Microsoft #70-680 Study Guide

1. What are the categories available in Control Panel?

The categories available in Control Panel are:

• System and Security

• Network and Internet

• Hardware and Sound

• Programs

• User Accounts and Family Safety

• Appearance and Personalization

• Clock, Language, and Region

• Ease of Access

2. What are the Control Panel applets in the System and Security category?

Control Panel applets in the System and Security category are:

• Action Center

• Windows Firewall

• System

• Windows Update

• Power Options

• Backup and Restore

• BitLocker Drive Encryption

• Administrative Tools

3. What are the Control Panel applets in the Network and Internet category?

Control Panel applets in the Network and Internet category are:

• Network and Sharing Center

• HomeGroup

• Internet Options

4. What does the Control Panel Sound applet in the Hardware and Sound category do?

The Sound applet lets you view and configure the properties for the audio devices in your system and

configure a sound scheme. When you configure audio devices, you can adjust the volume level of your

speakers or the input levels of microphones or videos. You can also configure the format of the sound used

by that device. For example, you can specify that your sound card uses CD quality (16 bit, 44100Hz) sound.

Sound schemes are groups of predefined sounds that are associated with system events in Windows. For

example, a specific audio file is played when Windows 7 is shut down. You can choose whichever sound

scheme you prefer.

5. Briefly describe the Programs category in Control Panel.

The Programs category in Control Panel has applets that are used to install, manage, and uninstall

applications. You can also get a list of Windows Updates that have been installed and configure Windows

Defender.

Control Panel applets in the Programs category are:

• Programs and Features

• Default Programs

• Desktop Gadgets

6. Briefly describe the User Accounts and Family Safety category in Control Panel.

The User Accounts and Family Safety category in Control Panel lets you configure user accounts and

parental controls. User accounts are required to log on to the computer. Parental controls are used to control

access to Web sites through Internet Explorer.

Control Panel applets in the User Accounts and Family Safety category are:

• User Accounts

• Parental Controls

• Windows CardSpace

• Credential Manager

7. What does the Control Panel Region and Language Options applet in the Clock, Language, and Region category do?

The Region and Language Options applet is used to configure display and input options to support different

languages and regions. The Formats tab lets you configure the format used to display numbers, currency,

time, short date, and long date. The Location tab lets you select a country as your location so that certain

applications can provide you with relevant information such as local news. The Keyboards and Languages

tab lets you select a keyboard layout and choose the language that is used in Windows menus and dialog

boxes. The Administrative tab lets you configure the language that is used for nonunicode programs and

apply regional and language settings to system accounts and the default user account. Nonunicode programs

use only a single byte to store character information and are unable to display extended character sets

required for some languages such as Chinese or Japanese.

8. What is a device driver?

Hardware devices such as modems, network adapter cards, and video cards are manufactured by a wide

variety of vendors. The capabilities and functions of these devices vary depending on the model and

manufacturer. A device driver is software that allows Windows 7 to properly communicate with and use the

functionality of a device.

Device drivers act as intermediaries between a hardware component and an operating system such as

Windows 7. A device driver contains the instructions on how to use the full capabilities of a device properly.

After they are installed, device drivers load automatically as part of the boot process each time Windows 7 is

started.

9. What are the messages that can appear if you attempt to install an unsigned device driver in Windows 7?

If you attempt to install an unsigned device driver in Windows 7, one of the following messages will appear:

• Windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software—This message appears when no digital signature

is present, or the digital signature cannot be verified as valid. You should install unsigned drivers only if you

are confident it is from a legitimate source.

• This driver software has been altered—This message appears if the device driver has been altered since the

developer added the digital signature. In most cases, this message indicates that the original device driver has

been infected by a malicious program and it should not be installed.

• Windows cannot install this driver software—This message appears only on the 64-bit versions of Windows

7. The 64-bit versions of Windows 7 do not allow unsigned device drivers to be installed by default.

However, for testing purposes, you can disable the check for driver signing by using bcdedit.exe.

10. What are the four main resources a hardware component might use?

The four main resources a hardware component might use are:

• Direct memory access (DMA) channels—A legacy method for allowing devices to communicate directly

with system memory instead of passing data through the processor. Typically used for sound cards.

• Input/output (I/O) ranges—Addresses at which a device can be communicated with. A single device can

have several addresses, with each address allowing access to a particular device feature or component.

• Interrupt request (IRQ) lines—A mechanism for devices to request time from the CPU.

• Memory address ranges—Address ranges in system memory that are dedicated to the device.

11. Briefly describe the main characteristics of an extended partition.

A single MBR-based basic disk can contain no more than one extended partition. The extended partition, if

used, takes the place of one of the primary partitions that can be created on the basic disk. This means that if

a basic disk has an extended partition, then a maximum of three primary partitions can exist on the same disk.

GPT-based disks do not use or support extended partitions.

The extended partition does not have a drive letter or specific folder path assigned to it. The only purpose of

an extended partition is to reserve space for and hold logical partitions.

An extended partition cannot be deleted without first deleting all logical partitions it contains.

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12. Briefly describe the main characteristics of logical partitions.

A logical partition can only be created using the free space inside an extended partition. Windows 7 refers to

logical partitions as logical drives in disk administration utilities. The terms logical drive and logical partition

can be used interchangeably. If an extended partition does not have any free space, a new logical drive cannot

be created inside the extended partition. The free space inside the extended partition is the only limit to how

many logical partitions can be created inside it.

A logical partition can be formatted using a file system to store files. Only drive letters can be assigned to

logical partition file systems. Note that even though the number of logical partitions within an extended

partition is theoretically unlimited, there is a practical limit. If a computer runs out of available drive letters,

any logical partitions created after that point cannot be properly formatted with a file system.

13. What are the main characteristics of simple dynamic disk volumes?

A simple volume exists on just a single dynamic disk. With basic disks, a single contiguous block of disk

space is assigned a partition type and is treated as a unique partition. With dynamic disks, a simple dynamic

volume can consist of one or more blocks of space from the same disk. The blocks of space do not have to be

contiguous on the disk.

A simple volume is not fault tolerant, and a failure of the dynamic disk will result in data loss. All versions of

Windows 7 that support dynamic disks support simple volume types.

14. What are the main characteristics of spanned dynamic disk volumes?

A spanned volume exists on two or more dynamic disks. Blocks of space from multiple dynamic disks are

linked together to form one spanned volume. The blocks of space can be any size. The operating system

presents the sum total of all linked blocks of space as one volume. When a file is saved to a spanned volume

it can reside on any linked block of space. As one block fills up, the operating system adds new fi les to the

next available block of space.

A spanned volume is not fault tolerant, and a failure of any linked block of space from a dynamic disk will

result in the loss of the entire spanned volume.

All versions of Windows 7 that support dynamic disks also support spanned volume types.

15. Describe the main characteristics of the Windows 7 Disk Management console.

The Disk Management console is an MMC console snap-in that is usually found as part of the Computer

Management utility. Disk Management provides a graphical interface that allows a member of the

Administrators group to observe and make changes to the computer’s disk configuration.

The Disk Management console allows changes to be made interactively and usually takes effect immediately

without requiring the computer to be restarted.

