.
C. The default setting for obtaining an IP address is automatic, which means that the computer
will look for a DHCP server to assign an IP address and subnet mask. No manual configura-
tion is required, but in Windows 10, you can verify that the connection is set to automatically
obtain an IP address, as shown in the graphic, by following these steps: Open Windows Set-
tings, then click Network & Internet. Choose Change adapter options, and right-c lick the net-
work connection in question. Then choose Properties, click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/
IPv4), and click Properties. The process is the same for IPv6, except that you would choose
IPv6 instead of IPv4. This can also be done through Control Panel by clicking Network and
Sharing Center instead of Network and Internet, then the next steps are the same. In Windows
11, Windows Settings, choose Network & Internet, click Properties of the active network con-
nection at the top of the page. This will bring you to the network’s configuration page where
you can ensure that the setting for IP assignment is configured to Automatic (DHCP). The Con-
trol Panel options for Windows 11 are the same as Windows 10.
You have been told to configure a static IP of 110.110.1.5 for a server. This server will need
to be able to access the Internet. Which one of the following is not a required setting to
configure?
A. Default gateway
B. IP address
C. Proxy server
D. Subnet mask
C. An IP address on a device can be either dynamic or static. In a static IP address, the
minimum amount of information that needs to be configured is the IP address, subnet mask,
and, if the computer will access the Internet or other networks, a default gateway. A proxy
server is an added security measure between a device and the Internet. It is used to translate
between protocols and filter out certain types of traffic such as keeping inappropriate web-
sites out and confidential data in the network.
You’re creating a network diagram for a company that has just hired you as a network
admin. Which of the following could be the default gateway on the company’s network?
(Choose two.)
A. Web server
B. Proxy server
C. Router
D. Switch
B, C. Web servers provide web pages to users sometimes inside but often outside of the
company by answering HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) or HTTPS (HTTP Secure)
requests. They are often separate from the main network on a screened subnet for security
reasons. A proxy server can serve as a gateway for a network because, if one exists, traffic
will go through the proxy server before going into or out of the network. In the absence of
a proxy server, the router serves as a gateway, forwarding traffic on to the next network or
receiving external traffic and sending it to the proper device inside a network. A switch is an
internal networking device that provides a central connection point for network nodes and
uses the node’s MAC (Media Access Control) address that is found on the NIC (network
interface card) to send packets to the proper destination.
What is the purpose of a subnet mask?
A. Identifies the network portion of an IPv4 address
B. Identifies the network portion of an IPv6 address
C. Masks (hides) part of the IP address from a hacker
D. Masks (hides) the host number from a hacker
A. In IPv4 networking, a computer system will compare the subnet mask to the IP address
to identify the network and host number of the IP address. IPv6 addresses don’t use a subnet
mask. IPv6 addresses consist of eight segments. The first three are a site prefix, the fourth is
the subnet ID, and the last four segments are the interface ID, which is essentially the host
address. The subnet mask doesn’t hide anything.
You’ve been asked to help with a network for a company that has 50 computers. They’ve
been using workgroups, but it is getting too difficult. There is an assortment of Windows
editions on the computers, including Windows Home, Windows Pro, and Windows Pro for
Workstations. What will you do to set up their new network? (Choose two.)
A. Upgrade all the Windows Home PCs to Windows Pro.
B. Install a server with Active Directory.
C. Downgrade all the Windows Pro for Workstations to Windows Pro.
D. Upgrade all the workstations to Windows Enterprise.
A, B. A network with that many computers (typically more than 10) needs a domain for
security management. The Windows Home edition PCs can’t log into a domain, so they
would need to be upgraded to at least the Pro edition. It’s not necessary to upgrade them to
Pro for Workstations or Enterprise editions.
You work for a multinational corporation that is using Windows 10 laptops. All the
company laptops are configured to use United States English, but a worker that speaks
Bajan (Barbados English) would prefer to see apps and websites in their native language. Is
this possible?
A. No, this is not possible.
B. Yes, Add English (Barbados) in the Control Panel, Programs and Features utility.
C. Yes, add English (Barbados) in Windows Settings, Time & Language, Language section.
D. Yes, but it will require reinstalling the OS in Bajan.
C. It is possible to view apps and websites in many languages and dialects. In Windows
Settings, choose Time & Language, then Language (see the graphic). Click Add a language
to choose the appropriate language to install, then move it to the top of the language list.
Apps and websites that support that language will appear in the language that is at the top
of the list. The language may require downloading a Language pack. Icons to the right of
the installed language are used to indicate what is available in that language. In the graphic,
to the right of English (United States) from left to right the icons indication options avail-
able are as follows: Display language, Text- to- speech, Speech recognition, Handwriting, and
Spell- check.
A Windows workstation has an application that appears to be locked up, but the keyboard is
responsive in other applications. What system tool can you use to terminate the nonrespon-
sive application?
A. Event Viewer
B. Task Manager
C. Computer Management
D. msconfig.exe
B. The Processes tab of Task Manager will allow you to terminate the nonresponsive appli-
cation. Event Viewer keeps a log of security, application, and system events. Computer
Management gives access to several other resources, but not one that lets you end wayward
applications. The msconfig.exe application launches System Configuration, which gives
you access to boot configuration settings, running services, and links to other Windows tools.
Which of the following Control Panel utilities enables configuration of a proxy server?
A. Internet Options
B. File Explorer Options
C. Device Manager
D. Security and Maintenance
A. In Control Panel, choosing Internet Options, selecting the Connections tab, and then
clicking LAN settings will take you to a window that enables configuration of a proxy
server. Proxy server settings can also be configured through Windows Settings by choosing
Network & Internet and choosing Proxy. The File Explorer Options utility is used to con-
figure how files and folders are viewed, and how searches are conducted. Device Manager
is a great utility to use when troubleshooting hardware issues, and the Security and Mainte-
nance utility provides a quick way to see if security is configured on the PC and to see any
recent messages.
Given the IP address of fe80::308c:fee2:2abc:8337, what do we know about this address?
(Choose two.)
A. It is an IPv4 address.
B. It is an IPv6 address.
C. The subnet mask is 0.
D. It is not routable.
B, D. IPv4 addresses are 32 bits long and consist of 4 octets, which is a group of 8 bits
each, separated by a period (.) They are normally presented in dotted decimal notation,
meaning each group of 8 bits is shown as a decimal number less than 256, with a period
(.) between each number, such as 192.168.1.1. IPv6 addresses are a 128- bit IP address
presented as eight segments of four hexadecimal numbers each, separated by a colon (:).
Where the hexadecimal number is 0 in any segment, it can be omitted and replaced simply
by double colons (::). If consecutive segments are 0, they can all be replaced by a single set
of double colons, but only one set of double colons can exist in any given address— otherwise
you wouldn’t be able to tell how many sets of zero are in each part of the IP address.
In the example, fe80::308c:fee2:dabc:8337, the expanded address would be
fe80:0:0:0:308c:fee2:dabc:8337. The first three segments (48 bits) are the site
prefix, and the fourth segment (16 bits) is the subnet ID, also known as private topology or
site topology. The site prefix and subnet number together constitute the subnet prefix. The
last four segments (64 bits) are the interface ID, also sometimes called a token. The subnet
ID in this case would be 0. IPv6 addresses do not have a subnet mask. The value of the first
octet, fe80, tells us that this number is a link- local address, an internal number only and
not routable.
You see an IP address with /48 after it. What does the /48 tell you? (Choose two.)
A. There are 48 PCs on this network.
B. The prefix length is 48 bits.
C. This network uses the IPv6 addressing scheme.
D. This network uses the IPv4 addressing scheme.
B, C. The IP address in question must be IPv6 because IPv4 addresses are only 32 bits long.
The / indicates that the number behind it is the number of bits for the network address
in IPv4 or the prefix length in IPv6, both of which identify the network number of an IP
address. In IPv4 we call this CIDR (Classless Inter- domain Routing) notation.
Which of the following IPv6 address types are routable?
A. Global unicast
B. Link- local
C. Loopback
D. Unique local
A. Global unicast addresses are routable, like IPv4 public addresses. That means that a
global unicast address can be reached by any other PC on the Internet, unless you put secu-
rity measures in place like a firewall. You would likely want a global unicast address on a
web server, but not on your workstation. Link- local addresses can only be used to communi-
cate with devices that are on the same local link. They will start with fe80 and are assigned
in a manner similar to IPv4 APIPA addresses. The IPv6 loopback address is ::1, and is used
for testing just like the loopback address in IPv4 (127.0.0.1). A unique local address is akin
to an IPv4 private address. Unique local addresses are nonroutable, so a computer with only
a unique local address and a link-l ocal address (but no global unicast address) would need a
router with IPv6 NAT in order to access the Internet.
You are on a Windows computer that is joined to a workgroup. You’re going home and
ready to shut your computer down but want to be certain that no one is using the shared files
on the computer first. Where would you go to check?
A. Task Manager
B. Users and Groups
C. Performance Monitor
D. Control Panel ➢ Networking
A. The Task Manager’s Users tab provides information about any users that are connected
to the local machine. The Users tab shows the user’s identification and the resources that are
being used by them. Right- click and choose Expand to see what they are using on your com-
puter. You can also disconnect them from here, but it might be nicer to message them first.
You have a workstation with a 64-b it processor and no operating system. When you install
an operating system on the workstation, which of the following is true?
A. You can only install a 64-b it operating system.
B. You can only install a 32-b it operating system.
C. You can install either a 64-b it or 32- bit operating system.
D. You can install a 64- bit operating system or a 32- bit operating system running in com-
patibility mode.
C. With a 64- bit processor, you can install either a 32- bit or 64- bit operating system. A 32-
bit system will not be able to take advantage of the full processing power of the 64- bit pro-
cessor, though.
A customer has a PC from 2017 on which they would like to install Windows 10 Pro. What
is the minimum processor speed they must have to install Windows 10 64- bit?
A. 1 GHz
B. 2 GHz
C. 3 GHz
D. 10 GHz
A. Windows 10 minimum requirements are a 1 GHz or faster processor or SoC (System on
a Chip), DirectX 9 or later with the WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) 1.0 driver,
and a minimum 800×600 display. For storage, the 32- bit version requires 16 GB and the 64-
bit version requires 20 GB available for the OS. RAM requirements are 1 GB for the 32- bit
operating system and 2 GB for the 64-b it operating system. Keep in mind that these are the
absolute minimum requirements, and the OS will run but not as well as we have come to
expect. In reality, a faster processor, more RAM, and more storage would be expected.
Which of the following is not a Windows 10 edition?
A. Home
B. Enterprise
C. Pro Artist
D. Pro Workstation
C. Windows 10 is available in many different editions. The editions on the CompTIA A+
exam (for both Windows 10 and Windows 11) are Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, and
Enterprise. Other Windows editions (not on the CompTIA A+ exam) include Education, Pro
Education, Windows 10 in S mode, Windows for IoT, and Windows 10 Team.
What information do you need to connect to a PC using Remote Desktop?
A. The IP address of the PC
B. The password to the network that the PC resides on
C. The name under “How to connect to this PC” when Remote Desktop was enabled
D. The password of the signed-o n PC user
C. To connect, all you need to know is the name of the device you’re connecting to, but there
are steps that must have already taken place. If you’re using your smartphone to connect,
you need Remote Desktop Mobile installed on the smartphone and Remote Desktop must
be enabled on the target PC. Then you would simply open the app on your smartphone and
type the name that appeared under “How to connect to this PC” when Remote Desktop was
enabled on that PC.
You’re troubleshooting a PC and want to see what ports TCP is connected on and the IP
addresses of those connections. What command- line utility can you use to see statistics on
network interfaces?
A. ping
B. nbtstat
C. nslookup
D. netstat
D. The netstat command- line utility presents statistics related to the installed network
interfaces. By default, on a Windows machine, running the command will display a list
of connections and the associated protocol, the source and target address, and the current
state of the connection. Ping is used to test connectivity between two computers,
nbtstat is used for troubleshooting NetBIOS over TCP/IP, and nslookup is used to query
a DNS server.
A new technician asked you how to use a Windows command. In the spirit of sharing
knowledge with others, you show them how to get help on many commands instead of just
one. Which one of the following does not work with any commands?
A. help [command name]
B. [command name] help
C. [command name] /?
D. /? [command name]
D. The /? [command name] syntax simply does not work. The CompTIA A+ objectives
list [command name] /?, but there are other ways to get help at a command prompt.
Typing help and pressing Enter at a command prompt will provide a list of commands
that help can help you with. Armed with that information, you can type
help [command name], for example, help xcopy, and you will see the syntax, switches,
and explanations for how the command works. Some commands, for example, sfc, will not
work with that help syntax. To find help with sfc, you would type sfc /?, sfc /help or
sfc help, but none of those options work with all commands. For example, gpresult /?
works, but gpresult /help will tell you that /help is an invalid option. Remember that
the option CompTIA wants you to know is [command name] /?. There are upward of
200 commands supported by Windows 10 and Windows 11. CompTIA’s A+ objectives list
just a few, so focus on those.
Which Windows utility allows you to view error messages generated by system events, appli-
cations, or login failures?
A. System Information
B. Windows Defender
C. Event Viewer
D. Disk Management
C. Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) is a Windows tool, available in most versions, that
allows you to view application error logs, security audit records, and system errors. System
Information (msinfo32.exe) shows a plethora of information about the hardware and
software of a system, but it doesn’t keep a log of changes. It provides static information avail-
able at the time you launch the program. Windows Defender is a Control Panel utility that
You find that you are often using System Configuration, Disk Cleanup, and Event Viewer.
What Windows 10 Control Panel utility gives you quick access to these and more tools?
A. Computer Management
B. Resource Monitor
C. Administrative Tools
D. Task Scheduler
C. Administrative Tools, which can be found in the Windows 10 Control Panel, has many
of the computer management tools that are used to maintain and troubleshoot computer
systems, not just the ones listed in this question. Computer Management is a Micro-
soft Management Console (MMC) that contains other tools as well. In it you can find
Task Scheduler, Even Viewer, Shared Folders, Performance, Device Manager, and Disk
Management, as well as Services and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Con-
trol. In Windows Pro and above editions Computer Management also contains Local Users
and Groups. Resource Monitor shows resources being used by process in real time, and Task
Scheduler is just as the name sounds—i t can be used to schedule other applications, even
batch files, to run based on time or other predetermined events. Administrative Tools is not
available in Windows 11, but the other tools listed in this question are.
Your manager has a laptop running Windows. They want to configure the laptop so that
when it is on battery power, the display shuts off after five minutes of inactivity. When the
laptop is plugged in, the display needs to stay active for up to 45 minutes of inactivity. Which
Control Panel utility is used to configure these settings?
A. Power Options
B. Computer Management
C. Performance Monitor
D. System Configuration
A. A power plan needs to be created with the user’s desired settings. This is done in the
Power Options utility of Control Panel. Different options, such as Hibernate or Standby, can
be configured for when the laptop is on battery power versus when it’s plugged in. There
are also power settings in Windows Settings, but they are not listed in the CompTIA A+
objectives.
You need to work at a command prompt on a Windows PC. When you open the prompt, you
are at C:\window\system32. You need to work on the second partition, which is listed as
drive D:. How will you navigate to drive D:? Assume you press Enter after the command.
A. root D:
B. D:
C. cd D:
D. cd D:\
B. The way to change to a different drive is to type the drive letter and a colon, such as D:,
and press Enter. cd is the change directory command. It can take you to a different directory
or change the working directory on a different drive but cannot take you to a different drive.
root is not a Windows command.
Which Windows 10 Editions support up to four CPU sockets? (Choose two.)
A. Home
B. Pro
C. Pro for Workstations
D. Enterprise
C, D. Windows Pro for Workstations and Enterprise editions support up to four physical
CPU sockets and 6 TB of RAM. The Home edition supports 128 GB of RAM and one CPU
socket whereas the Pro edition supports 2 TB of RAM and a maximum of two CPU sockets.
You have a workstation with a 32-b it processor and no operating system installed. When you
install an operating system on the workstation, which of the following is true?
A. You can only install a 32-b it operating system.
B. You can install a 64- bit operating system but it will run in compatibility mode.
C. You can install either a 32-b it or 64- bit operating system and either will run fine.
D. You can install a 64- bit operating system but it will only run half as fast.
A. A 32- bit processor doesn’t have the capability to run a 64- bit operating system in any
mode. It also won’t be able to run a 64-b it program. It simply doesn’t have a wide enough
data path.
You are installing the Windows 10 Home 64- bit operating system on a friend’s computer.
What is the minimum storage space that must be available for the OS installation?
A. 1 GHz
B. 2 GHz
C. 16 GB
D. 20 GB
D. Windows 10 minimum requirements are a 1 GHz or faster processor or SoC (System on
a Chip), DirectX 9 or later with the WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) 1.0 driver,
and a minimum 800×600 display. For storage, the 32- bit version requires 16 GB, and the
64- bit version requires 20 GB available for the OS. RAM requirements are 1 GB for the 32-
bit operating system and 2 GB for the 64-b it operating system. Keep in mind that these are
the absolute minimum requirements, and the OS will run but not as well as we have come to
expect. In reality, a faster processor, more RAM, and more storage would be expected.
You are in the Windows 10 Command Prompt, using Run as administrator. There is a
directory named d:\files that you want to delete. It currently has six subdirectories and
dozens of files in it. Which command should you use to delete d:\files?
A. del d:\files /s
B. del d:\files /q
C. rmdir d:\files /s
D. rmdir d:\files /q
C. The cd, md, and rd commands are used to change, make, and remove directories, respec-
tively. They’re shorthand versions of the chdir, mkdir, and rmdir commands. The rd or
rmdir command will only delete empty directories by default. With that command, the /s
switch will remove all subdirectories and files. The /q switch is quiet mode, and when used
with the /s switch, it will not ask if it’s OK to remove all the files and subdirectories; it will
remove them without warning. The del command is for deleting files.
