Mac OS X Support Essentials Flashcards
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What are the minimum hardware requirements for upgrading a system with OS X Mountain Lion?
The minimum requirements for upgrading OS X Mountain Lion are:
• OS X v10.6.8 or later
• 2 GB of memory
• 8 GB of available space
• Some features require an Apple ID
• Some features require a compatible Internet service provider
• Compatible Mac model (as listed on www.apple.com/osx/ specs/)
What four preparation steps must you take before upgrading a system with OS X Mountain Lion?
Four steps you should take before upgrading a system to OS X Mountain Lion are:
• Install Apple software and firmware updates • Verify application compatibility
• Back up important files and folders
• Document critical settings.
How can you identify if a Mac requires a firmware update?
You can identify a Mac computer’s firmware version by opening the full system report in the System Information application or System Profiler application. You can verify if a Mac computer’s firmware is up to date by visiting the Apple support website, which maintains a list of available firmware updates.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a single- partition disk with OS X? How about a multiple-partition disk?
Single-partition drives are easier to set up initially, but they aren’t as flexible for administration and maintenance. Multiple-partition drives require repartitioning during setup but provide several separate partitions, which can be used to segregate user data and host multiple operating systems.
How can you acquire the OS X Mountain Lion installation assets?
the OS X Mountain Lion installer can be purchased and downloaded only from the Mac App Store.
What options can you select from during the OS X Mountain Lion installation?
During installation of OS X Mountain Lion, the only optional choice is to define an installation destination other than the Mac computer’s current default system disk.
What key features do you gain by setting up iCloud?
iCloud is a free service from Apple that provides cloud storage and communication services for applications (including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Notes, Safari, Photo Stream, and any other applications that support iCloud integration). iCloud also provides Find My Mac technology for help locating a lost or stolen system.
What three primary sources can Migration Assistant pull
from?
Migration Assistant can migrate information from other OS X systems, other Windows systems, and other disks (including Time Machine backups).
What are the five System Preferences categories?
System Preferences is divided into five categories, from top to bottom: Personal, Hardware, Internet & Wireless, System, and Other.
How do the four default System Preferences categories differ?
Generally, Personal preferences affect only a single user; Hardware preferences affect hardware and peripheral settings; Internet & Wireless preferences affect personal and system network settings; and System preferences affect all users and often require administrative access.
What is a configuration profile? How are configuration profiles managed?
A configuration profile is a document, with the filename extension “.mobileconfig,” that contains system settings as defined by an administrator. Opening a configuration profile prompts the system to install the profile and configure the settings. Installed configuration profiles are managed via the Profiles preference pane.
Where can you locate the system version number, build number, and serial number? What is the significance of these numbers?
The system version number, build number, and serial number are located in the About This Mac dialog or login screen. The system version number defines the specific version of OS X currently installed. The system build number is an even more specific identifier used primarily by developers. Finally, the system serial number is a unique number used to identify a specific Mac.
What utilities are available when started up from OS X Recovery?
The OS X Recovery system provides access to Restore From Time Machine Backup, Reinstall OS X, Get Help Online, Disk Utility, Startup Disk, Firmware Password Utility, Network Utility, Terminal, and Reset Password.
What two resources does the local hidden OS X Recovery HD need in order to reinstall OS X Mountain Lion?
The local hidden OS X Recovery HD doesn’t include the OS X installation assets. Thus, reinstalling OS X Mountain Lion from here requires high-speed Internet access and the ability to verify access to the installation assets. Upgraded Mac computers are verified by entering the Apple ID used to purchase OS X Mountain Lion. Conversely, verification is automatic for Mac computers that included OS X Mountain Lion.
What two methods can be used to create an external OS X Recovery disk?
The OS X Recovery Disk Assistant can create a minimal OS X Recovery disk. A full OS X Recovery disk can be created by using Disk Utility to copy the Install OS X Mountain Lion application assets to the disk.
Which application can you open to initiate Apple software updates?
All software updates are handled via the Mac App Store.
By default, are any items automatically installed via Software Update?
Important system files and security updates are automatically
installed after a period of several days.
Which applications are used to manually acquire and install OS X software updates?