The Disk Management console is divided into two views, a top view and a bottom view. The top view

defaults to a summary of the volumes and partitions on the computer. The bottom view defaults to a graphical

view of the disks and the volumes/partitions they contain.

16. What are the main characteristics of the Windows 7 DiskPart utility?

DiskPart is a command-line tool that allows disk and volume operations to be performed from a text-based

screen interactively or from within a scripted file. Operations in the DiskPart utility are driven by a sequence

of commands. Each command must have a specific object to focus its action on. For example, before a

partition can be created, the DiskPart utility must be told which disk the partition will be created on. Items

such as disks and partitions are usually numbered, with the first disk or partition object starting at 0.

The DiskPart utility is powerful; it can contain a series of maintenance or repair commands that can be

executed as part of a scheduled task or automated response on the local computer or remotely on another

computer. It is considered an advanced tool that is not normally used for day-to-day administration.

17. What are the major activities for proper disk administration?

When disks are installed in a computer, several administrative tasks must be carried out to make them

useable and keep them functional. The major activities for proper disk administration include:

• Preparing hard disks

• Disk cleanup

• Checking disk health

• Defragmenting disks

• Moving disks

• Converting disk types

• Managing fault tolerance

18. Explain how to check disk health.

A hard disk can have physical areas that become damaged and therefore corrupt data stored in those

locations. A disk area that is damaged this way is typically reported as bad sectors on the disk. Even if the

disk is physically okay, misbehaving device drivers, applications, or intermittent faults in the hardware itself

can logically corrupt a file that is written to the disk.

If a user suspects a problem with the way data has been stored to the disk, several utilities are available to

check for problems. From the perspective of the utilities, a disk is a partition or volume that is accessible via

a drive letter or mount point.

Disk health can be checked by selecting the Check Now button on the Tools tab of the properties of a

volume.

The chkdsk command-line utility is also available for use at the command prompt or from within a script.

Partition and volume error checking requires Administrator permission.

19. What will happen when you convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk?

When a basic disk is converted to a dynamic disk, all primary and logical partitions it contains are converted

to simple volumes. The disk will obtain a copy of the dynamic disk database that records all other dynamic

disks and their volumes on that computer. If the basic disk being converted contains the system or boot

partitions, the computer will require multiple restarts to complete the conversion.

20. What are the rules to create basic disk partitions?

See the table below:

Partition Type Rules

Primary A maximum of four primary partitions can exist on one basic MBR-style

disk. The Disk Management tool in Windows 7 will only allow the

creation of three primary partitions before the fourth partition is created

as an extended partition. A maximum of 128 primary partitions can exist

on one GPT-style disk.

A primary partition is required to start the load sequence of an operating

system.

A primary partition can only be used as part of the load sequence of an

operating system if it has been flagged as the active primary partition.

If a single disk contains multiple primary partitions, only one of them can

be flagged as active.

If a basic disk contains primary partitions and none of them are used to

start the operating system then none of the primary partitions have to be

flagged as active. This assumes that a second disk exists in the computer

and is responsible for starting the operating system.

Extended An extended partition can take the place of one of the primary partitions

on a single basic MBR-style disk.

Only one extended partition can exist on a single basic MBR-style disk.

An extended partition is not required unless logical partitions are required

on a disk.

Logical A logical partition can exist only inside an extended partition.

The number of logical partitions is only limited by the availability of free

space in an extended partition.

21. What file systems are supported by Windows 7?

Windows 7 supports five file systems:

• File Allocation Table

• NT File System

• Universal Disk Format

• CDFS File System

• Extended File Allocation Table

22. What are the limits of the FAT file system?

Regardless of which version of FAT is used, the limits of FAT are similar:

• Limited fault tolerance—There is no provision for fault-tolerance in FAT, except for the fact that two

copies of the FAT table are stored in the partition.

• Inefficient storage—When a file’s data is written to a cluster, the entire cluster is unavailable for any other

file to store data in, even if the entire cluster is not used. Large cluster sizes can lead to a lot of wasted space.

• Limited security—Simple attributes are used to mark files as system files, hidden, or read only; no

user-based security is available.

23. What are some of the benefits of using the FAT file system?

The FAT file system offers some benefits:

• Supported by many legacy operating systems, which may be required if partitions are shared in a multi-boot

configuration

• Simple technology that is well understood and supported by third-party utilities

• Adequate when file and folder requirements are simple and do not require complex security

• Suitable for removable media such as digital camera memory, media players, and USB memory sticks

24. What are the major advantages of using NTFS?

The major advantages of NTFS include:

• Log file and checkpoint consistency checks

• Automatic bad cluster management

• Transactional NTFS

• File names stored in Unicode and 8.3 DOS format

• Alternate data streams

• Encrypted File System (EFS)

• File and folder permissions

• Compression

• Disk quotas

• Shrinkable/extendable partitions and volumes

• Volume mount points

• Symbolic links

• Sparse files

25. What are the main characteristics of Automatic Bad Cluster Management?

This is an automatic feature built into the NTFS file system. An NTFS system file called the Bad Cluster File

keeps a record of all the clusters that are considered unusable by the file system within that volume. When

the operating system detects that a cluster cannot be trusted to store data, the cluster’s identification will be

automatically added to this file. If the bad cluster is currently used by a file or folder to store data, the

operating system will try to move that data to a different cluster. The move is transparent to the user and does

not require user intervention.

26. Briefly describe the Universal Disk Format (UDF).

The Universal Disk Format (UDF) is a file system defined by the Optical Storage Technology Association

(OSTA). The OSTA was created to promote the use of recordable optical technologies and products. UDF

was developed as a standard to allow file interchange between different operating systems. This makes it

ideal for storing files on portable CD-ROM and DVD media. Some manufacturers will use the UDF file

system with portable flash memory, but it is formatted at the factory and not by Windows 7.

27. What are the steps to convert an NTFS file system to FAT?

NTFS and FAT file systems can be converted from one form to another. The process to do so depends on the

direction of the conversion.

To convert an NTFS file system to FAT, perform the following steps:

1. Back up the data on the partition.

2. Reformat the partition with FAT or FAT32.

3. Restore the data originally backed up from the NTFS partition.

28. What are the steps to convert a FAT file system to NTFS?

NTFS and FAT file systems can be converted from one form to another. The process to do so depends on the

direction of the conversion.

To convert a FAT file system to NTFS, perform these steps:

1. Back up the data on the partition.

2. Ensure free space remains on the partition.

3. Convert the partition using the convert command-line utility.

29. Describe the main characteristics of the Read-Only attribute flag.

Files and folders use the read-only attribute flag differently. Files that have the read-only flag set will block

changes to the contents of a file.

Folders that have the read-only attribute flag set trigger special behavior in Windows Explorer. Folders are

not marked as read only to protect their contents; Windows Explorer largely ignores this setting. Instead the

read-only flag is used to indicate that the folder is a system folder and should be treated differently. That is

why when viewing the properties of a folder, the read-only setting is blocked out by default.