You’ve installed several identical new PCs and want to capture a baseline of their
performance for future troubleshooting. What tool would be best suited for that purpose?
A. Event Viewer
B. Performance Monitor
C. System Information
D. System Configuration
B. Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc) offers a graphic display of a wide range of
counters to track how well hardware such as RAM, drives, and CPUs are performing over
time. Those reports can be printed and filed as a baseline to compare to future performance
and used to identify bottlenecks in a system. Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) keeps logs
of system, application, and security events that can be used for activities such as detecting
attempted unauthorized access to resources. System Information provides a snapshot of the
system’s hardware and software, including the OS version, RAM, processor, motherboard,
and much, much more. The program to launch it is msinfo32.exe. System Configuration
(msconfig.exe) has been appearing in Windows operating systems for many versions now,
but its features have changed over time. In Windows 10 and Windows 11, this utility is used
to control how Windows boots up and to provide quick access to other Windows tools.
A user has called the help desk saying that the Internet is down on their Windows computer.
After asking a few questions, you want to examine their network configuration to determine
the cause of their computer’s connectivity problem. You’ve talked them through accessing the
Windows Command Prompt. What command will you have them type so they can read the
computer configuration to you?
A. ipconfig /all
B. ipconfig /renew
C. ip
D. tracert
A. The ipconfig command is used to display information about the computer’s current
network configurations. The /all switch will show more detailed information than
ipconfig alone will, such as whether DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is
enabled and what the DNS (Domain Name System) settings are. Typing ipconfig /renew
will request a new IP address from a DHCP server, if one is available to the host PC. The
macOS equivalent of ipconfig is ip (replacing the old ifconfig command), and
tracert shows the path a packet takes to get from one computer to another.
A computer user that you support is having difficulty reading the words on the screen
because they have a visual impairment that makes distinguishing colors difficult for them.
What can you change in Windows Settings to make their screen more readable?
A. Go to Personalization, then Fonts.
B. Go to Personalization, then Background, and choose High contrast settings.
C. Select System, then Display, then Nightlight.
D. Select Accounts, then choose High Contrast Settings.
B. Select Windows Settings, then Personalization, choose Background, then click on High
contrast settings. On the next screen click the toggle to turn on high contrast, which will
make the colors more distinct and easier for visually impaired users to distinguish between
them. This may make it easier for the user to read the words on the screen. Like most Win-
dows options, there are other ways to access the High Contrast Settings. The Fonts selection
under Windows Settings, then Personalization, allows the user to add fonts to the system
that are not already there. While changing to a different font might help the computer user,
this isn’t the place to do it. The nightlight settings use warmer colors at night, which might
make PC use even more difficult for this user. High contrast settings are not available under
Accounts.
You need to work at a command prompt on a Windows PC. When you open the prompt, you
are at C:\window\system32. You need to be at the root of the C: drive for what you’ll be
doing. How do you get to C:\? Assume you would press Enter after the command.
A. cd c:
B. cd\
C. C:\
D. cd root
B. Typing cd\ will take you to the root of whatever drive you are on. You could also
type cd.. and press Enter to go back one directory at a time. For example, to go from
C:\windows\system32 to C:\, you would need to type cd.. and press Enter, then type
cd.. and press Enter. The other options will not get you to the root of the C: drive.
A laptop user has traveled to visit a client and forgot their power adapter. The user is heading
to lunch with the client and wants to conserve battery power but enable the fastest possible
startup when they get back, with the applications already open. Which power mode will con-
serve battery life but enable the fastest startup?
A. Shut down
B. Sleep
C. Hibernate
D. Resting
B. Sleep stores everything that’s open in RAM and enters a low power state. The display and
drives aren’t using power, but power is needed to continually refresh memory so that it can
retain the information. It uses very little power but “wakes up” very quickly with everything
open as it was. Sleep in some computer systems and other electronic devices may be called
standby or suspend. Shutting the computer down would cause the laptop to use no power
but starting up would take longer. Hibernate stores open programs and data to the hard
drive and once the computer is hibernated it would use no power, but it will not resume its
state as quickly as using Sleep would. There is no resting power state.
Which of the following operating systems is open source, allowing its users to customize it as
they wish to suit their individual needs?
A. Windows
B. Linux
C. macOS
D. Chrome OS
B. Linux is free and open source, so a user can modify the operating system’s source code to
behave and appear however they choose. The downside is that there might not be as much
support if something goes wrong as there would be with a commercial package. Windows
and macOS are commercial operating systems, meaning that you pay for them and can use
their utilities to configure the OS, but you don’t have access to the operating system’s source
code. Chrome OS is a commercial, proprietary operating system found only on Chrome-
books, but there is an open source version called Chromium OS.
What does Keychain provide for the user in macOS?
A. Password management
B. Local file sharing
C. Certificate management
D. Screen protection
A. Remembering the passwords for various websites is easily managed in macOS
with Keychain.
You’re installing Windows 10 Pro edition on a workstation. How much memory must there
be? (Choose two.)
A. 20 GB for the 64- bit version
B. 16 GB for the 32- bit version
C. 1 GB for the 32- bit version
D. 2 GB for the 64- bit version
C, D. Regardless of the version that is being installed, Windows 10 has the same minimum
requirements, which are a 1 GHz or faster processor or SoC (System on a Chip), DirectX
9 or later with the WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) 1.0 driver, and a minimum
800×600 display. For storage, the 32- bit version requires 16 GB, and the 64- bit version
requires 20 GB available for the OS. RAM requirements are 1 GB for the 32- bit operating
system and 2 GB for the 64-b it operating system. Keep in mind that these are the absolute
minimum requirements, and the OS will run but not as well as we have come to expect. In
reality, a faster processor, more RAM, and more storage would be expected. Windows 11
requirements are different. It requires a 1 GHz or faster processor with a minimum of 2
cores on a 64- bit processor or SoC. The minimum RAM is 4 GB, UEFI firmware (not BIOS),
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0, DirectX 12 or later with the WDM 2.0 driver,
and a high- definition display greater than 9″ diagonally. The Home edition requires a Micro-
soft account and Internet access for installation.
Which Windows 10 edition supports up to 2 TB of RAM?
A. Home
B. Pro
C. Pro for Workstations
D. Enterprise
B. Windows 10 Pro edition supports up to 2 TB of RAM and a maximum of two CPU
sockets. The Home edition supports only 128 GB of RAM and one CPU socket. Windows
Pro for Workstations and Enterprise editions support up to four physical CPU sockets and 6
TB of RAM.
You work at home with a computer that has a Windows Home edition installed. You’re try-
ing to run gpedit.msc to establish group policies on the computer that will limit what your
children can do on it. For some reason, gpedit.msc won’t launch. What do you do?
A. Reboot the computer, then run gpedit.msc.
B. Upgrade to Windows Pro edition.
C. Install Windows Active Directory.
D. Launch it from Administrative Tools.
B. The Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) is not available in the Home editions
of Windows. It is available in the Pro, Pro for Workstation, and Enterprise editions. You
don’t need to have Active Directory installed on a server to use the Local Group Policy
Editor, although it is available there as well. Going to Administrative Tools won’t help
because the Group Policy Editor is not available anywhere on Windows Home editions, and
Administrative Tools is included in Windows 10 but not included in Windows 11.
You are at a Windows command prompt, on the C: drive. You need to create a directory
named files on the D: drive. What is the proper command and syntax to do this?
A. cd d:\files
B. cd files d:\
C. md d:\files
D. md files d:\
C. The cd, md, and rd commands are used to change, make, and remove directories, respec-
tively. They’re shorthand versions of the chdir, mkdir, and rmdir commands. The syntax
of the command is md [drive:]path, so the directory would appear after the drive letter
when typing the command. The drive letter must be included because it is not the drive that
you are on.
You will be installing several new resource-i ntensive applications on a Windows workstation,
and the user has concerns over system performance. You want to monitor memory and CPU
performance and set up the workstation so that it logs performance over time. Which utility
should you use to set this up?
A. Resource Monitor
B. Performance Monitor
C. Task Viewer
D. Event Viewer
B. There are three tools that quickly show you CPU and memory usage in Windows:
Resource Monitor, Performance Monitor, and Task Manager. The only one that lets you
set up logs is Performance Monitor. It will collect counter information and then send that
information to a console or event log. Event Viewer logs system, application, and security
events, not performance.
You don’t like the pictures that are on your desktop and change from time to time. Where
will you go in Windows Settings to change this setting?
A. Accounts
B. Apps
C. Personalization
D. System
C. From the Personalization menu of Windows Settings, you can change the desktop theme
and background colors. Accounts enables the user to manage what accounts have access to
this computer and at what level. The Apps settings deal with application- specific parameters
and not operating system settings. Finally, the System settings in Windows Settings has a mul-
titude of settings that relate to the system but not to the image that appears on the desktop.
What operating system developed by Google is used on tablets or laptops used mainly for
accessing the Internet and using Android applications?
A. Ubuntu
B. iOS
C. Windows 11 Pro
D. Chrome OS
D. The Google Chrome OS was developed by Google. It comes preinstalled on laptops and
tablets called Chromebooks. A freeware version, Chromium OS, can be installed on tablets,
smartphones, laptops, and desktops. The main user interface for Chrome OS is the Google
Chrome browser. Chrome OS can also support Android apps. Ubuntu is based on the open
source Linux OS kernel. iOS is Apple’s proprietary operating system, and Windows 11 Pro
was developed by Microsoft.
On your laptop running macOS, what is the name of the utility used to browse through files
and folders?
A. Spotlight
B. Remote Disc
C. iCloud
D. Finder
D. Finder in macOS is similar to File Explorer in Windows. Both allow you to browse
through folders and find files, disks, and applications. Both can be used to change the view so
that entries can be seen as images, a list, a column, and so on. Spotlight is the tool for search-
ing on a Mac, and iCloud is similar to Microsoft’s OneDrive for storage.
You’re troubleshooting a network connectivity issue and want to see if the local computer
can reach a particular server on the web. What command will you use?
A. ping
B. tracert
C. ipconfig
D. pathping
A. The ping (packet Internet groper) command sends a series of four packets to a remote
computer and waits for a reply. If the reply is received, you know that the local computer
is able to reach the remote host. It also displays how long the transaction took. ping
can be used with domain names like Wiley.com or the IP address, if known. When
ping localhost or ping 127.0.0.1 or ping ::1 is run, the command verifies that
TCP/IP is working on the local computer. tracert shows the routers that a packet traverses
to reach its destination. The ipconfig command is used to view network configuration, and
pathping is a combination of the abilities of ping and tracert.
Which command in a Linux environment is used to display the full path to the current
directory?
A. ls
B. pwd
C. cp
D. yum
B. All of the answer options are Linux commands. The pwd (print working directory)
command writes the full path to the current (working) directory from the root on whatever
the default output device is (usually the display.) The path might be, for example, /home/
audrey/documents. The ls command provides a list of all the files and folders found
in the current directory, the cp command is used to copy files and directories, and yum
(Yellowdog Updater Modified) is used to install, update, remove, and search for software
packages.
One of the users you support has a MacBook. They’re finding that their desktop is too clut-
tered. What can they use to have quick access to what they want and help them organize
their desktop? (Choose two.)
A. Finder
B. Time Machine
C. Spaces
D. Multiple desktops
C, D. If a user finds their desktop getting out of hand, they can create multiple desktops,
which macOS calls Spaces, to organize their desktop objects, or simply to make more space.
Multiple desktops are created using Mission Control. Once multiple desktops are created,
apps can be moved from one desktop to another by dragging, similar to using a smartphone.
Finder is used to drill down through the file structure to find what you’re looking for, and
Time Machine is used to make backups.
What Windows feature best describes Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc), Disk Management
(diskmgmt.msc), and Certificate Manager (certmgr.msc)?
A. Services
B. Processes
C. Policies
D. Snap- ins
D. Event Viewer, Disk Management, and Certificate Manager are all Microsoft Management
Console (MMC) snap-i ns. A Microsoft Management Console provides an interface where
a user can configure and easily access their own list of tools that they use most often. These
tools are called snap- ins, and there are more than twenty of them available. A console con-
tains shortcuts to the tools, and when the console is saved, it can be identified by a toolbox
icon. Services are programs that run in the background on a Windows system such as a print
manager and WLAN AutoConfig. Processes are parts of a program that are running, usually
consisting of multiple threads. Threads are the section of code being worked on by the pro-
cessor. Policies are rules for granting access such as the ability to log on locally or settings for
passwords that require complexity. Policies are configured through the Group Policy Editor
(gpedit.msc) and are not available in Windows Home editions. There are literally hun-
dreds of policies that can be set in a Windows system. The Group Policy Editor is also an
MMC snap- in.
Your laptop battery is getting older and won’t hold a charge as long as it once did, so you
want to ensure that, when you walk away from it for a period of time and it isn’t plugged in,
it will not use any power but save everything and let you pick up where you left off working.
What power state will work for this scenario?
A. Always On
B. Sleep
C. Hibernate
D. Hyper- V
C. Once the Hibernate power setting has saved everything from RAM to a system file
(hiberfil.sys) on the hard drive, it will turn the system off and use no power. Hibernate
takes longer to get back to a running state than Sleep does, but Hibernate won’t use any
power after it has stored the data. When the system is resumed, the contents of the system file
are copied back into RAM and the user can continue where they left off. Sleep needs a small
amount of power to keep the data in RAM refreshed. Always On will obviously use power
continuously, and Hyper- V is Microsoft’s virtualization product, not a power setting.
You are at a command prompt on a Windows PC, at C:\, and need to get to C:\Windows\
system32. Which command listed will get you there? Assume you press Enter after the line.
(Choose two.)
A. c:\windows cd system32
B. cd C:\windows\system32
C. cd windows\system32
D. cd system32 windows
B, C. Because you are already on the C: drive, you would not need to specify the drive letter
to change to a directory on that drive. If you did specify the drive (as in option B) it’s not a
problem, because if you were going to a directory on a different drive, you would need to
specify the drive letter. Because you’re already at the root of the C: drive, you can simply
enter the cd command and the path (option C), cd windows\system32. If you were any-
where else in the C: drive, you would need to include the \ to denote the root of the drive
in your command (cd \windows\system32). You could go to that directory with two com-
mands, changing one directory at a time, by typing cd windows and pressing Enter, then
typing cd system32 and pressing Enter, but that would be inefficient and is not one of the
options given.
You have installed Windows 10 32-b it on a desktop computer that has a 32-b it processor. It
seems to be working fine, but when you install more RAM, bringing the total up to 12 GB,
the operating system doesn’t recognize anything above 4 GB. What is the problem?
A. You need to tell the BIOS that the extra RAM is there.
B. A 32- bit OS can support a maximum of only 4 GB of RAM.
C. You need to go to Device Manager to add the RAM.
D. You need to replace the motherboard.
B. Any 32- bit operating system has a limit of 4 GB of RAM. The limitation is caused by
the bus width. There simply aren’t enough numbers available to identify memory locations
above 4 GB.
You’re at a friend’s house when a manager at your company calls to say they are having a
problem with their Windows Pro PC while working at home. You listen and tell them you
can easily fix it using Remote Desktop to take over their computer for a minute or two.
Which of the following would not be an option to use Remote Desktop from where you are?
A. Use your friend’s Windows Home PC.
B. Use your friend’s Windows Pro PC.
C. Use Remote Desktop Mobile on your iOS device.
D. Use Remote Desktop Mobile on your Android device.
A. Remote Desktop can only be enabled on a Windows Pro or better operating systems.
Windows Home edition does not have this capability. However, using a PC with Windows
Pro, Pro for Workgroups, or Enterprise edition is not the only way to access the manager’s
computer. The Remote Desktop Mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
You are at a Windows workstation and have a command prompt open. Which of the follow-
ing commands is used to refresh Group Policy settings and force their changes to take effect?
A. gpedit
B. gpresult
C. gprefresh
D. gpupdate
D. The gpupdate tool is used to update Group Policy settings immediately. It refreshes,
or changes, both local and Active Directory–based policies. The gpedit command allows
the user to edit group policies, and the gpresult command will show the Resultant Set
of Policy (RSoP) for a user or computer. RSoP is the culmination of all policies that affect
the target user or computer. It is particularly helpful in troubleshooting conflicting policies.
gprefresh is not a valid command.
You’ve been having trouble with network communications to one of your company’s offices.
You want to determine the source of latency on the connection. What command will you use
in the Windows Command Prompt to see where the latency is?
A. grep
B. pathping
C. tracert
D. mv
B. The pathping command works like ping and tracert combined. It shows the path
a packet takes from point A to point B, and then will show the time at each hop. (A hop
is the number of times a packet moves from one router to another to get to its destination
after it leaves the initial router.) grep and mv are Linux Terminal commands, which are
used to search for text from a file, and to move files and folders, respectively. The tracert
command shows the path a packet takes to its destination.
Your spouse is trying to work at home but has started to complain about the constant noti-
fications appearing on the computer and interrupting their work. What category can you
access in Windows Settings to turn them off?
A. System
B. Gaming
C. Update and Security
D. Apps
A. To turn off all notifications, or manage whether and how individual notification senders
can interact with you, go to Windows Settings, choose System, then Notifications & actions.
From there you can turn off all notifications or some, and choose whether or not a sound is
played when they arrive. The Gaming option lets you configure the system to be optimized
for gameplay and recording. Update & Security settings don’t address notifications. The Apps
option lets you manage where apps can be installed from, default apps for opening files, and
other application configuration settings.
Which of the following commands is used by an administrator on a Red Hat Linux system to
update software?
A. pwd
B. ls
C. cp
D. yum
D. All of the answer options are Linux commands. The yum (Yellowdog Updater Modi-
fied) command is used to install, update, remove, and search for software packages. The
syntax is yum [options] [
A macOS user is complaining that their MacBook has been acting strangely lately, and it’s
very slow to start. What utility will you use to repair any potential disk errors?