OS X software updates can be downloaded from the Apple support website using any modern web browser. Updates take the form of installation packages that are installed via the Installer application.
How can you find which installations have taken place on the system?
The Installations section of System Information shows the history of all software installed via the Mac App Store or OS X Installer.
What are the five types of user accounts in OS X? How are they different?
Standard is the default account type; administrative users can make changes to the system; a guest user doesn’t require a password; sharing only users can access only shared files; and the root user has unlimited access
What are some security risks associated with each type of user account?
Standard user accounts are very secure, assuming they have good passwords. Administrative users can make changes that may negatively affect the system or other user accounts. A guest user could potentially fill shared folders with unwanted files. Sharing only users are generally very secure as long as you don’t allow excessive access to your account. The potential for mayhem with root user access is nearly unlimited.
What are account attributes?
Account attributes are the individual pieces of information used to define a user account. Examples include full name, account name, user ID, Universally Unique ID (UUID), group, and home folder.
How can you limit a user account from having full access to all applications?
Parental controls can be used to further limit a user account. Examples include enforcing a simple Finder, limiting applications and widgets, setting time limits, and content filtering for several applications included in OS X.
What types of contention issues can occur when fast user switching is enabled?
Resource contention occurs when fast user switching is enabled and a user tries to access an item another user already has open in the background. Document contention occurs when a user attempts to open a document another user has already opened. Peripheral contention occurs when a user attempts to access a peripheral already in use by another user’s open application. Application contention occurs when the second user attempts to access an application designed to run only once on a system.
What security risk related to storage can occur when fast user switching is enabled?
When fast user switching is enabled, all users are allowed to see other users’ locally connected disks.
What default folders make up a user’s home folder? What are some optional folders in a user’s home folder?
The default folders in a user’s home folder are Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Library (hidden), Movies, Music, Pictures, and Public. Optional home folder items include Applications and Sites folders.
When deleting a local user account, what three options does the Users & Groups preference provide for dealing with the user’s home folder content?
When deleting a local user account, you can archive the home folder content into a compressed disk image, leave the home folder content in the /Users folder, or delete the home folder content. Optionally, you can perform a secure erase on the home folder content.
How do you associate a new local user account with a manually migrated or restored user’s home folder?
Before the local user account is created on a system, you must first copy the restored user’s home folder to the /Users folder. Then once you create the new user in the Users & Groups preference pane with the same account name, the system prompts you to associate the new account with the restored home folder.
What does the master password do?
The master password can only be used to reset local account passwords.
What methods can be used to reset a user’s lost account
password?
Local account passwords can be reset by an administrator in Users & Groups, the master password at login, an Apple ID at login, a FileVault 2 recovery key at startup, and the Reset Password application in OS X Recovery.
How does a user who changes his or her own account password affect his or her login keychain?
When usesr changes their own account password, the system keeps the login keychain password in sync.
How does resetting a user’s account password affect that user’s login keychain?
Resetting a user’s account password doesn’t change keychain passwords. Therefore, the user’s keychains won’t automatically open when the user logs in with a new password. The user needs to manually change the keychain passwords using the Keychain Access application.
How does resetting the master password affect existing Legacy FileVault user accounts?
a master password is reset because it was lost, Legacy FileVault accounts can’t be reset by the new master password.
How can you limit the use of Location Services?
The Privacy pane (in the Security & Privacy preference pane in System Preferences) is used to verify or disable application access to Location Services and other personal information.
What can you enable to locate a lost Mac?
iCloud supports Find My Mac, which allows you to remotely locate a lost Mac or iOS device.
How does the Firmware Password Utility help prevent users from making unauthorized password changes?
The Firmware Password Utility prevents users from starting up from another system disk. This in turn prevents them from using an OS X Recovery system to reset local passwords without authorization.
What type of items can be found in a keychain?
Keychains are primarily used to store authentication secrets such as resource passwords, digital certificates, and encryption keys. The keychain system can also securely store website form information and text notes.
How does the keychain system help protect your
information?
The keychain system manages encrypted files that are used to securely save passwords, certificates, or notes. By default, users have a login keychain that has the same password as their account. Not even other administrative users can access keychain secrets without knowing the keychain’s password.