30. What are the standard NTFS permissions for a folder or file?

The standard NTFS permissions for folders and files are:

• Write

• Read

• List folder contents

• Read & execute

• Modify

• Full control

• Special

31. What are some of the user account attributes that describe user and control access?

User accounts are required for individuals to log on to Windows 7 and use resources on the computer. Each

user account has attributes that describe the user and control access. Some user account attributes are:

• Name

• Password

• Group membership

• Profile location

32. What are the logon methods supported by Windows 7?

Users must log on to Windows 7 before they can access resources and interact with the system. How each

user logs on varies depending on how Windows 7 is configured. Windows 7 supports the following

configurations:

• Standalone—This is a Windows 7 computer without network connectivity. All user accounts are local

accounts.

• Workgroup member—This is a Windows 7 computer that has network connectivity. Workgroups are logical

groupings of Windows computers on the network. All user accounts are local accounts with no

synchronization of accounts between computers.

• Domain client—This is a Windows 7 computer that has network connectivity and is a member of a domain.

Most of the time a user logs on by using a domain user account, but local user accounts are still supported

when required.

33. What are the logon methods supported by Windows 7?

Windows 7 supports several log-on methods; which method you choose depends on your requirements as

network administrator, user needs, and whether the computer is a member of a domain.

The available logon methods are:

• Windows Welcome

• Secure logon

• Fast user switching

• Automatic logon

34. What are some of the most common naming conventions for user logon names?

Some common naming conventions for user logon names are:

• First name—In small environments, there is little risk that two users will have the same first name. This

approach is easy for users to remember.

• First name and last initial—This naming convention helps ensure that user logon names are not duplicated.

In small and mid-sized environments, if two users have the same first name, they are unlikely to have the

same last initial.

• First initial and last name—Most large environments use this naming convention or a variation of it. Last

names are more likely to be unique than first names, so this convention reduces the risk of duplicate user

logon names.

35. What are some of the restrictions imposed by Windows 7 on the user logon name?

When creating new users, you must be aware of the restrictions imposed by Windows 7 on the user logon

name, such as the following:

• User logon names must be unique—No two users can have the same logon name, because the logon name is

used by the computer to identify the user and verify the password associated with it during logon.

• User logon names must be 20 characters or less—This restriction is typically not a problem, because no

users want to type in a logon name of 20 characters or more.

• User logon names are not case sensitive—You cannot change the case of letters to create unique user logon

names; Windows 7 will read any case changes as the original name. Also, users do not need to be concerned

about case when they type in their user name. However, passwords are case sensitive.

• User logon names cannot contain invalid characters—Windows 7 uses some characters for special

functions, so they cannot be used in user logon names. The invalid characters are: “/\{}:;|=,+*?<>.

36. What are the characteristics of the Windows 7 Administrator account?

The Administrator account has the following characteristics:

• It is not visible on the logon screen.

• It has a blank password by default.

• It cannot be deleted.

• It cannot be locked out due to incorrect logon attempts.

• It cannot be removed from the local administrators group.

• It can be disabled.

• It can be renamed.

37. What are the characteristics of the Windows 7 Guest account?

The guest account has the following characteristics:

• It cannot be deleted.

• It cannot be locked out.

• It is disabled by default.

• It has a blank password by default.

• It can be renamed.

• It is a member of the Guests group by default.

• It is a member of the Everyone group.

38. What are some of the differences between the Administrator account and the initial account?

Differences between the Administrator account and the initial account include the following:

• The initial account is visible on the logon screen.

• The initial account does not have a blank password by default.

• The initial account can be deleted.

• The initial account can be locked out due to incorrect logon attempts.

• The initial account can be removed from the Administrators group.

39. What are the folders included in the default public profile?

The public profile includes the following folders:

• Favorites—Favorites stored here are available to all users.

• Libraries—Libraries stored here do not appear in user profiles but are available to all users.

• Public Desktop—Files and shortcuts stored here appear on the Desktop of each user.

• Public Documents—Files stored here appear in the Documents library of each user.

• Public Downloads—Files stored here do not appear in profi les, but the files in it are available to all users.

• Public Music—Files stored here appear in the Music library of each user.

• Public Pictures—Files stored here appear in the Pictures library of each user.

• Public Recorded TV—This folder is used to store recorded television programs for personal video recorder

(PVR) functionality. This folder does not appear in user profiles, but the files in it are available to all users.

• Public Videos—Files stored here appear in the Videos folder of each user.

40. What are the main characteristics of a domain-based network?

User accounts for domain-based networks are much easier to manage than user accounts for peer-to-peer

networks. A central server called a domain controller is responsible for maintaining user accounts and

computer accounts. All computers in the domain share the user accounts on the domain controller. So, user

accounts only need to be created once and there are no concerns about synchronizing passwords between

multiple accounts.

To participate in a domain, Windows 7 computers are joined to the domain. The joining process creates a

computer account for the Windows 7 computer and integrates Windows 7 security with the domain. The

Domain Admins group becomes a member of the local Administrators group to allow centralized

administration by the domain administrators. The Domain Users group becomes a member of the local Users

group to allow all users in the domain to log on to Windows 7.

41. What are the major security improvements in Windows 7?

Security threats are constantly evolving, and Windows 7 has new features to address the new threats found on

the Internet and elsewhere. Many of these features were also included in Windows Vista but have been

improved or refined in Windows 7.

The major security improvements in Windows 7 are:

• Malware protection

• Easier deployment of alternative authentication methods

• Enhanced network protection

• Data protection for stolen hard drives

• AppLocker for software restriction

42. Briefly describe the changes in Windows services that have been made to harden them.

Windows services have been changed in the following ways to harden Windows services:

• Each service is given a SID number. Previous versions of Windows did not apply SIDs to services. With a

SID assigned to each service, access to resources can be controlled for each service.

• Services run with a lower privilege level by default. In previous versions of Windows, many services ran as

LocalSystem, which has full access to the local computer and operating system. Most services now run as

LocalService or NetworkService, with lower privilege levels.

• Wherever possible, unnecessary privileges for services have been removed. For example, the ability to

perform debugging is not required for services.

• Windows Firewall can control network access based on service SIDs. Unauthorized services are blocked

from accessing the network.

• Services are isolated and cannot interact with users. Preventing user interaction stops malicious software

from communicating with services and exploiting flaws.

43. What are the categories of local security policy settings?

The local security policy contains the following categories of settings:

• Account policies

• Local policies

• Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

• Network List Manager Policies

• Public Key Policies

• Software Restriction Policies

• Application Control Policies

• IP Security Policies on Local Computer

• Advanced Audit Policy Configuration

44. What are the settings available to control account lockouts?

The settings available to control account lockouts are:

• Account lockout duration—This setting determines how many minutes an account remains locked. The

default value is 30 minutes, however this value is not configured until the Account lockout threshold has

been configured.

• Account lockout threshold—This setting determines the number of incorrect log-on attempts that must be

performed before an account is locked. The default value is 0 invalid log-on attempts, which means that

account lockouts are disabled.

• Reset account lockout counter after—This setting determines within what timeframe the incorrect log-on

attempts must occur to trigger a lockout. The default value is 30 minutes, however this value is not

configured until the Account lockout threshold has been configured.