A. FileVault
B. Terminal
C. Disk Utility
D. Force Quit
C. The macOS Disk Utility can be used to find and fix errors in the directory structure of
a Mac disk. If the Mac won’t boot into the OS, the utility can be accessed through macOS
Recovery. Depending on the hardware your Mac is using, you would either hold the power
button until startup options appear, or press and hold Command+R while the computer is
starting to bring up macOS Recovery. From there choose Utilities and then Disk Utility.
FileVault provides encryption, Terminal is the macOS and Linux command- line user inter-
face, and Force Quit can be used when a single app is causing problems and refuses to close.
You’ve created a batch file that needs to run every day before the employees arrive. What can
you use to ensure that this batch file is run every weekday at 6 a.m.?
A. Task Scheduler
B. Event Viewer
C. Device Manager
D. Local Users And Groups
A. Task Scheduler is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap- in and, as its name
implies, a tool for running programs and performing tasks based on a trigger such as date,
time, or events such as logon, idle, or locking the workstation. Event Viewer keeps logs of
system, security, and application events. Device Manager is a tool for working with hardware
and lets you update drivers and scan for newly attached devices, for example. Local Users
and Groups is an MMC snap- in for creating and managing users and groups.
A smartphone user recently found their phone on an EOL list. They asked you what this
means. Why will you recommend they purchase a new phone?
A. They can’t download any more apps.
B. Their phone will stop working by the date on the list.
C. Their phone may not receive any more security updates.
D. Their phone will no longer connect to cellular service.
C. When an OS, smartphone, PC or any electronic device is at end- of- life (EOL), it gener-
ally is no longer sold or supported, meaning that replacement parts and product and security
updates are no longer available. While you may be able to scavenge parts, not getting security
updates should be a great concern. At an electronics end- of- life, the best course of action is to
recycle the device and procure a newer one.
You are on a Windows computer working at a command prompt and need to see a list of
files in the directory that you are working in. What command will you type?
A. dir
B. ls
C. pwd
D. grep
A. The dir command will show you a list of all the files and folders that are in the directory
you are working in, along with the date created. Using the switches that work with dir, you
can view much more information. ls is a Linux command that lists information about files
in the working directory. The pwd Linux command prints the complete path to the working
directory, and the grep Linux command will search for files with a pattern that you specify.
A user with a Windows workstation recently received a second hard drive. Another adminis-
trator created a partition on the hard drive, and it’s ready for use. The user will store the raw
video files they create on that drive and insists that it be called the R: drive. Which of the fol-
lowing statements is true?
A. You can use Disk Management to change the drive letter to R:.
B. You can use Disk Management to change the drive letter to R:, but only if it’s a dynamic
disk.
A. Disk Management is a Windows tool that has been available for many Windows ver-
sions. With it you can reassign or change a drive letter, create and format volumes, shrink
or expand volumes, change basic drives to dynamic drives, import foreign drives, and even
establish software RAID. In Windows 10 it can be launched through Control Panel by
choosing Administrative Tools, then Computer Management, or you can launch it by typing
diskmgmt.msc in the search box. Administrative Tools is not available in Windows 11, but
Disk Management is. The easiest way to access Disk Management in Windows 10 or 11 is to
press Windows Key+X to bring up the Quick Link menu, which is a list of commonly used
tools, and click Disk Management on the list.
A salesperson at your company travels with their macOS laptop every week. You want
to encrypt the data on their startup disk to ensure data security. What macOS utility
will you use?
A. Finder
B. Time Machine
C. FileVault
D. BitLocker
C. FileVault is the macOS utility for encrypting data. Finder is the macOS utility for drilling
down through folders to find objects. Time Machine is used to create and restore backups of
data on a Mac, and BitLocker is the Windows drive encryption utility.
A user wants to perform a backup on their MacBook. Which software utility should be used
to make backups?
A. Image Recovery
B. Time Machine
C. iBackup
D. Accessibility
B. Time Machine is the macOS backup utility. It can be accessed through System Prefer-
ences, and once set up, it will run on schedule much like any other backup software. Image
Recovery and iBackup are not macOS tools. Accessibility options can be found in System
Preferences and are used to adjust settings for different vision, hearing, and mobility needs.
One of your network users has a MacBook Pro. Where should this user go to see whether
there are any OS updates available?
A. Open the App Store and click Updates in the toolbar.
B. Open Safari and click Updates in the toolbar.
C. Open System Preferences and click Updates in the toolbar.
D. Open Finder and click Updates on the menu bar.
A. Updates to MacOS can be found at the App Store. Open it and click Updates in the
toolbar to see which updates are available. There will be an Install button to begin the instal-
lation. In System Preferences, there is generally a Software Update icon to help with updates
as well. Update is not an option on the toolbar of Safari, which is the web browser. Finder is
used for drilling down through directories to find files and folders.
Which Linux command is used to copy files, groups of files, or whole directories from one
place to another?
A. mv
B. cp
C. find
D. cat
B. All of the commands listed are Linux commands. The cp command is used to copy files.
There are three syntaxes for the cp command, as follows:
■ cp [option] source destination
■ cp [option] source directory
■ cp [option] source- 1 source- 2 source- n directory
For example, if the copy command has two filenames, it will create a copy of the first
filename and save it as the second. The command would be cp file1 file2. The mv
command is used to move files, and the find command is used to find files and directories
and perform operations on them. The cat command is a powerful tool that can be used to
view contents of a file, create new files, and concatenate (put together) files.
Despite your great objections, someone you know is still running a Windows OS that pre-
dates Windows 10 and has reached its end of extended support. The software they regularly
use on it still works, and they have an antivirus installed. Why should they update to a newer
OS? (Choose two.)
A. They will not receive security updates.
B. They will not receive feature updates.
C. Their apps will stop working.
D. Their OS will stop working at end-o f- life.
A, B. Operating systems (OS) and electronics have a life cycle, just as living things do. They
are introduced, grow, reach maturity (mainstream support), decline (extended support), and
reach their end- of- life (EOL) which means there is no support. The last Windows OS prior to
Windows 10 was Windows 8.1, which ended mainstream support on January 9, 2018, and
the end of extended support date is January 10, 2023. End of mainstream support means
there are no updates other than security. End of extended support means there is no support,
including security updates and patches. Essentially, if (when) a vulnerability is discovered by
a hacker, the user of an end-o f- life OS is at risk for being attacked. Applications may con-
tinue to work just fine, but updates might not work with the OS. The OS will not magically
stop working, but if a problem occurs there will be no official support available.
A smartphone user has come to you for help. They would like a laptop so they can use a big-
ger screen but don’t know what to choose. They’re accustomed to doing their work online
with Google Docs and their smartphone and saving it to the cloud. They would like to be
able to use some of the same apps that they have available on their Android phone. Cost is a
factor. What type of laptop would you recommend for this user?
A. Windows Home
B. Linux
C. macOS
D. Chromebook
D. The Chromebook, which has Chrome OS preinstalled, is the best option for this user. It’s
main user interface is the Google Chrome browser, and it can run apps designed for Android
smartphones. Chromebooks are also known for being less expensive laptop options. Win-
dows Home and macOS would be fine for accessing the Internet, but they would not support
the applications that the user is accustomed to using, and the user would experience a
learning curve. Linux might be able to run their Android apps using third- party software, but
again the user would have a learning curve.
A user called the help desk because they were denied access to a secure server and received
a message that they have an invalid certificate. Their computer was recently updated. Where
can you go to manage their certificates?
A. Device Manager
B. Local Users and Groups
C. Certificate Manager
D. Group Policy Editor
C. Certificates are a way of proving who someone or a website is by means of a digital sig-
nature. A user’s certificates hold the private key of a key pair for encryption. If certificates are
outdated or otherwise no longer valid, then encryption doesn’t happen and the transmission
can be intercepted by someone with malicious intent. Normally you wouldn’t need to worry
about certificates, but if a problem occurs, the certificate may need to be deleted and a new
one requested. Certificate Manager allows you to view and manage certificates by user or
computer. Device Manager is a hardware management tool. Local Users and Groups allows
for organizing users by access need and assigning permissions and access to the group rather
than the user, simplifying access management. Group Policy Editor allows administrators to
further control what users and computers are allowed to do on the network.
Which desktop operating system is a proprietary product of Apple?
A. Apache
B. Red Hat Linux
C. macOS
D. FreeBSD
C. macOS is Apple’s proprietary desktop operating system (OS). Apache is a popular web
server OS, not a desktop OS. Red Hat Linux is a distribution of the open source Linux OS,
and FreeBSD is a freeware, open source OS based on Unix.
A user on your network complains that they are unable to type a human- friendly name like
Sybex.com into their browser to reach a website, but typing an IP address in the browser
works. What client network configuration setting do you suspect is the problem?
A. Authentication server
B. DNS server
C. DHCP server
D. Proxy server
B. DNS has one function on the network, and that is to resolve hostnames to IP addresses.
For a computer or phone to open a website, it needs to know the IP address of that website.
Each DNS server has a database, called a zone file, which maintains records of hostname-
to- IP address mappings. If the network settings for DNS server on a client computer are
improperly configured and the client can’t reach the DNS server, then human- friendly names
are not resolved to IP addresses, causing the problem this user is having. Authentication
servers are used to verify whether a user has the proper credentials to gain access to resources
on a network. A Microsoft domain controller is a type of authentication server. DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is used to automatically provide an IP address to
a client based on a list (scope) of IP addresses made available on the DHCP server. A proxy
server sits between the client and the outside world and is used to filter content incoming
or outgoing.
You need to start a new shell on a Linux workstation with root permissions. Which
command should you use to do this?
A. su
B. sudo
C. apt- get
D. ps
A. The su command (switch user, substitute user, or super user) is used to start another shell
on a Linux computer. Without specifying the username, it’s assumed you are trying to start
a shell with super user (or root) authority. This can be dangerous because as the root, the
user can do anything on the system, including delete parts of the operating system, and there
is no undo or warning message. You must know the root password to run su. It’s far safer
to run the sudo command. The sudo command stands for superuser do, or substitute user
do, and will run a single command as the alternate user. The apt- get command is used to
download or remove software packages, and the ps command will list the processes that are
currently running along with their process IDs (PIDs).
A user wants to change the resolution on their MacBook. Which System Preferences pane
would they use to do that?
A. Printers & Scanners
B. Desktop & Screen Saver
C. Accessibility
D. Displays
D. The Displays pane in System Preferences is used to set resolution and brightness (turn
Night Shift on and off), and possibly other settings depending on whether there is a display
connected. The Printers & Scanners pane is where you would add or manage a printer and
its print jobs. Accessibility preferences include settings for hearing, mobility, and vision. The
Desktop & Screen Saver options allow you to configure the desktop and screen saver.
You want to be able to access your Windows Pro desktop PC at home no matter where you
are. Which of the following do you not need to do?
A. Upgrade to Windows Enterprise.
B. Enable Remote Desktop on your PC.
C. Open Remote Desktop Connection, provide the PC name, and click Connect.
D. Install the Remote Desktop App on your smartphone.
A. Home editions of Windows do not support Remote Desktop, but the Windows business
editions (Pro, Pro for Workstation, and Enterprise) do. Since you have Windows Pro, you
would not need to upgrade your operating system edition. The steps to use Remote Desktop
to access a PC from a smartphone are as follows:
You are at a Windows command prompt. You believe that some of the Windows system files
are corrupted. Which command should you use to scan and repair problematic system files?
A. sfc /scanfile
B. sfc /scannow
C. sfc /verifyfile
D. sfc /verifyonly
B. The System File Checker (SFC) is a command-l ine utility that checks and verifies the
versions of system files on your computer. If system files are corrupted, the SFC will replace
the corrupted files with correct versions. The /scannow option will scan and repair files,
whereas /scanfile will just check one specified file. The /verifyonly option will scan
the integrity of protected system files but not attempt to repair them. The /verifyfile
option will verify the integrity of a specific file.
You are at a Windows command prompt. Which command allows you to copy files and
directories, copy NTFS permissions, and mirror a directory tree?
A. copy
B. xcopy
C. robocopy
D. copyall
C. The robocopy utility (Robust File Copy for Windows) has the big advantage of being
able to accept a plethora of specifications and keep NTFS permissions intact in its opera-
tions. For example, the /mir switch, can be used to mirror a complete directory tree. copy
and xcopy are both valid commands but have nowhere near the power that robocopy
does. copyall is not a valid command.
The hard drive performance on your Windows workstation has deteriorated over time. To
attempt to improve performance, you want to ensure that files on the hard drive are writ-
ten in contiguous blocks. Which Windows tool should you use to make this happen?
A. Disk Management
B. Optimize Drives
C. Disk Optimizer
D. Device Manager
B. When files are written to a hard drive, they’re not always written contiguously or with
all the data in a single location. Defragmenting a disk involves analyzing the disk and then
consolidating fragmented files and folders so that they occupy a contiguous space (con-
secutive blocks), thus increasing performance during file retrieval. The executable for Disk
Defragment is dfrgui.exe, which brings up the Optimize Drives window. By default,
drives are automatically scheduled to be optimized, but it can be done here on command
or the schedule settings changed. The Disk Management utility is used to create and format
volumes and other tasks related to managing drives. Disk Optimizer is not a Windows tool,
and Device Manager is useful in examining and troubleshooting issues with hardware.
Your client is taking over a business and wants to upgrade the computer systems, which
are currently all legacy Windows machines. They will be using Microsoft 365 along with
accounting and manufacturing software that is part of the business. They are concerned
about compatibility of other files with their customers, vendors, and historical company
data. What operating system would you recommend for them?
A. Chrome OS
B. Linux
C. macOS
D. Windows
D. Since the majority of business users are still using Microsoft products, and there may be
compatibility concerns with data from older systems, a Windows OS would be the correct
choice in this situation. Chrome OS is most appropriate where users would be working in
the cloud. Linux and macOS may have compatibility issues with data from other sources.
Microsoft 365 does come in a version for macOS, but the company- specific software must
also be considered.
In macOS, where can the menus Displays, Printers, and Privacy be found and set-
tings changed?
A. System Preferences
B. Accessibility
C. Settings
D. App Store
A. dSystem Preferences is where settings can be viewed and modified. System Preferences
are divided into various panes, including Displays, Networks, Printers & Scanners, Pri-
vacy, Accessibility, Time Machine, Power, and many other selections for changing settings.
Windows Settings is a part of the Microsoft Windows operating system. App Store is
where you would go on macOS to find new applications to download and to update the
operating system.
Your friend has a Windows 10 PC and has never made a backup. You provide them with
an external drive to use. What category will you choose in Windows Settings to turn on
automatic backups for your friend every hour?
A. System
B. Apps
C. Update & Security
D. Network & Internet
C. The Update & Security category of Windows Settings contains more than the name
would suggest. In Update & Security there is, of course, Windows Update and Windows
Security, but users can also find Backup, Troubleshoot, Recovery, Activation, Find my
Device, For developers, and Windows Insider Program selections. To back up using File
History, an additional drive (you can’t back up to the drive Windows is installed on) is
needed, and under More options, you’ll find settings for how often to automatically back
up, and you’ll be able to choose which folders to back up. (In Windows 11, Windows
Your company has a DHCP server to automatically assign IP addresses to any nodes that
connect to it. Which of the following would you want to assign a static IP address to?
(Choose two.)
A. Workstation
B. File server
C. Printer/MFD
D. Local printer
B, C. Typically on a network, static IP addresses, rather than dynamic, would be assigned
to shared resources such as file servers and printers/MFDs to avoid problems with
connecting to those resources. A user’s workstation normally does not need a static IP
address, and allowing it to obtain one automatically makes workstation configuration
easier and avoids accidental duplication of IP addresses. A local printer, by definition, is
attached to a local computer, not directly to the network, so it wouldn’t even have its own
IP address.
You’re installing an application that requires 4 GB of RAM on a Windows 10 64- bit work-
station. The workstation has 4 GB of RAM. Will you need to make any configuration
changes to the system to install this application?
A. No, since the system already has 4 GB of RAM.
B. No, because the OS and the Application won’t be running at the same time.
C. Yes, you’ll need at least 4 additional GB of RAM.
D. Yes, you’ll need at least 2 additional GB of RAM.
D. When the application is running, the operating system will also be running, so you need
to add their respective RAM requirements together to determine the amount of system
RAM needed. The minimum amount of RAM for a Windows 10 64-b it installation is 2 GB,
and since the application’s RAM requirement is 4 GB, you’ll need a total of 6 GB, and since
you only have 4 GB, an additional 2 GB will need to be installed. While that will run the
program on this system, having only 2 GB for the operating system will not allow it to run
as fast as the user is accustomed to, so in reality you’d likely want to add more.
Which of these filesystem types is used when running a Linux distribution?
A. FAT32
B. NTFS
C. ext4
D. APFS
C. When you install a Linux distribution, it will use an ext3 or ext4 filesystem. FAT32 is
the filesystem that was used when only 32- bit processors were available, and it can still be
used for compatibility issues with legacy devices, but Windows 10 and Windows 11 require
NTFS (New Technology File System) for installating the OS. NTFS has been available for
decades and offers security features that FAT32 doesn’t have. APFS is the Apple File System
and is used for macOS.
You are going to install Windows on a workstation from an image located on a server.
What does the workstation need to support to install Windows this way?
A. netboot
B. Unattended installation
C. PXE boot
D. USB boot
C. An installation can be started many ways— with a USB drive, a DVD, and so on— and
an image and setup files can also be located on and installed from a network. Often called
a PXE- initiated boot (for Preboot Execution Environment), it allows the workstation
involved in the installation to retrieve the files from the network, as needed, and configure
variables accordingly. netboot refers to booting a computer from a network drive, not
installing an OS. Unattended installation is a type of installation that uses an answer file
and little or no interaction from a human. While it’s possible to install Windows from
a USB, if you’re using a USB to boot and install an image from a server, the bare- metal
machine still needs PXE support.
