Comptia A+ 2A

Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS)

A type of OS that prioritizes deterministic execution of operations to ensure consistent response for time-critical tasks.

firmware

Software that is permanently stored in a chip. The BIOS on a motherboard is an example of firmware.

Fields

Some engines may allow you to search for words within a particular field (for example, the document's URL or its TITLE).

A computer with a 64-bit CPU can run

either 64-bit operating systems and 64- bit and/or 32-bit applications or a 32-bit operating system and 32-bit applications.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)

handheld computing devices meant largely for mobile use outside an office setting

If a computer crashes during operation and stops responding to any mouse clicks or keyboard presses, there could be a fault in either

hardware or software.

home automation software

if the appliance or device is "smart."

Most CPUs released in the last few years can work in either

32-bit or 64-bit mode. 64-bit mode is not necessarily that much faster, but it can address more memory.

Task Manager

A Windows utility that shows programs currently running and permits you to exit nonresponsive programs when you click End Task.

Setting up a Personal Computer

1) If the computer has just been delivered, check the contents of the box, read the instruction manual, and allow at least 30-60 minutes for the components to adjust to room temperature. There is a slight risk from condensation if you unpack a computer and start it immediately. 2) Read the manufacturer's setup and safety guidelines and plan the installation of the computer to comply with them. 3) Position the monitor and system unit so that cables can be tucked away neatly and do not cross any walkways. When lifting a heavy object such as a monitor, take care to protect your back. Ensure that any object placed on a desk is not at risk of toppling. 4) Ensure there is adequate air flow around the monitor, system unit, and larger peripherals, such as a printer or scanner. 5) Check that the screen is not exposed to excessive glare from windows or lighting and that equipment is not in direct sunlight. 6) Adjust the monitor, chair, and position of the mouse and keyboard so that the user can sit and type comfortably. 7) Connect each peripheral to the computer using an appropriate cable. Inspect each cable and connector for any sign of visible damage before plugging it in. Use any available cable management features to keep wiring tidy and ensure it does not pose a trip hazard 8) Connect the power cables from the monitor, system unit, and any peripherals to electrical outlets, again checking that the cables are undamaged and the plugs are fitted with fuses of the correct rating. Ensure that the electrical outlets are not overloaded. 9) Switch on any peripherals connected to the computer that you want to use then switch on the system unit.

Mbps (or Mb/s)

1,000,000 bits per second. Many internal computer interfaces have throughputs measured in Mbps. Wireless networks and residential Internet links also typically have this sort of throughput.

Gbps (or Gb/s)

1,000,000,000 bits per second. The latest PC bus standards and networks can support this higher level of throughput.

TeraByte (TB)

1000 GB (1,000,000,000,000 bytes). Some individual disk units might be 1 or 2 terabytes but these units are usually used to describe large storage networks.

PetaByte (PB)

1000 TB or 1015 bytes (1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes). The largest storage networks and cloud systems would have petabytes of capacity.

KiloByte (KB)

1000 bytes (or 103 or 10*10*10 bytes). Small files are often measured in KB.

GigaByte (GB)

1000*1000*1000 bytes (1,000,000,000 bytes). Gigabytes are usually used to talk about disk capacity.

double byte

16 bits

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).

An interface between firmware on the motherboard and the operating system and improves on legacy BIOS processes for booting, handing over the boot to the OS, and loading device drivers and applications before the OS loads. UEFI provides support for 64-bit CPU operation at boot, a full GUI and mouse operation at boot, and better boot security. A computer with UEFI may also support booting in a legacy BIOS mode.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

Damage caused to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves or joints, usually because of repeating the same action

Troubleshooting model step 8)

Document findings/lessons learned, actions and outcomes

Troubleshooting model Step 5)

Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify potential effects

CompTia Troubleshooting Model Step 3)

Establish a theory of probable cause. ○ Question the obvious. ○ Consider multiple approaches. ○ Divide and conquer.

OR

Find either of the words. The pipe (|) can also be used to mean the same thing.

This PC

Gives the user access to the drives of the computer. also allows you to change configuration settings by rightclicking it and selecting Properties (to access System properties) or Manage (to access the default Computer Management console).

CompTIA Troubleshooting Model Step 1)

Identify the problem. ○ Gather information. ○ Duplicate the problem, if possible. ○ Question users. ○ Identify symptoms. ○ Determine if anything has changed. ○ Approach multiple problems individually.

Troubleshooting model step 6)

Implement the solution or escalate as necessary.

Power-On Self-Test (POST)

More than one beep—the beeps specify where the problem is (and there may be an error message on the screen), but you will probably need to get help to diagnose and fix it. Do check that nothing is resting on the keyboard; if a key is pushed down it can cause this type of error.

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)

Most companies producing PCs and laptops are referred to as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). they source components such as CPUs and RAM modules from manufacturers and put them together as a branded PC system.