45. What are some of the settings available in the user rights assignment?

Some of the settings available in the user rights assignment are:

• Allow log on locally—This setting controls which users are allowed to log on to the computer at the

console, but does not affect who can access the computer over the network. Administrators, Backup

Operators, Guest, and Users are assigned this right by default.

• Back up files and directories—This setting controls which users are allowed to back up files, regardless of

whether they have the necessary file permissions to read those files. Administrators and Backup Operators

are assigned this right by default.

• Change the system time—This setting controls which users are allowed to change the system time.

Administrators and LOCAL SERVICE are assigned this right by default.

• Load and unload device drivers—This setting controls which users are able to install and remove device

drivers. Only Administrators are assigned this right by default.

• Shut down the system—This setting controls which users are able to shut down Windows Vista. For a

public access computer, you may restrict this right. Administrators, Backup Operators, and Users are

assigned this right by default.

46. What are some of the settings available in the security options of the local policy?

Some of the settings available in the security options are:

• Devices: Prevent users from installing printer drivers—This setting controls whether standard users are

allowed to install network printer drivers. It does not affect the installation of local printer drivers. The

default value is disabled, which allows all users to install network printer drivers.

• Interactive logon: Do not display last username—This setting allows you to remove the last username from

the logon screen. This makes logon more secure by not giving away usernames to potential hackers. The

default value is Disabled.

• Interactive logon: Message text for users attempting to log on—This setting allows you to display a

message for users before they log on. The message can be instructions about how to log on or a warning

against unauthorized use. By default, there is no message.

• Shutdown: Allow system to be shut down without having to log on—This setting allows you to enforce log

on before allowing the system to be shut down. This is important for public access computers when you want

to restrict which users can shut down the system. The default value is Enabled.

47. Briefly describe the rule collections used by AppLocker.

AppLocker rules are divided into categories called rule collections. Each rule collection applied to different

types of files.

The rule collections are:

• Executable—These rules apply to mexe and mcom files. Use these rules to control which applications users

can run.

• Windows Installer—These rules apply to .msi and .msp files. Use these rules to control which users can

install applications and from what locations.

• Scripts—These rules apply to .ps1, .bat, .cmd, .vbs, and .js files. Use these rules to control which users can

run scripts.

• DLL—These rules apply to .dll and .ocx files. Use these rules to verify that the DLLs used by applications

are not modified or unknown. These rules are not enable by default due to negative performance impact.

48. What are the tasks you can perform with the Security Configuration and Analysis tool?

Tasks you can perform with the Security Configuration and Analysis tool are:

• Analyze—You can compare the settings in a security template against the settings on a computer. This is

useful when you want to confirm that computers meet the minimum security requirements defined in a

security template.

• Configure—You can apply the settings in a security template to a computer. This is useful to enforce the

security requirements defined in a security template.

• Export—You can export the settings on a computer to a security template. This is useful if a computer has

been properly configured and you want to apply these security settings to an additional computer.

49. What are the most common reasons that the BitLocker Drive Encryption recovery password is required?

The most common reasons that the recovery password is required are:

• Modified boot files—If one of the boot files on the system volume is modified, BitLocker Drive Encryption

stops the system from starting because the operating system has been tampered with.

• Lost encryption keys—If there is a problem with the TPM and the encryption keys stored in it are lost or

corrupted, then the encrypted volume cannot be decrypted normally. The recovery password is also required

if the encryption keys are stored on a USB drive that is lost or erased.

• Lost or forgotten startup PIN—If the requirement for a startup PIN is selected and the user forgets the

startup PIN, then the recovery password is required to access the encrypted data.

50. What are the security settings monitored by Action Center?

Action Center is a Control Panel applet that lets you quickly check important security settings in Windows 7.

This replaces the Windows Security Center that was available in Windows XP and Windows Vista. Action

Center includes maintenance settings in addition to security settings.

The security settings monitored by Action Center are:

• Network Firewall

• Windows Update

• Virus protection

• Spyware and unwanted software protection

• Internet security settings

• User Account Control

• Network Access Protection

51. What are the basic components of Windows 7 that support networking?

The basic components of Windows 7 that support networking are:

• Network and Sharing Center

• Networks

• Connections

52. What are the three areas of Network and Sharing Center?

The three areas of Network and Sharing Center are:

• Network map—This shows a summary of the network you are connected to. Three icons representing the

local computer, local network, and the Internet are shown. If there are any communication problems on your

network, the summary map will show whether the problem is related to the local network or the Internet.

There is also a link to view a full network map.

• Active Network details—This area shows summary information for the network you are connected to. It

displays the network you are connected to, the type of network it is, the type of access you have, and the

connection being used to access the network.

• Change your networking settings —This area displays links to common configuration and troubleshooting

wizards.

53. What are the options for network discovery?

The options for network discovery are:

• Turn on network discovery—You can see and access other computers and devices on the network. Other

computers can also see your computer on the network and access shared resources. This is the default

configuration when the network is in the Home or Work location type.

• Turn off network discovery—You cannot see or access other computers and devices on the network. Other

computers also cannot see your computer on the network or access shared resources. This is the default

configuration for networks in the Public location type.

54. What are the connection clients and services included with Windows 7?

The clients and services included with Windows 7 are:

• Client for Microsoft Networks—This client allows Windows 7 to access shared files and printers on other

Windows computers.

• File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks—This service allows Windows 7 to share files and printers

with other Windows computers.

• QoS Packet Scheduler—This service controls the flow of network traffic in Windows 7. It is responsible for

optimizing network communication by controlling the Quality of Service (QoS). Corporate environments can

use QoS policies to give certain network content types higher priority within Windows 7. For home

networks, QoS incorporates Quality Windows Audio/Video Experience (qWave) to ensure that A/V streams

get higher network priority than data streams, which are more tolerant of network delays.

55. What are the important configuration concepts of IPv4?

The important configuration concepts of IPv4 are:

• IP addresses

• Subnet masks

• Default gateways

• DNS

• WINS

• Methods for configuring IP

• Troubleshooting IPv4

56. What are some of the improvements found in IPv6?

Improvements found in IPv6 include:

• Increased address space

• Hierarchical routing to reduce the load on Internet backbone routers

• Simpler configuration through automatic address management

• Inclusion of encryption services for data security

• Quality of service

• Extensibility to support new features

57. What are the options for sharing the Public folder in Windows 7?

The options for sharing the Public folder are:

• Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in the Public folder— When this

option is selected, all network users are able to read, change, delete, and create files in the Public folder. A

Public folder configured this way could be used as a central storage location for business documents in a

small business to ensure that files can be easily found and are able to be backed up each night.

• Turn off Public folder sharing—When this option is selected, only local users can access files in the Public

folder.

One also has options for Password protected sharing that also apply to the Public folder. Password protection

offers two options. These options also apply to other shared folders and printers.

• Turn on password protected sharing—When this option is selected, network users must log on to the

sharing computer by using a user account that has been granted access to the sharing computer. The account

can be either a local user account or a domain user account. This allows you to restrict access to the shared

public folder to valid user accounts, but you cannot select which user accounts have access. All valid user

accounts are able to access the shared Public folder.

• Turn off password protected sharing—When this option is selected, anyone can access the information in

the public folder, even if they do not have a valid user account on the sharing computer. Effectively, this

allows anonymous users access to the Public folder.