You’re in a secure environment where the workstations are not allowed to have USB
ports or DVD drives. You’ve just received 10 new bare- metal workstations, with PXE
support, that need to have Windows installed. How will you install the Windows OS on
these 10 PCs?
A. Optical media
B. External drive
C. Internet based
D. Network
D. Since the workstations don’t have DVD drives, you can’t use optical media to install
Windows 10, and since there are no USB ports, it’s unlikely that you would be able to use
an external drive. Internet based installation requires that you can boot and get to the
Internet, so you would need an operating system already installed, and the question states
that these are bare- metal machines. You’re left with a network installation using the PXE
boot as the only option.
You need to run just one command as root. What will you use?
A. su
B. sudo
C. apt- get
D. ps
B. The sudo command stands for superuser do, or substitute user do, and will run a single
command as the alternate user. The user can authenticate with their own password instead
of the root password, which is a security feature. Another command, visudo, is used to
configure exactly what each user can do when they run sudo. The visudo command is
not on the CompTIA A+ objectives, but it answers the question of how you would control
You’re working in a school district in a computer lab full of Windows workstations, setting
up an application that uses the name of the computer to identify it on the application.
What command can you use at a workstation to determine its name? (Choose two.)
A. nslookup
B. clientname
C. hostname
D. ping localhost
C, D. The hostname command returns the name of the computer that it is entered on and,
while not its primary purpose, ping localhost will also return the name of the com-
puter. nslookup will show the default DNS server and its IP address. clientname is not
a valid command.
You’re at a Windows workstation, troubleshooting a connectivity problem with a computer
in another office of your campus area network. You need to determine where packets bet-
ween the two are being dropped. Which command will tell you the last router the packet
traversed?
A. ipconfig /all
B. ping
C. ip
D. tracert
D. The tracert command will show the routers that a packet went through and how
long each hop took, which can narrow down your search for the problem by showing how
far it got. Typing ipconfig /all will show the current TCP/IP configuration of the local
machine, such as its IP address, MAC address, and default gateway. The macOS equivalent
of ipconfig is ip. The ping command will only show that the packet is not making the
trip there and back by timing out.
You’re setting up a computer for a user with limited vision, who would like to have the
contents of the screen read to them. What Control Panel utility will you use to accom-
plish this?
A. Devices and Printers
B. Programs and Features
C. Ease of Access Center
D. Sound
C. Ease of Access Center has settings to help users who have limited sight, mobility, or
hearing. Devices and Printers is for managing and troubleshooting printers, print jobs, and
other devices like connected smartphones or keypads. Programs and Features lets you unin-
stall or change installed programs, and Sound is used to configure recording and playback
devices, or to choose a sound scheme.
The Linux workstation you are using seems slow. You want to see what processes are
running on the computer. Which command should you use?
A. su
B. sudo
C. apt- get
D. ps
D. The ps (process status) command will list the currently running processes, along with
their PIDs (process IDs), the controlling terminal for the process, the time the CPU has
been used by the process, and the name of the command that started the process. The su
command (switch user, substitute user, or super user) is used to start another shell on a
Linux computer. The sudo command stands for superuser do, or substitute user do, and
will run a single command as the alternate user. The apt- get command is used to down-
load or remove software packages.
Which of the following is not an advantage that the ext4 filesystem has over ext3
filesystem?
A. Supports larger volumes and files
B. Compatible with macOS and Windows
C. Unlimited number of subdirectories
D. Faster filesystem checks
B. Ext4 (Extended File System, version 4) is not compatible with macOS and Windows.
Neither is ext3. For compatibility between Linux, macOS, and Windows, format an
external drive with exFAT or FAT32 so that it can be read by any of the three. Ext3 only
supports file sizes up to 2 TB and volumes up to 16 TB, whereas ext4 supports files up to
16 TB and volumes up to 1 EB. ext3 is limited to about 32,000 subdirectories, and ext4 has
no limit. ext4 also provides superior resistance to fragmentation as well as faster filesys-
tem checking.
A user installed a new headset, but the audio is still playing through the speakers. Where
can you go to change that configuration? (Choose two.)
A. Control Panel, Security and Maintenance
B. Windows Settings, Devices
C. Control Panel, Sound
D. Windows Settings, Apps
B, C. Going to Control Panel and choosing the Sound utility will enable you to change the
default playback device for sound; so will opening Windows Settings and clicking Devices,
where you can also configure Bluetooth, printers, and mice. Opening Windows Settings,
then System and then Sound will as well, but that is not one of the options. The Security
and Maintenance utility in Control Panel has settings for the firewall, malware protection,
and other features. The Apps group in Windows Settings is where you would uninstall or
choose default apps.
A user wants to know if it’s possible to change what happens when they close the lid on
their Windows 11 laptop. Currently closing the lid does nothing, but they would like the
laptop to hibernate when the lid is closed. Where can this setting be changed?
A. Control Panel, Power Options utility
B. Control Panel, Devices and Printers utility
C. Windows Settings, System group, choose Power & Battery
D. Windows Settings, Devices group, choose Power Options
A. The Power Options utility in Control Panel is where you can find the setting for chang-
ing what happens when you close the lid, as well as other sleep and hibernate options. For
Windows 10, in Windows Settings, in the System group, choose Power Options, then Addi-
tional Power Settings, which takes you to the Control Panel utility. Windows Settings in
Windows 11 is missing this link, but in both versions of Windows, the other power settings
(when to sleep, when to hibernate) are available in Windows Settings. Devices and Printers
is where you would manage printers and print jobs, as well as other devices like connected
cell phones. The System group in Settings controls Display, Sound, Notifications & actions,
and several other areas related to the system as a whole. The Devices group in Windows 10,
Windows Settings allows you to configure Bluetooth, printers, and mouse settings. In Win-
dows 11, this group is called Bluetooth & devices.
Which of the following Windows operating systems and editions cannot be upgraded
to Windows 10 Pro directly from the desktop by performing an in- place upgrade?
(Choose two.)
A. Windows 7 Enterprise
B. Windows 8.1 (core)
C. Windows 10 Home
D. Windows 8 Pro
A, D. A PC can be upgraded to Windows 10 Professional directly from the desktop of the
PC, provided the PC is running an OS that is in the upgrade path. Surprisingly, Windows
7 Enterprise edition is the only Windows 7 edition that can’t be upgraded to Windows 10
Pro. It could only be upgraded to Windows 10 Education or Enterprise editions. Windows
You need to uninstall an app that is on your Linux computer. What command will you use?
A. su
B. sudo
C. apt- get
D. ps
C. In many Linux distributions, the apt- get command is used to download or remove
software packages. The syntax for this command is apt- get [options] command.
There are too many options to explain them all here, but in the question, we are
uninstalling an app, so the command could be apt-g et purge [package name], but
remember that you would want to precede the apt- get command with
sudo. If the package name were milou, then the command you use is
sudo apt- get purge milou. Using purge deletes all configuration files as well as
the package. The sudo command stands for superuser do, or substitute user do, and will
run a single command as the alternate user. The su command (switch user, substitute user,
or super user) is used to start another shell on a Linux computer. Without specifying the
username, it’s assumed you are trying to start a shell with super user (or root) authority.
The ps command will list the processes that are currently running, along with their PIDs
(process IDs).
You are working at a Windows command prompt. Which command should you use to
copy directories and subdirectories but not empty directories?
A. xcopy /e
B. xcopy /s
C. xcopy /h
D. xcopy /a
B. The xcopy command is a more powerful version of copy. It lets you copy directories
and also will copy file ownership and NTFS permissions. The /s switch is used to copy
directories and subdirectories, except for empty ones. To copy those as well, use /e. The /h
switch copies hidden and system files, and the /a switch copies only files with the Archive
attribute set. There are many more options with the xcopy command. To find out more,
type xcopy /? at a command prompt.
You’re having trouble with a new digitizing pad that the operating system doesn’t seem to
be recognizing. Which MMC (Microsoft Management Console) would you use to trouble-
shoot the problem?
A. Event Viewer
B. Performance Monitor
C. Device Manager
D. Disk Management
C. Device Manager is the first place to go when troubleshooting hardware. A yellow
exclamation point will let you know that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
Event Viewer keeps logs of system, security, and application events. Performance Monitor
helps locate bottlenecks in a system by showing resources being used in real time, and Disk
Management allows for formatting, partitioning, and managing of hard drives.
You need to check the integrity of key Windows system files on the C: drive, which are
hidden from view by default. Which Control Panel utility allows you to view hidden files?
A. Programs and Features
B. File Explorer Options
C. Indexing Options
D. System
B. Some of the most important files that you will need to work on are hidden by default
as a security precaution. To make certain folders or files visible, you need to change the
display properties of File Explorer. This can be done by going to the View tab of File
Explorer Options in Control Panel and deselecting Hide Protected Operating System
Files (Recommended). Programs and Features is for uninstalling or changing programs
and turning Windows features on and off. Indexing makes a log of the metadata of files
and helps search work faster. The System utility of Control Panel opens System in Win-
dows Settings.
Note that the CompTIA A+ objectives list File Explorer Options under Control Panel
utilities that you should know, so you need to know that you can access them there. But
this book’s author and technical editor agree that most technicians would access this
through File Explorer by selecting Options, then Folder Options (or Change folder and
search options, depending on the version) on the View tab. Like most things in the Win-
dows operating system, there is more than one way to perform a task. When sitting for the
CompTIA A+ exam, make sure you are familiar with the method that CompTIA has identi-
fied in their objectives.
What is the name of the macOS command-l ine user interface?
A. Terminal
B. Finder
C. Command Prompt
D. File Explorer
A. Terminal is the name of the command-l ine user interface in both macOS and Linux. In
it, a user can type commands to perform actions and launch programs. Often for experi-
enced users, using a command- line terminal is faster than navigating menus. Finder is the
macOS utility for drilling down through folders to find objects. Command Prompt is the
name of the Windows command-l ine user interface, and File Explorer is the Windows ren-
dition of Finder.
You’re setting up an online storage system for backing up your data, but the remote storage
company said that you need to open up your software firewall to allow it to communicate
with your computer. Where in the Windows Control Panel can you do this?
A. Programs and Features
B. Internet Options
C. Windows Defender Firewall
D. Network and Sharing Center
C. Windows Defender Firewall is a software firewall residing on the local system that pro-
vides features designed to protect your system from malware. Unfortunately, sometimes
those settings interfere with other applications and need to be changed. Turning the firewall
off is not advisable, but you can open it up to applications by clicking Allow an app or
feature through Windows Defender Firewall. Programs and Features is used to uninstall or
change applications, and to turn Windows features on and off. Internet Options affect how
You have a Windows command prompt open. You are in the D:\users directory and
want to copy all 20 of the files with a .docx extension into the D:\files directory.
Which of the following statements is true?
A. You need to copy the files one at a time.
B. You can use the command copy *.docx d:\files.
C. You can use the command copy all.docx d:\files.
D. You can use the command copy .docx d:\files.
B. The copy command makes a copy of a file in a second location. (To copy a file and then
remove it from its original location, use the move command.) One useful tip is to use
wildcards. For example, the asterisk (*) is a wildcard that means everything. So, you could
type copy *.exe to copy all files that have an .exe filename extension, or you could type
copy . to copy all files in your current directory. The other popular wildcard is the
question mark (?), which does not mean everything but instead replaces one character. The
copy abc?.exe command would only copy .exe files with four- letter names of which the
first three letters are abc.
In Linux, what is the name of the interpreter between the user and the operating system?
A. Terminal
B. Command Prompt
C. GUI
D. Shell
D. The shell is the interpreter between the user and operating system. Common Linux
shells include Bash (an acronym for Bourne Again Shell), csh (C- shell), and ksh (Korn shell),
but a number of others are also in use. The Terminal is akin to the Windows Command
Prompt and is used to enter commands and to interface with the shell. GUI (graphical
user interface) describes a type of user interface where the user clicks an icon or picture to
launch a program or open a file (that is, interact with the shell).
You are working on a Linux file server. Which command would you use to see the amount
of free disk space on a volume?
A. grep
B. df
C. ps
D. dig
B. The df (disk free) command is used to show free and used disk space on a volume.
The syntax of this command is df [option] [file]. If you type df and press Enter,
it will show the space that is available on all filesystems that are mounted. If you specify
a particular file, it will provide information on that file. The grep Linux command will
search for files with a pattern that you specify. The ps command will list the processes that
are currently running, along with their PIDs (process IDs). The dig (domain information
groper) command works in Linux and macOS to find information about DNS name
servers, mail exchanges, and hosts.
A user wants to ensure that the hard drive in their Windows PC is encrypted for maximum
data security. What are two commands you can have the user type into the Run box (Win-
dows Key+R) or Windows Command Prompt to see whether the BitLocker Drive Encryp-
tion Service is enabled and running? (Choose two.)
A. services.msc
B. perfmon.exe
C. compmgmt.msc
D. diskmgmt.msc
A, C. There are several ways to see what services are running and to enable and disable
services. They include the Services console (services.msc) and Computer Management
(compmgmt.msc). Or you can open Task Manager and select the Services tab (although
that has access to only a subset of the services available), and in Windows 10 only, go
to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, then click Services to open the Services console.
Performance Monitor (perfmon.exe) does not show running services, and Disk
Management (diskmgmt.msc) does not have a link to the Services console.
You’re setting up security for a company that is expanding rapidly. Part of your plan is
to create groups to manage permissions to folders, and then add users to those groups to
grant them the permissions they need. What utility will let you add users to groups?
A. Device Manager
B. Local Users and Groups
C. Certificate Manager
D. Group Policy Editor
B. Local Users and Groups allows you to organize users by access need and assign permis-
sions and access to the group rather than individual users, simplifying access management.
Incidentally, assigning NTFS permissions to groups rather than individuals is considered
a best practice. Suppose your accounting manager suddenly quits and you hire a new one.
Rather than set up permissions for the new manager, you would merely add their user
name to the appropriate groups (and, of course, disable the former manager’s account).
Group Policy Editor allows administrators to further control what users and computers
are allowed to do on the network, such as enforcing password complexity, disabling USB
drives, and limiting what users can do in Control Panel. Device Manager is a hardware
management tool, and Certificate Manager allows you to view and manage certificates by
user or computer. Certificates hold the private key of a key pair used in encryption.
One of your users has a MacBook Air, and an application appears to have crashed. What
can they use to compel the app to close?
A. Task Manager
B. Force Quit
C. Terminal
D. Time Machine
B. When an app hangs in macOS, you can use Force Quit to force it to close. Most devices,
whether running macOS or iOS, offer similar options. You access Force Quit through
the Apple menu or by pressing Command+Option+Esc, which is analogous to pressing
Ctrl+Alt+Del on a Windows PC. Task Manager is a Windows utility, Terminal is the macOS
and Linux command-l ine user interface, and Time Machine is used for backups.
You would like to monitor CPU, memory, and Wi- Fi usage in real time on a Windows
computer. Which of the following options will provide you with that information?
(Choose two.)
A. The Task Manager Performance tab
B. Administrative Tools, System Information
C. Event Viewer
D. Resource Monitor
A, D. Although the graphs look different in each application, both the Performance tab
of Task Manager and the Resource Monitor utility will show CPU, memory, and Wi- Fi
statistics in real time. In Performance Monitor, a Wi- Fi connection can be found on the
Network tab. Event Viewer logs system, software, and security events. The System
Information utility, which can be found in Administrative Tools, shows a snapshot of a
system’s configuration, but not real- time information. Note that Administrative Tools is a
utility in Windows 10 but is not a part of Windows 11.
You are on a Linux computer working in Terminal and need to see a list of files in the
directory that you are working in. What command will you type?
A. dir
B. ls
C. pwd
D. grep
B. ls is a Linux command that lists information about files in the working directory. The
dir command in Windows does the same. The pwd Linux command prints the complete
path to the working directory, and the grep Linux command will search for files with a
pattern that you specify.
What Linux utility is like the Windows Command Prompt?
A. Time Machine
B. Mission Control
C. Terminal
D. Shell
C. The Linux Terminal is a command-d riven user interface that allows the user to interact
with the shell by typing command at a prompt, much like Windows Command Prompt.
The command- driven user interface in macOS is also called Terminal. The shell is the part
of the OS that sits between the user and the rest of the operating system, allowing the user
to interact with the operating system. Time Machine and Mission Control are features of
macOS used for backups and viewing all open applications, respectively.
You are at a Windows command prompt. A remote Windows workstation named adver-
tising4 is misbehaving and needs to be shut down and rebooted. What is the proper syntax
to shut down this remote system?
A. shutdown /r /m \advertising4
B. shutdown /s /m \advertising4
C. shutdown /r /c \advertising4
D. shutdown /s /c \advertising4
A. The shutdown command can be used to shut down and restart computers, either
the system you are on or a remote one. The /s switch is used to shut down a computer,
and /r is used for a full shutdown and reboot. The /m switch followed by the computer
name is used to specify the remote computer. The /c switch is for comments. There are
other switches available. To find out more about the command, type shutdown /? at a
command prompt.
You have recently deployed a custom application to several Windows workstations on your
network. The application appears to have a bug, and the developer suggests you edit the
Registry to fix it. Which administrative tool would you use to do this?
A. msinfo32
B. command
C. regedit
D. notepad
C. Windows configuration information is stored in a special configuration database known
as the Registry. This centralized database also contains environmental settings for var-
ious Windows programs. To edit the Registry, use the regedit.exe program. Be careful,
though, because an incorrect Registry change can render a system inoperable. Changes are
A couple of applications that run at startup are causing problems with a computer. Where
can you change settings so that those programs won’t automatically start when the com-
puter does?
A. Task Manager, Services tab
B. Task Manager, Startup tab
C. Services console
D. Task Scheduler
B. To stop (disable) programs from running on startup, use the Startup tab of Task Man-
ager. The System Configuration utility was the place to go in older versions of Windows,
but now it merely has a link to Task Manager. Services are programs that run in the
background and are part of the operating system, not applications that have been added.