Where are the keychain files stored?
Users start with a default login keychain at /Users/ /Library/Keychain/login.keychain, and they can store other keychains in the same folder. Administrative users can manage systemwide authentication assets with the / Library/Keychain/System.keychain. Finally, Apple maintains several items in /System/Library/Keychains/ for OS X system use.
What application is used to manage keychain settings?
Keychains can be managed from the /Applications/Utilities/ Keychain Access application.
What is the difference between disks, partitions, and volumes?
Disks are the actual storage hardware; partitions are logical divisions of a disk used to define the storage space; and volumes, contained inside partitions, are used to define how the individual files and folders are saved to the storage.
What are the two primary partition schemes for Mac- formatted disks? What are their differences?
GUID Partition Table is the default partition scheme on Intel- based Mac computers, and Apple Partition Map is the default partition scheme on PowerPC-based Mac computers.
What two volume formats are supported for an OS X system volume?
The two volume formats supported as system volumes for OS X are Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted).
How does file system journaling work?
File system journaling records what file operations are in progress at any given moment. This way, if a power failure or system crash occurs, the system can quickly verify the integrity of the volume by “replaying” the journal after restart.
What are the four erase options available in Disk Utility? What
are the differences between them?
The four erase options in Disk Utility are:
• Fastest, which simply replaces the volume’s directory
structure
• A second choice, which provides good security by writing zeros on top of all the previous disk data
• A third choice, which provides even better security by writing three separate passes of information on top of the previous disk data
• Most Secure, which provides the best security by writing seven separate passes of information on top of the previous disk data
How does the Secure Empty Trash feature work in the Finder?
Secure Empty Trash performs a 7-pass erase on the contents of the Trash folder.
How can you ensure that previously deleted items are securely erased?
From the Erase tab in Disk Utility, you can choose to securely erase the free space of a disk or volume. This securely erases any previously deleted files on the selected disk or volume.
How can you encrypt a disk without erasing its contents?
From the Finder, you can encrypt a disk without erasing its contents by right-clicking or Control-clicking the disk and then choosing Encrypt from the shortcut menu.
What four methods can be used to eject a volume or disk
from the Finder?
The four methods used to eject a volume or disk from the Finder are:
• Drag the disk icon to the Trash in the Dock.
• Press and hold the Eject key for a few moments to
unmount and eject optical media.
• Select the volume you want to eject and choose Eject from the File menu.
• In the Finder sidebar, click the small Eject button next to the volume you want to unmount and eject.
What is the potential side effect of improperly unmounting or ejecting a disk or volume?
Improperly unmounting or ejecting a disk or volume may cause data corruption. The system automatically verifies and repairs an improperly unmounted or ejected volume the next time it becomes available to the Mac.
How does FileVault 2 protect a user’s data?
FileVault 2 protects the entire system volume and all its data by using strong XTS-AES 128 encryption. During system startup, FileVault-enabled users must enter their password to decrypt the system volume.
What are the system requirements for using FileVault 2?
To enable FileVault 2, OS X systems must have the hidden
OS X Recovery HD volume on the system disk. Further, any Legacy FileVault accounts must be decrypted and returned to normal accounts.
Which users are allowed to unlock a FileVault 2 protected system?
Any user that is FileVault enabled is allowed to unlock a FileVault 2 protected system. This includes any local or cached network user account that was enabled when FileVault 2 was set up or created after FileVault 2 was enabled. Further, administrators may return to the Security & Privacy preference pane to enable additional accounts.
How can you unlock a FileVault 2 protected system when all user accounts have lost their passwords?
A FileVault 2 protected system can be unlocked using the recovery key that was generated during the FileVault 2 setup process. This key can be entered during system startup, and allows you to reset the user’s account password.
How do you identify the ownership and permissions of a file or folder in the Finder?
An item’s ownership and permissions can be identified using the Get Info or Inspector windows in the Finder.
How do ACLs differ from standard UNIX file system permissions?
Standard UNIX file system permissions allow only for permissions to be set for one owner, one group, and all others. ACLs, on the other hand, allow for an essentially unlimited list of permissions entries.