58. What are the share permissions available in Windows 7?

The share permissions available in Windows 7 are:

• Full Control—Allows users complete control over files and folders in the share and set permissions on files

and folders in the share. In addition, Full Control allows users to configure the share permissions on the

shared folder.

• Change—Allows users complete control to create, modify, and delete files in the shared folder, but not to

set permissions.

• Read—Allows users to read the contents of files in the shared folder, but not to modify the files in any way.

59. What are the tools available to perform advanced firewall configuration in Windows 7?

The tools available to perform advanced firewall configuration are:

• Windows Firewall with Advanced Security utility—This utility is a graphical tool to configure all of the

Windows Firewall features on a single computer.

• Netsh—This is a command-line utility for managing network configuration. It is also capable of configuring

all of the Windows Firewall features on the local computer. This tool can be used in a script that is run on

multiple computers.

• Group Policy—To quickly and easily manage the Windows Firewall settings in a corporate environment,

you should use Group Policy. It allows firewall settings to be applied to hundreds or thousands of computers

very quickly. Some Group Policy configuration options were not available for previous versions of Windows

and these settings will be ignored by previous versions of Windows.

60. What actions can be specified for a Windows firewall rule?

When you define the actions for a rule you can specify:

• Allow the connection—This option allows connections based on this rule.

• Allow the connection if it is secure—This option allows connections based on this rule only when an IPsec

connection is configured. By default, this option requires that IPsec authenticates the connection and ensures

integrity. However, you also have the option to require data encryption. Additionally, because a secure

connection is based on an IPsec rule, you can select to have this rule override other block firewall rules.

• Block the connection—This option denies all connections based on this rule. However, a rule with this

option selected can be overridden by another rule that allows only secure connections.

61. How does XPS-based printing work?

When XPS-based printing is used, a WPF application creates an XPS file for the print job. This XPS file is

stored in the printer queue and is equivalent to the EMF file in the GDI-based printing process. If an XPS

printer is used, the XPS print job can be transferred to the printer with no further conversion because the

printer understands XPS and can render jobs internally. Conversion to PCL or Postscript is not required

because an XPS printer uses XPS as its printer language. The printer driver is used to describe the

capabilities of the printer, such as duplexing (two-sided printing), print resolution, or color. If a PCL or

Postscript printer is used, then the driver converts the print job to PCL or Postscript before delivery to the

printer.

62. What are the methods for managing printers in Windows 7?

Windows 7 offers two methods for managing printers. The first method, the Devices and Printers applet in

Control Panel, is similar to the Printers applet offered in previous versions of Windows. The second method,

the Print Management snap-in, was new in Windows Vista. Regardless of which utility you use to manage

printers, you are able to perform tasks such as installing new printers, manage printer settings, and remove

printers.

63. What are the major tasks you can perform in the Devices and Printers applet?

The major tasks you can perform in the Printers applet are:

• Add a printer—This option adds a new printer to the local computer. This printer can be physically attached

or a network printer.

• See what’s printing—This option allows you to see jobs in the print queue for the selected printer. Within

the queue, you can pause or delete individual print jobs.

• Set as default—This option allows you to configure a printer as the default printer for applications. In an

application, such as Microsoft Word, when you click the print button in the toolbar, the default printer is

used.

• Select printing preferences—This option allows you to configure basic printer settings and paper

configuration.

• Configure printer properties—This option allows you to edit all printer properties, including those for

printing preferences, sharing, and security.

• Configure print server properties—This option allows you edit print server properties for the local

computer. This includes setting available forms (page sizes), configuring ports, and managing drivers.

• Remove device—This option removes the printer from your computer.

64. What are the default permissions for printing?

The default permissions for printing are:

• Everyone—Allowed to print.

• CREATOR OWNER—Allowed to manage documents.

• Local Administrator User (Userx) —Allowed to print, manage printers, and manage documents.

• Administrators—Allowed to print, manage printers, and manage documents.

65. What are the management tasks that can be performed for each print job?

For each print job, you can perform the following tasks:

• Pause—Prevents the job from printing. If a job is partially finished printing, it will stop at the end of a page.

• Resume—Allows a paused print job to continue printing.

• Restart—Restarts printing a job from the first page.

• Cancel—Stops a print job and removes it from the queue. The print job may not stop immediately, as it may

take a few moments for the printer to remove the job from memory and complete printing the final page.

• Edit job properties—Allows you to change the priority of a print job or schedule the job.

66. What are some of the situations where you might want to manage print jobs?

Some of the situations where you might want to manage print jobs include:

• Restarting a print job when there has been a paper jam and some pages have been destroyed.

• Pausing a large print job to let several other smaller print jobs complete.

• Raising the priority of a print job from an executive secretary to ensure that it prints next.

• Changing the schedule of a large print job to prevent it from printing during main office hours.

• Canceling a corrupted print job that is blocking other jobs in the queue.

67. What are some of the tasks that can be performed with Windows Fax and Scan?

By using Windows Fax and Scan, you can:

• Scan documents and pictures.

• Fax scanned documents and pictures.

• Fax electronic documents.

• Receive faxes.

• Create and manage fax coversheets.

• Forward received faxes, scanned documents, and scanned pictures by using e-mail.

• Send faxes by using a central fax server.

• Maintain a contacts list that includes phone numbers for faxing.

68. What can Snap be used for?

Snap simplifies the sizing of windows by automatically sizing windows appropriately.

You can use snap to:

• Automatically size windows the full height of the screen—Move the mouse to the top or bottom edge of a

window until the pointer becomes a double-headed arrow. Then drag the window edge to the top or bottom of

the screen and release the mouse.

• Arrange windows side by side—Click a window and drag it to the edge of the screen, until about half of the

window is not visible, and then release the mouse.

• Maximize a window—Drag a window to the top edge of the screen and then release the mouse.

69. What are some of the index settings that can be configured on the Index Settings tab of the Advanced Options dialog box?

You can configure the following additional index settings on the Index Settings tab that control a variety of

index characteristics:

• File Settings—You can select whether encrypted files are indexed. You can also select whether words with

different accents are treated as the same.

• Troubleshooting—You can rebuild the index if you believe it has become corrupted. You can also restore

the default index settings.

• Index location—You can move the index from the default location of C:\ProgramData\Microsoft to another

location. This can be useful if the C drive is becoming full and you have free space on a different partition.

70. What types of zones are available in the Security tab in the Internet Options of Internet Explorer?

The zones for Internet Explorer security options are:

• Internet—The Internet zone includes all Internet Web sites that are not specifically assigned to another

zone. The default security level is Medium-high.

• Local intranet—The Local intranet is meant to be all computers on the internal corporate network. The

internal corporate network is defined by default as all sites in the local domain. However, this is only relevant

if the workstation is joined to a domain. For workstations that are not part of a domain, the Intranet zone is

treated the same as the Internet zone. The default security level is Medium-low.

• Trusted sites—The Trusted sites zone contains no sites by default, you must add sites that you consider

trusted. This is useful when the Internet zone settings block functionality such as pop-up windows that are

required for a site you know and trust. Adding the site to the Trusted sites zone allows that site to function

properly. The default security level is Medium.