A limited subset of them can be configured on the Services tab of Task Manager, or all ser-
vices can be accessed through the Services console (services.msc). Task Scheduler is
used to automatically perform some action(s) when a trigger, such as a date, time, or other
event, occurs.
You are working on a computer with macOS, and about a dozen applications are open.
Which feature allows you to easily see all of them and switch to your desired application?
A. Spotlight
B. Keychain
C. Mission Control
D. Finder
C. On a Mac, it’s possible to run a large number of things at one time, whether those
things in question are apps or Windows desktops. Apple’s Mission Control is an easy way
to see what is open and to switch between applications. To access Mission Control, you can
press the Mission Control key (identified by an image of three different- sized rectangles) on
an Apple keyboard, click the Mission Control icon in the Dock (or Launchpad), or swipe
up with three or four fingers on a trackpad. Spotlight is used to search for files, folders,
images, and such. Keychain is the macOS password management feature, and Finder
enables the user to drill down through directories to find what they’re looking for, much
like File Explorer in Windows.
You have a Windows Pro computer with multiple printers installed. Which Control Panel
utility allows you to manage multiple print servers and printers from a single interface?
A. Devices and Printers
B. Programs and Features
C. Network and Sharing Center
D. Device Manager
A. From Devices and Printers, you can manage multiple printers and do tasks such as
choosing a default printer, installing new printers, and changing printer settings. Pro-
grams and Features allows the user to add, remove, or troubleshoot installed programs
(the options will change by program) and add or remove Windows features. The Network
and Sharing Center is the Windows tool for viewing and configuring network connections,
and changing adapter settings. Device Manager should be your go- to app when resolving
hardware issues. From there you can update or install drivers, see what isn’t working, and
disable hardware if need be.
One power state will close applications and files, and log off users like a full shutdown
would, then save the kernel state and system session to a hibernation file before shutdown.
Then, when the computer is restarted, it will automatically and quickly restore that file,
saving some of the time involved in a normal boot. Which of the following states is being
described?
A. Hibernate
B. Sleep
C. Selective Suspend
D. Fast Startup
D. Fast Startup is similar to Hibernate in how it works, but instead of saving all your
applications and data as you had them so that you’re instantly back at work, it saves the
system state. As described in the question, Fast Startup will close running apps and log off
any users, then save the contents of RAM to a hibernation file. When the computer starts
back up, it reads the hibernation file and loads drivers, system state, and the kernel much
more quickly than it would if the system had to read all of that individually back into
RAM as it would in a normal cold boot. Sleep stores everything that’s open in RAM and
enters a low power state. The display and drives aren’t using power, but power is needed
to continually refresh memory so that it can retain the information. Sleep uses very little
power but “wakes up” very quickly with everything open as it was. The Hibernate option
stores open programs and data to the hard drive and, once the computer is hibernated,
would use no power, but it will not resume its state as quickly as Sleep would.
You’re troubleshooting a computer that is unable to resolve domain names to IP addresses.
What command-l ine utility can help identify what DNS server the computer relies on?
A. nslookup
B. netstat
C. ping
D. tracert
A. The nslookup utility will query the DNS server the computer is currently configured to
use. The utility can be used to perform a variety of DNS queries. The netstat command
shows what TCP connections exist on a computer and the port number they are using.
The ping command is used to determine whether there is connectivity with a remote com-
puter. When entered as ping localhost, it is used to determine if TCP/IP is running
on the local computer. tracert displays the path (routers) that a packet took to get to a
remote computer.
A user recently left the company, and you need to change ownership of their files on the
Linux server to a new user. Which command should you use to do this?
A. chown
B. chmod
C. cat
D. cp
A. The chown (change owner) command is used to change ownership of files in Linux.
The syntax to change the owner of a file is chown owner- name filename. The chmod
(change mode) command is used to modify the mode of the file, meaning who has what
access to the file. The cat command is a powerful tool that can be used to view contents
of a file, create new files, and concatenate (put together) files. The cp command is used to
copy files.
You need to configure a virtual private network (VPN) for an employee working remotely
on a Windows Pro computer. What category group in Windows Settings provides options
for establishing dial- up or VPN connections?
A. Network and Sharing Center
B. Network & Internet
C. System
D. Accounts
B. Network & Internet is the Settings category that provides options for setting up VPN
or dial- up connections. Network and Sharing Center is a Control Panel utility. The System
category of Settings deals with display, sound, power, notification, and other settings. The
Accounts category is useful for managing users and syncing settings. In Windows 11, but
not Windows 10, Windows Backup is included in the Accounts category.
While using your Windows laptop remotely, you want to set up a secure connection over a
Wi- Fi network. What type of connection do you need to establish?
A. VPN
B. Dial- up
C. Fios
D. Hotspot
A. A virtual private network (VPN) is a secured network connection made over an unse-
cure network. For example, if you wanted to connect your laptop to your corporate net-
work over the Internet in order to read email but you also wanted to secure the connection,
you could use a VPN. Dial-u p is a very slow and seldom used connection that requires a
telephone landline to make a connection. Fios is a vendor name for a fiber- optic connec-
tion that provides Internet access and other services, and a hotspot is sharing a cellular
device’s connection with other devices, essentially making the cellular device a gateway to
the Internet.
A print queue has stalled, so you’re going to stop and restart the Print Spooler service.
Where can you do this? (Choose two.)
A. The Services console
B. Task Manager, Services tab
C. Disk Management, Services tab
D. Task Scheduler
A, B. The Services console will enable you to manage all of the computer’s services. The
Services tab of Task Manager is a subset of those services with a link at the bottom to the
full Services console. There are several ways to see what services are running and to enable
and disable services. They include the Services console, Computer Management, and the
Services tab in Task Manager. In Windows 10, but not Windows 11, you can find the ser-
vices console in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, and click Services. Disk Management
does not have a link to the Services console, and Task Scheduler is designed to perform
tasks when a trigger happens, such as a date, time, or event.
A user types their username and password into a workstation that is configured in a
domain. What examines their information and determines whether they are allowed access
to network resources?
A. Local operating system
B. File server
C. Authentication server
D. DHCP server
C. A domain uses an authentication server to determine whether a user is granted access
to shared resources. In Windows, an authentication server is also known as a domain
controller. Domains are not available with Windows Home editions. Windows Home
editions can only use a workgroup, and in that case the operating system on the device
with the shared resource would allow or deny access. A file server is a computer that pro-
vides access to shared files. A DHCP server is used to automatically assign IP addresses
and configure network settings. A DHCP server is often included in the software on a
SOHO router.
Your spouse takes gaming seriously and has complained that restart notifications some-
times pop up on the screen at crucial moments, disrupting their game. What settings group
can you use to stop restart notifications from appearing and stop unnecessary programs
from running in the background?
A. System
B. Gaming
C. Update and Security
D. Apps
B. To turn off all notifications, or choose to manage whether and how individual notifi-
cation senders can interact with you, you could go to Windows Settings, select the System
group, and then click Notifications & Actions. This is not the correct answer, though,
because it doesn’t stop the background activity— it only stops the notifications. Game
mode, found in the Gaming options group, enables you to configure the system to be opti-
mized for gameplay and recording. In addition to preventing driver update installations
and stopping restart notifications, it modifies settings affecting video frame rate. Update
and Security settings don’t address notifications. The Apps option lets you manage where
apps can be installed from, default apps for opening files, and other application configura-
tion settings.
What type of operating system is found on an Apple iPhone?
A. iPhone OS
B. iOS
C. Android
D. Windows for iPhone
B. iOS is the proprietary operating system for iPhones. iPhone OS and Windows for iPhone
don’t exist. The Android OS was developed by Google and is used on smartphones, tablets,
and other touchscreen devices. Other operating systems include iPadOS for use on iPads,
and of course Windows, Linux, and macOS found on desktop and laptop PCs, and Chrome
OS, which is proprietary and found on Chromebooks.
You want to find and download a new application to use for network monitoring on your
MacBook. Where can you do this in the macOS?
A. Finder
B. App Store
C. Mission Control
D. FileVault
B. The App Store is where you would go to locate and download new programs. Finder
enables a user to drill down through folders to find what they are looking for. Mission
Control is an easy way to see what is open and to switch between applications, and Fil-
eVault provides encryption.
You work as the IT manager of a telephone call center. Your company just purchased one
hundred computers in anticipation of a large wave of hiring, and you need to configure
them all with the OS, applications, and settings that your company uses. What type of
installation will you do?
A. Upgrade
B. Recovery partition
C. Repair installation
D. Image deployment
D. Image deployments are usually done in a large- volume setting where you have many
computers configured identically. One machine will have the OS and applications installed
and settings configured. Then an image is created. The image can be stored on a network
drive, a USB drive, or other media. When it is installed, it will include the OS, software,
and settings that were configured on the original machine. An upgrade installation will
keep all of your files and settings but install a different version of an OS on your com-
puter. A recovery partition is often created on a laptop that is purchased from a major
supplier. There will be a key or multiple keys to press while the computer is booting. The
exact key(s) will depend on the laptop manufacturer. Using a recovery partition will erase
everything that is on the drive and restore the computer to the state it was in when it was
received from the manufacturer. This is sometimes called a factory reset. A repair installa-
tion will use the same OS and attempt to leave all your files and settings while fixing any of
the operating system files.
A MacBook user has a program that they no longer use. What are their options for
removing it from their computer? (Choose two.)
A. Use Finder, then Applications to locate the app, then right- click and choose Delete.
B. Use Finder, then Applications to locate the app’s folder, then look for an uninstaller
and run it.
C. Use Finder, then Applications to find the app, then drag the app from the Applications
folder to the trash.
D. Click Apple, then Uninstall, and then choose the app.
B, C. An app can be deleted simply by dragging it to the trash, but if it has its own folder,
look for an uninstall program. Right-c licking and choosing Delete is how you might
remove a file in a Windows OS. There is no uninstall option from the Apple menu.
You’re on a Linux system and need to change a user’s access to a file. Which command will
you use to do this?
A. chown
B. chmod
C. cat
D. cp
B. The chmod (change mode) command is used to modify the mode of the file, meaning
who has what type of access to the file. The who is divided into file owner, group
members, and others (everyone else). The permissions they can have are read,
write, or execute. The command can get quite complicated, but in its basic form it is
chmod [reference][operator][mode] file. As an example, if you want to restrict
a user (the owner) of a file named bogus from writing to that file, the command is chmod
u=r bogus. In the command, u is the reference to the user, = is the operator, and r is the
mode. Then, to see the result, you enter ls - l. Before changing the permission on the file
named bogus, running the ls - l command may have shown - rw- rw- r- - ; the first
You just got a new MacBook for a child, but they said the text on the screen is too hard to
read. What system preference would you use to help them?
A. Accessibility options
B. Displays
C. Privacy
D. Time Machine
A. Click Apple, then Preferences, and choose Accessibility Options to find several features
that make interacting easier for people with different abilities. Zoom can enlarge text on
the screen, VoiceOver will read screen contents, Sticky Keys lets the user press key combi-
nations one key at a time, and there are several other accessibility options.
An application on a user’s Windows Pro workstation has become corrupted. Where can
you go in Control Panel to attempt to repair or reinstall the application?
A. Devices and Printers
B. Programs and Features
C. Network and Sharing Center
D. Device Manager
B. Programs and Features allows the user to add, remove, or troubleshoot installed pro-
grams (the options will change by program) and add or remove Windows features. From
Devices and Printers you can manage multiple printers and do tasks such as choosing a
default printer, installing new printers, and changing printer settings. The Network and
Sharing Center is the Windows tool for viewing and configuring network connections
and changing adapter settings. Device Manager should be your go- to app when resolving
hardware issues. From there you can update or install drivers, see what isn’t working, and
disable hardware if need be.
A Wi- Fi user at your company said that their MacBook isn’t connecting to the network.
What option will you choose from Preferences in the Apple menu to turn Wi- Fi on and
select Automatically join this network?
A. Ethernet
B. Wi- Fi
C. Network
D. Accessibility
C. The correct option is Network, where you can see all the network connections of the
MacBook. Ethernet and Wi- Fi are not options in Preferences. Accessibility provides access
to features that make working with a Mac easier for differently abled people.
You are at a Linux workstation and need to search for text within several files. Which
command should you use?
A. sudo
B. grep
C. cp
D. ls
B. The grep command (short for the impossibly long “globally search a regular
expression and print”) does just what it says it does: it searches for a string
of text and then displays the results of what it found. The syntax for
grep is grep [options] pattern [files]. The sudo command stands for
superuser do, or substitute user do, and will run a single command as the alternate user.
The cp command copies files, and ls provides a list of contents of the working directory.
You need to install Windows on a new machine. Which of the following is not an installa-
tion option?
A. USB
B. Network
C. External drive
D. CD
D. Compact discs (CDs) don’t hold enough information to be used for installation media
for Windows. Windows media can be installed from a USB or an external drive, or via a
network connection provided there is a way to boot to the network such as PXE support.
Which of the following is not a best practice for hardening your macOS against attack?
A. Use Time Machine to back up your Mac.
B. Use BitLocker to encrypt your drive.
C. Install updates and patches as soon as they are available.
D. Turn on the firewall in the Security & Privacy pane.
B. The program that is used to encrypt a drive on a Mac is FileVault, not BitLocker. Bit-
Locker does the same in the Windows operating system. Best practices for hardening a Mac
system against malware include backing up the data using Time Machine, encrypting the
drive, installing patches and updates as soon as they are available, disabling remote access,
turning on the software firewall, using a password manager, using a non- admin account,
and setting a password-p rotected screen saver.
Which of the following file extensions indicates a drive image that can be mounted in
macOS and treated like a drive?
A. .pkg
B. .bat
C. .dmg
D. .app
C. A file with a .dmg extension is a disk image and can be treated like a drive in macOS.
It can be “mounted” like a physical hard drive, the contents read, and files opened, or
applications installed. A file with a .pkg extension in macOS is a compressed package file.
You may be able to view the contents of the file in Finder, but if not, it would need to be
extracted first. Files with a .bat extension are batch files used in Windows to run a string
of commands that have been entered into a text file, and files with an .app extension are
applications.
The graphics department of your company just purchased a new printer, and now you need
to install it. What System preference pane can you use to install new printers in macOS?
A. Printers
B. Printers & Scanners
C. Devices
D. Sharing
B. The Printers & Scanners pane is where you would go to install a new printer or con-
figure a printer in the macOS System Preferences folder. Printers and Devices are not
options there, but Sharing is, and from there you can share your screen or files and choose
from several other options.
You want to find and download a new Wi- Fi analyzer application to use on your Android
phone. Where on your phone would you do this?
A. Finder
B. App Store
C. Mission Control
D. Play Store app
D. Use the Play Store app on your Android phone to access Google Play, where you can
find new apps to install on your Android phone. Finder and Mission Control are applica-
tions found on a computer with macOS running. The App Store is where you would go to
locate and download new programs for an iPhone.
Your friend just bought a new iPad. What type of operating system will it have?
A. iPhone OS
B. iOS
C. iPadOS
D. Android
C. Unlike iOS for iPhones, the iPadOS has features such as Split View that allow it to use
multiple applications at the same time. It also boasts support for external drives and dis-
plays. iOS is the operating system of iPhones, and the Android OS developed by Google is
used on smartphones, tablets, and other touchscreen devices. iPhone OS is not a real term.
You would like to see the contents of a file named bogus.txt. What command will you
use to view the file’s contents?
A. chown
B. chmod
C. cat
D. cp
C. The cat command is powerful and can be used to view contents of a file, create new
files, and concatenate (put together) files. For example, to view the line- by- line contents of
the bogus.txt file, you would simply enter cat bogus.txt. To add line numbers to the
output, enter the command cat - n bogus.txt. The chown (change owner) command is
used to change ownership of files in Linux. The chmod (change mode) command is used to
modify the mode of the file, meaning who has what access to the file. The cp command is
used to copy files.
Your customer, an artist, uses their Windows 10 tablet PC to enter sales and accept cus-
tomer payments. They walk around the gallery with it and want to conserve as much
power as possible. What Control Panel utility will you use to enable USB Selective Sus-
pend? (Choose two.)
A. Power Options
B. Device Manager
C. Programs and Features
D. Indexing Options
A, B. The Power Options utility in Control Panel has a setting to enable or disable USB
Selective Suspend. To get there, choose Power Options, then Change Plan Settings, and
then Change Advanced Power Settings; then click USB Settings in the Settings list. Note
that Windows 11 does not have that option in the Control Panel Power Options utility.
In Device Manager, choose Universal Serial Bus Controllers, then double- click USB Root
Hub, choose the Power Management tab, and choose “Allow the computer to turn off this
device to save power.” Refer to the graphic. USB devices such as a card reader or signature
Your company just purchased five new MacBook computers for employee use. You will be
providing tech support for them. What filesystem will they have?
A. HFS+
B. APFS
C. ext4
D. NTFS
B. APFS, the Apple File System, has been the filesystem used by Mac computers since 2017.
It supports up to 9 quintillion files and folders, full- disk encryption, and space sharing,
so the free space on a drive is available to all volumes of that drive. HFS+ is an older file-
system that was used by Apple. The ext4 filesystem is used in the Linux world, and NTFS
(New Technology File System) is the Windows filesystem that supports file encryption and
NTFS permissions for file sharing.
Your friend wants a new phone but has told you that they are not fond of Apple products.
They’ve decided to buy a Microsoft Duo product. What operating system will likely be on
their new phone?
A. iPadOS
B. iOS
C. Android
D. Windows
C. Although the Duo products are made by Microsoft, they run an Android OS, not Win-
dows. There is no Windows version for phones. iPadOS and iOS are Apple’s proprietary
operating systems.
On a Mac using macOS 10.6 or later, what is the best way to protect the system against
viruses and other malware? (Choose two.)