What is the locked file flag?
The locked file flag prevents anyone, including the item’s owner, from editing an item. Only the item’s owner can unlock the item to then allow modification.
Why is the root, or beginning, level of a user’s home folder
visible to other users?
The root level of a user’s home folder is visible to other users so they can navigate to the Public shared folder.
How does the default organization of the file system allow users to safely share local files and folders?
Every home folder contains a Public folder that other users can read, and a Drop Box folder that other users can write to. All other subfolders in a user’s home folder (except the optional Sites folder) have default permissions that don’t allow access to other users. The Shared folder is also set for all users to share items.
What is unique about the permissions of the /Users/Shared folder?
The Shared folder is set up to allow all users to read and write files, but only the user who owns an item can delete it from the Shared folder. This is accomplished using the sticky bit permissions setting.
What does it mean when you choose the option to “ignore volume ownership” in the Finder? What are the security ramifications of ignoring volume ownership?
You can choose to ignore ownership on any nonsystem volume. This ignores any ownership rules and grants any logged-on user unlimited access to the contents of the volume. It’s a potential security risk because it allows any local user account to have full access to the volume even if that user didn’t originally mount the volume.
Which two built-in OS X applications can be used to gather information about storage devices?
Disk Utility and System Information can both be used to gather information about storage devices.
What does the Disk Utility Verify and Repair feature do?
The Disk Utility Verify and Repair feature is used to verify or repair the partition scheme and directory structure of a volume. These elements contain the information used to locate files and folders on the volume.
What is Target Disk Mode and how is it engaged?
Target Disk Mode is a Mac-specific hardware feature that, when engaged, shares the Mac computer’s internal disk through the FireWire ports. Target Disk Mode can be engaged from the Startup Disk preference or by holding down the T key as you turn on the Mac.
What permissions are modified by the Disk Utility Repair Permissions feature?
The Disk Utility Repair Permissions feature repairs only the ownership and permissions for items installed by Apple. However, this may resolve issues with third-party products.
How can you reset a user’s home folder permissions?
A user’s home folder permissions can be reset from the Reset Password application on OS X Recovery.
Why does the Finder hide certain folders at the root of the system volume?
The Finder hides traditional UNIX resources from average users because they don’t need to have access to those items. If users do need access to these UNIX items, they can access them from the Terminal.
What two methods are used to hide items from the Finder?
The Finder doesn’t show items with periods at the beginning of filenames or items with the hidden file flag enabled. Neither method can be accidentally enabled using the Finder or default OS X applications.
What does OS X use bundles or packages for?
Bundles and packages are used to combine complex items into individual folders. Packages have the additional advantage of appearing as a single item in the Finder. This allows software developers to combine resources into a single item and prevents users from seeing and potentially damaging those resources through deletion or moving of files.
How does an alias differ from a symbolic link?
Both aliases and symbolic links act as a shortcut to an original item. However, an alias contains additional information that allows the system to keep track of the original item if it’s renamed or moved within the same volume. Any change to an original item breaks a symbolic link.
What are the four default top-level folders visible in the Finder?
The four default top-level folders visible in the Finder are:
• Applications, containing applications all local users have
access to
• Library, containing system resources all local users have access to
• System, containing necessary system resources
• Users, containing all the local user home folders
What are six common system resources? What purpose does each resource serve? Where are they located in the file hierarchy?
Six common system resources are:
• Extensions, which attach themselves to the system kernel to provide hardware and peripheral driver support
• Frameworks, which are shared code libraries that provide additional software resources for both applications and system processes
• Fonts
• Preference files, which contain application and system
configuration information
• LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons, used by launchd to provide services that automatically start when needed at system startup, or at user login
• Logs, which are text files that contain error and progress entries from nearly any application or system service
What are the four system resource domains? What purpose does each domain serve?
The four system resource domains are:
• User, containing applications and system resources specific
to each user account
• Local, containing applications and system resources available to all users on the local Mac
• Network (optional), containing applications and system resources available to any Mac that has an automated network share
• System, containing applications and system resources required to provide basic system functionality