• Restricted sites—The Restricted sites zone is a specific list of sites that you do not trust. No sites are in this

list by default. The default security level is High and cannot be changed except through custom settings.

Restart numbering (no problems)

.133. What is performance tuning?

Performance tuning is a process rather than an event. In an ideal world, an effective performance tuning process is initiated well before problems occur. However, in most cases, performance tuning is not even considered until a performance problem exists.

The performance tuning process consists of:

• Establishing a baseline

• Recognizing bottlenecks

• Tuning performance

134. What should you do to ensure that you are measuring the normal state when establishing a baseline?

To ensure that you are measuring the normal state when establishing a baseline, you should:

• Verify that no unusual activity is happening on the workstation—For example, ensure that no applications are performing large queries to databases or processing batch jobs, unless that is the normal state of the computer.

• Measure performance indicators over time.—By measuring performance indicators over time, you can see an average value for the indicators. Average values are less volatile and more accurate than measuring with snapshots of short duration.

135. What are the most common bottlenecks to system performance?

The bottleneck for each activity you perform and each application that you run may be different. For example, a database application may require fast access to the hard drive, and disk drives are a common bottleneck. A 3D-rendering program may experience limited processing power as the most common bottleneck.

The most common bottlenecks to system performance are:

• Disk

• Memory

• Processor

• Network

136. How can you increase disk performance to avoid disk bottlenecks?

If required, disk performance can be increased in a few different ways:

• Upgrade the drive controller—For example, Serial ATA (SATA) is a faster disk technology than standard

ATA. Or, upgrade narrow small computer serial interface (SCSI) to wide SCSI (also requires upgrading the

disks).

• Upgrade the disks—Disks are rated for certain speeds of data transfer and seek time. Seek time is the time it

takes for the disk to randomly locate data on the drive. If the system is accessing many different files at once,

seek time is an important performance factor. A major factor in the data access is the time it takes for the

surface of the drive to move under the read/write heads. Electromechanical hard drives that spin the disk

faster typically perform faster. The rotations per minute (RPM) is a good indicator of expected performance.

A 5,400 RPM drive (typically used in laptop computers) will perform slower than a 15,000 RPM drive, but

the reduced performance will reduce noise, cost, heat generation—and power usage. To avoid the mechanical

latency concerns, Solid State Drives (SSD) are now readily available. These drives are still new enough to

have the advantage of no moving parts; however, they are expensive and have a specific lifetime of usage

before they fail.

• Implement RAID0 or RAID5—Both RAID0 and RAID5 increase read and write performance by spreading

data manipulation tasks across multiple drivers.

• Move the paging file to a nonsystem disk—By default, the paging file, which is accessed often by the

system, resides on the same disk as the operating system files, which are also accessed often by the system.

Putting the paging file on a different disk (not just a different partition) can increase performance by reducing

the data manipulation that any one disk needs to perform. The paging file can be split over multiple disks to

further enhance performance.

137. What can you do to reduce the use of virtual memory?

To reduce the use of virtual memory:

• Increase the amount of physical memory—Adding physical memory to a computer allows more information

to be kept in physical memory, which reduces the need for virtual memory.

• Run fewer applications at once—If you are running multiple tasks, then more information is kept in

memory. Reducing the number of applications running at the same time reduces the amount of memory used,

and consequently, the need for virtual memory.

138. How can you resolve a processor bottleneck?

To resolve a processor bottleneck:

• Change to a faster processor—Processor performance is traditionally measured by clock speed. When

comparing processors with the same architecture, a processor with a higher clock speed can perform more

work in a given time frame.

• Add additional processors—Some computers are capable of containing multiple physical processors.

Windows 7 supports up to two physical processors. Having multiple processors means that tasks can be

completed more quickly, because the server can work on two tasks at the same time. Be aware that two

processors are not twice as fast as a single processor, because some inefficiency is introduced when the

system coordinates the activity of two processors.

• Change to a multicore processor—Many processors are now multicore, which effectively means there are

multiple processors on a single chip. A dual-core processor increases processing capacity and reduces

memory consumption versus simply adding a faster processor.

139. What are the steps to tune performance?

The process for performance tuning is consistent regardless of the problems being experienced.

In each case, you perform the following steps:

1. Create a baseline for the computer.

2. Compare the baseline to current performance indicators.

3. Identify possible causes for variations from the baseline.

4. Identify possible fixes for variations from the baseline.

5. Select a fix to implement.

6. Implement the fix and monitor for changes.

7. If the problem is not resolved, undo the fix and repeat step 5.

8. If the problem is resolved, document the solution for future reference.-462

140. What are the two CPU performance indicators monitored by Resource Monitor?

The two performance indicators monitored are:

• CPU Usage—The percentage of CPU processing capacity that is being used. If this figure stays at 100% for

extended periods of time, the processor is a bottleneck in the system.

• CPU Maximum Frequency—The percentage of the maximum CPU frequency that the CPU is able to use in

the current configuration. In most cases, the CPU is able to operate at 100% of capacity, in which case, this

value is 100%. However, some laptops reduce the processor capacity to reduce power usage when running on

battery power. This is also influenced by which power plan the system is using. When processor capacity is

reduced, the Maximum Frequency is less than 100%, typically 50%.

141. What are the counter categories supported by Windows 7?

Counter categories include:

• Cache—Counters that monitor the file system cache in memory.

• IPv4—Counters that monitor IPv4 data transfer rates and errors.

• LogicalDisk—Counters that monitor individual partitions and logical drives on a disk.

• Memory—Counters that monitor virtual and physical memory use.

• Network Interface—Counters that monitor network card performance.

• PhysicalDisk—Counters that monitor the performance of each physical disk, regardless of the partitions and

logical drives that are on it.

• Processor—Counters that monitor processor activity.

• System—Counters that monitor general system statistics that may combine elements from other categories.

142. What elements are used by the Windows Experience Index to evaluate a system?

When evaluating your system, Windows 7 ranks five elements:

• Processor—The calculations per second that the processor can perform.

• Memory (RAM)—The memory operations per second that the system can perform.

• Graphics—The ability to run the Windows Aero interface.

• Gaming graphics—The ability to run games and 3D business applications.

• Primary hard disk—The data transfer rate of the C drive.

143. What are the application environments supported by Windows 7?

Applications are written by developers to interact with a specific environment subsystem. Requests for system actions that must be performed by the Executive Services are moderated by the environment subsystems. The primary application types and special considerations to know are:

• Win32 Applications

• .Net Applications

• DOS Applications

• Win16 Applications

• x64 Application Considerations

144. Briefly describe the history of the Windows Registry.

Windows 3.x introduced the concept of a registry, but it was not sufficiently mature as a technology to

provide the required functionality. The primary method to store configuration parameters in Windows 3.x is

still the use of text files that have the .INI extension. The Windows 3.x environment would use WIN.INI and

SYSTEM.INI to control the user and core Windows environment. Third-party applications would use their

own .INI files as designed by their application developer.