A. Install an antivirus from a vendor you trust.
B. Ensure the system data files and security updates are set to run automatically.
C. Only install software from reliable sources.
D. Use Finder to find and delete viruses and malware.
B, C. Since Snow Leopard (macOS 10.6) Apple has included malware detection, called
File Quarantine, in its software. File Quarantine will not allow a known malware file to be
opened. In order to protect your system from the most recent malware, you need to ensure
that updates will run automatically. This is done by choosing System Preferences from the
Apple menu, selecting App Store, and selecting Automatically Check For Updates and then
Install System Data Files And Security Updates. It’s also good advice to only download
A user calls the hotline saying that they can’t get directions and Siri can’t give them the
weather. What System Preferences pane do they need to use to remedy the situation?
A. Security & Privacy
B. Mission Control
C. Accessibility
D. Networks
A. The Privacy tab in the Security & Privacy pane is where you would enable Location
Services, which is how Siri knows where you are to tell you about the weather, provide
maps, and give you directions. The window for each type of privacy concern will show
what applications have requested Location Services. Also on the Privacy tab are Contacts,
Calendars, Reminders, Photos, Accessibility, and Analytics. Mission Control will show all
the open apps for quick access. Accessibility allows you to configure settings for differently
abled people, and the Networks pane will show all the computer’s network settings.
A salesperson will be working remotely, and you need to set up a virtual private network
(VPN) for them. What Control Panel utility will you use to do this?
A. Devices and Printers
B. Programs and Features
C. Network and Sharing Center
D. User Accounts
C. The Network and Sharing Center is the Windows tool for viewing and configuring net-
work connections and changing adapter settings. From here you can also manually set up
a new connection or network such as dial- up, VPN connections, or even a wireless access
point (WAP). From Devices and Printers, you can manage multiple printers and do tasks
such as choosing a default printer, installing new printers, and changing printer settings.
Programs and Features allows the user to add, remove, or troubleshoot installed programs
(the options will change by program) and add or remove Windows features. User Accounts
is the utility for adding new user accounts, changing their passwords, or managing profiles
as well as other user- related configurations.
A user brought you a laptop that wouldn’t boot into the OS. After trying some trouble-
shooting techniques, you inform them that you will need to reinstall the operating system.
After ensuring that they have a backup of their files, you restart the computer, press F10,
and the OS installation begins. What type of installation are you doing?
A. Upgrade
B. Recovery partition
C. Repair installation
D. Image deployment
B. This is a recovery partition installation. A recovery partition is often created on a laptop
that is purchased from a major supplier. There will be a key or multiple keys to press while
the computer is booting. The exact key(s) will depend on the laptop manufacturer. Using
a recovery partition will erase everything that is on the drive and restore the computer to
the state it was in when it was received from the manufacturer. This is sometimes called a
factory reset. An upgrade installation will keep all your files and settings but install a dif-
ferent version of an OS on your computer. A repair installation will use the same OS and
attempt to leave all your files and settings while fixing any of the operating system files.
Image deployments are usually done in a large- volume setting where you have many com-
puters configured identically. One computer will have the OS and applications installed and
settings configured. Then an image of that computer is created. The image can be stored on
a network drive, a USB drive, or other media. When it is installed, it will include the OS,
software, and settings that were configured on the original computer.
A second person is going to be using the Windows computer at your desk when you’re not
there. What would you choose in Windows Settings to create their user account?
A. Accounts
B. User Accounts
C. Personalization
D. System
A. Accounts is the group in Windows Settings that will enable you to add a new user. From
there, click Family & Other Users; then, in Windows 10, click Add Someone Else To This
PC. In Windows 11, you click Add Other User. User Accounts is the Control Panel utility
for managing users. From the Personalization menu of Windows Settings, you can change
the desktop theme and background colors. The System group in Windows Settings has a
multitude of settings, including Display, Sound, Notifications & Actions, and Power.
You’re working in the Linux Terminal and need to locate a file. Which command lets you
locate and perform actions on a file?
A. find
B. ps
C. man
D. nano
A. The find command is used to find files and directories and
perform operations on them. The syntax of the command is
find [where to look] [- options][what to find]. For example,
find Documents - name *.jpg will find all the files in Documents and its subfolders
that have .txt at the end. Find can also search by folder, name, creation date, modification
date, owner, and permissions. The ps command will list the processes that are currently
running, along with their PIDs (process IDs); the man command displays a user manual
for any Linux command, much like the Windows /? command; and nano is a Linux
text editor.
A user wants to install an application that requires a 1 GHz processor on a Windows 10,
64- bit installation. What is the minimum speed processor that their computer must have?
A. 1 GHz
B. 2 GHz
C. 3 GHz
D. 4 GHz
B. Windows 10 64- bit requires a 2 GHz or faster processor, so that’s what the system in
question must already have. Unlike RAM, where you must add the requirements together,
choose a processor that is at least the fastest requirement of all the running software— in
this case, the 2 GHz processor that is needed for the operating system. You would not need
to buy a faster processor to accommodate the new software.
Which of the filesystems listed is compatible with more operating systems than the others?
A. FAT32
B. exFAT
C. NTFS
D. ext4
A. File Allocation Table 32 (FAT32) is more compatible than the other filesystems. It can
be read by Windows, Linux, macOS, and many game consoles. Extensible File Allocation
Table (exFAT) partitions require a third- party software to be read by Linux, and New Tech-
nology File System (NTFS) doesn’t play well with any operating system other than Micro-
soft Windows. Fourth Extended Filesystem (ext4) partitions are used in Linux. Microsoft
systems can’t even recognize ext4 partitions.
What operating systems can be found on a smartphone? (Choose two.)
A. iOS
B. macOS
C. Android
D. Windows 11
A, C. Once upon a time Microsoft had a Windows version for smartphones, but they no
longer do. On modern smartphones you’ll most likely find either iOS or Android, although
there is also Tizen, which is a Linux, open source mobile operating system developed by
Samsung. macOS and Windows 10 are for laptop and desktop computers. BlackBerry
once had a smartphone operating system but now relies on Android and is known for and
focused on their security software for smartphones. Bada and Symbian are other discontin-
ued smartphone operating systems. Remember to focus on the mobile OSs that are listed
on the CompTIA A+ objectives. Those are iPadOS, iOS, and Android.
Before you upgrade your Windows 8.1 OS to Windows 10, you want to create a backup of
your Windows 8.1 system configuration so that you can restore it if something goes wrong.
What should you create?
A. Restore point
B. System restore
C. Windows backup
D. Shadow copy
A. A restore point is a copy of your system configuration at a given point in time. Restore
points are useful for when Windows fails to boot but the computer appears to be fine oth-
erwise, or when Windows doesn’t seem to be acting right and you think it was because of a
recent configuration change. In Windows 10, restore points are created on the System Pro-
tection tab of System Properties.
A friend has a game that they love on their macOS desktop computer, and they want to put
it on the Windows laptop that they travel with. What will you tell them?
A. Sure, it’s no problem to install it.
B. They can only install it if both are 64-b it systems.
C. They can install macOS software on a Windows machine, but not Windows software
on a Mac.
D. They will need to find a Windows- compatible version of the software to install it on
their Windows laptop.
D. Software intended for macOS and Windows are not interchangeable, but some software
packages come in a macOS version and a Windows version, so it’s important to make sure
you purchase the correct one. Windows can be run on a Mac, but not at the same time.
You would need to run a program called Boot Camp to create a Windows partition on the
Mac’s hard drive, then install the Windows OS on that partition. At boot, you can choose
either Windows or macOS, but you can’t run Windows applications on macOS.
You’re looking at the specifications for a new computer and notice that it says, “Intel®
UHD Graphics 630 with shared graphics memory.” What is true about this graphics card?
(Choose two.)
A. The GPU is on an expansion card.
B. The GPU is located on the processor.
C. It uses part of the system’s RAM.
D. It has its own VRAM.
B, C. A video card can either be discrete or integrated. If it is integrated, then the graphics
processing unit (GPU) resides on the processor, and the GPU will share RAM with the
system. A discrete video card will contain a GPU and VRAM (Video RAM) and will be
installed in an expansion slot.
You want to uninstall an app on a Windows computer. Where will you go in Windows Set-
tings to uninstall it?
A. System
B. Apps
C. Update And Security
D. Gaming
B. The Apps group of Windows Settings lets you delete or update apps, choose apps to
start when you log in, choose default apps for opening files, and other application configu-
ration settings. The System group has settings for display, power, sound, and notifications,
and several other options. Update And Security (Windows 10 only) has a plethora of tools,
including Windows Update, Troubleshooting, Activation, Recovery, and Windows Security.
(The similar Settings group in Windows 11 is Windows Update, but it is only for updates
and recovery options. Troubleshooters and Activation are found in the System group, and
Windows Security settings are found in the Privacy & Security group of Windows 11 Set-
tings.) The Gaming option enables you to configure the system to be optimized for game-
play and recording.
You just built your first computer from components. What type of operating system instal-
lation will you perform?
A. Upgrade installation
B. Recovery partition
C. Clean installation
D. Image deployment
C. You will be performing a clean installation. Clean installations happen on a new
machine that doesn’t have an operating system at all (bare metal) but can also happen
when you want to completely wipe out the drive and begin fresh. An upgrade installation
can only happen when there is an existing operating system, and will keep all of your files
and settings but install a different version of an OS on your computer. A recovery parti-
tion is often found on laptops, and sometimes on desktop PCs, that are purchased from a
major supplier. There will be a key or multiple keys to press while the computer is booting.
The exact key(s) will depend on the laptop manufacturer. Using a recovery partition will
erase everything that is on the drive and restore the computer to the state it was in when
it was received from the manufacturer. This is sometimes called a factory reset. Image
deployments are usually done in a large-v olume setting where you have many computers
configured identically. One computer will have the OS and applications installed and set-
tings configured. Then an image of that computer is created. The image can be stored on a
network drive, a USB drive, or other media. When it is installed on new computers, it will
include the OS, software, and settings that were configured on the original computer.
You’re upgrading your Windows 10 Home edition to Windows 10 Pro. What utility will
you use to make a backup of your data before upgrading the system? (Choose two.)
A. File History
B. Windows Update
C. Recovery
D. Backup
A, D. Type backup in the Windows 10 search box and click Backup Settings, and you’ll
be taken to a screen that says “Back up using File History.” You can also find the Backup
window in Settings in the Update & Security group. You’ll need a storage device such as an
external hard drive, then from the Backup window you’ll choose to automatically create
backups and click More Options to choose the frequency. Every hour is the default, but the
backup schedule options vary from 10 minutes up to Daily. Here you can also choose what
files to back up. Windows Update checks for operating system updates, and Recovery is the
utility that is used to reset a PC, meaning that the operating system is reinstalled but you
can choose to keep your personal files.
You’re working in the Linux Terminal and aren’t sure how to use the ps command. Which
of the following will show you detailed information about the command?
A. find ps
B. ps man
C. man ps
D. nano ps
C. Linux has a built-i n manual that can be accessed using the man command, similar
to using Windows help [command] or [command] /? at a command prompt. The
syntax is man [command]. The find command is used to find files and directories and
to perform operations on them. The ps command will list the processes that are currently
running, along with their PIDs (process IDs), and Nano is a Linux text editor.
[command] - - help can also be used at a Linux Terminal prompt to get help on a
specific command.
You’re moving your Windows 8.1 computer to Windows 10. What type of installation are
you doing?
A. Upgrade installation
B. Recovery partition
C. Clean installation
D. Image deployment
A. You will be performing an upgrade installation. An upgrade installation can only hap-
pen when there is an existing operating system. It will keep all of your files and settings
but install a different version of an OS on your computer. A recovery partition is often
found on a laptop (and some desktops) that is purchased from a major supplier. There
will be a key or multiple keys to press while the computer is booting. The exact key(s) will
depend on the laptop manufacturer. Using a recovery partition will erase everything that
is on the drive and restore the computer to the state it was in when it was received from
You’re considering upgrading your Windows 8.1 PC to Windows 10. Which of the follow-
ing does not need to be done before upgrading?
A. Backups of user files and preferences
B. Operating system refresh
C. Check application and driver compatibility
D. Check hardware compatibility
B. To refresh an OS (operating system) you would reinstall the same version over the exist-
ing one to correct issues with OS files. You don’t need to do that when you are upgrading a
system to a new OS. Whenever you’re doing an upgrade, it is important to consider several
things. Backups must be made in case something goes wrong. Before you start the upgrade,
you’ll want to ensure that the applications you run are compatible with the new OS and
that compatible drivers are available for your hardware. You’ll also want to ensure that the
hardware you have will work with the new OS.
You’re purchasing a software that says it uses 32- bit processing. Your computer has a 64-
bit processor. Can you use this software on your computer?
A. Yes, a 32- bit software can run on a 64- bit processor.
B. No, a 32- bit software must have a 32-b it processor.
C. Yes, if you replace the processor with a 32-b it one.
D. Yes, it will just need more RAM.
A. You can run a 32- bit software on a 64-b it processor—i t just doesn’t take advantage of
the 64- bit processor’s full capabilities. However, you cannot run a 64- bit software on a 32-
bit processor.
Which of the following commands, when entered into a Linux terminal, will open a
text editor?
A. find
B. ps
C. man
D. nano
D. Nano is a user- friendly text editor available in many Linux distributions. The Nano
software is launched using the nano command. Other text editors such as Vim and Emacs
may also be available, but Nano is easier to use. The find command is used to find files
and directories and perform operations on them. find can also search by folder, name,
creation date, modification date, owner, and permissions. The ps command will list the
processes that are currently running, along with their PIDs (process IDs), and the man
command displays a user manual for any Linux command, much like the Windows
[command name] /? command.
You would like to know the IP address of a website. What Linux tool will you use?
A. chown
B. dig
C. top
D. ip
B. The dig command can be used to retrieve the IP address of a website; for example,
dig Sybex.com +short will return the IP address of Sybex.com. The chown (change
owner) command is used to change ownership of files in Linux. The top command displays
dynamic information about the running processes, and the ip command is used to display
configuration information for network interfaces.
Which of the following is not true regarding managed Apple IDs?
A. They are created by a company for its employees.
B. They can’t make purchases.
C. An IT administrator can remove or update your account.
D. You can reset your own password.
D. With managed Apple IDs, your company, not you, can reset your password. Your
company owns a managed Apple ID, so there are restrictions in place. A managed ID is
created by a company for use in company business. Since it’s linked to your company,
your managed Apple ID can’t be used to make purchases, and an IT administrator at your
company can restrict access to your account, remove it, or update it.
Your accounting department uses an application that requires they enter a username and
password, then insert a fob into a USB port on the computer in order to move money bet-
ween accounts at the bank. Which of the following are true? (Choose two.)
A. They are using two- factor authentication.
B. They are using an external software token.
C. They are using an external hardware token.
D. Their bank account can never be hacked.
A, C. Requiring multifactor or two-f actor authentication has become somewhat standard
for applications that require a high level of security. By entering a password (something you
know) and requiring the fob (something you have), the application is requiring two- factor
authentication. An example of a software token would be a code emailed to you that you
can check on the same device you are using to access the application. An external hardware
token is anything physical that you must have in your possession, such as a key fob that
must be inserted into the computer, a key fob that generates a code that changes every 30
seconds, or your cell phone with an authenticator app.
Which of the following filesystems is optimized for flash drives?
A. FAT32
B. NTFS
C. ext4
D. exFAT
D. Extensible File Allocation Table (exFAT) is optimized for flash drives because it has low
overhead like the File Allocation Table 32- bit (FAT32) filesystem (as opposed to New Tech-
nology File System [NTFS]). However, like NTFS it will support much larger file sizes than
FAT32, which is limited to 4 GB. exFAT is less compatible with non- Microsoft operating
systems than FAT32 is, but more compatible than NTFS. For example, macOS can only
read NTFS partitions, but it can read and write to exFAT partitions.
You are working on a Linux workstation. A file named docs needs to be renamed to
newdocs. What is the right command to do this?
A. ren docs newdocs
B. mv docs newdocs
C. cp docs newdocs
D. rm docs newdocs
B. In Linux, the mv (move) command is used to rename files. As shown in the answer, the
syntax is mv [old- file- name] [new- file- name]. The cp command copies a file,
but that is a different process than moving it. rm is short for remove, and it deletes files.
ren is a Windows command to rename files.
Which of the following software packages lets Linux, Windows, and other operating
system platforms use shared files, shared printers, and other resources across a network or
the Internet?
A. Spotlight
B. Time Machine
C. Samba
D. FileVault
C. Samba is a widely used freeware program based on SMB (Server Message Block) and
CIFS (Common Internet File System) that lets operating systems communicate despite their
differences. A request for resources is sent from a client to a Samba server, which forwards
the request to the host. The host can either accept or deny the request. Spotlight, Time
Machine, and FileVault are macOS tools for finding files, folders, and programs; making
backups; and file encryption, respectively.
You have Control Panel open and want to quickly check how much RAM is installed in
the system and what processor it has. Which Control Panel utility will you use to view this
information?
A. System
B. Device Manager
C. Devices And Printers
D. Programs And Features
A. The System utility of Control Panel provides a link to the System Settings group, where
you can choose the About option in Windows Settings. The screen that pops up by default
shows information about the PC such as its name, the specific processor it has, how much
physical RAM is installed, the Windows version and edition, and so on. Device Manager
is used for troubleshooting hardware and installing device drivers. Devices And Printers
is used for managing printers and multifunction devices, as well as other devices that are
connected to the computer. Programs And Features helps in uninstalling applications and
adding or removing Windows features.
You downloaded a new application that you want to install on your Windows 10 PC and
noticed that it has only one file, and that file has an .iso extension. Which of the follow-
ing is true regarding this file?
A. Double- click it and let it run to install the application.
B. Right- click the file and choose Mount. Windows will then see and treat the file as a
disk in an optical drive.
