Lesson 4 - Supporting Windows Flashcards
What is a clean install?
Clean install means installing the OS to a new computer or completely replacing the OS software on an old one by repartitioning and reformatting the target disk.
What is in-place upgrade?
In-place upgrade means running setup from an existing version of the OS so that third-party applications, user settings, and data files are all kept and made available in the new version.
What is an unattended installation?
Deployment method where installation choices are saved in an answer file or script so that the setup program executes without manual intervention. In Windows, this is referred to at an answer file.
What is an image deployment?
A deployment method where the target disk is written with an image of the new OS. Unattended installations are also often completed using image deployments
What is the installation boot method?
The installation boot method refers to the way in which the setup program, answer file (if used), and OS files or system image are loaded onto the target PC.
What are the different types of boot methods?
- Optical Media
- USB/ External Drives/ Flash Drives
- Network Boot
- Internet-based Boot
- Internal Hard Drive (Partition)
What is a boot from Optical Media?
Boot from optical media (CD-ROM or DVD) is historically the most attended installation and upgrades. The optical drive must be set as the priority boot device.
What is a boot from USB/External Drives/Flash Drives?
This is a replacement for optical media boot. When using an external/hot-swappable hard drive or solid-state flash drive as boot media, the boot method should be set to use the USB-connected device as the priority option.
What is a network boot?
A network boot setup means connecting to a shared folder containing the installation file, which could be slipstreamed or use image deployment. The target PC must have a useable partition on the hard disk in which to store temporary files. PXE-compliant firmware and network adapter to support this boot option.
What is PXE?
Preboot eXecution Environment is a feature of a network adapter that allows the computer to boot by contacting a suitably configured server over the network.
What is an internet-based boot?
A computer that supports network boot could also be configured to boot to setup over the Internet. The local network’s DHCP server must be configured to supply the DNS name of the installation server. Most setup installers need to connect to the Internet to download updates and optional packages.
What is an internet hard drive (partition) boot?
Once the OS had been installed, you will usually want to set the internal hard drive as the default (highest priority) boot device, and disable any other boot devices. This ensures the system doesn’t try to boot to the setup media again. If access to the firmware setup program is secured, it also prevents someone from trying to install a new OS without auth.
What is a partition?
A partition is a logically separate storage area
What is MBR?
The master boot record partition style stores a partition table in the first 512-byte sector on the disk. With MBR-style, a given physical disk can contain up to four primary partitions, any one of which can be marked as active, and therefore made bootable. This allows for four different drives on the same physical disk and for multiple OS (a multiboot system).
What is GPT-style partitioning?
The globally unique identifier (GUID) partition table (GPT) style provides a more up-to-date schemee to address some of the limitations of the MBR. GPT can support more than four primary partitions (Windows allows up to 128 partitions). GPT supports larger partitions (2 TB+) and a backup copy of the partition entries. A GPT-style disk includes a protective MBR for compatibility with systems that do not recognize GPT.
What is a recovery partition?
A factory recovery partition is a tool used by OEMs to restore the OS environment to its ship state. The recovery partition is created on the internal fixed drive.
You are supporting a home user with upgrading a computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11. You have run Microsoft’s PC Health Check tool, and it verifies that the computer meets the hardware requirements. Should you now proceed with the in-place upgrade?
No. You must backup user data and settings first. A backup is essential as a security precaution.
You are writing some work instructions to assist technicians with deploying new user desktops via cloning. What type of installation and boot method is this process most likely to use, and what are the boot requirements?
Cloning refers to the image deployment installation method. An image is a copy of an existing installation saved as a single file. Image deployment could use USB boot media (or even optical discs), but network boot is more likely. Network boot requires a PXE-compatible network adapter and motherboard in the computer and the boot device priority set to network/PXE. The network requires a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server plus a remote network installation server to run unattended setup and apply the image.
You are repurposing an old computer. You perform a clean OS install using optical media. During setup, you configured the partition manager to apply GPT style. After the file copy stage, the new installation fails to boot. What is the likely cause?
The PC is set to boot using the legacy BIOS method. This is not compatible with GPT-style partitioning. If supported by system firmware setup, switch to UEFI boot. If the firmware is BIOS only, change the boot method back to optical disc, run setup again, and choose MBR partitioning.
What are system requirements?
The minimum specifications for CPU speed, memory, and disk capacity for installing an OS or app.
What is an app distribution method?
Formats for provisioning application installation files, such as via optical discs, downloads, and image files. An app distribution method is the means by which the vendor makes it available to install.
You are writing work instructions for third-party app deployments using the CompTIA A+ objectives to guide you. In the section on system requirements for applications, you have covered the following topics:
1. 32-bit- vs. 64-bit-dependent application requirements.
2. Dedicated graphics card vs. integrated (VRAM requirements).
3. RAM requirements.
4. CPU requirements.
5. External hardware tokens.
What additional topic should you include, if any?
Storage requirements. Each app takes up a certain amount of space when installed to the fixed disk. Also, you must plan for user-generated file storage, temp files, log files, and other data generated through use of the app.
You have downloaded an installer for a third-party app from the vendor’s website. What should you do before proceeding with setup?
Verify the integrity of the download using a hash value or the vendor’s digital certificate.
You are writing guidance for departmental managers to request new software installs. You want each manager to consider impacts to the business, operation, network, and devices as part of their request. In terms of impacts to business, you have written guidance to consider support and training requirements. What other topic should you include?
To consider licensing requirements, such as number of users or devices. There also needs to be a system for monitoring license compliance and ensuring there are no unauthorized installs.
What is WinRE?
The Windows Recovery Environment is a Windows troubleshooting feature that installs a command shell environment to a recovery partition to remediate boot issues.
What is a system restore?
A System Restore is Windows System Protection feature that allows the configuration to be reverted to a restore point.
What is a Roll Back Driver?
A Windows troubleshooting feature that allows removal of an update or reversion to a previous driver version.
A user calls saying that their screen occasionally goes blue, and the system shuts down. What should you advise the user to do?
Record as much information from the user’s blue screen as possible, especially the STOP error number, so that you can research the error.
A program is continually using 99–100% of processor time. What should you do?
Try to end the application or the process using Task Manager, and then contact the application vendor to find out why the problem is occurring.
You are assisting a user whose application is in the state shown in the exhibit. How would you troubleshoot this problem?
The user will be concerned about losing any unsaved work. Ask the user to describe what he or she was doing at the time of the crash to try to diagnose what might have caused it. Give the program a few minutes to finish processing—check Task Manager for ongoing disk activity. If the application does not start responding, check autosave and temp folders for a recent copy of the file data. Use Task Manager to end the process. Restart the application, and try to open any file data you might have recovered. Check the log files and online resources to try to diagnose the cause of the crash. If the problem persists, consider solutions such as disabling add-ons or reinstalling. Demonstrate to the user how to set up autosave (if it is not already configured) and how to save regularly.
A computer is caught in a reboot loop. It starts, shows a BSoD, and then reboots. What should you do?
Boot using a recovery tool, such as the product disc, and attempt startup repair and/or repair of the Windows installation using sfc or Windows reset.
If you suspect improper handling during installation has caused damage to a RAM module, how could you test that suspicion?
Run a Memory Diagnostic. Because this tests each RAM cell, it should uncover any fault.