Windows 95 moved the emphasis away from the DOS and Windows 3.x methods for storing configuration

information. The registry became a well defined and centrally required element in the operations of the

operating system and applications designed specifically for Windows 95. With each operating system

released after Windows 95, the registry has become increasingly essential and critical to the successful

operation of the computer. The registry continues to be an essential component of the Windows 7 operating

system.

145. What are the primary hives found in the Windows 7 registry?

The top-level registry keys, or hives, organize registry information by purpose. The hives are not meant to be

mutually exclusive and there is some overlap between hives. The primary hives found in Windows 7 are:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

• HKEY_USERS

• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

146. What is the purpose of the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT hive?

Settings in this hive define the types (classes) of documents and properties associated with those types (see

Figure 11-3). The information is used primarily by Windows applications to determine COM and OLE

parameters for a particular file type or installed application. This hive is a merged view of data stored in two

separate hives— HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\Classes and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes—which define this type of information for the currently

logged-on user and for the entire computer, respectively. The settings defined for the currently logged-on

user take precedence over the settings defined for the entire computer.

147. What is the purpose of the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive?

Settings in this hive define the preferences of the currently logged on user. These preferences include

environment settings for colors, printers, and applications, to name just a few. Applications can use this hive

to store user-specific preferences to be used with a specific user. Global application settings are stored in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE instead. This hive is mapped to a view of a subsection of the HKEY_USERS

hive. This subsection is associated with the currently logged-on user based on their security identifier (SID)

and not their username. Each time this user logs on, their particular version of HKEY_CURRENT_USER is

loaded into memory as a working copy for that session.

148. What precautions should be taken before modifying the registry?

Before making any changes to the registry, ensure that the following precautions are taken:

• Back up all important data on the computer before making any changes to the registry.

• Back up the portion of the registry that you will be changing.

• Confirm that the computer can restart properly before the change is made.

• Restrict the number of changes made at one time to limit the impact the changes have all at once.

• Confirm the effect of changes on a test system, where possible, to limit impact to production

systems.

• Restart after the registry change is made to ensure that the computer can still be started.

149. How can you backup the entire Windows registry?

If you want to back up many parts of the registry before making changes, the export method may be too

selective. A method that backs up the whole registry may be preferred. This can be accomplished by

performing a complete PC backup. The registry is a live database that is active in memory, therefore a backup

method must be used that includes not only the file information but also the system state of the operating

system. The system state includes dynamic settings that define individual operating system components and

how they interact.

150. Briefly describe Windows registry security

The registry database is protected by its own security system. Each key is assigned permissions, an owner,

and optionally a list of users to audit when the key is accessed. To see the permission settings on a key, use

the graphical registry editor tool, REGEDIT.EXE. Access to a registry key and the values it contains can be

explicitly allowed or denied based on the user or the groups they belong to.

The basic permissions usually do not reveal all of the fine security details that exist in the registry database.

By clicking on the Advanced button in the standard registry permissions window, the advanced permissions

window is opened.

Security settings are inherited from the top of the hive down to the bottom of the hive.-511

151. What are some of the key system areas that are virtualized in Windows 7?

The key system areas that are virtualized include:

• HKLM\Software—A registry area that stores software configuration settings applicable to the entire

computer.

• %SystemRoot%—A system variable that identifies the location of the Windows 7 operational files. This is

typically C:\Windows.

• %ProgramFiles%—A system variable that identifies the location where applications are installed by

default. This is typically C:\Program Files.

152. What are the main components of the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT)?

The main components of ACT include these tools:

• Application Compatibility Manager

• Compatibility Administrator

• Standard User Analyzer

• Setup Analysis Tool

• Internet Explorer Compatibility Test Tool

• Microsoft Compatibility Exchange

• Application Shim support

153. What are the systems that use the Computer Management utility?

The Computer Management utility is used for the following systems:

• Task Scheduler

• Event Viewer

• Shared Folders

• Local Users and Groups

• Performance

• Device Manager

• Disk Management

• Services

• WMI Control

154. How are the Event Viewer logs organized?

The Event Viewer logs are primarily organized by the source of event messages:

• Custom Views—Filtered data from multiple event logs or event sources based on filter settings assigned to

each unique custom view. The Administrative View is preset to show critical, error, and warning events from

all administrative logs.

• Windows Logs—Reporting messages organized into general categories of application, security, and

operating system messages. These logs correspond to the general log categories used by the Windows XP

Event Viewer utility.

• Applications and Services Logs—Reporting messages organized by specific application or service. Logs for

operating system applications are organized into their own folder structure within this category.

• Subscriptions—When configured, this manages incoming event message streams from remote computers.

Remote computers are configured to deliver specific types of event messages to the local computer and store

them in specific local logs.

• Saved Logs—Used to organize and display event logs that were previously saved to archive files and are

now opened for viewing.-536

155. How is the Device Manager used when troubleshooting a computer?

The Device Manager console reports the status of the currently attached computer hardware. When

troubleshooting odd computer behavior, this tool can be used to address the following questions:

• Are all expected hardware devices attached to the computer?

• Are any devices disabled? If this is the problem, the device can be enabled by clicking Enable Device on the

device’s properties window.

• Are all devices working properly? Some listed devices may have an exclamation icon or question mark over

the regular device icon to identify devices with issues. The Other devices category in Device Manager reports

hardware devices that are not properly recognized by Windows 7. This can direct efforts to determine

hardware that is broken, needs new drivers sourced, or is incompatible and must be replaced.

156. How is the Disk Management tool used when troubleshooting a computer?

Disk Management reports the disk configuration of the computer. For troubleshooting, Disk Management can

be reviewed to:

• Determine if all disks are present as expected

• Review if any disks are reporting degraded status

• Identify drive letter assignment

• Anticipate space issues for storing additional files-543

157. Briefly describe the Help and Support utility.

The Help and Support utility is available from the Start Menu and is a useful research tool to source

troubleshooting advice and develop an understanding of the affected system components. If the computer is

connected to the Internet, the Help and Support utility can be used to check online for updated information or

links to support resources that can provide additional advice or diagnostic services.

158. Explain how to restore backed up files in Windows 7.

The Backup and Restore utility has an option to restore files that have previously been backed up by the

utility. To start the file restore process, click Restore My Files from Backup and Restore. An opportunity to

restore all users’ files, or to select a backup from another system or restore files is also given.

The restore files window offers you the ability to Search, Browse for files, or Browse for folders that need to

be restored. The option to choose a different backup date is also given.

If the backup was stored to writeable CD or DVDs, it may span across several disks. The collection of disks

will be treated as a single backup collection. The catalog that is part of the backup will know which disk

holds a particular folder or file. If a required disk is damaged or missing, the collection can still be used to

recover data from the remaining healthy disks. Files and folders can be added to the list of what data to

restore. Only the data stored in the backup collection will be shown, relative to where it was originally

backed up. For example, if the file to restore was originally stored in C:\USERS\KIYAG\DESKTOP, then

that is the location to select for restoration.

Once the data to restore is selected, the Restore Files wizard asks where the recovered data should go. The

files that will be restored can go back to where they came from (the default selection) or they can optionally

go to a different location.