C. You will need a third- party utility to open this file.
D. Right- click and choose Extract to install the software.
B. Files with an .iso extension are disk image files. In order to install the software they
contain, you need to first mount the image. You may be able to double- click it; if not, right-
click and choose Mount, or locate the file in File Explorer. Select the file, then click Mount
under Disk Image Tools. Once mounted, the operating system will treat the file as a disk in
an optical drive. You’ll look for an installer or autorun file to start the software installation.
When you’re done using the image, right- click it and choose eject. Extract is an option for
zipped files, not ISO files.
You’re considering installing a new software for monitoring network traffic. You know that
it will generate additional network traffic of its own. Which of the following should be con-
sidered before purchasing the software? (Choose three.)
A. Impact to the network
B. Impact to operations
C. Impact to the software company
D. Impact to business
A, B, D. Whenever you’re considering a new software purchase, there are many things to
consider. The technical aspects such as OS and application compatibility and hardware
concerns are only a part of it. You must also consider what impact this will have on any
devices, the network, how internal systems work and the operation of the business, and
the business as a whole—h ow will it affect the company’s bottom line? In the case of the
network monitoring software presented in the question, consider whether the additional
network overhead will cause a significant enough impact on the network to cause adverse
effects on production, and will it decrease company profits by slowing production, or is
it a wise investment because it can help protect against malware? Will it work well with
routers, switches, and other network hardware? Do the positive impacts outweigh the neg-
ative ones?
An application that you’re installing requires 20 GB of space plus storage for data files of
400 GB. What is the absolute minimum size your hard drive must be if you’re running Win-
dows 10 64- bit, which requires 20 GB of storage?
A. 20 GB
B. 400 GB
C. 420 GB
D. 440 GB
D. With today’s hard drives measured in TB, storage is seldom a problem, but in an
industrial setting it might be. When determining how big a hard drive needs to be, add
together the storage requirements of everything that will be on that drive, including the
operating system, the applications that will be installed, and all the data that will be gen-
erated by those applications. With RAM, you need to consider what will be running at the
same time, but with storage, consider all the applications and all the data whether or not
they are all working at the same time. It’s also important to consider what type of data files
will be stored. Word documents take up much less space than video files do.
You’re working at a Linux command prompt (that is, you’re in the Linux Terminal) and
need to delete a file called oldstuff.txt. Which of the following commands will work?
A. rm oldstuff.txt
B. del oldstuff.txt
C. er oldstuff.txt
D. rd oldstuff.txt
A. In Linux, rm (remove) is the command for deleting files and directories. As shown, the
syntax is rm [option] [what- to- remove]. If you’re removing more than one file at
a time, list the files after the remove command such as rm file1.ext file2.ext. By
using options, the rm command can also remove directories and work in verbose mode,
meaning that it will tell you what it’s doing. del is used to delete one or more files at a
Windows command prompt. er is not a known command in either Linux or Windows, and
rd is a Windows command to remove directories.
Which of the following extensions indicates a file that can be extracted or opened with an
installer app to install an application?
A. .pkg
B. .bat
C. .dmg
D. .app
A. A file with a .pkg extensions in macOS is a compressed package file. You may be able
to view the contents of the file in Finder, but if not, it would need to be extracted first. It
can be installed by double-c licking it or opening it with an installer. A file with a .dmg
extension is a disk image and can be treated like a drive in macOS. It does not need to
be extracted. It can be “mounted” like a physical hard drive, the contents read, and files
opened or applications installed. Files with an .app extension are applications, and files
with a .bat extension are batch files used in Windows to run a string of commands that
have been entered into a text file.
Which of the following is not an advantage of downloadable software distribution over
using physical media to distribute software?
A. It’s always current.
B. It costs the distributor less.
C. It works on a system without a DVD drive.
D. It works on all bare- metal systems.
D. A bare- metal system is one that doesn’t have any software yet, including the operating
system. It would not be able to download software to install. It could be used for a network
installation of an OS if it supported Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) booting to the
network, but that would be using a LAN to distribute software as opposed to download-
able distribution, which by definition uses the Internet. Distributing software via download
means that it could be the most up-t o- date version of the software. It costs less because no
one must pay for the USB or DVD to distribute it, and it only requires an Internet connec-
tion, not a DVD drive. Many new PCs don’t have optical drives.
You’re working on a Windows computer that is having some trouble booting. After trying
System File Checker (SFC) and other troubleshooting techniques, you decide that you need
to reinstall the operating system files. What type of installation will you be doing?
A. Upgrade
B. Repair
C. Clean
D. Remote
B. A repair installation (or repair upgrade, as Microsoft calls it) means that you’re
installing the same version of the same operating system over on top of the existing
operating system. A repair installation can be done from within the existing operating
system or from other media. It will go through a licensing screen and some others, eventu-
ally showing a screen where you will choose to keep Windows settings, personal files, and
apps. An upgrade installation will also keep your files, apps, and settings, but you will be
using a newer version of the operating system. A clean installation wipes out everything
on the hard drive. A remote installation is done across a network and could be any of the
other three types.
You need to quickly view the network configuration on a Linux computer. What command
will you use?
A. ipconfig
B. ipconfig /all
C. ip
D. cfg
C. The ip command is used to configure and view network settings in modern Linux
distributions, replacing the former ifconfig command. Like most Linux commands,
there is a multitude of objects and options that can be used. Likely the most frequently used
one is ip addr show, which will show all the network interfaces and their respective IP
You purchased a Windows 10 laptop and notice that it immediately resumes when you
open the lid. What allows it to do that?
A. Hibernate
B. Idle mode
C. Modern Standby
D. Auto off
C. Windows supports a feature called Modern Standby. Modern Standby must also be
supported by the hardware. With Modern Standby, the system will wake from the lowest
power to allow short bursts (milliseconds) of software execution as the system needs them.
The system uses just enough power to process background tasks but still preserves battery
life. The result is that when in sleep mode, a computer can stay connected to a LAN and
reacts much like a smartphone with instant on/instant off ability.
You’re at a command prompt in Windows and need to quickly add a user named student.
What command will you use?
A. net user student * /add
B. net use /add student *
C. net user student *
D. user /add student
A. The net user command can be used at a command prompt to add a user on the
fly. The syntax is net user username [password | *] /add [options]
[/domain]. In this example, we are adding a user named student, and the * replacing
password tells the system to prompt us for a password. If no domain is specified, the
command assumes the user is added to the local computer. As soon as this command is exe-
cuted, the named user will appear in the Users utility of Control Panel.
What shortcut keys can you use to quickly access many of the technician tools used in Win-
dows operating systems?
A. Press Windows Key+D.
B. Press Windows Key+L.
C. Press Windows Key+I.
D. Press Windows Key+X.
D. Pressing Windows Key+X will open the Quick Link menu. On it, in Windows 11 you
will find shortcuts to Apps And Features, Mobility Center, Power Options, Event Viewer,
Device Manager, Network Connections, Disk Management, Computer Management, Task
Manager, Settings, File Explorer, Search, and Run. The Windows 10 Quick Link menu
includes links to Windows PowerShell and Windows PowerShell (Admin). You can also
click Shut Down or Sign Out from the Quick Link menu, or click Desktop, which will
display or hide all open applications on the desktop. Pressing Windows Key+D will also
hide or display all open applications. Pressing Windows Key+L is a quick way to lock the
computer, and pressing Windows Key+I brings you to Windows Settings.
A friend just installed Windows 10 on their bare- metal machine. They called you because
everything works except for their network. What do they need to do?
A. Reinstall the operating system.
B. Install third- party drivers.
C. Remove and reinstall the network card.
D. Replace the faulty network card.
B. The Windows operating system contains many drivers that will help make setting up a
new operating system easy, but it would be impossible for the installation media to have
all drivers for all the devices that are available. When you have a device whose driver, or a
compatible one, doesn’t automatically install, you’ll have to install the driver from a third
party, such as the motherboard manufacturer. Often these drivers can be downloaded from
an online source.
A Mac user accidentally deleted an app and wants to reinstall it. They believe that the file
to install the software again is still on their computer. What file extensions will you be
looking for? (Choose two.)
A. .pkg
B. .bat
C. .dmg
D. .app
A, C. A file with a .pkg extension in macOS is a compressed package file. You may be able
to view the contents of the file in Finder, but if not, it would need to be extracted first. It
can be installed by double-c licking it or by opening it with an installer. A file with a .dmg
extension is a disk image and can be treated like a drive in macOS. It can be “mounted”
like a physical hard drive, the contents read, and files opened, or applications installed from
it. Files with an .app extension are applications, and files with a .bat extension are batch
files used in Windows to run a string of commands that have been entered into a text file.
What feature, known more for mobile devices than desktops, is available for the desktop
macOS by using a trackpad or Magic Mouse?
A. SDK
B. Power options
C. Gesture- based interactions
D. Emergency notifications
C. Modern touchpads/trackpads can accept multiple finger gestures that function similarly
to gestures on a smartphone or tablet, such as swipe left or right to move between pages. To
see what gestures are available, choose System Preferences from the Apple menu, then select
Trackpad. Software development kit (SDK) is more of a programming term. Emergency
notifications and power options have little to do with a trackpad or Magic Mouse. Inciden-
tally, gestures are also available in Windows. To view or modify multi- finger gestures on
your Windows 10 PC, in Windows Settings, choose Devices, then Touchpad. In Windows
11, from Windows Settings, choose Bluetooth & Devices, then Touchpad.
You have a workgroup with all Windows Home PCs. One of the computers is sharing a
folder with two users who don’t have an account on this PC. What Control Panel utility
will you use to add the users and their passwords to this computer?
A. Administrative Tools
B. User Accounts
C. Local Users and Groups
D. Mail
B. You would use the User Accounts Control Panel utility to add new accounts for the
users. If you were on a Windows Pro or better computer, you could use the Local Users
and Groups app, but that is not available in Windows Home editions. It also isn’t listed as
a separate Control Panel utility, but in Windows 10 Pro and higher editions (not Windows
11) it can be accessed through Administrative Tools (choose Computer Management, then
Local Users and Groups). The Administrative Tools utility doesn’t have a link to the Con-
trol Panel User Accounts utility, which is not as versatile as Local Users and Groups. The
Mail utility is where you would configure user profiles for use with Microsoft Outlook.
You need to check the integrity of key Windows system files on the C: drive, which are
hidden from view by default. Which tool can you use to allow you to view hidden files and
their extensions?
A. Computer Management
B. System Configuration
C. Local Security Policy
D. File Explorer
D. Some of the most important files that you will need to work on are hidden by default as
a security precaution. To make certain folders or files visible, you need to change the view
properties of Windows File Explorer. This is generally done by going to the View tab and
selecting Hidden Items in the Show/hide group. Here you can also hide or show file exten-
sions. The same window can be accessed through File Explorer Options in Control Panel.
Computer Management is a collection of tools, including Disk Management and System
Tools. System Configuration has settings for changing how the computer boots and links to
other tools. Local Security Policy allows you to configure options like password complexity
and duration.
On your personal computer, it seems that searching through files has gotten slower and
slower. What utility will organize data so searches run faster?
A. In Control Panel, choose the Indexing Options utility.
B. In Windows Settings, choose the System group.
C. In Windows Settings, choose the Apps group.
D. In Control Panel, choose the Default Programs utility.
A. Control Panel’s Indexing Options looks at words in files and the files’ metadata to pro-
vide faster file searches. The System group of Windows Settings enables you to configure
notifications, power, and many other settings, but not Indexing. The Apps group of Systems
is where you can choose default programs and remove applications that you no longer
need. The Default Programs app of Control Panel allows you to manage default applica-
tions for opening types of files such as photos or mail by opening those settings in Windows
Settings.
You are on a domain controller and need to share a folder of data files for some users and
not others. Where will you configure access to the folder? (Choose two.)
A. On a domain controller.
B. In Windows Active Directory.
C. Configure Sharing on individual workstations.
D. Run a batch file to copy the files to each user who needs access.
A, B. When a computer logs into a domain, access to resources is controlled through Active
Directory. The server that Active Directory resides on is called a domain controller (DC).
In a workgroup, sharing would be configured on the computer that was providing access
to the files. Running a batch file to copy the files to each user would result in multiple cop-
ies of the files, likely with all different information after a time, not a single file repository
where the files are shared among users.
On your network, a few users have been accessing material on inappropriate websites.
What type of server can you install to block content from a list of prohibited websites?
A. DNS server
B. Authentication server
C. Proxy server
D. Web server
C. A proxy server makes requests for resources on behalf of a client. Proxy servers are
known for three things. One, the proxy server can cache the information requested, speed-
ing up subsequent searches. Two, the proxy can act as a filter, blocking content from pro-
hibited websites and blocking sensitive data from leaving the network. Three, the proxy
server can modify the requester’s information when passing it to the destination, blocking
You’re installing Windows 11 Enterprise in a bare- metal system. What is the maximum
amount of RAM you can put into this system?
A. 128 GB
B. 2 TB
C. 6 TB
D. 256 TB
C. Windows 11 maximum RAM limits are 128 GB for the Home edition, 2 TB for the Pro
edition, and 6 TB for the Pro for Workstations and Enterprise editions. They are the same
limits for Windows 10 64- bit, but the maximum RAM for any 32- bit Windows operating
system is only 4 GB.
You are creating a network for a small office with Windows Pro computers. They do not
want centralized security, but they want it to be easy to share printers and files, including
libraries. What type of network setup should you recommend?
A. Workgroup
B. Homegroup
C. Personal area network
D. Domain
A. You would want a workgroup. By default, Windows 10 computers will join a work-
group called workgroup, making it easy to share files, printers, and other resources. Access
to resources is configured on each workstation that is sharing a resource. The drawbacks of
a workgroup are that security is configured on each PC, and it’s only appropriate for very
small networks. Homegroup was a networking scheme in prior versions of Windows that
shared libraries. A personal area network (PAN) consists of a PC and its wireless devices,
usually paired Bluetooth devices such as printers, headphones, and input devices. A domain
is a network where access to resources is configured on a central server that all users of the
resources must log into.
Which File Explorer layout shows filename, data modified, type, and size of the file?
A. Extra large icons
B. Details
C. List
D. Content
B. Select File Explorer, then the View tab and the Layout group. Here the Details will
show the filename, file size, date last modified or created, and other data. The Extra large
icons shows each file as a picture. The List option will show a list of the filenames and
folders with no other details, and the Content option shows the file’s metadata.
Which of the following is not a best practice for updating/patching Red Hat Linux?
A. Keep installed software updates current.
B. Verify that installed packages have a valid signature.
C. Update packages quarterly.
D. Download packages only from trusted sources.
C. Updating packages only quarterly would be disastrous to the security of your systems.
It’s important to plan for updates and follow the plan. If your system has many Linux
installations, test package updates in a sandbox before installing on all systems. Managing
patches can be time-consuming, which is why companies providing patch management ser-
vices exist for both Linux and Windows installations. Checking for patches can be scripted
using the yum command. Updates should only be downloaded from reliable sources, and if
using Red Hat Linux, verify that the packages are signed by Red Hat.
What Linux program includes security features that can be used to find, list, and install
security updates?
A. chmod
B. man
C. find
D. yum
D. The yum command can be used to install security updates. The command to check for
security updates can be used in scripts, making it easy to run automatically and daily. The
command is yum check- update - - security. If there are none, the command returns
a value of 0. The command yum update - - security can be used to install security
updates. The chmod (change mode) command is used to modify the mode of the file,
meaning who has what access to the file; the man command displays a user manual for any
Linux command, much like Microsoft Windows [command] /? command; and the find
command is used to find files and directories and to perform operations on them.
You’re using the Mail utility of Control Panel to configure a new user’s computer so that
their Microsoft Outlook mail will automatically be downloaded onto their Windows com-
puter. What pieces of information will you need to set up their profile? (Choose two.)
A. The protocol the server uses
B. The user’s email address
C. The user’s password
D. The server port number
B, C. To enable a user to retrieve their email from Microsoft Outlook using the Mail
utility in Control Panel, you would only need the user’s email address and password. If the
server is other than a Microsoft Outlook server, then you might need more information
such as the protocol the server uses and the server address. You don’t need to know the
port number.
You have a MacBook Pro and want to share files with a small group of Mac users. Because
your team edits the files frequently, you want to make sure everyone has access to the same
version of the files online. What storage solution should you use?
A. iCloud
B. Finder
C. Remote Disc
D. Spotlight
A. One of the best ways always to have the latest version of files, regardless of the device
that you are using to access them, is to have them stored and accessed in the cloud. iCloud
is Apple’s answer to remote storage, and you can configure your Apple devices to place
files there automatically or use it for backup. Finder enables a user to drill down through
folders to find what they are looking for. Remote Disc is for using a shared optical drive,
and Spotlight is used to search for objects in macOS. It uses the familiar spyglass icon.
Which of the following is not a best practice for backing up Linux (or any)
desktop systems?
A. Follow the 3- 2- 1 rule.
B. Make only monthly backups.
C. Carefully document backups.
D. Periodically verify that backups are not corrupted and can be restored.
B. Making only monthly backups would likely not be often enough for anyone. In a
business setting it’s important to have a backup plan, taking into consideration how much
data you’re willing to lose and how long it would take to restore data if restoring from a
backup were needed. The 3- 2- 1 rule states that you need to have three backups on two dif-
ferent media, and one needs to be off-site. It’s also important to consider having backups
that are separate from your main system so that an infection of the main system won’t
infect the backup. Your backup plan should include regularly verifying that the backups
are able to be restored, meaning that the backups complete properly and are not corrupted,
and that your restore plan works. Even emergency medical services have practice runs from
time to time to ensure that when a major event happens, they will be ready. You should,
too. Finally, document, document, document. If an event occurs, you need to ensure that
you’re restoring from the correct backups, and if the person in charge of backups is not
available for any reason, a thoroughly documented backup system will make it easier for
someone else to continue the process in their place and/or restore backups if needed.