Power-On Self-Test (POST)

No beep—check whether the power light has come on and whether the disk light is flickering and whether there is an image on the screen. You should also be able to hear some disk activity and the whir of fans inside the PC. If you can detect none of these things, there is a power problem. Check the power cable and fuse. If these are OK, then the problem is either with the computer's internal power supply or the electrical outlet (try plugging in a lamp to test).

shell

One of the basic functions of an OS is to provide an interface between the user and the computer. This type of interface is referred to as a shell.

s Z-Wave, ZigBee, or Bluetooth LE.

One of the critical points in building a "smart" or "digital" home or office solution is ensuring compatibility between the networking or communications standards supported by the hub and the appliances. Most devices support ordinary Wi-Fi standards-based wireless networking, but some may require connectivity standards designed for low power use, such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, or Bluetooth LE.

server OS

Operating system software that runs on a network server to provide resources to network users. Windows Server, Linux, or UNIX, is often based on similar code to its workstation OS equivalent. A server OS is likely to include software packages (or roles) to run network services and use different licensing to support more users. A server OS is also likely to have a simpler command-line interface, rather than a GUI, to make it more secure and reliable.

-

Put a minus sign (-) in front of a word to exclude it.

+

Put a plus sign (+) in front of a word that must be found in the documents exactly as you typed it.

CompTia Troubleshooting Model Step 2)

Research knowledge base/Internet, if applicable.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Resources on the Internet are accessed using an address known as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The URL contains the information necessary to open a page on the web. For example, the URL http://www.comptia.org/index.htm instructs the browser to use the HTTP protocol to display the file index.htm from the server identified as www.comptia.org.

a Power-On Self-Test (POST)

Some text or a logo may be displayed on-screen while the computer starts up ("boots"). The computer performs a Power-On Self-Test (POST) to check that the main components work and then loads Windows. After a minute or so, a screen prompting you to sign in to the computer is displayed.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

Systems that provide and regulate heating and cooling.

Troubleshooting model step 4)

Test the theory to determine cause. ○ Once the theory is confirmed (confirmed root cause), determine the next steps to resolve the problem. ○ If the theory is not confirmed, establish a new theory or escalate.

hexadecimal

The hex notation system enables you to express 16 different numbers using a single digit in the range 0 to F. For example, the number 1234 (in decimal) can be expressed in hex as 4D2, using one fewer digit. In this notation, the letters A through F are used to express numbers larger than nine (which require two digits of decimal to express). Thus, A is 10, B is 11, C is 12, D is 13, E is 14 and F is 15.

A PC is a dynamic environment.

The user can add or remove programs and data files, install new hardware components, and upgrade the operating system.

*

The wildcard * represents unknown words between known ones.

Windows 10 Professional and Enterprise editions are bundled with virtualization software (Hyper-V).

Third-party products include VMware and VirtualBox.

"

Use double quotation marks (") to specify a match to the exact phrase as you typed it.

Troubleshooting model step 7)

Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.

throughput rate

When data is transferred between components in the computer or between computers over a network, the throughput rate that a particular connection can sustain is measured in bits per second (bps)

User Account Control (UAC)

Windows' solution to the problem of elevated privileges. In order to change important settings on the computer (such as installing drivers or software), administrative privileges are required.

START+E.

You can open an Explorer window

Applets

a very small application, especially a utility program performing one or a few simple functions.

F1

activates the help file for an application

Partitions

allow a single disk to be divided into multiple different logical areas, each of which can be accessed via the OS as a separate drive

decimal system

base 10

binary

base 2

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)

built-in program which initializes computer hardware and launches the operating system when the computer starts. provides industry standard firmware that operates the essential components of the PC and ensures that the design of each manufacturer's motherboard is PC compatible.

embedded system or embedded OS

by contrast is a computer or appliance designed for a very specific function.You could also think of home automation hubs, smart TVs, and gaming consoles as running an embedded OS in that the OS that ships with the device cannot usually be changed.

Screen is dark

check that the monitor is plugged in and switched on, that the power cable and fuse are good, and that the cable from the monitor to the computer is properly connected. If you see a message such as "No sync," the cable is probably disconnected or damaged. If you can see a very dim image, check that the brightness control hasn't been turned all the way down.

Virtual labs

create a research lab to analyze viruses, worms, and Trojans. As the malware is contained within the guest OS, it cannot infect the researcher's computer or network.

CTRL+TAB

cycle through open tabs.

Chrome OS

derived from Linux, via an open source OS called Chromium. Chrome OS itself is proprietary. Chrome OS is developed by Google to run on specific laptop (Chromebook) and PC (Chromebox) hardware. This hardware is designed for the budget market.

Windows 10 Home

designed for domestic consumers and Small Office Home Office (SOHO) business use. The home edition cannot be used to join a corporate Windows domain network.

Windows 10 Pro

designed for small and medium-sized businesses. The Professional edition comes with networking and management features designed to allow network administrators more control over each client device.

Network Operating System (NOS) or server OS

designed to run on servers in business networks.

Home client

designed to work on standalone or workgroup PCs and laptops in a home or small office. This will also allow each client to run some basic peer-to-peer network services, such as file sharing.