When a file is restored, the Restore Files wizard will not just overwrite existing files. The user is prompted to

confirm that the conflicting file can be overwritten, left alone, or renamed as desired.-557

159. What are the primary tools used to diagnose and repair Windows 7?

Windows 7 may become unstable and behave erratically for many reasons. The cause may be an installed

application, the operating system, corrupt data, faulty hardware, or one of many other root causes. The

primary tools used to diagnose and repair Windows 7 in these cases include:

• Advanced Boot Options Menu

• System Restore

• Device Driver Rollback

• Windows Recovery Environment

• Automatic Repairs-562

160. What are the options included in the Advanced Boot Options menu?

The Advanced Boot Options menu is used to select diagnostic modes that alter the startup process for

Windows 7. The menu options include:

• Safe Mode

• Safe Mode with Networking

• Safe Mode with Command Prompt

• Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)

• Other Advanced Boot Options-563

161. Describe the Safe Mode with Networking boot option.

Windows 7 is started in the same manner as Safe Mode, but limited networking components are additionally

enabled. This is not designed to support all networking features; many applications and services that support

advanced networking will not work in this mode. Networking support adds the ability to connect to remote

computers for diagnostic or data recovery purposes. Depending on the components that are damaged, the

networking support may not work at all. Many of the automated diagnostic tools built in to Windows 7 can

use the networking support to attempt a connection back to Microsoft to report the computer’s errors and

check if there is a suggested action from Microsoft.-564

162. What are the main characteristics of the Startup Repair Tool?

The Startup Repair tool is used to recover a Windows 7 installation when it is unable to start. This can be

caused by missing system files, a damaged boot sector, and other issues. To start the Startup Repair tool,

select Startup Repair from the System Recovery Center repair options screen.

In Windows XP, repairing startup issues required a multistep manual process. In Windows 7, the Startup

Repair Tool automatically fixes these problems. The tool contains built-in intelligence that can examine the

operating system files, logs, and settings automatically.

After a scan of the operating system is completed, the Startup Repair tool reports its findings. If no errors are

found, the tool will report that the root cause as “The computer is starting properly.”

163. What are some of the reasons to use multiple domains?

Some reasons to use multiple domains are:

• Decentralized administration—Domain boundaries serve as security boundaries for domain administrators.

In some cases, having multiple domains simplifies delegation of management responsibilities rather than

using OUs.

• Unreliable WAN links—If the WAN links between locations are often unavailable, then separate domains

minimize replication traffic across the WAN links.

• Multiple password policies—A domain can have only a single password policy. Implementing multiple

domains allows you to have multiple password policies. For example users in a high security domain may be

forced to change their password every 30 days while users in a second domain may be forced to change their

password every 90 days.-592

164. Why is a properly configured DNS essential for Active Directory?

One of the most common configuration problems in Active Directory networks is incorrect DNS

configuration on servers and workstations. Proper configuration of DNS is essential for Active Directory.

Active Directory stores information about domain controllers and other services in DNS. Workstations use

the information in DNS to find domain controllers in their local site and log on.

Incorrect DNS configuration can result in:

• Slow user logons

• Inability to apply group policies

• Failed replication between domain controllers

165. Describe the changes that occur when a workstation joins a domain.

When a workstation joins a domain, it is integrated into the security structure for the domain. Administration

of the workstation can be performed centrally by using Group Policy. Also, domain administrators are

automatically given the ability to manage the workstation.

The following security changes occur when a workstation joins a domain:

• The Domain Admins group becomes a member of the local Administrators group.

• The Domain Users group becomes a member of the local Users group.

• The Domain Guests group becomes a member of the local Guests group.

166. What are the steps used to determine which group policy settings to apply in Active Directory?

At each level, more than one GPO can be applied to a user or computer. If there is more than one GPO per

container, the policies are applied in the order specified by the administrator. The following steps are used to

determine which policy settings to apply.

1. If there is no conflict, the settings for all policies are applied.

2. If there is a conflict, later settings overwrite earlier settings. For example, the setting from a domain policy

overrides the setting from a local policy.

3. If the settings in a computer policy and user policy conflict, the settings from the computer policy are

applied.-602

167. What are the benefits of implementing the Group Policy service in Windows 7?

By implementing the Group Policy service, the following benefits are obtained:

• Group Policy settings can be applied without any reboots.

• Performance is increased and resource usage is reduced for Group Policy processing.

• Group policy events are logged to the System log instead of the Application log.

• Information about Group Policy applications is logged to a Group Policy Operational log.

168. What are the steps involved in the formal process for implementing Windows 7?

The formal process for implementing Windows 7 should include the following steps:

1. Define the scope and goals of the project.

2. Assess the existing computer systems.

3. Plan the new computer system configuration.

4. Determine a deployment process.

5. Test the deployment process.

6. Deploy Windows 7.

169. Briefly explain how to evaluate the existing computer systems in an organization to ensure that they support Windows 7.

The existing computer systems in the organization must be evaluated to ensure that they support Windows 7.

This evaluation is composed of two parts:

• Hardware evaluation—The existing computer hardware must be evaluated to ensure that it is powerful

enough to run Windows 7 and support any desired features such as the Aero interface. Hardware that does

not support Windows 7 must be replaced or excluded from the migration project.

• Software evaluation—The existing applications must be evaluated to ensure that they run properly in

Windows 7. Any application that does not run properly in Windows 7 must be replaced or accommodated by

running an older operating system. An older operating system can be run in a virtual machine or by

configuring the computer to dual-boot the older operating system and Windows 7.-611

170. Briefly explain how to test the deployment process of Windows 7.

Before attempting to perform any mass migration of workstations to Windows 7, you must thoroughly test

the deployment process. The first part of the testing process should be done in a test lab that is completely

separate from the rest of the network. The test lab should mimic your real network as closely as possible. In

this case, you should ensure that the workstations have similar hardware to production workstations and the

same software.

After the deployment process is working in a lab environment, you should perform a test pilot to designated

users within the organization. This further tests the deployment process on a small scale to identify any issues

that were missed in the lab environment. The users and computers selected for the test deployment should be

representative of the users and computers in the overall organization. For example, a few users should be

selected from every department with various applications. Selecting only users from within the IT department

is not representative of the overall organization.-612

171. What are the XML files used to control USMT?

The XML files used to control USMT are:

• MigApp.xml—Used to include or exclude the setting for specific applications.

• MigUser.xml—Used to control which file types, user folders, and desktop settings are included in the migration.

• MigSys.xml—Used only when migrating operating system and browser settings to a Windows XP computer.

• Config.xml—A custom configuration file that allows you to control the migration process in detail. For example, it can control which operating system component settings or which specific applications settings are migrated.

172. What are the requirements for installation and use of WDS?

The following are required for successful installation and use of WDS:

• Active Directory—The WDS server must be a member server or domain controller in an Active Directory

domain.

• DHCP—DHCP is used by client computers to obtain an IP address and communicate with the WDS server.

• DNS—DNS is used by client computers to resolve the hostname of the WDS server.

• An NTFS partition on the WDS server—The images must be stored on an NTFS-formatted volume on the

WDS server.

• Windows Server 2003 SP1 with RIS installed—This is only required when deploying WDS on Windows

Server 2003.

• Administrative credentials—To install WDS on a serv