You’re working at a Windows command prompt and need to prepare a volume on a hard
drive to receive data using the NTFS filesystem. The volume should be designated as drive
X. Which command would you use at a command prompt to do this?
A. format x: /fs:ntfs
B. initialize x: /fs:ntfs
C. format x: /ntfs
D. initialize x: /ntfs
A. The format command is used to format hard drives. Before you format any drive,
be sure that you have it backed up or are prepared to lose whatever is on it. The
/fs:[filesystem] switch specifies the filesystem to prepare the disk with.
initialize is not a command.
You’re running a computer with macOS. Which of the following will protect your data
against accidental deletion?
A. Mirrored drives
B. An online utility
C. Time Machine
D. Nothing
C. Time Machine is a part of macOS, and it makes backups hourly daily and weekly that
can be used to restore a single file from months ago if it was accidentally deleted. Mir-
rored drives provide redundancy if the hard drive fails, but not against human error. Online
utilities are often set up to do the same. Backups should be a priority if retaining the data
is important. The only drawback with Time Machine is that if the external drive being
used by Time Machine gets full, it will start deleting the first backups to make room for
new ones.
You are a junior IT administrator, and the senior IT administrator has just set up a proxy
server, so you need to add settings for it to every workstation. What information do you
need to properly set up the proxy server in the Network & Internet group of Windows Set-
tings? (Choose two.)
A. The proxy server’s IP address
B. The router’s IP address
C. The DHCP server’s IP address
D. The port number to use for the proxy server
A, D. To set up a proxy server in Windows Settings, you only need the server’s IP address
and port number to use. You likely should also check the box that says “Don’t use the
proxy server for local (intranet) addresses.” You would not need the router’s IP address
or the DHCP server’s IP address unless it is also functioning as the proxy server. A router
decides if a packet belongs on the LAN or another network, and a DHCP server’s job is to
provide IP addresses and other settings to devices that log into a network.
You are working on a MacBook Pro and need to search the computer for a document you
wrote a few months ago. Which feature should you use to search the hard drive?
A. Keychain
B. Spotlight
C. Finder
D. Siri
B. The search feature in macOS is Spotlight, and a magnifying glass icon in the upper- right
corner of the menu bar represents it (or you can press Command+spacebar from any app).
Spotlight can search for documents, images, apps, and so on. Keychain is Apple’s password
management system. Finder enables a user to drill down through folders to find what they
are looking for. Siri is Apple’s voice-a ctivated virtual assistant.
Which of the following is not a best practice for avoiding viruses/malware in a
Linux system?
A. Create a different user and disable the root user.
B. Install antivirus and update it regularly.
C. Use sudo instead of su.
D. Only use eight- character alphanumeric passwords.
D. Eight- character alphanumeric passwords are simply too easy to hack. Whether a Win-
dows or Linux system, more complex passwords should always be required. There are
other ways to keep malware and viruses out. Linux has a few advantages on that front.
First and foremost, there are many, many people looking at Linux code, which means many
people to catch and rectify a vulnerability that could be taken advantage of by viruses and
hackers. In Linux, the user and system are more compartmentalized. If malware attacks a
user, it will only have access to what that user account has access to, not system files and
folders. This means if you must run commands as root, it’s extremely important to, when-
ever possible, do so using sudo instead of su. sudo will run just that command as root,
but su opens up an entire new shell as root and greater vulnerability to attack. If you’re
logged in as root, the whole system is vulnerable. Also, hackers know that root is the
default name for the system administrator, so create another user and disable root so that
a hacker has to guess not only the password but the username as well. It’s always good
advice to install an antivirus program and update it regularly. Other security actions for
Linux are to configure a firewall to filter traffic on unused ports, keep the Linux packages
and kernel updated, remove any software that is no longer being used, and change the /
boot directory to read only so that it can’t be changed. In addition to requiring complex
passwords, force users to change them periodically and not reuse passwords. You’ll also
want to monitor for failed login attempts and lock accounts after a reasonable number of
failed logins. Email can be encrypted, and of course, train users on the dangers of opening
email from unfamiliar sources.
You are installing a new network for a small office. They are concerned about security and
therefore want it managed by one computer. When installing the Windows computers, what
type of network setup will you choose?
A. Workgroup
B. Homegroup
C. Personal area network
D. Domain
D. A domain is a group of computers that are tightly connected or associated and share a
common domain name. It has a single authority (called a domain controller) that manages
security and access to resources for all the computers. All users will log in to the Windows
domain using their centrally created user account. If no domain is used, then by default
Windows computers will join a workgroup called workgroup, making it easy to share files,
printers, and other resources. Access to resources is configured on each workstation that
is sharing a resource. The drawbacks of a workgroup are that security is configured on
each PC and it’s only appropriate for very small networks. Homegroup was a networking
scheme in prior versions of Windows that shared libraries. A personal area network (PAN)
consists of a PC and its wireless devices, usually paired Bluetooth devices such as printers,
headphones, and input devices. A domain is a network where access to resources is config-
ured on a central server that all users of the resources must log in to.
A user has shared a folder with you. Working in File Explorer, how can you configure
access to this shared network location each time you log in without reentering the path?
(Choose two.)
A. Left- click This PC and choose the network share.
B. Select This PC on the left then click Map Network Drive icon in the File Explorer
ribbon and follow the onscreen prompts, ensuring that you choose Reconnect at sign-
in.
C. Use File Explorer to drill down to the shared network resource. Right- click the shared
resource, then choose Map Network Drive and follow the onscreen prompts, ensuring
that you choose Reconnect at sign-i n.
D. Click Quick Access and choose the network share.
B, C. Mapping a network drive to a share makes it easy to access that share every time you
log into your computer, provided you’re on the same network. Left- clicking on This PC will
show the mapped drive in the right pane, after it has been set up as a mapped drive, so that
you can easily choose it from there. The network share will appear on Quick Access after
you’ve used it.
You’re on your private wired network at home and notice that your mouse is moving
across the screen but you aren’t moving it. Also, your computer seems to be running slowly,
so you suspect someone with malicious intent has hacked into it. You want to immediately
block access through the local machine’s firewall. Where can you quickly do this?
A. Search for Firewall. Choose Firewall & Network Protection, click Private, then click
Block All Incoming Connections, including those in the list of allowed apps.
B. Start typing Windows in the search box, choose Windows Defender Firewall, then click
Private Networks and Disable.
C. Search for air, click Turn Airplane mode on or off, then turn Airplane mode on.
D. Search for Windows Defender Firewall and choose it, then turn the firewall off.
A. Choosing to block all incoming connections, including those in the list of allowed apps,
would certainly stop all incoming connections quickly. There is no Disable option under
Private Networks in the Windows Defender Firewall window. Turning Airplane mode on
would stop the computer from communicating on wireless networks, but it wouldn’t stop
communication on a wired network, and turning off the firewall is the opposite of what
you would want to do.
You have a Windows Pro computer set up in a workgroup, and you need to perform some
routine management tasks on it. Before you do, you want to see what shares already exist
on the local computer. What utility can you use to do this?
A. In Windows Settings, choose Network & Internet.
B. In Windows Settings, choose Ease Of Access.
C. In Computer Management, choose Shared Folders, then double- click Shares.
D. In the Network And Sharing Center utility of Control Panel, click Change Advanced
Sharing.
C. Choosing Computer Management, then Shared Folders, and Shares will show all of the
resources that are shared on the local computer. Some are created by default. Hidden shares
will have a $ at the end of the name and can only be accessed if you know the share name.
Network & Internet deals with configuring network connections, not network shares. Ease
Of Access enables alternate configurations that work better for differently abled people.
Network And Sharing Center is used to configure networks, and it has settings to turn
sharing on and off but no way to show all the current network shares.
Your laptop is equipped with a WWAN card, and you’ve arranged for service with a cel-
lular provider. Where in Windows 10 can you connect to the network? (Choose two.)
A. Click the wireless network icon on the taskbar and choose the network with the
cellular network icon (vertical bars) in the list.
B. In the Network & Internet group of Windows Settings, click Mobile Hotspot.
C. In the Network & Internet group of Windows Settings, click Wi- Fi.
D. In the Network & Internet group of Windows Settings, click Cellular.
A, D. The simplest way to connect to your WWAN, once it has been set up, is to choose it
from the available wireless networks shown when clicking the wireless network icon on the
taskbar. Or, go to Windows Settings, choose Network & Internet, then Cellular to choose
your network. A mobile hotspot is when you share the Internet connection on your device
with other devices that are near you. Choosing Wi- Fi in the Network & Internet group of
Windows Settings will not show you the WWAN connection.
You want to block an application from communicating through your Windows Defender
Firewall. What will you set up for this application?
A. An exception
B. A restriction
C. A mapped drive
D. A network share
B. A network restriction means that you will not allow an application to communicate
through a firewall, whereas an exception means that you will allow that application to
communicate through the firewall. To configure a restriction in Windows Defender Fire-
wall, open it from Control Panel and click Advanced Settings, then click Outbound Rules,
then New Rule. Ensure that Program is selected and click Next. Click Browse to locate
the program file, click to select it, then click Open. The program path should appear in the
New Outbound Rule Wizard dialog box. Click Next, then choose Block The Connection.
Click Next twice, then give your rule a name and click Finish. A mapped network drive
means that you have assigned a drive letter on a local computer to a folder that is shared
on a remote computer. A network share would take place on a computer with folders that
you want to allow others on your network to have access to.
You need to connect to the Internet, but you regularly are working in remote areas, and
your only option is to use a cellular network. What type of network are you establishing
when you connect to the Internet?
A. PAN
B. CAN
C. WWAN
D. LAN
C. When you use a cellular network to connect to the Internet, you are using a WWAN.
Most of us are familiar with the local area network (LAN) in our home or office and the
personal area network (PAN) that we use to connect devices such as wireless keyboards,
mice, and headsets to our computer. A campus area network (CAN) could exist on a prop-
erty that is owned by a single entity but housed in discrete buildings. The network might
even cross government-o wned streets. You may be less familiar with a wireless wide area
network (WWAN), which are used more and more frequently. Unlike wireless LANs that
use radio, microwave, or infrared signals, WWANs take advantage of the cellular network. You can purchase a WWAN device, often called a mobile hotspot, from a cellular service provider. They generally require a contract, but some don’t. The great advantage of a
WWAN is that they will work almost anywhere—the cellular network is virtually worldwide. The biggest disadvantage is likely the cost.
You’re working on your laptop at a friend’s house and click your browser to research
something, but a window pops up saying No Internet. How do you resolve this?
(Choose two.)
A. Right- click the browser shortcut and choose New Window.
B. Start typing network in the search box, then choose Network Status, then Show Avail-
able Networks, and get the network name and password from your friend.
C. Click the taskbar icon that looks like a globe, then choose your friend’s network and
ask for the password.
D. Type firewall in the search box and choose Firewall & Network Protection, then click
Private Network.
B, C. The fastest way to join your friend’s network is to click the globe icon (or Wi- Fi
icon) and choose the network, but going through Network Status, then Show Available
Networks also works. Right- clicking a browser shortcut will show websites that you’ve
recently been to and a few other options. Firewall & Network Protection ➢ Private Net-
work will enable you to configure firewall settings for use with a private network.
You need to allow Open Office to communicate through the local Windows computer’s
firewall. Where is this configured? (Choose two.)
A. In the Search box, type Firewall & Network Protection, then choose it from the results
and click Allow An App Through Firewall.
B. In Windows Settings, choose the Apps group.
C. In Control Panel, choose Windows Defender Firewall, then select Allow An App Or
Feature Through Windows Defender Firewall.
D. In Control Panel, open the Programs And Features utility.
A, C. You can drill down through Windows Settings to find Firewall & Network Protec-
tion Settings, but it’s far easier to search for it, then choose Allow An App Through Fire-
wall. Once there, if the app is in the list, click the Change Settings button, then select the
box next to the application you want to allow access for under the listing for Private or
Public network, depending on your needs. If it isn’t in the list, click Allow Another App.
Drilling down through Control Panel, choose Windows Defender Firewall, then An App Or
Feature Through Windows Defender Firewall will take you to the same setup screen. The
other two options will enable you to uninstall applications.
A user has a laptop that they think has WWAN capabilities. Where can you quickly check?
A. Disk Management
B. Device Manager
C. Apps & Features
D. Programs And Features
B. Opening Device Manager and clicking Network Adapters should show you what you
have for network devices. Most likely you’ll see a Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Net-
work), possibly an Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) adapter, a wireless area network
(WAN) adapter and, if you have one, a wireless wide area network (WWAN) adapter. If it
doesn’t show there, either it isn’t being detected by the system or one does not exist in your
system. Disk Management is for configuring and managing drives. Apps & Features and
Programs And Features both have the same job: providing a way to install or repair appli-
cations and add or remove Windows features. The former is in Settings and the, latter is in
Control Panel.
A user wants to use a WWAN connection to the Internet because they travel and Ether-
net and Wi- Fi networks aren’t always available to connect to. What will this user need?
(Choose two.)
A. A Wireless NIC
B. A WWAN card or device
C. A cellular service provider
D. An RJ-4 5 connector
B, C. Wireless wide area networks use the cellular system to connect to the Internet. To
make a connection you would need either a WWAN card in your laptop or a WWAN
device, which is sometimes called a mobile hotspot device, and a cellular service connec-
tion. Some cellular companies require a contract for this type of cellular service, but not all
do. The WWAN card or WWAN device need to be compatible with your cellular provider.
Wireless NICs are used for Wi- Fi connections, and an RJ- 45 connector is used for wired
Ethernet connections.
A user at your company just signed up for WWAN service through their cellular pro-
vider. Their data is capped at 10 GB per month. It’s very costly if they go over, so they’ve
asked you if there is a way for them to avoid going over their data limit. What will you
do for them?
A. Set up their cellular WWAN as a metered service.
B. Use Performance Monitor to track their WWAN use.
C. Switch them to a VPN so it won’t cost anything.
D. Use a proxy server so their data downloads won’t count.
A. Metered network settings can be configured for wired, Wi- Fi, or a wireless wide area
network (WWAN) connection. For example, to configure a Wi- Fi network as a metered
connection, go to Settings, then choose the Network & Internet group, then click Wi- Fi,
then Manage Known Networks, and select the network. In Windows 10, you need to click
Properties, but in Windows 11 you’re already on the Properties screen. Locate the metered
connection setting and turn it on. You can then set a data limit to control data usage.
Performance Monitor won’t show data usage. A WWAN can connect to a virtual private
network (VPN), but it will still use data. Your connection might go through a proxy server
when connecting to a network, but a proxy server’s job is to filter network traffic. Any
time you’re connecting to the Internet or a VPN via your WWAN connection, you’ll be
using data.
A junior network administrator wants to know the fastest way to access File Explorer,
because they use it often. What do you tell them?
A. Press Windows Key+F.
B. Press Windows Key+M.
C. Press Windows Key+E.
D. Press Windows Key+X, then choose File Explorer from the menu.
C. Pressing Windows Key+E will open the File Explorer window. Pressing Windows Key+X
and then selecting File Explorer from the menu will also work, but it’s not the fastest, most
direct way. Windows Key+F will bring up a feedback window, and Windows Key+M will
minimize all the open windows, leaving you at the desktop.
You need to establish a wired connection between a newly installed Windows Pro computer
and an Ethernet home network. The router is next to the desk and provides DHCP services.
What will you need to connect a desktop computer to this network? (Choose two.)
A. Patch cable
B. Wireless NIC
C. NIC with RJ- 45 port
D. IP address and subnet mask
A, C. For a new Windows installation, the default network setting is to configure IP
addresses dynamically, so the computer should get its IP address and subnet mask from the
DHCP server. All you need is a patch cable to connect to the router and a compatible NIC
installed (with its drivers, of course) with an RJ- 45 port. You would not use a wireless NIC
for an Ethernet network; a wireless NIC is for a Wi- Fi network. You don’t need to know
the IP address and subnet mask because the DHCP server will assign them automatically.
You need to know the path to a network resource. How can you locate it?
A. Type mynetworkdrives in a browser window to see them.
B. In File Explorer, right- click the resource, choose Properties, then click the Sharing tab.
C. In File Explorer, select This PC, Network Drives, and their path will show under Net-
work Locations.
D. Select Computer Management ➢ Shared Folders ➢ Shares.
B. There are multiple ways to view the path to a resource. In File Explorer you can right-
click the resource and then choose Properties and select the Sharing tab. The screen will say
Network Path and list the path just below it. Typing mynetworkdrives in a browser doesn’t
help at all, and Shares in Computer Management shows what you are sharing, not what is
being shared with you.
You’re installing Windows 10 64- bit on the only drive in a computer that uses BIOS, not
UEFI. You’ll be booting from this drive. Which of the following are true? (Choose two.)
A. The partition scheme must be MBR.
B. The partition scheme must be GPT.
C. The partition must be less than 2 TB.
D. You won’t be able to boot from this drive.
A, C. When a motherboard uses BIOS rather than UEFI to manage firmware, it must use
the MBR partition type or the drive will not be bootable. A GPT partition will be able to be
read but not booted to. The partition size limit for MBR is 2 TB.
You’ve installed a new hard drive in a Windows PC and need to partition the drive and
format the volumes. What tools can you use to format it? (Choose two.)
A. diskmgmt.msc
B. diskpart
C. perfmon.msc
D. services.msc
A, B. Once a hard drive is installed, partitions must be created (even if there is only one)
and the volumes must then be formatted before they will show in File Explorer and be
ready for the user to store information on them. Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) and
diskpart are two excellent and powerful tools for doing just that. Disk Management is
a utility that has a user- friendly GUI, whereas diskpart is run from the command line.
diskpart is the more powerful of the two, and it’s worth spending some time exploring.
Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc) shows resource usage in real time, and the Ser-
vices console (services.msc) shows all of the services available in the system and their
current status.
Chapter 7: Security