Each hardware component requires a

driver to work

byte

eight bits

Support legacy software applications

if the host computers have been upgraded, software may not work well with the new operating system. In this scenario, the old OS can be installed as a VM and the application software accessed using the VM

Type I (or "bare metal") hypervisor

installed directly on the computer and interacts directly with its hardware.

Control Panel

is the location for the basic user-configurable settings for Windows and some applications (such as anti-virus or email software) via applets.

If the computer overheats,

it can stop working suddenly, and overheating can be a relatively common occurrence.

Access control

means that a computing device (or any information stored on the device) can only be used by an authorized person, such as its owner. Access control on workstation operating systems is usually enforced by the concept of user accounts. Each user of the device is allocated an account and uses a password (or other credential) to authenticate to that account. The OS can restrict the privileges allocated to an account so that it is not able to reconfigure settings or access certain data areas.

Open source

means that the programming code used to design the software is freely available. Open source doesn't necessarily mean available for free (although many distributions are); it means that developers are free to make changes to the way the operating system works, so long as they make the changes they have made available in turn.

A computer with a 32-bit CPU cannot run

n 64-bit OS or applications software at all.

Guest operating systems (or Virtual Machines [VM])

operating systems installed under the virtual environment. The number of operating systems is generally only restricted by hardware capacity. The hypervisor may also restrict the type of operating systems that can be installed

Navigating an OS

provide a stable environment for different software applications to work together. operating system controls access to the computer hardware; applications software can only access the computer hardware via functions of the OS. An OS provides tools for configuring the hardware, such as the Settings app in Windows. The OS also provides file management tools and can include a number of utilities. For example, Windows includes a text editor (Notepad), picture editor (Paint), a word processor (WordPad), a calculator, some games, and so on.

Internet of Things (IoT)

refers to a world in which many different types of things are embedded with processing and networking functionality. Processing and networking functionality can be provisioned by very small chips, so the "things" can range from motor vehicles and washing machines to clothing and birthday cards.

Type II hypervisor

runs as a software application within a host operating system. The host operating system retains direct control of the hardware and the hypervisor must request use of it through the host OS.

Task Scheduler

sets tasks to run at a particular time. Tasks can be run once at a future date or time or according to a recurring schedule. A task can be a simple application process (including switches if necessary) or a batch file or script. Task Scheduler is accessed via its own console and can also be found in the Computer Management console.

Ease of Access

settings help people with a physical impairment to use the computer effectively.

START+X

shows a shortcut menu including Control Panel, Windows Settings, and File Explorer but also management utilities such as Device Manager, Computer Management, Command Prompt, and Windows PowerShell. These are used for advanced configuration of OS settings.

Embedded systems are typically

static environments.The static environment provided by an embedded OS does not allow or require such frequent changes.Many embedded systems operate devices, such as drip meters or flow valves, that perform acutely time-sensitive tasks.

least privilege

that users should have only sufficient permissions required to perform tasks and no more.

Microsoft accounts

these are connected to Microsoft's cloud services. A Microsoft account can be used to sign in on multiple devices and synchronize settings, apps, and data between them.

System memory

this type of memory is volatile, meaning that it is only preserved while the system is powered up. System memory is provided by Random Access Memory (RAM) modules.

ALT+F4

to close a document

ALT key then press TAB

to cycle through the windows or on a touch-enabled screen, swipe from the left edge.

On a laptop, use the FN key

to operate commands marked on other keys in a color accent. These perform laptop-specific functions, such as toggling the display or switching the wireless radio on or off.

Mass storage

to preserve data when the system is turned off, it is written as files to a mass storage device. Every PC comes with at least one such fixed disk. The fixed disk will either be a hard disk or a Solid-State Drive (SSD).

Microsoft's Disk Operating System (DOS)

used a command-line interface or simple menu systems

Websites are hosted on

web servers and are viewed using a browser.

Network and Sharing Center

you can use to view the status of network links and configure options for sharing folders.

Kbps (or Kb/s)

—1000 bits per second. Older computer peripheral interfaces (or buses) and slow network links would be measured in Kbps.

MegaByte (MB)

—1000*1000 bytes (or 1,000,000 bytes). Many files would be measured in megabytes.

Enterprise client

—designed to work as a client in business networks.

Control Panel/Windows Settings

—individual applets to configure various aspects of Windows. The Control Panel is a legacy interface; increasingly, configuration options are being moved to the touchscreen-friendly Settings app.

Training

—lab environments can be set up so that students can practice using a live operating system and software without impacting the production environment. At the end of the lab, changes to the VM can be discarded so the original environment is available again for the next student to use.

Hypervisor (or Virtual Machine Monitor [VMM])

—manages the virtual machine environment and facilitates interaction with the host hardware and network. There are two main classes of hypervisor:

Windows 10 Enterprise/Windows 10 Enterprise (Long Term Servicing Channel)

—similar to the Pro edition but designed for licensing by medium and large enterprises.

Development environment

—test software applications under different operating systems and resource constraints.

Local accounts

—these are defined on one computer only.

Windows 10 Education/Pro Education

—variants of the Enterprise and Pro editions designed for licensing by schools and colleges.